Toyota Prius Converted to Run on Ethanol
Recently inspired by public demand and by the conversions made by third party companies to make it a plug-in hybrid, Toyota seriously intends to equip their cars with various fueling systems, so you can charge the batteries at night.
3G iPhone to Charge from Solar Powered Case
If you ever had a 3G mobile phone in your hand, you know that it sometimes remains stuck on data mode and drains all your battery in a matter of hours (and it heats up considerably, too). The same goes with the new iPhone 3G that has just been launched.
Ford & GM to Share the Same Hybrid Powertrain Platform
A story in Detroit News says that Ford and GM will unite forces to share the E-Flex powertrain technology that powers their Volt.
Nissan Develops Acceleration Pedal That Pushes Your Foot Back
According to Reuters, Nissan said on Monday that it has invented an accelerator pedal for their future cars that is somehow slapping your foot off it. It can push back on the driver's foot when it detects too much pressure and bad fuel efficiency while accelerating.
Wind Energy Using Kites Produces 10kW of Free Electricity
A recent experiment performed by a team of researchers from the Delft University in Netherlands (aka country of wind mills) used kites to transform the wind power into electricity. They created 10kW of electricity with their project, which is sufficient to power about 10 households with normal energy requirements.
Cloth Material Used in Fuel Cells Makes Them Cheaper Than Ever!
A team of scientists from the Monash University, Australia, has designed a fuel cell which will be used in the latest generation of hybrid cars. Their fuel cells could make the vehicles more reliable and more cheap to build.
Hydrogen Produced by Mimicking Photosynthesis
MIT researchers found out a way to create energy by mimicking the photosynthesis process that green plants acquire their energy from. Prof. Daniel G. Nocera and former MIT graduate student Alan F. Heyduk invented a hydrogen-producing compound. They also use a catalyst and small amounts of light.
ESL Light Bulbs: Greener Than CFL, Cheaper Than LEDs
Residential Lighting has invented a new type of light bulb, that claims green gains, even more green than the CFLs. The new technology is called ESL (electro-stimulated luminescence). The technology was patented in June by a startup company called Vu1.
65kW Solar Powered Micro-Turbine
HelioFocus has ordered Capstone Turbine Corporation to develop and modify their C65 (65 kW) MicroTurbine to operate on solar power. HelioFocus has been founded in 2007, is based in Israel, and it produces modular, high efficiency Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) systems to convert the sunlight to electricity. They use a parabolic concentrator which focuses the light onto a solar receiver. The solar receiver is heat-based, and it drives Capstone's modified turbine.
