Home 2010
Yearly Archives: 2010
Transonic Combustion's New Ultra-Efficient Engine Gets Up to 98 MPG
A California-based company called Transonic Combustion has recently developed a very efficient fuel-injection system that can put on hold the production of expensive gas-electric hybrids. With a cruising speed of 50 miles per hour, the test car was able to get 98 miles per gallon.
Lithium Sulfur Experimental Batteries Provide 4 Times Capacity of Li-Ion
Based on recent discoveries by University of Waterloo University scientists from Ontario, a team of Stanford researchers developed an electrode that can provide more energy density in lithium-sulfur batteries. Their experiments promise an improvement of 4 times the capacity of a standard lithium-ion battery, if current issues are overcame.
New Cobalt-Based Catalyst Helps Scientists Produce Hydrogen From Water and Sun
Water oxidation is an essential component for generating hydrogen from water by only using sunlight. Emory University researchers, led by Craig Hill, discovered the most powerful homogeneous catalyst known for oxidizing water, which could lead to successfully replicating the way photosynthesis works, but much more efficiently and controllable.
Aquafairy's New Range of Cheap Fuel Cells for Portable Electronic Devices
Today, the commercially available devices powered by fuel cells are still pretty pricey. But Kyoto-based Aquafairy has presented a new range of affordable fuel cells for portable electronic devices.
Europe's Biggest Solar Power Plant to Open in Italy This Year
Europe's largest solar plant (an area as large as 120 football pitches) will go online in Italy later this year. Located in northeastern Italy, in the province of Rovigo, the plant will generate 72 megawatts and will take up 850,000 square metres.
New Sources of Combustible Ice Could Power China for 90 Years
China has recently discovered major deposits of combustible ice on the tundra of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. According to the researchers, this new source of low-emission fuel could power China for 90 years.
Colorado Company Uses Concentrated Solar Power to Transform Biomass into Gasoline
Sundrop Fuels, a Louisville, CO, -based company has developed a method of using concentrated solar power to heat the biomass to 1200 or 1300 ºC, and even produce syngas more efficiently than the standard technology, which uses only 30 to 35 percent of the biomass.
Deutsche Bank Estimates EV Batteries Price Will Drop 50% In Next Decade
People tend to think electric cars will be more expensive and unaffordable than their petrol/diesel relatives. Furthermore, people usually expect high maintenance costs, because of the batteries.
IBM and Stanford Discover Chemical Recycling of PETs at Low Temperatures
Usually, plastic bottles, (aka PETs) are recycled by mechanical technologies, and they get several other uses afterwards: carpets, sweaters, etc. They don't ever return to their original water bottle use.It is possible to chemically recycle PETs, but the method has been so far very expensive and the industry doesn't want that option.
OLEV: The First Wirelessly-Powered EV Made in South Korea
The world's first commercial wireless EV has been introduced on Tuesday in South Korea at a theme park in Seoul. It's called the "On-Line Electric Vehicle" (OLEV), and it gets its energy from cables underneath the surface of the road. The car doesn't make any contact with the road, all the energy is transferred by magnetic induction.
