Researchers On Their Way to Set Solar Panel Efficiency Record at 95%
The breakthrough comes from the chemical engineer Patrick Pinhero at the University of Missouri, who claims his solar panels are way better than those on the market now: up to 90% more efficiency.
Implux: A More Efficient Rooftop Wind Turbine That Captures Wind From Any Direction
As most of you probably know, wind turbines are all positioned towards the direction of the wind, and it's obviously why. But what happens to the surfaces over which the wind flows in all directions, almost uncontrollably, like on a of a building's high rooftop?
New Pyroelectric Device Transforms Heat into Electricity With 30% Efficiency
Thermoelectric devices transform waste heat into electricity and can one day provide increased efficiency for everything from small gadgets to power plants. Scott Hunter, working at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) hopes his new heat-recovering invention will scavenge lost heat with an efficiency of up to 30 percent.
Earthquake-Free Geothermal Drilling Technology Proposed by GTherm
Earthquakes are a serious drawback and side effect of geothermal drilling and that could be damaging to the industry, especially after Japan's nuclear experience. GTherm, a Connecticut-based company founded in 2008, thinks they can overcome the issue through their proprietary geothermal extraction process that doesn't involve fracturing rock, which is apparently causing the quakes.
Samsung Plans To Unveil Solar Powered Laptop
Right now I'm propped to a tree, writing this article, at the margins of an enchanting forest, with birdies singing everywhere. My laptop's battery is nearing its low percentage, and I'd really need some power source. I'd use Samsung's solar powered laptop, or at least the one they're planning to release in the not-so-distant future.
California's First Hydrogen Station Supplied Directly by Pipe, Not Trucks
Although much publicity has been displayed for battery-powered EVs, some important automakers like Honda, Toyota and Mercedes-Benz are set on bringing hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in front of the public by 2015. In the meantime, Toyota opens a one-of-a-kind hydrogen-fueling station in Southern California.
Tibet Enlarges Solar Power Capacity, Aiming to Become China's Top Producer
Tibet may be the home of a world spiritual leader, but it isn't all about spirituality: the Chinese autonomous region has been using solar energy since the 80's and has a solar potential of about 3,000 hours of solar radiation per year. Its annual input of 9 MW of energy secures 13% of China's total production.
Atom-Thick Coating Helps Researchers Achieve Artificial Photosynthesis
By growing layers of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide on a semiconductor surface, researchers from the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) have managed to create solar cells that can ultimately extract hydrogen from water under the direct action of sunlight, just like leaves do their natural photosynthesis.
Yell at Your Phone to Charge It: New Piezoelectric Device Could Help You
Imagine that one day you could charge your mobile phone or other low-consumption devices just by placing them in noisy areas or by yelling at them. South-Korean scientists from the Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul, are now studying a type of zinc oxide-based device that could do just that.
Company Promises to Develop Battery-Replacing Ultracapacitors in Electric Vehicles
For years, people have been thinking to reduce or even eliminate gasoline-powered vehicles, and switch to battery-powered ones. The the battery-powered electric vehicles' era hasn't already begun well enough, and now some are even thinking to replace batteries with something else: ultracapacitors.
