New Report Claims 4.2% of U.S. Electricity Coming From Solar by 2020
According to a new report made by Bloomberg New Energy Finance, solar energy can provide 4.2% of U.S. power needs by 2020. This will become reality only if the U.S continues to make investments in the energy sector and decrease solar costs.
Purple-Painted Wind Turbines Wouldn't Kill So Many Bats, Researchers Say
In an attempt to reduce the environmental impact of wind turbines on wildlife, researchers from the Loughborough University in the UK have demonstrated that selecting a color different than grey or white affect the way these constructions affect insects.
Forces of Nature: The Car Featuring Solar-Powered On-Board Hydrogen Production
A professor from Middle Tennessee State University has succeeded creating a hydrogen-powered car that produces its own fuel using the sun. Dubbed "Forces of Nature," the car (a 1994 Toyota Tercel) uses hydrogen extracted from an onboard water supply using solar power.
Toyota Setting Up Recycling Facilities For Old Nickel Metal Batteries From Old Hybrids
To keep the planet as tidy as possible, and to make a good business, Toyota has decided that it's about time they recycled used NiMH batteries included in their old hybrid cars, such as the Prius, which has been produced from 2000 onwards.
New Titanium Oxide Electrode Increases Li-Ion Battery Energy Density By At Least 30%
A Japanese research group, having members among the Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) developed a new oxide negative-electrode and a new synthesis method to fabricate it, at lower temperatures, of about 200 to 300 degrees Celsius.
THEKPV: A Real Solar-Powered Bike With Regenerative Braking Built by DIYer
THEKPV is more than a solar-powered bicycle. Designed and manufactured by Terry Hope, who has actually wrote to us about his bike, THEKPV (The Hybrid Electric Kinetic Photovoltaic Vehicle) is powered by a 50-watt solar cell array, has a battery and a capacitor for boosting its acceleration capabilities.
Germany's Solar Power Will Soon Overload The Grid
Germany could soon be confronted with a problem: they will have too much solar power, unadapted to their lifestyle. The electric grid, designed for times that had far less consumers and producers than they are now, will ultimately come to an overload, says Stephan Köhler, head of DENA, Germany's energy agency, to the Berliner Zeitung on Oct. 17.
Volvo Tests Petrol-Powered Fuel Cells For Extending EV Range
Volvo has been testing lately their newest innovation in the field of electric cars - an electric car range extender based on a hydrogen fuel cell powered by liquid organic fuels, such as petrol. In collaboration with Powercell Sweden AB, Volvo's range extender could take the EV for up to 250 kilometers more and at the same time only emit minute carbon dioxide quantities.
New Peel'n Stick Solar Panels Launched By Lumeta, No Prices Set Though
Lumeta, a California-based subsidiary of DRI Companies, has recently launched the "peel n'stick" solar panel that uses monocrystalline solar cells. The cell also contain a DuPont Tefzel front sheet and fiberglass-reinforced plastic for increased flexibility.
Fulvalene Diruthenium Studied As Alternative To Molten Salts For Renewable Energy Storage
Storing energy is almost as important as producing it, because wind and solar have the property of being intermittent sources - either they produce in excess or lack completely. Molten salts are currently the most used solution for storing energy in the form of heat, but they sometimes tend to be expensive and not so efficient.
