Nostoc Bacteria Could Be Used as Hydrogen Source
Scientists from the University of Sheffield, UK have demonstrated that some bacteria named Nostoc could be used to power our future hydrogen cars. Their research was published in the journal Bioinformatics, and it could have powerful green consequences for the environment.
1MW Solar Powered Laser Made in Uzbekistan
Uzbek researchers want to make a 40-meter tower, tapped with 62 electronically controllable mirrors, arranged in a concave form that focus the Sun's power onto a solar furnace. The mirrors almost have half the size of a football field, and the whole system is able to focus 1MW of energy into the furnace. Each mirror tracks the Sun's movement and focuses on it, so to get maximum power out of the received light.
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.
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.
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.
New Type of Much More Stable Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Discovered
There have already been invented dye-based solar cells, and their efficiency is as high as 75%, but the inorganic material that the dye is made of is instable in outside functioning conditions, and possibly harmful to the environment.
100 MPG Prius with Lead Acid Batteries
Plug-In Supply, Inc has just unveiled the "PbA10" Conversion System last week at the Plug-in 2008 conference in San Jose. Their system is based on the CalCars'Open Source design, and it turns a standard 2004-2008 Toyota Prius into a Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) with an all-electric range of 10-15 miles and improved average mileage of up to 100 miles per gallon (plus 1 cent/mile of electricity).
Solar Power Satellite: Green Energy or Ultimate Mass Destruction Weapon?
Based in the 1960s, the idea of sending a solar powered satellite into outer space to provide electricity to ground stations has been brought up over the years several times by the Department of Energy (DOE) and The Department of Defense (DOD) of the United States.
