electricity Archives – The Green Optimistic

“Wired” Video Game to Teach Children About Electricity

Arsenij Percov — Mon, 30 Jul 2018 10:28:46 +0000

Researchers at the University of Cambridge developed a new video game that will help teenagers to understand electricity. It features a series of puzzles in order to encourage more of them to study engineering at university. The video game was called Wired. It is available for download and play starting this week. The game teaches […]

The post “Wired” Video Game to Teach Children About Electricity appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Undersea Power Line and Gas Pipeline to Help Iberian Peninsula

Arsenij Percov — Sun, 29 Jul 2018 04:50:31 +0000

Portugal, Spain, and France finally agreed to build an undersea power line in the Bay of Biscay on Friday. The aim of the project is to help the Iberian peninsula escape its energy isolation. The deal signed by these three countries guarantees the financing of the construction of the undersea power line linking Spain and […]

The post Undersea Power Line and Gas Pipeline to Help Iberian Peninsula appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Kelvin’s Water Dropper – How to Build a Water-Powered Spark Generator

Arsenij Percov — Sat, 21 Jul 2018 20:13:34 +0000

The instructables’ user KentG13 showed how we can make a Kelvin’s Water Dropper (also called Kelvin’s Thunderstorm) at home in a “Macgyver” style. The device uses falling water to generate voltage differences by electrostatic induction occurring between interconnected, oppositely charged systems. It can put out several thousand volts of electricity, but because of low amperage, […]

The post Kelvin’s Water Dropper – How to Build a Water-Powered Spark Generator appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

New Texas Toyota Headquarters Going Green

Courtney Lepping — Sat, 18 Jun 2016 06:09:44 +0000

Toyota’s headquarters is moving to Texas and making a shift towards environmental practices. Toyota consulted the Texas energy management and consulting services firm, Priority Power Management (PPM), to design a plan for a headquarters based on renewable power. The Plano headquarters campus will be ‘going green’ with LED lights, solar panels, building shells designed to […]

The post New Texas Toyota Headquarters Going Green appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Ivanpah, World’s Largest Solar Power Plant, Catches Fire

Courtney Lepping — Sun, 22 May 2016 21:24:49 +0000

The generator at the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System (ISEGS) in California caught fire from a misaligned mirror that directed sunlight at the power plant’s wires. Luckily, no injuries ensued and workers shut down one of the boilers for later repairs. On the downside, exactly how California’s electricity supply will be affected is unknown, being […]

The post Ivanpah, World’s Largest Solar Power Plant, Catches Fire appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Solar Power Company Offers Cheapest Electricity Ever

Annika Tostengard — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 13:38:45 +0000

The record for the cheapest electricity has been broken yet again, this time by two Nevada solar companies, who have made a deal with a subsidiary of Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. The deal has yet to be approved by Nevada regulators, but it is expected that they will make a decision by the end […]

The post Solar Power Company Offers Cheapest Electricity Ever appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Cheap and Efficient Thermoelectric Material Turns Waste Heat Into Eectricity

Mila Luleva — Fri, 18 Jul 2014 10:39:08 +0000

New thermoelectric material, tetrahedrite, a naturally occurring mineral, non-toxic and super efficient conductor that turns waste heat into power, goes on sale by Alphabet Energy. Converting heat into electricity has not gained much popularity, mainly because scientists have failed to find the right material that can conduct electricity without conducting heat. The few attempts that […]

The post Cheap and Efficient Thermoelectric Material Turns Waste Heat Into Eectricity appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Pluvia Converts Rainwater to Electricity, Purifies It

Mila Luleva — Fri, 28 Mar 2014 14:43:08 +0000

Pluvia is made of a microturbine, 12-volt rechargeable batteries, generator, pipe, pump, charcoal filter and a storage tank. Rain has received quite a bit of attention over the past decade or so, as the effects of climate change on the Earth’s hydrologic cycle are extreme, strong rainfall events in some parts of the world and increased […]

The post Pluvia Converts Rainwater to Electricity, Purifies It appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Nuclear Fusion at NIF Produces Extra Energy, For the First Time in History

Adele Hall — Wed, 09 Oct 2013 10:22:27 +0000

An experiment by the National Ignition Facility (NIF) in late September has confirmed they have gotten past the first step in harnessing the sun’s power here on earth. The obstacle they have overcome is getting more energy out of a fuel burn than what goes into it. Though they did not achieve the NIF’s standard […]

The post Nuclear Fusion at NIF Produces Extra Energy, For the First Time in History appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Wet-Powered Thin Film Generates Electricity

Benji Jerew — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 17:57:59 +0000

Given the right circumstances, we’ve probably all seen a piece of paper curl up when wet. Could this motion be put to work, that is, generate electricity? Scientists have noticed this wet curling effect in various polymers, but never something that could be said to perform work, such as with polypyrrole. Robert Langer at Massachusetts […]

The post Wet-Powered Thin Film Generates Electricity appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

US DOE Releases Web-Based Software to Determine Solutions for a Clean Energy Future

Leigh Hutchens — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 08:09:08 +0000

An energy analysis tool that helps educators and individuals determine future energy use scenarios has been created by the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). NREL, the primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development, is operated for DOE by The Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC. The […]

The post US DOE Releases Web-Based Software to Determine Solutions for a Clean Energy Future appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Will High Altitude Kites Replace Wind Turbines?

Leigh Hutchens — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 09:32:52 +0000

Could stunt kites be the future of energy? Could high altitude kites replace the tried-and-true wind turbine? A Berlin-based wind energy developer is betting YES. NTS GmbH is attempting to harness the wind with high flying kites and convert the captured energy into electricity. NTS GmbH realized that while stunt kites are used for extreme […]

The post Will High Altitude Kites Replace Wind Turbines? appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Antiquated Electric Grid Needs a Reboot

Leigh Hutchens — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 18:46:01 +0000

Electric companies played soothsayer to customers days before Hurricane Sandy’s arrival. They warned of extensive power failure and potential widespread outages. Their predictions were accurate and Sandy affected an immense number of customers in New York and New Jersey. Sadly, none of the power outages resulting from Sandy should be surprising. The hurricane only served […]

The post Antiquated Electric Grid Needs a Reboot appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Chinese Grid Operators to Raise Prices, Target “Irresponsible” Consumers

Mike Sandru — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 18:41:45 +0000

It’s only logic, right: you consume more, you pay more! In China however, you pay even more than the normal “more”: starting this July, more-than-average electricity consumers will be paying up to 0.30 yuan ($0.05) more per kilowatt hour. The National Development and Reform Commission is planning to downsize energy waste by hitting irresponsible consumers […]

The post Chinese Grid Operators to Raise Prices, Target “Irresponsible” Consumers appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

UCLA Scientists Produce Cheap Fuel from Solar Power and CO2

Ovidiu Sandru — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 09:05:30 +0000

Running an electric car on electricity is something pretty common (and logical), but running a gasoline car on electricity is something of fantastic realm. Still, a team of UCLA scientists have succeeded doing this – they produced high-grade alcohol by using electricity and fueled an internal combustion engine with it. “The current way to store […]

The post UCLA Scientists Produce Cheap Fuel from Solar Power and CO2 appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Italy To Invest In Egypt's Wind Power Projects

Mike Sandru — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 16:20:58 +0000

Italgen Group recently announced it is planning to allocate around €140 million to wind energy projects in Gabal El Zeit, Egypt. These projects should be capable of producing about 120 megawatts of clean energy a year.

The post Italy To Invest In Egypt's Wind Power Projects appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Researchers Create New Electric Fuel Cell Powered by Our Own Body

Mike Sandru — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 07:47:18 +0000

Nowadays everybody's looking to find new sources of energy. All our electronics or gadgets, including laptops, iPods,cell phones need good batteries to keep talking or playing. The truth is that our batteries aren't so good being not much better than the voltaic pile battery invented more than 200 years ago by Alessandro Volta.

The post Researchers Create New Electric Fuel Cell Powered by Our Own Body appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Masdar to Build 100MW Concentrated Solar Power Plant in Abu Dhabi

Mike Sandru — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 05:57:00 +0000

The CSP power plant dubbed Shams 1 (the Arabic word for "Sun") will cover one square mile of the desert in Madinat Zayed, about 75 miles from Abu Dhabi and will be able to generate 100 MW of electricity.

The post Masdar to Build 100MW Concentrated Solar Power Plant in Abu Dhabi appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Converting Plastic Waste into Clean Energy Without Releasing Harmful Emissions

Mike Sandru — Sun, 16 May 2010 16:36:17 +0000

Student scientists at Northeastern University have designed an apparatus capable to transform waste plastic into an alternative fuel without releasing harmful emissions.

The post Converting Plastic Waste into Clean Energy Without Releasing Harmful Emissions appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

MicroBelt – Portable Wind Energy Harvester to Power Wireless Sensors

Mike Sandru — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 18:53:27 +0000

Humdinger Wind Energy LLC has developed a micro turbine called MicroBelt, that is able power the new information age with a billion tiny harvesters. The millions of wireless sensors that collect a variety of information could be powered by this little device.

The post MicroBelt – Portable Wind Energy Harvester to Power Wireless Sensors appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Artificial Photosynthesis Could Power Homes on a Bottle of Water

Mike Sandru — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 05:25:40 +0000

MIT chemist Dan Nocera claims that with just one bottle of drinking water and four hours of sunlight, he can generate 30 KWh of electric energy, being enough to power an entire home. This process consist in a a cobalt-based catalyst that uses solar energy to split water and produce hydrogen.

The post Artificial Photosynthesis Could Power Homes on a Bottle of Water appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

ComEd's New Solar Energy Project for Chicago Homes Proposes Smarter Grid

Mike Sandru — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:02:41 +0000

ComEd, a Chicago-based utility company has come up with a new solar energy pilot that will outfit about 100 Chicago-area homes with solar panels and ÃƒÂ¢€Ã…â€œat least 50 of those with battery backup, 'smart' meters, net metering and a grid-tied status that enables them to send unused electric energy from their solar energy systems back to the grid.ÃƒÂ¢€

The post ComEd's New Solar Energy Project for Chicago Homes Proposes Smarter Grid appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

SOccket – A Soccer Ball That Generates and Stores Renewable Energy

Mike Sandru — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:07:14 +0000

A group of students at the Harvard University have come up with an ingenious idea that could change the lives of African people. They have developed an energy harvesting soccer ball called sOccket that is able to produce electric energy when being kicked around.

The post SOccket – A Soccer Ball That Generates and Stores Renewable Energy appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

New Transparent Solar Cells Can be Sprayed Onto Any Glass Surface

Mike Sandru — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 21:01:39 +0000

Researchers at New Energy Technologies have recently developed transparent solar cells which can be sprayed onto any type of glass. They successfully removed all metals from the solar cell and replaced them with an environmentally-friendly see-thru compound.

The post New Transparent Solar Cells Can be Sprayed Onto Any Glass Surface appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

LIDAR: Predicting The Wind By Using Smart, Laser-Equipped Wind Turbines

Ovidiu Sandru — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 18:17:11 +0000

The researchers from Riso DTU completed the first test on a wind turbine with a laser-based anemometer built into the spinner to increase electricity generation.

The post LIDAR: Predicting The Wind By Using Smart, Laser-Equipped Wind Turbines appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

EU Planning on Building An European Renewable Energy "Supergrid"

Ovidiu Sandru — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 19:45:52 +0000

The first electricity grid dedicated to renewable power becomes a political reality this month, because nine European countries draw up plans to link their clean energy projects around the North Sea.

The post EU Planning on Building An European Renewable Energy "Supergrid" appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Asia's Largest High-Concentration PV Plant Capable of Producing 100MW in Taiwan

Mike Sandru — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 08:12:26 +0000

Yesterday ( 23 December 2009) has been inaugurated in southern Taiwan the largest High-Concentration Photovoltaic (HCPV) in Asia. According to the officials this HCPV power plant is expected to save up to 700 tons of carbon emission annually.

The post Asia's Largest High-Concentration PV Plant Capable of Producing 100MW in Taiwan appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Hot Electrons Could Increase the Solar Cell's Power Output

Mike Sandru — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 11:36:25 +0000

Researchers at Boston College have developed new solar cells that successfully use hot electrons to increase the cells' power output. According to the scientists, the concept could lead to solar cells that break conventional efficiency limits.

The post Hot Electrons Could Increase the Solar Cell's Power Output appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Researchers Develop Device to Convert Vibrations Into Electricity

Mike Sandru — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:37:25 +0000

Bristol University researchers have developed a new way to provide free energy to businesses and homes. They have created a new type of energy-harvesting device that makes use of non-linear springs and mass.

The post Researchers Develop Device to Convert Vibrations Into Electricity appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Plastic Solar Cells with LEDs Offer Cheap Lighting in Poor Countries

Mike Sandru — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:37:09 +0000

According to a study, there are about 1.5 billion people in developing countries who do not have electricity, the majority of them using kerosene lamps for light after sunset. But now, thanks to the researchers from Denmark, the lighting problem could disappear.

The post Plastic Solar Cells with LEDs Offer Cheap Lighting in Poor Countries appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Japan Plans to Deploy Space-Based Solar Power Station

Ovidiu Sandru — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:11:25 +0000

JAXA, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, wants to compete with the United States' PG&E project for collecting solar power from outer space and beam it on Earth through clusters of lasers and microwaves.

The post Japan Plans to Deploy Space-Based Solar Power Station appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

EarthSure's Wind & Solar Powered Electric Car: Would It Work?

Mike Sandru — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:59:36 +0000

EarthSure, an innovator in alternative energy sources and renewable energy company is planning to develop a zero-emission electric vehicle powered by solar and wind energy. Called AirRay, the new car will be equipped with four wind turbines and a solar roof. All of these to generate necessary electricity to keep the batteries charged up.

The post EarthSure's Wind & Solar Powered Electric Car: Would It Work? appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Metal-Air Ionic Liquid Battery: 11 Times The Capacity of Li-Ion

Mike Sandru — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:46:54 +0000

A spinoff company from Arizona State University is planning to develop a metal-air battery which unlike lithium-ion batteries has an energy density 11 times greater, for less than one-third the cost. Last week, the US Department of Energy awarded a $5.13-million research grant to Scottsdale, AZ-based Fluidic Energy. This company hopes that its ultra-dense energy storage technology to become reality.

The post Metal-Air Ionic Liquid Battery: 11 Times The Capacity of Li-Ion appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

New Solar Farm That Generates Electricity Even After Sunset

Mike Sandru — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:04:18 +0000

The new solar farm will be based on the use of 17,500 large mirrors called heliostats which will be arrayed in a circle around a 538-foot concrete tower. Each one will measures between 24 - 28 feet, being attached to 12-foot pedestals.

The post New Solar Farm That Generates Electricity Even After Sunset appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Solarig to Build Eight Photovoltaic Parks in Italy

Mike Sandru — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 06:42:00 +0000

SOLARIG, a Spanish solar company, has started construction of 8 photovoltaic parks in Itlay this month. When the construction will be ready, the parks will provide 8 MW of clean energy in total. The same company plans to build photovoltaic projects that will produce 30 MW throughout different regions of Italy.

The post Solarig to Build Eight Photovoltaic Parks in Italy appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles Could Power Your Home

Mike Sandru — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:40:30 +0000

Today’s plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) require an overnight charge back at your home, but scientists at Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) have found a way to use these PHEVs as large mobile batteries that can be integrated and used in powering your home. CSIRO engineers have modified PHEVs to carry a 30Ah NiMH […]

The post Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles Could Power Your Home appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Zinc Air Batteries Just Got Rechargeable

Mike Sandru — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 06:59:54 +0000

A Swiss company based in Staefa, claims it developed zinc-air batteries, capable to hold three times the energy of lithium ion batteries, by volume, while costing only half as much," and compared with other existing air batteries, this one would be rechargeable.

The post Zinc Air Batteries Just Got Rechargeable appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Pyron Solar's Floating Photovoltaic Panels Use CSP to Get Efficient

Mike Sandru — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:12:16 +0000

Their new concentrated solar power system uses shallow pools of water as a passive cooling system for high-efficiency solar cells. The unique proprietary technology was developed by Pyron Solar of Sorrento Valley, California.

The post Pyron Solar's Floating Photovoltaic Panels Use CSP to Get Efficient appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Novotech's System Generates Renewable Energy from Asphalt

Mike Sandru — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:55:06 +0000

Scientists at Novotech and two Massachusetts universities are working to create a new system that could channel heat from asphalt and other paving materials into clean and usable energy.

The post Novotech's System Generates Renewable Energy from Asphalt appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Toyota Launching EV Charging Station at Tokyo Motor Show

Cristi — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:45:31 +0000

This year's Tokyo Motor Show was dominated by the Nippon market, Alpina and Lotus being the only foreigners with a stand at the show. Big companies like Daihatsu, Honda, Toyota, Suzuki, Nissan and Mitsubishi presented a lot of new concepts and hybrid or electric cars.

The post Toyota Launching EV Charging Station at Tokyo Motor Show appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Toshiba Releases Dynario DMFC Fuel Cell Charger

Cristi — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:39:38 +0000

The market is in a continuously search for a battery pack that should be able to power portable electronic devices for a longer period of time and with shorter charging times. Toshibas' Dynario Charger is the perfect solution for the moment.

The post Toshiba Releases Dynario DMFC Fuel Cell Charger appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

SEADOG Uses Waves' Own Power to Desalinate Sea Water

Cristi — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:05:40 +0000

A company called Renew Blue, Inc. will use wave power to run a desalination plant in Freeport, Texas. The resulted water will be finally put into corn-based biodegradable plastic bottles. The SEADOG power system is made from a buoy which puts in motion a piston mechanism that rotates a water wheel to generate electricity.

The post SEADOG Uses Waves' Own Power to Desalinate Sea Water appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Meteosat Used to Detect Faulty Solar Panel Power Stations

Ovidiu Sandru — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:28:18 +0000

Italy is known for its plans to develop photovoltaic power as one of their main sources of energy. Having such a wide experience in solar power harvesting, several issues arise regarding the solar panels' maintenance. Every PV plant has a sensor verifying the quantity of light arriving at its location at any given moment during the day.

The post Meteosat Used to Detect Faulty Solar Panel Power Stations appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

New Ceramic Material Makes Fuel Cells Capable of Using Normal Fuels

Ovidiu Sandru — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:28:40 +0000

Researchers from Georgia Institute of Technology have invented a new type of ceramic material that could widen the uses of SOFCs, so they could also be used with a wide range of liquid or gaseous fuels, without the need of separating hydrogen or cleaning them.

The post New Ceramic Material Makes Fuel Cells Capable of Using Normal Fuels appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Ecofriendly Bacteria Batteries Powered by Dirt

Mike Sandru — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:04:50 +0000

Harvard scientists have found a solution that could light up homes of some 500 million people living in sub-Saharan Africa. They have created microbial fuel cell (MFC) batteries that derive power from naturally occurring bacteria in soil.

The post Ecofriendly Bacteria Batteries Powered by Dirt appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Thermeleon: Roof Turning from Black to White as Temperature Changes

Ovidiu Sandru — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:44:30 +0000

While attending a competition for teams of MIT students, Making and Designing Materials Engineering Contest (MADMEC), a team of students and fresh-graduates have shown an invention that could turn the old roof tiles into chameleon-like tiles, turning from black to white and vice-versa as temperatures get low, respectively high.

The post Thermeleon: Roof Turning from Black to White as Temperature Changes appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Researchers Make One More Step Towards Metallic Hydrogen as Superconductor

Ovidiu Sandru — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:47:24 +0000

A team of scientists from Cornell University and the State University of New York at Stony Brook announced this week in a specialized publication that they discovered, at least theoretically, how to turn hydrogen into a metal at significantly lower pressures than ever thought and make a superconductor out of it.

The post Researchers Make One More Step Towards Metallic Hydrogen as Superconductor appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

IAV to Release On-the-fly Charging System for Electric Cars in 3 Years

Ovidiu Sandru — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:08:54 +0000

A German supplier of electronics and powertrain design to most of the major automakers for the last 25 years gives a solution to both the battery and the car manufacturers. The company is called IAV (Ingenieurgesellschaft Auto und Verkehr), and their solution is to charge the electric cars on-the-go through electromagnetic induction.

The post IAV to Release On-the-fly Charging System for Electric Cars in 3 Years appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Dow Chemical to Develop Energy Efficient Solar Shingles

Mike Sandru — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:57:13 +0000

A company named Dow Chemical revealed a new line of solar roof shingles that convert sunlight into electric energy, being able to generate $5 billion in revenue for the company by 2015.

The post Dow Chemical to Develop Energy Efficient Solar Shingles appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Israel Highway Equipped With Pilot Piezoelectric Generator System

Ovidiu Sandru — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:18:16 +0000

Yesterday morning, the Hefer intersection along the old coastal road of Route 4 in Israel was the place where a piezoelectric generator was put to the test and generated some 2,000 watt-hours of electricity. The setup consists of a ten-meter strip of asphalt, with generators lying underneath, and batteries in the road's proximity.

The post Israel Highway Equipped With Pilot Piezoelectric Generator System appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Cheap Nanotube Sensors to Detect Toxins in Water

Mike Sandru — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 18:08:56 +0000

A research team at Stanford has developed a new inexpensive sensor chip made with carbon nanotubes, being capable to detect rapid traces of TNT and poison in rivers, reservoirs.

The post Cheap Nanotube Sensors to Detect Toxins in Water appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Google Planning to Improve Solar Thermal Plants for Cheap Electricity

Mike Sandru — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:30:45 +0000

Google Inc is planning to develop its own mirror technology for solar energy that could be more cheaper and accessible to the masses, reducing the cost of building solar thermal plants by a quarter or more.

The post Google Planning to Improve Solar Thermal Plants for Cheap Electricity appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

New Cheap Plastic Stick-On Solar Cells Could Power Future Electric Cars

Mike Sandru — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 19:40:51 +0000

Scientists at the University of Queensland have designed stick-on solar cells made from low-cost plastics, being cheaper than the silicon panels fixed to rooftops.

The post New Cheap Plastic Stick-On Solar Cells Could Power Future Electric Cars appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

World's Most Efficient Solar Cell Converts 43% Incident Sunlight into Electricity

Mike Sandru — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:06:02 +0000

Researchers at the University of South Wales in Sydney, Australia, have created the world's most efficient solar cell. Professor Martin Green and his team of U.S. researchers have succeeded in developing solar cells that convert 43 percent of sunlight into electricity.

The post World's Most Efficient Solar Cell Converts 43% Incident Sunlight into Electricity appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Geobacter Microbe Produces Electricity From Mud and Wastewater

Ovidiu Sandru — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 21:04:39 +0000

Derek Lovley, from the University of Massachusetts Amherst recently experimented with a microbe named "Geobacter", who loves to live in sediments and mud, and whose hairlike filaments can produce electricity from the muddy environment it loves to live in.

The post Geobacter Microbe Produces Electricity From Mud and Wastewater appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Synthetic Leaves Performing Artificial Photosynthesis

Mike Sandru — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 08:30:08 +0000

A team of scientists at MIT and Michigan along with researchers at the University of California have discovered that artificial photosynthesis could produce electric energy.

The post Synthetic Leaves Performing Artificial Photosynthesis appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Florida Harvesting the Gulf Stream for Electricity and Hydrogen

Cristi — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 05:20:35 +0000

Florida's needs of electricity have made scientists think about never energy solutions. The needs of 4-7 million homes are so big that conventional energy would be too expensive and pollutant to still be used.

The post Florida Harvesting the Gulf Stream for Electricity and Hydrogen appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

ETV Motors to Launch Jet Turbine-Based Prius with Higher MPG

Ovidiu Sandru — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 08:17:37 +0000

Israeli start-up ETV Motors, located in Tel Aviv has invested about $12 million in this technology that combines a car, electricity and a jet engine. The prototype of a modified Prius will be ready next year for testing.

The post ETV Motors to Launch Jet Turbine-Based Prius with Higher MPG appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Geothermal Efficiency Boosted Up to 30% by Newly Discovered Liquid

Ovidiu Sandru — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 19:12:06 +0000

Scientists from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, WA, announce they developed a new type of heat extracting liquid that could absorb much better the heat coming from the hot water in the geothermal wells.

The post Geothermal Efficiency Boosted Up to 30% by Newly Discovered Liquid appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Efficient Electricity Production from Onion Juice

Cristi — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 08:00:34 +0000

The future life style is quite different than we could imagine right now. Many experts predict that we will not need to transport our energy around the world as it will be produced in our community.

The post Efficient Electricity Production from Onion Juice appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Sub-Nano Platinum Particles Make Fuel Cells 13 Times Better

Ovidiu Sandru — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 20:05:04 +0000

Nano-sized machinery makes me shiver. Thinking at a molecular and atomic level when speaking about technology makes me wonder even more. Even if I consider myself a logic person, extremely small and extremely large objects impress me.

The post Sub-Nano Platinum Particles Make Fuel Cells 13 Times Better appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Solar Stirling Engine System Working in Colder and Darker Areas

Ovidiu Sandru — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 21:22:55 +0000

Stirling engines become more and more used and promoted among alternative energy circles. The interesting fact with them is that they can be fueled by any source of heat, and the cleaner the source is, the better the stirling engine does to the environment.

The post Solar Stirling Engine System Working in Colder and Darker Areas appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Water Desalination Plants Powered by Renewable Energy

Mike Sandru — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 18:18:08 +0000

Due to the freshwater crisis from places like Dubai and Australia, inventors around the world have started looking for ways to convert seawater and make it potable. Most of these desalination plants require a huge amount of energy, being powered from non-renewable sources.

The post Water Desalination Plants Powered by Renewable Energy appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Low-Cost Way to Convert Sugarcane Juice into Useful Fuel

Mike Sandru — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 12:19:00 +0000

The company Amyris Biotechnologies opened a plant in Campanis, Brazil, with a capacity of more than 10,000 gallons a year, to demonstrate large-scale production of hydrocarbons from sugarcane processed using its engineered microbes, which will convert sugarcane into conventional diesel fuel.

The post Low-Cost Way to Convert Sugarcane Juice into Useful Fuel appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Artificial Leaves Will Convert Light into Electricity

Mike Sandru — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 08:18:09 +0000

Researchers at Leiden University in the Netherlands plan to develop artificial leaf using nature's building blocks to harness solar energy even in the worst places.

The post Artificial Leaves Will Convert Light into Electricity appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Remarkable Lifetime Results for EV Batteries

Cristi — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:30:05 +0000

Scientists from Southern California Edison (SCE) have developed an tested for two and a half years a lithium-ion battery sub-pack with very encouraging results. The battery tested survived 180,000miles with no significant deterioration.

The post Remarkable Lifetime Results for EV Batteries appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

The Sustainer: Solution to Produce Electricity and Fuel in Remote Rural Areas

Mike Sandru — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 06:07:10 +0000

The Solarix company found a new solution to produce electricity and fuel in remote rural areas.

The post The Sustainer: Solution to Produce Electricity and Fuel in Remote Rural Areas appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

New Nano-Device Could Power Your MP3 Player from Surrounding Sound

Ovidiu Sandru — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 17:29:21 +0000

Tahir Cagin, from the Texas A&M University, recently discovered that a specific type of piezoelectric material could convert sound waves into electric current 100 percent more efficient than current devices, when it is manufactured at a very small size - 21 nanometers.

The post New Nano-Device Could Power Your MP3 Player from Surrounding Sound appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Taiwanese Chlorophyll Battery – Works With Any Liquid!

Ovidiu Sandru — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 18:22:11 +0000

Chungpin Hovering Liao from Graduate School of Electro-Optic and Material Science of National Formosa University in central Taiwan discovered a battery that he claims to be the world's first chlorophyll organic battery. He says his battery can be filled up with almost anything, including water and urine, and it can provide electricity from two to seven days.

The post Taiwanese Chlorophyll Battery – Works With Any Liquid! appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Fraunhoffer Unveiled Pressure Sensors Powered by Self-Produced Green Electricity

Ovidiu Sandru — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 12:34:26 +0000

Fraunhofer researchers from Stuttgart have developed a new technology that enables the production of energy-autonomous and thus low-maintenance sensors.

The post Fraunhoffer Unveiled Pressure Sensors Powered by Self-Produced Green Electricity appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

The Spin Seebeck Effect to Offer Low-Loss Thermoelectric Effect

Ovidiu Sandru — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 18:19:18 +0000

Eiji Saitoh experimented with a heated magnetized metal (nickel-iron), and found out that the electrons with up spins (aligned with the rod's magnetic field) created an agglomeration on the hot side, while the ones with down spins (unaligned to the rod's magnetic field), created an agglomeration on the cooler side.

The post The Spin Seebeck Effect to Offer Low-Loss Thermoelectric Effect appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Discovery: Clathrates Thermoelectric Materials Offer Better Efficiency

Ovidiu Sandru — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:39:18 +0000

Some researchers from the University of ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Â¦rhus, Denmark, have studied promising thermoelectric materials from the group or clathrates, which create crystals full of 'nano-cages'.

The post Discovery: Clathrates Thermoelectric Materials Offer Better Efficiency appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

New Graphene Layer to Double Ultracapacitors Storage Capability

Ovidiu Sandru — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 18:18:52 +0000

Engineers and scientists from the University of Texas at Austin, led by Rod Ruoff, a mechanical engineering professor and physical chemist, have created a one-atom thick layer of carbon, called "graphene", and they put it to use in electrical storage systems, such as ultracapacitors, a viable way to clean and efficient energy storage.

The post New Graphene Layer to Double Ultracapacitors Storage Capability appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

New Iron-based Superconductors Have Green Gains

Ovidiu Sandru — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 08:58:57 +0000

Researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has discovered a new type of iron-based superconductor that shares the same magnetic properties with the older copper-oxide superconductors. The amazing fact is that the new superconductors have all those magnetic properties at higher temperatures.

The post New Iron-based Superconductors Have Green Gains appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

India enlightened by affordable solar power

Ovidiu Sandru — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 15:10:11 +0000

Over the past four years, a thriving market for household solar panels has sprung up in India, with the help of a United Nations programme which assists local banks in offering cheaper loans for the panels. Since 2003, the $1.5 million programme has helped 16,600 Indians living in the southern state of Karnataka buy solar […]

The post India enlightened by affordable solar power appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

LED-powered Christmas Tree

Ovidiu Sandru — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 20:22:47 +0000

Ever thought about how much electricity does your Christmas tree consume? You need not to be scarce, but think on big scale how many Christmas trees are worldwide and how much each tree consumes. Read the tree’s lighting installation booklet, and you’ll see something about 10W… Multiply these 10W by 1 billion trees, let’s say, […]

The post LED-powered Christmas Tree appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Nano Electricity Generator For Nano Scale Devices

Ovidiu Sandru — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 14:39:21 +0000

Researchers convert mechanical energy to electrical energy for self-powered nanometer scale devices Atlanta – Researchers have developed a new technique for powering nanometer-scale devices without the need for bulky energy sources such as batteries. By converting mechanical energy from body movement, muscle stretching or water flow into electricity, these “nanogenerators” could make possible a new […]

The post Nano Electricity Generator For Nano Scale Devices appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Solar Islands Bring Electricity From Desert and Sea

Ovidiu Sandru — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 14:36:22 +0000

CSEM, the Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology, has signed a contract with the government of the Emirate of Ras Al-Khaimah (RAK) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to develop a prototype of a “Solar Island”. The aim of the project is to validate a concept for the large-scale transformation of solar energy into hydrogen […]

The post Solar Islands Bring Electricity From Desert and Sea appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Let The Wind Blow: Shawn Frayne's Aeroelastic Electricity Maker

Ovidiu Sandru — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 14:24:01 +0000

This guy invented a device which uses a simple plastic belt to vibrate from wind blowing and generate a significant amount of electricity for its size. It is 10 times cheaper than regular electricity, more easy to build than a standard wind mill and much, much smaller. The belt vibrates and moves a magnet placed […]

The post Let The Wind Blow: Shawn Frayne's Aeroelastic Electricity Maker appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Nanologix turns urine to electricity

Ovidiu Sandru — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 18:06:15 +0000

Everyone agrees hydrogen is a wonderful fuel to use, whether in fuel cells or normal engines, as the exhaust is pure water. However, there are three major problems with hydrogen: producing, storing and transporting it. Traditional methods of producing hydrogen use electricity for hydrolysis or reformatting natural gas into hydrogen. These methods waste energy, with […]

The post Nanologix turns urine to electricity appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

How to generate electricity from absolute vacuum (by P.Tewari)

Ovidiu Sandru — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 08:44:35 +0000

The universe can be broadly divided into space and dynamic matter with its motion governed by an intelligent scheme that permits an organized movement of all cosmic material bodies like moons, planets, stars and galaxies In addition to space and matter, another basic entity, energy, was shown to be the constituent of all universal […]

The post How to generate electricity from absolute vacuum (by P.Tewari) appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Geothermal power – hot energy right under our feet

Ovidiu Sandru — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 14:59:53 +0000

Converting geothermal heat into electricity by pouring water onto hot rocks underground and using the steam to turn turbines is arguably the most promising - and renewable - source of "green" energy on the planet. So concludes the MIT experts' report, released on Monday, which examines what geothermal energy could do for the US in the 21st century.

The post Geothermal power – hot energy right under our feet appeared first on The Green Optimistic.

Researchers generate electricity from water

Ovidiu Sandru — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 21:10:07 +0000

By Phoebe Dey, ExpressNews Staff Dr. Daniel Kwok and Dr. Larry Kostiuk (centre) with graduate students Fuzhi Lu (left) and Jun Yang. October 20, 2003 – What started as a simple conversation between two University of Alberta engineering professors has led to the discovery of a new way to harness electricity–from flowing tap water. The […]

The post Researchers generate electricity from water appeared first on The Green Optimistic.