Inhabitat's Week in Green: Illumicharger, thin solar cells, and a Porsche
The Week in Green is a new item from our friends at Inhabitat, recapping the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us.
It was also another big week for solar power as technological advances produced photovoltaic cells that are smaller, more efficient, and more versatile in their applications. IBM unveiled a new breed of thin-film cells that are 40% more efficient than previous prototypes, while the University of Michigan announced the world's smallest solar-powered sensor, which measure a scant 9 cubic millimeters.
Finally, we were flat-out wowed by Porsche's latest supercar - a 911 hybrid that will be taking on the competition at the 24 hour Nürburgring race this May. The vehicle is based on the tried-and-true 911 platform but features some race-ready tricks under the hood: front wheel hybrid drive and a kinetic energy recovery system that stores braking energy in a flywheel that delivers a 160hp boost of speed with the press of a button.
There appears to be a glut of supposedly 'green' gadgets that really aren't. What *is* the point of a solar powered wall charger? It's a combination of all the worst ideas for a product:
1. Normal chargers use very little energy anyway, compared to e.g. an oven, or a power shower (5 kW+)
2. It isn't going to work inside. It's too dark (it's much more dark than you perceive - think how much better cameras work outside than inside).
It's the same if you look at the Fair Energy Clock. A better idea would be to add switches to sockets like we have in the UK. That's beside the point though - idle chargers use less than a watt. It's such a trivial amount there really is no point doing anything about it (TVs on standby may be different though).
I applaud green efforts as much as the next guy, but there are only a few genuinely green things you can do:
1. Recycle, especially aluminium.
2. Build hydroelectric power stations.
3. Maybe build large scale solar thermal power stations.
4. Insulate your house.
There's a reason everything linked above is a product concept rather than an actual product. :-)
Does the Porsche have A/C?
@sheeps41
there might be a breeze if you roll down the window
@sheeps41
How can you hear the engine if you have the A/C on?
I hate to come off as a troll, but "green" is bologna.
@Alex
But... bologna is not green!
I don't know why I didn't pick it up in the article, but it makes me kind of sad that the flywheel "boost" adds more HP than my entire motor makes at peak =(
"kinetic energy recovery system that stores braking energy in a flywheel that delivers a 160hp boost of speed with the press of a button."
F1 featured this in there last seasons car changes.. pretty intense to be moving out of that onto a 911.
This porsche is so far from green im amazed engadget hasn't lampooned it for using the term "hybrid".
It has NO battery. Energy transferred to the flywheel has to be used within 6-8 seconds.
Regenerative braking doesn't equal hybrid power...and isn't news.
I have a problem with porsche using flywheels in their cars. Sure it's a great work of engineering, but a flywheel adds mass to the car which can affect handling and a flywheel also acts like a giant gyroscope. Good luck going around a corner with that thing running at full speed.