Inhabitat's Week in Green: surfing renewable energy, hexagonal LEDs, and ultra-efficient aerodynamics
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.
The past week was also surging with developments from the field of renewable energy - first we were excited to see the unveiling of the Oyster 2, an offshore wave-harvesting energy plant that improves upon its predecessor with a simpler design, fewer moving parts, and a 250% increase in energy generation. Google, HP, and Microsoft are also getting into the green energy game with plans to tap an unexpected energy source to run their data centers - cow dung! Google also led the charge towards cleaner energy this week by funding a new type of jet engine-inspired geothermal drill that uses superheated streams of water to bore through previously impenetrable surfaces.
Speaking of jets, MIT has just unveiled several ultra-efficient airplane designs that are capable of cutting fuel use by a whopping 70%. The auto industry also received a jolt of energy as Toyota announced a partnership with Tesla that will boost California's flagging economy and likely lead to more affordable iconic electric vehicles.
The field of wearable technology saw several innovative advancements this week as well - safe cyclists rejoice, because a group of Indian students have designed a $22 Solar and Wind Powered Bike Helmet. Meanwhile, a group of Colorado State University seniors have designed a medical incubator backpack unit that they believe can reduce baby deaths in medical emergencies.
Finally, we shined light on several brilliant advancements from the field of solar technology, starting with China's plans to build the "biggest solar energy production base" in the world. We also looked at the HYDRA, a solar-powered hydrogen fuel cell system that can reportedly generate 20,000 gallons of pure water a day, and green energy got literal with the unveiling of the first leaf-shaped crystalline silicon solar panels.
I want one of those cool wind turbines that look like a blender for my backyard.
@lakersin2025 Renewable energy? I say bloom energy is the future. http://bit.ly/bloom-energy-will-change-the-world
Yeah, but caN it run crysis
@centizen
speaking of recent...
Ah, Inhabitat... the website where almost everything is just some wild design fantasy that is completely unfeasible or impossible.
@CaryHiroyuki Tagawa My thoughts exactly!
Also: solar energy production? I think the only one doing that around this neck of the woods is Sol, lol.
I bet wave power generation will have some unknown but fairly serious side effect that they figure out in the future. Something along the lines of the windmills killing birds.
@FADE Wave power generation will slow down water flow in the ocean, and from there, slow down the spin of the earth. Same thing with to much wind power.
@FADE Are we taking wagers on the side-effects? I vote it will act as an underwater aphrodisiac for octopi who will start tentacle violating anything that enters the water.
I have a Japanese drawing somewhere that illustrates what I'm talking about.
@FADE
Modern wind turbines don't kill that many birds, as they have nowhere to nest (they don't use latticed towers, and they spin quite a lot slower)
Also, geothermal drilling???? Did anyone watch this weeks Dr Who?! :P
Am I the only one who think that LED looks like a bear trap?
That was alot to digest at 4 am.
+1 for blender shaped wind turbines
So tired of this "green" fad.
When my solar powered night light didn't work.... I burned my Al Gore books for light!