masdar
Latest
Karma's stunning electric supercar, and more in the week that was
After years of anticipation, Karma Automotive has finally unveiled the Revero, a plug-in electric supercar powered by roof-mounted solar panels. In other transportation news, BMW launched an electrified version of its flagship sedan, and a new report shows that the UK will have more EV chargers than gas stations by the year 2020. Work continues on the Hyperloop: One company announced plans this week to build the world's first underwater supersonic transport tubes. And Republic Bike's kids cargo bike might just be the coolest ride for pint-sized commuters.
The UAE's eco-friendly, robotic city looks more like a ghost town
The United Arab Emirates' pre-planned Masdar City is supposed to be a shining beacon of technology between its clean energy and automated cars. However, it has hit a few roadblocks, including the financial crisis from the last decade -- and the result is less of a Utopia and more of a ghost town. If you need proof, Quartier Libre has posted an eerie video tour (below) of Masdar as it stood this summer. With just a few thousand residents, many of the buildings and high-tech facilities sit unused; it's as if everyone suddenly went on vacation. The city should be more welcoming once it's completed sometime after 2020, but for now it's not exactly a tourist's dream. Not unless you really enjoy haunted houses, that is. [Image credit: Jan Seifert, Flickr]
Inhabitat's Week in Green: the world's largest laser fired, icy roof tiles admired, faucet lamps inspired
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. This week scientists took a step towards unlocking the holy grail of alternative energy as they unleashed a one megajoule test blast from the world's largest laser. We were also excited to see the DOI give the green light for the first solar-thermal power tower in the United States, and we saw big things brewing beneath West Virginia as a project funded by Google discovered massive geothermal vents that could double the state's energy generation capacity. Not to be outdone, Oregon announced plans for a 845 megawatt wind farm that stands to be the largest in the world. We also watched the world of architecture heat up - literally - as Soltech unveiled a set of glimmering glass roof tiles that can capture solar energy to heat your home. We also checked in on the development of Masdar, the world's first carbon neutral zero-waste city, and we were shocked and appalled by the recently completed largest and most expensive house in the world. In other news, this week we showcased a dazzling array of energy-efficient lights - from an amazing animated LED pillar to a set of liquid lights made from recycled faucets to a chandelier decked out with luminous dandelions. We also kicked up our heels for a vending machine that dispenses biodegradable shoes and we saw a set of ghetto-fabulous boom boxes made from old suitcases hit the streets. Finally, we rounded up a gaggle of our favorite smartphone games that are perfect for keeping kids entertained!
