Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Solid state solar panels are more affordable, say researchers, don't leak]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/27/northwestern-university-solid-dye-solar-cell/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/27/northwestern-university-solid-dye-solar-cell/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/27/northwestern-university-solid-dye-solar-cell/#comments http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/25/northwestern-university-solid-dye-solar-cell/

Researchers at Northwestern University have found one way to stop a leak: get rid of the liquid. A new variation on the Grätzel solar cell replaces a short-lived organic dye with a solid alternative. The molecular dye the solid substance replaces was corrosive, at risk of leaking and only lasted about 18-months -- by replacing it, researchers plan to pave the way for a more affordable (and less toxic) alternative. Northwestern's new design flaunts a 10.2-percent conversion efficiency, the highest ever recorded in a solid-state solar cell of its type -- but that's still only half of what traditional sun collectors can do. Researchers hope to improve conversion in the long run, but expect that the cost reduction alone will be enough to get the party going. It may not be the greenest solar technology we've ever seen, but who are we to judge?

Solid state solar panels are more affordable, say researchers, don't leak originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 May 2012 12:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gratzelgratzel solar cellGratzelSolarCellgreen energyGreenEnergynorthwestern universityNorthwesternUniversityphotovoltaicphotovoltaic cellPhotovoltaicCellsolarsolar cellsolar powerSolarCellSolarPowerSun, 27 May 2012 12:42:00 EST<![CDATA[Solar Impulse takes off for Morocco on first sun-powered transcontinental flight]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/24/solar-impulse-first-transcontinental-flight/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/24/solar-impulse-first-transcontinental-flight/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/24/solar-impulse-first-transcontinental-flight/#comments Solar Impulse takes off for Morocco on first sun-powered transcontinental flight

The sun-powered Solar Impulse plane is gradually working up to a trip around the globe, with the most recent benchmark being its first international flight in 2011. Now Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg are taking the jumbo jet-size plane on its first transcontinental journey. The Solar Impulse set off for Morocco today, and its pilots will stop in Madrid along the way. The goal is to complete the 1,554-mile trip by next week, and the big challenge will be crossing cloudy regions like the Pyrenees mountains separating France and Spain. In a 2010 test flight, the Impulse's 12,000 solar cells soaked up enough rays to keep the plane going through the night, but in case something goes wrong this time, the pilots are prepared with parachutes. If all goes well on this trial run, Piccard and Borschberg will be just one step away from their goal of circumnavigating the world in 2014.

Solar Impulse takes off for Morocco on first sun-powered transcontinental flight originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aircraftandre borschbergAndreBorschbergbertrand piccardBertrandPiccardflightflightsgreengreen energyGreenEnergyplaneplanessolar impulsesolar powersolar poweredsolar powered planeSolarImpulseSolarPowerSolarPoweredSolarPoweredPlaneThu, 24 May 2012 15:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Study says wind turbines raise surrounding area temperature, but only at night]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/30/study-wind-turbines-raise-area-temperature-/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/30/study-wind-turbines-raise-area-temperature-/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/30/study-wind-turbines-raise-area-temperature-/#comments Study says wind turbines raise surrounding area temperature, but only at night

Who said the butterfly effect couldn't apply to renewable energy? Though wind farms are considered pretty green on the energy-generating spectrum, it looks like they, too, have an impact on the planet. According to a study published today in the journal Nature Climate Change, turbines can raise the local temperature -- albeit slightly. From 2003 to 2011, researchers monitored satellite data for west-central Texas, which is home to 2,350-plus turbines and four of the world's largest wind farms. In that decade, scientists observed a temperature increase of 0.72 degrees in wind farm regions compared to areas without turbines. That warming trend was especially marked at night, when the temperature difference between the ground and the air is highest. The temperature increase was also higher in winter; researchers say that these cooler, windier conditions cause turbines to generate more electricity and therefore create more heat. Since the study didn't find any change in daytime temperatures, it looks like we don't have to ring the global warming alarm just yet.

Study says wind turbines raise surrounding area temperature, but only at night originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alternative energyAlternativeEnergyclimate changeClimateChangeEnergyenergy efficientEnergyEfficientglobal warmingGlobalWarminggreengreen energyGreenEnergynaturerenewable energyRenewableEnergyresearchresearcherssciencestudiesstudytemperaturetemperaturesturbineturbineswind farmwind farmingwind farmswind turbinewind turbinesWindFarmWindFarmingWindFarmsWindTurbineWindTurbinesMon, 30 Apr 2012 14:47:00 EST<![CDATA[New phase-changing alloy turns waste heat into green energy, exhibits spontaneous magnetism (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/25/new-phase-changing-alloy-turns-waste-heat-into-green-energy-exh/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/25/new-phase-changing-alloy-turns-waste-heat-into-green-energy-exh/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/25/new-phase-changing-alloy-turns-waste-heat-into-green-energy-exh/#commentsNew phase-changing alloy turns waste heat into green energy, exhibits spontaneous magnetism (video)Looks like harvesting waste heat is all the rage in 2011. Yet another team of researchers -- this time at the University of Minnesota -- has found a way to harness energy from our hot castoffs. The group has apparently created a brand spanking new alloy that spontaneously creates energy when its temperature is raised by a small amount. Future uses for the material, known as Ni45Co5Mn40Sn10, include charging a hybrid car's battery with the help of waste heat from its exhaust. So what's the trick? Well, this wonder material is a phase changer, meaning it can go from non-magnetic to magnetic in moments, when the temperature rises. When that happens, the alloy absorbs heat, and bam! You've got electricity. The team is also collaborating with chemical engineers to create a thin film version of the material that could be used to convert waste heat from computers. If phase changing gets you all hot and bothered, check out a video demonstration of the alloy's sudden magnetism after the break.

Continue reading New phase-changing alloy turns waste heat into green energy, exhibits spontaneous magnetism (video)

New phase-changing alloy turns waste heat into green energy, exhibits spontaneous magnetism (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 25 Jun 2011 08:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alloyelectricityenergygreen energyGreenEnergymagneticmagnetic alloyMagneticAlloymagnetismphase changephase change alloyPhaseChangePhaseChangeAlloyRichard D. JamesRichard jamesRichardD.JamesRichardJamesuniversity of minnesotaUniversityOfMinnesotavideowaste heatwaste heat conversionwaste heat convertingwaste heat harvestingWasteHeatWasteHeatConversionWasteHeatConvertingWasteHeatHarvestingSat, 25 Jun 2011 08:13:00 EST<![CDATA[Strawberry Tree brings free, solar-powered charging to Belgrade's BlackBerrys, more (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/17/strawberry-tree-brings-free-solar-powered-charging-to-belgrade/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/17/strawberry-tree-brings-free-solar-powered-charging-to-belgrade/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/17/strawberry-tree-brings-free-solar-powered-charging-to-belgrade/#commentsDead battery in Belgrade? Head to the city's Obrenovac district, where a group of students has developed the world's first public charging station powered entirely by solar energy. Known as the Strawberry Tree, the structure's 16 ports support a variety of handhelds, allowing pedestrians to juice up their cell phones in just ten to 15 minutes, at no charge. Its built-in batteries can also store up to a month's worth of back-up energy, enabling the station to hum along at night, or even during Serbia's less sunny seasons. In the first 40 days following its November launch, the Strawberry Tree logged some 10,000 charging sessions -- or about ten charges per hour. Creator MilosĖŒ Milisavljevic was just 17 years old when he came up with the idea, and now, at the ripe old age of 22, is looking to plant new stations across other Serbian cities, through his Strawberry Energy NGO. He says these installations won't generate much revenue from consumers, but that's not really the idea:

"Energy from the sun is free, and it would be unethical to charge people to use the Strawberry Tree...We are trying to inspire young people to think about the source of the energy they use, and behave and act responsibly."

You can check out the Strawberry Tree in the video below, or find out more about Milisavljevic's ideal-driven endeavors in the full PR.

Continue reading Strawberry Tree brings free, solar-powered charging to Belgrade's BlackBerrys, more (video)

Strawberry Tree brings free, solar-powered charging to Belgrade's BlackBerrys, more (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 09:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>belgradecell phoneCellPhonecharging stationChargingStationenergyEUgreengreen energyGreenEnergymobilemobile chargerMobileChargerngophonepublicrenewable energyRenewableEnergyresearch in motionResearchInMotionRIMserbiasmartphonesolarsolar chargersolar powerSolarChargerSolarPowerstationstrawberrystrawberry energystrawberry treeStrawberryEnergyStrawberryTreestudentsustainable energySustainableEnergyteenvideoFri, 17 Jun 2011 09:03:00 EST<![CDATA[Ecotricity looks to break 100 mph barrier with Ion Horse electric bike, at Isle of Man TT (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/09/ecotricity-looks-to-break-100-mph-barrier-with-ion-horse-electri/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/09/ecotricity-looks-to-break-100-mph-barrier-with-ion-horse-electri/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/09/ecotricity-looks-to-break-100-mph-barrier-with-ion-horse-electri/#commentsMore than two years after breaking the world land speed record with its wind-powered Greenbird, Ecotricity has its eyes set on the record books once again. This time around, the UK-based green energy company is bringing its Ion Horse superbike to the Isle of Man TT raceway, in the hopes that it will become the first electric bike to average 100 mph over the course of the one-lap race. Developed by a team from Kingston University London and constructed in seven months, the Ion Horse is powered by a set of lithium polymer cobalt batteries, allowing it to blast from zero to 60 in three seconds, before topping out at 140 mph. Its engine also boasts up to 100kW of power, which should help the Horse make its way around the Isle of Man's sinuous, 37-mile circuit. The bike cost some £150,000 (about $245,000) to produce, but if Ecotricity breaks the aforementioned barrier during this week's TT Zero race, the team will receive an extra £10,000 (roughly $16,370) from the Isle of Man Government, in addition to all kinds of street cred. The race was originally scheduled for yesterday, but has since been postponed due to rain. In the meantime, though, you can head past the break for a video of the Ion Horse during a recent practice run, followed by the full PR.

Continue reading Ecotricity looks to break 100 mph barrier with Ion Horse electric bike, at Isle of Man TT (video)

Ecotricity looks to break 100 mph barrier with Ion Horse electric bike, at Isle of Man TT (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Jun 2011 11:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>100 mph100Mphbatterybikee-bikeebikeecotricityecotricity ion horseEcotricityIonHorseelectric bikeelectric vehicleElectricBikeElectricVehicleenergyevgreengreen energyGreenEnergyion horseIonHorseIsle of Manisle of man ttisle of man tt zeroIsleOfManIsleOfManTtIsleOfManTtZerokingston universityKingstonUniversitylithiumraceracingrecordsuperbiketransportUKvideoThu, 09 Jun 2011 11:42:00 EST<![CDATA[Google's search for future profit targets the Sun, not just the cloud]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/06/googles-search-for-future-profit-targets-the-sun-not-just-the/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/06/googles-search-for-future-profit-targets-the-sun-not-just-the/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/06/googles-search-for-future-profit-targets-the-sun-not-just-the/#comments
These humble-looking contraptions were revealed in a Google patent application for a "heliostat control system" that automatically adjusts solar thermal mirrors to their optimal energy-harvesting angle. A camera and computer are housed in the central tower that receives heat from the mirrors, and together they detect when a heliostat is misaligned and then correct it using actuators. Sound like a strange distraction for an Internet company? Google thinks not. It's already invested $168 million in the world's largest solar tower in the Mojave Desert as part of its effort to both reduce its own massive electricity bill and diversify its business. It's also currently hiring three new technical staff to make this happen. Interested?

Google's search for future profit targets the Sun, not just the cloud originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Jun 2011 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>electricityenergygooglegreen energygreen technologyGreenEnergyGreenTechnologyheliostatheliostat control systemHeliostatControlSystemrenewable energyrenewable fuelsRenewableEnergyRenewableFuelssolarsolar energysolar powerSolarEnergySolarPowerMon, 06 Jun 2011 09:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Biodiesel can be harvested from leftover food, kids no longer have to clear their plates]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/13/biodiesel-can-be-harvested-from-leftover-food-kids-no-longer-ha/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/13/biodiesel-can-be-harvested-from-leftover-food-kids-no-longer-ha/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/13/biodiesel-can-be-harvested-from-leftover-food-kids-no-longer-ha/#comments The best dishes always contain 30 per cent fat minimum. This doesn't merely ensure a level of hearty satisfaction (Windows 7 Whopper anybody?), it also means the leftovers contain plenty of the greasy good stuff, which can be cleverly harvested and metamorphosed into biodiesel. The technology behind this process has been around for a while, but now British firm Greenergy claims it is ramping up commercial production. The firm's CEO reckons each of his new £50million ($80million) biodiesel plants will digest a sufficient volume of waste pies, fries and taramasalata to "fill out a cruise ship every year". Mmmm, pie.

Biodiesel can be harvested from leftover food, kids no longer have to clear their plates originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 May 2011 09:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alternative energyalternative fuelAlternativeEnergyAlternativeFuelbiodieselbritainburgerenvironmentalenvironmentally friendlyEnvironmentallyFriendlyfatgreasegreen energygreen fuelGreenEnergygreenergyGreenFuelindustrialoilprocesssustainabilitysustainabletaramasalatawastewaste managementWasteManagementFri, 13 May 2011 09:09:00 EST<![CDATA[Green Energy will replace fossil fuels by 2050 if you really really want to]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/18/green-energy-will-replace-fossil-fuels-by-2050-if-you-really-rea/http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/18/green-energy-will-replace-fossil-fuels-by-2050-if-you-really-rea/http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/18/green-energy-will-replace-fossil-fuels-by-2050-if-you-really-rea/#comments The year 2050 is what the year 2000 was to futuristic thinkers like Walt Disney and Arthur C. Clarke. It's the new year that everything will change: robots will outperform us on the field of play, computers will outwit us in matters of reason, and nerds will never be lonely again. It's also the year that 100 percent green energy will be possible according to a bunch of neo-maxi zoomdweebies from Stanford and the University of California-Davis. That's right, in 40 years we could be saying goodbye to fossil fuels in favor of renewables like solar and wind power. The biggest challenge to achieving the goal, say researchers, isn't related to the underlying technologies or the economics required to fuel the change, rather, it's whether we earthlings have the collective will and political gumption to make it happen. Interesting... we'll look into that claim just as soon as we're done with our Nero fiddling and telling all our friends about this amaaazing story we just read in the National Enquirer.

Green Energy will replace fossil fuels by 2050 if you really really want to originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Feb 2011 08:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2050Clean EnergyCleanEnergyEnvironmentalGreenGreen EnergyGreenEnergyPoliticsResearchSolarStanford UniversityStanfordUniversityUc DavisUcDavisUniversity Of California-davisUniversityOfCalifornia-davisWind EnergyWindEnergyFri, 18 Feb 2011 08:17:00 EST<![CDATA[Philadelphia Eagles going self-sufficient on stadium energy from 2011, 30 percent of it renewable]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/19/philadelphia-eagles-going-self-sufficient-on-stadium-energy-from/http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/19/philadelphia-eagles-going-self-sufficient-on-stadium-energy-from/http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/19/philadelphia-eagles-going-self-sufficient-on-stadium-energy-from/#comments Let's skip right past the cringe-worthy "Declaration of Energy Independence" slogan and look at what the Eagles are actually doing with their pro sports venue. The franchise that dresses in midnight green is aiming to smarten up its eco-green credentials with a new partnership with SolarBlue that will provide all of the Eagles' stadium energy needs for the next 20 years, after which point the team will be free to resell any surplus electricity back to the grid. 15 percent of the total output with be generated with spiral wind turbines erected around the top rim of Lincoln Financial Field, another 15 will come from 2,500 solar panels to be installed near the stadium, and the rest will be obtained from a biodiesel / natural gas plant. So it's not all renewable, but a nice step in the right direction, nonetheless.

Philadelphia Eagles going self-sufficient on stadium energy from 2011, 30 percent of it renewable originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 08:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2011biodieseleaglesenergygasgreengreen energyGreenEnergyindependentinfrastructurelincoln financial fieldLincolnFinancialFieldnatural gasNaturalGasnflphiladelphiaphiladelphia eaglesPhiladelphiaEaglespowerrenewablerenewable energyRenewableEnergyself-sufficiencyself-sufficientsolarsolar bluesolar energysolar powerSolarBlueSolarEnergySolarPowersportsportssports teamsports venueSportsTeamSportsVenuestadiumturbinesvenuewindwind energywind powerwind turbinesWindEnergyWindPowerWindTurbinesFri, 19 Nov 2010 08:19:00 EST<![CDATA[Enphase Enlighten system controls home heating, cooling, solar production in the same web app]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/15/enphase-enlighten-system-controls-home-heating-cooling-solar-p/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/15/enphase-enlighten-system-controls-home-heating-cooling-solar-p/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/15/enphase-enlighten-system-controls-home-heating-cooling-solar-p/#comments
Enphase Energy has some pretty interesting tech for you to consider if you're thinking about going the Larry Hagman-esque solar power route (as opposed to the Barbara Eden veil-and-pantaloons route). The Microinverter System, for instance, converts DC power to AC household current at the solar panel, instead of sending the power accumulated at all the panels to one central inverter. And the microinverters aren't merely, well, "inverting." Nope, they also send stats to a gateway that, working with the Environ Smart Thermostat, allows you to keep tabs on your heating and cooling system as well as track solar panel performance all in the same web app. Pretty sweet, right? Or did we lose you at "Barbara Eden"? Hit the source link for more info.

Enphase Enlighten system controls home heating, cooling, solar production in the same web app originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Jul 2010 12:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>enlightenenphaseenphase energyEnphaseEnergyEnvironEnviron Smart ThermostatEnvironSmartThermostatgreen energyGreenEnergymicroinverterMicroinverter SystemMicroinverterSystemsmart thermostatSmartThermostatsolar powerSolarPowersustainablethermostatweb appWebAppzigbeeThu, 15 Jul 2010 12:04:00 EST<![CDATA[J.R. Ewing's back to promote solar power, no one under 30 knows why this is so funny]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/14/j-r-ewings-back-to-promote-solar-power-no-one-under-30-knows/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/14/j-r-ewings-back-to-promote-solar-power-no-one-under-30-knows/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/14/j-r-ewings-back-to-promote-solar-power-no-one-under-30-knows/#comments
Remember Dallas? It was on after The Dukes of Hazzard? Anyways, series star J.R. Ewing (the hard drinking, hard fighting Texas oilman played by Larry Hagman) is seeing his role reprised as a spokesman for SolarWorld, a German-based manufacturer of Photovoltaic arrays that has manufacturing facilities in California and Oregon. Hagman, it seems, has long been a proponent of green energy. Not only has he installed a 94-kilowatt, $750,000 array on his estate in Ojai, California, but he also serves on the board of the Solar Electric Light Fund, a nonprofit that brings solar systems and Internet access to poor people in remote corners of the globe. "With all that oil gushing away in the gulf," Hagman told The New York Times, "I figured it was time to call for a new direction in where we're getting our energy. Since Sarah Palin is saying, 'Drill, baby, drill,' I'm saying, 'Shine, baby, shine.'" We couldn't agree more. Now, how about reviving Major Nelson to promote space exploration?

J.R. Ewing's back to promote solar power, no one under 30 knows why this is so funny originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 16:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>green energyGreenEnergyJ.R. EwingJ.r.Ewinglarry hagmanLarryHagmanphotovoltaicscienceSolar Electric Light Fundsolar powerSolarElectricLightFundSolarPowersolarworldsustainableWed, 14 Jul 2010 16:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Poseidon floating power plant features wind turbines, location for Waterworld II]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/29/poseidon-floating-power-plant-features-wind-turbines-location-f/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/29/poseidon-floating-power-plant-features-wind-turbines-location-f/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/29/poseidon-floating-power-plant-features-wind-turbines-location-f/#comments
We've seen plenty of attempts to harness the movement of the sea for power, including underwater turbines and Searaser pumps, but those technologies are sadly unreliable. Denmark's Floating Power Plant has thought of that, however -- ingeniously outfitting its 350-ton Poseidon platform with wind turbines as well as the underwater variety, so it can harvest energy even when the sea is calm. As stability is a major concern, the company took design cues from oil rigs, so this bad boy should hopefully stay right-side-up even in the most perfect of storms. According to Inhabitat, the company is pegging energy costs between 10 and 15 Euro cents per kilowatt hour -- competitive for the continent. This thing is currently stationed off the coast of Lolland in Denmark, although with any luck they'll be all over the world soon enough, at which point we will use them as bases from which to launch our futuristic, dystopian undersea armies.

Poseidon floating power plant features wind turbines, location for Waterworld II originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Apr 2010 15:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>electricityfloating power plantFloatingPowerPlantgreen energyGreenEnergyoceanposeidonpowr plantPowrPlantunderwater turbineUnderwaterTurbinewind farmWindFarmThu, 29 Apr 2010 15:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Stanford researchers harvest electricity from algae, unkempt pools become gold mines]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/15/stanford-researchers-harvest-electricity-from-algae-unkempt-poo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/15/stanford-researchers-harvest-electricity-from-algae-unkempt-poo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/15/stanford-researchers-harvest-electricity-from-algae-unkempt-poo/#comments
While we've seen plenty of stabs at viable green energy, from underwater turbines to the Bloom Box, we're always up for another. Running along the same lines as Uppsala University's algae-based batteries, researchers at Stanford are generating electrical current by tapping into the electron activity of individual algae cells. The team designed a gold electrode that can be pushed through a cell membrane, which then seals around it. The cell, still alive, does what it does best (photosynthesis), at which point scientists harvest chemical energy in the form of electrons. According to Stanford University News, this results in "electricity production that doesn't release carbon into the atmosphere. The only byproducts of photosynthesis are protons and oxygen." Of course, the team has a long way to go before this is economically feasible, but who knows? Maybe there's an algae-powered OPhone in your future...

Stanford researchers harvest electricity from algae, unkempt pools become gold mines originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Apr 2010 12:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>algaeenergygreengreen energyGreenEnergyresearchstanfordStanford UniversityStanfordUniversityThu, 15 Apr 2010 12:49:00 EST<![CDATA[BMW commits to Megacity EV by 2013, will start by testing ActiveE all-electric 1 series next year]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/23/bmw-commits-to-megacity-ev-by-2013-will-start-by-testing-active/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/23/bmw-commits-to-megacity-ev-by-2013-will-start-by-testing-active/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/23/bmw-commits-to-megacity-ev-by-2013-will-start-by-testing-active/#comments BMW's first all-electric regular series production vehicle, the Megacity EV, has now been set in stone and inserted into the company's roadmap for a commercial launch in 2012 or 2013. The Bavarian automaker has gone official with word that it plans to use its Leipzig assembly plant to produce the car and further notes that it'll feature a similar setup to the ActiveE concept (pictured above), which is set for field testing in 2011. Essentially a 1 series that feeds off the electric grid rather than the nearest diesel pump, the ActiveE runs off an array of lithium-ion batteries á la the well liked but recently troubled Tesla Roadster, and will serve as a test mule for refining the underlying technology. Generating up to 170bhp might not sound all that impressive, but it should be more than sufficient for the urban commuters these vehicles will be aimed at. Now we just need Mercedes and Audi to match that release schedule and the electric car should finally have its day in the mainstream sun.

BMW commits to Megacity EV by 2013, will start by testing ActiveE all-electric 1 series next year originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 09:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activeeactivee conceptActiveeConceptassembly plantAssemblyPlantbmwbmw activeebmw megacity evbmw project iBmwActiveeBmwMegacityEvBmwProjectIcarcarsconcepteco-friendlyelectric carelectric vehicleElectricCarElectricVehicleenergyevgreen energyGreenEnergyleipzigmegacitymegacity evMegacityEvproject iProjectIvehiclesTue, 23 Feb 2010 09:56:00 EST<![CDATA[The Bloom Box: a power plant for the home (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/22/the-bloom-box-a-power-plant-for-the-home-video/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/22/the-bloom-box-a-power-plant-for-the-home-video/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/22/the-bloom-box-a-power-plant-for-the-home-video/#comments
Those two blocks can power the average high-consumption American home -- one block can power the average European home. At least that's the claim being made by K.R. Sridhar, founder of Bloom Energy, on 60 Minutes last night. The original technology comes from an oxygen generator meant for a scrapped NASA Mars program that's been converted, with the help of an estimated $400 million in private funding, into a fuel cell. Bloom's design feeds oxygen into one side of a cell while fuel (natural gas, bio gas from landfill waste, solar, etc) is supplied to the other side to provide the chemical reaction required for power. The cells themselves are inexpensive ceramic disks painted with a secret green "ink" on one side and a black "ink" on the other. The disks are separated by a cheap metal alloy, instead of more precious metals like platinum, and stacked into a cube of varying capabilities -- a stack of 64 can power a small business like Starbucks.

Now get this, skeptics: there are already several corporate customers using refrigerator-sized Bloom Boxes. The corporate-sized cells cost $700,000 to $800,000 and are installed at 20 customers you've already heard of including FedEx and Wal-mart -- Google was first to this green energy party, using its Bloom Boxes to power a data center for the last 18 months. Ebay has installed its boxes on the front lawn of its San Jose location. It estimates to receive almost 15% of its energy needs from Bloom, saving about $100,000 since installing its five boxes 9 months ago -- an estimate we assume doesn't factor in the millions Ebay paid for the boxes themselves. Bloom makes about one box a day at the moment and believes that within 5 to 10 years it can drive down the cost to about $3,000 to make it suitable for home use. Sounds awfully aggressive to us. Nevertheless, Bloom Energy will go public with details on Wednesday -- until then, check the 60 Minutes sneak peek after the break.

[Thanks, Abe P.]

Continue reading The Bloom Box: a power plant for the home (video)

The Bloom Box: a power plant for the home (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Feb 2010 01:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>60 minutes60Minutesbloombloom boxBloomBoxclean energyCleanEnergyebayenergyenvironmentenvironmentalfedexfuel cellFuelCellgooglegreengreen energyGreenEnergyK.R. SridharK.r.SridharoxygenstaplesMon, 22 Feb 2010 01:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Ontario and Samsung seal $6.7 billion renewable energy deal]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/22/ontario-and-samsung-seal-6-7-billion-renewable-energy-deal/http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/22/ontario-and-samsung-seal-6-7-billion-renewable-energy-deal/http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/22/ontario-and-samsung-seal-6-7-billion-renewable-energy-deal/#comments Need to know how much it would cost you and your town to generate 2,500 megawatts of pure green energy? Your wind and solar farm infrastructure costs will come to 7 billion CAD (just under 6.7 billion in US currency), which includes a 437 million CAD "sweetener" to get Samsung on board. Plenty of curmudgeons have emerged from the woodwork to trash the deal as costing above market prices, but this appears to be the largest venture of its kind, so we're not entirely sure "market prices" exist yet. For its part, Samsung will create 16,000 jobs in the area, 4,000 of them permanent, as it builds toward the stated goal of providing enough energy to fully power 4 percent of Ontario's population.

[Thanks, Dan]

Ontario and Samsung seal $6.7 billion renewable energy deal originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Jan 2010 02:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>canadaenergyenvironmentgreengreen economygreen energyGreenEconomyGreenEnergyontariorenewable energyrenewable fuelsRenewableEnergyRenewableFuelssamsungsolar energysolar farmSolarEnergySolarFarmwind energywind farmwind turbinewind turbinesWindEnergyWindFarmWindTurbineWindTurbinesFri, 22 Jan 2010 02:21:00 EST<![CDATA[MIT researchers develop liquid metal battery for the grid and the home]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/20/mit-researchers-develop-liquid-metal-battery-for-the-grid-and-th/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/20/mit-researchers-develop-liquid-metal-battery-for-the-grid-and-th/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/20/mit-researchers-develop-liquid-metal-battery-for-the-grid-and-th/#commentsWe've see plenty of green power research over the years, from solar plants to underwater turbines , but relying on the sun or the sea for electricity is not without its challenges: the sun doesn't always shine, for instance, and sometimes the water is calm. A group at MIT led by professor Donald Sadoway is developing grid-scale storage solutions for times when electricity isn't being generated. Since these batteries are intended for the power grid instead of cellphones and Roombas, the researchers can use materials not feasible in consumer electronics -- in this case, high temperature liquid metals. Besides being recently awarded a grant from ARPA-E (Advanced Research Projects Agency, Energy) to put these things in green power facilities, MIT has just embarked on a joint venture with the French oil company Total to develop a smaller-scale version of the technology for homes and office buildings.

MIT researchers develop liquid metal battery for the grid and the home originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ARPAARPA-EDonald SadowayDonaldSadowaygreen energygreen powerGreenEnergyGreenPowerliquid batteryliquid metalLiquidBatteryLiquidMetalMITpower storagePowerStorageTotalFri, 20 Nov 2009 11:47:00 EST<![CDATA[Searaser floating pump will use the ocean's waves to generate power]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/19/searaser-floating-pump-will-use-the-oceans-waves-to-generate-po/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/19/searaser-floating-pump-will-use-the-oceans-waves-to-generate-po/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/19/searaser-floating-pump-will-use-the-oceans-waves-to-generate-po/#comments
A twist on the idea of the underwater turbine, the Searaser also uses the motion of the ocean to generate power. The device consists of two independent floats that move with the waves, pumping out seawater as they do. The water can then be pumped inland for hydroelectric power, irrigation, or to hilltop reservoirs for later use. One unit should be able to power 470 homes, and a six-month preproduction trial is currently being planned. You know, as quirky energy solutions go, this one doesn't actually seem all that far-fetched. At the very least, it seems better than going Micro-Nuclear.

[Via The Times]

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Searaser floating pump will use the ocean's waves to generate power originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 22:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>greengreen energyGreenEnergyhydroelectrichydropowerSearaserWed, 19 Nov 2008 22:42:00 EST