The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has developed a graphite foam that “passively cools” components used in LED Lamps giving them longer life spans. That’s good news for the customers of LED North America who just licensed the technology from ORNL.
Technology for a greener future
Archive for August, 2010
Canada’s Kestrel EV to use hemp composite body parts
This coming September, Motive Industries Inc. will introduce its new hemp based bio-composite electric vehicle (EV), the Kestrel. The car will be unveiled at the EV 2010 VE Conference and Trade Show in Vancouver. Using hemp in auto body composites is a way of creating a green and sustainable alternative to composite material currently used in cars.
MIT’s Seaswarm technology makes the cleanup of future oil spills cheaper and easier
Too bad Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) didn’t have its Seaswarm technology available in time for use in the BP oil spill. According to researchers at MIT, Seaswarm is a fleet of autonomous robot skimmers that soak up oil like paper towels soak up water.
NASA radiant technology improves home climates
The NASA space program developed radiant materials that would keep astronauts comfortable during space walks and would keep rocket boosters from being destroyed. This technology involves the capture and reflection of radiant heat. One of the best known comsumer adaptations is the space blanket that is a thin metal coated plastic. It is used by emergency rescue squads to preserve body heat. It works by reflecting your own body heat back to you. The same principle can be applied to your house to keep it warm in winter and cool in the summer.
TVA plans to shutdown nine coal-fired units
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) will be shutting down nine coal-fired units in the next five years starting in 2011. Most of the units that will be taken off line are old and inefficient and will be replaced with renewable energy units like natural gas and biomass.
ZeroTracer, based on the X Prize entrant X-Tracer, seeks to win the Zero Race
Two different vehicles based on the Peraves AG MonoTracer are currently in two different competitions, the Progressive Automotive X Prize and the Zero Race. Designwerks’ Zerotracer is currently ahead in the Zero Race and two of Paraves AG’s X-Tracers are the last two vehicles in the X Prize Alternative: Tandem category.
Edinburg Napier University develops whiskey based biofuel
Edinburg Napier University has developed a biofuel out of whiskey distillery waste. The resultant product is biobutanol. This new biofuel can be used in unmodified ordinary cars. It can be used by itself or blended with gasoline or diesel to create other biofuels to turn everyone’s vehicle eco-friendly.
Green America Exchange is a barter system for green businesses
This is not a parallel universe but it is a parallel market system. Green America Exchange (GAEx) is only available to Green Business Network (GBN) dues paying members. The premise behind the exchange is to offer an alternative way of buying and selling for cash strapped green businesses.
Natcore partners with China on solar breakthroughs
Natcore Technology, an American company, has partnered with China on its solar technology. The company had tried to find American companies that were interested in using the technology that was developed at Rice University. All Natcore encountered was red tape and bureaucracy. While they were pursuing American companies, China called and wanted its technology.
EnSol AS and U. of Leicester are developing a new nanoparticle solar film
EnSol As, a Norwegian company, and the University of Leicester in England are collaborating on a nanoparticle thin film solar coating that can be sprayed onto windows and roofs. The technology is still in development but is expected to be ready by 2016.