In an effort to fast track solar farm permitting and construction, the Obama administration has set up “solar energy zones.” The zones cover six western states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah.
Technology for a greener future
Archive for October, 2011
Ways 3D printing may impact your life and environment
Twenty years ago no one anticipated their popularity or that mobile phones might one day prove to be portable gaming machines, eBook readers, and GPS navigation units. In the coming 20 years we may all be amazed at how much of our lives revolve around 3D printing.
Elastec/American Marine wins Wendy Schmidt Oil Cleanup X Challenge
After the BP Gulf of Mexico oil spill, Wendy Schmidt, wife of former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, decided to create a new X Prize challenge specifically for improving the cleanup of oil spills. Earlier this month the winners of the Wendy Schmidt Oil Cleanup X Challenge were announce and Elastec/American Marine won first place.
SustainX listed on 2011 Global Cleantech 100, receives seventh patent award
An ongoing problem with solar and wind technologies is their intermittent output. Solar works when the sun shines and wind works when it is windy. No surprises there but SustainX’s technology would even out these renewable energy technologies by storing extra energy as compressed air that would be released when solar and wind technologies are down.
The Edison2 eVLC has an EPA certified range of 110 miles and 244.8 MPGe
The Edison 2 eVLC (electric very light car) has received some very nice range and mile per gallon equivalency (MPGe) numbers. These numbers are in fact better than both the Nissan Leaf’s and the Chevrolet Volt’s battery only numbers.
Nanyang Tech develops cheap silicon thin film solar cells with better efficiency
Scientists at Nanyang Technical University (NTU) and A*STAR Institute of Microelectronics (IME) have developed a thin film silicon solar cell using nanotechnology. The resulting solar cells are significantly cheaper than other thin film solar cells and produce almost as much electricity as traditional silicon solar cells.
Blackfriars bridge will house London’s largest solar array
London is working hard to host the greenest Olympic Games ever. As part of that ambitious plan, Blackfriars station platform will be extended and 4,400 solar panels will be installed on top of the bridge. The work began on Tuesday and has to be finished in time for the Olympics in 2012.
Enviromissions solar tower will power 100,000 homes
When thinking of solar power most people envision either photovoltaic cells that turn sunlight to electricity or they might think of solar thermal where mirrors reflect solar heat onto a water filled tower, boiling the water which turns a turbine which creates electricity. Enviromission uses hot air created by suns heat to turn turbines creating power.