• December 3rd, 2011

    Bus/Tram Combo Charges Battery As It Picks Up Passengers

    AutoTram

    German researchers are testing a unique form of public transportation that borrows the best from busses, electric cars, trains and trams without contributing emissions. The vehicle, named AutoTram, is fully electric, but instead of running on a single charge, it charges when it stops, gaining enough power in 30 seconds to move another mile.

    The project comes from the Fraunhofer Institute for Transportation and Infrastructure Systems IVI in Dresden and aims to offer the convenience, routing flexibility and affordability of a bus, minus the noise and exhaust. It also addresses the problem of lengthy battery charging cycles. While most cars are only in use for a few hours per day, public transportation vehicles can be in action around the clock, offering nearly no battery charging opportunities. → Read More

    June 25th, 2011

    These Car Prototypes Built By Kids Can Do Close To 2,000 Miles Per Gallon

    two wheels on sides

    What’s more impressive than a car that can do over a thousand miles per gallon? One that was designed by school kids.

    In the UK, students from regional schools and universities took part in the annual Mileage Marathon Challenge near Leicester, England, each team vying to set new gas mileage efficiency records in a race around a track. Cars were allowed to coast, but had to maintain a minimum speed of 15 miles per hour. Students worked on the vehicle prototypes, many in partnership with design and engineering firms. → Read More

    May 14th, 2011

    One Day Will People Be Living In Shroom Houses?

    Construction material manufacturing often produces hazardous byproducts that are either toxic or difficult to recycle, as are many of the materials themselves. Brooklyn based Planetary ONE is experimenting with the idea of grow-your-own construction materials by making bricks from mushrooms.

    Their latest project, Mycoform, places mushroom roots known as mycelium spores into a mold and feeds them with agricultural byproducts like buckwheat husks. In just over a week at 80 degrees, the spores grow to fill the form, resulting in a light yet solid structure. The brick is heated to 100 degrees when complete to kill the spores, preventing further growth. → Read More

    November 1st, 2010

    In The Fight Against IT Waste, 1E Releases NightWatchman 6.0

    Computer power management software company, 1E has released a new version of its marquee product, NightWatchman.

    Like its predecessors, version 6.0, helps corporations manage their network of computers to optimize energy efficiency. It gives IT managers the ability to remotely power down computers and establish energy-saving settings (ie. automatic shutdown of desktops during the weekend).

    In the latest version, 1E has added three key features. → Read More

    August 17th, 2010

    Alternative Energy: A Guide To Greening Your Home

    Alternative energy is a growing market, and though many states offer tax credits, rebates, and other incentives to promote clean energy, it can still prove to be an expensive proposition.

    It generally also requires plugging your energy source into the grid so you’re not left in the dark when the wind calms or the sun lingers behind clouds.

    Here is a roundup of solutions that can help power a home. → Read More

    August 16th, 2010

    A123 Systems Spinoff 24M Technologies Raises $16 Million

    Energy storage system producer 24M Technologies spun out of lithium-ion battery maker A123 Systems today to become a separate venture.

    The company raised a $10 million Series A funding round from Charles River Ventures and North Bridge Venture Partners. → Read More

    August 12th, 2010

    Flying Green: The Possibilities And Challenges Of Electric Aircraft

    Airplanes release greenhouse emissions into the atmosphere and require enormous amounts of fuel to fly. A Boeing 747 can consume up to five gallons of fuel per mile. But what if planes could be powered by electricity? Though they won’t replace passenger airliners anytime soon, small, zero-emission, electric planes are flying today.

    Engineers have been pursing electric flight for decades. In 1979, the Solar Riser became the first manned electric aircraft to fly. It used photovoltaic cells to charge a battery that powered an electric motor, but could only fly five minutes, at which point it could either glide or land.

    Many enhancements have been made since, and several models of electric planes are showing signs of promise. Two of the most interesting planes to fly recently are the E430 and the SkySpark. → Read More

    August 10th, 2010

    The Top Ten Apps To Make You More Green

    There’s an app for being green, and by an app, I mean a slew of apps. These iPhone apps range from offering general sustainability tips and games to store and product directories.

    A lot of green apps focus on offering general tips for everyday actions you can take to help make a difference, which really doesn’t take advantage of the iPhone’s capabilities. Below are the top ten green apps across a range of applications, some of which could help you save money in addition to living on the greener side of the fence. → Read More

    August 6th, 2010

    Portable Solar Panel Keeps USB Gadgets And Cell Phones Charged Off The Grid

    A new charger from Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies can help power your gadgets when there’s nowhere to plug into but the sun.

    The Sunbox USB has a panel that can be attached outside of a house or tent that connects to a box with several charging ports. Horizon claims the unit can power an LED light included with the device for as long as 11 hours, so long as the panel sees the six to eight hours of sun it needs for a full charge. → Read More

    August 5th, 2010

    The Heat Is On: There Is Plenty Of Geothermal Energy Underground, We Just Need To Get To It

    Most green technologies gather energy above ground, but like Jules Verne, we want to take you on A Journey to the Center of the Earth. Alright, not even close to the center, but deep down nonetheless, where naturally occurring hot water can be turned into clean energy above ground.

    It is estimated that the amount of heat within 30,000 feet below the earth’s surface holds potentially 50,000 times more energy than all global oil and natural gas resources combined. According to the Geothermal Energy Association, up to 6,400 megawatts of new capacity could be created from the geothermal projects under development in the U.S. But getting to that energy is proving to be a challenge. → Read More

    August 3rd, 2010

    Entech Solar Raises $6.95 Million

    According to SEC documents, Entech Solar raised $6.95 million, primarily from Quercus Trust, which owns 54% of the company.

    The Fort Worth, Texas based company makes concentrating photovoltaics and tubular skylights meant to replace office and school lighting with sunlight. → Read More

    August 2nd, 2010

    Stanford Heats Up Solar Power With New Harnessing Technology

    A Stanford University research group says it found a way to more than double current solar power production efficiency. The technology uses both light and heat from the sun and is inexpensive enough that, if it pans out, it might be able to compete with oil.

    Most current technology can either convert light into electricity at relatively low temperatures, or convert the sun’s heat at very high temperatures. Stanford engineers claim they developed a way to do both. → Read More

    July 30th, 2010

    Soladigm Smart Window Maker Emerges From Stealth, Announces Plan To Build Plant In Mississippi

    Smart window startup Soladigm announced today its plans to build a factory in Olive Branch, Mississippi. The Khosla Ventures and Sigma Partners backed company makes dynamic glass windows that can be tinted on demand to block excess light and heat.

    Founded in 2007, Soladigm has been operating in stealth until now. The company employs about 50 people in its Milpitas, California headquarters, and plans to hire about 300 employees over the next few years for the Mississippi plant. → Read More

    July 27th, 2010

    Canada Sinks $5.5 Million Into River Turbine Technology

    Canada is testing the water for modular river turbines. The project, led by Renewable Energy Research, received $5.5 million in funding from Sustainable Development Technology Canada and the government of Quebec. RER will install two turbines in the St. Lawrence River. → Read More

    July 27th, 2010

    Nissan Sprouts Leaf Rollout Plans

    Nissan‘s Leaf is almost ready to be picked. The company announced its all-electric car will be available to buy as early as December, but only for those in California, Washington, Oregon, Arizona and Tennessee. Other parts of the country will have to hold their horsepower a little bit longer.

    Nissan chose to release to those five states first because they’re home to the EV project, the world’s largest electric vehicle and infrastructure deployment designed to collect data on EV performance in different climates and terrains. ECOtality, which runs the project, received a $99.8 million grant from the Department of Energy last year and will also study charging infrastructure effectiveness and revenue models. → Read More

    July 26th, 2010

    Porsche Revving Up All-Electric Sports Car

    The electric sports car scene is heating up with Porsche‘s confirmation of a new all-electric sports car based on its Boxster. The company is conducting daily tests of three research cars to study battery systems and electric drive components.

    Porsche President and CEO Michael Macht said in a statement that Porsche will “definitely be offering electric sports cars in the future,” but that the performance and cruising range must be comparable to existing sports cars. Greater efficiency and lower emissions are the company’s goals for the new vehicles. → Read More

    July 23rd, 2010

    Marriott Unveils Green Hotel Prototype

    Marriott International today unveiled a prototype that will help it build more green, LEED-certified hotels.

    The prototype is the first of its kind for the U.S. hotel industry, the company says.

    LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a voluntary rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

    LEED-certified buildings are designed to meet environmental goals including reducing landfill waste and greenhouse gas emissions, conserving energy and water and lowering operating costs.

    The Courtyard Charleston/Summerville is the first of Marriott hotels following the new, green design. It is expected to open for business in South Carolina in 2012. → Read More

    July 22nd, 2010

    Caltech Awarded $122 Million to Create Fuel From Sunlight

    The U.S. Department of Energy announced today that it will award up to $122 million to create a Fuels form Sunlight Energy Innovation Hub led by the California Institute of Technology. The Hub’s goal is to develop ways to convert solar energy into chemical fuels and scale the technology for commercial use.

    The project is in part inspired by the way plants produce energy, and will use artificial photosynthesis to turn sunlight, water and carbon dioxide into clean fuel. Researchers will be charged with finding ways to use technologies like light absorbers, catalysts, molecular linkers and separation membranes to transform sunlight into fuel, and the DOE aims to quickly turn the research into a viable product in the form of fuel that can go directly into cars without any additional processing. → Read More

    July 20th, 2010

    A Facebook Game With a Mission: Waste Management to Launch Oceanopolis

    Waste Management and its subsidiary Greenopolis are diving into social gaming with a new Facebook app called Oceanopolis. The game will launch in beta, with a full rollout expected in the coming weeks.

    In the game, players maintain their own island by recycling trash to build a sustainable community and interacting with friends. Points earned virtually turn into printable coupons that can be used at movie theaters, restaurants and stores. Alternatively, they can be turned into cash donations. Points can also be earned in real life through recycling or through blogging on Greenopolis‘ site. → Read More

    July 19th, 2010

    Solazyme Provides U.S. Navy with Algal Jet Fuel

    Biofuel producer Solazyme delivered 1,500 gallons of its algae-based jet fuel to the U.S. Navy’s testing and certification program today, helping the military reach its goal of switching half of its fleet to clean fuel by 2020. The Navy will use the fuel to power jets.

    Solazyme produces fuel by fermenting algae to create oils and biomaterials including fuel, skin care, chemical and animal feed products. The company claims its Solajet HRJ-5 fuel it delivered to the Navy produces 85% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than fossil fuels. In the next two weeks, Solazyme will also provide the Navy with 20,000 gallons of F-76 naval distillate fuel to be used in military ships. → Read More

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