Gasoline-powered plug-in hybrids are so yesterday’s news and hydrogen plug-in hybrids are most probably the future. But, in the here and now, Odyne Corporation has unveiled the first compressed natural gas (CNG) plug-in hybrid refuse vehicle in the world. The city of Fresno, California held a press conference yesterday announcing that the new Odyne CNG […]
Continue ReadingResearchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have created a new methanol fuel cell that is 50-percent more efficient that other comparable FC’s. This direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC), according to MIT Professor Paula Hammond is cost-effective, highly tunable and has more output than a comparable material called Nafion. In fact, Hammond says the […]
Continue ReadingThis week a couple of important solar breakthroughs have surfaced in the news. Both IBM and Physicist Bram Hoex (and colleagues) have demonstrated two different solar breakthroughs worth noting. The IBM solar breakthrough involves using a thin liquid metal layer of gallium and indium that is cooled by a plate of copper. By use of […]
Continue ReadingI’ve talked about a couple of residential wind turbines in the past such as the MagLev and the Helix. Both of these are fine units. But, now I’d like to talk about the Air-X residential wind turbine that helps homeowners save energy while shelling out only a few hundred dollars. Solar is another way to […]
Continue ReadingWhen one thinks of solar energy, the word slow comes to mind. Soaking up the sun takes time. It’s a slow meandering process from sun up to sun down, hoping to catch a few rays and make something happen. But, a company named HelioVolt has put the fast into FASST solar energy. HelioVolt has invented […]
Continue ReadingIn March 2008, I wrote an article for those who want to know how to run your car on water. The information there is still good. But, since that time the price of oil and gasoline has skyrocketed out-of-control adding to the momentum for people asking about “hydrogen generators for my car.” Not a day […]
Continue ReadingThe Magenn Air Rotor System (MARS) is a tethered helium balloon device that generates power from the wind. The Magenn is a sizable blimp with rotating blades that rotates along its horizontal axis in response to wind energy. Like other similar devices, the electrical current that is generated travels down the tethering lines to a […]
Continue ReadingIt’s been no secret for a very long time that supercomputers suck down a great deal of energy when doing their lighting fast computations. In fact, one of the most energy-consuming types of computations are those programs used to calculate and model global climate change. But a recent breakthrough in energy-saving supercomputer technology will mean […]
Continue ReadingIf you just can’t wait for 2010 for Toyota and GM to rollout their official plug-in hybrids, and want to start saving gasoline now, then the A123Systems Hymotion may just be the plug-in device you need. Right now the A123Systems Hymotion Plug-In Conversion Module (PCM) is available only for the Toyota Prius. A123Systems has gotten […]
Continue ReadingCompressed air powered cars are not as far out as they seem. And, while many people think that electric vehicles and hydrogen cars are the only true zero emission vehicles (ZEV), air cars are also in this category (unless of course, you’re using smoggy compressed air to begin with). Now, much has already been written […]
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