Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York have been tapped for a $2 million study on the use of new nanoengineered ceramic materials to store energy, particularly from wind turbines and solar arrays. The four-year study could crack open the energy “bottleneck” inherent in wind and solar power, which … [continued]
[social_buttons] A new study out of the Stockholm Environment Institute at the University of York reports on “a significant breakthrough in climate change policy by showing how to make drastic cuts in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from transport.” Beyond the matter-of-fact carbon emissions reductions it finds possible, it also doesn’t … [continued]
Two heavy-duty manufacturing powerhouses, Peterbilt and Eaton Corporation, have teamed up to give garbage trucks a fuel saving green twist. This spring, Peterbilt announced its new Model 320 Hybrid which uses Eaton’s new hydraulic hybrid system to achieve up to 30% in fuel conservation, along with a consequent reduction in … [continued]
Researchers at Purdue University have developed a concept for a new biofuel process that could enable the biofuel industry to expand by leaps and bounds. Until now, one big obstacle has been the cost of transporting large quantities of heavy plant matter to centralized refineries. The new process would be … [continued]
The state of Tennessee just got its first Bloom Energy “Server”, which turns any gaseous fuels into electricity using its cheaper new kind of fuel cell. Installed in collaboration with the TVA and the University of Tennessee Chattanooga, these 100 KW Bloom Boxes have just been installed on the top … [continued]
The U.S. Navy has been placing a well-aimed barrage of funding toward sustainable new energy technology in recent years, including new solar installations at naval bases, high-efficiency desalination systems, and even camelina biofuel for Navy fighter jets. Now the Office of Naval Research has upped the ante with grants for … [continued]
The Oil Spill’s Unlikely Victim: As oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill continued to gush into the Gulf of Mexico, it tarred the feathers of an endangered creature: the climate bill. Sens. John Kerry and Joe Lieberman introduced a retooled American Power Act on Wednesday to little fanfare. Perhaps that’s … [continued]
A team of German researchers has nudged aside a U.S. record for thin film solar efficiency, previously held by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory at 19.9%. The new German solar conversion efficiency record of 20.1% is for CIGS thin film solar technology, which is based on a compound of copper, … [continued]
Could a solar-powered dirigible be the cargo ship of our peak-oil, carbon-constrained future? If the inventor of the patent pending High Speed Solar Airship is correct, the future of long haul cargo combines solar powered transmission married to centuries-old dirigible technology. Like the old blimp, a gas envelope lifts … [continued]
South Dakota’s potential for utility-scale wind projects could be seriously curtailed by three bills now in the House that reduce the attractiveness of investment in a permanent, safe and clean energy source that could bring billions in much needed revenue to the state. Like cutting itself off at the knees … [continued]
