The U.S. military is – perhaps unsurprisingly – one of the driving forces behind alternative fuel sources; after all, not being dependent on potentially hostile foreign countries for vital fuel is a matter of national security. However, in the short term, said alternative fuels are more expensive than standard fossil fuels, and that creates a few problems. […]
The Department of Defense is a major funder behind a new biomimicry-based approach to lighting which harnesses the power of fireflies to create an energy efficient glow. How important could bug-powered light become? Well, as one indicator, the grant came through the U.S. government’s most prestigious channel for supporting … [continued]
A team of scientists headed up by Princeton University has achieved a whopping 47 percent increase in electricity generation from flexible plastic solar cells, simply by texturing the surface to mimic the wrinkles of a typical leaf. The biomimicry approach has resulted in a low cost, elegant solution for polymer-based … [continued]
The U.S. Air Force has been quick to adopt new clean energy technologies including solar power and fighter jet biofuel, and now it’s putting out a video that promises to push the national conversation about sustainable energy to a whole new level. The video, called “Air Force Energy Tips: Top … [continued]
Dry ice once gained notoriety as a fog enabler at innumerable 1970’s discotheques, and now it is being revived to hustle a 21st century breakthrough material out of the lab and into commercial use. Researchers from South Korea and Case Western Reserve University are developing a way to manufacture large … [continued]
…Or maybe that high-agility flying robot was a tasty snack for an artificial toad. In a real-life nod to the classic science fiction novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” a team of researchers at Johns Hopkins University is helping to develop a micro aerial vehicle (MAV for short) that will … [continued]
If the name Pongamia pinnata doesn’t ring a bell in terms of biofuel crops, it soon will. Also known as pongam tree, karum tree and poonga-oil tree, the fast growing, drought hardy evergreen boasts delicious-looking lavender flowers that develop into a lush display of pods bursting with oil-soaked seeds. Are … [continued]
The U.S. Army is developing high tech steam engines that can run on biofuels, and not just for show. The steam engines, manufactured by Florida-based Cyclone Power Technologies, Inc, will be used in combat vehicles including the Arbrams M1 Main Battle Tank. That might not be quite what notorious steam … [continued]
The U.S. Air Force is the force behind a new energy-efficient, high performance lighting system that also sets a high bar for its focus on lifecycle sustainability, from raw materials to recycling and disposal. If that all sounds a bit touchy-feely, consider the military logistics of supplying and disposing light … [continued]
Yesterday’s Air Force Energy 101 Media Roundtable hammered home one main point about military sustainable energy policy as it relates to U.S. air power. In the words of Dr. Kevin Geiss, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Air Force for Energy, it comes down to this: “Fly, fight, and win…That’s what we’re here for. That’s our mission.”
