• Category Archives: Alternative Energy

    Solar powered digital billboards to replace eye-sore LED ones

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    Isn’t it annoying when you are stuck in traffic and a bright billboard screws your normal vision even worse than a high beam does? Well, thanks to magink, you might be solved of that torture soon. The company known to develop and provide full colour reflective digital solutions introduced this 3D technology using solar power and light reflecting digital ink to replace the conventional LEDs used on billboards. Lamar Outdoor Advertising used these billboards to promote their run to a greener world using eco-friendly techniques.

    Posted in Alternative Energy on February 12, 2009
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    Butterfly wings for solar energy

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    Scientists have discovered a very interesting form to derive solar energy. The inspired object is the butterfly wing. As is prevalent on the tiny wonders’ wings, it has tiny scales on the surface which act as solar collectors. Keeping this concept in mind, intelligent researchers in China and Japan have formulated a way to possibly derive solar energy, a way to harvest light. They are planning to work upon the dye-sensitized solar cells which are used in solar cells. So what some scientists did was, take a copy of the solar scales on butterfly wings and used them as a template on the dye-sensitized cell and they noticed that this one’s efficiency was much better than the original ones.

    Posted in Alternative Energy on February 10, 2009
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    Solar Power brings world’s most efficient solar water panel

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    While people continue to race to the future with gadgets and technical truck loads, some people are actually making efforts to save the environment for the rest of the green-loving and nature admiring individuals. Solar Power, a company from Ireland, has claimed to have invented the world’s most efficient solar hot water panel. It will apparently save up to 70 per cent of your water bills. Good news this one with all the recession and market crashing we have been hearing about. The product is 131 % more efficient in the mornings and 70% more efficient in the evenings than other solar panels, say company officials.

    Posted in Alternative Energy on February 9, 2009
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    Scientists plan for making fuel from sun, water, carbon dioxide and nanotechnology

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    I like scientists. They have a way of bringing so many alternatives to make life on earth a comfortable option. A bunch of scientists from the Pennsylvania State University have apparently come up with a way of making fuel by sun, water, carbon dioxide and nanotechnology. They may have come with an option to use sun to make fuel but with a costly alternative. The researches used titanium dioxide, nitrogen, copper and platinum to prepare the experiment and were able to produce methane and water.

    Posted in Alternative Energy on February 9, 2009
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    Green Victory – United States is the biggest wind power producer

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    Though the future seems to be greener under Obama’s reign, US is already basking under the green limelight. A report suggests that United States has outshined Germany as the biggest producer of wind power for the year that has gone by. And US isn’t stopping there. It is estimated to lead in the solar power too for the current year. Generating 25 gigwatts (GW), the country has moved one slot up past Germany (24GW) to enjoy the top position. With a jump pf 50% growth the country’s wind energy is enough to charge up more than five million homes. And if Obama keeps to his promise then US can bask in almost double the current alternative energy over the next three years. Based on reports by the Global Wind Energy Council, it is known that Spain and China occupy the third and the fourth places respectively. China’s growth is also noteworthy as it has doubled its installed wind power for the forth year running.
    [Sciam]

    Posted in Alternative Energy on February 5, 2009
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    Solar powered air-conditioners soak the sun to reduce the heat as well as bills

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    It’s the heaters in winters and the air-conditioners in the summers that pool in to criminally escalate the electrical bills. But Dr. Mike Dennis from a university Down Under has come up with a solar powered air-conditioner to tackle the heat changes in the atmosphere without tormenting bills. This research engineer from Australian National University has designed an effective cooling option that soaks in the sun’s energy to reduce the temperature under the roof. And it not only restricts itself to plunging the temperature in summers but such a solar powered system can also heat up the homes in winters and also render solar hot water all round the year. However Mike’s solar air-conditioning system is still undergoing tests before its actually hits the mark
    [ABC News]

    Posted in Alternative Energy on February 3, 2009
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    Power Plastic – Super flexible, see-through solar material of the green future

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    As we turn to sun for powering up every possible thing on earth, latest innovative materials are being designed to reduce the cost and increase the efficiency. One such ingenious material on the horizon is Konarka’s Power Plastic. This super-light fabric is ultra-flexible and affordable in comparison to the traditional silicon panels. With such high flexibility potential, Power Plastic can also be fused into fabrics…..giving rise to solar powered tees, skirts, jeans and more. The maker is also working on a translucent version of the material that could also be used to put up on the windows of the eco-towers. Such Power Plastic windows will help to energize the whole tower with its sun-soaking powers.

    Posted in Alternative Energy on January 30, 2009
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    Garbage vans in UK get their juice from the trash collected

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    As the trend of resorting to alternative energy is gaining ground, it isn’t surprising to come across a trash van that is actually powered by the garbage it collects. Folks residing in Yorkshire can watch this green self powered garbage van in action. Developed by Smith Electric Vehicles, the Kirklees Council believes that these battery powered electric trucks are supposed to be the first of its kind. These zero-emission vans will clear waste from 25 newly-installed split litter and recycling bins around Huddersfiled town centre. And what cannot be recycled will be transported to the local Energy from Waste (EfW) plant. Here the remaining trash will be combusted to generate electricity that can again juice up the van’s battery. Such a trash disposable system helps to save fuel and raises the awareness of the benefits of alternative energies.

    Posted in Alternative Energy on January 29, 2009
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    Hot air balloons – The latest renewable energy supplier on the horizon

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    Though hot air balloon is known as the oldest successful human-carrying flight technology, the future will be powered by the same! Brisbane-based Solartran decided to deviate off the usual renewable energy alternatives like solar and wind power to give rise to energy generating hot air balloons. Ian Edmonds designed a giant engine with a balloon as its “piston”. A greenhouse traps solar energy, providing hot air to fill the balloon. And as the balloon rises it pulls on an earthbound tether, spinning a generator to produce electricity. Once the balloon has ascended to its apex of 3 kilometers it automatically releases its air and descends, giving the entire process a similar arc to the workings of a two-stroke engine.

    Posted in Alternative Energy on January 27, 2009
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    Solarmer Energy creates efficient plastic solar cells for geeks on the go

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    Fossil fuel energy comes with its share of limitations like exhaustive reserves, environment pollution and greenhouse gas effects. Hence the need for a alternative energy sources arise. Though silicon solar cells have been in the spotlight as a source of clean renewable energy since some time now, it’s the efficient plastic solar cells that are grabbing the limelight as they are inexpensive and light weight comparatively. And to render such a green, affordable solar energy on the go, Solarmer Energy is developing plastic solar cells for portable electronic devices. The prototype, a cell measuring eight square inches (50 square centimeters), is expected to achieve 8 percent efficiency and to have a lifetime of at least three years. The invention, a new semiconducting material called PTB1, converts sunlight into electricity.

    Posted in Alternative Energy on January 23, 2009
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