By Michael d'Estries
January 14, 2009 – 9:05 am
Could the next decade turn out be the one where hydrogen fuel cells finally become a part of the transportation scene? With fuel cell powered cars from BMW and Honda already available — and now Toyota throwing their hat into the ring — momentum is starting to build towards that reality. With the Obama administration firmly standing behind pumping cash into the green tech field, we may see even greater infrastructure development for this future. But back to Toyota…
In an interview with the NY Times on Tuesday, Masatami Takimoto, a Toyota executive vice president and board member, disclosed the company’s hydrogen plans. “By 2015, we will have a full-fledged commercialization effort,” Mr. Takimoto said. The company’s test subject right now is their Highlander SUV — which has been converted to run off of fuel cells; much like GM’s Equinox. As Congressman Eric Massa (D-NY) proved earlier this week, a hydrogen refueling infrastructure needs to be in place before the industry can take off; something equally echoed in Takimoto’s remarks. “On each side, it will take time,” he said.
So, give or take, most of the major automakers should have hydrogen vehicles available in the next six years or so. Whether they will be affordable (Honda’s FCX Clarity costs $600/mo!), is another story .
Share This
By Michael d'Estries
January 9, 2009 – 4:18 pm
We’ve seen solar-powered cell phone chargers before, but this is the first pocket-size device I can remember powered exclusively by hydrogen. It’s called the Mini-Pak and comes to us from Horizon. According to the release, the charger combines the company’s mass-produced consumer fuel cells with compact solid-state hydrogen cartridge systems. It can be used to charge everything from cell phones to MP3 players and contains no heavy metals (mercury, lead or cadium). Up to 1,000 charge cycles can be expected from the unit.
In terms of refills, the press pack indicates that you can purchase 2 packs or 6 packs. Even more interesting, the company is planning a home refueling station for 2010. Of course, pricing is currently unavailable — so we’ll be left guessing until we catch up with the future. Still, great to see such products emerging.
For more details, check out the PDF on the Horizon here.
Share This
By Michael d'Estries
December 15, 2008 – 10:31 am
It’s not surprising these days to hear of buildings drawing their power from photovoltaics, but for some reason I still get a kick (or perhaps some hope) everytime something new embraces renewable energy.
Take for instance the new $17 million “Hangar 25″ operated by charter flight operator Avjet at the Bob Hope airport in California. The structure has rooftop solar panels that can provide enough electricity for lights, forklifts and tow vehicles. At over 60,000 sq. ft., the structure has been given LEED Platinum status.
Obviously, the $3 million dollar solar system (1,530 solar panels) isn’t the only feature making this Hangar green. The building also features sustainable landscaping that includes a synlawn (synthetic grass), electric tow vehicles, a chemical-free fire system, bamboo furniture, low-flow plumbing, and plenty of natural lighting. Los Angles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa hailed the project as “the greenest aviation facility in the world.”
Love it. Here’s to open more “green” hangars start springing up around the country.
Source
Share This
By Michael d'Estries
December 1, 2008 – 4:25 pm
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are set to announce a breakthrough in thin-film solar technology that could bring the cost per KW down to grid prices. Such a level is often considered the ‘Holy Grail’ of taking photovoltaics mainstream. MIT hopes to have the tech commercially ready in three years. From the article,
“Conventional solar cells use thick, expensive silicon substrates. The MIT researchers said they ran extensive computer simulations and laboratory experiments on 2-micron silicon films that utilize new materials for both front and back coatings. As a result, light is trapped inside the cells’ silicon layer, permitting the thin-film to extract as much as 50 percent more energy per photon.”
One of the largest cost-saving measures will be the limited use of refined silicon. The MIT breakthrough only requires 1% of the silicon for standard solar cells.
We expect to learn more during the official announcement tomorrow. Till then, check out the press release for more information.
Share This
By Michael d'Estries
November 22, 2008 – 8:21 pm
California gets all the cool toys. Not only did the state recently approve initial development of a multi-billion dollar bullet train between Los Angeles and San Francisco, but now plans have been unveiled for a $1 billion dollar charging station network for electric cars. From the article,
San Francisco Bay Area cities promised to build the electric car capital of the United States, announcing a plan on Thursday to work with start-up Better Place to put battery-powered autos on the road in 2012. Mayors of San Francisco, Silicon Valley capital San Jose, Oakland and other cities in the region said they would offer incentives and standardize infrastructure with Better Place, a start-up that aims to offer electric cars as a service, like a cell phone, at prices similar or below standard cars.
Better Place already has experience in building charging station networks; albeit in smaller markets like Israel, Denmark and Australia. Their plan is to garner the capital for the project over the next 18 months (no easy task in today’s economic environment) and then launch a test for 2010. By 2012 — when the market for electric cars is a reality — a full launch will occur around San Francisco.
Gizmodo gives us the DL on how this will all be paid for:
Naturally, a project this vast isn’t going to be cheap—$1 billion is a lot of money to burden the taxpayers with. Fortunately, that won’t be a problem because the project will be funded with an incentive plan directed at companies who install the chargers. Building permits will also be expedited to help move things along. Better Place will also be working with Renault-Nissan to distribute electric vehicles in “much the way telecoms distribute cellphones. Customers will subscribe to drive a certain number of miles and get an electric vehicle at a discounted price. Better Place will own the battery.”
What do you think? Too much too soon? Pie in the sky development? Or just what America needs to kick-start the electric automobile revolution?
Share This
By Michael d'Estries
November 3, 2008 – 4:11 pm
Automaker Mini will soon begin accepting potential applicants to lease and try out its initial run of 500 Mini-E all-electric vehicles. The fun will be available to California, New York and New Jersey drivers — and only for one year. Eight dealers on each coast will service the electrical components. From the article,
“The Mini E is based on the current two-seat, three-door hatchback car. The E has a lithium ion battery powering an electric motor with 204 hp that takes 23.6 hours to charge at 110 volts–and 4.4 hours on 240 volts, which is used in Europe and elsewhere in the world.”
With the difference in charge times being so massive, it’s easy to see why 240 volts in the future of car charging.
Obviously, first adopters often have to pay a massive price for new tech — and this lease is no different. Monthly lease costs are expected to surpass $500. Still interested? Jump on over to MiniUSA.com for more information.
Share This
By Michael d'Estries
October 28, 2008 – 3:38 pm
After enjoying success at 250 sites across Scotland, wind energy firm Cascade Engineering is ready to bring their Swift turbine to Canada and the United States.
The feature most championed on these turbines is their relative quiet. Like others, the Swift features blades for catching the wind. To reduce noise, however, those five blades are encompassed by a ring. This element brings the noise level down to 35 decibels and reduces vibration, according to the company.
Additionally, the turbine can be attached to a home — rather than require the use of a pole or tower. From CNET,
The turbine, with a 7-foot diameter, also has two fins to direct the turbine to face the wind. It can turn 360 degrees and shut down if the wind is too high. It can generate 1.5 kilowatts with 14 mile-per-hour wind and about 2,000 kilowatt-hours over a year, the company said. U.S. households typically consume between 6,500 and 10,000 kilowatt-hours in a year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Current cost before tax rebates and other state and federal incentives is $10K. Cascade estimates the payback on the upfront cost can be as low as three years, but that it varies widely. Check out their official website for more info.
via CNET
Share This
By Michael d'Estries
October 23, 2008 – 1:56 pm
As most solar gurus understand, solar panels are only as effective as the amount of light they’re angled to catch. Often times, entire sites can be written off as candidates because of their ineffective ability to catch the sun’s rays. To truly maximize efficiency, some panels can be mounted on arms that track the sun throughout the day — however, this can add considerable cost.
A new company called Solyndra — which literally shot onto the public scene two weeks ago (though they’ve been around in secret for three years) — has announced a sales deal with German solar integrator GeckoLogic GmbH valued at $250 million. This deal is part of the $1.2 billion in contracts Solyndra unveiled in its coming out announcement.
What’s so special about their technology? Well, as you can tell from the title, Solyndra’s panels are a bit different from the ones we’re used to seeing. From the NY Times,
A photovoltaic copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) compound is wrapped around a series of tubes until they resemble a row of black, fluorescent lights. Each module is curved to catch the maximum amount of light from any direction, so the panels don’t need to be carefully angled and laboriously secured like traditional PV panels.
Great idea — and a lot of investors seem to think so as well, to the tune of $600 million in funding. You can check out this great video of their automated fabrication process below or visit their official site for more info here.
Share This
By Michael d'Estries
October 9, 2008 – 7:37 pm
Ericsson already has an environmental winner with their Tower Tube Cell Towers (which use 40% less energy than traditional towers), but they’ve taken the idea one step further with the integration of a vertical-axis turbine.
The wind-powered version comes with a four-blade turbine with five-meter blades. The vertical advantage allows the blades to turn around the tower resulting in less noise and less visual impact than typical wind turbines. Ulf Ewaldsson, Vice President and Head of Product Area Radio at Ericsson, says: “Combining wind power with Ericsson’s Tower Tube brings further opportunities to support mobile communication in both urban and remote areas with no or limited access to the electricity grid. Ericsson’s wind-powered Tower Tube research initiative reflects our ambition to use our technical leadership to drive sustainable, telecom expansion and deliver communication for all.”
Very cool — and it’s great to see Ericsson working hard to combine different elements of sustainable tech with their towers. The addition of the vertical-axis turbine is still in the trial stages, so stay tuned to see how quickly these come to market.
Check out the full press release here.
Share This
By Michael d'Estries
October 2, 2008 – 1:49 pm
One of the more interesting aspects of the renewable power revolution is watching how designers are taking advantage of the technology to create efficient and practical accessories for the home. Take for instance the “Flow” — which is a collection of six photovoltaic panels crafted as a vertical turbine. It’s the brainchild of designer Wang Yigang, who managed to grab top honors with his creation at the National Exhibition of Arts.
From the article,
“This dual power generating system consists of arciform photovoltaic cells that absorb all the goodness of the sun. A collection of six photovoltaic cells sums up as a shell that is used as wind concentrator. The accelerated speed of the wind enhances the performance of the rotor. Also the joints on the solar cells help to adjust them at optimum angle so that maximum solar energy is soaked up.”
Nice looking, right? I’ve no idea how much energy a system like this might generate, but it’s great to see designers thinking outside the box. Now, can we please see one turned into reality?
More photos available at Ecofriend.
Share This
