Many attempts have been made so far to perk up the efficiency of the biggest green resource earth boasts of- the Sun. Another discovery lining up for this effort is the “nanostructure films” created by the chemical engineers at Oregon State University (OSU). What makes this discovery unique is that it can be applied on any surface to increase the amount of sunlight the surface captures.

This latest nano-technology can be put to everyday use by applying it on sunglasses where it cuts down the amount of light that is reflected off the glass surface and allows it to go through, giving clearer vision and diminishing glare. This would do more good to the existing solar panels by capturing more photons than reflecting them into space. This would mean generating more electricity with the same old solar panels fixed on your roof. Sounds economical, right?

Somebody once said “The biggest room in the world is the room for improvement.” Then why go in search of newer alternative resources, why can’t we just try and make the existing ones better, in the cheapest and easiest way possible?

Via Treehugger

Following the 2007 federal energy bill that phases out inefficient incandescent light bulbs beginning in 2012, the good old technology eschewed. With consumers opting incandescent bulbs over florescent ones, researchers have been striving to make the former better and more efficient.

Philips Lighting’s Halogena Energy Savers are the opening ones that emerged. Despite being expensive compared to the conventional ones, they are 30 percent more efficient and last three times longer. Another company,  Deposition Sciences came up with a special reflective coating to gas-filled capsules that surround the bulb’s filament that acts like a heat mirror and bounces heat back to the filament thereby converting it into light. These bulbs have a 30 percent efficiency gain, but the company promises to increase it to 50 percent. Los Angeles based inventor David Cunningham developed a reflective coating and fixture design that he claims would make incandescent cent percent more efficient. In addition, a Physics professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Shawn-Yu Lin, devised a high-tech, iridium-coated filament that recycles wasted heat to improve its performance.

There are many more attempts being done throughout the world to bring back the lost shimmer of our very own incandescent bulbs, but what’s holding it back is the fear of the energy bill released a couple of years ago. However, leading lighting companies General Electric, Osram Sylvania and Philips are all putting their efforts towards energy conservation and providing consumers better incandescent bulbs they desire.

Via NYTimes

The minute you decide to get a new TV for your living room, the first question that pops up in your head is- which one should I go for, LCD or plasma TV? Then you start comparing the prices, the companies, specifications, offers and what not. But, it’s not just the one-time investment price we need to consider while buying a new television. What’s more important is its energy consumption, which will affect your electricity bills in the days to come. So, let’s find out which of these would prove lighter on your power.

Considering the facts, both LCDs and plasma TVs consume less power compared to the conventional tube television sets that were used previously or are still being used now. Nevertheless, when the battle of energy efficiency is among the best of the bests, LCD emerges a winner, thanks to its florescent backlights that display images, which devours less power compared to plasma technology. Not just this, most of the LCDs are usually Energy Star rated that shows exactly how much power your TV would consume when it’s in a standby mode.

So, the next time you are buying a television set or advising anyone on it, go without trouble for an LCD. That would do well, for both you and the power-grid.

Source: The Good Human

Louis Palmer, a Swiss schoolteacher had for sure trusted his solar car to the core and the car too made its master proud. Together, they went on a 17-month tour across 32,000 miles covering 38 countries. The journey started in Switzerland and touched the finish line this Thursday at the U.N. Climate Talks. Throughout the trip, the car that has a distance range of 185 miles and a top speed of 55 mph on a fully charged battery, broke down for just 2 days but gave free rides to over 1,000 people throughout the world.

I appreciate Palmer for his bravery and determination to prove the efficiency of the renewable solar energy to the world. Bravo Palmer, you accomplished the mission!

Source: GoodCleanTech

Technology has found many alternatives to the conventional lithium ion batteries. A new study by the French researcher has raised the chances of micro-sized direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC) which have 16 times more energy potential compared to the Li-ion batteries which may be soon replaced by the former. The researcher had increased the efficiency of these silicon-based fuel cells to 75% by injecting a macroporous layer into it.

This new technique enabled the fuel cells which previously operated at 100 degrees Celsius or higher to function at room temperature and deliver a power density of 385 Wh/L (i.e., 9.25 mW/cm2 using 550 nanoliters of fuel per minute) in comparison with Li-ion batteries which give only 270 Wh/L. In spite of this development, Steve Arscott at the Institute of Electronics, Microelectronics and Nanotechnology feels that DMFCs have to face many more challenges before they can be adopted by the consumers.

I believe that the methanol fuel cells would soon fight against all odds and rise to replace the less efficient lithium ion batteries, but till then the researchers will continue to try making them better.

Source: CleanTechnica

Solar energy a very convenient form of renewable energy, emerging economies like China would benefit a lot from it. What is holding them back from using it then? Efficiency, cost or maybe both. Researchers from the Australian National University (ANU), Tianjin University in China and Chromasun, a Silicon Valley company have come together to make solar energy cheaper and efficient and are working on it in a step-wise manner.

The team first came up with a grid-connected system that had an 80 meter long 2-axis collector with 80 mirrors each of which focused sunlight onto highly efficient solar cells mounted on air-cooler receivers. This was capable of producing 20kW power. Keeping it in place, they then developed the 300 m² Combined Heat and Power Solar (CHAPS) system which uses the natural heat generated in the photovoltaic linear concentrators. It had eight collectors, hot water storage, hydronic in-slab floor heating and gas-fired boosters with a 40-kW inverter.

The team then realized the demand for smaller devices in the market and set to combine both the above mentioned systems to make a hybrid microconcentrator that would be available at a lower cost. The supposed system measuring just 1.7 x 1.5 x 0.2 meters has just 7 mirrors which would focus light onto the 20% more efficient crystalline Si micro PV cells connected to a receiver which will deliver heat to the hot water tank.

Working as a team, the researchers have brought forward the best in each of them and made the system economical compared to the previously built ones. The group needs appreciation and applauds for their job.

Source: RenewableEnergyWorld

Fed up of having to replace batteries often? Worried that your kids might pick one up and play? Taiwan’s Prof. Chungpin Hovering Liao of National Formosa University invented world’s first chlorophyll organic battery that will drive your fears away. You know what this battery does? It turns any liquid into electricity, be it water or urine or coffee!

This wonder battery takes just 10 seconds time after it is soaked in any liquid top start generating power. They do not contain any harmful chemicals like the usual batteries do and can be manufactured at a mere price of 0.03-0.06 US dollars. It can also hoard more energy compared to the Japanese water powered cells. But, when we are considering them for use, the fact that these batteries are capable of generating only half the power an ordinary battery can produce may force us to have second thoughts.

Liao is at present is applying in Taiwan and the United States for patents. There is time before these batteries will be available in the market for use, so may be they’ll get better by then.

Source: CleanTechnica

Mercedes, the luxury car company has shown off its creative capabilities at Los Angeles Auto Show this year. Its Formula Zero Sail Racer was presented as a part of the Design Los Angeles automobile Design Challenge at the show and it succeeded in satisfying the demands of the segment- a cool race car for 2025 that doesn’t need re-fuelling to complete a race or would never have collisions.

This bizarre looking concept car runs on electric motors which are powered by the sun and wind. It has solar panels fitted on its body and a wind turbine attached in the front. The sail on the top will provide forward thrust for the car and gives the car the aerodynamics needed for racing. The car also has an inbuilt regenerative breaking system. It sure looks great and sounds even greater.

This zero emission racer will sure be a compliment for the future car races where efficiency would take a front seat kicking the speed away. Mercedes has once again proved that it can make a perfect cocktail of comfort, style and efficiency.

Via: Inhabitat

The University of New South Wales’ ARC Photovoltaic Centre of Excellence previously held a record for the highest solar cell efficiency of 24.7% which has been lately modified by the same centre to 25%. This is just one among the six records achieved by the newly devised cells. With this the International Standard of measurement of efficiency of the solar cells has also been changed.

Prof. Martin Green who led the group attributed the improved efficiency of the cell to the new facts unveiled about the constitution of sunlight. The standard color spectrum which was used to measure the capacity of the solar cells was revised in April and according to it, the energy of the blue light which is absorbed strongly only when it’s closer to the cell surface is higher compared to the previous spectrum and the reverse happened with the red light. The new silicon cell thus has 6% more efficiency compared to its previous counterpart and also has a theoretical efficiency of 29% which is the highest till now.

Prof. Green feels that the efforts made to make the cells suitable for trapping more light have made them thicker and the team is now working with CSG Solar to make them thinner so that they can be made suitable for commercial use.

Via ScienceAlert

Thinking of getting a hybrid car or feeling guilty about driving the same smoke emitting automobile? Blade will show the way to a greener vehicle. No, I’m not talking about that fictional superhero but this device created by Sabertec is no less compared to him. Like the superhero hunts down vampires, this apparatus cuts down on the particulate matter and other emissions that pollute air and spoil your lungs.

When attached to the tailpipe, this device filters all the fuel emissions bringing down the green house gases like carbon dioxide by about 34% and in addition perks up the fuel efficiency of the automobile up to 5miles per gallon. This eco-friendly device is available for just $199 and has a life of 2years. The replacement would also cost less. Though Blade hasn’t been tested on the roads yet, it has been able gain the support from the Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board.

Blade also works on the diesel and hybrid vehicles making them greener. Everybody’s waiting for Blade to thrive as it will please ecologists and monetarily benefit the users. Let us all wish Blade good luck with its fight against environmental contamination.

Source: TreeHugger