Energy

Hydrogen is regarded as the green energy of the future. The automobile industry, for example, is working hard to introduce fuel cell technology starting in approximately 2010. However, a fuel cell drive system can only be environmentally friendly if researchers succeed in producing hydrogen from renewable sources. Artificial photosynthesis, i.e. the splitting of water into oxygen and hydrogen with the aid of sunlight, is an elegant way of solving this problem. However, the road to this artificial photosynthesis has been littered with obstacles. One of the obstacles to be overcome is the…

A cheap alternative to silicon solar cells can be found in dye-sensitized solar cells. This type of cell imitates the natural conversion of sunlight into energy by plants and light-sensitive bacteria. Annemarie Huijser has succeeded in substantially improving a process in this type of solar cell, which is similar to Grätzel cells. The use of solar cells is increasing very slowly. One of the reasons is that the most commonly used type, made from silicon, is quite expensive to manufacture. That is why there has been a great deal of research into alternative solar cells over the past few years…

It is generally accepted that America could immediately reduce energy consumption by at least 20% if intelligent conservation efforts were implemented at all levels. As a country, we established energy use habits decades ago when all forms of energy were relatively cheap. Lights on in high rise building at night, corridors in hotels and office buildings that are almost painfully bright, lights on in empty rooms and offices, and escalators that move even when no one is on them. This all came back to me on a recent trip to Brazil. I was there to deliver a speech to the top executives of a…

Wind energy is regarded by many as the most viable source of short-term renewable energy. Optimal operation of new generation wind turbines will only be possible through the reliable measurement of the wind inflow characteristics. Experience has shown that accurate power generation estimation based on wind speed is a challenging task. For large new turbine models, conventional mast wind speed measurements are not feasible based on cost and technical considerations. Researchers at the Endowed Chair of Wind Energy (SWE) of the University of Stuttgart are working together with researchers from…

GENEVA, March 4 /PRNewswire/ -- As another key element in its overall global strategy to improve fuel economy and reduce oil consumption and CO2 emissions, General Motors Chairman Rick Wagoner announced today that GM will introduce a second-generation version of the GM Hybrid System with a new, more powerful lithium-ion battery. Hitachi Vehicle Energy Ltd., a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Hitachi Ltd., will supply an advanced lithium-ion battery, which will help make the next-generation GM Hybrid System nearly three times more powerful than the system it replaces. Overall fuel economy…

Researchers at the University of Minnesota studying bacteria capable of generating electricity have discovered that riboflavin (commonly known as vitamin B-2) is responsible for much of the energy produced by these organisms. The bacteria, Shewanella, are commonly found in water and soil and are of interest because they can convert simple organic compounds (such as lactic acid) into electricity, according to Daniel Bond and Jeffrey Gralnick, of the University of Minnesota's BioTechnology Institute and department of microbiology, who led the research effort. "This is very exciting because it…

Gamesa Corporacion Tecnologica, S.A. has agreed to the sale of Gamesa Solar to private equity firm First Reserve Corporation for a total consideration of 261 million euros. Net debt was approximately 53 million euros as of December 2007.  Gamesa is a company specializing in sustainable energy technologies, mainly wind power. Gamesa is the market leader in Spain and is among the larger wind turbine manufacturers in the world, with a market share of 16% in 2006. Gamesa Solar is a solar energy company in Spain focusing on the development, construction and sale of solar photovoltaic plants…

Solar cells are constructed of layers that absorb sunlight and convert it to electrical current. Thinner solar cells can yield both cheaper and more plentiful electricity than today's cells, if their capacity to absorb sunlight is optimized. Electricity-generating solar cells are one of the most attractive alternatives for creating a long-term sustainable energy system, but thus far solar cells have not been able to compete economically with fossil fuels. Researchers are now looking at how nanotechnology can contribute in bringing down the cost. Scientists at Chalmers University of…

The possibility of generating hydrogen from sea water using sunlight energy is now one step closer, say scientists at Atmos Technologies. They claim to have successfully developed a completely new, environmentally friendly technique for the production of photo voltaic diodes at a lower cost and with a substantially lower carbon footprint than that created by conventional methods. They say the hydrogen produced using their technology can be generated economically and efficiently and utilized either in fuel cells or in conventional engines as a replacement for petrol. Current techniques…

Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) cultivation has expanded dramatically in recent decades and is frequently cited as a major threat to tropical biodiversity. This is because oil palm is grown in lowland tropical regions and so impacts on the most biodiverse terrestrial habitats: tropical rainforests. Analysis of the published literature by scientists led by Edgar Turner at the University Museum of Zoology, Cambridge has revealed significant changes in the focus of oil palm research over the last 30 years. Recent years have seen a broadening in the scope of the research with a slight increase in…