Energy

Regenerative Shock Absorbers Boost Fuel Efficiency Using Road Bumps To Generate Energy

A team of MIT undergraduate students has invented a shock absorber that harnesses energy from small bumps in the road, generating electricity while it smoothes the ride more effectively than conventional shocks. The students hope to initially find customer ...

Article - News Staff - Feb 15 2009 - 10:13am

Maritime Mileage Machine- Will This Fuel Stingy Car Get 3000 Miles Per Gallon?

With its light body made of Kevlar, sleek aerodynamic design and three Olympic-racing wheelchair tires, it looks like something that escaped from the Batcave but it’s actually a school project by a team of six Dalhousie University senior mechanical enginee ...

Article - News Staff - Feb 18 2009 - 7:20pm

Partnering VCs and National Labs (An Energy Moonshot)

Should the government or private industry shoulder the initiative for meaningful strides in alternative energy breakthroughs?  The level of disruption necessary cannot be achieved on any practial time horizon by private industry without some enormous strok ...

Blog Post - Jon Lederman - Feb 19 2009 - 6:00am

Lead-Acid: The coolest thing to happen to batteries since Volta

So, it has been quite some time since I've posted a blog. Unfortunately, I am trying to get this pesky degree and do some research on the side. I would like to continue my history of the battery with the development of the first rechargeable battery. ...

Blog Post - Navarre Bartz - Nov 3 2010 - 10:06pm

Energy Earth- Enhanced Geothermal Methods Getting A New Look

Geothermal energy is increasingly contributing to the power supply where it is affordable and efficient. Iceland is world-leader in expanding development of geothermal utilization: in recent years the annual power supply there doubled to more than 500 MW i ...

Article - News Staff - Feb 28 2009 - 12:21pm

Photocatalysis- Using Solar Power To Make Methane From Carbon Dioxide

Dual catalysts may be the key to efficiently turning carbon dioxide and water vapor into methane and other hydrocarbons using titania nanotubes and solar power, according to Penn State researchers. Burning fossil fuels like oil, gas and coal release large ...

Article - News Staff - Mar 5 2009 - 12:08pm

Cobalt Oxide Nanocrystals And Artificial Photosynthesis

For millions of years, green plants have employed photosynthesis to capture energy from sunlight and convert it into electrochemical energy. A goal of scientists has been to develop an artificial version of photosynthesis that can be used to produce liquid ...

Article - News Staff - Mar 11 2009 - 9:59am

New battery tech promises even faster recharge times...

I interrupt my battery history series for this important news: In case you hadn't heard, the next big thing in batteries is fast charge and discharge times. One of the main hangups with electric cars is that they take too long to charge. Most people d ...

Blog Post - Navarre Bartz - Mar 11 2009 - 8:13pm

Platinum Nanowires Energize The Fuel Cell Future

The creation of long platinum nanowires at the University of Rochester could soon lead to the development of commercially viable fuel cells. Described in a paper published today in the journal Nano Letters, the new wires should provide significant increase ...

Article - News Staff - Mar 11 2009 - 8:43pm

Is Nuclear Energy More Popular Now?

The Multinational Nuclear Power Pulse Survey, conducted online in November 2008, was released on 17 March 2009 by its originator Accenture, a consulting company. 10,508 people in 20 countries participated in a series of 20-minute interviews. Included in g ...

Blog Post - Hatice Cullingford - Mar 18 2009 - 10:45pm