ecoGizmo
New Wind Generator offers viable energy source for the home
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July 5, 2006 The Skystream 3.7 wind generator is a significant product, being the very first fully integrated wind generator designed specifically for the grid-connected residential market. Put simply, the Skystream produces electricity for a fraction of the cost of current technologies and is directly connected to the home energy supply, supplementing power from the electric utility company and enabling electricity to be produced for sale to the utility or used at a later date. With a typical cost of US$8,000 to US$10,000 to purchase and install, the Skystream 3.7 can pay for itself in 5 to 12 years. This payback period will vary and can be much quicker in locations with investment rebates. It’s anticipated that Skystream 3.7 will save the average homeowner US$500 to US$800 per year, based on 4,800 to 6,600 kWh produced per year and a US$0.12/kWh cost of electricity. This output would provide 40 to 90 percent of an average home’s energy needs. In states like Hawaii, where the cost of energy and wind speeds are both high, Skystream 3.7 can pay for itself in less than 4 years. Read More
Volvo Multi-Fuel high performance prototype that runs on five different fuels
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June 15, 2006 The Michelin Challenge Binendum finished in Paris on the weekend, completing yet another showcase of the world’s most interesting clean technologies and energies for motorized vehicles. Each Bibendum sees a who’s who of the world’s automotive manufacturers put their latest concept vehicles on the park and this year some concept vehicles were actually rolled out for the event. One that really caught our attention was the Volvo Multi-Fuel prototype, which is optimised for running on five different fuel types; hythane (10% hydrogen and 90% methane), biomethane, natural gas, bioethanol E85 and petrol. The idea, according to Volvo, is to make use of the fuels that are produced locally. This means that less fuel needs to be transported between continents, and you can fill up the car on the fuel that is available wherever you are.
Scuderi Group Air-Hybrid Engine claimed to double fuel efficiency
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May 3, 2006 On March 7, we wrote of the coming of Scuderi Group's Air-Hybrid engine which claims the title of the world's most fuel efficient internal combustion engine. The Scuderi engine makes its European debut May 9 - 11 at the Engine Expo 2006 in Stuttgart, Germany on a bit of a roll. With three additional worldwide patents recently filed, the air-hybrid system potentially doubles the fuel efficiency of today's gasoline and diesel vehicles and reduces toxic emissions by up to 80 percent. The design is ingenious, has been verified by a world renowned independent laboratory, just landed a US$1.2 million DoD grant to develop the technology further, and it was clearly the talk of the Society of Automotive Engineers World Congress in Detroit where it was officially declared the most visited stand. The technology can be adapted for either diesel or gasoline engines of any size and is claimed to halve fuel consumption compared to today’s internal combustion engines. Autoblog has a succinct well-crafted peice and this animation will help you conceptualise this clever twist on the Otto cycle. There's also the official how it works and theory of operation. Read More
Three-Wheel All AC Powered N-Generation Forklift
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May 3, 2006 It seems there’s a strong move towards electrical power in forklift trucks and Mitsubishi gave this further momentum yesterday when it announced the introduction of its FB16NT-FB20NT series of 100 percent (AC) powered, three-wheel electric forklift trucks. The "all" AC powered N-Generation forklifts feature increased range of maneuverability an advanced Integrated Presence System and extended service intervals. Offering three models with capacities ranging from 3,000 to 4,500 lbs, the N-Generation offers a control system with modifiable performance settings controlling top travel speed, lifting speed, regenerative braking and auto regenerative braking. Torque and speed are controlled separately, allowing for optimum driving performance. The three-wheel design and hydrostatic steering provides increased maneuverability allowing operators to navigate areas with tight aisle spacing. In addition, the innovative AC drive system implements the latest in heat dissipation technology, assuring maximum performance while reducing battery consumption. Read More
Preparing the World’s largest wave energy power plant
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April 26, 2006 Wave Dragon is an offshore wave energy converter of the overtopping type. In 2003 Wave Dragon was the first wave energy developer to connect a prototype device to the public grid. Operating automatically this device has been online in the U.K. for 15,600 hours. Now, in a Joint Venture with UK renewable energy project developer, KP Renewables, Wave Dragon is to construct and deploy the world’s largest wave energy converter off the Pembrokeshire Coast in Wales, UK. After the initial test period, the test unit will joint 10 new units as a 77 MW power plant around 10 miles south west of initial site. Read More
New high performance, zero emission commercial vehicle
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April 24, 2006 The soon-to-debut UK-built Modec van is the first zero emission van that is comparable in economy and performance to diesel equivalents, making it a real and viable urban delivery vehicle. Emmission-free, it covers up to 120 miles on a single charge and reaches a top speed of 50 mph carrying a load of up to two tonnes. And with only three moving parts in the electric motor instead of more than 300 in a typical diesel van engine, there’s less to go wrong. The battery can be recharged overnight at the fleet depot, allowing efficient and effective city delivery without the noise, smell or pollution traditionally associated with transit vans. The Modec van has been designed with large fleets in mind. Read More
Earth Day is today
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April 22, 2006 Today is Earth Day, when millions of people worldwide will participate in events to show their concern for the planet's environment and natural resources. The official web site lists an array of ways in which you can meaningfully involve yourself and your family and Yahoo! has also assembled a comprehensive microsite that helps people take simple steps to slow climate change. Environmental experts warn that greenhouse gas emissions will lead to disastrous consequences unless the earth's inhabitants make lifestyle changes.
Microreactor for biodiesel production
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April 21, 2006 Another wonderous enabling technology has been announced - a microreactor, about half the size of a credit card that produces biodiesel by combining alcohol and vegetable oil directly, greatly speeding and simplifying production compared to traditional methods. By stacking many of these microreactors in parallel, a device the size of a small suitcase could produce hundreds of thousands of gallons per year of biodiesel – enough to power several farms. The device could significantly reduce farmer dependence on mass-produced petroleum. "This is all about producing energy in such a way that it liberates people," said inventor and OSU Professor Goran Jovanovic. "Most people think large-scale, central production of energy is cheaper, because we've been raised with that paradigm. But distributed energy production means you can use local resources - farmers can produce all the energy they need from what they grow on their own farms." Jovanovic is seeking to partner in order to commercialize the technology. Read More
Vanadium Redox Energy Storage System
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April 20, 2006 In a significant development, Magnetek and VRB have announced a significant new multi-purpose 5kW energy storage as an alternative to traditional lead-acid battery backup systems. Housed in a ZONE-4 certified NEMA 3R type enclosure, Magnetek's 5kW Vanadium Redox Battery Energy Storage System (VRB-ESS) backup power system is comprised of a storage tank containing a vanadium-based electrolyte, flow-cell stacks, and pump system and provides cost effective, reliable and environmentally friendly backup power. Virtually maintenance-free, it affords substantially lower cost of ownership than lead-acid battery-based systems and provides unprecedented security-of-supply to meet the energy needs of a variety of applications. Read More
Car Makers and fuel suppliers unite to promote synthetic fuels in Europe
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March 8, 2006 The Alliance for Synthetic Fuels in Europe (ASFE) was launched yesterday. At a conference held in Brussels and attended by European Commissioners Gunter Verheugen and Andris Piebalgs and Austrian Minister for Environment Josef Proll, leading automotive manufacturers and fuel supply companies layed out their common vision of sustainable mobility in Europe. Founding members of the Alliance of Synthetic Fuels in Europe (ASFE) - DaimlerChrysler, Renault, Royal Dutch Shell, Sasol Chevron and the Volkswagen group – addressed the strategic role of synthetic fuels in tackling today’s energy and environmental challenges and reducing the environmental impact of road transport through improved energy efficiency and the use of cleaner fuels. Read More
Air-water technology goes mobile
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February 21, 2006 With around 20% of the world’s population struggling to get adequate supplies of safe drinking water, the rapid evolution of air-water technology (which extracts water from the air) could well become one of the most significant enabling technologies in the history of mankind. We’ve already awarded the invention of the century, but we believe air-water technology is close to being equally as significant as it will enable man to begin to reconsider the cultivation of vast tracts of previously inhospitable land. Believe it or not, there are approximately 4000 cubic miles of water in the earth’s atmosphere, which accounts for why it rains, why air conditioning units extract water from the air, and how Atmospheric Water Technologies’ machinery manages to extract thousands of litres of drinkable water per day from thin air. We wrote up the technology in detail 18 months ago, but things have changed a lot in the short time since that first article. Now the company produces an AW100i model which combines water extraction from the atmosphere with a built-in icemaker to make a unit that can be powered from a generator and produce 50 litre of ice and 50 litres of drinkable water per day. More significantly, the company has now developed a mobile version of its air-to-water machine known as the aw1000m (caution: large WMV video file). The tandem-wheeled trailer-mounted US$48,000 aw1000m will produce over 1,000 liters of purified and filtered water daily, store it in on-board water tanks, and dispense it for drinking, washing or via two built-in shower units as part of the total water producing system/concept. The machine was developed as an all-in-one solution for the needs of the Indian army in the field and is suitable for transportation over rugged terrain and powered by a diesel generator. The machine can be fitted with an automatic plastic pouch filling machine which produces 25 plastic pouches of purified drinking water per minute for US$0.01 per 800cc pack. Read More
New Impetus For Tidal Energy initiative in Wales
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February 18, 2006 The potential for using the power of the tides to generate electricity for homes and businesses in Wales is being taken a step further. With funding from the Welsh Assembly Government, tidal energy firm Marine Current Turbines will examine and identify locations around the Welsh coastline where its tidal stream technology could be suitable. The project is supported by the Welsh Development Agency’s Energy Office, which has worked closely with Marine Current Turbines to facilitate the development of this project in Wales.
MIT develops new fast-charging battery technology ideal for automobiles
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February 18, 2006 With the world going mobile and billions of new devices requiring electrical storage, battery technology is almost certainly due for a renaissance in the near future and recent developments suggest MIT will play a role in the next significant battery technology. Less than a week ago, we reported on work being done by MIT's Laboratory for Electromagnetic and Electronic Systems (LEES) that could become the first technologically significant and economically viable alternative to conventional batteries in 200 years. Now a second new and highly promising battery technology is emerging from MIT - a new type of lithium battery that could become a cheaper alternative to the batteries that now power hybrid electric cars. Read More
Nanotech promises the first viable alternative to batteries in 200 years
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February 14, 2006 Almost everything we use requires electrical storage via a battery - computers, cell phones, cars, personal entertainment devices and much more – and as compelling functionality has increased in the digital age, so too has our reliance on the traditional battery which has changed little since it was developed by Alessandro Volta in 1800. Now, work at MIT's Laboratory for Electromagnetic and Electronic Systems (LEES) holds the promise of the first technologically significant and economically viable alternative to conventional batteries in more than 200 years. Using nanotube structures, the LEES invention promises a significant increase on the storage capacity of existing commercial ultracapacitors by storing electrical fields at an atomic level. The new LEES ultracapacitors could replace the conventional battery in everything from the smallest MP3 players through to electric automobiles and beyond, yielding batteries with a lifetime equivalent to the product they power and recharging times inside a minute. Most significantly, they promise a much smaller and lighter “battery”, and will be an enabling technology for many new concepts such as electric bicycles with the “burst” peak power of a motorcycle, or electrical trams with the capacity of a train but without the infrastructure. In automotive terms, they raise the possibility of an integrated starter/generator and the capability of ultra-efficient regenerative braking systems. The work was presented at the recent 15th International Seminar on Double Layer Capacitors and Hybrid Energy Storage Devices and the LEES “batteries” could reach market within five years. A potentially disruptive technology! Read More
Flying Electric Generator (FEG) technology
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February 1, 2006 We all know that burning fossil fuel for the world’s energy needs has a number of significant drawbacks, most notably the resultant emissions doing irreparable damage to the earth’s ecology, and the inevitable rise in prices due to the laws of supply and demand and dwindling capacity.
Accordingly, the web site of the Sky WindPower company offers some compelling calculations which show that there is waaay more than enough energy in high altitude winds, miles above the earth's surface, to supply all the world's power needs and that this energy can be economically captured using Flying Electric Generator (FEG) technology. In mass use, their calculations show that FEGs could produce electricity at a life cycle cost of less than two cents per kilowatt hour using tether materials now available. And new tether materials with even stronger strength to weight ratios are being developed. Read More
New tech tools can help you become your own home energy auditor
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February 1, 2006 So you called your local energy service company, scheduled a free home energy audit, and came away with some useful information on drafts to plug, light bulbs to use, and which areas of your home could be better insulated. Don't forget the programmable thermostats. All that is great, and hey, it didn't cost you a thing. But most of what the auditor told you, well, you already knew. As with health, love and war, there’s a plethora of complexity that needs addressing as there is no simple, magic answer. But if you’d like to comprehensively crunch your next energy bill and take greater control of your kilowatt destiny, there’s a way of building a detailed, visual profile of your household (or business) energy use on your home. With new computerized energy-tracking devices, getting a comprehensive snapshot of your building’s energy consumption is just a few mouse clicks away. Data loggers are simple battery-powered black boxes capable of recording temperature levels in various rooms in your house, light usage, and appliance cycling on a 24/7 basis. Read More
500kW Photovoltaic (PV) Inverter now available
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January 21, 2006 SatCon has announced that the launch its 500kW PowerGate inverter, the largest commercial Photovoltaic inverter available in North America. As the inverter iqualifies for California’s Self Generation Incentive Program, it attracts a rebate of US$2.80/watt. The inverter is a commercial-grade product available in 208, 240, and 480 volt models for grid-connected operation in low and medium voltage applications as single unit and parallel multi-megawatt systems. The PowerGate is a completely integrated package with all electrical and control system components pre-assembled and tested in a common enclosure. Read More
PSA Peugeot Citroen and French Atomic Energy Commission show fuel cell stack
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January 10, 2006 PSA Peugeot Citroen and the CEA (Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, the French Atomic Energy Commission) unveiled the GENEPAC fuel cell stack yesterday. Developed jointly by PSA Peugeot Citroen and the CEA, the new stack delivers world-class performance and power density. The partners' goal was to design and build a compact, modular, efficient fuel cell stack with a rating of up to 80 kW (107 bhp) and compatible with the technical automotive requirements. Both Peugeot and Citroen have been developing concept cars using fuel cell technology for almost a decade, and the development of the GENEPAC brings several of these fantastic vehicles (most notably the Peugeot Quark which is one of our most popular stories) closer to realization.
New Pedestrian Mobility System Makes Downtown Satellite Parking Feasible
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November 22, 2005 Architect, urban planner and inventor John Alt today challenged the parking industry to license and implement new mobility technology that will increase pedestrian access throughout central business districts and make downtown "satellite" parking facilities feasible for the first time.
The new technology, called SMRrTRAM ("smart tram"), is a bus-like vehicle that operates at street level and provides continuous, high capacity, two-way transport along a single, dedicated guide lane. Two trams always arrive together at each stop, from opposite directions, and the next pair is never more than two-and-a-half minutes away. Read More
Dutch Nuon Team takes Solar Challenge for third time
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October 3, 2005 As expected, the Dutch Nuon Solar Team has smashed its own world record for driving a solar car from Darwin to Adelaide in this year’s Panasonic World Solar Challenge. Nuon’s car, Nuna 3, reached the finish line at Angle Vale, north of Adelaide after a 3021 kilometre journey with a winning time of 29 hours 11 minutes and an average speed of 102.75 km/h. This stripped almost two hours from its previous 2003 world mark of 30 hours 54 minutes and broke the 100 km/h average speed barrier for the first time. It is the third consecutive time the Dutch team from the University of Delft has been first to Adelaide in world record time.
Australian car Aurora was second, beating its 2003 challenge time by four minutes, and finishing with an average speed of 92.03 km/h. The third-placed University of Michigan’s Momentum finished with an official time of 33 hours 18 minutes (90.03 km/h) with Japan’s Sky Ace Tiga close behind at 33 hours 45 minutes (88.84 km/h). Formosun from Taiwan University finished fifth with 36 hrs 01min (83.2 km/h).
New IPO to convert waste plastic to low sulphur diesel
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September 5, 2005 Current Australian IPO Axiom Energy Limited has an interesting proposition for potential investors – the company will produce low sulphur diesel from waste plastics that until now could not be recycled and would otherwise end up as landfill. Axiom also plans to be the largest producer of biodiesel on the Australian Eastern seaboard. Currently, 88 per cent of the 1.5 million tonnes of plastic consumed in Australia annually is sent to landfill, this amount could convert to more than 1 billion litres of low sulphur diesel. For example, a simple ice-cream container, weighing just 68 grams can be converted into a diesel fuel which will power a VW Golf car with a diesel engine for approximately one mile. Read More
New Portable Methanol Fuel Cell System
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August 24, 2005 UltraCell Corporation has announced a new fuel cell power source for portable electronic devices that has twice the energy density of lithium batteries. UltraCell's reformed methanol fuel cell (RMFC) technology uses a revolutionary micro reformer to generate fuel-cell-ready hydrogen from a highly concentrated methanol solution. This new portable power system has the power density of a hydrogen fuel cell but uses readily available, low cost methanol fuel in a convenient, compact package. Weighing just 40 ounces, the power unit is about the size of a paperback novel. Read More
How to convert an electric scooter to a solar scooter
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August 18, 2005 Primary producer Donald Dunklee has been watching the power grid slowly but surely failing, while the world demand for fossil fuel is slowly overpowering the world supply, driving prices skyward. It made him determined to "get off the drip" and build street-legal, affordable, dependable, sun-charged transport for his daily 5 mile commute. His solar powered motorcycle has not been plugged into the factory charger since April 15, 2005 and it’s now travelled over 700 miles since then. We guess he made it - this is Donald's story, as told by Donald. Read More
World’s largest solar facility proposed - 20,000-dish array, 4,500-acre and 850 MW
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August 13, 2005 Edison International subsidiary Southern California Edison (SCE), the nation’s leading purchaser of renewable energy, and Stirling Energy Systems have announced an agreement that could result in construction of a massive, 4,500-acre solar generating station in Southern California. When completed, the proposed power station would be the world’s largest solar facility, capable of producing more electricity than all other U.S. solar projects combined. The 20-year power purchase agreement signed this week, which is subject to California Public Utilities Commission approval, calls for development of a 500-megawatt (MW) solar project 70 miles northeast of Los Angeles using innovative Stirling dish technology. The agreement includes an option to expand the project to 850 MW. Initially, Stirling would build a one-MW test facility using 40 of the company’s 37-foot-diameter dish assemblies. Subsequently, a 20,000-dish array would be constructed near Victorville, Calif., during a four-year period. Read More
Honda FCX Integrates Hydrogen Station Locating Navigation System
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July 28, 2005 It makes sense that with so few hydrogen service stations yet in service that hydrogen vehicle rivers know where they are, Honda has decided to fit all hydrogen fuel cell-powered 2005 FCX vehicles with a special Honda-developed navigation system. This new navigation system is the first in the world to incorporate the location of hydrogen stations, including stations being developed as part of California's "Hydrogen Highway" Initiative. if you're outside California though, you might need more than a good navigational system - 17 of the 26 hydrogen stations listed in the database are in California. Read More
Win a Juicebag and help GreenPeace
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July 6th, 2005 A few months back we wrote up the JuiceBag - an urban daypack with integrated high-efficiency solar panel that converts sunshine into electricity to charge your cell phone, MP3 player or PDA. it was one of the top-rating stories in May. Now Greenpeace and Reware (makers of JuiceBags) have joined forces to bring attention to the issue of global warming. In July, competitors in the Greenpeace-sponsored “Thin Ice” contest will have the opportunity to win one of Reware’s Juice Bags, solar daypacks that use natural sunlight to make electricity. Project Thin Ice contestants win prizes by taking certain actions, such as signing petitions, and accumulating points. The highest point earner on July 8th will win a Juice Bag. Project Thin Ice 2005 began when Greenpeace sent Arctic explorers Lonnie Dupre and Eric Larsen to the polar ice cap to collect invaluable global warming data. This July, the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise will head to Greenland and visit research stations and work with scientists to study the evidence of global warming impacts in the Arctic. Read More
Honda Unveils World’s First “Fuel Cell Family”
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June 30, 2005 American Honda Motor today announced the lease of its FCX, an advanced hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle, to the world’s first individual customers, Jon and Sandy Spallino of Redondo Beach, California. It may seem an inconsequential event to many, but the first fuel cell vehicle getting into provate hands is a big deal, because until now, it's all been trial programs with government organisations. So fill your glasses and let's toast the beginning of hydrogen powered automobiles for the masses. Marking a historic achievement in the evolution of the automobile and the advancement of future transportation technology, the Spallinos become the world’s first fuel cell family, having signed an agreement to lease a 2005 Honda FCX for a period of two years. Read More
Free Combined Heat & Power Project Analysis Software
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June 20, 2005 The web is a wonderful resource and it yields many fabulous tools for the betterment of mankind. This is such a tool - it's free software to assist people in making informed decisions about energy projects. The new CHP Project Analysis Model can be used world-wide to easily evaluate the energy production, life-cycle costs and greenhouse gas emissions reduction for combined heat & power projects. It can be used to evaluate multiple applications including: power; heating; cooling; single buildings or multiple buildings; industrial processes; communities; district heating and district cooling. The CHP Project Analysis Model permits analysis with a wide range of renewable and non-renewable fuels (which can be used in parallel), including landfill gas, biomass, bagasse, biodiesel, hydrogen, natural gas, oil/diesel, coal, municipal waste, etc. These fuels can be evaluated using multiple types of power, heating and/or cooling equipment, including reciprocating engines, gas turbines, gas turbine - combined cycle, steam turbines, geothermal systems, fuel cells, wind turbines, hydro turbines, photovoltaic modules, boilers, heat pumps, biomass systems, heaters, furnaces, compressors, absorption chillers, etc., all working under various operating conditions (base load, intermediate load and/or peak load) ... and did we say it's free ... tell your friends (form at the bottom of the article)- and can be downloaded free-of-charge here. Read More
Shipments of new portable fuel cell commence
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25 May 2005 Portable fuel cell manufacturer Voller Energy Group has begun shipping its third generation VE100 portable fuel cell. The VE100 v3 weighs just nine kilograms and delivers the equivalent to the power produced from a plug in the wall - the European version produces EU standard 230 volts at 50Hz, while the US version produces 120 volts at 60Hz. No toxic emissions are produced while the unit is operating, the only output being pure water. Read More
Light-activated power plastic to be incorporated into soldier support systems
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May 6, 2005 Electric power requirements are going up for both soldiers and facilities in theatre of war situations, as the military is using sophisticated electronic technologies for sensing, surveillance, communications, search and destroy, and survival on the battlefield. Today's soldiers are being weighed down, though, by the batteries that drive these devices. They are required to carry a daily supply of primary batteries, but limited power capacity and the continual need for re-supply can limit the mobility, range and mission length required for effective field operations. Since rechargeable batteries can alleviate the soldiers' burden and the extensive logistics support to maintain the battery supply, the US Army now favours their use wherever possible, and recharging those batteries in the field is a priority. Konarka Technologies, a developer of power plastics that convert light to energy, this week signed a US$1.6 million contract with the United States Army to provide light-activated plastic power supply to soldier systems and Army support infrastructure. Read More
Microbial fuel cell promises high yield hydrogen source and wastewater cleaner
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April 29, 2005 The hydrogen economy is looming, and it seems a weekly occurance to see additional announcements of technology adding to the momentum. This week from Penn State University comes the news of an electrically-assisted microbial fuel cell (MFC) that does not require oxygen and uses bacteria to coax four times as much hydrogen directly out of biomass than can be generated typically by fermentation alone. Read More
Hot, cold and sparkling water cooler (and heater)
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April 27, 2005 What the world really needs is another watercooler – that’s what we thought when we came across the waterlogic stand at a recent design show. It was kinda lucky that our eagle-eyed reporter was thirsty because when we sampled the water , it was sparkling – with those tiny bubbles you get in Italian bottled “gassosso” mineral waters. Cool? Absolutely, but it also does hot water and you can have it with or without bubbles. Whatsmore, unlike bottled water coolers, this machine purifies the water at the point of use, meaning it hooks to mains water and does away with bottle deliveries, storage and changing bottles. Which in turn makes it cheaper too! Read More
American Honda Begins Retailing Natural-Gas Civic
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April 22, 2005 American Honda is giving Californian car-buyers the opportunity to say “goodbye” to gasoline by offering limited retail sales of its natural gas-powered Civic GX sedan paired with a revolutionary new home-refuelling appliance called Phill. The Civic GX is the cleanest internal combustion vehicle ever certified by the U.S. EPA and, with the introduction of home refueling, has the lowest fuel cost per mile of any new vehicle sold in the United States. The Phill appliance, manufactured and marketed by FuelMaker Corporation, is an affordable home refueling appliance that allows drivers the convenience of refueling their vehicles at home using their existing natural gas supply. Read More
Energetech’s wave energy technology
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April 12, 2005 The power of ocean waves has long been recognised as one of the great untapped energy resources with more than 1,000 patents filed for technologies to harness that energy in the last two hundred years and none that have yet reached commercial realisation. When that goal is reached, it will be a day worth celebrating as the World Energy Council believes that enough energy could be extracted from waves to meet the world's entire electrical energy needs. One company on the verge of commercialisation of wavepower-derived energy is Australian company Energetech. Energetech Australia is working on a new and commercially efficient system for extracting energy from ocean waves and converting it to electricity as a cheap, sustainable source of power. The company has a pilot installation in Port Kembla, NSW and has just received an investment of AUD$500,000 from the Centre for Energy and Greenhouse Technologies (CEGT) for the deployment of the first commercial wave energy converter off the Victorian coast. Read More
US Army deploys first Fuel Cell truck
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April 5, 2005 General Motors and the U.S. Army yesterday announced they are partnering to introduce the world's first fuel cell-powered truck into U.S. military service. The U.S. Army took delivery of the crew cab pickup at the GM research facility outside of Rochester, NY, where the vehicle's two fuel cell power modules were made. Marking the occasion was Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who was instrumental in securing the funds in the 2005 Department of Defense appropriations on behalf of GM's experimental truck. Read More
