Artificial photosynthesis has been on our minds for some time now. We first reported developments in this area back in 2008. Now, Panasonic is working on an artificial photosynthesis system which works on a level with real plants used for biomass energy. It works exactly like natural photosynthesis, using sunlight to make oxygen and water and CO2 to make organic materials. The materials produced artificially can also be manipulated to suit different needs. In the future, Panasonic plans to build artificial photosynthesis plants to absorb CO2 emitted by whole factories.
Three floating research labs are being powered by concentrated solar power (CSP) in an effort to discover whether CSP on water could be a viable energy source. Each lab has 100 panels, which always face the sun, as the anchored labs can revolve to face it. The watery location also means that solar energy captivation is maximized. Plus, all parts can be recycled after the 25 year life expectancy has passed. Swiss energy company Viteos is investing over $108 million in the project in the hope that more than 80 million kilowatt hours if energy will be produced by CSP on water in the next decade.
The Clean Wind Energy Downdraft Tower is a skyscraper-sized wind power plant powered by solar energy. It has close to zero carbon footprint, produces almost no waste and consumes virtually no fuel. By harnessing the power of the sun to make wind energy, it can be used in areas with little breeze of its own. It works like this: a fine mist of water is sprayed across the top of the hollow tower to cool hot air as it enters, as it cools, it falls more heavily and faster, so by the time it reaches wind turbines at the bottom, it is powerful enough to generate electricity. This first tower in Arizona could make up to 1000 megawatts of energy per hour, approximately 600 megawatts of which would go back into the national grid.
Always at the cutting edge of car design, German car manufacturers, Audi, have now announced plans to produce e-gas – a fuel made out of solar power, wind power and captured CO2 (which is carbon free). Audi are currently building a huge synthetic natural gas plant, from where they will conduct research to prove that this will be an efficient, effective and economically viable product. They plan to produce the fuel like this: wind turbines will generate electricity, which will produce hydrogen by electrolysis. This will then be combined with the CO2 captured from the atmosphere – their plant can capture almost 3,000 metric tons every year – to produce methane, or as Audi call it: e-gas. Sounds simple, right? Let’s see if Audi can pull it off!
Instead of tackling the dreadful fossil fuel and smog problem blanketing China right now, the Chinese are resorting to buying air in cans! A clever businessman has started selling fresh air in drinks cans as levels of pollution in China continue to raise danger alarms. The concentration of PM2.5 particles, which are the smallest and deadliest have gone off the scale twice this year, already. The Air Quality Index is showing numbers 20 times more dangerous than US Environmental Protection Agency ‘safe’ standards.
Nissan Motors have developed a refrigerator truck kitted out with a fully functional fridge, powered by a rechargeable-battery-powered motor. Whether the motor is running, in idle, or off, the fridge keeps food chilled, so deliveries do not spoil. The Atlas F24 will be modified to suit the specifications of Yamato Transport Co, who will rent it in 2013 and run tests for a year. Funding for the project came from Nissan Motors and Sumitomo Corp, which was founded to help new businesses develop their potential through
China is burning more coal than the rest of the world put together, and their consumption is continuing to grow. 20% global greenhouse gases are due to coal burning, making it one of the biggest offenders in the climate change debate. Although coal is responsible for huge health problems, as well as climate changing effects, it is still a popular fuel source in China because it is so cheap. Tighter air pollution restrictions in developing countries mean that coal is being sacrificed for cleaner energy and renewable sources, but while it remains so cheap and readily available in developing countries, there is no pressing reason for them to switch to other means.
Inadequate transport, poor roads, soaring temperatures – these are just a few reasons why around 40% food in India spoils before it reaches a dinner table. What people in developed countries would throw in the dustbin with barely a thought, can lead to mass starvation or keep farmers living at poverty levels in India. To help combat this, business students, engineers and corporate in Ohio have put their heads together to address this issue, and come up with a very effective, but crazily expensive solar powered fridge-shed thingy that no small farmer in India would ever be able to afford! Priced at $5,000, the SolarCool runs on eight solar panels that can keep food chilled, even at night, thanks to a battery that gets charged in the daylight.
Posted in
Recycle on January 29, 2013
Will I Am and Coca Cola have teamed up on an upcycle initiative to educate consumers about waste and recycling. Their new brand ‘ekocycle’, features a funky range of clothing, headphones and smartphone cases made almost entirely from waste plastic and aluminum. Their ‘beats by dre’ headphones are a fusion of quality sound, technology and PET plastics – although they only contain a disappointing 31% of upcycled materials – more of a token gesture than significant step towards serious upcycling.
Perfect for that H2O strapped country, Australia, the Oxijet, developed by their New Zealand neighbours, is now available for purchase down under. Brainchild of kiwi owned Felton and the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Oxijet is an air shower that works by injecting air bubbles into water droplets as they make their way out of the shower head. While it still feels like a full pressure shower, it only uses half the amount of water. Oxijet can be fitted to pretty much any standard shower fitting, but at present is only available in Australia.
