Energy news

Electric cars need government support: Nissan-Renault CEO

Technology / Energy

Nov 12, 2009 | 1 / 5 (2) | 1

Electric cars could help China and other countries reduce their dependency on oil but the government must provide incentive to make the shift, Nissan and Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn said Thursday.

Hydrogen milestone moves energy independence one step forward

Technology / Energy

Nov 10, 2009 | 3.9 / 5 (12) | 6

(PhysOrg.com) -- Big things often come in small packages. That's certainly the case with the potential created by recent successes in hydrogen research at Idaho National Laboratory.

Switching Gears to Greener Transportation

Technology / Energy

Nov 10, 2009 | 3 / 5 (3) | 3

Automakers around the world continue to slowly infuse their cars and trucks with greener, more efficient technology, but researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute contend that technology alone will not ...

Pioneering Swiss solar-powered plane rolled out

Technology / Energy

Nov 06, 2009 | 4.3 / 5 (8) | 0

Solar Impulse, the Swiss bid to make the first solar-powered flight around the world, rolled out its prototype on Friday at an airbase near Zurich and powered up the engines.

New 'smart' electrical meters raise privacy issues

Technology / Energy

Nov 06, 2009 | 4.3 / 5 (11) | 12

The new "smart meters" utilities are installing in homes around the world to reduce energy use raise fresh privacy issues because of the wealth of information about consumer habits they reveal, experts said ...

Metal-Air Battery Could Store 11 Times More Energy than Lithium-Ion

Technology / Energy

Nov 05, 2009 | 4.4 / 5 (46) | 12

(PhysOrg.com) -- A spinoff company from Arizona State University plans to build a new battery with an energy density 11 times greater than that of lithium-ion batteries for just one-third the cost. With a ...

Solar power generation around the clock

Technology / Energy

Nov 05, 2009 | 4.5 / 5 (28) | 15

(PhysOrg.com) -- A Californian company, SolarReserve, is developing a solar power system that can store seven hours' worth of solar energy by focusing mirrors onto millions of gallons of molten salt, allowing ...

Germany, Mexico, US top smart energy list

Technology / Energy

Nov 05, 2009 | 2.5 / 5 (2) | 1

Germany, Mexico and the United States have crafted some of the world's smartest policies for improving energy use, according to a study released on Thursday on the sidelines of the UN climate talks here.

Will Europe Be Powered by the Sahara

Technology / Energy

Nov 04, 2009 | 4.1 / 5 (23) | 27

(PhysOrg.com) -- Europe has long been interested in developing alternative energy sources. And, one of the more interesting places that some Europeans are looking for solar power is the Sahara. With the vast ...

Car That Runs on Compressed Air Questioned by Critics (w/ Video)

Technology / Energy

Nov 03, 2009 | 3.8 / 5 (21) | 38

(PhysOrg.com) -- As electric cars begin breaking into the short-distance vehicle market, one French company thinks that it has an alternative to the electric vehicle: a car that runs on compressed air. Motor ...

'Blue energy' seems feasible and offers considerable benefits

Technology / Energy

Oct 30, 2009 | 4.5 / 5 (8) | 0

Generating energy on a large scale by mixing salt and fresh water is both technically possible and practical. The worldwide potential for this clean form of energy - 'blue energy' or 'blue electricity' - is enormous. However, ...

New rechargeable zinc-air batteries coming soon

Technology / Energy

Oct 29, 2009 | 4.5 / 5 (42) | 15

(PhysOrg.com) -- A new breed of rechargeable zinc-air batteries is soon to be available, and may replace lithium-ion batteries in cell phones, laptops and other consumer items. Lithium-ion batteries store ...

Zero-emission scooter to debut in Japan

Technology / Energy

Oct 29, 2009 | 4.3 / 5 (7) | 3

A Japanese zero-emission "hybrid" scooter to be released next year runs 10 times as economically as a petrol engine bike and can be assisted by human pedal power, its maker said Thursday.

Funding A Greener Grid: How Obama plans to spend billions on modernizing the U.S. electrical network

Technology / Energy

Oct 29, 2009 | not rated yet | 1

President Barack Obama announced on Tuesday that his administration plans to spend $3.4 billion on producing a safer, more efficient electrical grid. Obama underscored the need to find clean forms of energ ...

Japanese car wins World Solar Challenge in Australia (w/ Video)

Technology / Energy

Oct 28, 2009 | 3.8 / 5 (6) | 2

A Japanese sun-powered car won the World Solar Challenge on Wednesday after averaging speeds of more than 100 kilometres (62 miles) per hour in a four-day race through Australia's desert Outback.

Obama team: US needs bill to lead in clean energy

Technology / Energy

Oct 28, 2009 | 2.3 / 5 (3) | 0

(AP) -- The Obama administration warned on Tuesday that the U.S. could slip further behind China and other countries in clean energy development if Congress fails to pass climate legislation, as early signs ...

Toyota to release solar charger for electric vehicles

Technology / Energy

Oct 27, 2009 | 4.2 / 5 (25) | 10

(PhysOrg.com) -- Toyota is developing a solar charging station for electric cars and plug-in hybrids, making a green technology even greener. It has also designed a battery charger for mounting inside an electric ...

Obama unveils historic power grid reform

Technology / Energy

Oct 27, 2009 | 3.9 / 5 (14) | 1

President Barack Obama Tuesday announced the largest modernization of the US electricity grid in history, in a 3.4-billion-dollar bid to launch a new era of renewable energy consumption.