MIT researcher Andreas Mershin has a vision that within a few years, people in remote villages in the developing world may be able to make their own solar panels, at low cost, using otherwise worthless agricultural waste as their raw material.

Photovoltaic panels made from plant material could become a cheap, easy alternative to traditional solar cells.

These molecules are then stabilized and spread on a glass substrate that’s covered in a forest of zinc oxide nanowires and titanium dioxide “sponges.” When sunlight hits the panels, both the titanium dioxide and the new material absorb light and turn it into electricity, and the nanowires carry the electricity away. In essence, Mershin has replaced the layer of silicon in conventional photovoltaic cells with a slurry of photosynthesizing molecules. “It’s like an electric nanoforest,” he says.

So far so good — now time for the reality check. At the moment, even with the efficiency-boosting nanoforest, Mershin’s solar panel only has an efficiency of 0.1%. To be of any use — to power more than a single LED light from an entire house covered in these cheap solar panels — an efficiency of 1 or 2% is required. With such a low barrier to entry, though, Mershin hopes that scientists the world over can now work on boosting the efficiency.


Video: Melanie Gonick

Via: MIT

Nissan unveils energy saving electronically controlled diesel engine named Nichio Maru a RORO eco-carrier. This Cargo Carriers has 281 solar panels fitted to the carriers dick, i love this Nissan green program - amazing!.

From Gizmag:

With large cargo freighters being a major source of CO2 emissions worldwide it's been encouraging to see various efforts to make such vessels more efficient. In recent years we've seen the development of the world's biggest container ship to cut CO2 emissions per container moved, air bubbles used to cut the friction between a ship's hull and the ocean, and even plans to return to the use of sails to cut fuel use. Now Nissan has launched an energy efficient coastal car carrier called the Nichio Maru that employs solar panels, LED lighting, a low friction hull coating hull and an electronically controlled diesel engine to cut fuel consumption.

The newly built Nichio Maru began its maiden voyage on January 7, 2012, and is the first coastal cargo ship in Japan to have photovoltaic solar panels installed. There are 281 solar panels in all, fitted to the ship's deck and used to power the LED lighting installed in the ship's hold and crew quarters.


Other energy efficiency features include the electronically controlled diesel engine that gives the 169.95 m (557 ft) long, 26 m (85 ft) wide vessel an operating speed of 21.2 knots (24.5 mph/39 km/h), and the use of a low friction hull coating that provides better sea mileage.


Watch nice introduction video below:

Built-in solar cells for Smartphone is very power saving concept. With this technology even laptops, phones can be used with out charging – energy saving.

From extremetech:

An ingenious researcher at the London Centre for Nanotechnology has managed to squeeze a bunch of photovoltaic (solar power) cells into a very interesting location: Behind your smartphone’s display.

According to Arman Ahnood, who unveiled his findings at the Materials Research Society late last year, only 36% of the light produced by an OLED display is projected straight out; the rest is wasted, either as scattered light or bleeding from the edge of the display. In a fairly basic leap of logic, Ahnood created photovoltaic cells that line the back and sides of OLED screens to capture this wasted light: Voila, free, harvested energy that can then be used to power the phone or charge the battery.

The best bit, though, is that Ahnood’s cells take the form of a thin film, much like OLED and LCD displays themselves. The idea is to bond this photovoltaic layer to the stack of films that make up an OLED display (pictured below), ultimately producing OLED screens that automatically harvest wasted light. Furthermore, because OLED and LCDs are not completely opaque, these thin-film photovoltaics also gather ambient light, be it from overhead lights or the sun.


Ahnood’s system — which includes a supercapacitor and some circuitry — has an average efficiency of 11%; significantly lower than commercial photovoltaics that are reaching 30%, but remember that’s free energy. For a typical 3.7-inch smartphone screen, the system can currently output a total of five milliwatts; again, not a lot (maybe a hundredth of what a modern smartphone uses), but better than nothing.

Watch the impressive buiding construction – Super Efficient Crew Builds a 30-story Building in Hunan Province of China, in just 15 days (360 Hours).

5 times more energy efficient – Level 9 Earthquake Resistance: diagonal bracing structure, light weight, steel construction, passed level 9 earthquake resistance testing 6x Less.

Material: even though the construction materials are much lighter(250kg/m2) than the traditional materials(over 1500kg/m2), the floors and walls are solid with surefootedness, airtight and sound-proofing 5x Energy Efficient: 150mm thermal insulation for walls and roofs, 4-panned windos, external solar shading, internal window insulation, heat recovery fresh air, 20 times purer air, 3 -stage air filtration, LED lighting, yearly HAVC A/C energy consumption equivalent to 7 liters oil.

20x Purification: after 3 levels of purification, the purification efficiency for fresh air reaches 95%-99.9%; air exchanged 1-2.5 times per hour, and indoor air is 20 times cleaner than outdoor air, air quality monitoring in every room 1% Construction Waste: all components are factory made, construction waste, mainly package materials, result from on site set-up only and amount to 1% of the total weight of the building. This is the first building in human history which combines almost all environmental friendly, comfortable and secure elements.

Watch the video here:


The building was built over last Christmas time and finished before New Years Eve of 2012.
via: differentenergy

Sony has not long ago announced the paper-powered bio battery at Eco-Items 2011 in Tokyo.

This environmentally friendly battery uses a special enzyme called cellulose to convert paper into glucose needed to produce electricity. Cellulose will serve as a catalyst so that it can be used multiple times.

The technology has some way to go until it will be powering the homes of the future, however: in Sony's demonstration at the event, a prototype 'bio battery' powered by paper was able to generate justa bout enough electricity to run a small fan - see above image.

Sony claims that the paper-powered battery can generate electricity up to 18wh which is equivalent to the energy produced by 6 AA batteries, really amazing.

This futuristic discovery could be one alternative energy, greener in the future. [via expertreviews]

German company ledo LED technologie GmbH has created 'bulled', a series of three retrofitted LED light bulbs which match the size, shape and brightness of incandescents while being 85% more energy efficient.

11 dimmable LED modules combine in a single frame to create as much illumination as a 60 watt incandescent while only being 11 watts while fluorescent alternatives are also energy efficient, they have a cool color temperature, giving off a white light.

By contrast the color temperature of 'bulled' is 2800K, allowing the light to look very warm and natural. because of the shape, the light disperses at 330 degrees. with a lifespan of 80,000 hours it lasts 80 years with conventional use.

LEDs last far longer than incandescent bulbs, are much more energy-efficient, and contain less toxic substances. Compact fluorescents give them a run for their money in some areas, although LEDs tend to have a warmer, “nicer” light.  These have included products from Geobulb, Switch, GE and Sharp.

all images © of ledo LED technologie; Source: Designboom

The Airborne Metro is an ambitious travel concept designed to make flying around the world a faster and more efficient process. The benefits are -- Overall carbon fuel economy and in climate impact. Reduction in airport congestion. Reduction in noise at airports.

The Airborne Metro would be powered by nuclear energy so that it would never have to land. The idea behind the concept is to save jet fuel on conventional aircraft by letting them hitch a ride on the metro

This vast concept envisages an era when climate changing emissions, ground congestion and noise pollution will no longer be acceptable at their presently forecast levels. It seeks to sustain the apparently unlimited demands of people for travel without the huge penalties that these are beginning to impose.

The concept depends upon the feasibility of very large flight vehicles, perhaps carrying over 3000 passengers and for these eventually to be nuclear powered. These large "Air Cruisers" would stay aloft on a semi-permanent basis receiving their loads of passengers, freight and supplies in mid-air.

The concept does not require every airport or airline to be compatible with the cruiser concept but most of the large hubs would need to be capable of working in this way.

Reference: innopedia.wikidot and dvice

Have a look of its test flights video below:



source: Toronto Solar

UrbanTile window blind concept fuses solar panel with an OLED screen. An industrial designer from the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, Jerusalem, Israel, has designed a concept device called the UrbanTile that would harness the solar energy city buildings absorb during the day for their lighting needs at night.

The UrbanTile is a small solar panel that can be flipped to reveal a light emitting screen . Banded together into rows, the panels become a window blind that forms a light and entertainment display.
The panels would made from aluminum and stainless steel with an OLED screen on one side and a photovoltaic panel on the other. Incorporating electrical motors to move them, they could be programmed to turn automatically at different times of the day. Designed to be mounted into windows, the panels could be turned to rest at various angles allowing light in during the day whilst absorbing solar energy.

UrbanTile is the graduation project of Meidad Marzan for his course in the Industrial Design Dept. at Bezalel Academy of Art & Design in Jerusalem.



via gizmag Image by Google and YouTube

MicroGen Systems is constructing energy-harvesting chips designed to power wireless sensors like those used to monitor tire pressure and environmental conditions. The chips convert the energy from environmental vibrations into electricity that's then used to charge a small battery. The chips could eliminate the need to replace batteries in these devices, which today requires a trip to a mechanic or, for networks of sensors that are widely distributed, a lot of legwork.