The beef against residential solar panels for so many years is that they have been too expensive to install upon one’s home. But, at least in California the price of residential solar panels will be coming down considerably. A bill passed by state Assemblyman Mark Leno (no relation to Jay Leno) has just passed 76-0 • Read More »
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Solar iPhone a Patented Possibility
May 28, 2008 | By Kevin | No Comments | Filed in: Solar Energy.On Leap Year Day this year (February 29) I had talked about a new solar iPhone charger that was on the market from Freeloader. Now, Apple has taken a leap of its own by filing for a patent for a solar iPhone 2.0. Of course photovoltaic cells on small portable devices have been around for • Read More »
Hydrogen Gas Saver
May 23, 2008 | By Kevin | No Comments | Filed in: Gas Savers.The hydrogen gas saver is a device that electrolyzes water and injects the resulting H2 (hydrogen) and O (oxygen) into the vehicle’s intake. This results in increased gas mileage, increased torque, decreased emissions and a cleaner burn inside the engine reducing deposits and general wear. I’ve talked about a specific hydrogen gas saver here and • Read More »
Odyne CNG Plug-In Hybrid Hits Fresno
May 21, 2008 | By Kevin | No Comments | Filed in: Plug-In Hybrids.Gasoline-powered plug-in hybrids are so yesterday’s news and hydrogen plug-in hybrids are most probably the future. But, in the here and now, Odyne Corporation has unveiled the first compressed natural gas (CNG) plug-in hybrid refuse vehicle in the world. The city of Fresno, California held a press conference yesterday announcing that the new Odyne CNG • Read More »
MIT Fuel Cell 50 Percent More Efficient
May 19, 2008 | By Kevin | No Comments | Filed in: Fuel Cells.Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have created a new methanol fuel cell that is 50-percent more efficient that other comparable FC’s. This direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC), according to MIT Professor Paula Hammond is cost-effective, highly tunable and has more output than a comparable material called Nafion. In fact, Hammond says the • Read More »
Solar Breakthroughs by IBM and Hoex
May 16, 2008 | By Kevin | No Comments | Filed in: Solar Energy.This week a couple of important solar breakthroughs have surfaced in the news. Both IBM and Physicist Bram Hoex (and colleagues) have demonstrated two different solar breakthroughs worth noting. The IBM solar breakthrough involves using a thin liquid metal layer of gallium and indium that is cooled by a plate of copper. By use of • Read More »
Residential Wind Turbines Blow Away Competition
May 14, 2008 | By Kevin | No Comments | Filed in: Wind Energy.I’ve talked about a couple of residential wind turbines in the past such as the MagLev and the Helix. Both of these are fine units. But, now I’d like to talk about the Air-X residential wind turbine that helps homeowners save energy while shelling out only a few hundred dollars. Solar is another way to • Read More »
HelioVolt FASST Solar in 6 Minutes or Less
May 12, 2008 | By Kevin | No Comments | Filed in: Solar Energy.When one thinks of solar energy, the word slow comes to mind. Soaking up the sun takes time. It’s a slow meandering process from sun up to sun down, hoping to catch a few rays and make something happen. But, a company named HelioVolt has put the fast into FASST solar energy. HelioVolt has invented • Read More »
Hydrogen Generators for My Car
May 9, 2008 | By Kevin | No Comments | Filed in: Gas Savers.In March 2008, I wrote an article for those who want to know how to run your car on water. The information there is still good. But, since that time the price of oil and gasoline has skyrocketed out-of-control adding to the momentum for people asking about “hydrogen generators for my car.” Not a day • Read More »
Magenn Air Rotor System for Wind Power
May 7, 2008 | By Kevin | 1 Comment | Filed in: Wind Energy.The Magenn Air Rotor System (MARS) is a tethered helium balloon device that generates power from the wind. The Magenn is a sizable blimp with rotating blades that rotates along its horizontal axis in response to wind energy. Like other similar devices, the electrical current that is generated travels down the tethering lines to a • Read More »