Energy – Page 20 – Impact Lab

Battery, Business, Energy, Latest News, New Discoveries

A massive, ‘semi-infinite’ trove of rare-earth metals has been found in Japan

April 13, 2018

Researchers have found hundreds of years’ worth of rare-earth materials underneath Japanese waters — enough to supply to the world on a “semi-infinite basis,” according to a study published in Nature Publishing Group’s Scientific Reports.

Rare-earth metals are crucial in the making of high-tech products such as electric vehicles and batteries, and most of the world has relied on China for almost all of its needs.

Continue reading… “A massive, ‘semi-infinite’ trove of rare-earth metals has been found in Japan”

cutting edge, Energy, New Discoveries, Science & Technology News

Physicists just discovered an entirely new type of superconductivity

April 13, 2018

“No one thought this was possible in solid materials.”

One of the ultimate goals of modern physics is to unlock the power of superconductivity, where electricity flows with zero resistance at room temperature.

Progress has been slow, but physicists have just made an unexpected breakthrough. They’ve discovered a superconductor that works in a way no one’s ever seen before – and it opens the door to a whole world of possibilities not considered until now.

Continue reading… “Physicists just discovered an entirely new type of superconductivity”

Elon Musk, Energy, Solar Power, Tesla

Elon Musk’s first Tesla Solar Roof is here and it looks amazing

April 1, 2018

Elon Musk’s house runs on solar. The Tesla CEO made the announcement during Wednesday’s second quarter 2017 earnings call, where he revealed that both himself and Jeffrey B. Straubel, the company’s chief technology officer, have installed solar roof tiles on their houses.

“We have installed and working the Solar Roof tiles,” Musk told investors during the conference call.

Continue reading… “Elon Musk’s first Tesla Solar Roof is here and it looks amazing”

Agriculture, Energy, Engineering, Environment, Farming

Incredible Sahara Forest Project to generate fresh water, solar power and crops in African desert

March 30, 2018

Can you imagine being able to produce enough water in the Sahara to grow crops there? Can you imagine harnessing sufficient quantities of solar power to supply electricity to cities in Africa and cities in Europe? Can you imagine producing a sustainable bio-fuel that doesn’t impact on world food supplies? Charlie Paton, Michael Pawlyn and Bill Watts can and what’s more they can imagine all these happening in the same place at the same time.

This week this trio of visionaries launched the Sahara Forest Project: their proposal to combine two innovative technologies, Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) and Seawater Greenhouses, to produce renewable energy, water and food in an area of desert known to be one of the hottest places on earth.

Continue reading… “Incredible Sahara Forest Project to generate fresh water, solar power and crops in African desert”

Batteries, Energy, Green Friendly

Tesla bids for a new world’s largest Powerpack battery system in Colorado

March 23, 2018

After breaking a few energy storage records with its battery system projects in Australia, Tesla looks to come back to the US to build a new world’s largest Powerpack battery system in Colorado.

Earlier this year, we reported on Xcel Energy, an electric utility company operating across the Midwest, Colorado and several other states, requesting bids for major renewable energy and storage projects in Colorado.

Continue reading… “Tesla bids for a new world’s largest Powerpack battery system in Colorado”

Energy, Engineering, Science & Technology News

MIT researchers say nuclear fusion will feed the grid “in 15 years”

March 12, 2018

A new research push aims to make the silver bullet for our energy problems a reality by 2033—a very ambitious target.

Continue reading… “MIT researchers say nuclear fusion will feed the grid “in 15 years””

Energy, Engineering, Solar Energy, Solar Power

Hybrid solar cell captures energy from the sun and raindrops

March 8, 2018

A new hybrid solar cell device can capture energy from the sun and from the movement of raindrops.As useful and ubiquitous as solar energy is becoming, it still has one major Kryptonite: gloomy weather. Now, a team of Chinese engineers has developed a hybrid solar cell that can produce electricity come rain or shine, using the triboelectric effect to harvest energy from the movement of raindrops on its surface.

Continue reading… “Hybrid solar cell captures energy from the sun and raindrops”

Business, Energy, Latest Trend

Inside oil giant Shell’s Race to remake itself for a low price world

January 29, 2018

The energy industry is radically transforming.

Continue reading… “Inside oil giant Shell’s Race to remake itself for a low price world”

Energy, NASA, Space

U.S. tests nuclear power system to sustain astronauts on Mars

January 25, 2018

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Initial tests in Nevada on a compact nuclear power system designed to sustain a long-duration NASA human mission on the inhospitable surface of Mars have been successful and a full-power run is scheduled for March, officials said on Thursday.

Continue reading… “U.S. tests nuclear power system to sustain astronauts on Mars”

Banking, Big Problems, Business, Energy, Science & Technology News

The World Bank is no longer supporting the oil and gas industries

January 22, 2018

The World Bank is starting to phase out its support for the oil and gas industries.

The move is part of efforts to address climate change and reinforce the Paris Climate agreement.

It also suggests that the Bank intends to play a leading role in the battle against climate change as the US turns its back on global environmental leadership.

Continue reading… “The World Bank is no longer supporting the oil and gas industries”

CES 2018, Electric Automobile, Energy, Solar Power

Dutch self-charging solar car wins important CES award

January 11, 2018

Remember those Dutch solar cars that won the World Solar Challenge car race? The range of those cars powered by the sun was excellent. However, the vehicles themselves were not up to snuff in the design department. In comes Lightyear, a self-charging electric solar car with a sexy design, and recently awarded with the renowned CES Climate Change Innovator Award.

Continue reading… “Dutch self-charging solar car wins important CES award”