Important Innovations Collection

Solar Powered Humble One by Humble Motors                                             Source:  Humble One Highly Advanced Solar Car Technology California based Humble Motors has a goal to build a future of off-grid vehicles.  Their first entry is the Humble One solar electric car concept.  The solar technology they are using in this EV is breakthrough.  And, the elegant styling and fast speed of the Humble One are impressive. Sun Powered Driving There are 80 square feet of photovoltaic cells built into the roof of the EV.  The Humble One has solar array wings that can fold out to soak in the sun while it is parked.  And there are electricity generating sidelites along the EV's exterior sides.  There is also a regenerative braking system that sends back energy to the vehicle. Fully Solar Powered The Humble One is an EV that i...

South Korea Investing $43.2 Billion in Offshore Wind Farm                        Source:  Stock Image of Offshore Wind Farm South Korea's Green Eco-Environmental Recovery   South Korea is investing $43.2 billion to build the world's largest offshore wind farm by 2030.  This is a big part of the South Korean government's effort to rebuild its economy from the COVID-19 pandemic through building environmentally friendly big projects.  The green economic recovery effort is SK President Moon Jae-in's Green New Deal. Global First The size and scope of this offshore wind project is a global first. It  will have a capacity of 8.2 gigawatts.  Through this major offshore wind project, the South Korean government says that it is accelerating its eco-friendly energy transition and moving toward carbon neutrality by 2050.  South Korea is a major, global innovation hub and it is Asia's #4 largest ...

Next Generation of Renewable Energy Source:  Virtual Power Plant stock image Homes, Working Together, Forming a Virtual Power Plant The concept of virtual power plants is compelling and already in practice.  The plant consists of homes powered by solar panels working together and turning neighborhoods into virtual power plants that can feed excess energy back to the grid.  These virtual power plants are already deployed in locations around the world such as public housing in South Australia and apartment complexes in Utah and California.  It's the next generation of solar power technology.  At some point in the future, virtual power plants may consist of fleets of electric vehicles. Gaining in Popularity Virtual power plants are gaining in popularity for a number of reasons.  They are a promising, green replacement for aging electricity infrastructure and their power plants powered by polluting fossil fuels.  Virtual power plants can distribute energy ...

 Rise of Solar Renewable Energies                                    Source:  Stock Image of Solar Panels A Greener World According to the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA) Fatih Birol, solar is the "new king of the world's electricity markets".  In its annual World Energy Outlook, the IEA forecast that solar power will overtake coal as the largest means of energy production in 2025. Solar vs Coal The question is how did the world reach this green turn of events?  The answer is that in many countries, solar power is now cheaper than coal and gas.  Also, a number of nations have set strong targets to cut emissions and reduce fossil fuel use.  And, solar projects have become less expensive to manufacture and install. Fast Forward The IEA projects that over the next ten years, renewable energy will equal 80% of new power generation...

New Device Generates Electricity from Moisture in the Air Source:  UMASS Amherst Potential Green Energy Gamechanger Scientists at UMASS Amherst have invented a device that uses a natural protein to create electricity from the moisture in the air.  They call it the "Air-Gen" for air powered generator.  The device doesn't need sunlight or wind and creates clean energy 24/7.  It's a renewable process that works off the moisture in the air, both outdoors and indoors.  The inventors say it is low-cost, renewable and nonpolluting. Big Energy Possibilities The system now can power small electronic devices.  The team wants to take it to the commercial level to power electronics wearables and smartwatches.  They foresee the day when this system could eliminate the need to plug in your smartphone for energy.  Their system eliminates the need for batteries. How It Works The UMASS system connects electrodes to unique protein nano...

New Emergency Device Hand Cranked to Generate Power for Key Gadgets Light Saber: Innovative Outdoor Survival Tool The Light Saber outdoor survival technology tool was invented by the Innovation Factory, a US based company that's been making tough tools since 2001.  Their Light Saber delivers limitless power supply to essential gadgets like cell phones by hand cranking it. It's limited only by your muscle power.  It's a portable device that can deliver enough power to charge a cell phone with three minutes worth of hand cranking.  It's designed to help adventurers survive in the outdoors and wilderness areas.  It has an onboard battery that you can charge for the road. Lots of Emergency Tech Included This emergency device has a lot of new tech loaded in. It has a USB generator, emergency strobe lights and sirens, a UV water purifier and a plasma fire starter.  The company calls it an inexhaustible power supply for wilderness surviv...

New, Transformative Device to Generate Power from Night Sky Source:   UCLA Renewable and Complements Solar Power This new, inexpensive thermoelectric device may be transformative in energy generation.  It harvests the coldness of space during the night to generate electricity - enough right now to power a LED light at nighttime, but the inventors say it's very scalable.  The device is a significant new innovation from engineers at UCLA and Stanford University.  The gadget works at night when solar systems don't.  The inventors say it's a new approach to power generation when power at night is needed.  It complements solar power that doesn't work at night, giving a 24/7 approach to green, renewable energy. Phenomenon Like Frost Formation The device takes advantage of radiative cooling, the process by which frost forms on grass during above freezing temperatures at night.  The sky facing surface of the technology passes heat to th...

New Innovation from German-French Collaboration Source:  Fraunhofer Efficiency Potential 25% Scientists at Germany's Fraunhofer ISE and the French Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology have invented an ultra slim and more efficient solar cell.  The researchers have trapped sunlight in a solar cell by incorporating an absorbing material on a nanostructured back mirror.  The cell's efficiency is 20% and the scientists believe they can slim it down further and increase efficiency to 25% in the short term. Nanostructures Up until this breakthrough, state of the art solar cells required layers of semiconductors at least one micrometer thick.  The team says controlling the fabrication process of the patterned mirror at the nanometer scale is the key to their breakthrough.  The mirror traps the light in an absorber and improves optical absorption and efficiency.  The team is looking to put the new solar cells into large scale production.  Their...

Staying Cool with No Electricity Or Batteries Source:  University of Buffalo New Innovation Incorporating Solar Energy and Outer Space This is new energy innovation from engineers at the University of Buffalo.  A green, renewable way to keep buildings cool in urban areas.  It's a passive cooling system that absorbs heat and beams it as heat radiation to outer space, while keeping the environment around the system cool. What's remarkable, this system is self-sustaining and requires no electricity or batteries to power it. Unique and Inexpensive The device consists of an inexpensive film composed of polymer/aluminum that is put in a box inside of what the engineers call a "solar shelter" that they also invented. The special film absorbs the heat from the air and keeps the surroundings cool.  The solar shelter serves two purposes:  blocking incoming sunlight and beaming the heat into space through a narrow beam passageway as thermal radiation.  The...

Oil Production Center of World Going Solar Source:  Noor Abu Dhabi Big Solar Projects Underway and More Planned The United Arab Emirates just turned on the largest, single solar farm in the world.  It's called Noor Abu Dhabi.  The farm has 3.2 million solar panels, generates 1.18 GW of electricity and can supply electricity to 90,000 people.  This facility will contribute to a cleaner UAE environment and enable the exportation of more oil globally. Ironic but Promising Renewable, Green Energy It is ironic that in the Middle East, the global center of oil production, big investments are being made by the UAE and others to launch huge solar energy farms.  Noor Abu Dhabi is clean, green, sustainable and offsets one million metric tons of emissions.  That is the equivalent of taking 200,000 cars off the road. Solar Energy Races Abu Dhabi just announced another, bigger solar project of 2 GW that it's going to develop.  And Saudi Arabia has pl...

3D Printing Wood Source:  Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden Revolutionizing the Manufacture of Green Products A breakthrough 3D printing technology just unveiled in Sweden could revolutionize the manufacture of green products including furniture, packaging and clothing.  Engineers at Chalmers University of Technology have invented a 3D printing process that uses a wood based ink.  The process could serve as a sustainable and renewable alternative to forest based products. 3D Printed Substance that Mimics Wood The wood based ink is composed of a nanocellulose gel combined with hemicellulose, which binds the fibers in the gel and strengthens it.  The gel is used with a 3D printer that has a digitized form of the genetic code of wood.  The result is a substance that mimics the cellular architecture of wood.  It has the promise of saving trees, creating green furniture, packaging, paper products and enabling a more sustainable environment....

Industrial-Scale Renewable Energy Project off Italy Source:  Waves off coast of Italy New Wave Power Stations Italian oil and gas group Eni is joining in a wave energy project with shipbuilder Fincantieri and power grid group Terna to develop wave power stations off the coast of Italy.  Also part of the consortium is Italy's state lender CDP.  They announced their plans this weekend. News They plan on converting a pilot project on inertial sea energy to an industrial scale project of wave power stations.  They say this is for immediate application. Other Projects Other wave energy projects underway in Italy include a consortium led by the Italian company UmbraGroup that has European Union research funding to develop an advanced power take-off system for wave energy applications.  The project runs through late 2020 and includes the University of Edinburgh, NTNU and a number of engineering companies. Global Potential Oceans are a huge renewable ...

New Wind Technology Source:  US Army Corps of Engineers Green Energy Gamechanger from Army Corps of Engineers This is a new breakthrough in wind turbine technology inspired by Venetian blinds.  It can generate electricity from a breeze too light for standard wind turbines.  It harvests electricity from gentle breezes under 9 mph. New Patent It's the invention of a team at the US Army Corps of Engineers.  They just received a patent for it.  It's a prototype device they believe can be scaled up to provide wind power to communities in low wind areas. Renewable Energy from a Breeze The device consists of eight adjustable elastic tension gradient strips mounted vertically to PVC tubes at the top and bottom.  A slight breeze against the strips causes them to move and push a copper induction coil at the base of each to move along a magnet filled pipe and create a current.  The team is looking to further develop the renewable energy technology f...

Renewable Energy Innovation from Sweden New Salt-Based Storage Technology System For Green Energy Vattenfall is a Swedish power producer. It's building a plant in Berlin to test storing electricity from solar plants and wind turbines in salt to preserve their usability.  The purpose is to preserve green energy and overcome natural problems caused by changing sun and wind conditions, specifically light and day and changing wind speeds.. The start and stop natural dynamics of wind and the sun are a big disadvantage.  The purpose is to have the green energy stored and ready for use. SaltX of Sweden The system was invented by SaltX, another Swedish firm. It uses salt crystals coated with nanoparticles that heat up with electricity and release the heat when they are discharged. The project will run through the summer in Berlin.  The plant will have a storage capacity of 10 megawatts.  This is the first time that SaltX's technology has been tested on an industrial...

New Renewable Energy Source for Residences Source: Semtive Nemoi Wind Turbine New Wind Power System It's the Semtive Nemoi Wind Turbine.  Once installed on a house, it generates electricity from the kinetic energy of the wind. It's been cited as one of the top innovations of 2018. Silicon Valley A team of Argentines founded the company, which recently established a US headquarters in Silicon Valley, CA. The turbine system has only two moving parts and can generate electricity at winds speeds as low as 3 mph.  The company says it is totally noiseless and is affordable, typically paying itself off in 3 years. Latin America The system has a 7 year track record of success in Latin America.  Pilot programs are underway in Europe and the US.  The company is currently focused on rolling out residential turbines in the US.  Solar energy is a growing favorite among eco and price conscious home owners in the US.  The small wind turbines offer an alt...

Biofuel Made from Microalgae Euglena Photo of Euglena Potential of Green Jets - Japanese Energy Research A team of Japanese researchers are focused on extracting the oil from a microalgae Euglena and converting it into power for jet aircraft of the future. Rare Organism Euglena is a rare microorganism that combines the characteristics of plants and animals.  It grows by photosynthesis yet it produces fat in its body. That fat is suitable for the production of jet biofuel.  Japan is the first country in the world to cultivate Euglena on a large scale. Big Expectations There are big expectations for multifaceted biofuel uses of Euglena.  Japan lacks energy resources.  The Japanese government recognizes that the need for energy that doesn't harm the environment is growing.  For more stories on the latest in renewable energy innovation, go to my Amazon Author's Page  amazon.com/author/ekane   If you like, you can borrow my books from the Kin...