Archive for the 'Energy' Category
Robot Truck Convoy Tested In Nevada
June 25th, 2014A human steers, but drafting is automated. Via: Popular Science: Like Olympic skiers racing in single file to reduce air resistance, two 18-wheeler trucks in Nevada recently proved that uncomfortably close convoys can save drivers fuel and money. The key, instead of bold Olympic athleticism, is robotic assistance. A computer-assisted truck was able to follow […]
Pennsylvania Ordered Its Health Workers to Never Discuss Fracking
June 25th, 2014Via: Grist: In the heavily fracked Keystone State, the economic interests of frackers trump the health concerns of residents. That much is abundantly clear in the wake of an extraordinary story by StateImpact Pennsylvania, which interviewed two retired state health department workers. The former workers say they were ordered to not return the phone calls […]
New Zealand: Peria School’s New Solar Power System
June 24th, 2014Update: The Story Was Finally Broadcast on Television Show Seven Sharp This finally aired on a show called Seven Sharp on 27 June 2014. Fast forward to about the 15 minute mark. — Here’s a little slice of life from rural Northland New Zealand, for anyone who’s interested. Yesterday, I went along to Peria School […]
Iraq Loses Control of Syrian, Jordanian Borders
June 23rd, 2014Via: Reuters: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met Iraq’s prime minister in Baghdad on Monday to push for more inclusive leadership, as Nuri al-Maliki’s forces abandoned the border with Jordan, leaving the entire Western frontier beyond government control. Sunni tribes took the Turaibil desert border crossing, the only legal crossing point between Iraq and […]
5KW Grid-Tie Solar Power System
June 23rd, 2014Update and Correction, 30 June 2014 The Q-Cells and SMA special mentioned in this post is now over. All of those systems have sold out. Also, Solar King operates in the North Island and the top of the South Island (Nelson). — We pay NZ$47.7 cents (including GST) per kilowatt hour for electricity. That’s robbery. […]
Harley-Davidson Refining Electric Motorcycle Design
June 19th, 2014Via: AP: Harley-Davidson will unveil its first electric motorcycle next week, and President Matt Levatich said he expects the company known for its big touring bikes and iconic brand to become a leader in developing technology and standards for electric vehicles. Harley will show handmade demonstration models Monday at an invitation-only event in New York. […]
Elon Musk Needs a Very Big Factory for His New Solar Technology
June 19th, 2014Via: MIT Technology Review: Billionaire, Tesla founder, and private space entrepreneur Elon Musk announced yesterday that Solar City, the solar installation company where he is chairman, plans to acquire a startup called Silevo for $200 million (plus up to $150 million more if the company meets certain goals). And with typical bravado, he also said […]
The Fall of Iraq – What You Aren’t Being Told
June 18th, 2014Via: Storm Clouds Gathering: Research Credit: Pookie
Australia: Concentrated Solar Facility Produces Supercritical Steam for First Time
June 16th, 2014Via: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation: A team of solar thermal engineers and scientists at our Energy Centre in Newcastle have used the ample sunlight flooding their solar fields to create what’s called ‘supercritical’ steam – an ultra-hot, ultra-pressurised steam that’s used to drive the world’s most advanced power plant turbines – at the […]
Tesla Allows Rivals to Use Its Intellectual Property to Develop Electric Vehicles
June 12th, 2014Via: Tesla Motors: Yesterday, there was a wall of Tesla patents in the lobby of our Palo Alto headquarters. That is no longer the case. They have been removed, in the spirit of the open source movement, for the advancement of electric vehicle technology. Tesla Motors was created to accelerate the advent of sustainable transport. […]
