Alternative Energy Info

If you’re confused about all the different Prius models….

MB-BigB — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 01:06:55 +0000

The San Francisco Chronicle outlines all the different types of 2010 Priuses (or Prii). Currently, there’s the Prius II, III, IV and V, all with different prices and features. Soon to come is the Prius I, with a base price of $21,000 – this model will be the most direct competitor to the under [...]

Solar cells made from optical fibers

MB-BigB — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 01:59:14 +0000

Researchers from Georgia Tech have come up with a process that turns optical fibers into solar cells. By placing the parts of a dye-sensitized solar cell along the outside of an optical cable, they were able to create thin and flexible solar cells that are six times more efficient than a flat panel made [...]

The state of the hybrid

MB-BigB — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 01:44:26 +0000

HybridCars.com has a nice wrapup of the current state of the hybrid car and what’s in store in the next year – with lots of pictures. So head on over there and check out the latest intel on the Fisker Karma plug-in (due in mid 2010), the Chevy Volt (November 2010), Hyundai’s first hybrid [...]

U.S. to provide $3.4 billion in smart grid grants

MB-BigB — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:32:16 +0000

President Obama is set to announce $3.4 billion in government grants to help build an electric smart grid. An updated electrical grid is needed not only just to carry the amount of electricity that is already being produced but more importantly, a new grid will be needed to handle all the different components of [...]

Bat lover suing to stop wind farm in West Virginia

MB-BigB — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:48:35 +0000

There’s a green vs. green court fight underway – attempting to stop the construction of a 122 turbine wind farm on West Virginia mountain ridges. The suit was filed by David Cowan, against Invenergy Wind LLC – the builder of the wind farm. Mr. Cowan has spent alot of time in [...]

Blackhawk Tilt Rotor VAWT testing underway at the DOE Idaho National Laboratory

MB-BigB — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 20:40:24 +0000

Blackhawk TR-10 VAWT Researchers from the Blackhawk Project are testing their new TR-10 Tilt Rotor Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) at the Dept of Energy’s Idaho National Laboratory Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES). The Blackhawk Tilt Rotor’s design uses helicopter like wings, called airfoils, that rotate parallel to the ground. The airfoils [...]

Solar charging backpacks coming to a student near you

MB-BigB — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 13:14:10 +0000

G24 solar charging backpacks G24 Innovations, a maker of lightweight flexible dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) has started shipping their photovoltaic modules to electronics bag manufacturer Mascotte Industrial Associates. The G24 modules are designed to end up in mass market consumer bags (think laptop cases and backpacks) where the panels will be able to charge electronic [...]

World’s largest wind farm starts operating

MB-BigB — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 14:43:21 +0000

What is being called the world’s largest wind farm started operating last week – 627 wind turbines across 100,000 acres of West Texas farmland. The new Roscoe Wind Complex officially began operating last week – construction began in 2007. The turbines are located i n 4 different counties in the Roscoe, Texas area, [...]

Suniva planning to build a $250M, 400 megawatt solar cell factory in Michigan

MB-BigB — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 14:27:25 +0000

Suniva, a solar cell manufacturer of high efficiency silicon based photovoltaic cells, has just announced that they will be building their second solar cell manufacturing plant. The new plant, to be based in Thomas Township in Michigan will ultimately produce about 400 megawatts of solar cells per year, and is expected to create hundreds of [...]

Spain rolls out its first solar bus stop

MB-BigB — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 23:26:25 +0000

The Istituto Europeo di Design of Barcelona (a Design, Fashion, Visual Arts and Communication University in Spain), the Entitat Metropolitan del Transport (the Spanish Transportation authority), and Capmar, S.L. (a Spanish company that produces urban furniture) have created and installed Spain’s first solar powered bus stop. The bus stop, which is totally self-sufficient, does a [...]