May

21

A Better Gasoline Engine

May 21, 2012 | 2 Comments

Delphi is developing an engine fuel injection technology that could improve the fuel economy of gas-powered cars by 50 percent, potentially rivaling the performance of hybrid vehicles at less cost. Their test engine based on the technology is similar in some ways to a highly efficient diesel engine, but runs on gasoline. Delphi’s approach, called [...]

May

15

An Engineered Virus Makes Electricity

May 15, 2012 | Leave a Comment

Scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have developed harmless viruses that convert mechanical energy into electricity using the piezoelectric effect, creating a new way to generate electric power. The milestone could lead to tiny devices that harvest electrical energy from the vibrations of everyday tasks, something that could [...]

Apr

10

When Water is the Enemy

April 10, 2012 | 1 Comment

Professor Jeffrey Allen of Michigan Technological University is nearing development of a mathematical model of the interior functions of a reliable hydrogen fuel cell.  The new model should slash the research and development time and effort.  The model keys on the fuel cells main problem, handling the water produced while in operation. What sends the [...]

Mar

13

Bit ‘O Gold Makes a Better Fuel Cell

March 13, 2012 | Leave a Comment

Brown University chemists have built a triple-headed metallic nanoparticle that is reported to perform better and last longer than any other nanoparticle catalyst studied in fuel-cell reactions. The study published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society reports the key is adding gold to the catalyst formation process to yield a more uniform crystal [...]

Feb

21

A Turbine Generator in a Suitcase

February 21, 2012 | 4 Comments

This is way too cool to overlook.  Atsushi Takano at Nikkei Monozukuri magazine reported in Tech-On that IHI Corp of Japan has developed a compact gas turbine generator unit.  The gas turbine and generator set is so small it fits in a suitcase. All by itself, running on propane the unit autonomously generates electricity.  IHI [...]

Jan

9

A Higher Form of Life to Produce Electricity

January 9, 2012 | 1 Comment

Case Western Reserve University scientists have taken step closer to the self-powered cyborg, by creating a living electricity producer. The past decade has seen ingenious devices described in the literature to accomplish the goal.  Methods for converting chemical or mechanical energy are either present in, or generated by living organisms for generating electricity, and are [...]

Jan

3

A Look At 2012s Big Hopes – Fuel Cells

January 3, 2012 | 1 Comment

The New Year may well be the breakthrough year for fuel cells.  The astonishing innovation and marketing locomotive of Apple Computers with the i- you name it – product list leading us into new uses for electronic devices, has let slip they will preview a fuel cell idea at this month’s Consumer Electronics Show. Apple [...]

Dec

30

The Case For Better and Cheaper Batteries

December 30, 2011 | 1 Comment

Nothing is more persuasive than consumer expectations for determining planning and investment.  To help with that Pike Research conducted a web-based survey of 1,051 U.S. consumers in the fall of 2011 using a nationally representative and demographically balanced sample to consumer demand, preferences, and price sensitivity for plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) and electric vehicle charging [...]

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