In conjunction with Dyesol, Queensland University of Technology has developed a solar cell technology that uses dye-infused cells in glass to generate energy.

Dyesol’s solar cells incorporate artificial photosynthesis technology, which uses a dye similar to chlorophyll to absorb light and generate electricity. The panels comprise an electrolyte, a layer of titania (a pigment used in white paints and tooth paste), and ruthenium dye sandwiched between glass. Light striking the dye moves the electrons which are absorbed by the titania to become an electric current.

According to the company, these solar windows could help skyscraper buildings and houses break the zero-energy barrier.

Quiet, clean-energy forklifts powered by environmentally friendly hydrogen fuel cells are now moving materials around Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC’s (BFNT) plant in Aiken County, S.C.

BFNT officials, along with the Economic Development Partnership of South Carolina, unveiled today at the plant a new “green-powered” forklift fleet that is replacing traditional battery-powered forklifts.

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A patent has been awarded to Southeastern Louisiana University with the potential to identify weaknesses in structures ranging from massive bridge construction to the tiniest elements of nanotechnology no larger than a speck of dust on a pinhead.

The patent is for a deformation prediction instrument developed by physicist Sanichiro Yoshida. The instrument uses the technology of optical interferometry to make precise measurements that identify weak spots in a wide range of materials, including metals, plastics and other products.

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Idaho National Laboratory (INL) reports that research conducted in conjunction with partners at Microcontinuum Inc. (Cambridge, MA) and Patrick Pinhero of the University of Missouri is promising a method for developing cheap solar energy technology that could be imprinted on flexible materials and still draw energy after the sun has set.

The technology uses a special manufacturing process to stamp tiny square spirals, or “nanoantennas”, of conduction metal onto a sheet of plastic and the team estimates individual nanoantennas can absorb close to 80 percent of the available energy in comparison to current commercial solar panels which usually transform less that 20 percent of the usable energy that strikes them into electricity – this is even more impressive than the 30 per cent conversion rate offered by the recently discussed development of nano flakes.

Due to their size – each interlocking spiral nanoantenna is as wide as 1/25 the diameter of a human hair - the nanoantennas absorb energy in the infrared part of the spectrum, just outside the range of what is visible to the eye. Since the sun radiates a lot of infrared energy, some of which is soaked up by the earth and later released as radiation for hours after sunset, nanoantennas can take in energy from both sunlight and the earth’s heat, with higher efficiency than conventional solar cells. The new approach, which garnered two 2007 Nano50 awards, was made possible by the boom in nanotechnology, but finding an efficient way to stamp out arrays of atom-scale spirals took a number of years.

The INL team says that the antennas might one day be produced like foil or plastic wrap on roll-to-roll machinery and so far they have demonstrated the imprinting process with six-inch circular stamps, each holding more than 10 million antennas.

Article taken from gizmag

Construction began on the world’s largest production site for maglev wind turbines in central China on November 5, 2007. Zhongke Hengyuan Energy Technology has invested 400 million yuan in building this facility, which will produce maglev wind turbines with capacities ranging from 400 to 5,000 Watts. In the US, Arizona-based MagLev Wind Turbine Technologies will be manufacturing these turbines.

The company claims that it will be able to deliver clean power for less than one cent per kilowatt hour with this new technology.

A single giant maglev wind turbine would reduce construction and maintenance costs and require much less land than hundreds of conventional turbines. The estimated cost of building this huge structure is $53 million.

Source: Inhabitat

 
A group in Dessau, Germany, has received funds and famed architect Rem Koolhaas as an adviser in its quest to build the world’s largest structure.

Dubbed a “monument for all of us” the new “Great Pyramid,” which is estimated would take about 30 years to complete, would be about 1,900 feet tall and 10 times larger than the Great Pyramid of Egypt, according to the Great Pyramid’s Web site.

Instead of being a monument to only a few individuals, Germany’s Great Pyramid would be a communal tomb open to anyone regardless of nationality or denomination. It would offer burial space in the form of a “tomb container with ashes of the deceased” and engraved “memorial stones” with time capsules to store personal memorabilia.

Read the full article at CNET