Editor Blogs

September 2018
Flying DeLorean is the Stuff of Dreams
DeLorean Aerospace
Blah, blah, blah, where this DeLorean goes, it won’t need roads. We’ve all heard that line ad nauseum, and it’s finally come true – though it won’t quite resemble the flying car from Back to the Future. While it’s not exactly a car, the DeLorean Aerospace SR-7 is “built like a Formula 1 racecar … for the sky.” As such
Date:
09/26/2018
Porsche's Electric Pit Stops Could Recharge Their EV in 15 Minutes

The Porsche Taycan.

Before Porsche deploys its first electric car, the Formula E, they want to have the infrastructure in place. The German automaker wants to build 500 pit stops across North America capable of recharging their EV in 15 minutes. Due next year, the Taycan (aka, the Formula E) will feature two "permanently excited&q
Date:
09/24/2018
Hybrid Solar Panels Use Lost Thermal Energy to Heat Water
A hybrid solar panel system being developed at Brunel University London would both harvest energy and turn waste heat into hot water. The 3 ½ year project, PVadapt, combines photovoltaic cells with flat heat pipes, which handle the waste heat. “PVadapt will use heat pipes to cool the PV cells themselves to mak
Date:
09/20/2018
UK Pledges 106 Million Towards Zero-Emission Vehicles

UK Prime Minister Theresa May speaks at the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Summit.

Theresa May wants all new vehicles to be zero-emission by 2040, and she announced a £106 million package ($138.5 million) towards innovative green battery, vehicle, and refuelling technology. The UK’s Prime Minister unveiled the package at the very first Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Summit, held in Birmin
Date:
09/14/2018
The World's Largest Offshore Wind Farm

The Walney Extension offshore wind farm.

The world's largest offshore wind farm is here, and it’s 23 square kilometers and 29 MW more than the previous record holder. The Walney Extension, courtesy of Danish energy company Ørsted, has begun operation in the Irish Sea, and it’s set to provide the UK with 659 MW, 29 MW more than the London Array and
Date:
09/13/2018
Should Wood Count as Renewable Energy?
The EU could very well sabotage its own push for energy efficiency. Back in 2009, the European Union passed the Renewable Energy Directive, which mandates that 20% of all energy needs are met with renewables by 2020. By 2030, that target jumps to 27%. “The control of European energy consumption and the increa
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09/12/2018
Harley-Davidson Opens R&D Facility in Silicon Valley to Support EV Bike Line

The Harley-Davidson Livewire electric prototype, due to market in 2019.

The corporate nexus of freedom and American ingenuity is putting down roots in the Santa Clara Valley. Last month, we covered Harley-Davidson’s bold foray into EVs, including their LiveWire electric bike, due for sale in 2019. The company’s new R&D facility in Northern California – set to open this year – will support their new EV product line. “Recently we shared with the worl
Date:
09/11/2018
Drawing Energy From 100% Carbon-Free Sources
Last Tuesday, California set a very audacious goal – 100% of their electricity must come from carbon-free sources by 2045. But how feasible is this? Technology Review points to a study by MIT, which underlines the point that 100% renewable energy is extremely pricey. Because most renewables – wind and solar, especially –
Date:
09/07/2018
Turning Plastic Waste into Hydrogen Gas
We might not have Mr. Fusion from Back to the Future, but new research could extract fuel from plastic waste. Scientists from the University of Swansea used a photo catalyst to turn plastic into hydrogen gas. As explained by CNET: “The researchers … put the plastic into an alkaline solution and shine sunlight or a solar simulator
Date:
09/06/2018