Reinventing The Wheel: Electric Unicycles Take To The Streets

Remember how the Segway was going to "revolutionize" modern transportation?  Well, even if that didn't happen, the fun of scooting around on gyroscopically-stabilized wheels can still be had, now on an even more portable scale.  Meet the slacker's skateboard of the future:  the electric unicycle...


Several brands of this interesting item exist, including Mobbo and AirWheel.  The devices appear to be simple:  put one foot on a foothold on either side of a motorized wheel, lean in, and you're off!  Direction and speed are controlled by your shifting weight thanks to the vehicle's internal gyroscopes.

A PinWheel T1 electric unicycle.  You know you want to take it for a spin.
(Image courtesy electricunicycleonline.com.)

Unlike Segway, there is no full platform to stand on, nor is there a handlebar for stability (but you sure can look cool, casually sipping your morning coffee as you cruise through your commute.)  However, AirWheel enthusiasts can use a stability strap or training wheels to get the hang of how to ride.  Training may be a bit difficult, but once up and rolling, the ride is apparently "intuitive", according to a recent video-laden article from the Telegraph UK that highlighted one man's journey to master the solo-wheeled scooter.  Mobbo too has motivational movies online.

     A Uni-Wheel model electric unicycle hits the town with "training wheels" for additional support.

The flagship model Airwheel Q3 weighs 13kg and can travel at 12 m.p.h for about two hours on one charge.  The Mobbo is slightly lighter, quicker, and better enduring, weighing in at 12kg and topping off at 16 m.p.h. (for a duration of 3 hours.)  A new Mobbo goes for $1000, while Airwheel has a full line of products at various prices (check out the board version if you want two wheels instead!)

Currently none of these vehicles are street legal, but can sure shock some sidewalkers.  Hey, you're travelling sustainably, and in (a strange but sort of sweet) style!  The electric unicycles can deal with rain or even hills, and are doing a small part to help save the planet (with none of that pesky and arduous bicycling needed.)  Will they catch on as viable modes of transport?  Tough to tell...the future is fickle.  However, at least for reasons of recreation, they'll make you a star performer in the urban circus.

A Mobbo in the wild.  Still imagery does no justice to the electric unicycle's rockin' roll.
(Image courtesy arma.tv.)

Power On The Fly: Pioneering With A Pocket-Sized Charger

Sure, you love your devices, but feeding them can become problematic at times.  Stop bothering the bartender and bust out your own portable power, thanks to a new invention: Kraftwerk.  Created by the German company eZelleron, the gadget runs on regular everyday lighter fuel to unobtrusively juice your phone, camera, tablets, e-readers, and whatever other bit of technology is near-permanently in your orbit.

According to the Daily Mail, the device never requires a plug-in of its own, and each refill of lighter fluid or camping gas is enough to fuel 11 iPhones.  The eZelleron company maintains that Kraftwerk is a "quantum leap in terms of performance and availability compared to conventional battery chargers...Kraftwerk really is a small portable power station."

This is your first step to escaping the Grid.
(Image courtesy www.dailymail.co.uk.)

Slated for release in November/December of this year, Kraftwerk already exists in fully functioning prototypes. The remainder of the project is being funded by Kickstarter. The device appeals to a sense of freedom and adventure, with their Kickstarter campaign noting that Kraftwerk is "an invaluable advantage both in everyday life and even when traveling to the ends of the earth."

The durability and portability are major advantages for our hyper-connected world. Lighter than carrying batteries, adept with connection (a simple USB port handles all), approved for air travel, and capable of enduring all sorts of weather conditions, this energy-efficient device will discreetly help fuel the future, 5 volts at a time.

Never miss a gnarly shot again...keep your camera juiced-up anywhere with Kraftwerk.
(Image courtesy GoPro.com.)

The folks behind Kraftwerk are pushing forth what is a small but important part of a larger picture. According to wikipedia, Germany has been hailed as "the world's first major renewable energy economy" and had a third of their electricity generated from sustainable resources in 2014.  With Germany poised to have nearly half of their electricity generated by sustainable resources by 2025, items like the Kraftwerk reflect how such an innovative mentality benefits people in many scenarios, not just on the macro scale.

Their kickstarter pitch isn't being hyperbolic when they say, "So let's revolutionize mobile energy supply together!  Be a pioneer on the fascinating road to freedom of power!"  And nothing says "pioneering" like posting a selfie from someplace definitely sans sockets.  Kraftwerk, keep it going!

Perhaps the band Kraftwerk can use the device Kraftwerk to power their Man Machine?  The possibilities are endless...
(Image courtesy drownedinsound.com.)

Fueling The Future: Toyota Releases Hydrogen Fuel Cell Patents Royalty-Free

Working together to achieve a goal works best when there are no secrets, and now, a major technological tenet of this has manifested.  This week, Toyota made serious strides into a future that could help benefit humanity's greater good.  The automobile company released the the patents to its new fuel cells for all to learn from, hopefully as a means of escalating sustainable technology in the overall auto industry.

A 2016 Toyota vehicle with a hydrogen fuel cell that you can learn all about.
(Image courtesy computerworld.com.)

According to mashable.com, during a presentation on Toyota's new vehicle, the Mirai (which is Japanese for "future"), senior vice president of automotive operations Bob Carter announced the release, stating, "By eliminating traditional corporate boundaries, we can speed the development of new technologies, and move into the future of mobility more quickly, effectively and economically."

Some 5,680 patents were released for royalty-free use, all concerning the nature of hydrogen fuel cells.  Reminiscent of an earlier move by the Tesla electric car company (who also made public their patents), the move could generate interest, innovation, transparency and collaboration to herald in a new way of working alongside the slated upcoming boom of hydrogen-powered vehicles.

Even famed physicist Michio Kaku agrees: sharing smarts can bring about even more great ideas.
(image courtesy blogs.denverpost.com.)

Carter admitted that the next five years will be a critical testing ground across the board for the new style of vehicles, no matter who makes them, requiring "a concerted effort and unconventional collaboration between automakers, government regulators, academia and energy providers."  Maybe this meeting of minds will make multifaceted technological projects more likely to be achieved via teamwork in the future, perhaps even bringing the drive to integrally innovate to even more fields.

Sharing is daring, but possibly better-faring.
(Image courtesy saudigazatte.com.sa.)

Mars (Salad) Bars: Fresh Greens On The Red Planet

Mars has been an attractive interplanetary target since the dawn of spaceflight, but now that the travel technology is nearly ready, how are we going to fully attend to the human elements of colonization?  Researchers in England have made one small step (well, bite) for mankind by planning to launch a crop of self-initiating lettuce to Mars.

Learn more at #LettuceOnMars.
(Image courtesy bis-space.com.)

The tasty terraforming is planned to work like this:  during the slated Mars One robotic mission in 2018, a self-sustaining greenhouse will be launched from Earth (as part of an array of other science experiments.)  The garden will "hibernate" during the long travel to Mars, with lettuce seeds safely frozen and equipment powered down.

Upon arrival on Mars, the lander will provide a small amount of energy to help power and aid the heating elements of the garden, keeping the temperature between 21C and 24C.  The lettuce seeds will be fed with carbon dioxide extracted from the Martian atmosphere (which is rich with the gas), and given other nutrients via aeroponic sprayers.  This eliminates the need for the plants to be grown in conventional soil, and if successful, could prove to be viable for a host of other food flora to be grown on the red planet.

Image is not scientifically accurate, but you get the idea.
(Image courtesy cdn.studentmoneysaver.co.uk.)

Photographs sent back of the space salad will inform the scientists of success.  As any prospective human colonists on Mars as currently considered to be making a one-way trip, the need for a constant on-planet food supply will be of critical importance.

Project leader Suzanna Lucarotti, from the University of Southhampton, explained the many diverse elements of the idea, telling the Metro, "We have tackled diverse sets of engineering challenges, including aeroponic systems, bio filters, low-power gas pressurisation systems and fail-safe planetary protection systems and then integrated them all into one payload on a tight mass, power and cost budget."

It might not be filet mignon, but it's a good first step in sustaining our next generation of astro-adventurers.

After a while, anything is better than the usual space paste.  Here, two astronauts "enjoy" tubes of beet soup...wrapped in vodka labels.  Maybe if an experiment can grow potatoes, some distilling can take place...
(Image courtesy wikimedia.org.)

Strawberry Trees Forever: New Public, Solar-Powered Cell Chargers In Serbia

We all know and hate the feeling...during a busy day on the town, after using maps, apps, and countless texts on your smartphone, the inescapable dread of watching the battery drop to critical levels sets in.  If you're lucky, you have a charger on you, and can beg some power from a local bartender or the rare unoccupied coffee shop outlet.  But this is the future, and now there's a better way to handle these things.

This is what hitting rock bottom as an "Angry Birds" addict looks like.
(Image courtesy edition.cnn.com.)

Behold, the Strawberry Tree.  According to CNN, the Strawberry Tree is solar-powered public charging station that was developed by Serbian student Milos Milisavljevic, who has an eye for clean technology.  After winning the Verge Accelerate startup competition, the invention has now spread to various cities and towns throughout Serbia.

Entirely solar powered and built from recycled/recyclable materials, the Strawberry Trees contain enough power to continue their charge mission even if it hasn't been sunny in twenty days.  Sixteen USB and wi-fi plugs allow for power for the masses.

You never have to boredly keep an eye on your children playing in the park, ever again!
(Image courtesy inhabitat.com.)

The Strawberry Tree, named for the first fruit of summer, also cares about your well-being.  Its chargers indicate local amounts of air pollution, noise levels, and UV radiation.  Plans in the future could include even more localized environmental data.  Plus, it is there for you in an emergency.  As Milisavljevic says, "Strawberry Tree could have an emergency button which would send a signal to emergency services that you are in danger, and in any kind of a disaster, for example if the power grid is down, the Tree would be the place where you could call for help and get in touch with your loved ones."

The future is for everyone, and now its technology has become a little more helpful to the common person. Just try not to spend a whole nice sunny day in the park messing around on your phone.

Old wonders and new can coexist peacefully in this new future.
(Image courtesy 3fficient.com.)

Green Hydrogen Replaces Liquid Gold: First Sustainable Refueling Station Now Operational

With fossil fuels falling out of favor as a preferred power source, it's time for green energy to get a chance to shine.  Now, a refueling station in England has become the first source of solar-derived hydrogen power, readily available to fuel your vehicle.

According to imeche.org, the 15MW solar electric plant in Swindon now powers an industrial electrolyser that is able to use the power of the sun to separate hydrogen molecules from water.  This is then stored for use by hydrogen-powered vehicles.  Hydrogen can be produced at a rate of around 3kg per hour or up to 200kg per day, with 135kg in possible storage.

The first element might prove to be the best one.  A hydrogen-powered micro-cab fills up in Swindon.
(Image courtesy microcab.co.uk.)

Some 15 additional hydrogen refueling stations are set to become permanent fixtures in England, with shopping giant Sainsbury's even adding an onsite pump at one of their popular locations in Hendon, North London.  The Swindon site will be first the major marketability test, however.

Nick Rolf of gas supplier BOC explained, “We want to know the lowest cost and what the price of hydrogen will be at the pump. We've got an idea of what it will be, but this will validate that and stress test the concept. If it doesn't stack up commercially no one will want to buy the next one.”

But if it DOES stack up commercially, the oil barons will soon be looking to the skies...

Get hy all the time...
(Image courtesy rsc.org.)

Foils, Not Oil: Emission-Free "Quadrofoil" Boat To Debut In 2015

If you're already over the wintry weather and just want summer to get here again, here is some post-Halloween brain candy for you.  Check out what techplus24.com calls the "21st century's answer to the speedboat":  the Quadrofoil.

Chicks dig ecologically-conscious mariners.
(Image courtesy gizmag.com.)

Using C-shaped foils beneath the hull to create lift, the Quadrofoil appears to hover above the water.   The foils deflect the water downward, creating lift and exerting force that enables the craft to travel at 25 m.p.h.  The Quadrofoil can transport two passengers and is made of 220 pounds of lightweight composite materials.  It is nearly theft-proof, thanks to a detachable wheel that acts as its key.

Best of all, the Quadrofoil operates on an electric motor, which creates no unpleasant emissions and makes considerably less noise than conventional motorboats.  The cleanliness of the craft allows it to operate on lakes, rivers, and ecologically-protected areas that might not be happy to harbor other messier boats.  Seeking out these spots is easy, with a single charge of the battery enabling the Quadrofoil to travel for 62 miles (at a cost of about $1.30 an hour to run.)  Don't just watch the meniscus-meandering water bugs from the dock...now, you can act like one too!

Make jetskiiers jealous.
(Image courtesy diseno-art.com.)

The Quadrofoil ships in March of 2015 at a cost of $28,144.  Next summer may seem like a long time away, but this little floating fragment of future is something fun to look forward to.

We can't all have spaceships.  But lakeships?  There you go.
(Image courtesy theawesomer.com.)

Fresh Crops From Water Drops: Spilling The Dirt On MIT's Soil-Free CityFarm

With city populations escalating abundantly, it's a challenge for futuristic farmers to figure out how to feed everyone with fresh ingredients.  Now, researchers at MIT believes they have solved this quandary, using an innovative new system that they call CityFarm.

As reported by nationswell.com, the soil-free CityFarm project uses hydroponic (water flow) and aeroponic (water misting) systems to grow a collection of crops, leaving the price tag and messiness of soil out of the urban equation.  Inventor Caleb Harper constructed a 7' by 30' plastic box in which he uses "pre-made weather" and is able to constantly monitor the plants' development, which is prodigious.  Thanks to the artificial light and carefully-calibrated plant care, CityFarm can grow enough food for 300 people in a single 30-day cycle.

Not only is the farm efficient and bountiful, it also saves resources.  CityFarm's method of growth uses up to 90% less water than conventional methods.  Harper believes eventually this could lead to a 98% reduction in agricultural water usage (making it ideal for water-deprived areas), as well as escalated nutritional value from the lack of pesticides and other soil contaminants.  CityFarm currently grows tomatoes, lettuce, and herbs in their successful style.

Pesky pesticides have nowhere to hide, as the plants' roots are fertilized with nutrients in water.
(Image courtesy tribeawesome.com.)

“No one has proven an economically viable model for these kind of plant environments,” says Harper. “What I’m trying to do is kind of be the Linux for these environments — the person that creates the common language for this new area of food production.”

Harper's plans don't stop at just the idea of the farm being like programming for a computer.  He actually wants to create a program, in conjunction with MIT, that will act as "plant operating system software."  This could be launched at other locations, such as an upcoming new attempt in Detroit, or it might help to regulate CityFarm's new plans to build vertically.  A similar project is already underway in Japan.  According to their website, CityFarm's technology combines their hydroponics/aeroponics with "novel environmental, diagnostic and networked sensing, control automation, autonomous delivery and harvest systems, data driven optimization and reductive energy design." Their high tech management along with their high yield of crops could be extremely beneficial for people living in any environment.

The CityFarm website proudly extolls their multifaceted workforce, including "engineers, architects, urban planners, economists and plant scientists." If other cities and towns can adopt CityFarm's "grow it HERE and eat it HERE" mentality, a host of jobs as well as tasty meals will be aiding the new urban infrastructure. Who knows what ideas such a locally-laudable system may spout next?

A serious salad bar is brewing at MIT.
(Image courtesy mitcityfarm.com.)

E-asy Rider: Check Out Harley's "LiveWire" Electric Motorcycle

Motorcycles have traditionally been associated with freedom and rebellion.  But not all rebellions are created the same.  Is it possible for Harley Davidson to convince their tough biker demographic that a new bike can buck the notion of conventional fossil fuel (for a power source similar your cellphone) and still stay cool?  They intend to find out, with their new "LiveWire Project" all-electric motorcycle.

Sharp AND sustainable!
(Image courtesy thedetroitbureau.com.)

According to arstechnica.com, developer Ben Lund explained that Harley wanted to present the LiveWire simply as a newer model that "happens to be electric."  The look, sound, and feel of the past Harleys all had to be taken into account, but so did a new technical element of composition.  Using CAD computer models to design the initial bike before production, other computer software such as Pro Engineer Wildfire and CAM (computer-aided machining) aided the process.

Harley's in-house 3D printers churned out 1:1 scale parts for testing, so that an authentic look and feel for every component could be assessed and duly approved.  While also used for the fabrication of model elements for Harley's internal combustion engine bikes, the 3D prototypes were important tools in deciding what fit best for the new LiveWire venture.

One of Harley's  3D-printed prototype parts.  It is unknown if the computer made motorcycle noises while printing it.
(Image courtesy javelin-tech.com.)

The LiveWire runs thanks to a longitudinally-mounted 74hp AC induction motor, which Lund and his team found superior for its availability, affordability, and high power-to-weight ratio. It's fueled by a 300V lithium-ion battery pack that can allow the bike to achieve speeds of nearly 100 m.p.h.  A "power" or "economy" mode switch lets you regulate your ride.

The pseudo-futuristic design may irk the aesthetic sensibilities of "classic" Harley enthusiasts, who would perhaps appreciate some more chrome or pipes.  As for a Harley's distinctive growl, the classic Harley revving-rumble isn't possible with an electric vehicle.  However, the sound was fine-tuned by the engineering team so that the gearbox emits a turbine-like noise as it roars down the road.  Yes, it's very different, but it's a rebellion you could grow to like.  The LiveWire is currently still a prototype, but it could spark a whole new revolution in riding.

You can care about the environment and still be a badass.
(Image courtesy autoblog.com.)

I Like Big Huts And I Cannot Lie: New 3D Printer Constructs Locally-Sourced Mud Homes

With all of the ultra-modern, high-tech uses for 3D printing, it may come as a surprise that someone thought to repurpose it for one of the oldest and dirtiest tasks known to mankind.  Yet that's just what has happened thanks to WASP, a 3D printing company whose latest invention specializes in constructed houses made of mud.

While 3D printing has been used to experiment with architecture already, WASP's plan does not simply throw up a suspiciously-indefensible concrete castle for your backyard.  Crafting a triangular honeycomb wall design that can properly bear weight and outside impediments, the new WASP machine slowly layers on a solid structure that, if mixed with strong enough natural binding components, could prove to be as durable as anything our ancestors could have dug up once their cave neighborhood wasn't fashionable anymore.

Ugh, cave-hipsters ruin everything.
(Image courtesy fanpop.com.)

According to makezine.com, WASP uses a 20-foot tall, three-armed 3D printer that is portable (to aid in construction in remote areas) and can be assembled in two hours.  It can use a variety of locally-available materials to construct its mud layers, including materials like wool (which is set to be tested when WASP prints a 3D hut in Sardinia.)

The WASP company rose to prominence as the second-largest 3D printing company in Italy by manufacturing various smaller 3D printers of exceptional quality.  Their previous models have the ability to carve out creations, create food or adhesive products, or even design ceramic pieces that can then be glazed and fired.  That's right, the next generation of fine Italian art might not come from the hands of a sculptor or painter, but rather from the design program entered into a 3D printer.

Is it worth it to use our new technological bounty in places where rudimentary handiwork has long sufficed?  Will lives really be improved when one of the most time-honored types of local labor is outsourced to a large robot?  Only time will tell.  In the meantime, this extremely "green" type of housing may appeal to hut-home enthusiasts the world over.  Clubs and pelts optional.

WASP's CEO Massimo Moretti examines a scale-model hut.  Could mud be the material of a masterpiece?
(Image courtesy thehomesteadingboards.com.)

Take My Breath Away...To Charge My Phone

If you think charging devices thanks to the power of footsteps is a good plan to use all that otherwise-wasted energy, how about harnessing electricity from your breathing?

As reported by technotification.com, this could become yet another helping hand (well, lung) in the fight for sustainable energy.  The harnessing device is a notion called the Aire Mask, and if it makes the leap from design to developed gadget, you will be able to charge your phone while looking like Darth Vader.

The Aire Mask would theoretically use small turbines to generate electricity with every exhale.  A USB port would then deliver it to the device of your choice.  Creator Joao Paulo Lammoglia has received a Red Dot outline grant to further this energy source, which he claims could be used when walking, running, or just chilling.

Is having a constant, mindlessly renewable power source worth looking like a robot?  If you jones on your phone, quite possibly.  Or maybe it'll become trendy - look how useful and cool you just became!  Just be sure to take it off for a minute when your new admirers attempt a kiss.

Good for powering small devices, helping the environment, and sexually attracting Bane.

"Aw helllll yeah."

Resonate With Resin: New Eco-Friendly Battery Created From Pine & Alfalfa

While lithium batteries have been the standard as small, portable power sources for decades now, their difficulty to the environment is undeniable.  Now, researchers from Uppsala have used organic materials to create a new and effective battery that requires a great deal less environmental trouble.

According to sciencedaily.com, lithium itself is a rare element on Earth, and the process of extracting it is arduous.  Other chemicals involved in traditional batteries are not only rare but also require toxic chemicals to aid in the extraction process that makes them viable to the battery design.  The premise behind the new batteries, which are constructed in part from pine resin and alfalfa, involves recycling the lithium from older batteries and continuing to utilize it, with help from the more-amenable biomaterials.

An astonishing 99% of power was recovered from the "spent" lithium batteries when used in conjunction with the new biomaterial battery design.  Further developments in the future may even be able to improve on this, making lithium-ion batteries ever-more attractive options for sparking and storing energy in the future.  This could be beneficial in particular for the electric automobile industry, or the storage systems required for implementation of large-scale solar power.

Daniel Brandell, Senior Lecturer of Uppsala University's chemistry department, explained, "The use of organic materials from renewable sources makes it possible to solve several of the problems that would arise from a huge rise in the use of lithium batteries. But above all, it's a major step forward that, to a high degree and in a simple, environment-friendly way, the lithium from these batteries can be recovered. These solutions are also potentially very cost-effective."

Thus, recycling our rare-earth material and mixing it with regular-earth material might just be the perfect way to keep us powered up for years to come.

PINE POWER!

Power-Positive Norwegian Office Building Generates Energy And Interest

When most people picture the hum of a bustling city, one of the obvious factors includes the tremendous amounts of energy being expended to keep the wheels of business in motion. However, in Norway, one very northerly city has turned the tables on the necessity of incessant influxes of industrial power, leading to the world's first "power-positive" office building.

As inhabitat.com reports, the Powerhouse at Brattorkaia building relies greatly on solar power, using solar cells as well as heat pumps and heat exchangers to power and warm the building. This solar power is augmented by the crafty construction inherent to the building, which uses a sloped roof to augment optimum solar collection, well-placed solar cells and windows to allow for maximum natural lighting indoors, and practically-sized window openings to maintain temperature. To keep temperatures consistent, water from a nearby fjord will be drawn and used throughout the infrastructure to regulate cooling.

The Powerhouse at Brattorkaia building, designed by the pro-sustainable company Snøhetta, is the most northerly of its kind, and the first in Norway. Snøhetta aims to show the world that power-positive buildings can work even in difficult (read: super snowy) climates. With projected power needs of 21 kWh/m²/year and energy production estimated at 49 kWh/m²/year, the building's excess energy generation will easily compensate for the power it took to create it. Other projects from Snøhetta include a "plus house" that creates fully twice the energy that it needs to operate, thus not only being entirely self-sustainable but also generating enough power to charge a car or to give back to the community.

If Norway can fight their serious snow to make a solar building, what is America waiting for?

#1 Fan? New 3-D Printed Mini Wind Turbine Generates Power, Portably

A major tenet of the sustainable energy revolution is soon to be found in convenient to-go form. Thanks to a new invention, you'll soon be able to spin windpower into electricity anywhere you can catch a breeze thanks to the AirEnergy3D portable wind turbine.

As reported by factcoexist.com, the AirEnergy3D is a lightweight, backpackable wind turbine that is currently under development via a kickstarter. It will eventually be able to generate enough power to fuel a laptop, or feed energy back into a personal grid. It requires no tools for assembly and can be plugged directly into.

Truly a machine for the people, the AirEnergy3D's inventors plan to make their schematics open-source so the design can be improved upon. Engineer Kamil Dziadkiewicz, of the Polish developing/printing company Omni3D, said, "We want to make it as easy to develop upon the original project...Thanks to 3-D printing, everybody as a community can experiment and prototype better solutions for the machine."

Also adding to the humanity of the project are AirEnergy3D's outreach plans. Already, they plan to donate pre-printed parts to send to Africa for easy, mobile power sources. Sustainable independence is a valuable power that we are seeking to make ever more containable.  While options like solar may currently work better on the small scale in some environments, portable windmill power could someday at least be a breath of fresh air to those in emergency need.

An AirEnergy 3D turbine/DNA windchime.

Sun Ships: Floating Solar Panels To Improve Renewable Energy Push In Japan

Hydro-power is a majorly attractive option for sustainable clean energy, but what about using the surface space of some of the world's water to create power as well?  That's the idea behind Kyocera's massive new floating solar plant, scheduled to begin construction this month.

As reported by tumotech.com, the clean-tech movement will have an interesting new option thanks to the innovative new solar plant design, called "Hydrelio."  Created by Ciel&Terre, the flat, floating solar collector is made from  solar panels attached to a 100% recyclable polyurethane mounting system.  It is resistant to ultraviolet light and corrosion, and is designed to maintain its operations even under extreme conditions, like typhoons.  Hopefully this will not need to be put to the test too extensively, as Kyocera's plans are to install two of the systems in ponds in Japan.

With one successful Hydrelio already in operation for over three years in France, and another in Japan at work since 2013, the design is a proven winner.  The two new Hydrelios, which are being installed in the Hago Prefecture, will have a combined capacity of 2.9 MW.  The larger of the two will be able to produce 1.7 MW, making it the biggest floating solar plant on Earth.

Japan has made significant strides towards implementing sustainable solar energy in recent years, and currently sits at the 4th place for worldwide solar power production (behind Italy, China, and Germany.)  While solar power accounts for only 0.7% of global energy generation (from a total of 22.1% that is renewable), perhaps setting more solar panels afloat will make for a brighter future.

Kyocera's current largest floating solar array in Japan, the awesomely-named
Kagoshima Nanatsujima Mega Solar Power Plant, is apparently so durable they didn't worry about putting it next to the active Sakurajima volcano.

Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun: Investors Bet On Renewable Energy

In a move that would have been more useful to the world a century or so ago, a major player in the banking industry seems to be rallying behind solar power and other renewable energy sources, telling investors to put there money where it's sunny.

UBS, the world's largest private bank, has officially predicted that large "traditional" power stations will be outmoded in as little as ten years' time, with the focus switching to decentralized methods of obtaining and storing power. This decision reflects the fossil fuel industry's waning appeal in the face of numerous other options, not the least of which is tempered by consumer regard for more environmentally-friendly options.

As reported by theguardian.com, UBS issued a statement urging investors to "join the revolution." The authors explained their reasoning in logical terms when saying, “Power is no longer something that is exclusively produced by huge, centralised units owned by large utilities. By 2025, everybody will be able to produce and store power. And it will be green and cost competitive, ie, not more expensive or even cheaper than buying power from utilities.”

The company, which has assets of over $1.5 trillion, went on to explain the nuances of how electric cars will be driving down the currently-expensive sustainable battery prices, which will then lead to more general acceptance in many areas as batteries become better and more available. This will ultimately, according to them, make fuel-burning cars too expensive. A similar effect would occur with solar technology.

“Battery storage should become financially attractive for family homes when combined with a solar system and an electric vehicle. As a consequence, we expect transformational changes in the utility and auto sectors,” the UBS paper says. “By 2020 investing in a home solar system with a 20-year life span, plus some small-scale home battery technology and an electric car, will pay for itself in six to eight years for the average consumer in Germany, Italy, Spain, and much of the rest of Europe.”

This is not to say that every home now must be maintained as a survivalist would. Decentralized power could mean collection facilities such as hydroelectric turbines or windmills that are shared between small cities or neighborhoods, which could bridge the gap while the technology is rapidly progressing to the point where individuals are easily able to use clean energy to gain and store all the power needed for personal use. Such facilities could also serve as a backup in case of emergency or failure of an individual's power system. And they'll quickly pay for themselves...with no deep-sea drilling or blowing the tops off of mountains required.

While the banksters have often proven themselves untrustworthy, when it comes to power, one would think that world-class financiers would know what they're talking about. These people love power in any form, and if they're putting their cash power behind another form of force, that seems like a sound bet indeed.

Turn it into a nightclub/skate park/music studio or something.

Gorgeous New Electric Coupe Charges Forth

Now that Tesla has officially proven it isn't going to pack up shop just because the oil lobbyists cry about it, it's time for the competition to heat up among the electric car creators. Enter the Renovo coupe, a hot new electric model set to debut in 2015.

According to acquiremag.com, the classically-styled Renovo coupe clocks in at 0-60 in 3.4 seconds and boasts 500 horsepower. Not bad for a car that you fuel in nearly the same manner that one would charge their cellphone. The car's Twin Sequential Axial Flux engine runs on three lithium ion batteries that require just 30 minutes, or which can attain a stronger "level 2" charge after five hours.

USA Today reports that the Renovo will be priced considerably higher than its Tesla competitors, with the coupe costing $529,000. The price coupled with the fact that its maximum range is 100 miles may hinder some interest in the vehicle. However, its light frame allows for superior handling. Jason Stinson, Chief Technical Officer, developed the car alongside other "performance junkies" like himself, and caters to a similar clientele. And while the Renovo isn't really a racecar (it tops off at 129 m.p.h.), it certainly looks like a champion. The drool-inducing chassis is based off of a design from Shelby American, a company created by racing legend Carroll Shelby.

Could a new golden age of American automobile enthusiasm soon start kicking the tires and lighting (well, charging) the fires?

Ride on.

Tides Turn In Favor Of Ocean-Floor Power Generator

Sustainable energy solutions sometimes require big ideas, but those ideas can make serious waves. In this case, literally. Recently, a massive tidal power generator in Wales has been unveiled, seeking to prove that seafloor-based power generation is an effective means of fueling the future.

The generator, which was created by the Welsh company Tidal Solutions Ltd., stands seven stories tall on dry land, but will soon be at the bottom of Ramsey Sound for a 12-month trial. During this time, the tremendous turbine will use tidal currents to generate power for the homes in nearby St. David.

According to the BBC, First Minister Carwyn Jones is a major supporter of the project, saying, "We need to show the world we are able to harness the considerable energy that exists in our seas and that we are able to develop the technology necessary to do that...This is a landmark project for Wales, which will not only help us to meet our sustainable energy ambitions, but will also provide significant opportunities for local people and businesses."

The 150-ton, 40kW device has been created to make the smallest impact on the environment as possible. If it is successful, eight other similar turbines will be constructed and added to the framework, creating a total 10MW energy-churning superstructure which could power 10,000 homes through the National Grid.

Surf's up!

If they eventually attempt the 9-turbine plan, don't go scuba diving in Wales.

Spray-On Solar Cells Illuminate New Power-Harvesting Possibilities

Harnessing the power of the sun to fuel your electrical needs is an excellent plan, but one that for too many people is impeded by cost issues. Now, a new method of mass-producing solar cells may be a cost-effective way to bring the sunshine into your power lines.

Using a spray-on technique similar to how one would paint a car, solar cells can now be applied to a variety of surfaces. The precision of the spray method allows for little waste, lowering costs and enabling the technology to reach a wider collection net than regular solar panels.

According to factor-tech.com, the new spray-on cells are created from perovskite, a low-cost alternative to the popular silicon cells. Although new to the solar market, perovskite is proving its worth.

Professor David Lidzey, lead researcher from The University of Sheffield Department of Physics and Astronomy, remarked, “There is a lot of excitement around perovskite-based photovoltaics...Remarkably, this class of material offers the potential to combine the high performance of mature solar cell technologies with the low embedded energy costs of production of organic photovoltaics.”

The perovskite cells dominate organic solar cells' certified efficiency, operating at up to 19% as opposed to organic cells' 10%, and closing in on silicon's 25% certified efficiency. Fabrication-wise, the organic cells' light-absorbing layer, when replaced with perovskite, showed a definite boost in energy. While experiments with the perovskite cells currently have them running at 11% efficiency, scientists believe with more time and research the number will escalate.

Solar suits, solar sneakers, and more may follow as energy abundance becomes as easy to harness as a walk in the sunlight.

Solar grafitti could power not just an art movement, but your entire home.

From Tech Plant To Tech For Plants: Old Sony Factory Becomes High-Yield Hydroponics Farm

Meeting the world's growing nutrition needs is an important challenge of the future. Now, using techniques catered to plants' specific growing needs while concurrently saving space and increasingly yield, hydroponic farms might be a wave of the future.

In Japan, as reported by Gizmodo, an old Sony factory has been converted into a highly efficient and productive hydroponic greenhouse. At 25,000 square feet (half the size of an American football field), this factory produces 10,000 heads of lettuce a day thanks to its innovative design and well-regulated environment. 17,500 special LED lights made by GE improve the growth time of the resident lettuce plants by 250 percent.

Plant physiologist Shigeharu Shimamura explained, "We want to achieve the best combination of photosynthesis during the day and breathing at night by controlling the lighting and the environment."

The 18 plant cultivation racks rise 16 levels high, improving productivity per square foot by 100 percent as compared to outdoor farms. Thanks to tightly regulated temperature and humidity controls, the farm uses only 1 percent of water compared to traditional farms. The business model is so successful, it is already attempting to expand into Hong Kong, Russia, and maybe someday to a futuristic farm near you!

Salad just got much more interesting.