Technology

Great technologies for our computers

To Clean Technica : ” Samsung has developed a new computer that is solar-powered! The Samsung NC215S netbook it will be the first computer of its kind. The power will come from a solar panel embedded in the lid. “ Still to Clean Technica : ” a team of researchers at Australia’s RMIT have demonstrated a new, …

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France first country to ban fracking

” Last week the French government was the first to enact a law forbidding hydraulic fracturing, also known as “fracking”. This technology enables to recover shale gas via the use of massive amounts of water and chemicals.” ” The former remaining afterward polluted, hence the controversy. The law had been discussed by both the lower …

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Solar PV gets even more efficient and cheaper

To GreenTech Media : ” SunPower just announced their newest solar panels with total area efficiencies of more than 20 percent. The 96-cell solar panels use SunPower’s 22.4 percent efficient cells .” To Ecogeek : ” Researchers at Empa (the Swiss national research laboratory) have achieved a new record in thin-film solar cell efficiency. (…) …

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Hydrogen: A dream or delusion?

This is the title of an interesting article at GreenTech Media. Here are some essential quotes of it : ” Hydrogen. In green technology circles, just mentioning the word is enough to start an argument. “ ” Hydrogen could become a ubiquitous source of electricity and heat, say advocates. Plus, it’s somewhat prevalent. Hydrogen remains …

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Socolow strikes back with wedges theory

According to Climate Progress : ” In 2004, Princeton Profs Socolow and Pacala published a paper in Science, “Stabilization Wedges: Solving the Climate Problem for the Next 50 Years with Current Technologies.” ” (…) I spoke to Socolow today at length, and he stands behind every word of that — including the carefully-worded title.  Indeed, …

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Solar film increases efficiency by 300%

To CleanTechnica, a new film developed by HyperSolar, a Californian company, could halve the costs of solar panels and boost their efficiency by 300 percent. The film would replace the sheet of glass currently used with solar PV panels. “With HyperSolar as the top layer, manufacturers can use significantly fewer solar cells in the production …

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Graphene can be produced by sugar

I once wrote that aerogel – a great insulating material, 37 times more insulating that fiberglass – can be made of rice husks, a common byproduct of the most eaten cereal in the world. Now it seems that graphene – a highly conductible and resistant material that could literally revolutionize electronics and computers – can …

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The potential of tidal power

The New York Times Green blog published a great article about a recent report from IHS Emerging Energy Research on tidal wave. Even if it has been starting very slowly, the energy source could bring up to 10 GW by 2030 globally. “The global ocean energy sector is at a turning point,” the company’s report …

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Urban mining, or why mining landfills is good

I knew it all along ! As rare earths are more and more expensive and critically needed for our technological thirst, it is becoming economically viable to mine landfills and to recycle old appliances. As the New York Times indeed noted : ” This town’s hopes for a mining comeback lie not underground, but in …

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Electric cars are the next growth engine

Thomas L Friedman is one of the op-ed columnist of the New York Times. I really liked the vision he is offering in his latest book, Hot, Flat and Crowded. I have to admit I feel the same about his latest column, Their Moon Shot and Ours. There, Mr. Friedman shows how China is going …

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