Renewables
Defects in solar cells can be healed with light
Researchers have shown that defects in the molecular structure of perovskites – a material which could revolutionise the solar cell industry – can be “healed” by exposing it to light and just the right amount of humidity.
Smart self-balancing personal transporters are the next Segways
Segway has announced two new self-balancing personal transporters that are going to be added to its consumer product line. The world’s leading provider of electric personal transportation, made the announcement at IFA, and plans to introduce the two new products, the Segway miniLITE and the miniPLUS, to form the new mini-series collection along with its current product the miniPRO.
New ultra-high performance electric sports car in development
The engineers at the University of Leicester have contributed to the development of a new, ultra-high performance, range extended, electric sports car project - HIPERCAR. Standing for High Performance Carbon Reduction, the project is destined for full release in 2019 and production by Ariel Motor Company in 2020 alongside the Atom, Nomad and Ace.
Are EIVs a reality or a wild-eyed dream?
The industry may have to rethink the Electric Vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure warns IDTechEx, as multiple energy harvesting leads to Energy Independent electric Vehicles (EIV) range being thousands of kilometres.
New Nissan Leaf achieves 235 miles on a single charge
Yesterday, Nissan revealed its new Nissan LEAF, which it claims to be the world’s most advanced mass-market electric vehicle (EV) and icon of the company’s Intelligent Mobility vision. All electric, and packed with ingenious technology, the new Nissan LEAF is the company’s first car in Europe that will embrace the early steps of advanced driver assistance, and is packed with innovations such as e-Pedal, allowing you to driv...
EVs have some tough curves to manoeuvre
It’s probably too late to make any real money out of the upcoming boom in electric vehicles (EVs) unless you are already in the club. However, if you are, there is a fortune to be made and maybe lost.
Modern electric bus fleet improves public transit
Cities across the world are increasing in both population and density, and for because of this public transportation plays a critical role in creating liveable cities by reducing the total number of vehicles operating in urban centres. An effective transit system also has the potential to drastically reduce carbon emissions generated from the transportation of people, resulting in improved urban air quality and sustaining a healthy environme...
Energy storage solution for offshore wind farm
Denmark-based sustainable energy group, DONG Energy, is set to take delivery of a two megawatt (MW) Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) from ABB to support the integration and transmission of power from the Burbo Bank offshore wind farm near Liverpool.
Solar cell breakthrough lights up new applications
For the first time, an international scientific collaboration has successfully integrated a sub-micron thin, nanophotonic silicon film into a crystalline solar cell. Thinner crystalline silicon cells absorb less light. While the addition of nanophotonic structures can strongly improve light absorption, their integration into the cells has been challenging thus far, due to the electrical losses they cause.
Autumn is coming: high-tech electronics made from fallen leaves
Northern China's roadsides are peppered with deciduous phoenix trees, producing an abundance of fallen leaves in autumn. These leaves are generally burned in the colder season, exacerbating the country's air pollution problem. Investigators in Shandong, China, recently discovered a new method to convert this organic waste matter into a porous carbon material that can be used to produce high-tech electronics. The advance is reported in the Journal...