Eco Trees

Japan joins the world's new trend in solar power generation by supporting households that would buy a solar power system, with a subsidy of about 200,000 yen (a little under $2000). This plan is intended to promote "the green" power and to help reduce the greenhouse gas emissions, according to Nikkei bussiness daily.

One of the objectives of the subsidy payment is to stimulate the mass production of solar power systems so that to lower the costs. The price of such systems is about 2 million yen each and the subsidy represents only 10% of its value. The subsidy is more likely to be introduced as early as the current fiscal year to end March 2009.

At the present, in Japan, there is a total of 1.4 million kilowatts of electricity generated from the household solar power systems. One of the targets set by the Japanese government is to give a boost to the solar power generation by mobilizing also the forces of science and technology.

This means less negative effects on the environment and more "green" happy smiles.

The new cooling technology is based on a model create by Einstein with 78 years ago. The refrigerator that works without electricity use ammonia, water and butane in place of Freon.

The environment-friendly cooling technology uses ammonia, butane and water instead of Freon, substance so harmful to the environment, and constitutes an important step in combating climate change, writes the British daily The Guardian. "

The Oxford University engineers have announced that they have completed a prototype of a refrigerator invented by Einstein and his colleague, the physicist Leó Szilárd. It has no mobile parts and uses only gases under pressure for the process of cooling food.

According to Oxford engineers, the technology is follow the working principle according to which the liquids concoct to lower temperatures when air pressure around them is less.

"If you get on the top of the mountain Everest, you'll find that the water will boil at a temperature much lower than when the process takes place at the sea level. And that's because the air pressure is much lower in high heights," explains the engineer Malcolm McCulloch .

It will use solar energy

Einstein's refrigerator was used until the 1950s, when more efficient technologies based on freon have taken it place. Engineers from Oxford argue that the effectiveness of the new refrigerator will be four times higher than that of the technology developed by Einstein, that will replace the types of gases used in refrigeration.

Also, they aim to develop the project so that in future the only form of energy supply of a refrigerator to consist in a heating pump through solar energy.

Whether that use Freon or other gases, a refrigerator operates on a sector-pressure and low temperature - inside - and on a pressure and high temperature - the radiator from the back. The sectors are separated by a pump to get gas from the inside, causing such a difference in pressure and a difference of temperature.

Australian researchers have estimated that only a percentage of unexplored national resources of geothermal springs may produce during the 26,000 years clean electric energy.

Australian Government announced a project worth of 43 million U.S. dollars for develop technology to convert geothermal energy in electricity. "Geothermal energy, which is known as hot rocks, has a huge potential for Australia, so that solution against climate change but also in terms of national energy security," said Martin Ferguson, Minister for Resources.

Australia is the world's biggest exporter in coals, and the coals ensure the 77% of national energy consumption. Despite this, Australia had proposed that until 2020 to use 20% electricity from renewable sources.

To produce electricity from geothermal energy, the water is pumped from he underground where is hot and the heat energy is used to generate energy.

The Organization Geoscience Australia has created a national map with geothermal energy, using records of temperatures from several years of drilling for energy and minerals, sometimes more deeply than five kilometers.

The temperature of hot rocks should be 150 degrees Celsius to produce electricity, which is met at a depth between one and five kilometers , explained Anthony Budd, the organization Geoscience.

The organization estimated that it needed an investment of approximately 12 billion U.S. dollars for the development of 2,200 megawatts of energy, but added that the cost of electricity generation ill drop to an acceptable level when the commercial project will work.

The government project of drilling for geothermal energy will use different technologies in various locations from Australia in order to determine the best technology for hot rock energy conversion in electricity.

Australia produces around 1.5% of global carbon emissions. The coals dependence for the electricity generating turn it in the world's biggest polluter per person, generating five times more emissions per capital against China.

Following the cars trend, a different green means of transport is the yacht. Island Pilot DSe Hybrid is the first green vehicle on the water, long of 12 meters which combines fossil fuel, solar energy and electricity.

It is equipped with a photovoltaic solar panel of six kw plus a battery of 20 kilowatts / hour and can travel with a maximum speed of almost four kilometric per hour with zero emissions, using only electricity. Using the diesel engine, the maximum speed at which it can reach is seven kilometers per hour. DSe model needs a total of six kilowatts to navigate six marine knots and 10 kilowatts to eight marine knots.

The yacht design is convenient to change depending on the need for alternative fuels. When diesel engine works, it becomes, at the same time, generator for the yacht battery, providing a total of 10 kilowatts.

The eco yacht will be presented in the Lauderdale International Boat Show.

The biggest photovoltaic central from Europe, which will include 2,560 solar panels will be installed in July this year, on the roof of a building in the town Laudun, France.

Photovoltaic panels are already being installation, and the investment amounts to eight million euros and is made by a Spanish company. Solar panels will produce 1.6 wattage a year and electricity generated will be coupled fully in the main business of production and distribution of electricity in France, "Electricité de France. "

Several American researchers have just managed to achieve a experimental textile fibers able to produce electricity only through simple body movement. The invention will open the way for the manufacture of clothes producing electricity. Everything was possible by incorporating nanofibre with special properties.
Researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology were able to make generating power from the clothes fibers. Battle to succeed performance as the man to produce electricity through its simple movements mobilized numerous research laboratories worldwide.

After the devices were placed for the production of electricity on sport shoes, knees or rucksacks, researchers have called for this purpose from a system in the world nanometer (milliard part of a meter). These high-tech fibers could also be incorporated into woven coven to transform the energy of wind noise or vibration in power.

Yet to obtain some electricity

This performance is based on ownership of materials to produce electricity when they act on a mechanical force. The American researchers was able to incorporate nanofibers of zinc oxide, generating electricity, in more kevlar fabric type.


A source of energy "flexible and mobile"

Researchers have also proposed to go even further and improve this innovative system to produce electricity. "If we are able to combine fire with a thickness greater in the woven fabric clothes, the system will provide a source of energy flexible and mobile," said Professor Zhong Lin Wang, one of the researchers. Although the invention is a huge step forward, scientists are aware that more still have a lot of work.

"In principle, it would be great to find ways with which to charge batteries with a continuous power source," estimated Pascal Vincent, a member of the research team. At this stage, the electricity produced is low intensity and nanofibers not have a long life of more than 50 hours. So, clothes that produce electricity, can not be washed yet.