Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Algae powered adventures in Chicago
In a piece of brilliant education a Chicago science teacher ran a project with his students to see if they could create enough biodiesel from algae to run a VW camper on a 20 mile round trip from their school to the Sears tower and back again. The algae "farm" was set up in a corner of the classroom, using fluorescent lamps to double for sunlight, and the resulting liquid separated in a centrifuge at a proper lab. A writer for Jalopnik was along for the ride as the battered old vehicle puttered its way through the windy city's heavy Friday traffic.
Obviously the small scale set up the students used was probably carbon negative overal, with its reliance on pumps and artificial light, but large scale algae farms could benefit from natural light and wind or solar PV to power any motors.
Technorati tag: Biodiesel
posted by Ian at 11:09 AM
In a piece of brilliant education a Chicago science teacher ran a project with his students to see if they could create enough biodiesel from algae to run a VW camper on a 20 mile round trip from their school to the Sears tower and back again. The algae "farm" was set up in a corner of the classroom, using fluorescent lamps to double for sunlight, and the resulting liquid separated in a centrifuge at a proper lab. A writer for Jalopnik was along for the ride as the battered old vehicle puttered its way through the windy city's heavy Friday traffic.
Obviously the small scale set up the students used was probably carbon negative overal, with its reliance on pumps and artificial light, but large scale algae farms could benefit from natural light and wind or solar PV to power any motors.
Technorati tag: Biodiesel
Labels: algae diesel, Biodiesel, transport
posted by Ian at 11:09 AM
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
The Suzuki Crosscage- a hydrogen fuel cell powered motorbike
Suzuki are at the testing stage with their fuel cell powered motorbike, which sounds like an option for commutes that are too long for cycling (over ten miles I'd say).
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
posted by Ian at 11:28 AM
Suzuki are at the testing stage with their fuel cell powered motorbike, which sounds like an option for commutes that are too long for cycling (over ten miles I'd say).
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
posted by Ian at 11:28 AM
Thursday, March 06, 2008
The Oxford Road Green Corridor
Plans are in place to close sections of Oxford Road to all traffic but special buses (and bikes?). The scheme won't begin for around five years and is dependent upon the introduction of a congestion charge and the access to funds that will allow.
Oxford Road is already officially the busiest bus route in Europe. Perhaps it's time to let them take some of it over. The planned closed section covers the only part of the road that I regularly cycle on, from around the University all the way into the centre, so I hope they intend to stick a cycle lane into the mix.
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
posted by Ian at 12:34 PM
Plans are in place to close sections of Oxford Road to all traffic but special buses (and bikes?). The scheme won't begin for around five years and is dependent upon the introduction of a congestion charge and the access to funds that will allow.
Oxford Road is already officially the busiest bus route in Europe. Perhaps it's time to let them take some of it over. The planned closed section covers the only part of the road that I regularly cycle on, from around the University all the way into the centre, so I hope they intend to stick a cycle lane into the mix.
Technorati tag: EcoHouse
Labels: Bus lanes, congestion charge, Manchester, transport
posted by Ian at 12:34 PM
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
The Green car show
Wired went to the International Electric Vehicle Symposium and Exposition to drool over pollution free motoring and photograph lots of cool technology.
Technorati tag: Electric car
posted by Ian at 2:18 PM
Wired went to the International Electric Vehicle Symposium and Exposition to drool over pollution free motoring and photograph lots of cool technology.
Technorati tag: Electric car
Labels: Cars, Electric car, transport
posted by Ian at 2:18 PM
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Aptera - 300mpg plug-in hybrid trike
The Aptera trike will be available in electric and plug in hybrid versions. The electric Aptera has a range of around 120 miles on a full charge, whilst the hybrid can achieve anything up to 300 miles per gallon. They're taking pre-orders (for California only at the moment) prior to launching next year.
It's possible the vehicle will make it over here, priced at less than £15,000. I'm going to start saving now.
Technorati tag: Aptera, Hybrid
posted by Ian at 5:20 PM
The Aptera trike will be available in electric and plug in hybrid versions. The electric Aptera has a range of around 120 miles on a full charge, whilst the hybrid can achieve anything up to 300 miles per gallon. They're taking pre-orders (for California only at the moment) prior to launching next year.
It's possible the vehicle will make it over here, priced at less than £15,000. I'm going to start saving now.
Technorati tag: Aptera, Hybrid
posted by Ian at 5:20 PM
Thursday, September 06, 2007
A plug in biodiesel system
Or, as the people at Toolmonger call it "Biodiesel for dummies". The BioPro 190 from AGR Energy can produce 50 gallons of biodiesel every two days, runs off a domestic power supply and has a small footprint so it could sit unobtrusively in the corner of a garage. You still need to handle chemicals- methanol, lye and sulphuric acid- but they have tried to cut this to a minimum, claiming that one batch requires just half an hour of priming.
You could build your own biodiesel reactor for less, but I imagine a creative fast food outlet that incorporated one of these to fuel its fleet would have less trouble with health and safety than if they set up a bodge with oil drums in the back yard.
Technorati tag: EcoHouse, Biodiesel
posted by Ian at 9:45 AM
Or, as the people at Toolmonger call it "Biodiesel for dummies". The BioPro 190 from AGR Energy can produce 50 gallons of biodiesel every two days, runs off a domestic power supply and has a small footprint so it could sit unobtrusively in the corner of a garage. You still need to handle chemicals- methanol, lye and sulphuric acid- but they have tried to cut this to a minimum, claiming that one batch requires just half an hour of priming.
You could build your own biodiesel reactor for less, but I imagine a creative fast food outlet that incorporated one of these to fuel its fleet would have less trouble with health and safety than if they set up a bodge with oil drums in the back yard.
Technorati tag: EcoHouse, Biodiesel
posted by Ian at 9:45 AM
Thursday, August 02, 2007
An X Prize for fuel consumption
The foundation that handed out $10million to the makers of SpaceShipOne for being the first non-government space craft has announced a $10million prize for the first team to produce a commercially viable car capable of 100 miles to the gallon. So far 30 teams have announced their intentions to participate.
Technorati tag: EcoHouse, X Prize, Fuel Efficiency
posted by Ian at 9:35 AM
The foundation that handed out $10million to the makers of SpaceShipOne for being the first non-government space craft has announced a $10million prize for the first team to produce a commercially viable car capable of 100 miles to the gallon. So far 30 teams have announced their intentions to participate.
Technorati tag: EcoHouse, X Prize, Fuel Efficiency
Labels: fuel efficiency, transport
posted by Ian at 9:35 AM
Monday, June 04, 2007
Boosting Prius performance
Lithium Technology Corporation has developed lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) cells which can greatly increase the fuel economy of hybrids. There are issues with safety, which mean Toyota are not yet ready to start using them.
Another way to increase a hybrid's mileage is to get Solar Electric Vehicles' fitted solar panel roofs.
Somewhere out there is the ideal combination of solar panelled garage and car, with high capacity batteries.
Technorati tag: Hybrid Car
posted by Ian at 5:51 PM
Lithium Technology Corporation has developed lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) cells which can greatly increase the fuel economy of hybrids. There are issues with safety, which mean Toyota are not yet ready to start using them.
Another way to increase a hybrid's mileage is to get Solar Electric Vehicles' fitted solar panel roofs.
Somewhere out there is the ideal combination of solar panelled garage and car, with high capacity batteries.
Technorati tag: Hybrid Car
Labels: Hybrid, Solar Power, transport
posted by Ian at 5:51 PM
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
It's a Mini economical adventure
BMW has announced changes to the Mini line that could see its diesel model achieving up to 72.4mpg. Utilising "hybrid like" technology, the little car will only engage its alternator on deceleration, rather than having it be a constant drag, and the manual versions will will turn the engine off rather than idle and give the driver hints on teh best gear to engage.
The caveat, as always, is that we should all be using cars less. However, for those of us who must, we should all consider the new breed of economical super-minis and/or alternative fuels.
Technorati tag: Mini, Transport, Hybrid
posted by Ian at 12:36 PM
BMW has announced changes to the Mini line that could see its diesel model achieving up to 72.4mpg. Utilising "hybrid like" technology, the little car will only engage its alternator on deceleration, rather than having it be a constant drag, and the manual versions will will turn the engine off rather than idle and give the driver hints on teh best gear to engage.
The caveat, as always, is that we should all be using cars less. However, for those of us who must, we should all consider the new breed of economical super-minis and/or alternative fuels.
Technorati tag: Mini, Transport, Hybrid
Labels: Cars, fuel efficiency, Hybrid, transport
posted by Ian at 12:36 PM
Monday, May 21, 2007
Hot Rodding for the Environment
If you must use a car, then you should at least try to use it as efficiently as possible. Jalopnik has some simple suggestions for improving mileage. Obviously, I would have put "Don't use your car when you don't have to" at the top of the list, but I don't have a car, so it's my only option.
Should I ever need to get a car I'll be looking for something I can run on biodiesel, or possibly a biodiesel/ petroleum diesel mix because you can't always get to a green fuel pump. I hanker for a Volvo estate or small van to cart my bikes around in. Efficiency isn't such a concern with a closed circuit fuel supply like biodiesel, but VCACarFuelData.org.uk, allows you to search for your next ride by this and other criteria. If I could forgo the space considerations then the Citroen C1 would be worth considering, the most efficient of the cars currently listed on there.
Of course, another option is to do something as inventive as this Russian driver, who replaced his Opel's engine with a 50kw motor and filled all the spare space with batteries.
Technorati tag: Electric car, Fuel Efficiency, Transport
posted by Ian at 10:47 AM
If you must use a car, then you should at least try to use it as efficiently as possible. Jalopnik has some simple suggestions for improving mileage. Obviously, I would have put "Don't use your car when you don't have to" at the top of the list, but I don't have a car, so it's my only option.
Should I ever need to get a car I'll be looking for something I can run on biodiesel, or possibly a biodiesel/ petroleum diesel mix because you can't always get to a green fuel pump. I hanker for a Volvo estate or small van to cart my bikes around in. Efficiency isn't such a concern with a closed circuit fuel supply like biodiesel, but VCACarFuelData.org.uk, allows you to search for your next ride by this and other criteria. If I could forgo the space considerations then the Citroen C1 would be worth considering, the most efficient of the cars currently listed on there.
Of course, another option is to do something as inventive as this Russian driver, who replaced his Opel's engine with a 50kw motor and filled all the spare space with batteries.
Technorati tag: Electric car, Fuel Efficiency, Transport
Labels: Biodiesel, Electric car, fuel efficiency, transport
posted by Ian at 10:47 AM
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Golly G-Wiz
Boris Johnson on the G-Wiz electric car and Government efforts to destroy it.
Technorati tag: G-Wiz, Boris Johnson, Electric Car
posted by Ian at 11:17 AM
Boris Johnson on the G-Wiz electric car and Government efforts to destroy it.
Technorati tag: G-Wiz, Boris Johnson, Electric Car
Labels: Boris Johnson, Electric car, G-Wiz, transport
posted by Ian at 11:17 AM
Thursday, April 26, 2007
The 200mpg supercar
The Velozzi is a concept car promising supercar performance- 0 to 60 in 3 seconds and a 200mph top speed- with 200mpg fuel consumption. It achieves this by recharging its batteries with a micro-turbine which can use any "heavy fuel"- such as gasoline, ethanol, methanol, diesel or bio diesel. It's also super light, being built out of composites and liquid metal.
The research and development company behind the concept wanted to produce the most spectacular demonstration of the technology possible. The use of a turbine to charge the batteries means the car isn't tied to electrical supply points and the versatility of teh fuels means it can use the existing petrol infrastructure. Everyday production vehicles are going to be heavier and less efficient, obviously, but still a vast improvement on current motorcars.
via Jalopnik
Technorati tag: Electric car, Micro turbine
posted by Ian at 7:53 PM
The Velozzi is a concept car promising supercar performance- 0 to 60 in 3 seconds and a 200mph top speed- with 200mpg fuel consumption. It achieves this by recharging its batteries with a micro-turbine which can use any "heavy fuel"- such as gasoline, ethanol, methanol, diesel or bio diesel. It's also super light, being built out of composites and liquid metal.
The research and development company behind the concept wanted to produce the most spectacular demonstration of the technology possible. The use of a turbine to charge the batteries means the car isn't tied to electrical supply points and the versatility of teh fuels means it can use the existing petrol infrastructure. Everyday production vehicles are going to be heavier and less efficient, obviously, but still a vast improvement on current motorcars.
via Jalopnik
Technorati tag: Electric car, Micro turbine
Labels: Electric car, micro turbine, transport
posted by Ian at 7:53 PM
