Energy Inventions

KinergyPower is a new form of alternative energy which is also an example of distributed generation. KinergyPower was invented by two brothers Stefanos and Dimitri Horianopolous in Greece in 2002. Their system uses a series of hydraulic pistons to absorb the kinetic energy from the motion of traffic and transform it into hydraulic pressure. This pressure powers a hydro-generator unit which produces electricity. KinergyPowerUSA was established in September 2005 and is based in Bedford, NY. It is headed by a management team that includes local Westchester business executives Demetri and Susan Papacostas. 11 Comments

American scientist Peter Glaser proposed the idea of using space solar power in 1968. The fast depleting conventional energy resources renewed the interest for trapping the solar power via satellites. Right now the usual alternative energy methods have their own shortcomings. Hydro power plants disrupt ecosystems and human habitats. Minimum rain threatens hydro power. Clouds block the sun and sunlight. Wind can choose not to blow at the desirable speed. Alternative energy plants provide intermittent power supply, thus forcing us to store energy. All these factors increase the complexities of using alternative fuels. 4 Comments

Norwegian company StatoilHydro is working on a 2.3 megawatt floating wind turbine that will be attached to the top of 'Spar-buoy' and moored to the seabed by three anchor points. It is hoped that the 80 meter diameter, 65 meter high Siemens turbine will have lower deep-water installation costs when compared to traditional wind installations. The company plans to have the first prototype ready by fall of 2009, when they will begin feasibility tests to assess how it stands up to high winds. A 3 meter high scale model has already been tested in a wave tank simulator. 1 Comment

A dual mode road/rail vehicle is being tested in Japan by Toyota and its truck-manufacturing division Hino Motors. The bus bridges the gap between road and rail with 4 rubber tires for road use and 4 steel wheels for riding on rails. It can hold 25 passengers and is based on the Toyota Microbus. The bus has been in service in Japan for the past 18 months, and there are plans to produce a newer version by June of 2008. Hino spokesperson Kenichiro Baba has stated that the bus "is expected to be another step toward more practical use of the dual mode vehicle." This could be the mass transit vehicle of the future for Japanese commuters. No Comments

Here's another flashy concept that uses solar energy for transportation: the solar speedboat! Unlike the solar sailor we talked about earlier, the Dutch MK1 prototype is designed to travel at speeds up to 30 knots! In 2006 the Delft Technical University Solarboat Team raced the speedboat to first place in the Nuon Frisian Solar Challenge. The 10 meter long lightweight boat has a carbon fibre body and an 80 kilowatt motor powered by 14 square meters of solar panels. The boat is obviously not designed for utilitarian purposes, but it is a positive step toward further development of solar technologies. Watch the video to see it in action! 1 Comment

According to a recent article from Greentech Media, a Massachusetts aerospace company called FloDesign is working on a wind turbine concept that could potentially be at least twice as efficient as traditional rotor blade turbines, which force air around them instead of through them. It works by channeling wind into a vortex that spins the blades and generates electricity. The company hopes to have a working prototype completed by the end of 2009. Unfortunately their website at flodesignwindturbine.org is not currently functional, but the following video gives a great overview and technical details. 3 Comments

California based company Green Vehicles recently began selling an affordable $20,000 electric car called the Triac. The small but efficient 3-wheeled car has a range of 120 miles and can travel up to 70mph on the highway. Charging the lithium-ion batteries that power the 20kw electric motor takes about 6 hours, and there is an optional capacity boost battery pack available that extends the range by 20% (why not include it with the car?). The Triac comes in 8 different color combinations and is available from the dealership in San Jose. See the company website for more details. 7 Comments

Google recently launched Earth Outreach as part of an effort to provide non-profit and public benefit organizations the knowledge and resources they need to reach hearts and minds in the ongoing struggle to raise awareness about global warming and climate change. Their environment and science showcase provides links to some of the more helpful and informative tools in the collection. You have to have Google Earth installed in order to view the files. 4 Comments

Remember the Solar Lily Pads? Well, Swiss inventor Thomas Hinderling has taken that idea to the next level with his solar islands concept (check out the video). The 5km wide, 20m height island concept would be mobile and would adjust according to the sun's movement across the sky. Each island would generate hundreds of kilowatts of electricity that would be almost five times cheaper than current electricity rates. A company called CSEM is financing construction of a prototype this year in the United Arab Emirates, and they are hopeful that full production of these islands could begin as soon as 2011. 6 Comments

General Electric and the C-MAR Group recently announced plans to work together on the development of hybrid engine technologies for tugboats, in an effort to offer lower costs for customers and while lowering carbon emissions. The tugboat platform builds on current hybrid technology projects for locomotives, city buses and off-highway vehicles. These hybrid technologies are all part of GE’s ecomagination initiative. Ecomagination represents the company’s commitment to develop new environmentally friendly technologies and products to solve our toughest environmental challenges. No Comments

Canadian Inventor Ben Gulak of BPG-Technologies has developed a wild new green motorcycle that uses gyro technology to stay upright on its two side-by-side wheels. Acceleration is controlled by leaning forward to go faster, and leaning back to slow down. The gyro tells the ECU how much to accelerate and that in turn delivers the proper amount of current to the electric motors, one for each wheel. Weighing in at a mere 129 pounds, the 'bike' has a top speed of 25mph and a battery life of 2 1/2 hours. The bike was recently unveiled for the first time at the 2008 National Motorcycle Show in Toronto. 3 Comments

Researchers from Florida University recently began testing a new field hospital design in the Honduran jungle. U.s. Military and emergency response teams are hopeful that the project will be a success, as each unit would be able to desalinate up to 400 gallons of water per day, and produce enough electricity to power an average American household. The portable hospitals will use thin-film solar technology, but can also be powered using wind and micro-hydro, or even biofuels. The military plans to adopt the system for worldwide use if the tests are a success. No Comments

Scotland based firm ZM Architecture was recently awarded a prize by the International Design Awards for its promising solar technology concept known as the solar lily pad. What makes the most sense about this concept is that it can be implemented with very little environmental impact while saving precious land resources for other uses. Project manager Peter Richardson hopes to implement the technology on the River Clyde in an effort to supplement Glascow's electricity needs while creating a unique waterfront experience. Glascow City Council has already approved a small test site for construction of a pilot project. 7 Comments

Scientists from the Vulcan Project at Purdue University have created an extraordinary piece of software that tracks the carbon emissions of the entire continental United States. This exciting virtual map has the potential of becoming an effective way to analyze and try to solve the climate change puzzle. The current data map only contains emissions from 2002, but more recent years are being analyzed and the project's ultimate goal is to "build a computer-based world in which all processes that emit fossil fuel carbon dioxide (CO2) at the planetary surface can be simulated, visualized, analyzed, and used by multiple stakeholders as they engage the climate change problem." 4 Comments

The Scuderi Group will be presenting a scale plastic model of their highly anticipated split-cycle air-hybrid engine during this week's Engine Expo 2008 in Germany. The company plans to display a demonstration model of the valve train at the show. The computer models that the Scuderi Group are using to develop the Air-Hybrid Engine are producing concrete engineering results that work as expected when prototyped. The new engine is expected to increase fuel-efficiency by 1/3 in regular gasoline engines, and have even greater efficiency in diesel engines. 1 Comment

The Bahrain World Trade Center (BWTC) has completed the construction of the three wind turbines that will generate electricity between it's twin towers. The BWTC design blends maritime aesthetics with the functionality of traditional wind-towers. The buildings are the tallest in Manama and the turbines officially make it the world's first wind-powered mega structure. The three wind turbines are horizontally supported between the towers by three bridges weighing a substantial 65-tonnes each, and will provide 11-15% of the electricity needs of both towers. No Comments

Powerenz, a manfacturer and retailer of portable solar power systems in Georgia, has designed a system to help pilots power up their light airplane avionics without having to start the engine. It can power up the aircraft avionics silently, without smoke, and without wasting aircraft fuel. The unit can be used for approximately 90 minutes before the portable battery required recharging. The entire system can be housed in either a heavy-duty tool-carrying case, a military tanker’s tool bag, or in a hard case. 1 Comment

A new hybrid vehicle prototype could make cargo transportation a lot more energy efficient. The add-on system uses a special trailer that provides a power assist on hills and uses regenerative braking technology to recharge the onboard battery system. The system works similar to a hybrid car; the motor generators produce electricity via regenerative braking instead of normal friction brakes, and a bank of batteries can be mounted under the trailer chassis to store this energy. When the truck/trailer combo needs to accelerate or go uphill, electric power flows from the batteries to the motors to provide some or all the power needed to propel the truck. It is one of several potential systems that aim to increase fuel economy and reduce the carbon emissions from heavily polluting tractor trailers. 4 Comments

Several companies in the past have showcased their plans to use hydrogen fuel cell technology to power a bicycle. Recently, Chinese company Pearl Hydrogen became the latest company to showcase the idea, at a recent technology convention in Shanghaimart. The 20" wheel prototype weighs 32kg and is powered by a PEM fuel cell and brushless electric motor. The top speed is 25km/hour and the 600L twin cylinder fuel cells have a maximum range of 100km. Some trial orders have already been placed for 20,000 Yuan (about US$2,650). The company is optimistic that their hydrogen bike will be successful enough to begin mass producing bikes for the mainstream Chinese market, for a more affordable 4,000 Yuan (US$530). There are no current plans to ship the fuel cell bicycles overseas. 3 Comments

Seattle company HumanCar®, founded by Charles S. Greenwood PE, has been developing human powered vehicles for over 30 years. Their showcase creation is the human car, a 4-wheel, 4-passenger vehicle that can achieve remarkable speeds of 60+ mph! Unfortunately the car is not available to the public, the orginal prototype cost $250,000. The stated goal of the project is to develop efficient transportation alternatives that inspire a "sense of an evolving socioeconomical model". According to HumanCar®, "The time is drawing near when all of the elements - manufacturing, marketing, and product optimization - come together in a cost effective and aesthetically pleasing form." 9 Comments