Hydropower from Reuse Reused: a small stepper motor as found in a printer 2 discarded CD-ROMs a foam tray some long stick (I used a piece of 20mm diameter PVC tube from demolition) a LED one or two tie-wraps a small piece of scrap paper Non-reused: The only non-reused part is the hot melt glue (I recommend the low temp type, especially when working with kids). Tools: scissors, screwdriver to disassemble the printer (not shown), cutting pliers or desoldering tools for (optional, not shown). With a bit of luck the LED can also be found in the discarded printer. With even more luck you can find some discarded electronics with a LED standing tall on a printed circuit board, with most of its legs still intact, instead of mounted flush on the board. To keep within the spirit, you can also reuse tie-wraps: when you cut them loose carefully near the “ratchet”, you end up with a shorter, but still usable tie wrap. Now to start building, see the next step.
Stored Solar :: Solar Assisted Electrolysis In a solar assisted electrolyser, commonly referred to as photo-electrochemical (PEC) generation of hydrogen, the required bias for water electrolysis is reduced. The additional energy required to split the water is provided by light from the sun at the blue end of the visible spectrum. The light is absorbed in the electrolyser by a metal oxide photo-electrode with nano-crystalline properties. In one early method of preparation using spray pyrolysis, the proprietary photo-material is deposited at elevated temperature in ultra thin layers to achieve the correct chemical and physical properties. Further developments are underway to significantly reduce the bias requirements and increase the spectral range of light absorbed by the photo-material to increase the efficiency of hydrogen production. Commercial partners are sought who can produce samples with very specific attributes. info (at) storedsolar.com
How to make batteries out of paint This article was taken from the January 2013 issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online. Researchers at Rice University, Houston, have created a battery made of paint. Assemble your paintbox Your paintable lithium-ion battery comprises five coats of paint, each representing a component of the battery: the lithium-titanium anode, two current-collectors made of a solvent, a cobalt cathode, and a polymer separator that holds the electrolyte. Layer the components The paints have to be applied in a certain order: the separator is in the centre, between the anode and cathode, and the two current collectors seal the sandwich. Seal them up tightly To seal the battery, you can use the aluminium foil found in coffee-sachet packaging. Power the results The battery now needs to be charged up with a 120-volt power supply.
Energy Maybe you want to save the planet, or maybe you just want to save money on your energy bills. Either way, Control4 home automation helps you conserve energy and save money. With plenty of options to manage all of the power-consuming products in your home, you’ll have lots of choices that allow you to reduce your impact on the environment. Set your house to “Away” when you leave—even if you’re just out for the day. If your automation system knows there’s nobody home, it can take steps to conserve energy for you. Only Organics Can Feed the Hungry World: Here's Why Students working on UGA's organic demonstration farm in summer 2012. (Photo: UGA College of Ag)A new approach to agriculture that combines the best in industrial production with organic and sustainable practices is the key to meeting the changing needs of a changing world, where resources are rapidly depleted by a growing population. "Are Organic Foods Safer or Healthier Than Conventional Alternatives?" The press weighed in with a bewildering range of instant reactions. The LA Times, on the other hand, pointed out in an editorial that the study largely ignored the ill effects of pesticide residues on conventionally-grown produce, and the hormones and antibiotic-resistant bacteria that taint factory-farmed meat and poultry. My own appreciation for organic agriculture dates to a conversation that I had years ago with a cotton grower from the Central Valley of California who told me about his switch from conventional to organic growing. No surprise there.
Solar Hydrogen Process Produces Energy from Water Special titanium oxide ceramics harvest sunlight and split water to produce hydrogen fuel. Researchers at University of New South Wales anticipate an energy-harvesting device with no moving parts within 7 years. A team of Australian scientists predicts that a revolutionary new way to harness the power of the sun to extract clean and almost unlimited energy supplies from water will be a reality within seven years. Using special titanium oxide ceramics that harvest sunlight and split water to produce hydrogen fuel, the researchers say it will then be a simple engineering exercise to make an energy-harvesting device with no moving parts and emitting no greenhouse gases or pollutants. It would be the cheapest, cleanest and most abundant energy source ever developed: the main by-products would be oxygen and water. "Based on our research results, we know we are on the right track and with the right support we now estimate that we can deliver a new material within seven years," says Nowotny.
…7 POINTS AGENDA ON GREEN ECONOMY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT | I SEE A CHANGE Nigeria has been largely unfortunate not to have good and progressive political leaders, and this has resulted in perpetuating Nigeria in poverty and underdevelopment despite her huge GREEN ECONOMY. This persistent failure of the Nigeria System has produced a large army of bitter critics, who consistently point out the ills in the Governance of Nigeria and potter alternative ways of doing it better. Toward the Sustainable Development Conference [RIO+20] in Brazil. My 7 point agenda on green economy for sustainable development which I recommend for the President to look into will be: 1. Strengthen the voice of CSOs to demand accountability; 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. The above lists are my dream for Green Economy for Sustainable Development in Nigeria. Olumide IDOWU | Developmental Consultant | AIESEC Nigeria | olumide.idowu@aiesec.net | www.olumideidowu.blog.com | +2348133451818 This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 20th, 2012 at 8:30 pm and is filed under Uncategorized.
Hydrogen economy The hydrogen economy is a proposed system of delivering energy using hydrogen. The term hydrogen economy was coined by John Bockris during a talk he gave in 1970 at General Motors (GM) Technical Center.[1] The concept was proposed earlier by geneticist J.B.S. Haldane.[2] Proponents of a hydrogen economy advocate hydrogen as a potential fuel for motive power[3] (including cars and boats) and on-board auxiliary power, stationary power generation (e.g., for the energy needs of buildings), and as an energy storage medium (e.g., for interconversion from excess electric power generated off-peak). Molecular hydrogen of the sort that can be used as a fuel does not occur naturally in convenient reservoirs; nonetheless it can be generated by steam reformation of hydrocarbons, water electrolysis or by other methods.[4] Rationale[edit] Elements of the hydrogen economy In the current hydrocarbon economy, transportation is fueled primarily by petroleum. Current hydrogen market[edit] Timeline
The Most Incredible 3-D Printed Things We’ve Ever Seen ⚙ Co The levees have broken for 3-D printing, and the resulting deluge of printing-concepts-on-the-cheap is flowing faster than we can gather. The best of these rise to the surface for their innovating predictions of a faster/safer/healthier future. A Robotic Hand That Doesn’t Cost An Arm And A Leg Teen engineer Easton LaChappelle created his first robotic hand out of Legos, fishing wire, and surgical tubing--a feat that earned him 3rd place at the Colorado Science Fair. Speaking at TEDxMileHigh last month, LaChappelle presented the arm, which features as much motion and almost as much strength as a human arm and costs just $400. [Image credit: TEDxMileHigh] Kowabunga, Customized MADE boards, based in Chicago, is running a Kickstarter campaign to fund a new production process for custom, 3-D-printed “SmartBoards.” [Image credit: MADE, LLC] Prosthetics As Fashionable As They Are Durable [Image credit: Bespoke Innovations] Sugar That’s Sweet For The Eyes, Too [Image credit: The Sugar Lab]
SolMate iPhone 4 Case Is Not Your Typical Solar Charger Okay, so solar power chargers aren’t anything new per say, so why should we care about this one? First off, it’s design looks solid and it is from folks who clearly have worked for reputable technology companies in the past – Adam Benzion, a former Microsoft employee, and Jamie Wojcik, a former designer from Texas Instruments — beyond that, this is highly polished compared to cheaper alternatives (such as Chinese solar solution), and even consists of an additional battery and a 16-bit microcontroller that communicates with a custom iOS app for the SolMate. Another big selling point according to Benzion is that most phones require you to have the solar panel in direct sunlight for at least four or five hours a day in order to truly get a good charge. Directly quoted from the above video, Jamie Wojcik had this to say about the SolMate: The SolMate is being marked under the company name “GreenSimian” and plans to start developing the device this spring with a shipping starting in May.