Tag: Renewable

Some solar panels follow the sun, while surplus energy can be stored in sand. Now a Boston-based research team has developed a battery-free, solar-powered desalination system for remote areas. The system utilises salt-heavy brackish groundwater and pumps it through a live membrane, meaning salt ions are drawn out as the water flows through. The novelty? An ingenious sensor system,...

It’s important to know ships’ coordinates as well as the effect they’re having on the environment. Now, smaller boats at anchor can help generate renewable energy through hydropower thanks to a startup based in southeast Alaska. Its rotor device is secured to the boat by rope; under the water, tidal currents make the rotor spin, powering the generator. Weighing...

Hemispherical solar cells catch the light at multiple angles to generate power. Similarly, a Swiss startup is taking the sun’s position as its starting point, and its system comprises movable solar modules. They are attached to buildings by a framework, and angled by individual engines towards the sun. Installed outside windows, the modules provide shade and produce electricity at...

Dusting solar modules can be a magical move. Now, a Turkish-based research team is experimenting with a more efficient way of turning sunlight into electricity. Using computer simulation, the team divided a solar cell into multiple small units. Then they assembled them into a hemispherical, rather than flat, form. This allows for more light to be captured at different...

The flow of rivers can help generate electricity. So too five long, curved tube halves. At least, according to the patented design of a Lisbon-based startup. The parts are fastened to a pole, making a low-maintenance wind turbine. As the technology is scalable three sizes of the noiseless, aerodynamic turbine are planned. A small 100W generator, 1.2 metres tall;...

Cycling into the wind can be illuminating. A collection of small wind turbines in the ocean may generate electricity for entire towns. Using the patented technology developed by an American research team, renewable energy could soon be produced from the movement of water in the sea. Unlike mechanical systems like these, the water’s power doesn't actuate a single generator...

Seawater provides for nomads and makes lamps shine bright. Miniature wind turbines in the ocean are equally productive. A Swedish company is using waves of 50 cm and higher to generate electricity. For environmental reasons, floating elements are attached to old jetties or breakwaters, and then connected with hydraulic pistons. The biodegradable liquid in the pistons is compressed by...

Young minds are bright minds. Take this 14-year-old schoolboy, for example, or this 11-year-old girl. Now three teenagers from Malaysia have won an innovation competition with their affordable and sustainable air-conditioning system. First rainwater is collected in a container. A sensor monitors the room temperature at home, activating a water pump if it exceeds 30 degrees. This, in turn,...