With the electric car boom becoming more popular 
by the day, there were bound to be some skeptical questions raised over whether or not every car brand would have to have its own charging station, or if a 2017 Mazda Thundersnake would be able to pull up behind a Chrysler EnFuego at the charging station. Seven major auto companies addressed this issue by agreeing to adopt a universal charging system. What a relief!
Category: Green Technology
One of the biggest obstacles to the widespread 
uptake of solar technology is cost. Setting up solar power systems at home is often too expensive for average-income earners and the cost of larger-scale solar operations is enough to put off small, medium and big business enterprises. Fortunately, scientists and researchers are working constantly to find ways to reduce costs while maintaining, and in most cases improving, efficiency. One of the latest discoveries involves lasers, more specifically, laser scribing with an uber-fast pulsing laser.
The breakthrough comes from two professors from Purdue University’s Centre for Laser-Based Manufacturing: Yung Shin, a professor of mechanical engineering and director of the centre; and Gary Cheng, an associate professor in industrial engineering.
It’s one of the last applications for solar 
technology that one would think of. Only someone who thinks so far out of the box she doesn’t even know where it is anymore could come up with the idea. That someone is Zhenan Bao, a researcher at Stanford University. The idea: using flexible solar cells to create artificial skin.
In the movie Star Trek: First Contact, the crew’s resident android, Data, is given artificial skin by the Borg Queen in an attempt to sway him to the dark side (if you’ll pardon the reference cross-over). In one scene she blows on the skin and makes the hair stand on edge. If you’ve had that experience before you’ll agree that it is thrilling. Now, imagine that owing to a dreadful accident of some kind you’ll never experience it or anything like it again.
If you think that Mariah Carey travels with a lot of baggage, you’d 
be astounded by what military troops in the field carry. It’s estimated that the average US solider carries a pack that weighs around 130 pounds (58.9kg). UK soldiers are estimated to carry between 45kg and 70kg of equipment, 10% of which is taken up by batteries. It’s no wonder then that military organisations around the world are looking for ways to reduce soldiers’ load while still enabling them to be self-sufficient on missions away from camps.
Researchers in the UK and US think that the solution lies in solar power.
Solar power is a competitive industry and the race is on to see 
which company or research team can devise the most efficient and cost-effective technology. Israel’s Solaris Energy and France’s EDF Group have joined forces to come up with a system that solves many of the issues that continue to plague most traditional applications of solar technology, including space and cost.
Science Daily reports that the collaboration has resulted in floating solar power plants. The joint project has been running for some time and is now nearing the end of its second phase, namely construction of the prototype. It’s hoped that by September 2011 they will be able to launch phase three, which is implementation of the technology accompanied by analysis and testing.
Green energy is a major facet of the technology industry nowadays. 
All around the world individuals, organisations and governments are turning to cleaner fuel options, better energy use and eco-friendly products. It’s a time of great discovery in regard to light-on-fuel devices, innovative ideas to save energy and technological advancements in this regard. The Philips AmbientLED 12.5-watt A19 LED light bulb is one such product.
According to Michael Graham Richard, it has a top light output in comparison to other bulbs. Richard has been testing light bulbs and the AmbientLED puts out 800 lumens, which is a lot more than the average 450-590 lumens from a conventional bulb. The lumen count makes it equivalent to a 60-watt incandescent bulb. It earned an Energy Star rating because of it efficiency of 65 lumens per watt; it only uses around 20 per cent of the energy of a traditional 60-watt bulb.
In order to qualify for NASA’s CAFÉ Green Flight 
Challenge an aircraft has to be practical, quiet, and, above all, green. In an attempt to propel aviation into eco-friendliness the $1.6 million NASA-funded competition, which will take place from 11 to 17 July 2011, encourages the creation of aircraft that will not damage the environment as heavily as traditional airplanes currently do.
According to Michael Graham Richard, this competition is the largest prize for civil aviation, and with nine teams currently entered it will be interesting to see what results they yield. The challenge: the aircraft must fly a range of 200 miles in under two hours using the equivalent of less than one gallon of fuel per person in the plane. Teams can create an aircraft that uses bio-diesel, electricity, gas or hydrogen.
A solar heater system.
Green energy is good energy and is fast becoming popular with businesses and homeowners. The initial cost to install such equipment may be high but the ongoing savings on electricity quickly makes it worth it. Now there’s a novel way to cool down buildings and it’s all about excess heat.
Kevin Bullis of Technology Review reports that the development of new porous materials could mean that using waste heat and solar energy to keep buildings cool will become a viable option. The material was developed by researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and can significantly improve the adsorption chilling process, a method used in air conditioning and refrigeration.
As it is, cycling is an eco-friendly pastime and a wonderful way to keep fit; now the Cycloclean bike makes it an even bigger contender in the race to be green. Imagine every time you go out for a cycle you’re rewarded with the satisfaction of knowing that you not only did your body a good deed but also the world? You’ll also be rewarded with clean, purified drinking water for after your ride.
The Cycloclean bike allows users to pedal and purify water from almost any source while they ride. According to the official site, it is meant for emergency use in areas where the underprivileged suffer from poor health due to undrinkable water.
The future is here; electric vehicles are available, people can use their cell phones as banking cards and the hover craft, although it needs perfecting, exists. So what about our clothes? Shouldn’t we be dressing for the occasion? Well that’s something New York University (NYU) graduate students Nien Lam and Sue Ngo are taking care of as we speak.
As part of their interactive telecommunications programme coursework these two students came up with a shirt that can detect pollution and carbon monoxide in the air. The garment lights up in situations where the levels are unhealthy so that the wearer can be notified that they are in danger of breathing it in.
