LG's Solar Hybrid AC Is Great in Theory
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Solar-powered air conditioning -- it's a great idea. On those days when the sun's rays are heating you up, a solar PV-outfitted AC unit would use those rays to cool you down. It's a perfect match, in theory.
LG has introduced a solar hybrid air conditioner that works on that theory, and it does work, just not well. The PV-covered unit generates up to 70 watts of clean solar power per hour, but most AC units use more than 2,000 watts when running, so that leaves a lot of slack to be picked up by the grid.
Now, that's not really LG's fault, instead the problem lies in solar PV efficiency (or lack thereof). There are more efficient technologies being developed in labs all of the time, they just haven't made it to market. Down the road, we may see a solar-powered AC unit that contributes more than a tiny slice of renewable energy (which is still better than nothing), but for now, we'll bet on NREL's super-efficient AC.
via Engadget
Carbon Nanotubes Could Be Secret to Greater EV Range
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Scientists at MIT have developed a positive electrode made of carbon nanotubes that significantly boosts lithium ion battery performance and could lead to much greater range in electric vehicles and longer battery lives for gadgets.
The carbon nanotube electrodes enable lithium ion batteries to deliver ten times more power than a conventional battery and store five times more energy than a conventional ultracapacitor. The nanotubes accomplish this because they have a very high surface area for storing and reacting with lithium, which increases the battery's storage capacity and the speed at which it can charge and discharge.
The MIT scientists have already licensed the technology to a battery company (as yet, unnamed) and are perfecting quick methods of making the electrodes, like spraying the nanotubes on a substrate, to facilitate mass production.
MIT Technology Review
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