China’s economy is growing at unprecedented rates, and the superpower has been doing everything it can to generate enough power to support it. So far the nation has invested in everything from
I think we can all agree that smartphones are incredibly useful, and their benefits are only compounded by the wide range of applications we can download. However, a study has revealed that free
It’s no surprise we are big LEGO fans here at Inhabitat – the iconic building blocks can be used to create everything from cameras and furniture to apartments and massive cathedrals. Now the
Bacteria and microbes have long been discussed as potential renewable power sources, like microbial fuel cells using bacteria to convert organic compounds directly into electricity by a process known as
A wind farm which opened in this week in West Virginia marks an important milestone in wind energy — the farm is using a battery system to store energy and improve performance. Laurel Mountain
BMW’s Spartansburg, South Carolina plant is launching a program to convert methane gas into hydrogen. If successful, the manufacturing facility will be able to power its fleet of production vehicles
In our last Energy 101 column, we looked at some of the home energy monitoring devices currently available and explored the ways that they can help us live more efficient, eco-conscious lives. But with
Plants have long harnessed sunlight to create ‘food’ for themselves, and now a joint American and Swiss team have created a device that can duplicate the process! The team recently unveiled
Estuaries may be good for more than harboring wildlife and creating beautiful scenery; they could also supply power to the grid, according to researchers at the Dutch Center for Sustainable Water
Earlier this week, we showed you a motorcycle that runs on solar power, so it’s only fitting that now we bring you news of an electric bycle that runs on water! Developed by SIGNa Chemistry, this
Spain may have cut its famous solar subsidies in light of their financial crisis, but that hasn’t stopped other renewable energy sectors in the country from thriving. The country will soon be home
Attention, chatterboxes of the world: one day you may be rewarded for your talkativeness with power to juice up your cell phones. Researchers in Korea have figured out a way to turn the main ingredient in
Photo by Brandon Baunach The human body is arguably one of the finest machines ever created by nature, and now a team from Norway’s Academy of Science and Letters in Oslo are looking to it for
Seattle’s network of obsolete, decommissioned electrical substations are poised to become a network of neighborhood-friendly, solar powered pocket parks capable of generating more than a megawatt of
Designer Mike Thompson has created an incredible living lamp that is powered by algae! Spotted over at Designboom, the Latro Lamp derives energy from an algae chamber that requires just sunlight, CO2, and
Glucose: it gives us that extra spike of energy, powers our cells, and soon, it might even power implantable medical devices. A team of researchers from Joseph Fourier University in Grenoble, France
By now you may have taken a look at our list of 5 energy-saving smartphone apps and wondered, “What if I don’t have a smartphone?” Don’t worry–we still have you covered. Read
Though the Dutch are known for their windmills, they may be looking to underwater turbines for energy in the near future. In 1953 a massive flood decimated a large part of The Netherlands, killing 1,800
In the poorest regions of the world, exposure to kerosene kills one person every 20 seconds. That’s why we’re really impressed with the folks over at Plus Minus Solar who’ve designed
Were you impressed by the recently unveiled Bloom Energy “micro power plant”? Well the stationary fuel cell already some competition in the form of a methanol fuel cell device from a
Peas are tasty, sure, but they might also play an important role in our energy future. Researchers from Tel Aviv University’s Department of Biochemistry have discovered that tiny crystals found in
It’s not easy walking on a prosthetic foot. Aside from the obvious difficulty of adjusting to an artificial limb, dragging around the weight of the foot exerts a lot of energy — 23% more than
Take 100 billion pounds, a plan to create 60,000 jobs, and the urgent need to end an addition to fossil fuels, and what do you get? The first steps in Britain’s plan to develop its offshore wind
This year’s Consumer Electronics Show is over, but there are still a number of nifty devices trickling into our inboxes. One of our favorites is the RCA Airnergy, a USB-connected device that
It’s about that time of the year when roads start freezing over and cars slip-slide into accidents. Fortunately for drivers, Researchers at the University of Houston, Texas want to make these
Instead of just burning calories, why not use all that energy from exercising to power your MP3 player? The Dancepants Kinetic Music Player, a shortlisted entry in Designboom’s Green Life
What if we could turn all the plastic waste we create on a daily basis into fuel to power our cars? A Washington, DC-based company called Envion claims it can do just that with a process that turns
