Green Tech

Is vinegar the secret ingredient for biofuels?

To make ethanol, you want to make vinegar first, according to ZeaChem.

The biofuel start-up, which has moved from Colorado to Silicon Valley, says it has come up with a method of making cellulosic ethanol that results in close to 40 percent more fuel per ton of wood chips than competing processes. By 2010 or so, the company hopes to be producing ethanol commercially for 80 cents a gallon at wholesale. That could translate to anywhere from $1.10 to $1.50 at the pump, depending on a host of factors.

How does it work? Most cellulosic ethanol producers convert … Read more

'Printed' solar cells coming to windows, clothing

NEW YORK--Solar company Konarka wants to bring plastics to life with the sun.

Konarka has developed technology to create rolls of plastic that can convert light to electricity--a design that will result in solar power being embedded in everything from flashing Coke bottles to wireless sensors, the company claims.

Earlier this month, Konarka said that it has demonstrated the use of inkjet printing to manufacture its solar cells. And at a recent investor conference here, chairman and founder Howard Berke described Konarka's longer-term plans to embed small solar plastic cells in hundreds of products.

In the second half of … Read more

Clean energy blossoming despite economic headwinds

Clean energy has moved from the margin to the mainstream, with wind, solar, and biofuels topping a combined $70 billion in revenue last year.

Market research firm Clean Edge on Tuesday released its annual report on clean technology and projected continued rapid growth in spending, even though the U.S. economy is slowing down.

Revenue from biofuels, wind power, solar power, and fuel cells grew 40 percent to $77.3 billion, compared with 2006. Clean Edge projects that number will grow to $254 billion by 2017.

Global investments in energy technologies from venture capitalists, public markets, and corporate research and … Read more

A dark side of solar power

The growth of the solar power industry is poisoning land in China, according to the Washington Post.

Polysilicon, which is widely used to make solar panels, is in short supply. In the rush to make it cheaply, a Chinese company reportedly is dumping toxic waste into the ground, killing wildlife and endangering human health.

The newspaper describes green fields in the nation's eastern central Henan Province that have turned snow white from the powdery waste of silicon tetrachloride, four tons of which result from every ton of polysilicon created. Toxic hydrogen chloride gas and acids waft from the waste.… Read more

Nissan to show off electric car concept in New York

Pushing its electric vehicle strategy, Nissan will unveil an electric car concept at the New York auto show. Beyond a one-off concept, this concept is the harbinger of Nissan's plans to push automotive technology forward with electric vehicles. Milestones of this strategy include the introduction of a new electric vehicle, based on the concept, to U.S. fleets in 2010. After this fleet testing period, the new electric vehicle will be sold to retail customers starting in 2012. Nissan has been testing a lithium ion electric powertrain in the Nissan Cube, a model soon to be offered in the … Read more

Ireland: Where wind power is king

DUBLIN, Ireland--It's easier here than in most industrialized nations to green the electrical grid.

Peak demand for electricity in the Republic of Ireland comes to about 5,000 megawatts, Graham Brennan, program manager for renewable-energy research and development at Sustainable Energy Ireland, the government's green-technology arm, said in an interview in SEI's Dublin offices. The peak occurred last December, at 4,907 megawatts.

Studies show that onshore and offshore wind turbines located in the republic could deliver approximately 5,000 megawatts of power over both parts of the island, he added. This figure takes into account only … Read more

GE: Doing cleantech the right way

I have long had a respect for GE (NYSE:GE), and how it runs its business. In cleantech, I am very, very jealous. They have made themselves into the company to beat. Whether by plan, luck, or simply applying sound business discipline, GE has made itself into a top 3 global cleantech player no matter happens. And they did it for a fraction of the price, and a lot less risk than anyone in Silicon Valley or the energy sector. Venture capitalists beware, in cleantech, the behemoths have beat you to the punch, have done it cheaper, faster, and with … Read more

Cardboard key to a 'green' office space

A start-up launched on Friday aims to make furnishing an office as simple as assembling a cardboard box.

Bloxes are the latest option in cardboard furniture (see photo gallery), which is gaining a toehold in the world of 'green' design. The corrugated cardboard puzzle pieces lock together to form sturdy shapes such as chairs, walls, and play forts.

Bloxes founder Aza Raskin turned to his childhood for the idea, toyed with as an art project by his father Jef Raskin, known as the "father" of the Macintosh computer.

The junior Raskin is using Bloxes to furnish the lofted … Read more

Clean energy today: All bluster or the real deal?

Green is the new black--from Washington, D.C., to Silicon Valley.

But the lovefest with clean technology still has plenty of detractors who say that it's all just posturing, wishful thinking, or, worse, misguided.

Let's pull together a few threads from Friday morning's river of green tech news and see whether it adds up to anything.

For those of you in a hurry, here's my bottom line: No, America will not "get off oil" anytime soon as President Bush urged us this week, but yes, green tech matters a lot for the economy and … Read more