Fuel Cells for the Home, in Japan
Japan is testing a generator for the home that runs on fuel cells. It started in 2005 at the Prime Minister's residence but now has grown to some 3,000 households. Japan, being the energy-poor nation that it is, is desperate to find energy elsewhere and fuel cells can run on hydrogen extracted from hydrocarbons, natural gas, bio mass, water, even rubbish ...
Toyota’s Next-Generation Battery Plans
Toyota Motor Corp is so far out in front of the pack when it comes to fuel-efficiency, that objects in the mirror really are smaller than they appear. The company has set the standard for hybrid cars and the use of lithium-ion batteries but it's not enough because they have a plan to launch a plug-in hybrid car with lithium-ion batteries ...
Mitsubishi Wins Order for Five Geothermal Plants in Iceland
I love it when a plan comes together. I love it more when countries work together to make the world a better place. In this case, Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will be working together with the Iceland Power Company, Reykjavik Energy, to build five 45-megawatt geothermal power plants in the small country to the north of the European continent. The new ...
South Korean Truckers Strike, Too
On a lot of levels, this doesn't make sense to me and probably you either, but South Korean truck drivers parked their trucks and let them idle away the fuel. They don't seem to have any more sense about this than their European counterparts but anyway, who's asking us?The truckers who want lower diesel fuel costs, higher fees for hauling ...
The Good Side of High Food Prices, if There is One
There is at least one group of people who are happy about high food prices, the rice growers in Japan. Bread and pasta prices are soaring, but the price of rice has been falling. As a result, the Japanese, for one, are going back to the staple the country grew up on. Japan's farm ministry say per-capita rice consumption is up ...
Fluorescent Bulbs that Last 13,000 hrs by Panasonic
How long is 13,000 hours? 541 days is the answer. One year and a half. That's how long we can leave a Pa-Look Ball Premium Q (quick) compact fluorescent light bulb on, before it burns out. It's the industry's first "hybrid lighting method", meaning it has instant brightness. The bulb is an energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly choice for homes and companies. Until ...
Green Tote Bags the Rage in Fashion
My Bag - Use Me and Re-use Me - I'm not green but I could be. These are some of the inscriptions on tote bags that are popping up everywhere in Beijing, small shops to luxury malls. The Chinese government issued a ban on free plastic bags on June 1st, this year and in response, the Chinese shoppers have found ...
Norway’s Think City Goes 110 miles on One Charge
The Norwegians are on to something. Think Global is the company and Think City is their electric car that can go 110 miles without a recharge. Apart from meeting all US and European safety standards, the two-seater also packs very good performances and tops at 65mph. Assembled in Southern California, Think City will be sold for less than $25K and ...
When Monkeys Go Fishing
There's a saying, "give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish, feed him for life". What do they say when monkeys learn how to fish? And, don't they say things like when cows fly or pigs play the piano? In Bangkok, the long-tailed macaque monkey can grab fruit from trees or bananaz from tourists, ...
Extinct White Dolphin Spotted in China
Six years ago scientists from China, Japan, Britain, and the United States all but determined that the white dolphin, also known as baiji, which makes it home in the Yangtze river, was extinct. Rcently, a white dolphin cub (70-80cms long) with a long tooth filled snout was sighted in the Anhui province. The bad thing however is that it was ...
