Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is expected to have electricity-powered cars on its streets soon. Abu Dhabi, the emirate that exports oil, is now busy buying stakes in alternative energy. This includes a stake in Tesla Motors, the automobile start-up firm, based in California, the United States, which makes high-performance battery-electric vehicles.

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A team of Italian scientists have discovered a device crafted by G. D. Botto in 1833 that could help change the way we produce hydrogen and usher us into a tomorrow with clean hydrogen energy that is available cheaply.

Uncovered by a team of scientists the Botto device, uses thermocoupling of two metals to produce electricity that can electrolyze water and produce hydrogen at low costs. But what is thermocoupling? A technique in which two different metals are welded together and the two ends placed in different temperatures.

The Botto device used water at one end and wooden flame at the other to create the temperature difference between wires of Platinum and iron. Modern scientists replaced the wooden flame with concentrated sunlight using mirrors, the costly platinum with copper and used water in the middle to create further temperature difference and hence producing more current.

The small scale device produces 20 mW of energy and this can be further expanded to create more energy that is required for electrolysis and production of large amounts of Hydrogen. It seems the Italians have indeed uncovered a gem from the past, let’s hope they get it working.

Source: Gas 2.0
Image : De Luca, R.; Ganci, S.; and Zozzaro, P. “Revisiting an idea of G D Botto: a solar thermoelectric generator.” Eur. J. Phys. 29 (2008) 1295-1300.

Nature - an energy-capturing powerhouse

A London-based company, Solar Botanic, claims to have developed life-like artificial plants and trees that have the ability to trap solar and wind power. The prominent feature of these plants is the ‘Nano Leaf‘ which can harness these powers.

Its photovoltaic and thermo voltaic cells absorb the sun’s energy while the branches produce electricity whenever the wind brings movement in them. According to the company’s calculations, an average-sized tree with a 6sq meter canopy can produce reasonable energy to suffice a single household.

The company also plans to use this energy to power motorways, suburban streets and parks and everywhere else that trees can be planted. What lies in future for this invention is yet a distant thought? Since Solar Botanic has not divulged much of its plans, we will just have to watch for its developments. – via CleanTechnica

Nano-leaf technology : Environmental Benefits