2010 Prius is a Winner

Brandon Zeman | Jan 12th, 2009 | No Comments »

The 2010 Toyota Prius was officially released today at the Detroit Auto Show, and if you liked the current-generation Prius, then you will love the new model. Highlights of the 2010 Prius include an improvement of 4mpg over the current version to 50mpg and an overall sportier, more attractive design. Here’s what you need to know from this AP article:

“The highly anticipated 2010 Prius boasts a 4 mpg improvement over the current model, which already is the most fuel-efficient vehicle ranked by the Environmental Protection Agency. When the Prius first was sold in the U.S. in 2000, it got 41 mpg. The 2010 version shown in Detroit will be sold in 80 countries.

The new Prius has a more aerodynamic design, but its exterior is easily recognizable as a Prius. It has a larger and more powerful 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine, which Toyota says helps improve fuel economy on the highway.

Toyota also will offer options such as a moonroof with solar panels to power the ventilation system. The system uses an electrically powered air circulation fan that doesn’t need the engine to work. It prevents the interior air temperature from rising while the vehicle is parked.

The ventilation system also can be remotely operated, so drivers can adjust the interior temperature before getting inside. Toyota says this remote air conditioning system is an industry first.”

Photo from Jalopnik- they also have an outstanding photo gallery of the 2010 Prius here.

Storing Energy in “Super Concrete”

Brandon Zeman | Dec 7th, 2008 | 1 Comment »

Finding ways to harness solar energy more efficiently, researchers are working on creating a mix of concrete that could store thermal energy created by solar panels at temperatures up to 600 degrees C. Researchers from the University of Arkansas, with a $770,000 award from the US Department of Energy will expose their creations to high temperatures, paying close attention to the rates of thermal loading and the effects of temperature cycles.

Solar Panels Heat the Concrete
Solar panels are used to gather heat that the concrete absorbs, but the energy must be transferred to the concrete via a steel tube. The researchers are also looking for ways of making this energy transfer more efficient.

“Solar holds great promise as an alternative source of energy,” said Panneer Selvam, professor of civil engineering. “The government recognizes this and knows that we must move in this direction. The problem is that scientists and engineers have not yet developed technology that will allow producers to harness solar power efficiently. So, one area of emphasis to reduce costs is something called thermal energy storage, which is nothing more than developing effective and cost-efficient methods of transferring heat from collectors and holding it before sending it to generators. That is what we are trying to do.”

Cheaper Solar Power
It costs anywhere between 13 and 17 cents per kilowatt hour to store solar energy. The Department of Energy wants to achieve the same storage at 5 cents per kWh by the year 2020.

via TreeHugger