Tesla “may be keen on replacing the humble windshield wiper with lasers,” reports CNET. In a patent application filed this past May and published with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Nov. 21, Tesla describes a “pulsed laser cleaning” for “debris accumulated” on glass, specifically for automotive application. It also mentions this could be used for “photo-voltaic” applications. That’s…
Tag: solar panels
Walmart Reaches Settlement With Tesla Over Solar Panel Fires, Drops Lawsuit
Walmart has dropped a lawsuit that accused Tesla of breach of contract and gross negligence after rooftop solar panel systems on seven of the retailer’s stores allegedly caught fire. TechCrunch reports: A settlement has been reached and stipulation of dismissal has been filed with the court, a Walmart spokesperson said in an email. It is unclear what the settlement entails. TechCrunch…
Tiny artificial sunflowers could be used to harvest solar energy
Solar panels could be made from rows of artificial sunflowers, each less than 1 millimetre wide, which automatically bend towards light Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2222248-tiny-artificial-sunflowers-could-be-used-to-harvest-solar-energy/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home…
Renewables overtook fossil fuels in UK electricity mix for first time
Windfarms, solar panels and biomass have outcompeted gas and coal power stations for the first time ever over a whole quarter, in a significant milestone Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2219592-renewables-overtook-fossil-fuels-in-uk-electricity-mix-for-first-time/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home…
Lithium-Ion Batteries Win Nobel Prize for Chemistry
“This is a highly charged story,” began Olof Ramstrom, a member of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry, announcing that a trio of chemists who spent decades developing the lithium ion battery were today awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their work. From a report: These batteries, small and powerful compared to older battery technology, made possible pocket-sized mobile phones, laptop…
Urban Farming | Growing Onions From Scraps
Brentwood Urban Farm: A Sustainable Homestead in the City of Los Angeles Owned and operated by green farmers: Emily Richards and John Nogawski. Learn more here. Just because you live in a city, that doesn’t mean you can’t homestead. Such is the case for this organic urban farm. Brentwood Urban Farm is located in the heart of Los Angeles with…Continue Reading
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Scientists use drones to probe earthly dust devils, with an eye toward Mars
Dust devils are common are common on Earth, but ubiquitous on Mars, a desert world. Scientists are using drones carrying cameras and other instruments to gain new insights. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/scientists-use-drones-dust-devils-earth-mars…
Toyota Is Trying To Figure Out How To Make a Car Run Forever
Put together the best solar panels money can buy, super-efficient batteries and decades of car-making know-how and, theoretically, a vehicle might run forever. From a report: That’s the audacious motivation behind a project by Toyota Motor, Sharp and New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization of Japan, or NEDO, to test a Prius that could revolutionize transportation. “The solar car’s advantage…
Tesla Batteries Are Keeping Zimbabwe’s Economy Running
Zimbabweans are relying on Tesla to help them pay their bills. From a report: Amid power outages of as long as 18 hours a day, Econet Wireless, Zimbabwe’s biggest mobile-phone operator, is turning to the Palo Alto, California-based automaker and storable-energy company for batteries that can keep its base stations running. The southern African country faces chronic shortages of physical cash,…
Amazon Joins Walmart In Saying Tesla Solar Panels Caught Fire
Earlier today, it was reported that Tesla is working to resolve the lawsuit Walmart filed against the company earlier this week over defective solar panels. However, this story is far from over as Amazon has chimed in by saying it too has seen its Tesla solar panels catch fire. Bloomberg reports: On Friday, Amazon.com Inc. said a June 2018 blaze on…