Industry news

Pity poor Mitsubishi, whose Outlander Plug-In Hybrid has been on sale in Europe and Asia for almost two years. But the plug-in hybrid SUV’s U.S. debut has been delayed several times, and now is set for the fall of 2015, likely as a 2016 model. Now we can get a glimpse of what the revised plug-in hybrid 2016 Outlander will

Read more

Time was, the Toyota Prius hybrid was the unquestioned technology champion and king of the fuel-efficiency battles. No longer, though. Now, as Toyota starts to plan for the launch of its fourth-generation flagship hybrid car, the legendary Prius faces more competition than ever before from newer plug-in electric cars and even some diesel vehicles. An article in trade journal Automotive

Read more

Closing the morning plenary session at the 2014 edition of Darnell’s Energy Summit, Baxter Moody, Director of Device Development at HexaTech, Inc. presented a path to commercialization for high-voltage power semiconductor devices fabricated with Aluminum-Nitride (AlN). The company is currently sampling its first-generation of UV-C LEDS on AlN and expects to expand its products to include Schottky rectifiers in 2016

Read more

Belgian nanoelectronics research center imec and Kyocera Corporation announced today that Kyocera, the Japanese high-tech electronics company and manufacturer of photovoltaic (PV) cells, modules and systems, has joined imec’s industrial affiliation program (IIAP) to advance next-generation crystalline silicon solar cells. This multi-partner R&D program aims at increasing the efficiency of solar cells and modules while at the same time lowering

Read more

Demonstrating that renewable energy is on the rise the world over, a company from the oil-rich United Arab Emirates recently bought a stake in a $2.5 billion offshore wind farm project in the United Kingdom. Abu Dhabi-based Masdar bought a 35 percent stake in the 402 Megawatt Dudgeon wind farm project located off the coast of Norfolk in Eastern England,

Read more

For the past 20 years, Toyota has been working on a vehicle that could revolutionize the way we get around. It’s virtually silent, its emissions are so clean you could drink them, and it’s finally ready to hit the streets next year. Meet the 2015 Toyota FCV – the first fuel cell vehicle you’ll actually be able to buy. We

Read more

If proper respect for nature means treading lightly on the landscape, Modscape perfectly captures that theory in this self-sustaining Tintaldra cabin in Victoria, Australia. Located on the southern banks of the Murray River, this off-the-grid retreat is equipped with solar panels, a septic tank, and a rainwater tank to ensure minimal environmental impact. The minimalist design was created so as

Read more

If proper respect for nature means treading lightly on the landscape, Modscape perfectly captures that theory in this self-sustaining Tintaldra cabin in Victoria, Australia. Located on the southern banks of the Murray River, this off-the-grid retreat is equipped with solar panels, a septic tank, and a rainwater tank to ensure minimal environmental impact. The minimalist design was created so as

Read more

In case you’re wondering why we’ve been reviewing some portable solar chargers, lately, it’s not just for fun. Okay so it’s fun, but we’re also interested in how the niche market for mobile energy is growing. Since we don’t have prime sun at hand, we’re also interested in how useful portable solar chargers can be when your solar access is

Read more

Five years ago finding two electric cars at a single event was as common as finding a four leaf clover. Last week in Cupertino, California, though, over 500 electric vehicles gathered to set a new record for the Guinness Book of World Records for the world’s largest EV parade, a great way to cap off National Drive Electric Week. All

Read more