Solar Used To Sterilize Med Equipment, Cook Food

A new solar apparatus has been created to use the sun to heat up water to create steam. This steam can be used for sterilizing equipments, medical apparatus, or to cool food.

As I understand it, this applies the same concept that is used on solar ovens. We tried it once weekend. I built a crummy version but it worked.

This new autoclave device can really help in situations and places where electricity is scarce or unreliable.

Harnessing the power of the sun is ageless. We all know that solar and other renewable power sources is key to cleaner environment and, one day, will wield us off the current energy sources that produce green house gases.

In first world conditions, we don't worry about cooking oil, having clean water (unless you live in a fracking zone), or electricity. But these same renewable tech should be given equal considerations in helping third world nations or far off villages with their basic and medical needs.

This new implementation by Rice University is called the Capteur Soleil.

There is no mention how soon this tech will reach those who needs it but soon the better. And hopefully, sooner.

More at Earthtechling.

President Obama's Meeting With Tech CEOs: We Need A Steve Jobs Or Henry Ford For Green Tech

At the moment, at the writing of this post, President Obama is meeting with a few of Silicon Valley's heavyweights, Apple's iconic leader Steve Jobs and Eric Schmidt. And though there are many thoughts and conjectures about what the meeting could or should be about, there is one thing that I think many missed.

Green tech. And right now even with tens of billions invested by the federal and state governments in incentives and grants and private investments, we are still a long way from getting off foreign oil and those pesky climate warming (or changing) coal.

What we need is a Steve Jobs for green tech. What we need is for President Obama to ask one of those tech visionaries to leave his current position and take up post at a new company that would revolutionize energy conservation and renewable energy production.

Imagine a healthy Steve being talked into taking reign of this new company. And it would have to be a private enterprise, perhaps with some grants from the government. That is as far as governmental involvement should be.

As a matter of fact, the Obama Administration should clear a path for this Steve Jobs led endeavor to succeed.

And how would Steve Jobs be convinced by this challenge? Better question is why would he do this?

Because Steve is Steve. The man who revolutionized computers, brought us the iPod, unleashed on the mobile market a device unlike anything they have seen before, and has once change how we work and play with the iPad.

Because it not him, who? Zuckerberg? Exactly.

And most importantly, Because Steve Jobs' ego is big enough for the challenge.

And yes, I am optimistic that Steve Jobs will beat what ailment he is offering from and has a lot of milage left to change the world again. Maybe even twice over.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPod touch

Green: Volts Arriving At Dealerships

Well, Christmas is almost upon up and the calendar is just an artificial timeline that repeats ever 12 months and 365 days.  I remember for me, Christmas came last April when I lined up at the Apple store for my iPad.  And for some, this will be the GM's Volt that is said to be arriving at dealerships.  And I'm a believer that the Volt will usher in a new era of EV and fuel efficient vehicles in the coming decade.

The Prius and the Insight has done much to help gain attention in the media and the mind set of everyone who wanted fuel efficient cars and to reduce their carbon footprint.  The arrival of the Volt will take that another step.  Able to drive between 35-40 miles before burning any petro is something that most people will be interested in.

Furthermore, Volt is coming at a time of GM's rebirth after being bailed out by the government.  Whether libertarians and conservatives find varying degrees of disgust at government intervention or not, the technology behind the Volt is going to change the dynamics of the auto industry as oil begins another march towards $100 a barrel.

Also imagine a future where individual homes are outfitted with solar panels that can power our cars as well.  The Volt is the first step in that direction.  Together with self-generating homes capable of generating homes, EV can also help out with the power grid during peak hours as well.  

Personally, I can't be more excited about this.  As far as game changers go, folks, you'll want to mark this day.  The Volt is a big deal.

More at Green Prophet.

Solar, Wind, And EV Incentives

Right now, if you get an plug-in vehicle, you essentially forgo the need to burn petroleum in exchange for power generated by the local power plants or whoever your city mandates you buy your electricity from. So we're pretty much making someone else increase the load of chemicals that affect the environment, and ultimately, the planet.

What if the government offers additional incentives for consumers who purchase renewable energy solutions in addition to the EV? Or what if the power companies also provide incentives for consumers with EV to drive even less?

More at GreenJava.

Can Green Tech Be The Salvation For Third-World Nations?

The Sahara Desert, from what little I gathered from Wikipedia, is a diverse and large desert, about the size of the United States and all of Europe. What we see is large sand dunes that stretch as far as the eye can see.

Given the tremendous amount of heat, sun, and wind with a sparse population, it would appear to be an opportunity for renewable energy investments. It would benefit a whole region as well as drastically reduce reliance on petroleum.

I know there are a lot of politics and conflicts that are regional as well as international in scope. However, there is a saying that goes along the line of if something isn't hard, it's not worth doing. Or something close to it.

A multibillion dollar effort can go a long way in help energy starved nations while also benefitting the local populations. Of course, we should not make the same mistakes that many companies and conquering armies from first world nations often do.

This an endeavor should be one undertaken with the ultimate goal of helping all of humanity.