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Solar Cell Performance Improved with Blu-ray Disc
A solar cell scatters light more effectively when it is textured rather than smooth, increasing its efficiency. Scientists have searched for the most effective texture with a reasonable manufacturing cost.
Solar Eclipse Will Test European Electric Power Grid
Close coordination among operators of Europe's interconnected electric power grid will be crucial to manage the potential loss of some 35,000 megawatts (MW) of solar photovoltaic (PV) generating capacity during a two-hour solar eclipse that takes place on the morning of March 20.
Standard to Provide Screening Process for Microbial Contamination in Fuel
A proposed ASTM International standard will provide a screening process to determine microbial contamination in fuel. The proposed new method will join four existing fuel microbiology methods and practices under the jurisdiction of ASTM D02.14 on Stability and Cleanliness of Liquid Fuels.
UK Offers £10m Prize for Battery Innovation
The UK government is launching a nationwide competition to find the next innovation in batteries. The £10 million ($15.46 million) prize will be awarded to a single UK-based consortium that demonstrates the idea for a commercially viable battery pack for the next generation of ultra-low emission vehicles and is ready for production and integration into cars and other road vehicles.
Updated Standard on Energy Efficiency in Existing Buildings
A revised standard from ASHRAE and IES seeks to provide greater guidance and a more comprehensive approach to retrofit of existing buildings for increased energy efficiency.
Industrial Pump Derived from Bird Wing Motion
Birds manipulate airflow each time they flap their wings, pushing air in one direction and moving themselves in another. Two New York University researchers, Benjamin Thiria and Jun Zhang, have created a pump that moves fluid using vibration similar to a bird's motion.
Software Simulates Component Fatigue
Altair HyperWorks simulation users can now analyze frequency-based fatigue and do random response post-processing with a new download, CAEfatigue Vibrations, as reported at Engineering.com.
ICT Downtime Costs Businesses $100 Million a Year, IHS Infonetics Says
Technology market research firm Infonetics Research, now part of IHS, conducted in-depth surveys with 205 medium and large businesses in North America and found that companies are losing as much as $100 million per year to downtime related to information and communication technology (ICT).
Apple Aims to Produce an Electric Vehicle by 2020, Bloomberg Says
Apple Inc. aims to begin producing an electric vehicle as early as 2020, people with knowledge of the matter have told Bloomberg.
Boeing Centralizes Space and Defense Efforts in New Business Unit
Boeing says it will house its defense and space efforts in a newly created, central location within its Defense, Space and Security (BDS) unit, called BDS Development.
Paper-thin Nanofiber Has Potential for Electronics and EVs
Researchers have developed a paper-like material for lithium-ion batteries that has the potential to boost by several time the amount of energy that can be delivered per unit weight of the battery.
Volvo to Use Cloud for Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communication
Volvo says it plans to share information between cars over the Internet through the cloud. The Swedish automaker says it soon will be possible for cars to warn other cars about road hazards, such as potholes and oil spills.
Companies Team Up to Deliver Wireless Connections for the Internet of Things
Three companies with products applicable to the Internet of Things (IoT) have teamed up to deliver technology that they say will increase device reliability over a wireless network, according to Automation World.
Methane Leaks from Key U.S. Natural Gas Fields in Line with Federal Estimates
Tens of thousands of pounds of methane leak per hour from equipment in three major natural gas basins that span Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Pennsylvania, according to airborne measurements.
Mobile M2M Module Market to Grow 3x to $4.5b by 2018, IHS Infonetics Says
Technology market research firm Infonetics Research, now part of IHS Inc. released excerpts from its latest Mobile M2M Modules report, which provides market share, market size, forecasts, analysis and trends for mobile machine-to-machine (M2M) modules by technology, vertical sector and region.
Safety Groups Want Anti-collision Technology Mandated for Trucks and Buses
Four interest groups have joined to request a rule-making initiative from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to mandate anti-collision technology on all trucks and buses with a gross vehicle weight of 10,000 pounds or more.
Volvo's Self-driving Cars Could Reach Roads by 2017
Volvo has completed designs for self-driving cars which it plans to put into operation in two years, the company announced on Feb. 19.
Engineers Could Learn About Material Strength from Limpet Teeth
Researchers from the University of Portsmouth have found that the material that makes up the teeth of small aquatic snails known as limpets may be the strongest natural material on Earth.
Rolls-Royce Launches Aluminum-based "Everywhere Vehicle"
Rolls-Royce says it will build an “everywhere vehicle” for its next series, joining the list of automakers with sport utility vehicles (SUVs).
A123 Lawsuit Claims Apple Is Recruiting Engineers for Auto Battery Project
Electric-car battery maker A123 Systems has sued Apple Inc. in a Massachusetts federal court, alleging that the iPhone maker is poaching engineers to build a large-scale battery division. The lawsuit was reported by website law360.com and bolsters industry talk that Apple may be developing a car.