Innovation

Qatar World Cup construction workers to get ‘cooling’ solar powered hard hats

Innovation

Solar powered hard hats can reduce skin temperature by up to 10°C DOHA, Dec 29 (Reuters) – Migrant workers building soccer stadiums in Qatar’s desert heat are to be given ‘cooling’ solar powered hard hats to reduce their body temperature and risk of suffering heat stroke, tournament organisers said. Scientists at Qatar University designed the […]

Qatar World Cup construction workers to get ‘cooling’ solar powered hard hats Read More »

Panasonic to invest over $256 million in Tesla’s U.S. plant for solar cells

Innovation

Panasonic, Tesla longstanding partners TOKYO, Dec 27 (Reuters) – Panasonic Corp will invest more than 30 billion yen ($256 million) in a New York production facility of Elon Musk’s Tesla Motors to make photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules, deepening a partnership of the two companies. Tesla’s shares were up 3.5 per cent at $220.75 in

Panasonic to invest over $256 million in Tesla’s U.S. plant for solar cells Read More »

Uber removes self-driving cars from San Francisco roads

Innovation

Uber self-driving cars not properly permitted: California DMV By Heather Somerville SAN FRANCISCO, Dec 21 (Reuters) – Uber Technologies Inc has removed its self-driving cars from San Francisco streets, halting the autonomous program one week after its launch as the company faced a regulatory crackdown. The California Department of Motor Vehicles said on Wednesday it revoked

Uber removes self-driving cars from San Francisco roads Read More »

Roadblocks slow European electric vehicle take-up – Wood Mackenzie

Innovation

High costs, battery lifetime and vehicle range slow growth With electric vehicle’s accounting for less than one in every 500 cars on European roads today, Wood Mackenzie’s report, Is the European EV market on the verge of a breakthrough?  identifies a number of key issues hampering widespread EV take-up. “For EVs to move from the niche

Roadblocks slow European electric vehicle take-up – Wood Mackenzie Read More »

Uber launches self driving car fleet in San Francisco, faces DMV backlash

Innovation

California DMV says Uber does not have permit to test self driving car By Heather Somerville and Alexandria Sage SAN FRANCISCO, Dec 14 (Reuters) – Uber has rolled out its self driving car fleet in its hometown of San Francisco, despite lacking the proper permit that state regulators say is required. Starting Wednesday, riders who

Uber launches self driving car fleet in San Francisco, faces DMV backlash Read More »

Sunrun expands home battery storage to California

Innovation

Sunrun BrightBox stores some energy generated by solar panels Dec 14 (Reuters) – U.S. solar company Sunrun Inc on Wednesday said it was expanding its home battery storage offering to homeowners in California after enjoying better-than-expected demand for the product in Hawaii. With a solar energy system combined with storage, a product Sunrun called BrightBox, homeowners

Sunrun expands home battery storage to California Read More »

Natural gas, wind, lowest-cost generation technologies for much of U.S.

Innovation

Nuclear generation found to be lowest-cost option in 400 out of 3,110 counties nationwide AUSTIN, Texas — Natural gas and wind are the lowest-cost technology options for new electricity generation across much of the US when cost, public health impacts and environmental effects are considered, according to new research released by The University of Texas

Natural gas, wind, lowest-cost generation technologies for much of U.S. Read More »