Search giant Google seems not only interested in ruling the online world, but is also making huge investments in green energy. The latest of these being a $280 million investment in SolarCity, a solar power provider for American homeowners, businesses and government organisations. According to Rick Needham, director of Google’s Green Business Operations, this is the company’s biggest clean energy project investment to date, bringing the total invested in the clean energy sector to over $680 million. Another of Google’s numerous other investments in this sector includes a $168 million investment in BrightSource Energy’s Ivanpah solar power plant in the Mojave Desert in California, one of the world’s largest solar energy projects.

 

 

 

Mercedes-Benz cars are renowned for insulating their owners in a bubble of luxury, protecting them from the harsh realities of the outside world. Now they’re also becoming famous for their eco-friendliness. Three of the German car maker’s B-Class F-CELL vehicles have successfully completed a round-the-world driving trip, all whilst pumping out no local emissions into the atmosphere. This trip concluded with three cars having driven over 30 000 km each, crossing 14 countries and four continents in the 70+ driving days. Most of the refuelling was done via a mobile refuelling unit, as there is currently only a network of 200 hydrogen fuelling stations around the globe. With this performance, Mercedes-Benz hopes to boost hydrogen refilling-station infrastructure growth. 

 

 

 

Continuing our theme of German eco-efficiency is the “e-Genius”, a two-seater electrically powered aircraft from the Faculty of Aerospace and Geodesy at the University of Stuttgart. Last month this new electric rising star of the aviation world successfully completed a two and a half hour trip, flying at speeds of 160 km/h (it is capable of flying at speeds of up to 235 km/h). This plane, designed by a team headed by prof. Rudolf Voit-Nitschmann, is powered by a 60 kW motor, weighs 850 kg and is able to achieve flying distances of around 400 km. Based on the latter it only uses 4.75 kW hours of electric energy, corresponding to 0.6 ? fuel per 100 km and per passenger. If only some of our public officials were as proficient as the German engineers behind this plane, Mzanzi would be the greatest country in the world. 

 

 

 

Artificial meat could slice emissions: http://bit.ly/meatgas

 

Green roofs are changing architecture and planning: http://bit.ly/greenyroof 

 

Engineers convert car exhaust gas into energy. http://bit.ly/exhaustpower