Artificial Leaf turns Water into Energy for Cheap

A Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) research team, lead by Dr. Daniel Nocera, have created a functioning artificial leaf which in reality is an advanced playing-card sized silicon+catalyst solar cell that can power a house in a developing country for a day using a gallon (3.79 liters) of water and sunlight....

The oxygen and hydrogen can either be passed through a fuel cell to generate electricity, or burned to generate heat. All the leaf needs is water and sunlight, and it will work for at least 45 hours without degrading in performance according to testing done in the lab.

http://www.reviewsofelectronics.com/scientists-create-artificial-leaf/228189/

Chevy Volt Is (Really) A Go!

It's a milestone day. GM's CEO has announced that the Board of Directors has OK'd mass production of the Chevy Volt beginning in late 2010 -- moving that date from a goal to a commitment. That also sets the stage, we hope, for earlier preliminary rollouts of the vehicle in California and other receptive markets, which we think will become more likely as the presidential candidates weigh in with more details of their plans to promote plug-in cars.See http://gm-volt.com/ for coverage and commentary. That website picks up a story from The Auto Channel:http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2008/06/03/088775.html

Quote from Thomas Edison...

"I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don't have to wait till oil and coal run out before we tackle that."

Thomas Edison, 1847 - 1931