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Monday 28 February 2011

Japan to Offer Rare Earth Subsidies for Rare Earths

Tokyo (AFP) 
Feb 25, 2011

Japan said Friday it would offer around 42 billion yen ($513 million) in subsidies designed to slash the nation's reliance on Chinese rare-earth minerals by a third.

Luxury dazzles, China beckons at the Geneva motor show

Geneva (AFP)
Feb 27, 2011

Major car makers were set to dazzle visitors to the Geneva motor show over the coming week with a touch of luxury, but China and emerging markets will be firmly in mind at the European showcase.

EPSRC's Novel Energy Harvesting Grants

London, UK (SPX)
Feb 28, 2011

Fifteen British businesses and seven universities are to share Pounds 5 million of government funding to enable them to research the use of novel nanoscale technologies to develop the next generation of solar energy harvesting.

Geologist Bets on $70 Billion Oil Find Chasing Atlantic Drift

Bloomberg.com
Feb 25, 2011

More than 90 million years ago, when the land mass of Pangaea began separating into the continents we now call South America and Africa, the earth may have produced a lucrative farewell gift: huge oil and gas deposits along both coastlines where they had previously been joined.
To read more click here...

New Volvo Pedestrian Detection System Brakes for you

Physorg.com
Feb 25, 2011

Swedish vehicle manufacturer Volvo’s goal is that by 2020 nobody should be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo and their cars should not seriously injure or kill other road users or pedestrians. To help achieve this aim the company has developed a detection system for cars that can detect pedestrians, predict when they might move in front of the vehicle and automatically apply the brakes if the driver does not.
To read more click here...

Gasoline Hybrid Electric Delivery Vehicles Reduce Tailpipe Emissions While Maintaining Fuel Economy

Physorg.com
Feb 25, 2011

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) recently completed a yearlong technology evaluation of gasoline hybrid electric (gHEV) trucks compared with conventional diesel vehicles. A report released this week details NREL’s efforts to determine the impact of hybridization on performance, emissions, and fuel economy.

Nanofabrication Tools may Make Silicon Optical Chips More Accessible

Physorg.com
Feb 27, 2011

In an effort to make it easier to build inexpensive, next-generation silicon-based electro-optical chips, which allow computers to move information with light and electricity, a University of Washington photonics professor, Dr. Michael Hochberg and his research team are developing design tools and using commercial nanofabrication tools.

Taiwan to relax China high-tech investment limits

Physorg.com
Feb 27, 2011

Taiwan is to relax controls on investments from mainland China in the island's high-tech companies, a senior economic official said Sunday.

Steel Mills Face Record Prices for Iron Ore

FT.com
Feb 27, 2011

Steel mills are set to pay record prices for iron ore next quarter, as resurgent global demand butts up against limited supply.

Solar Energy Drive Draws German Investment

FT.com
Feb 27, 2011

One of Germany’s biggest installers of solar panels has set up a base in Kent amid expectations of rapid growth in the UK solar energy market.

Friday 25 February 2011

Solar Frontier Starts Production At World's Largest CIS Solar Module Plant

Tokyo, Japan (SPX) 
Feb 25, 2011
 Solar Frontier has started commercial production on schedule at its gigawatt-scale Kunitomi factory, the world's largest CIS thin-film solar module production plant, located in Miyazaki, Japan. Launched only 16 months after breaking ground in September, 2009, the new factory will approach full capacity this summer.
To read more click here...

Where Solar Power Meets the Oil Field

Technology Review
Feb 24, 2011
Extracting heavy oil from the ground carries a large carbon footprint, because the oil must be coaxed from the earth with steam. In California's Kern County, where steam-hungry oil fields account for 9 percent of the state's natural-gas consumption, GlassPoint Solar is testing an alternative: a one-acre greenhouse full of solar heat collectors. The Fremont, California, firm hopes this method will deliver steam in a way that's cleaner and cheaper than burning natural gas.
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Tapping the Innovative Masses

Technology Review
Feb 25, 2011

The creative power of technology users awaits mining by companies, says Eric von Hippel. 
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Samsung to Set Up Biopharmaceutical Joint Venture

Reuters
Feb 24, 2011
Samsung Group, South Korea's largest conglomerate, said on Friday it planned to set up a biopharmaceutical joint venture with initial capital of 300 billion won ($264.4 million).
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GM Posts First Full-Year Profit Since 2004

MSNBC
Feb 24, 2011
General Motors Co. posted a fourth-quarter adjusted profit slightly above expectations and its first full-year earnings since 2004.
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Related Articles:

Chromatin's Sorghum Hybrids Top In Biomass Yield, Energy And Sugar Content

Chicago IL (SPX) 
Feb 25, 2011
Chromatin has announced that its sorghum hybrids showed top performance in its 2010 biomass and sugar testing programs when compared to other materials from public, private, and commercial sorghum collections.
To read more click here... 

Radical Engine Design Said More Efficient

San Diego (UPI) 
Feb 23, 2011
 A California company says its radical design for an internal combustion engine could increase efficiency and cut greenhouse gas emissions.  
 The San Diego firm Tour Engine says it has a solution: Just split the engine in two, NewScientist.com reported Wednesday.
To read more click here... 

Boeing Wins Massive US Air Tanker Contract

Washington (AFP)
Feb 24, 2011

US aerospace giant Boeing on Thursday won a massive contract to supply aerial refueling tankers to the Air Force, defeating European rival EADS in a long and tortuous contest.
To read more click here... 

China Begins High-Speed Railway Trial

Xinhuanet.com
Feb 25, 2011
The Shanghai section of the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway began a joint trial on Sunday. The project includes testing the new-generation bullet trains and its power system.

The Shanghai section of the route covers 645 kilometers(401 miles) and connects Zaozhuangxi in Shandong province to Hongqiao in Shanghai. The track linking Zaozhuangxi and Bengbu in Anhui province has finished its test run. Trains travelling that section can reach speeds of 486 kilometers per hour(302 miles per hour).

The trial is expected to be completed by May.The Beijing-Shanghai line is China's longest high-speed rail line. It covers more than 13-hundred kilometers and connects two major economic zones in the Bohai Sea Rim and the Yangtze River Delta. The high-speed train is expected to be in operation in June. It will shorten the trip between Beijing and Shanghai from 10 hours to under four hours.

Companies Look to Cut Use of Rare Earths

FT.com
Feb 23, 2011

Faced with volatile prices for materials crucial to many of their most promising clean energy products, US corporations are quietly investing in alternative technologies and retooling their manufacturing processes to reduce demand for rare earths.
To read more click here...

Thursday 24 February 2011

Promise And Limits Of Biomass Energy In The Northeast

Biofueldaily.com
Feb 23, 2011

Forest biomass could replace as much as one quarter of the liquid fossil fuel now being used for industrial and commercial heating in the Northeastern United States. That's according to a new report released by the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies.
To read more click here...

S.E. Asia Urged to Exploit Abundant Clean Energy

AFP
Feb 22, 2011
 From surging rivers to volcanic steam, Southeast Asia is blessed with abundant sources of renewable energy but governments are not doing enough to exploit them, experts and activists say.

GE Delivers Diesel-Electric Locomotives to South Africa

Getransportation.com
Feb 24, 2011


General Electric South Africa has delivered two C30ACi diesel locomotives to state-owned rail freight logistics firm Transnet Freight Rail (TFR).
To read more click here...

Google Backed Startup Zaps Electricity Waste

AFP
Feb 23, 2011
A Google-backed startup on Wednesday came out of "stealth mode" with a way to dramatically cut the amount of electricity wasted by data centers, solar panels, hybrid cars and more.  Transphorm has made a module that can cut by as much as 90 percent the amount of electricity lost while converting currents in anything from laptops to elevator motors and massive computer server farms.
To read more click here...

Researchers Discover New Way to Design Metal Nanoparticle Catalysts

Physorg.com
February 22, 2011

Tiny metal nanoparticles are used as catalysts in many reactions, from refining chemicals to producing polymers and biofuels. How well these nanoparticles perform as catalysts for these reactions depend on which of their crystal faces are exposed.
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Higher Energy Yield with Torque Vectoring Gears

Physorg.com
Feb 23, 2011

Wind turbines have a problem: Depending on the wind's force, the rotational speed of the turbine and thus of the generator changes. However, alternating current must be fed into the grid with precisely 50 (or 60) hertz. Typically the generated alternating current is first rectified and then transformed back to alternating current of the required frequency. Scientists at the Technische Universitaet Muenchen, Germany, have now developed an active transmission that makes this double transformation superfluous.
To read more click here...

New Stretchable Solar Cells will Power Artificial Electronic 'Super Skin'

Physorg.com
Feb 23, 2011
Ultrasensitive electronic skin developed by Stanford researcher Zhenan Bao is getting even better. Now she's demonstrated that it can detect chemicals and biological molecules, in addition to sensing an incredibly light touch. And it can now be powered by a new, stretchable solar cell she's developed in her lab, opening up more applications in clothing, robots, prosthetic limbs and more.
To read more click here...

Wednesday 23 February 2011

Kazakhstan Embraces Chinese Investment

FT.com
Feb 23, 2011

Kazakhstan has announced billions of dollars worth of deals with China, underlining the region's gradual shift away from Moscow and towards Beijing...

France Launches Nuclear Industry Overhaul

FT.com
Feb 23, 2011

France has launched a long-awaited overhaul of its nuclear industry in an effort to bolster the competitiveness of one of its leading industrial sectors in international markets.

Praying for an Energy Miracle

Technology Review
Feb 23, 2011

Every clean-tech startup these days claims to have a breakthrough that will finally make renewable and clean energy sources cheap enough to compete with fossil fuels. But are we really on the brink of a clean-energy economy?

Super-thin Superconducting Cables

Technology Review
Feb 23, 2011

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have found a way to make high-temperature superconducting power cables that can carry as much current as existing superconducting cables while being a tenth of the diameter. The thin, flexible cables could open up new applications in electrical power transmission and could lead to powerful new magnets. 

Zardari to Seek Nuclear Technology Cooperation with Japan

Dawn.com
Feb 21, 2011

President Asif Ali Zardari said Monday that since Japan was negotiating a deal with India to cooperate on peaceful uses of nuclear energy, the similar cooperation should be extended to his country.

India, Russia Exploring JV in Solar Photovoltaic Cells

Russia and India Report
Feb 21, 2011

Faced with burgeoning demand for silicon wafers, India is exploring possibilities of setting up a joint venture company in Russia to source the key component required for its fledgling solar energy initiatives.

Volvo Cars Said to Select Chengdu for First Chinese Factory

Bloomberg
Feb 23, 2011

Volvo Cars, the Swedish automaker acquired by Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co. last year, will build its first Chinese assembly plant in the city of Chengdu, a person with direct knowledge of the plan said.
To read more click here...

BP Puts UK Oil and Gas Field Assets up for Sale

AFP
Feb 22, 2011

BP said on Tuesday that it will seek to sell its holdings in a "number" of UK oil and gas fields, as part of an ongoing restructuring.
To read more click here...

Related Information:

Saudi, France sign peaceful nuclear cooperation pact

Reuters
Feb 22, 2011

OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia on Tuesday signed a cooperation agreement with France on peaceful nuclear energy development to help meet the kingdom's rising energy demand, an official statement said.

Green Chemistry Offers Route Towards Zero-Waste Production

Biofueldaily.com
Feb 23, 2011

Novel green chemical technologies will play a key role helping society move towards the elimination of waste while offering a wider range of products from biorefineries, according to a University of York scientist.
To read more click here...

Turning To Nature For Inspiration

Physorg.com
Feb 19, 2011
To build the next generation of sensors - with applications ranging from medical devices to robotics to new consumer goods - Chang Liu looks to biology.

New Armoured Vehicle Technology From Africa To Shake Up Market

Defencetalk.com
Feb 23, 2011

European defense manufacturers are facing strong competition in the form of new ground breaking vehicle technology developed in Africa.
To read more click here...

Dupont Introduces PV Metallization For Metal Wrap Through Solar Cell Designs

Research Triangle Park, NC (SPX)
Feb 23, 2011

DuPont Microcircuit Materials (MCM) has introduced DuPont Solamet PV701 photovoltaic metallization paste as its newest generation of Metal Wrap Through (MWT) technology for back side interconnected silicon solar cell designs.
To read more click here...

Plant's Motions Could Lead To Adaptive Technology

Redorbit.com
Feb 21, 2011

Researchers at the University of Michigan and Penn State University have been studying a species of shape-changing plant that they believe can help them develop a new breed of structures that can twist, turn, bend, stiffen, and otherwise adapt to their environments.

'Printing' Human Organs with 3D Bio-Printer

BBC
Feb 21, 2011

US researchers at Cornell University have engineered an ear made of silicone using a 3D printer, which they hope will one day be capable of producing functional human body parts.

Hod Lipson, the director of the Computational Synthesis Laboratory at the university, has been testing the 3D printer as a means of producing synthetic heart valves.



Addition Information:

Porsche Begins Testing Electric Boxster E

Physorg.com
Feb 21, 2011

You know hybrid and electric vehicles have gained influence when Porsche steps into the mix. Last year, Porsche's announcement of a possible 918 Spyder Hybrid was met with enthusiasm from Porsche fans around the world. Fast forward to this week and Porsche's unveiling of the Boxster E prototype, which was met with similar enthusiasm from its fan base.

Organic Chips - Not Just in your Kitchen Anymore

Physorg.com
Feb 22, 2011

IMEC researchers at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference, in San Francisco, California are expected to introduce a microprocessor made with organic semiconductors.
To read more click here...

Tuesday 22 February 2011

Blast Off! Tech Students’ Winning Satellite to Be Launched into Orbit

Space Daily
Feb 21, 2011

A team of Michigan Technological University students has taken first place in the prestigious University Nanosat 6 competition, earning the rare privilege of having the Department of Defense launch their custom-made satellite into orbit.

Kollmorgen Unveils Modified Power System

Radford, Va. (UPI)
Feb 21, 2011

A variant of a low-voltage power generation system for the U.S. Army's Fuel-Efficient Ground Vehicle Demonstrator is being introduced by Virginia's Kollmorgen.
To read more click here...

Getting Cars Onto The Road Faster

ScienceDaily
Feb. 17, 2011

Auto manufacturers are looking for shorter production times, faster logistics processes, new materials and technologies. A novel software platform will help companies to achieve these goals by reducing not only the development times but also the development costs.
To read more click here...

China Adopts Heavy Metal Reduction Plan

AFP
Feb 18, 2011

China has adopted a plan to tackle heavy-metal pollution, according to state media, after more than 30 major poisoning incidents since 2009.

China Mars probe set for November launch

AFP
Feb 20, 2011

China's first Mars probe will be launched from a Russian rocket in November, two years later than originally planned, state media reported Monday.
To read more click here...

Ford plans to Team with Sollers in Russia

Associated Press
Feb 18, 2011

Ford Motor Co. is teaming up with Russian automaker Sollers to make and distribute cars in Russia, one of the fastest growing auto markets.

NASA to Launch Newest Earth Observation Satellite

Associated Press
Feb 21, 2011

NASA is set to launch its latest Earth-orbiting satellite on a $424 million mission to analyze airborne grit spewed by volcanoes, forest fires, smokestacks and tailpipes.

Polymer Bearings Reduce Environmental Impact

Manufacturingtalk.com
Feb 21, 2011

Igus's shows that, by replacing conventional bearings with Igus polymer bearings, OEMs can lower their environmental impact as the Igus polymer bearings do not require lubrication.
To read more click here...

South Africa Pushing for African Beneficiation Framework to Tap Commodity Boom

Engineeringnews.co.za
Feb 22, 2011

South Africa plans to use its position as the current convener of the Council of African Ministers of Industry to develop a common continental framework for extracting greater value from the prevailing minerals boom.

Liquid Lens Provides 3D Images from Under the Skin's Surface

The Engineer
Feb 21, 2011

The University of Rochester optics professor Jannick Rolland has developed an optical technology that is claimed to provide unprecedented images from under the skin’s surface.
To read more click here...

£5m Fund to Enable Solar Energy Harvester Development

The Engineer
Feb 22, 2011

Fifteen British businesses and seven universities are to share £5m of government funding to enable them to research the use of nanoscale technologies to develop the next generation of solar-energy harvesters.
To read more click here...

BP Australian Solar Project Gets Financing From Eight Banks, Partner Says

Bloomberg
Feb 22, 2011

BP Plc’s partner in a proposed Australian solar power project said BNP Paribas, Banco Santander SA and National Australia Bank Ltd. are among eight banks that have agreed to help finance the venture.

Nanotechnology may lead to new treatment of liver cancer

Penn State University
Feb 21, 2011

Nanotechnology may open a new door on the treatment of liver cancer, according to a team of Penn State College of Medicine researchers. They used molecular-sized bubbles filled with chemotherapy drugs to prevent cell growth and initiate cell death in test tubes and mice.
To read more click here...

A Nano-Solution to Global Water Problem: Nanomembranes Could Filter Bacteria

Buffalo University
Feb 21, 2011

New nanomaterials research from the University at Buffalo could lead to new solutions for an age-old public health problem: how to separate bacteria from drinking water.

Silicon Solar Cells Ditch the Wafers

Technology Review
Feb 22, 2011

Startup Crystal Solar hopes to take some of the cost out of high-performance single-crystalline solar cells by eliminating conventional silicon wafers. The company says it has developed a wafer-free process for making 50-micrometer-thick solar cells with over 15 percent efficiency, with the possibility of higher efficiencies. Because the process doesn't waste much silicon, Crystal Solar expects to produce cells for half or even a third of the cost of conventional cells.

Switchable Metamaterial Makes Itself Invisible

Technology Review
Feb 18, 2011
A metamaterial that turns itself off could dramatically improve magnetic resonance imaging. 

Monday 21 February 2011

Investing in Greener Economy Could Spur Growth

Reuters
Feb 21, 2011

Channeling 2 percent, or $1.3 trillion, of global gross domestic product into greening sectors such as construction, energy and fishing could start a move toward a low-carbon world, a report launched on Monday said.

Biofuel Powers Bentley to World Ice Driving Speed Record

Reuters
Feb 20, 2011

Driving a bioethanol-powered Bentley, Finland's Juha Kankkunen has broken his own world speed record for driving on ice. The four times World Rally Champion reached a speed of more than 330 kph (200 mph) beating his old record by more than 9 kmh (6 mph).



Addition information on Rolls Royce:

Oil groups Rush to Grab Slice of East Africa

FT.com
Feb 20, 2011

Majors and independents are investing hundreds of millions of dollars in exploration and compete to snap up licences on the continent’s last hydrocarbon frontier...

As US Cuts Back, China Aims to be Top at Science

AFP
Feb 18, 2011

China has its eye on becoming the top science nation in the world, overtaking the United States and European nations, researchers at a US science conference said Friday.

CK Morris Associates, LLC Introducing the First Remote Project Methodology Designed to Control and Improve Virtual Project Execution

Redorbit.com
Feb 18, 2011

CK Morris Associates, LLC Virtual Program and Project Management Consulting creates a project methodology specifically designed to manage remote projects. The Remote Methodology is intended to integrate with other well known methodologies such as Traditional, Adaptive, and Extreme. The methodology adds value by facilitating the identification and planning for risks commonly associated with virtual or remotely managed projects.

2045 – The Year When Humans Stop Dying -- Are You Prepared? AgelessZoom.com Announces Longevity at Your Fingertips

Redorbit.com
Feb 18, 2011

What a remarkable future. The year 2045. No Death. Very little disease. Is this real? Well, this is what is being predicted, and what we all have to prepare for. It’s called extreme-longevity.

Ageless Zoom, Inc., a visionary online company, launches its leading-edge website - AgelessZoom.com. This groundbreaking website guides people around the world through the medical and technological options at the cutting-edge of longevity to improve not only how well they live but how long.

Honda plans 41-MPG Civic HF to Regain Small Car Efficiency Lead

Automotive news
Feb 17, 2011

Honda Motor Co. will start the U.S. sale of two versions of its best-selling Civic compact that are more fuel-efficient than the current models as Japan's third- biggest carmaker aims to regain the fuel-economy lead in the small car segment.

Robot hummingbird passes flight tests

Physorg.com
Feb 18, 2011



A prototype robot spy "ornithopter," the Nano-Hummingbird, has successfully completed flight trials in California. Developed by the company AeroVironment Inc., the miniature spybot looks like a hummingbird complete with flapping wings, and is only slightly larger and heavier than most hummingbirds, but smaller than the largest species.

New Invention Can Turn Your Plastic Bags into Fuel at Home

Physorg.com
Feb 18, 2011

Plastic bags help you carry your groceries home, they make excellent liners for smaller-sized trash cans, and now they can help you to heat your home. A Japanese inventor has found a way to convert plastic grocery bags, bottles and caps into usable petroleum.Plastic bags help you carry your groceries home, they make excellent liners for smaller-sized trash cans, and now they can help you to heat your home. A Japanese inventor has found a way to convert plastic grocery bags, bottles and caps into usable petroleum.

Friday 18 February 2011

Yale Scientists Build 'Anti-Laser'

BBC
Feb 17, 2011

U.S. researchers have announced the development of the world's first "anti-laser," a device that can absorb and cancel out a laser beam.
To read more click here...