Fuel Cells are the ultimate answer to all our energy troubles. If not in a shape and form that they are in today, they have a potential to evolve into something both potent and clean. The heavily bleeding aviation industry seems to be going the eco-friendly way so that it can cut both on pollution and on costs. In a positive step in that direction, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) demonstrated the world’s first manned airplane that can fly exclusively with the use of a fuel cell. The fuel cell, which is based on polymer electrolyte membranes (PEM), generates power for the motor glider’s electric engine.

While PEM fuel cells are not the ultimate answer to our energy needs, the aviation industry could use all the wind that it could get beneath its wings to help it fly in the tough times. The new fuel cell is not hard to manage and its relatively simple cooling needs and consistent power generation make it a true alternative. While the commercial version of this technology might still be a few months away at the least, one can hope for a partial fuel cell powered commercial flight maybe somewhere in the next year. That would truly be a journey towards greener solutions.

Via:  Cleantechnica

Germany is a country that has vividly stamped a class of its own in the international arena with what the world considers as the unending quest for perfection. Germans are known to be hard taskmasters who strive for that final millisecond and that last millimeter of perfect design, form and function. It is something that comes up with German athletes, German technology and of course the ever green German beer. From that perfect lap of magic by Michael Schumacher to the precision of the Mercedes- it is all about power with grace and accuracy.

But Germany has been a land that has been changing away from the technology to the green technology which saves both on oil and emissions. The home of the Mercedes, BMW (even though British) and Volkswagen is moving from oil-guzzling technology to windmills, green gadgets and electric vehicles. Germany is already the single largest producer and market for Solar Energy in the world.

To add to that Germany has recently taken to wind energy and now 7% of the country’s total power is produced by windmills and driven by those gusty flutters of the blade. It seems that the Germans are driven to even eek out perfection out of the renewable energy sources and that once again is a welcome sight.

Via Eco-Chick

For decades now scientists have been shouting about how human activities are causing serious impact on both the North and the South Pole and now we have our first official pictorial evidence of it all in a huge way. While we did see images of breaking icebergs and melting glaciers in the past, the first ever recorded image of the North Pole as an Island is sufficiently large enough to drive home the point. While the world is not going to flood by another year or it is not the end of days as of yet, the great catastrophe might not be too far away at this rate.

The historic development was revealed by satellite images taken last week showing that both the north-west and north-east passages have been opened by melting ice. Prof Mark Serreze, a sea ice specialist at the National Snow and Ice Data Centre (NSIDC) in the US said the images suggested the Arctic may have entered a “death spiral” caused by global warming. Shipping companies though are already rubbing their hands with glee looking at the commercial aspect of it. (They are pretty low, so no point complaining now).

The Beluga Group in Germany says it will send the first ship through the north-east passage, around Russia, next year, cutting 4,000 miles off the voyage from Germany to Japan. The satellite images gathered by NASA show that the north-west passage opened last weekend and the final blockage on the east side of the ice cap, an area of sea ice stretching to Siberia, dissolved a few days later. If people still crib about this all being a ‘natural cycle of change’ and stop doing what they do need to do then the flick ‘The Day After Tomorrow’ might very well be a reality all too soon.

Via Telegraph

Great news for the heart patients of the world. A team of Israeli scientists have worked on a miracle gel made out of the ordinary seaweed that could help save lives suffering from heart attacks. Led by Smedar Cohen, this team claims to have discovered an amazing gel which can strengthen the scar tissues of the heart when it is injected in the heart through the groin vein in liquid form. Upon contact with the scar tissue, the liquid condenses into a thick gel leading the otherwise thin tissues to be thick.

Now these thick tissues heal gradually and even function as normal tissue, thereby reducing the chances of further heart attack. Usually, heart patients suffer from weak heart tissues and an enlarged left ventricle. That is why it has to work harder for pumping blood around the body thereby multiplying the chances of further heart attacks. Tests have been conducted on animals with amazing results. 90 per cent of animals injected with the gel survived a heart attack compared to just 40 per cent who received no treatment at all. The trial on human has been initiated in Germany, Belgium and Israel, as per sources.

At present, there is no treatment of healing the scar tissues of heart. British Doctors claim that if the miracle gel can enter the market commercially by 2011, it can save as much as 20,000 lives every year.

Via newstrack 

Carbon confinement in a safe and sound lay free from leakage has always been a major concern. Till some rock-hard solution could be discovered for carbon storage, Germans are making an effort for this to slow global warming. Besides a lot of carping by critics they planned out a project named CO2SINK in April 2004, whose opening shot took place lately in June, 2008. The abovesaid project will confine CO2 in salt water-filled porous rock about 600 meters beneath the earth. Sited on the exteriors of Berlin at Ketzin in Germany, this project intends to propel 60,000 tons of carbon dioxide over two years into the earth. Keeping in view the ecological bangs of CO2, Germans have got to figure out every single one menace of the project making large scale carbon storage practicable.

Via MediaCleanTech

It will be required to install photovoltaic panels on the roofs in the German town of Marburg, 80,000 souls north of Frankfurt. In addition to incentives, to push on renewable with effect from 1 October 2008 required owners to install just puts hand to the roof for any work: new buildings obviously will have to mount them mandatory.

He established the municipal coalition of Social Democrats and Green imposing fines of over 1,000 euros to those who will not later. According to calculations, enough for 15 years amortize investments of at least one solar panel every 20 square metres of roof.

There are discussions policies: there are those who argued that the measure will trend and soon will be copied in other cities while there is the Christian Democrats speak of dictatorship environmentalist. In Italy, the 2008 budget already speaks of “mandatory installations” but not specifically mentions the obligation to install them in every work of maintenance for buildings (both for individuals and for businesses). A system of incentives and financing facilitated banks in Germany as in the rest of Europe, is already active to help individuals more reluctant to digest these new charges.