Climate Technology

World's greenest gym forces patrons to generate their own electricity

A gym in Portland, Oregon (where else?) claims to produce 36 percent of its electricity from a combination of solar panels and special exercise bicycles that transform patrons’ exertions into electricity.

Me, talking about the cost of the clean energy revolution [THRILLING VIDEO]

David Roberts appeared on The Alonya Show to discuss a recent UN report that says the clean energy revolution will cost $1.9 trillion a year.

Limitless supply of rare earth elements found in ocean — if we can get them

The seabed of the Pacific ocean contains 1,000 times as much tonnage of rare earth elements as all the deposits on land, says a new paper published in Nature Geoscience. The elements, which are key to cleantech innovations like solar panels, batteries and electric motors, have been in short supply lately as China, pretty much the world's sole supplier, clamps down on exports.

Critical List: Dust storm hits Phoenix; Electric Prius hits the roads

Phoenix was hit by a 5,000-foot-tall, 50-mile-wide wall of dust.

What does Virgin Australia have in common with koala bears? They're both very interested in consuming eucalyptus leaves, which hopefully will not get the airplanes as stoned as they get the koala bears.

Car companies don't trust drivers with 10-year-old cars to steer clear of 15% ethanol, which can damage older vehicles. So they think nobody should get it.

For U.S. electricity, bigger isn't better

The United States doesn't need another nuclear or coal power plant. It's time to abandon our 20th-century electricity system for wind and solar power.

Groundbreaking solar plant in Spain generates 24 hours of power

In Spain, a new Torresol concentrating solar power plant is the first ever to generate electricity for 21 hours.

Auto manufacturers don't trust people to buy efficient cars

The federal government is proposing a new fuel efficiency standard of 56.2 miles per gallon by 2025. This is fairly modest, on a global scale -- it would require a 5 percent increase every year from 2017 onwards, but Europe is on track to hit 60 MPG by 2020, so it can certainly be done. Car manufacturers aren't happy about the prospect, though, and are pushing for a lower standard.

Their objections: It could add thousands to the cost of a new vehicle (whereas using less $4-a-gallon gas would probably only save hundreds per vehicle every year). And more to the point, it would require them to make smaller cars. This is America -- who's going to buy a smaller car? Where would you keep your ATV? Where would you mount your buck? For god's sake, man, where would you hang your truck balls? THIS IS NOT WHAT WE FOUGHT THE NAZIS FOR BY JIMINY.

'Cling-film' solar panels are 1/200th the thickness of Saran Wrap

New 'cling-film' solar panels can be printed like newspapers, and then self-organize into layers of plastics that can turn sunlight into electricity. The result is a useful solar panel that's only 60 nanometers thick -- or 1/200th the thickness of Saran Wrap.

The world’s fastest all-electric plane

A French pilot flew a plane powered only by electricity at more than 175 miles per hour, the fastest an all-electric plane has ever gone. That's much, much faster than other all-electric planes, which tend to be the type available at toy stores, and about 15 mph faster than the previous record set by the pilot, Hugues Duval.

Live chat: How to build your deep-green MBA

Join us for a live chat on July 12 with Ralph Meima, MBA program director at Marlboro College. We're talking MBAs the green way. How do you build the best program for yourself? What are your options? How does it all work? And do you have to eat granola in the morning?