In the September issue of Popular Science are two full-page photo/articles in their “What’s New†section (pages 21 and 28) that may be of interest to the members of this forum.
The SMIT Solar Ivy is a (big) leaf-sized, 4 oz, 8â€X10†solar cell that is designed to cover vertical building walls. Each “leaf†produces 0.5 to 2 watts, which cost between $10-$15 per leaf, depending upon the size of the project. Thousands of these leafs can be screwed into place on a steel-mesh wall covering. The location is determined by a pre-installation analysis by SMIT’s custom software, which calculates the best mounting angle for each leaf that will gather the most light. The example given is for NYC, where the leaves would be tilted 49 degrees and rotated south in a pattern that would prevent the leaves from shading each other. SMIT says that 4,000 leaves will cover two three-story walls and generate 10 kWh per day. SMIT is taking preorders for the next year and is in talks to launch a pilot this month on the even more angularly complex geodesic surface of the Montreal Biosphere. More information is available at: s-m-i-t.com
The Electro-Moto article describes the MotoCzysz E1pc, which won the Isle of Man TT Zero race this year at an average speed of 96 mph. Built by Portland, Oregon-based designer and engineer Michael Czysz, the E1pc has 10 times the battery capacity of a Toyota Prius and 2.5 times the torque of a Ducati 1198, according to the article. Top speed at the IOM was 141 mph at only 40% throttle. The bike uses regenerative braking, an oil-cooled motor and swappable batteries. Mr. Czysz is said to be in discussions with several companies about licensing or co-developing his technology ideas and he is working on a joint-development project with the Indian auto giant Bajaj. While none of this may be new to EV enthusiasts, it is still great to see the MotoCzysz motorcycle discussed in a magazine like Popular Science.
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Topic: Solar Ivy & MotoCzysz in Pop Sci (Read 822 times)