Exciting sustainable developments

There is also an Australian company (Redflow ASX:RFX)with a commercialised zinc-bromine flow battery that is currently gaining acceptance. It is mainly going into backup power for 4/5G masts but also home, farm and small scale industrial use. Very long life, no fire hazard and handles high temps.

 

Even the bigger diggers are now on board. Heavy machinery was always going to be tricky to cover

World's first hydrogen-powered dual fuel excavator unveiled

 

Had followed Redflow for years, recently gave up.
They started manufacturing here, moved off shore for cost savings to increase production and make the ZB1 more affordable.....
Unless you are/were part of management (where they had these installed at home as part of R&D or a promotion/marketing example) these haven't really been made available to households, which is a real shame ( because they can be charged directly from ac micro inverters).
Sure they are larger which doesn't suit a lot of households, I'd have bought 1 or 2 years ago and pretty sure I still can't today due to them pursuing the commercial market.

 

Notice they've been invited to tender for Leisureplex in WA ... at that share price, I've snaffled around $1,000 worth and see where it leads. At that price it's a bit of a play.

 

A number of manufactures of electric vehicles are now questioning the environmental credentials of lithium mining now as well..

 

Iceland also has the advantage of using thermal energy to produce electricity ... but wouldn't it be awesome to suck the excess carbon out of the atmosphere faster than it's being produced

World's Biggest Direct Air Capture Plant Comes Online

 

At least with lithium you dig it up (or evaporate brine) once whereas with petroleum and gas you are continually extracting it for every km a vehicle travels.

 

This is very cool (sheesh, I use that word a lot on this thread)!

Wood becomes transparent, like glass, but it also has the properties of plastic – it bends upon impact and crumbles like wood instead of breaking into sharp pieces like glass. According to the developers, the new material is stronger than ordinary glass, safer, more economical, and more efficient in terms of thermal protection.

'Transparent wood' material could be the window of tomorrow

 

The best solutions are usually the simplest ... don't overthink

Engineers develop a simple way to desalinate water using solar energy

 

Hmmmm ... wonder if they can be retread, to prevent even more waste

Airless tires get their public test drive

 

For night time

This Wind Turbine Panel Lets You Harness Enough Energy to Power Your Home

 

"New building materials that reduce urban temperatures, and counteract the effects of climate change, will be produced in a research partnership between UNSW Sydney and the University of Sydney."


"But, but, but the additional cost" could be the whinge.

Super cool building materials prove powerful arsenal against climate change

 

And I was right although the proposal is different.

Concern proposed planning law change to increase number of trees could drive up house prices

 

The usual money over planet argument ... wonder when humans will realise that we need the earth, but she'd be quite happy without us

 

Landline just had a segment on this product. Building panels made from grain stalk waste (wheat, rice etc). Been around for 40 years but only now coming into focus as Argentina are building two massive factories ... again ... Australian technology goes overseas for mass production

The Compressed Straw Wall & Ceiling Panel | Durra Panel

 

Battery development ... range, cost and chargability ... are improving on a near daily basis

Inexpensive EV battery offers a range of 250 miles, charges in 10 minutes

 

This sort of thing is why I'm holding off buying a new car now - still driving my 13 year old, 300k on the clock, corolla - while waiting for technology to peak and then plateau for a while (as it always does)

Lithium-metal “hybrid” battery promises lighter, longer-range EVs by 2025

 

Same, but 17 yr old Holden astra. I don't think it's going to make it.

 

Wondering if Barnaby will "eat his hat" or shorts first?

World's First Fully Electric Tractor Could Outclass All Rivals

 

I enjoy checking in here periodically for a dose of optimism, so please feel free to keep posting