From smartphones and laptops to the rapidly growing EV market, we need an incredible amount of lithium ion batteries to make it all work. Materials like lithium are difficult and time consuming to mine and extract ... and can have a major impact on the environment. Can nanotechnology solve our lithi
What if I told you there was an always-on, carbon free, renewable power source deep beneath the earth's surface. Why haven't we been using this power source, literally available under our feet, as much as possible? Let's look at the explanation behind Geothermal energy and it's challenges ... one of
With a global population that's expected to hit 9.7 billion by 2050 and have less arable land to grow food on, what do we do? How about putting robots, AI, and some really cool technology to work to grow food in three dimensions? Let's take a look at the future of food and the growth of vertical far
Imagine a skyscraper with smart windows and walls made from fungus … yes, a fungus. Let’s explore green building and the future of construction. And can going net-zero really make a difference?
I just replaced one of the last gasoline-powered machines that I own: my 10 year old Ariens snow blower. The replacement? The brand new Ego Power+ 24 inch self-propelled 2-stage snow blower. We all know that batteries and the cold don’t go well together, so how does the Ego Power+ Snow blower hold u
What you need to know before getting a Tesla Powerwall (first impressions and early review). There’s a few things I learned going through the installation process that might be useful if you’re thinking about getting a home battery installed. So let’s go through what you should know before getting a
When it comes to energy storage, our first thought usually is lithium ion batteries. But what if we went old school ... like just spinning things really fast and capturing that kinetic energy, old school. I thought I’d explain an example of a mechanical battery: the flywheel. And are they making a c
Tesla made a huge splash in the solar panel world when they unveiled the latest version of the Tesla Solar Roof. But since then we haven't seen too much about it. Is it a bargain or a bust? Or are solar tiles about to go mainstream? I talked to Weddle & Sons Roofing to learn more about it from an in
In the world of vehicle manufacturing, not just EVs, bigger is usually seen as better for economies of scale. Gigantic Gigafactories pumping out thousands of vehicles. What if there was another way? A new EV company on the scene is challenging that notion. Arrival's microfactories are rethinking how
Imagine a future where every home, office or building is painted with solar panels and its bricks operate as batteries thanks to nanotechnology. There's a lot of promise, but what is nanotechnology? And is it more science fiction than fact?
With the growing popularity of solar and wind, we sometimes forget another powerful low-carbon energy source: nuclear. It can be a divisive topic, but there's a really interesting alternative to building out massive, expensive nuclear plants that's worth talking about: Small Modular Reactors. What a
Hydropower may not be The New Technology on the Block, but this old school tech may have a few tricks left in it. With other renewables like wind and solar gaining momentum, is there still room for growth? Are there any downsides hydropower has to address? And what about technology advancements ...