Important Innovations

  DAILY INNOVATION BRIEF                                                                                                  By Journalists Edward Kane & Maryanne Kane BMW TO UNVEIL HOT, NEW CONCEPTS IN MAY                                                                               Source:  BMW BMW has several automotive surprises planned for May, including a spectacular 2-seat sports car and a very angular, aerodynamic sedan BMW calls the sports car an "elegantly, sporty one-off" and a "homage" although which BMW it is paying homage to is not yet clear BMW has also developed "a very special BMW M car" and an all-electric, M Performance model of the BMW M series Experts are saying that the new M Performance could be BMW's most powerful production car ever with 748 hp & 737 lb-ft of torque produced by dual electric motors The new BMW concepts will be presented in Italy at the Concorso d'Eleganze Villa d'Este annual automotive event on Lak

  24/7 Clean Energy Source From Space                                   Source:  Caltech Solar Space Project Wireless Energy Transfers Beamed From Space The concept is brilliant and it goes back to the 19th century when the great innovator Nikola Tesla mused about a "wireless energy transfer".  Now in the 21st century, California Institute of Technology (Caltech) researchers are developing a system of wirelessly beaming solar energy from outer space to Earth.  They envision the launch of huge numbers of tiny solar panels into outer space where the Sun never sets.  The panels would beam back to Earth solar energy 24/7.  It has the potential of being a game changing source of clean, green energy for worldwide distribution.  According to lead researcher Michael Kelzenberg of Caltech, the unique beauty of space solar power is its ability to deliver huge quantities of solar energy both day and night. Testing Starts in 2022 Space solar power is not a dream for the distant future. 

  Sono Motors Files for an IPO on Nasdaq                                             Source:  Sono Motors' Sion Valuation Could Be More Than $1 Billion Sono Motors of Munich, Germany was founded in 2016 by four friends working out of a tiny garage. The company specializes in developing solar electric, zero emissions cars. Fast forward five years, the company has filed for a US initial public offering (IPO).  The company will be listed as SEV on the Nasdaq with a expected valuation in excess of $1 billion.  Sono has developed an advanced solar electric vehicle called Sion.  It is looking to pull in investor money to expand operations as governments around the world are pushing for greener, cleaner, zero emissions vehicles like Sion.  Growing from zero revenues and a concept to $1 billion in valuation in five years is the essence of a hot, fast growth company that global investors are currently evaluating. Driving on Sunshine Sono's Sion is a fully electric vehicle that has solar

  From the Netherlands, New Form of Zero Emissions Travel                                   Source: TU Eindhoven The Stella Vita Solar Camper The Solar Team from the Netherlands' TU Eindhoven have invented and built a solar house on wheels that they are taking on a 1,864 mile, zero emission ride through Europe to demonstrate its efficacy.  The fully solar powered electric vehicle is called the Stella Vita camper. Built by a team of 22 university students it has a 94 sq. foot solar array on the roof that harvests energy for the 60 kW lithium-ion battery. 100% Solar Powered Travel The Stella Vita can travel at 74.5 mph.  A fully charged battery on a sunny day provides 454 miles of daytime driving and 373 miles of driving at night. That adds up to more than 800 miles on a charge with zero emissions.  All of the EVs functions, including the electric powertrain, the kitchen, shower, appliances and lights are powered by the solar system alone.  The team says they don't expect to rely

  20 Miles of Green Energy                                                                      Source:  Daejeon, South Korea                                           Source:  Solar Bike Highway                                   Source:  Sejong, SK Solar Energy and Green Transportation South Korea has built a 20 mile solar "bike highway" that is both green and highly innovative.  The solar bike lane sits on top of a 20 mile stretch of highway running between the city of Daejeon, which is a transportation hub with a population of 1.5 million and Sejong, the de-facto administrative capital of South Korea.  Solar panels cover the path's roof for the entire 20 miles.  They shield cyclists from the sun and also generate electricity.  The location is highly unusual as 3 lanes of highway traffic straddle either side of the solar bike path. Green Electricity The solar bike path is highly effective.  It produces enough electricity to power the highway's electric vehicle charg

  Germany's Innovative New Sources of Green Energy                             Source: Renewable Energy stock images 2020 Record Year for Renewable Energy In Germany Germany's prestigious Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) has determined that 2020 is a record year for renewable energy production and use in Germany.  Renewable energy sources equalled 53% of national public electricity production from January to October 2020 in Germany.  Last year in the same period, 46% of energy in Germany was from renewable sources.  The acceleration in renewable energy sources is historic and it demonstrates Germany's commitment to a green, carbon free future.. Solar Energy is Dominating as a German Energy Source According to German Energy Provider Eon, solar energy has provided 43 billion kilowatt hours of electricity into Germany's national grid in 2020.  That's 1 billion kilowatt hours more than in 2019. Solar energy in Germany is now covering the electricity n

  Elon Musk Says Solar Roofs are His Next Killer Product                                                  Source:  Tesla Tesla Hiring Hundreds of Roofers Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk says the company's next killer product is solar roofs.  He made the announcement during his Q3 2020 conference call.  He says solar roofs will be very hot in 2021. Tesla is hiring hundreds of roofers to get ready.  Musk promises a future of beautiful, tough, resilient solar roofs alive with energy.  Musk feels that is an energy future that we all want and he's building it into a big business.  The Tesla solar roof is composed of solar tiles not solar panels.  It provides the protection of a roof but also generates solar powered electricity. Green Energy Business Ratcheting Up Musk says his solar roof business is accelerating.  Deployments more than doubled in Q3 2020 to 57 MW compared to the previous quarter.  Musk told investors and analysts on the conference call that roof deployments are almo

Solar Sailing in Space - LightSail 2 Source:  LightSail 2 Promising New Solar Innovation for Space Travel This green energy technology has the potential to be disruptive innovation. It's a solar powered sail invented through the non-profit Planetary Society in California, led by the Science Guy Bill Nye.  The LightSail 2 CubeSat spacecraft successfully deployed its solar sail to get propulsion in space a few days ago.  It's the first spacecraft to be propelled by sunlight alone.  This is very important science because the use of solar sails to convert solar wind into thrust could save fuel for spacecrafts on long space missions. Solar Sailing The small spacecraft is the size of a toaster.  It was hurled into space aboard a Space X Falcon Heavy rocket in late June.  A few days ago, flight controllers on the ground in California fully deployed the solar sail from the CubeSat into space.  The sail is the size of a boxing ring and the system is orbiting the Earth solely

Power Beaming is an Emerging Disruptive Technology Source: Silent Falcon UAS Technologies -Silent Falcon California-based Silent Falcon UAS Technologies is partnering with the Pentagon's Advanced Research Projects Agency -DARPA -  to implement laser power beaming for its solar-electric powered drones.  Silent Falcon drones can fly non-stop 6 hours using batteries and solar energy. They are the world's first solar electric, long range, long endurance unmanned aircraft system or UAS. DARPA wants to make the flight time much longer by topping off the batteries via laser beams from the ground.  DARPA officials say they're right on the brink of delivering this disruptive technology. Endless Uses for Endless Flights What DARPA wants is drones capable of indefinite flight.  The drones would engage in sequences of flying and flying while charging from a high powered laser beam directed from the ground.  There would be no need to land and refuel.  This emerging technology