Tweaking old technology, the possibility of “peak coal,” and a laptop that looks like something from Gilligan’s Island. All part of your morning quick read from EcoTech Daily!

1. Nissan sells over a million CVTs in 2007: Hybrids, fuel cell cars, and electric vehicles seem to grab all the headlines when it comes to a cleaner automotive future. But making current technology work better also has tremendous potential to improve today’s transportation fleet. Nissan’s continuously variable transmission (CVT) raises the efficiency of conventional engines to the point that a million units would reduce carbon emissions by the same amount as 200 thousand hybrid autos. (Autoblog Green)
2. How eSolar’s Prefab Plants Can Deliver “At Market Prices Today” : At EcoTech Daily, we’re bullish on solar thermal power. So is a company called eSolar, which is making the bold claim that they can bring concentrated solar energy electricity down to fossil fuel rates — without subsidies. Their secret? Prefabricated solar power plants. (EcoGeek)
3. Peak Coal as Early as 2025: You’ve probably already heard about Peak Oil. A lot of policymakers and industry officials are quick to point out that coal can pick up the slack as cheap, readily available petroleum goes the way of the dinosaur. Not so fast. California Institute of Technology professor David Ruledge believes that the world’s coal reserves are grossly overstated and could be tapped-out by the end of this century. (CleanTechnica)
4. Asus Bamboo Notebooks Released by June: It used to be that if you wanted a wood-cased laptop, you’d have to talk a steampunk modder out of something handmade. But Taipei-based Asus computers — one of the world’s biggest manufacturers — says that sustainably managed bamboo notebooks should hit U.S. store shelves by June. Prices should start around $1600. (Good Clean Tech)
5. IBM’s Plan to Slash Massive Power Needs: With their emphasis on the big-iron computer server market, it’s no surprise that IBM is a leader in energy saving virtualization technology. But Big Blue wants to take efficiency a step further by designing chips which vent much less heat. How will that save power? By cutting server room cooling bills, which amount to half the energy use of most facilities. (Earth2Tech).

Have a green weekend.

Stories You Might Also Like: