Energy efficiency displays; Carbon Storage on Public Lands; Stoplight Timer for red lights; Honda P-NUT compact; Reduced-cost lithium-ion battery

Millions of homes to get energy efficiency displays The days of learning about your electricity consumption once a month are the on the wane. Driven by consumer interest in energy and utility smart-grid programs, home energy information displays are poised to enter people’s kitchens and living rooms in large numbers over the next few years.

Carbon Storage on Public Lands Government-owned land must play a greater role in limiting carbon emissions, both through carbon capture and storage and increased renewable energy generation, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said on Thursday.

Eko Stoplight Timer for Road Traffic Lights Industrial Designer Damjan Stanković has designed a simple, but very practical system for helping drivers to save fuel and drive a little more efficiently. The idea is a countdown timer that encircles a standard red stop-light. The idea means that drivers can tell how long it will be before the red light changes to amber and then green. This is a fantastic idea.

Honda P-NUT compact concept vehicle Honda took the wraps off its latest concept car this week debuting the new, hilariously named, P-NUT (Personal-Neo Urban Transport). The compact car is designed to accommodate a hybrid system or an electric engine for transport within major metropolitan areas.

Reduced-cost lithium-ion battery Ricardo and Qinetiq announced a new technology to produce cheaper lithium-ion batteries this week. Called Red Lion, the key to their claimed achievement is a new chemistry inside the cells. Instead of using cobalt cells, Red Lion batteries use iron sulphide which have an added benefit of weight reduction of about 20 percent