Hasta La Gadget!

Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week’s most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us — it’s the Week in Green.

Most of the world still runs on fossil fuels, but renewable energy is making big gains. Not only are renewables better for the environment, but they’re also becoming just as cost-effective as their dirtier counterparts. A new study finds that wind farms are less expensive than new coal-fired plants, and they cost about the same as new natural gas plants. Speaking of energy costs, Inhabitat shared a new infographic this week that shows how much it would cost for the entire world to switch over to renewable energy. In other energy news, the world’s largest solar thermal energy plant opened in California’s Mojave Desert. Once it’s operational, the plant will produce enough energy to power 140,000 homes. The largest photovoltaic plant in the world is set to be built in India, and it will produce 10 times as much energy as the next-largest solar plant in the country. And in another exciting development, a team of German and French scientists produced the world’s most efficient solar cell, which boats an efficiency of 44.7 percent.

Filed under: Misc, Transportation, Science

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Mission’s brand new electric motorcycle is as slick as a Tesla, and even faster.

Earlier this summer, it was reported the FAA was planning to relax the personal electronics restrictions they had put into place for several years now, making it nearly impossible to listen to a portable music player or reading an ebook during takeoff or landing. It looks like the ball is starting to roll as the FAA advisory committee has just recommended that airline passengers should be allowed to use “smartphones, tablets, e-readers and other personal electronic devices” during takeoffs and landings. (more…)

FAA Advisory Panel Approves The Use Of Personal Electronics On Planes original content from Ubergizmo.

Nissan does seem to be committed to make it a reality where autonomous vehicle technology is concerned by the time 2020 arrives. Well, we are glad to say that the Japanese auto manufacturer has managed to pick up an official license for it to start testing such smart driving systems – albeit this will happen in its home market of Japan at first. The Japanese government has already issued the first license plate for a vehicle that will feature advanced driver assist systems to Nissan, which would complete with “20-20″ numerals in order to commemorate with Nissan’s goal of delivering such features before the decade comes to a close.

It will be a specially equipped all-electric Nissan Leaf that gets the job done. Sporting half a dozen functions that will make it eligible for new license classification. Some of the features such as automatic lane centering as well as adaptive cruise control already appear on Nissan’s more luxurious range at the moment, including the high end Infiniti models. Automatic exiting for freeways, automatic lane changes, the ability to overtake a slow or stopped vehicle and to stop at red lights without requiring any driver involvement are all new systems that will need to undergo testing on Japan’s roads. Something tells me that in the future, the pinnacle mark of a self-driving car would be its ability to handle chaotic traffic situations in developing countries.

Nissan Robot Car Gains Driving License original content from Ubergizmo.

Recall that silent rage you get when you’re told to switch of your Kindle, iPod or laptop for take-off and landing, even when there’s nothing wireless going on. Well, the FAA could be approaching a change in the rules. A 28-member committee, created by the Federal Aviation Administration itself, has offered up its recommendation that flyers should be able to use “most” devices during takeoff and landing. Data-based activities and voice calls would still be prohibited, but the group recommends that passengers should be allowed to watch videos, type away at documents, listen to music and more when planes take off and land.

Amazon has already released a statement, with the company acting as the representative device manufacturer within the FAA committee. “We’ve been fighting for our customers on this issue for years – testing an airplane packed full of Kindles, working with the FAA, and serving as the device manufacturer on this committee,” said Amazon’s Drew Herdener. “This is a big win for customers and, frankly, it’s about time“. If the FAA decides to progress with these recommendations (although it certainly doesn’t have to), changes could occur as soon as early 2014. However, timing will depend on how the FAA decides to roll out implementation. However, according to industry officials, if it’s done airline by airline, it could well take longer. We’ll continue to pack a paperback for now.

Filed under: Transportation

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Via: 9to5Mac

Source: AP