New batteries aid climate battle
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A new generation of rechargeable lithium batteries could reduce global warming, a leading expert says.
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Scientists create a tiny engine that could become a power source for future nano-scale devices.
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Although a number of companies are working to develop higher-powered batteries for laptops and high-tech gadgets, real breakthroughs in the technology could be a decade away.
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Boston-Power ramps up production of its long-lasting battery.
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A new device recharger debuts, along with products that could take advantage of it.
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Photovoltaics made of nanowires could power small devices and lead to cheaper solar panels.
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Science & environment: Green technologies must be developed to combat the worst effects of climate change, MPs have been told
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Large-scale solar-power projects will bring big benefits.
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Concerns over exploding computer   batteries may be heating up, but alternative power sources for   portable devices like laptops, music players and cellphones   could still be up to 10 years away.
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Scientists have struggled for years to make electricity from the sunâs light at a cost competitive with power from coal or natural gas. The challenges are formidable.
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Battery making startup Boston Power is more than tripling production of its&#160;Sonata laptop battery, a device that offers faster charging and longer life than conventional lithium-ion batteries, it is due to announce Thursday.Boston Power has also struck a manufacturing partnership with Taiwan&#39;s GP Batteries, which will begin making the cells to supplement current production at China&#39;s HYB Battery. GP will produce around 1 million cells per month, said Christina Lampe-Onnerud, founder and CEO of Boston Power. HYB currently produces between one third and one half that amount, she said.The Sonata battery was a hit when it was unveiled at the Demo 2007 conference in January 2007 because, according to Boston-Power, it gets over some of the main frustrations laptop users have with their battery packs. Namely it can be charged to 80 percent of total capacity in 30 minutes so even on a short lay-over a meaningful amount of power can be recharged into the battery and it should also last the average three years that people keep their laptops without a noticeable degradation in performance.In light of a series of high-profile problems and recalls of lithium-ion batteries, Boston-Power is also pushing safety. It says its Sonata battery uses less reactive chemicals and has a series of protective controls that make it safer than competing batteries.With the extra production, Boston-Power will be looking to pick up customers for the Sonata batteries. It has already been working closely with Hewlett-Packard.&quot;We are delighted with the response from the market. Interest is really, really large&quot; said Lampe-Onnerud. &quot;We have worked with top-tier notebook makers for several years and they remain extremely engaged. Many have already qualified our system but we&#39;re a small company so we have to be selective about who we work with.&quot;Boston-Power has also closed a third round of financing for $45 million, which it will announce Thursday. The round, led by Oak Investment Partners, also included additional money from existing investors Venrock Associates, Granite Global Ventures and Gabriel Venture Partners. The latest investment brings to $68 million the total amount of funds raised by Boston-Power.&#160;
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By Frank D. Roylance, The Baltimore Sun  Feb. 4--Amid continuing warnings that greenhouse gases are driving up global temperatures and raising sea levels, a handful of industries and a small army of scientists are trying to drive those gases underground, where they can't do much harm.
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US researchers demonstrate a system to transfer energy to devices without the need for wires.
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British researchers warn that the proliferation of power-hungry devices is demanding more energy.
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New satellites may be able to continuously monitor the environment and take pictures of Earth.
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Stanford researchers say silicon nanowires could help extend the life of a lithium ion battery for laptops from 4 hours to 40 hours.
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Boston-Power raises $45 million and hatches plans to make batteries for plug-in hybrids.