Most Recent Ideas

Hydrogen Cyanobacteria

Bruce Hawkins

The idea is as follows. Cyanobacteria takes water as input and then gives oxygen and protons and electrons as output. So ... more ...

TV Green Key

Gustavo Leaño

TV Green Key reduces up to 67% the electricity wasted by television by turning TV into an audio-only device, thereby ... more ...

Solve Energy and Travel Problems Through Real Design Competitions

Airplanes & trains seem to have the same seats they had in the 1960′s: A big trunk with rows and aisles, maybe ... more ...

Business, Transportation

The Nexus between Water, Energy and Climate: Creating a Resource Efficient Economy

Environmental and Energy Study Institute

The Royal Danish Embassy and the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) held a Congressional forum focused on ... more ...

Biofuels, Business, Clean Tech

Ford’s Eco Cars: A More Sustainable Approach to Vehicle Interiors

Ford Sustainable Materials

Ford designers and researchers are taking a total green approach to vehicle development and design, stepping beyond just ... more ...

Engineering, Green Living, Transportation

Orbital Rotational tideal turbine

I have developed a turbine for use in high flow areas of tide and current. The design has almost limitless torque and ... more ...

Climate Change, Engineering, Hydroelectric, Oceans, Wind

The Electrotrak Vehicle Charging and Powering System

delbert secrest

Electrotrak is a network of extruded tracks that would be installed initially on the left side of HOV lanes. It would ... more ...

Climate Leadership Awards, Electric Cars, EPA P3, Public Transportation, Smart Cities, Transportation

Storing Sunlight As Heat

National Science Foundation

H. Peter Vollhardt and collaborators at the University of California, Berkeley, have discovered molecules composed of ... more ...

Solar Power on Residential Rooftops

Minnesota 2020

New technology is making it possible and practical for photovoltaic installations to work on residential rooftops. ... more ...

Clean Tech, Green Building, Green Communities, Green Living, Policy, Solar

Prosperity Energy Storage Project

Steve Willard

Public Service Co. of New Mexico (PNM) and its research partners are testing and demonstrating numerous benefits of the ... more ...

Clean Tech, Energy Storage, Engineering, Innovation Summit, Renewable Energy, Solar

EM2: General Atomics’ new “convert and burn” clean energy-producing reactor that runs on nuclear waste

Lisa Petrillo

EM2 is a revolutionary new compact fast reactor that actually runs on the spent-fuel waste of conventional nuclear ... more ...

Clean Tech, Climate Change, Nuclear, Science

Using Hydrokinetic Energy as a Major Energy Source

Marvin Goldfarb

You know how we have wind turbines scarring (and killing birds) our hills, mountains and valleys, well this idea is ... more ...

Clean Tech, Water

Making coal fired generators more efficient and less polluting with Hydrogen

Charles P. Graham, Jr.

Presently, coal is ground to a powder then sprayed into a furnace for more even and complete combustion that heats water ... more ...

Rocky Research’s Intelligent Thermostat

City of Huntsville AL/ Energy Huntsville

Rocky Research develops thermal and energy management design innovations for the defense industry. Trey McKay describes ... more ...

Business, Clean Tech, Engineering, Military, Science

PARC Hydrodynamic Separation (HDS) for cleaning water

Kelly Brieger

PARC’s breakthrough clean water platform technology, Hydrodynamic Separation (HDS), can potentially provide multiple ... more ...

Algae, BP Oil Spill, Clean Tech, Science, Water

Farming in the City

Minnesota 2020

You might easily confuse the sound of a farm-tiller with that of a lawn-mower this spring season. That’s because ... more ...

Agriculture, Business, Green Communities, Green Living, Policy, Smart Cities

Passive Solar Design

Passive solar design is essentially designing a structure to work with the environment to cool and heat the house with ... more ...

Architecture, Efficiency, Green Building, Green Communities, Green Living, Solar

A New Approach in Electricity Generation

Pranab Jyoti Ghosh

At present, both efficiency and output of solar thermal power plants are quite low and it’s a big reason behind ... more ...

Clean Tech, Renewable Energy, Solar

Aneesh Chopra on Taking Action

Jordan Petitt

Aneesh Chopra, former U.S. Chief Technology Officer, delivered some closing remarks at our Innovation Summit on April ... more ...

Innovation Summit

Winds of Progress: University of Minnesota’s Rosemount Wind Power Research Station

Minnesota 2020

Eolos is the Ancient Greek god of wind and the namesake for a new wind power research station at the University of ... more ...

Campus Sustainability, Clean Tech, Education, Engineering, Green Communities, Renewable Energy, Wind

Innovation Challenges: Turning Ideas into Action

Jordan Petitt

In this clip from our Innovation Summit on April 17, 2012, we highlight participants who demonstrate a clear commitment ... more ...

Colleges and Universities, Efficiency, Green Cities, Innovation Summit, Smart Cities

Alternative Storage for Alternative Fuels

National Science Foundation

Hong-Cai Zhou’s team at Texas A&M University has developed many unique porous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) ... more ...

Energy Storage, Science

SafeLiCell: Safer Lithium Ion Batteries

Researchers at the University of Maryland have developed SafeLiCell, a lithium ion battery that is a plastic. Sounds ... more ...

Energy Storage, Engineering, Military, Science

Bio-Battery: Clean, Renewable Power Source

City of Huntsville AL/ Energy Huntsville

Jenny Ulyanova of CFD Research explains how they are developing a novel power source that converts commonly available ... more ...

Business, Energy Storage, Engineering, Green Living, Military

Ocean Kinetic Energy

Caleb VandeBerg

My idea has to do with using ocean currents to power homes, industrial buildings and much more. By putting tubines in ... more ...

Engineering, Hydroelectric, Oceans, Water

Aneesh Chopra Talks About the Role of Technology in Innovation

Jordan Petitt

In this clip from our Innovation Summit on April 17, 2012, Aneesh Chopra, the former U.S. Chief Technology Officer and ... more ...

Efficiency, Innovation Summit

Better Biofilm Reactors for Microbial Fuel Cells

National Science Foundation

Northwestern University researchers have found that microbial fuel cells designed to produce electricity and clean ... more ...

Redstone Energy Group with Cole Walker

City of Huntsville AL/ Energy Huntsville

The Redstone Energy Group is demonstrating four different solar projects in Huntsville, Alabama: -Rooftop solar ... more ...

Business, Green Communities, Renewable Energy, Solar

The i3 Market Intelligence Platform

Whitney Michael

i3 is simply one source for instant updates on clean technology investments, IPOs, mergers, acquisitions, business ... more ...

Business, Clean Tech, Green Cities, Smart Cities

Retired Vice Admiral Dennis McGinn Discusses Renewable Energy

Jordan Petitt

As president of the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE), Vice Admiral Dennis McGinn (Ret.) is a strong advocate ... more ...

Business, Geothermal, Hydroelectric, Renewable Energy, Solar, Wind

Robert Hefner Talks About the Benefits of Natural Gas

Jordan Petitt

As the lone proponent of America’s natural gas abundance in the 1970s, Robert Hefner is not new to the conversation ... more ...

Business, Economics, Natural Gas, Renewable Energy

I-Portz: Interactive Solar Carports

steven durham

Solar carports will open up complimentary eco-friendly electric vehicle delivery and commuter “stop and ... more ...

Green Building, Transportation

Innovating the Sustainable Economy: How Business Can Lead the way

Planet Forward

This is a full panel recording from the GW Moving the Planet Forward Conference. For highlights of this conversation, go ... more ...

Business, Innovation Summit

Where are the (Green) Jobs?

Planet Forward

This is a full panel recording from the GW Moving the Planet Forward Conference. See highlights from this panel here. ... more ...

Business, Education, Green Communities, Innovation Summit

There’s an App for that: Can IT Save the Planet?

Planet Forward

This is a full panel recording from the GW Moving the Planet Forward Conference. To see highlights from this panel, go ... more ...

Clean Tech, Green Building, Innovation Summit

Renewables: Boom or Bust?

Planet Forward

This is a full panel recording from the GW Moving the Planet Forward Conference. See highlights from this panel here. ... more ...

Innovation Summit, Natural Gas, Renewable Energy

Shining Cities: Sustainability Starts at Home

Planet Forward

Full panel recording from the GW Moving the Planet Forward Conference. See highlights from this panel here. As ... more ...

Green Cities, Green Communities, Innovation Summit, Smart Cities

FlexEnergy: Making the Most of Methane

FlexEnergy manufactures technology that resolves methane gas pollution and the need for renewable energy. And it does so ... more ...

Biofuels, Efficiency, Engineering, Natural Gas, Renewable Energy

Huntsville’s Operation Green Team

City of Huntsville AL/ Energy Huntsville

Joy McKee talks about Operation Green Team, a city-funded organization in Huntsville Alabama governed by a volunteer ... more ...

Education, Green Cities, Green Communities, Green Living, Planet Forward News, Smart Cities

Demand Response for Electric Hot Water Heaters

City of Huntsville AL/ Energy Huntsville

Mike Smalley of Carina explains their WISE technology, which helps manage electric hot water heaters more efficiently. ... more ...

Business, Green Cities, Green Communities, Planet Forward News, Water

SpaceCube composite container

One of the largest modes of transporting goods has been steel shipping containers. They have a dead weight that must be ... more ...

Adaptation, Business, Clean Tech, Economics, Efficiency, Engineering, Planet Forward News, Public Transportation, Transportation

The GRID Project (Green Rail Intelligent Development)

The twin Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach combine for the World’s 5th largest container shipping trade gateway. ... more ...

Business, Efficiency, Engineering, Policy, Transportation

Natural Gas as the “Atomic Bomb” of the Energy Debate

Planet Forward

Reed Hundt, Chief Executive Officer of Coalition for Green Capital, argues that natural gas is the "atomic bomb" of the ... more ...

Natural Gas, Renewable Energy

Mayor Vincent Gray Says D.C. Will Be Fossil Free by 2030

Jordan Petitt

Vincent Gray, mayor of Washington, D.C., attended the GW Moving the Planet Forward Innovation Summit at The George ... more ...

Green Building, Green Cities, Green Living, Public Transportation, Smart Cities

Three City Mayors Discuss Sustainability

Planet Forward

As international treaties and federal policy-making stall, cities are taking the initiative, fostering innovation and ... more ...

Deborah Wince-Smith and Debra Rowe Discuss Green Jobs

Planet Forward

Are green jobs just a “nice thing to do” or a central part to a successful business? Deborah Wince-Smith and ... more ...

Mark Vachon, GE ecomagination, on Sustainable Business

Planet Forward

Mark Vachon, Vice President, GE ecomagination, attended the GW Moving the Planet Forward Innovation Summit at The George ... more ...

Alex Laskey and Aneesh Copra on I.T. Innovations to Transform Energy

Planet Forward

Alex Laskey, of energy data company Opower, discusses how his company’s real-time updates have measurable results ... more ...

Clean Tech, Energy Storage, Policy

GE ecomagination’s Mark Vachon on The Role Of Business in Energy Innovation

Charlie Rybak

Mark Vachon, Vice President, GE ecomagination, attended the GW Moving the Planet Forward Innovation Summit at The George ... more ...

Business, Clean Tech

UCLA Smart Grid Energy Research Center

Wileen Wong Kromhout

With major funding from the U.S. Department of Energy and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Rajit Gadh, ... more ...

Campus Sustainability, Efficiency, Electric Cars, Engineering, Green Building, Green Cities, Green Living, Renewable Energy, Science, Smart Cities

Biodegradable Alternatives to Plastic Mulch

OSU P3 Team, Plastic Mulch

The average person tends to know what plastic drip tape and soaker hoses are, but what is plastic mulch? In China alone, ... more ...

Agriculture, Education, Engineering, EPA P3, Green Communities, Science, Water

No Child Left Inside

Minnesota 2020

Some Minnesota K-12 schools emphasize environmental education on their own, yet shrinking state aid has made field trips ... more ...

Climate Change, Education, Green Communities, Policy

How Biomass Crops Will Benefit Conservation Practices, Job Creation and Energy Security

Environmental and Energy Study Institute

Using biomass fuels in place of oil and gasoline will help us reduce our dependence on oil and improve our own energy ... more ...

Biofuels, Policy, Renewable Energy

GWU President Steven Knapp on Sustainability on Campus

Planet Forward

President Steven Knapp discusses sustainability on the George Washington University campus with Planet Forward creator ... more ...

Campus Sustainability, Climate Change, Colleges and Universities

On the Battlefield: Making Batteries Smaller

U.S. Army Research Lab

The Army Research Lab in Maryland looks at innovative ways to make the US Military the best equipped fighting force in ... more ...

Clean Tech, Efficiency, Energy Storage, Military, Science, Solar

Urban Agriculture: Growing Food in Expanding Cities

UNSW Australia

How we use urban land is shaping up as one of the biggest dilemmas of the 21st Century. A booming population needs to be ... more ...

Agriculture, Green Cities, Green Communities, Policy, Smart Cities

MN2020: Searching for Sustainability in Schools

Minnesota 2020

Sustainability is becoming a greater imperative for running any successful organization in Minnesota, even public ... more ...

Campus Sustainability, Clean Tech, Education, Efficiency, Engineering, Geothermal

Piggyback leafy green patches with solar panels

Non Encrypted

I notice that leafy produce requires ponderous amounts of water to grow. I wonder, is there any way to reduce this high ... more ...

Agriculture, Solar, Water

New Buildings Constructed from Old Plastic

Sandeep Goswami

Businesses all over, in every country are in flux. The fine tuning between economic growth with the least environmental ... more ...

Architecture, Clean Tech, Climate Change, Efficiency, Engineering, Green Building, Green Living

Hydropower: How Canada-U.S. Partnerships Contribute to America’s Clean Energy Economy

Environmental and Energy Study Institute

By creating symbiotic relationships with other nations, especially our neighbors, the United States can begin using ... more ...

Efficiency, Hydroelectric, Policy

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