Green Innovations And Advances Of 2011

2011 was an important year for green innovations and technological advances.

In the world of fuels, a number of strides were made. President Obama announced increased fuel standards for both big and small vehicles in the coming years.

Alternative fuels also made headlines. The use of biofuel for aviation is becoming a reality, after the U.S. military announced it would begin using it, and a joint U.S.-Chinese venture tested biofuel in civilian aircraft.

Solar technology also grew in 2011. Researchers at Notre Dame have invented a house paint that could one day be used to collect solar energy. Elsewhere in the midwest, scientists at the University of Michigan invented an "optical battery" that might eventually eliminate the need for semi-conductors in solar cells.

For more of 2011's best green technology innovations, vist EarthTechling for their "2011 Green Technology Year In Review."

Check out some of the coolest and most important green advances of 2011, and vote for your favorites!

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For more on the best of 2011, visit bestof2011.aol.com.

Comments

[Chicago Green Limo]

04:20 PM on 01/26/2012

Interesting .. BUT so much more work needs to be done ESPECIALLY in commercial transportation.

[vetxcl]

09:35 PM on 02/15/2012

So much work needs to be done to eliminate Oil and Gas lobbying.

[vetxcl]

09:25 PM on 01/22/2012

http://cleantechnica.com/2010/11/22/three-innovations-that-will-make-solar-power-easier-and-more-affordable/

[vetxcl]

11:46 AM on 01/07/2012

http://www.mnn.com/green-tech/computers/stories/tiny-wires-could-usher-new-computer-era

[vetxcl]

05:54 PM on 12/29/2011

Delayed gratification.

[vetxcl]

05:34 PM on 12/29/2011

The continued battle with AOLpo: cleantechnica.com, under solar tab, you'll find the article that AOLpo is so afraid you'll know about, that they won't post it as a funcitonal link.

[vetxcl]

05:32 PM on 12/29/2011

And the link to new electricity storage being built in US: http://cleantechnica.com/2011/11/29/brightsource-going-big-on-energy-storage/

[vetxcl]

05:30 PM on 12/29/2011

New advances and construction of energy storage in the US.

[vetxcl]

05:18 PM on 12/29/2011

Something AOLpo can't stand: another news source: http://www.edenpark.com/microplasma/applications

[vetxcl]

05:16 PM on 12/29/2011

And another mercury-free light: http://www.edenpark.com/microplasma/applications

[vetxcl]

05:12 PM on 12/29/2011

Another mercury-free light that AOLpo will likely refuse to post, again: http://globalwarmingisreal.com/2009/01/22/switching-light-bulbs-consider-going-mercury-free/

[Deep Thinking Man]

02:31 PM on 12/29/2011

we have renewable fuel at our fingertips...it's called HEMP !!!!!...clothing, food, fuel, car bodies, plastics (natural). and many other things can be made from hemp !!!!!!!...but thanks to stupidiry and greed...hemp is outlawed !!!!!!

hemp has been used since 12000 years B.C., but thanks to William Randolph Hearst, Andrew Mellon, DuPont, and Harry Anslinger, and their lies and greed...we are now dependant on materials that have/are/ will ruin the Earth !!!!!!

[Kenz300]

10:45 AM on 12/29/2011

As the price of energy continues to rise we will all be looking for ways to save money by using energy efficient products. In the past short term savings outweighed long term savings. This short sighted thinking will change as consumers begin to calculate the long term benefits as energy prices rise. Energy efficient light bulbs, appliances and vehicles will save the consumer and the economy money over the long run.

[Kenz300]

10:40 AM on 12/29/2011

Bring on the electric, flex-fuel, hybrid, CNG, LNG and hydrogen fueled vehicles. It is time to end the oil monopoly on transportation fuels.

Those that believe in PEAK OIL theory say rising demand for oil from China and India will soon outpace the worlds supply raising the price for all. Bring on all the options. We will need them all.

[SpeakupNation]

11:03 AM on 12/29/2011

Not believing in Peak Oil is like not believing in math. It is only a matter of time.

[Lee Wells]

07:30 AM on 12/29/2011

Hmm nice to see that Birth Control Pills weren't counted as the single greatest green Innovation EVER. Without having to figure them in, these other toys actually look like something.

What Maroons .....;-)

[sylvia wadlington]

10:53 AM on 12/29/2011

Funny isn't it, birth control is actually changing human evolution and nobody seems to notice

[GustavoRejivik]

02:14 AM on 12/29/2011

Pretty lame list this year guys, again.

Running a 747 on some nut oil? Got any idea the fuel and resources it takes to make food .. ie: a nut into fuel? I'm guessing any fuel produced by the nut was equally burned in Fossil Fuel to get there .. but hey, experiments are cool, keep trying.

Next, anyone out there care to explain how a coal powered powerplant combined with a somewhat inefficient electric transmission system .. and a battery .. reduces CO2 spilt into the air?? Congrats on your electric vehicles guys, but really, at this point what we're doing is transference of the pollutant to a different source. What we really need are more renewable sources like Hydro and Solar while making these electric cars.

[alteredstory]

07:00 PM on 12/29/2011

There have been increases in solar and wind production this year as well. Increasing demand for electricity for cars will, in turn, increase demand for renewable energy sources and make it slightly easier to build new plants.

Also, we need to put energy into improving the grid so people can opt in to the power company using their car batteries for energy storage (for a price), making the grid more resilient, and better able to handle the predictable fluctuations in solar and wind output.