As I wrote earlier this week at MSN Autos Exhaust Notes, Nissan has unveiled plans for a new type of solar-powered charging station that incorporates retired battery packs from Nissan Leaf electric vehicles. The station uses photovoltaic cells to capture solar energy that is then stored in the equivalent of five kWh Leaf battery packs; electricity is then dispensed through three 50-kilowatt fast chargers and four standard EV chargers. READ MORE
Australian company EnviroMission is in the land acquisition and site-specific engineering phase ahead of building a massive solar tower in the Arizona desert—and “massive” may even be an understatement: the 2,625-foot tower will be twice the height of the Empire State Building upon completion, automatically making it one of the tallest buildings in the world. READ MORE
As more and more companies turn to green technology, investments will continue to pour into clean technology ventures. With over $335 million invested in 27 deals, April was another solid month for clean tech. Solar power, which have been the hottest clean tech venture all year, dominated in April with $147 million in investments, according to Greentech Media, a news and research firm based in Boston. LED lighting systems were the second most funded group in April, bringing in about $62 million. READ MORE
