The Winner of the Solar Decathlon 2013

In October, eighteen collegiate teams from around the world went to Irvine, CA to participate in the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2013. Collegiate teams composed of architecture, engineering, business and communications students designed, built and operated solar-powered houses that are cost effective, energy efficient and attractive.

In addition to home design, almost half of the competition teams showcased an electric vehicle next to their house.

Introduced in 2011, the competition requires that all houses be constructed for $250,000 or less to earn maximum points.

In 2013, the winner was an entry from Vienna University of Technology (Team Austria). University of Nevada Las Vegas took second place, followed by Czech Republic, comprised of students from Czech Technical University, in third place.


The winning design is a net-positive home, known as “LISI – Living inspired by sustainable innovation.” This is a simple, smart house that is capable of adapting to a variety of lifestyles and climate zones. This was the first time an Austrian university has participated in the U.S. Solar Decathlon.

The LISI entry was designed as a pre-fabricated modular wooden frame construction that allows for quick and simple assembly and disassembly. The plus-energy home generates all required energy from a roof-mounted PV array. The supply of cold and hot water for space heating, cooling and for domestic hot water relies on two air-water heat pumps.

An ERV unit provided comfortable air conditioning, which acts as a heat and humidity exchanger between used exhausted air and fresh intake air. A functional floor system regulated the entire buildings climate using water, air, and active cubic capacity. It efficiently provided heating, cooling, and fresh air to create a consistently comfortable indoor climate. In addition, an innovative shower tray recovers thermal energy from drain water through a heat exchanger, significantly reducing the net energy consumption needed for daily hygiene.

The winning home's synergy of modular timber lightweight construction, the use of eco-friendly materials and renewable energies, plus sophisticated home automation creates a sustainable and affordable high-quality housing project adaptable for different needs of users and sites.

Click here for more information about LISI and other entries.

Click here to view video tours inside the houses

© 2013, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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2013 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in Australia

The biennial Bridgestone World Solar Challenge is a platform to showcase the world’s most efficient electric cars. In addition to presenting leading solar technology the event also inspires young people to address the imperatives of sustainable transport.

Solar car teams from 23 countries are competing in one of the world's most prestigious and grueling sun powered car races. By the end of the race cars will have traveled a total 3000 kms through the Australian Outback. However, the event is about far more than a long distance car race. The Bridgestone World Solar Challenge showcases innovation, adventure and achievement and brings cutting edge renewable energy technology to the forefront in an effort to find a sustainable future for the planet.

The largest World Solar Challenge ever is involving more teams from more countries and even more innovation than ever before. Static Scrutineering started on Tuesday October 1 and dynamic Scrutineering occurred on Saturday October 5. The official start time was at 8.15am on Saturday in Darwin and by October 8 teams had past the halfway point of the race. Teams are expected cross the finish line at Angle Vale north of Adelaide from Thursday 10 Oct to Sunday 13 October.

Nuon Solar Team's Nuna7 from the Netherlands are in the lead despite a ten minute penalty for exceeding the speed limit on day two. Japan's team Tokai are in second after overtaking Team Twente from the Netherlands.

Bridgestone is the proud partner for the 2013 World Solar Challenge. Other supporters include the Government of South Australia, Northern Territory Government, Clipsal & Schneider Electric, Michelin, Go Pro Go Puck, Adelaide City Council, Citizen, TIO, Coates Hire, Toshiba and Fila.

© 2013, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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Jaguar F Type a True Hybrid Sports Car

The F-Type production car will look like the C-X16 concept that was revealed at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. Automobile Mag reports that the hybrid F-Type is “going to be fabulous.” Jaguar worked to maintain a pure, disciplined design that fits in with the car’s sporting nature. It will be launch as a roadster, with a coupe to follow at a later date. We will see the F-Type in production before the end of 2012, and it is expected to go on sale by the summer of 2013.

The 0-to-60-mph time is expected to be below five seconds and a top speed is over 180 mph. Jaguar says the F-Type, which will have an all-aluminum monocoque made in the U.K., will have a powertrain similar to the concept. The C-X16 used a a supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 engine and 94-hp electric motor.

Jaguar North America brand vice president David Pryor said that he expects America to be the largest market for the car with about 40 percent of all F-Types to be sold there. As a true sports car and the F-Type is expected to be an extremely strong seller.

The average Jaguar buyer is in their 50s, however, the buyer of the F-Type is expected to be younger due to the lower price point. The F-Type is a real car for real people. It is much less expensive and more readily available than the C-X75.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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Jaguar C-X75 Electric Hybrid Supercar

Jaguar presented its C-X75 electric supercar at the 2010 Paris Motor Show and the car will be hitting the streets in 2013. This plug-in hybrid electric car runs on electric power that’s replenished by a gasoline engine. This vehicle has a 145kW electric motor on each wheel, powering it from 0 to 60 mph in less than 3 seconds with a top speed of at least 200 mph. According to Top Gear, those motors are expected to generate roughly 800 horsepower.

When it runs out of battery power (after traveling about 30 miles), the car’s batteries are recharged by a turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine.

There are only 250 of them slated for production in 2013 and it is estimated that the Jaguar C-X75 will cost approximately $1.1 million each.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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Russia Lining Up Investors for Arctic Drilling

In April Russian President Vladimir Putin made public his plans to attract foreign investment to Russia’s Arctic. As reported in Oil Change International, Putin has set his sights on exploiting Russia's Arctic oil fields while their is still a demand for oil.

“Offshore fields—especially in the Arctic—are without any exaggeration our strategic reserve for the 21st century,” Putin told a meeting attended by the heads of Rosneft and Gazprom.

Putin intends to attract international investors with a package of lucrative tax breaks. A new report from Lloyds of London says the region is likely to attract $100 billion investments in the coming decade. Lloyds of London is the world’s largest insurer. The British think tank, Chatham House was also involved in the preparation of the report.

The report explicitly warns that this investment could have harmful consequences on the Arctic's fragile ecosystem.

Richard Ward, Lloyd’s chief executive, urged companies not to “rush in [but instead to] step back and think carefully about the consequences” of drilling in the Arctic.

The report singles out a potential oil spill as the “greatest risk in terms of environmental damage, potential cost and insurance.” The insurers believe cleaning up oil spills, particularly in ice-covered areas, would present “multiple obstacles, which together constitute a unique and hard-to-manage risk.”

The report also warns that various wildlife would be severely impacted by oil development in the Arctic. This includes the migration patterns of caribou and whales. In addition to spills, ecosystem damage could come from "the construction of pipelines and roads, noise pollution from offshore drilling, seismic survey activity or additional maritime traffic as well as through the break-up of sea ice.”

Lloyd’s says it is essential that there is more investment in science and research to “close knowledge gaps, reduce uncertainties and manage risks.” It has urged companies to “think carefully about the consequences of action” before exploring for oil in the region.

Oil is a destructive resource that is harmful to the planet, but that resource in an environment like the arctic and the possible damage is unacceptable.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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