Our roundup of energy stories from around the world features solar-powered flowers, coffee-powered cars, futuristic cities, electric buses and energy news from Google.
The city of 2050
As part of its “Tomorrow’s Cities season” the BBC imagines what our cities will look like in 2050, complete with vertical urban farms, pizza delivery drones and robo-taxis.
Full of beans
The Bean Machine is a coffee-powered pickup built by British engineer and conservationist Martin Bacon. It set a new world speed record for coffee-powered vehicles, clocking in at 65mph.
Google shrinks its carbon emissions
The internet, believe it or not, is a big energy-hungry beast. That’s why Google have been hard at work trying to increase the amount of renewable energy they use, and this week announced a 9% drop in their carbon emissions in 2012.
Full report on The Clean Revolution
Wireless electric buses
In a world first, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have developed buses that can charge as they drive. There’s no need for charging stops or tram-style overhead wires.
Read the full story on Solar Feeds
Giant, singing, solor-powered flowers
And finally, in the US city of Seattle an artist has created these forty foot high flower sculptures. Known as “Sonic Bloom”, they absorb sunlight during the day and create magical light and sound shows at night.
