Geeks go wild for technology in Las Vegas show: RTCC looks at those that could make the world a better place
Source: Consumer Electronics Show
Gadget geeks thronged Las Vegas this week for the world’s largest consumer electronics fair.
Amid the buzz about what could be the ‘must have’ gadgets in years to come, low carbon and green products managed to grab their fair share of attention.
RTCC profiles the top five that could make a difference to cutting energy use.
1. Hydrogen fuel cell cars
Toyota Fuel Cell Vehicle Concept (Source: PRNewsFoto/Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. Inc.)
Fifteen years since the launch of its wildly successful Prius hybrid, Japan’s Toyota said a car powered by hydrogen could hit showrooms by next year, starting in California where the state is building a network of refueling stations.
The new model will have a range of around 300 miles and will emit nothing more than water vapour. But critics claim that this type of technology is only truly low carbon if the energy used to create the hydrogen is from renewable sources, and it will have to compete with increasingly powerful battery operated cars such as Tesla’s attention-grabbing S class.
2. Efficient tumble dryers
Source: Samsung
Washing and drying clothes isn’t the most glamourous subject at a consumer electronics show, but it is one of the most energy hungry. Figures from the UK’s energy ministry show that use of the tumble dryer over the past decade has partly offset the positive impact of efficiency improvements in products such as computer chargers and lighting.
This week Korean electronic giant Samsung – probably best known for its smart TVs and snazzy cameras – scooped a green innovation award for its DV457 front-load dryer that use much less energy than its counterparts. What’s more, it can be controlled remotely from smart phones – particularly handy for those who want to cut their electricity bills and take advantage of offpeak energy tariffs.
3. Smart-homes and controlling energy use from smartphone apps
Source: Alarm.com
Controlling energy use at the touch of a button when we are miles away from home was one of the talking points for green techies in Vegas this week. Alarm.com’s smart home sensors will allow us to control central heating, air conditioning, and electric appliances through our smartphones. Perhaps above all, it will prevent the forehead-slapping realizations that we have left the heating on all day or forgotten to switch the lights off. It will also cut energy bills and lowering our carbon footprint.
4. Hydrogen-powered rechargers
Source: beupp.com
With smartphones crammed with more and more features that can drain the battery life in just a few hours, rendering our ‘fifth limb’ to nothing more than a useless plastic brick, being able to recharge without regular access to mains electricity has become an increasingly must-have accessory.
UK-based Intelligent Energy has taken the concept one step further by designing a portable ‘Upp’ charger powered by removable hydrogen fuel canisters. It can provide five full charges for most smartphones and combines hydrogen and air to produce energy, with water vapour as a by-product. It does not need to be recharged, but is instead reloaded with a fresh hydrogen canister.
5. Electric sports car
Source: FIA Formula E
While most of us are unlikely to tearing around the local neighbourhood in a superfast racecar – we’ll leave that to Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson – the development of a sleek, battery powered version of a Formula One racecar could herald a for breakthough for high performance motoring without the use of fossil fuels.
The Spark-Renault SRT electric racing car was launched on the sidelines of the electronics show, as former F1 driver Lucas Di Grassi took the car for a spin around the streets of Vegas, taking in the iconic Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino and Caesar’s Palace. The Formula E championship starts this September in Beijing and Virgin Group says the format would “accelerate” the electric car sector.