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Politics : Rat's Nest - Chronicles of Collapse -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Wharf Rat who wrote (5767)	4/16/2007 5:24:00 PM
From: Wharf Rat	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 24242

Green Hummer? Hydrogen-powered car has algae-filled panels designed to convert carbon dioxide to oxygen By Kurt Loft MEDIA GENERAL NEWS SERVICE Lots of people do their part to conserve fuel by driving more efficient cars and shake their heads when a gas-guzzling Hummer lumbers past. For many, the Hummer is a symbol of indulgence, and even arrogance. How about making it a little more friendly, and green? That's what a team of auto designers thought, and they set to work to create a prototype vehicle called the Hummer 02. The hydrogen-powered car is a grass-roots version of the real thing, and even takes a few tips from nature. The General Motors team won top honors in the recent Los Angeles Auto Show Design Challenge and was praised for an "environmentally sustainable" concept. "As part of a design competition, auto makers were asked to come up with a far-reaching design idea," said Nick Richards, a GM spokesman. "They wanted a big-idea type vehicle." It may be over the top, but the concept prompts a new way of thinking about auto technology. For example, vehicles spend lots of time on the open road, so the designers wanted to make a better use of the surrounding environment. They also wanted to go a step further and create a "net gain" for the environment. A computer in the Hummer 02 automatically tilts "phototropic" panels to maximize exposure to sunlight. This isn't to draw energy to run the car, but to extract oxygen. That's right - oxygen. The panels are filled with algae, and when in contact with sunlight, they convert carbon dioxide to oxygen similar to the process of plants. This is where the vehicle gets its name. "The panels essentially function as leaves and clean the air in the surrounding environment," said Frank Saucedo, director of advanced designs at General Motors. "Used algae are recycled as biomass for the further production of energy." The designers wanted to blend technology and biology, and their concept produces oxygen using a two-way valve system in the corner of each panel. The devices control and monitor the amount of carbon dioxide and source nutrition needed to keep the algae growing. Four self-contained fuel cells power hydraulic motors built into each wheel. A hydrogen tank is placed at the center of the vehicle, where it is less likely to explode from the impact of an accident. Hydrogen is, after all, highly volatile. The vehicle's tires change shape as they adapt to the road - or lack of road. Materials are relatively soft to limit damage to natural terrain. Much of the Hummer 02 is made from aluminum and biodegradable materials. When junked, the seats and interior will slowly dissolve in landfills without releasing damaging volatile organic compounds. journalnow.com