Wh/kg stands for watt hours per kilogram, and it is a measurement of energy density. Essentially, the higher the Wh/kg number, the more energy-dense the battery. Energy-dense batteries can be smaller and lighter, and thus hold great potential for creating highly efficient vehicles.

One company, Envia Systems, has recently claimed it has created a battery with 400 Wh/kg. That’s a big deal. The claim was tested, and confirmed by Naval Service Warfare Center, Crane Division, which means Envia has a world record on their hands.

Read more about Envia’s new battery here. You can also find out more about GM’s recent investment in the company here.

The Warriors of Qiugang “tells the story of how the villagers fought to transform their environment, and, in the process, found themselves transformed as well.” The documentary is a production of Yale Environment 360. If you haven’t visited Yale Environment 360, you’re missing out; it’s full of great environmental information, reports and opinions.

Click the image to be taken to the documentary.

This isn’t your father’s water meter. This is a lean, mean, water-saving machine.

Unfortunately it isn’t available for purchase yet, (at least we can’t find it) but the water meter shown below, designed by Marc Schomann, would integrate easily into existing systems, power itself and send water use data directly to wireless devices.

Of course, what good is the data without a useful means to interpret it? Not much. Mr. Schomann doesn’t disappoint on this aspect of his design, as shown below.

Untitled from Marc S on Vimeo.

Stop-and-go driving (and the fuel-wasting that goes with it) has been tormenting commuters for as long as anyone can remember, but one company eco:Speed, and it’s iPhone app, wants to help. eco:Speed does more than get you from point A to point B in the fewest miles possible. The program also factors in the number of stop signs and traffic lights on your route, and recommends speeds to keep you moving towards your destination and better fuel economy.

Visit eco:Speed to learn more, and find out when the full app will be released (a demo is currently available, so give it a try first)!

At the end of last week, the DOE and Commerce Department announced that they had teamed up to provide $1.3 million for green building skills training through the Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program.

The funding is intended for training programs that will increase energy efficiency, reduce waste, and save money – from 5% to 20% on energy bills alone.

Read more about the available funds here.

Adding the new bulbs to the Mall was a team effort, and at the lighting ceremony, Sec. Chu and Sec. Salazar thanked Pepco, OSRAM SYLVANIA, and Siemens for donating their skills and materials to make the project a reality.

Read more about the Mall’s new bulbs here.

A few days ago, the EIA published its Annual Energy Outlook 2012 Early Release. In the Outlook, the EIA looks at past energy trends (1990-2010), considers current law and subsidies, and then predicts the future energy mix for the nation’s electricity.

The graph above shows that they expect renewables to grow, but for coal to remain the main source of electricity. For more, visit the EIA.

Verdant Power has been testing blade designs for its tidal power units since 2002. Early testing focused on creating a durable and efficient blade design. Since then, through support from the DOE,  Verdant has been able to develop blades and turbines that “ are stronger and more reliable – allowing them to capture more energy from faster currents at greater depths and at a lower cost.”

Now, the company has received a 10-year pilot license from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to generate 1,050 kilowatts of power from New York’s East River. This is the first commercial license for tidal power in the U.S., and FERC Chairman Jon Wellinghoff called it a “major step in the effort to help our country meet our renewable energy goals.”

Ecotricity, a UK-based company that has traditionally built wind turbines, is now developing Searaser, an invention that “harnesses the almost constant power of ocean swells to create electricity on demand.” Below you’ll find a drawing of how the Searaser works, and a short video of what the technology will look like once installed.