Renewable Energy
"Nature has provided an abundant supply of energy in various forms which might be utilized if proper means and ways can be devised. The sun's rays falling upon the earth's surface represent a quantity of energy so enormous that but a small part of it could meet all our demands."-Nikola Tesla, Everyday Science and Mechanics (1931)
Tesla was one of the first supporters of renewable energy. Designing multiple systems to extract energy from the sun, waters and earth, he has inspired many green energy companies today including Tesla Motors.
"The hard fact is that unless new resources are opened up, energy derived from fuel will remain our chief reliance. The thermo-dynamic process is wasteful and barbarous, especially when burning coal, the mining of which, despite of modern improvements, still involves dangers to the unfortunates who are condemned to toil deep in the bowels of the earth... this squandering cannot go on indefinitely, for geological investigations prove our fuel stores to be limited. So great has been the drain on them of late years that the specter of exhaustion is looming up threateningly in the distance, and everywhere the minds of engineers and inventors are bent upon increasing the efficiency of known methods and discovering new sources of power." |
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"Years ago man endeavored to make practical use of the energy contained in the sun's rays-even Tesla, the electrical wizard, has patented a sun motor... There is great promise held forth to future engineers who may work on this problem."
-The Electrical Experimenter (1916)
Solar Aero Wind Turbines
Solar Aero's bladeless wind turbine uses a Tesla patent and provides a safe alternative to traditional turbines.
"As we see more and more of the population rising in opposition to the windmills due to noise and wildlife injury concerns, we see more opportunities for our system, so we are... redoubling our efforts to make people aware that there is an alternative"-Howard Fuller, Solar Aero Chief Executive |
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Tesla Motors
"Elon Musk looks like a kid who just walked into a toy factory. The 39-year-old CEO of upstart car company Tesla Motors stands on the main floor of the New United Motor Manufacturing plant and looks with awe from one giant piece of machinery to the next. The car factory, known as Nummi, is located in Fremont, California, but it’s an industrial city unto itself."
-Joshua Davis, Wired Magazine (2010)
Tesla Motors uses Tesla's AC motors to make electric vehicles. The company has been vastly expanding with plans to make more affordable cars. Additionally, it is producing the world's largest lithium battery plant in coordination with Solar City.
"Without Tesla‘s vision and brilliance, our car wouldn't be possible. We're confident that if he were alive today, Nikola Tesla would look over our 100 percent electric car and nod his head with both understanding and approval." |
"Wind and solar power are great because they’re renewable, but there’s been no viable way to store their energy.... Billionaire Elon Musk, CEO of the all-electric car company Tesla Motors and chairman of solar energy service provider Solar City, has melded the two worlds to solve this problem. Thursday night, he unveiled the Tesla Powerwall, a wall-mounted 3.9 x 52.1-inch (86.1 x 132.3-cm) battery that stores charges from solar panels or the grid during off-peak hours — and serves as backup power during outages...'We are talking about trying to change the fundamental energy infrastructure of the world,'Musk said at Tesla’s design studio in Hawthorne, Calif. 'You can be free of the grid.'"-Derek Klobucher, Forbes (2015)