Leaf

Leaves are impressive machines, converting sunlight, carbon dioxide and water into energy. Cambridge scientists have now created artificial leaves that can float on water, tapping into sunlight above it and water below to efficiently produce fuels.

Researchers at Rice University have built a simple new solar-powered device that can create hydrogen for fuel by splitting water. It's similar to other “artificial leaf” designs but the team says it’s self-sufficient and relatively cheap to produce.

Over the last few years humans have tried to mimic nature with artificial leaves, but they’re never quite up to scratch. Now, researchers have designed a new version that could work under real-world conditions, sucking carbon dioxide out of the air and creating oxygen and synthetic fuels.

Among several concepts at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show, Nissan will unveil the electric Leaf Nismo Concept. This will see the world's best-selling electric car receiving the Nismo treatment, with exterior design highlights, a revised suspension, and a retuned computer for improved performance.

Nissan has made a big environmental push recently, investigating ways to repurpose used EV batteries. The automotive giant has teamed up with Eaton on an energy storage system for Webaxys, giving Leaf batteries a new life as energy storage in data centers.