Tech Stream

Tech Stream 026

14 August 2009

Listen and download: MP3

Kong Pharith’s solar-powered electric jeep hits the streets of Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Solar and other renewable energy sources could one day be powering all of our cars. At least that’s the long-term hope for those who understand the impacts that the current methods for powering our vehicles has on the planet.

In the Tech Stream this week we hear about the battery technology which is making this future possible now; the rollout of an electric vehicle recharge network in Australia and how an industrious inventor in Cambodia decided he couldn’t wait any longer so built his own solar-powered electric jeep (see the photo above). More details after the jump, or follow the MP3 link above to hear the program right away. After a brief tech-news wrap to open the program we hear from Richard Canny, CEO of Norwegian electric car company THINK. Peter Mares spoke with him in The National Interest as part of a wider discussion about electric vehicles. You can hear the full discussion on the Radio National website.

Guy Pross is the director of director of government affairs for Better Place Australia. He tells us about the roll-out of an electric vehicle recharge network, which his company will begin constructing in Canberra with other capital cities to follow.

And Kong Pharith shares his experience of building a solar-powered electric car in Phnom Penh.  Thanks to Alex Kuhn from our Khmer language service for producing the interview.

Meredith Griffiths from our current affairs program PM reports on how sponsorship dollars are drying up for professional video games players.  A full transcript is also available.

And I sat down with Paul Callaghan, a games developer and freelance writer who, with his partner Eve Penford-Dennis, is running Freeplay 2009 – an independent games festival that focuses on the creative and artistic side of making games.

Feel free to comment on any of these stories or suggest future angles or ideas for the program in the comments section below!