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AeroVironment Installs Wind Turbines on Roof of Potato Chip Factory
2007-11-20 07:30:00
Efficient electric energy systems provider, AeroVironment, Inc. has installed its Architectural Wind system on the roof of the new Beloit, Wisconsin manufacturing facility of Kettle Foods, a Salem, Ore.-based producer of all-natural potato chips and other snack foods. The Beloit installation includes 18 wind turbines. According to AeroVironment, its small, modular Architectural Wind system is designed for quick and easy installation onto the parapet of a new or existing tilt-up or pre-cast building, allowing the turbines to take advantage of the building's unique aerodynamics. Assuming normal wind conditions, the 18 wind turbines on the Kettle Foods facility are projected to generate approximately 28,000 kilowatt hours of power each year - enough to produce 56,000 bags of potato chips, says Tim Fallon, president of Kettle Foods North America. AV's Architectural Wind system played a key role in Kettle Foods' receipt of the U.S. Green Building Council Gold leve...
More About: Factory , Potato , Roof , Chip

Val Kilmer’s tree house
2007-11-20 07:28:00
Nobody’s saying he uses his utility belt to winch himself up there, but he sure loves to get away. Val Kilmer ’s love for nature, particularly trees, has deep roots. His second cousin Alfred Joyce Kilmer wrote the famous poem “Tree s” in 1913. Kilmer eventually will ‘build a new house here by the river, have some organic gardens to farm what I need and just get back to the land. In a way, this treehouse is my first step in that direction. Look at this tree. It’s so solid and yet so fragile that it moves with the wind,” he says, grasping one of the oaks. “There’s a sense of freedom and wonderment up here.”TREES (1913) I think that I shall never seeA poem lovely as a tree.A tree whose hungry mouth is prestAgainst the earth’s sweet flowing breast;A tree that looks at God all day,And lifts her leafy arms to pray;A tree that may in summer wearA nest of robins in her hair;Upon whose bosom snow has lain;Who intimately lives with rain.Poems are made by fools like me,But...
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What's the Difference Between Solar Energy and Solar Power?
2007-11-20 07:24:00
Q: I'm confused about the use of the terms solar energy and solar power. Is solar energy both a type of energy and a type of technology? Is solar power both a type of power and a type of technology? It seems like the terms get mixed up and used interchangeably, like kWh and kW do even though these units describe two different things. What are the general differences between solar energy and solar power? Thank you. -- Lee K. A: Lee, this is a question I get often, and believe it is worth addressing. Solar "power" usually means converting the sun's rays (photons) to electricity. The solar technologies could be photovoltaics, or the various concentrating thermal technologies: solar troughs, solar dish/engines, and solar power towers.Solar "energy" is a more generic term, meaning any technology that converts the sun's energy into a form of energy—so that includes the aforementioned solar power technologies, but also solar thermal for water heating, space he...
More About: Power , Solar Power , Energy , Solar energy

Amazing wind Power image
2007-11-20 00:58:00
Some things just need to be shared. This 3-D image from Aleksandar Rodic is just...pleasant. EcoGeek asked him why he created it, and he said:My intention was to show the beauty of clean energy and thereby oppose the argument of those who say that wind turbines are ruining the beauty of landscapes. Wind turbines are very elegant and beautifully products of human engineering which have positive impact on environment. Symbioses of nature and technology fitted perfectly in this story about clean energy.Thanks, Aleksandar, for using a computer to create a digital image of a natural portrayal of a technological marvel. The image is available as a print from his website; also, a larger version is available for download (apparently for free.) The image won first prize at the AWEA conference in Pittsburgh.
More About: Power , Amazing , Image , Wind power

Miscea: Hands-Free Faucet Delivers Water, Soap, LED Fun
2007-11-20 00:55:00
Sensor activated faucets are so passee! Miscea has introduced their new generation Sensor Activated Faucet / dispenser that features that gives you not only water but also soap and a choice of disinfectant/lotion without touching the faucet.The MISCEA is made of stainless steel and its elegant design is accentuated by the interactive user interface. The faucet’s head is made of laser engraved glass with LED lighting so when you point your hand to the control sensors, the indicated section will get activated. The hi-tech faucet even allows for motion controlled adjustment of water temperature. Just bring your hand next to the plus or minus and the temperature will change as indicated by the digital display. The touch free interface is both hygienic and convenient.Besides the faucet is also environment-friendly as it saves up to 70% amount of water used each time you wash your hands. MISCEA is easy to install and it fits in any washbasin or kitchen environment. The system operates o...
More About: Free , Water , Hands , Soap

RV Solar Panels: Working Towards No Emissions
2007-11-16 23:20:00
Nil or at least minimal emissions – this is the aim of vehicle companies nowadays, many of which having had expressed their concern about how carbon and fossil fuels have so far caused grave damage to our environment. All I can say is – it is just about time. Or has it been an otherwise good decision that has all but come too late?If anyone would really desire less damaging emissions, then the ordinary consumer and vehicle owner can do their part. If home solar panel is ideal power alternative source for the homes, then the RV solar panel is a great compliment, if not replacement for the conventional fuel generator.We all know how immense and large scale the emissions are, which in turn can be very damaging to the air that we breathe these generators create. Definitely, in the grand and noble design of saving the world from further damage brought about by these generators, we can count on alternative sources of energy such as the sun, water and wind.The most popular source is th...
More About: Solar , Emissions , Working , Solar Panels , Workin

Fort Carson to Host 2 MW Solar PV Array
2007-11-16 23:15:00
3 Phases Energy Services, LLC, SunTechnics Energy Systems, Inc., and Morgan Stanley, will develop, engineer, install and finance a 2-megawatt (MW), ground-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) array at Fort Carson , CO. When completed, the PV project will cover nearly 12 acres at Fort Carson making it the largest solar array at a U.S. Army facility and one of the largest in Colorado, according to the companies. The ground-mounted solar array will consist of flat-plate, thin-film solar technology provided by First Solar . The solar modules are warranted for 25 years and the plant can be expected to produce energy efficiently for up to 40 years.The project will generate 3,200 megawatt-hours (MWh) of solar power annually and is one of the first major customer-sited projects to emerge from Colorado's voter-led initiative to make the state a leading user of renewable energy.Governor Bill Ritter recently led a successful campaign to double the amount of renewable energy in the stat...
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San Francisco’s Airport Going Solar
2007-11-16 21:02:00
ABC 7 reports the San Franc isco International Airport Terminal 3 now has more than 2,800 solar panels on its rooftop. The solar panels are part of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and SFO’s joint solar energy project to help reduce energy use. San Francisco Mayor, Gavin Newsom said, “his major solar energy project further establishes San Francisco as America’s solar energy leader and symbolizes the commitment of the city - and San Francisco International Airport - to leading the way on renewable energy generation and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Via SEI
More About: Solar , Going , Goin

Virgin Atlantic testing Bio-fuel on Jumbo Jet
2007-11-16 20:56:00
British billionaire Richard Branson said on Monday his Virgin Group hopes to produce clean biofuels by around the start of the next decade and early next year will test a jet plane on renewable fuel. Virgin hopes to provide clean fuel for buses, trains and cars within three or four years, Branson told a Mortgage Bankers Association meeting in Boston. In the meantime, Virgin will be conducting a test jet flight on renewable fuels. "Early next year we will fly one of our 747s without passengers with one of the fuels that we have developed," Branson told the annual conference. Virgin is developing biofuels for aircraft in conjunction with Boeing Co and engine-maker GE Aviation, a unit of General Electric Co. Previously, Branson had said the company would test the fuel sometime next year and that some people had said it would be late in the year. Air New Zealand has said it plans to test a flight on a combination fuel of biofuel and kerosene in late 2008, but Virgi...
More About: Fuel , Testing , Atlantic , Virgin Atlantic

Turbine Free Wind Power: Alternative Alternative Energy
2007-11-16 20:53:00
Wind power is great, but those big turbines are inefficient (the bearings suck out a lot of energy) and, if you're a passing bird, dangerous. Shawn Frayne has come up with an alternative to this alternative energy, which he says is ten times more efficient than a turbine and, because it has no bearings, scales well to smaller sizes. Inspired by the famous Tacoma Narrows Bridge, which you've all seen shaking itself apart in this video, the Windbelt is a tight plastic strip stretched in a frame, joined to magnets at both ends. When the wind blows across the belt, it vibrates (like when you blow a blade of grass to make music) and the magnets move inside wire coils, generating power. This table top version will put out 40 milliwatts and can power an LED. It's cheap and simple, and can generate power from breezes as slow as 10mph, making it ideal for developing nations (California based Frayne worked in Haiti and saw a need for cheap power to replace dangerous kerosene ...
More About: Power , Energy , Alternative , Wind , Free

World's Offshore Largest Wind Farm Approved
2007-11-15 06:54:00
The world's largest wind farm, which has been planned for the ocean off the coast of Kent, UK, for some time has been officially approved. However, the project, which is being planned by Eon and Shell energy companies, is being threatened by an increase and projected costs, and possible regulatory problems with transmitting the power.A substation and the power cables necessary to transport the power to population centers are being fought by locals. At the same time, the projected cost of the project has increased from £1.5bn to £2bn.Locals are uninterested in having the 340 turbine project in their back yard, but the UK needs to focus on these massive renewable projects in order to meet its Kyoto targets. Without them, it simply won't happen. Via Ecogeek
More About: Wind , Offshore , Farm , Largest , Large

HYmini Wind-Powered Gadget Charger
2007-11-15 06:51:00
We've seen lots of solar chargers before, and though sunshine on our shoulders makes us happy, it can't always be counted on to shine when we need it. Enter HYmini, an honest-to-goodness wind-powered charger for the list of small consumer electronics that have become familiar to alternative-energy-charging enthusiasts: iPods and mp3 players, cell phones, PDAs and digital cameras. It's due in stores at the end of the month. Strap it to your bike handlebars, hold it when you go for a jog, or stick it out the window in the car(pool) when you're driving down the road, and you may never have to plug your gadgets into the wall again. If that weren't enough, you can further extend its ability to harvest renewable energy with some optional solar panels. More details below the fold. ::HYmini via ::Core77 TreeHugger picked up on a similar example in a cab in Japan, but that was just one cab, and it didn't have a battery to s...
More About: Wind , Gadget , Charger , Char

Latest Home Solar Panels: Compact and Portable
2007-11-15 06:49:00
While we may be familiar with the conventional home solar panel, as well as other sun-powered gadgets such as outdoor solar light and RV solar panel, there is a continuous discovery and invention of newer and better solar gadgets.Aside from the fact that the latest home solar panel now is more efficient and reliable, it is much better in terms of its appearance and weight.The latest solar panels are now more compact and sleek. In fact, there are models that are foldable and portable. These are the type that you need when power is a requirement especially during your hiking adventure or outdoor activities.You can see how flexible solar panels are today. Many can be folded and brought along during any trip. And when you arrive at your site, just take them out for easy mounting.Another advantage of these compact, foldable sun-powered gadgets is that they are very light in weight. And perhaps because of its lightweight components, the price is low compared to the conventional home solar...
More About: Portable , Solar , Home , Compact , Solar Panels

An Off-Grid Vertical Farm for Downtown Seattle
2007-11-15 06:48:00
We face a lot of challenges, complex and sometimes overwhelming challenges. There are no Single Shot / Silver Bullet solutions out there. But, in some ways, there are solution sets that could be considered a Silver BB. Our challenges include Peak Oil, Global Warming, clean water constraints, food supply challenges (including every increasing food miles, how far food is traveling to the dinner table), poor urban infrastructure, urban heat islands, housing challenges, etc ... Vertical urban agriculture offers a potential silver BB in this domain ... with a new concept from Seattle offering one of the most integrated and interesting approaches that I've seen to date. Mithun won a best of show prize (Cascadia Region Green Building Council's Living Building Challenge) for their urban farm design that to integrate farming (vegetables, chickens) and housing to a high-rise in downtown Seattle. The Living Building Challenge is a competition that encourages building owners, architects, eng...
More About: Downtown , Grid , Farm , Downtown Seattle

Clipper To Develop 7.5 MW Britannia Offshore Wind Turbine
2007-11-15 06:47:00
Clipper Wind power Plc announced last week that it has established a Center of Excellence for Offshore Wind in Blyth, United Kingdom, to develop a 7.5 MW offshore wind turbine, which the company says would be world's largest.The "Britannia Project" has attracted support from the UK's One NorthEast Regional Develop ment Agency. The development of the 7.5 MW wind turbine will build upon Clipper's Liberty 2.5-MW turbine.The Britannia Project addresses the growing demand for highly reliable and efficient offshore wind energy. Clipper will enlist the services and test facilities of the Blyth-based New and Renewable Energy Centre (NaREC) in this project."We are extremely pleased to have the U.K.'s One NorthEast working with us in the Britannia Project," said James G.P. Dehlsen, Chairman and CEO of Clipper. "We established the Project based on the offshore wind application of our technology and in concert with the U.K. government's policy leadership targeted to provide upwards of 20% ...
More About: Turbine

Horizon Wind Energy Announces 400-MW Contract with Suzlon
2007-11-14 08:26:00
Horizon Wind Energy , owned by Portuguese utility EDP (Energias de Portugal, S.A.) a renewable energy developer, has signed a contract with Suzlon Wind Energy Corporation, the US-based subsidiary of Suzlon Energy A/S of Denmark for 400 MW of wind turbine capacityThe contract calls for delivery of 200 MW of turbine capacity in 2008 and another 200 MW of capacity in 2009. The agreement calls for the delivery of Suzlon's S88-2.1 MW wind turbine to various ready-to-build sites in Horizon's large project pipeline. Ninety-five units are to be supplied in 2008 and ninety-five in 2009. Suzlon is also contracted for operations, maintenance and service of the wind turbines for two years and an option for five, and will do so by expanding its service territory with new facilities to meet demand. "The wind power market is becoming less segmented, as it quickly transitions into a truly global business with transactions occurring across continents all the time," said Andre Horbach, CEO of ...
More About: Contract , Anno , Horizon

The Solar Farmer
2007-11-14 08:24:00
Alvin Kunugi has a love-hate relationship with the sun, and it just got more complex. A farmer in San Luis Valley, Colorado, Kunugi's plants harvest the sun's energy and turn it into stored energy in the form of calories. But the sun in the valley is a little too much.It's actually one of sunniest places in the U.S.—and forces him to spend 15,000 dollars a year on energy for irrigation. The irrigation works with a central pivot. These plots look like large green circles from the sky. But roads in the prairies create a checkerboard. The result is four unfarmed corners on each checker, which provide amazing space for harvesting the sun in another way: with solar panels.Kunugi, as well as five other farmers, recently each had a 10 kilowatt (kW) photovoltaic (PV) solar system installed on their property. In the summer months, most of the energy generated from these systems will go to the farmers pivot irrigation and in the winter, it will go to the pool of electricity in the grid. ...
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EA and BP Collaborate to Include Climate Education in SimCity Socities
2007-11-14 08:23:00
Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) and BP have collaborated to include climate change education within SimCity™ Societies, the next iteration in the genre-defining city-building franchise that has sold more than 18 million games to date. The collaboration brings together world-class game building skills and industry expertise on energy, electricity production and greenhouse gas emissions to highlight the impact of electricity generation on the emissions of carbon dioxide that are linked to climate change. The low-carbon electricity choices and monitoring of SimCity's carbon emissions provide an entertaining, fully-integrated and accurate look at some of the causes and some of the major solutions available to combat rising levels of carbon and to help address the threat of global warming. SimCity Societies will be available at retailers across North America and Europe November 15. "The time was right for this partnership. EA was developing the next iteration of the SimCity seri...
More About: Education , Climate , Collaborate , Simcity

Schuco USA L.P. Turns Building Envelopes into Power Plants
2007-11-14 08:22:00
American supplier of solar power systems, markets building-integrated photovoltaic modules "Made in Germany". Schuco's extremely efficient glass-glass modules are available in sizes up to 6.56' x 9.84' and come in all colors. These modules can be seen for the first time in the US at Solar Power 2007 in Long Beach (Stand 414). Schüco PROSOL PV modules are produced in Germany. Depending on the cell type, up to 21% of sunlight is converted into electric power. Aside from basic blue, bronze and grey, PROSOL PV modules come in many other colors. The underside is designed to ensure maximum choice. Customers can select the color they like, and also choose between transparent and translucent structures. For architects, this presents a whole new dimension in creative freedom. The new PV modules are equally suitable for curtain wall facades and single-layer facades in buildings of all sizes. This is because PROSOL PV modules are available in non-insulated, thermally i...
More About: Building , Plants , Envelope

Carrefour selects ICP Solar as Solar energy Products Provider in Spain
2007-11-14 08:20:00
ICP Solar Technologies Inc. (OTCBB: ICPR, FRANKFURT: K1U.F), a developer, manufacturer and marketer of solar cells and products, today announced that Carrefour Group one of the world’s leading distribution groups, the world’s second-largest retailer and the largest in Europe, will carry the Sunsei® line of mobile chargers in Spain . "We are very happy to be working with Carrefour. They are one of the premier retailers in the world and our companies have always shared the same customer centric strategies that focus on delivering top-quality, innovative and reliable products,” said Pascal Petit, Director of Sales EMEA. “Our products are a perfect fit. Sunsei® panels deliver over 50% more power per square inch than other comparable amorphous-silicon solar panels. Coupled with our advanced features, esthetics, connectivity and a solid 10-year warranty, Carrefour’s customers can be assured they are getting the best product for their money.” “As the third largest solar mark...
More About: Products , Energy , Solar energy

US WIND POWER INSTALLATIONS TO RISE 63 PCT IN 2007
2007-11-12 06:33:00
Timothy Gardner and Marguerita Choy US wind power installations are projected to jump 63 percent this year amid concern about global warming and rising fuel prices, an industry group said on Friday NEW YORK, US: November 10, 2007.- The US wind industry is on track to complete a total of 4,000 megawatts worth of installations in 2007, or about enough to power 1 million average homes, according to the American Wind Energy Association. The new projection beats AWEA’s previous expectation for the year by about 33 percent. “This is great news because it means that new, readily available, clean generation is reaching consumers at a time when electricity demand and global warming concerns are both on the rise,” said Randall Swisher, AWEA’s executive director, said in a release. Texas leads the country this year in wind power installments with California, Iowa and Minnesota close behind. While wind power growth has been strong in recent years, it only generates a tiny fraction of US...
More About: Power , Wind power , Installations , Rise

OLPC On Sale for All!
2007-11-12 06:31:00
The Greenest Laptop in existence is officially going on sale for everyone, starting Monday, November 12th! But act fast...because it'll only be available for two weeks. While the laptop was originally designed for a market that is quite different from American Christmas shoppers, the One Laptop Per Child XO is likely going to sell pretty well...for a few interesting reasons. First, you get to feel good about your gadget. Not only does the $100 XO consume less power than any other laptop while looking to last longer than the average 3-year computer, you also cannot buy one for yourself (or your child) without donating one to a child in a developing nation. This "$100" laptop can only be purchased for that price by governments and NGOs. If you want one for youself, you'll have to pay a much more significant $400, the profits of which will buy one for a child in a developing nation and help finance the OLPC project. The computers come with a web browser, a writing pad, an integrated ...
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Wal-Mart's Ultra-Efficient Linux PC Sells Out
2007-11-12 06:25:00
Well...after all the naysaying, it took about a week for Wal-Mart's $200 green Linux PC to sell out of their online warehouses. Of course, it probably isn't selling quite that fast in stores. The Everex machine, which runs on a power-sipping Via 1.5 Ghz processor, is the first Ubuntu machine to be sold by any major retailer. It's strange that Wal-Mart was the pioneer here, but their constant search for lower prices meshes well with the freeness of Linux. After all, you can buy the hardware for less than the cost of Microsoft Office and get everything you need (except a monitor). Wal-Mart's sales page is now littered with positive reviews from people who've never used Linux before (and even a couple people who've never used a PC before). The overwhelming theme is that the machine isn't impressive in any way...but it is just as useful as the majority of Windows machines that roll off the shelves for two or three times the cost (without a built-in office suite). In the end, it'...
More About: Ultra , Efficient

Sweden's Green Car Explosion
2007-11-12 06:23:00
At this week's Clean Vehicles and Fuels conference in Stockholm, city officials released an updated survey showing that 50 percent of city residents would consider shopping for a "miljöbil" when they buy their next car. That's a huge increase from 2004, the last time the survey was done, when just 20 percent of respondents said they'd consider buying a green, or environmentally friendlier car. One reason for the mental shift has to be Stockholm's congestion tax, newly implemented this year after a 2006 trial. Registered green cars are exempt from the automated tax, and thus are becoming highly sought after - a total of more than 25,000 have been sold since May, to both consumers and for fleets. A big percentage of those green cars are 'bi-fuel' models that run on either regular gas or the E85 ethanol blend. Sales of ethanol bi-fuels in Sweden more than doubled from 21,000 by the end of 2005 to 46,000 by the end o...
More About: Green , Explosion , Green Car

Solar Energy tower in Australia
2007-11-10 08:28:00
The worlds larger solar tower will be built in Australia , it will be done in 2005 and will work without having a negative impact over the environment. It will generate 200mw all over a surface of 5 square km of solar cells. The tower will be built within 2 years and will cost 380 millions of euros, I will transform the mass of the energy in air. To keep the warmth during night the platform will be over solar tubes filled with water. Those panels heat the air that goes to a chimney. Days and Nights As the hot air tends to raise and the environmental temperature diminishes a degree each one hundred meters of altitude, an airflow crosses the chimney permanently driving thirtytwo turbines, of a capacity of 6.5 MW each one, that are the ones that feed the generator . The power station will generate electricity thus all the day and all the night and all thanks to solar energy.The solar power station its like a huge chimney and it will be inst...
More About: Energy , Solar , Solar energy , Tower