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Further doubts atmospheric umbrella will save marine environments

By Darren Quick

15:55 June 18, 2009 PDT

A part of Moofushi coral reef hit by coral bleaching
 Pic credit: Bruno de Giusti

We recently looked at problems with a last resort solution to counteract global warming by artificially shading the Earth from sunlight by injecting sulphur or small, reflective particles into the upper atmosphere. Now a new study from the Carnegie Institution has thrown further doubt on the effectiveness of such a proposal. Although it may lower the planet’s temperature by a couple of degrees, it would do little to stop the acidification of the world’s oceans that threatens coral reefs and other marine life. Read More

Honeywell wind turbine is a breeze to run – and a light one at that

By Alan Brandon

15:11 June 17, 2009 PDT

The Honeywell Windgate wind turbine from EarthTronics measures less than 6 feet (1.8m) acr...

Has affordable, practical home wind power generation become a reality? The Honeywell Windgate wind turbine from EarthTronics looks like it could be a contender. Developers EarthTronics and Honeywell Corp hope the Windgate wind turbine will help meet the energy needs of homeowners and businesses, even if they are not located in prime “windy” areas. EarthTronics says the 6-foot wide, 95-pound Windgate can start to spin in breezes as low as 2mph and can create more power with less wind than other types of wind turbines. Read More

Rural Space designed to give eco-tourism a temporary lift

By Karen Sprey

17:08 June 16, 2009 PDT

The self-sufficient Rural Space is powered by wind and solar energy

With so many heritage-listed sites and national parks in Britain, there are tight restrictions on what can be permanently built and where. Designer Philip Crewe, however, has come up with the idea of Rural Space, a temporary living space powered by wind and solar energy, which helps people get closer to nature, in considerably more comfort than the standard tent or hostel. Read More

Tamago play furniture: 100% recyclable for 100% fun

By Jude Garvey

17:06 June 16, 2009 PDT

Tamago play furniture

Merci Design has developed a line of children’s play furniture made from 100% recycled paper pulp, the same material used to produce egg cartons. Tamago, meaning ‘egg’ in Japanese, consists of seven different pieces, designed to be utilized by the child in whatever way they choose. Read More

Sony announces eco-friendly mercury-free batteries

By Mick Webb

05:49 June 16, 2009 PDT

An environmentally friendly step in the right direction - Sony's mercury-free batteries.

It’s no secret that mercury is a dirty word in environmental circles, and more of the big guns of electronics are starting to take note. Apple's MacBook Pro now features a mercury-free backlight display, and Fuji has released its eco-friendly EnviroMax batteries. This week Sony has strengthened its enviro-credibility by announcing a line of mercury-free alkaline button batteries. Read More

HyWind - world's first floating wind turbine reaches its final destination

By Karen Sprey

18:20 June 15, 2009 PDT

The Hywind floating wind turbine is towed to its final offshore destination
 PHOTO: Ø...

Hywind, the 2.3MW floating offshore wind turbine being developed by Norwegian oil and gas company StatoilHydro, Siemens and Technip has now been installed and moored to the seabed off the coast of Norway. Once cables to the mainland grid have been laid, the wind turbine prototype will undergo a two year pilot which will provide valuable knowledge on how to perfect the technology and hopefully one day enable floating wind turbines to become a financially viable alternative to other energy sources. Read More

Water Building resort is far more than a drop in the ocean

By Jude Garvey

01:47 June 11, 2009 PDT

The eye-catching Water Building resort will use solar and air power to make clean drinking...

Given some of the intriguing and unusual eco-friendly resort concepts we've seen of late, a luxury hotel in the shape of an enormous drop of water that's designed to convert air into drinking water with the assistance of solar power should come as no surprise. Read More

Dubai's striking O-14 development has solid solar credentials

By Karen Sprey

06:37 June 9, 2009 PDT

Dubai's innovative O-14 office tower has a  perforated concrete shell which acts as its st...

Dubai can lay claim to some of the world’s most outlandish buildings and many are also at the forefront of innovation in eco- and- environmentally friendly design. Joining their ranks is the 0-14 (‘oh-14’), a 22 storey, 300,000 square-foot commercial building perched on a two-storey podium in Dubai’s Business Bay. It's defining feature - a lace-like concrete exoskeleton peppered with more than 1,000 holes - provides both the building’s structure and its facade, delivering shade, light and air, plus stunning views of the Bay and skyline. Read More

The eco-switch saves energy – including your own

By Karen Sprey

01:10 June 8, 2009 PDT

The eco-switch is a simple and inexpensive energy-saving device that  lets you relocate th...

We all know we should turn off appliances at the wall to reduce fire risk as well as our carbon emissions, but the truth is most of us can't be bothered or think to flick the switch. The eco-switch could be the answer: it’s a simple and inexpensive energy-saving device that lets you relocate the power point switch to a more convenient spot where you can turn multiple appliances on and off – with the flick of a single switch. Read More

Ancient building technique may help future designs to be more eco-friendly

By Darren Quick

23:24 June 4, 2009 PDT

Walls made from rammed earth may hold the key to more eco-friendly housing design in the f...

Every child learns early on that moist sand is the key to building a sturdy sandcastle. Now researchers at Durham University have studied this principle so it can be better applied to an ancient eco-friendly building technique of using rammed earth. Read More

New DuPont technology reduces solar costs, increases performance

By Karen Sprey

19:06 June 1, 2009 PDT

The new  DuPont PV5200 and DuPont PV5300 Series photovoltaic encapsulant sheets provide lo...

New encapsulant technology from DuPont promises long-term protection for solar cells, the most sensitive part of photovoltaic modules. The DuPont PV5200 Series and DuPont PV5300 Series encapsulant sheets will also reduce the cost per watt and increase reliability and durability of the modules, allowing manufacturers to deliver better performing, cost-effective solar power. Read More

Glowmark puts the green in glow-in-the-dark safety lighting

By Karen Sprey

15:56 June 1, 2009 PDT

 Glowmark is a new product that uses long-lasting, photo-luminescent crystal technology as...

It is a challenge to provide affordable safety lighting in dark and low-light areas. Glowmark is a new product that uses long-lasting, photo-luminescent crystal technology as an alternative to electric lighting. Not only does it not need electricity, it costs nothing to run, is environmentally safe, biodegradable and easy to install. Read More

The race to build the world's biggest solar power plant heats up

By David Greig

17:42 May 25, 2009 PDT

The Solar I concentrating solar plant will have 3,500  parabolic mirrors trapping the sun'...

The race to build the world’s largest solar power plant continues with Arizona Public Service and Starwood Energy Group Global LLC unveiling plans for a 290-megawatt concentrating solar plant in the Harquahala Valley, 75 miles west of Phoenix. As one of the largest solar plants in the world Starwood Solar I will produce enough electricity to power more than 73,000 homes and is scheduled for completion by 2013. Read More

Plans to build Arizona bullet train fired by the sun

By Karen Sprey

16:54 May 25, 2009 PDT

The solar bullet train could make the 116 mile journey from Tucson to Phoenix in just 30 m...

Bullet trains are considered by many to be one of the greener forms of transport, so imagine how environmentally friendly they might be if the sun’s power was harnessed to power them. That’s precisely what Solar Bullet LLC hopes to do with its 220mph solar bullet train, which the company claims can travel from Tucson to Phoenix in just 30 minutes. Read More

Powerbrella: the solar-powered umbrella that recharges the batteries

By Darren Quick

00:46 May 25, 2009 PDT

The Powerbrella does the work of two: it provides shade and solar-generated power

A retractable alfresco umbrella that converts sunlight into electricity to charge laptops, mobile phones, iPods or any other portable device that might be used relaxing or working outdoors is in development following a partnership between Skyshades, a supplier of shade structures, and Konarka Technologies, the developer of Power Plastic. Read More

Playing roulette with the climate – everybody loses

By Darren Quick

07:55 May 22, 2009 PDT

The “roulette wheels” created by MIT researchers to show the range of probabil...

Research carried out by the MIT's Center for Global Change Science has predicted that global warming will be roughly double previous estimates – and could be even worse than that. While a major 2003 study indicated a median projected increase in earth surface warming of 2.4 degrees Celsius, the new study, which takes into account possible changes in human activities, points to a median probability of surface warming of 5.2 degrees Celsius by 2100 unless drastic action is taken. Read More

Plastic and fuel that grows on trees

By Darren Quick

18:19 May 20, 2009 PDT

The simplified process converting biomass to HMF

Biofuels continue to steal the spotlight when it comes to the search for a renewable, environmentally friendly replacement for crude oil. While that’s understandable when considering the transport industry, but crude oil is also used in the production of conventional plastics and chemical products such as fertilizers and solvents. Now chemists have learned how to convert plant biomass directly into a chemical building block that can not only be used to produce fuel, but also plastics, polyester and industrial chemicals cheaply and efficiently. Read More

Biofuel versus bioelectricity, and the winner is…

By Darren Quick

06:35 May 20, 2009 PDT

The electric Tesla Roadster comes out on top of the ethanol powered Saab 9-5 in the miles ...

Running vehicles on biofuels such as ethanol reduces CO2 emissions and offers a way to lessen the world's reliance on oil. While this sounds great from an environmental perspective, the energy required to produce the biofuel and the land clearing for crops that can result means biofuels aren’t necessarily the environmentally friendly solution they initially appear to be. Recognizing this, researchers have analyzed the best way to maximize the “miles per acre” from biomass and discovered that the far more efficient option is to convert the biomass to electricity, rather than ethanol. Another tick for the electric car. Read More

The Etive kinetic energy charger gives power walking a whole new meaning

By Jude Garvey

00:06 May 20, 2009 PDT

Etive kinetic energy charger harnesses your energy to create a power source for recharging...

Hiking has its share of highs and lows. One of the less pleasing aspects is ensuring you have an adequate source of energy to power your personal electronic equipment. There are a number of renewable energy options available that you may consider when planning your next hiking trip. You could harness the sun’s energy and use a solar-powered charger or solar-wrapped batteries. Perhaps you might choose to use wind power to keep you in touch with the world? But wouldn’t it be great if you could harness power using your own kinetic energy? It makes sense. You’re using your legs all day, surely all that sweat, pain and muscle fatigue is good for something? Enter the Etive – a concept device that uses kinetic energy as a power source for recharging all the electronic gadgets you bring to the great outdoors. Read More

Prayer wheel generates more than karmic energy

By Karen Sprey

22:20 May 17, 2009 PDT

The millions of tourists who spin Tibetan prayer wheels each year could provide a much-nee...

Tibetan prayer wheels have been used for centuries to create harmony, enhance compassion and generate positive karmic energy. Now the kinetic energy created by the millions of tourists and Tibetans who spin the wheels each year could be harnessed to provide additional electricity for street lighting and homes. Read More

Green projects take off at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport

By David Greig

19:37 May 13, 2009 PDT

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) has recently installed 10 wind-powered el...

Airports are windy places and it seems logical to harness this power to reduce operating costs and boost green credentials. In line with this, the environmentally minded Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) has recently installed 10 wind-powered electricity generators and purchased an electric-powered utility vehicle for use at the airport. Read More

Smarter wind technology looks to improve turbine workrate

By Karen Sprey

18:20 May 10, 2009 PDT

Purdue University doctoral student Jonathan White holds a cross-section of a wind turbine ...

Clean, renewable energy is freely available – in the form of wind, sun and water. However, harnessing it reliably and cost-effectively remains a barrier. Wind power is one of the fastest growing alternative energy markets and researchers at Purdue University and Sandia National Laboratories in West Lafayette, Indiana, are working to make wind turbines more efficient, reliable and resilient. Read More

New technology could lead to 50% increase in tire recycling

By Karen Sprey

17:15 May 10, 2009 PDT

About a billion tires are discarded around the world each year despite demand exceeding su...

A new method of recycling old tires to produce high-quality rubber powders for making new rubber products is being developed in Australia. Its developers say it is energy-efficient, economically viable and environmentally responsible, and they hope it will result in 50 per cent more tires being recycled. Read More

Raser low-temperature binary geothermal plant goes online

By Paul Evans

21:19 May 5, 2009 PDT

Raser Technologies has begun delivering 10 megawatts (MW) of clean, renewable electricity ...

Raser Technologies has begun delivering 10 megawatts (MW) of clean, renewable electricity to Anaheim, California, from its first low-temperature, binary geothermal plant, the Hatch Geothermal Power Plant in Beaver County, Utah. Traditionally, the lead time on a geothermal plant is three to five years, but the USD$33-million Raser plant has been powered up just five months after ground-breaking. To help meet such rapid construction schedules, the plant uses off-the-shelf modular components, taken from the air conditioning industry, which are essentially running in reverse. Read More

Pixel building aims to be world's first carbon neutral office development

By Paul Best

23:57 May 3, 2009 PDT

Australian developer Grocon plans to build the country’s first carbon neutral office...

Australian developer Grocon plans to build the country’s first carbon neutral office building on a former brewery site in the city of Melbourne – and possibly the first of its kind in the world. According to the developer, the $6 million, four-storey building has been designed to generate more energy on the site than it uses, offsetting the carbon emissions produced to operate it – and, in time, the greenhouse gases generated in making and installing the construction materials. Read More

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