Articles tagged with "Environmental"
Intel goes green with power purchase
January 30, 2008 Technology giant Intel has announced it will purchase more than 1.3 billion kilowatt hours a year of renewable energy certificates, making it the single-largest corporate purchaser of green power in the US. The decision is part of a Intel's multi-faceted approach to reduce impact on the environment, and places the company at the top of the EPA's Green Power Partners latest Green Power Partners Top 25 list. (read more...)
CC Medico’s Air Launcher nozzle eases aerosol can recycling
February 1, 2008 In an era where the need to reduce, reuse and recycle is a the top of the agenda, any innovation that helps in this regard is a welcome one. In providing a solution to the specific problem of recycling aerosol cans, Tokyo-based company CC Medico has developed the Air Launcher JET Alpha nozzle, a new type of aerosol nozzle which is easily removed and separated from the can by hand, which makes recycling the cans much easier. (read more...)
Energy Island: unlocking the potential of the ocean as a renewable power source
January 29, 2008 Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion uses the temperature difference between surface and deep-sea water to generate electricity – and though it has an efficiency of just 1-3% - researchers believe an OTEC power plant could deliver up to 250MW of clean power, equivalent to one eighth of a large nuclear power plant, or one quarter of an average fossil fuel power plant. Architect and engineer Dominic Michaelis and his son Alex, along with Trevor Cooper-Chadwick of Southampton University are developing the concept with plans of putting the theory to the test on an unprecedented scale by building a floating, hexagonal Energy Island that will harness energy from OTEC, as well as from winds, sea currents, waves, and the sun. (read more...)
Belkin Conserve Energy-Saving Surge Protector
January 21, 2008 Belkin's aptly named Conserve is an 8-outlet surge protector that reduces energy consumption by eliminating wasteful standby power, helping lower the overall impact on the environment and at the same time saving money. (read more...)
Hunton Energy announces plans for clean energy plant
December 20, 2007 Finding new ways to capture environmentally harmful emissions and use them to generate power is a positive step in the effort to slow global warming. The latest news from this arena comes from Hunton Energy, which has announced plans to build and operate a Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG) plant at Dow’s Oyster Creek Facility on the Texas Gulf Coast which will capture 100 percent of its own CO2 emissions, using turbines to produce additional power from its byproduct steam. (read more...)
Pedal-powered supercomputer: MIT Cycling team sets new record
December 15, 2007 Cyclists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have set a new world record in Human Powered Computation (HPC). The team of 10 used bicycles to power a SiCortex SC648 supercomputer drawing 1.2 kilowatts of electricity, riding non-stop for 20 minutes to achieve the feat of the largest HPC in history. (read more...)
BioOil to fuel industrial sector
December 13, 2007 Missouri, USA is set to become home to a commercial industrial plant that will produce liquid biofuel from wood residues. The end product, known as “BioOil”, is an industrial fuel expected to be sold to commercial users as it is a price-competitive replacement for heating oils that are widely used in industrial boilers and furnaces. (read more...)
Third-generation G-Wiz electric vehicle launched
January 2, 2008 UK electric vehicle retailer GoinGreen has announced the release of the latest incarnation of its G-Wiz range. Known as G-Wiz i, the emission free electric vehicle (EV) that has a certified top speed of 50mph, a range of up to 48 miles per charge and improved acceleration to 30mph. Extra torque enables the G-Wiz i to easily keep up with city traffic and to cope with hills, but the most attractive feature is sure to be running costs with the fuel bill for a year’s electricity costing less than the price of a tank of petrol. (read more...)
Self-powered biosensor wins iGEM Environmental award
December 10, 2007 A team of students from the University of Glasgow have designed the world’s first self-powered biosensor as part of the international Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition. The device, which took first prize in the Environment section of the awards, would have the ability to detect toxic leaks in environments that are unsuitable for humans and could be used as an early warning system in a range of industrial applications. (read more...)
Volvo backs energy efficient forestry machinery
December 4, 2007 Making forestry a sustainable industry isn't just about the best utilization and management of plantation resources, it's also about how the timber is harvested. With this in mind, Volvo has announced a new investment as the part-owner in El-forest AB, based in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden. (read more...)
Electrolux Design Lab 07 winners announced
December 3, 2007 Electrolux Design Lab 07 was the fifth edition of Electrolux’s annual initiative aimed at encouraging the design of eco-friendly and sustainable household appliances. Winners of the year’s competition have been announced with finalists from Hungary, France and China in first, second and third place respectively. (read more...)
Demand-response system to limit peak power use
November 19, 2007 Reducing demand from customers for power during peak periods is one way to delay the need for costly new power plants. It will also help to conserve resources and moderate energy prices. Reliant Energy, a Texas-based energy provider, has completed a successful test of a new demand-response system designed to give customers greater control of their electricity usage while reducing demand for power during peak usage periods. (read more...)
ReLED Systems offer LED replacement for fluorescent tubes
November 13, 2007 ReLED Systems has introduced a solid state replacement for fluorescent tubes which allows existing light fixtures to be simply converted to Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), offering lower energy consumption, longer lamp life and environmental advantages over fluorescent tubes. (read more...)
First commercial cellulosic ethanol plant in the U.S.
November 9, 2007 The production of ethanol as a cleaner alternative to fossil fuel throws up a number of challenges - in particular it has been argued that the amount of land required to produce crops for ethanol fuel production is too great, taking away land that is needed for food production. The use of cellulosic biomass to make commercial ethanol has been seen as a possible solution to this problem and now Range Fuels has now announced plans for the first commercial ethanol plant in the U.S. to use cellulosic biomass. (read more...)
Waterproof, recyclable concrete – just add Hycrete
November 1, 2007 Hycrete Technologies has developed a water based admixture that acts as waterproofing and corrosion protection when added to regular concrete. It does this by sealing the capillaries within the concrete and making the resultant product completely waterproof. The Hycrete is so effective that no external waterproof membranes, coatings or sheeting treatments are required, which is good news for the environment as it is usually these waterproofing methods that render concrete unsuitable for recycling – without them the concrete can be crushed, recycled, and reused. (read more...)
Responsible tourism: sustaining world cultures
October 31, 2007 As global tourism in the developing world grows, so too does the awareness of the importance of responsible travel - being mindful of local customs, cultures and ecosystems is vital to striking a safe balance between traditional societies and new world economies. The emergence of terms like “Volunteer tourism” and increasing recognition of travel organizations that seek to promote the practice of providing help or services to the region being visited is evidence that this shift in attitude is continuing to gain momentum. (read more...)
World first 100% biodiesel fuel powered jet takes flight
October 19, 2007 An L-29 military aircraft powered solely by 100% biodiesel fuel has successfully completed a test flight in the skies above Reno, Nevada. Piloted by Carol Sugars and Douglas Rodante, the aircraft reached 17,000 feet without showing any significant drop in performance compared to a jet aircraft running on conventional fuel. (read more...)
Masdar Initiative: the world's first zero carbon, zero waste city
October 12, 2007 The sleek, modern capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi, will be host to what is planned as the world’s first zero carbon, zero waste city. The project involves a six million square meter sustainable development that will combine traditional planning principals of a walled city with existing technologies. The planned development is a dense, car-free city to be constructed in an energy efficient two-stage phase. A large photovoltaic solar power plant will be constructed to power the city and the location is close to transport infrastructure with links to surrounding communities, as well as the center of Abu Dhabi and the international airport, by a network of existing road and new rail and public transport routes. (read more...)
Flexible modules could transform windows and buildings into solar panels
October 11, 2007 Traditionally, solar panels for buildings have predominantly been stand alone systems mounted to roofs in order to capture sunlight. The growing focus on "green" energy and a move away from reliance on fossil fuels is driving smarter and more integrated methods of procuring alternative energy sources such as solar, and in line with this, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has invested $4.7 million to develop technology that would allow windows and other building applications to be converted into solar panels. (read more...)
HTI's revolutionary forward osmosis filtration system
October 15, 2007 On any given day, over one billion people lack access to clean drinking water and over 50% of hospital beds are occupied by people suffering from water-borne diseases. In the face of these facts it is clear that any technological innovation that can help combat this problem is a worthy one, with water filtration systems such as the LifeStraw and the LIFESAVER bottle having recently grabbed our attention. Now new technology developed by Hydration Technologies (HTI) has become available that allows the user to create a safe, clean diluted sports drink from any contaminated (even sewage-like) groundwater source without the use of power, pumping or chemicals. (read more...)
New solar panels promise reduced installation time
September 28, 2007 Akeena's new Andalay solar panel technology combines savvy design with a number of enhancements designed to decrease installation time. With 70% fewer roof-assembled parts and 50% less labor needed to install the system, the company says the Andalay system can cut installation time from half a day to half an hour. (read more...)
Ultraportable ThinkPad X300 Notebook PC
The ultra-portable Lenovo ThinkPad X300 measures less than three-quarters of an inch at its thinnest point and combines leading technologies such as solid-state drive storage, enhanced wireless connectivity and an integrated fingerprint reader. Recognized for its superior environmental attributes by the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT), the versatile ThinkPad X300 can be configured for extreme portability starting at just 2.9 pounds, or maximum battery life of up to 10 hours or a balance between the two. It also offers an optional built-in 7-millimeter slim DVD burner and includes stereo speakers, a digital microphone and an integrated camera. (read more...)
California winery to convert to 100% solar power
September 18, 2007 The EOS Estate Winery has announced a $3.8 million plan to convert its California Central Coast winery entirely to solar power. To be completed by April, the project will include the installation of more than two acres of ground-mounted tracking solar arrays that will provide all the electrical power needs for the winery and tasting room, while additional roof-mounted solar arrays will provide all the hot water needs. The system will be installed by SunTechnics and will contain 3,084 photovoltaic modules totalling 540 kWp and 60 solar hot water collectors. (read more...)
Large scale solar plants have a bright future
September 14, 2007 Although the use of solar energy has is seen as viable for the operation of stand-alone devices such as phone-chargers and even a computer mouse, the question remains in some minds: is solar a viable alternative energy source on a mass scale? The proliferation of large scale solar power plants worldwide and plans to build several new ones seems to suggest that the renewable energy sector believes that solar does indeed have a bright future. (read more...)
Lifesaver: all-in-one water filtration bottle removes pathogens without the use of chemicals
September 19, 2007 Estimates put the number of people without access to safe drinking water at a staggering one billion, and with thousands – most of them children - dying daily from the risks associated with waterborne disease there is no doubting the significance of this new all-in one ultra filtration water bottle. The LIFESAVER bottle is a World first breakthrough for access to clean drinking water that removes waterborne pathogens without the use of expensive overheads or chemicals. The device has huge potential to save lives in humanitarian and disaster relief operations as well in military situations where its pressurized system also allows it to be used as a sterile wound wash. (read more...)
