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Environmental
Turning old houses into green homes
By Darren Quick
22:37 October 20, 2008 PDT
Building environmentally friendly houses from the ground up is all well and good, but what about the existing energy inefficient houses most of us still live in? In 1930’s England three million semi-detached houses, or duplexes, were built and are still a major part the current housing stock. Now a three-year research project is about to start at The University of Nottingham that will help people living in these properties meet the Government’s ambitions to reduce CO2 emissions from homes. The joint project with the energy firm E.ON aims to learn energy efficiency lessons for the future from the failings of houses in the past. Read More
HP plots course for doubling renewable power use
By Emily Clark
21:00 October 20, 2008 PDT
HP has announced details of renewable energy initiatives within its facilities, research and products with the aim of doubling the company’s global purchase of renewable power by 2012. Currently using under 4% renewable energy, the global technology giant hopes to increase its use to 8% within the next four years. Read More
The Climax bioethanol-powered supercar
By Darren Quick
23:36 October 19, 2008 PDT
Greener motoring doesn't usually mean high-performance, but bio-ethanol powered sports cars like the Lotus Exige 265E and Aston Martin's Vantage GT2 have shown that the two terms aren't always mutually exclusive. Now another British company is joining the ranks with the Climax mid-engine open-top two seater. Read More
Largest Solar Deployment on a Corporate Campus in US now online
By Emily Clark
17:14 October 16, 2008 PDT
Two new solar power installations totaling 2.1 megawatts are now online at Applied Materials' corporate research facilities in Sunnyvale, California. The systems, which include a 950 kilowatt SunPower PowerGuard installation and a 1.2 megawatt SunPower Tracker installation atop an elevated parking canopy, represent the largest solar power deployment at a corporate facility in the US. Read More
Navistar unveils new hybrid truck
By Darren Quick
02:45 October 15, 2008 PDT
With the spiraling cost of fuel and the average cost of diesel in 2008 climbing around 39 percent versus last year, it’s no surprise that truck manufacturers are looking to lighten the burden on trucking operators. To this end Navistar, makers of the LoneStar, has expanded its line of diesel electric hybrid trucks with the unveiling of their International DuraStar Hybrid tractor at this week’s Hybrid Truck Users Forum in South Bend, Indiana. Navistar claims that the new diesel electric hybrid Class 7 tractor has the proven capability to provide fuel savings of 20-25 percent on standard in-city pickup and delivery applications. Read More
Evergreen Solar introduces new String Ribbon panels
By Emily Clark
22:30 October 14, 2008 PDT
Evergreen Solar has introduced a new line of solar panels manufactured using its String Ribbon technique which offer several consumer friendly design innovations as well as being the most powerful products the company has ever produced. Read More
Reconnect computer recycling program expanded
By Emily Clark
20:42 October 9, 2008 PDT
Dell and Goodwill Industries have added Virginia to the list of States offering their “Reconnect” drop-off program for the recycling of unwanted computers. The program aims to divert over 2.7 million pounds of used computers and computer equipment from area landfills over the next year; and provide consumer education on the importance of environmentally-responsible computer disposal. Read More
HiPER nuclear fusion project underway
By Darren Quick
00:32 October 9, 2008 PDT
Nuclear fusion has long been the holy grail of energy production. It is the process going on inside the sun, it is clean, and it has the potential to provide practically limitless power. Up until now nuclear fusion reactions have only been replicated inside hydrogen bombs due to the huge amount of power needed to start the reaction and keep it running, but scientists in Britain are hoping to change all that. Britain’s Telegraph newspaper is reporting that British scientists believe they are on the verge of achieving controlled fusion in a laboratory for the first time and will begin work this week to create a nuclear fusion reactor. Read More
MIT researchers harness tree power to fight wildfires
23:33 September 29, 2008 PDT
While specialist fire-fighting crews, squadrons of trucks and water-bombing helicopters all play an important role, access to reliable and timely information on fire behavior is among the most critical of all the tools used to combat wild fires and prevent the loss of life, livestock and property damage. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers are now working on a system that uses energy from the trees themselves to power a network of temperature and humidity sensors that act as remote weather stations to aid in fire management. Read More
Kawasaki to build Japan's fastest train
20:47 September 21, 2008 PDT
Plans announced by Kawasaki Heavy Industries could see a new record set for high-speed train travel in Japan. The design for the rail vehicle dubbed the “Environmentally Friendly Super Express Train” (efSET) is expected to be completed by the end of 2009 and its promised operating speed has been pitched around the 217mph (350 kmh) mark, quicker than the fastest trains currently operating on the country's high-speed Shinkansen network which clock around 188mph (300kmh). Read More
BioSolar's renewable backsheet for solar panels
By Kyle Sherer
00:00 September 17, 2008 PDT
Currently, photovoltaic modules in solar panels employ petroleum-based plastics as a protective backing, increasing their overall carbon footprint and maintaining a reliance the fossil fuel economy. To free solar power from the uncertainties of oil prices, and to help make them a truly green power source, BioSolar has developed bio-based components that are ready to replace the backsheet, substrate and superstrate components of solar panels. The materials have a lifespan of 20-25 years, and, most importantly, they are 25% cheaper to manufacture than the plastic alternative. Read More
GE Hybrid locomotive protoype in Chicago
By Emily Clark
21:24 September 15, 2008 PDT
GE Transportation will parade its Evolution Hybrid locomotive prototype at the RSI Railway Technology Exhibition in Chicago later this month. Promising significant fuel and emissions savings, the diesel-electric hybrid technology captures and stores the energy generated by braking a 207 ton train and delivers it back to the propulsion system in the form of an on-demand, 2000 horsepower boost. Read More
Sollight's portable and environmentally friendly lighting systems
By Jude Garvey
22:33 September 14, 2008 PDT
Sollight's LightCap and LightShip solar-powered lights are designed for camping, boating holidays or to use around the home. The LightCap fits on to a standard water bottle and turns it into a portable lantern whilst the LightShip can be conveniently attached just about anywhere for charging during the day and becomes a portable flashlight at night. Both products are perfect in an emergency situation, are weather-proof and importantly, environmentally friendly. Read More
Measuring your health in dollar terms - study shows short-term ROI of $1.17 per $1.00 spent
By Mike Hanlon
22:01 September 9, 2008 PDT
September 10, 2008 A program to reduce weight and improve health risk factors in obese employees produces a short-term return on investment (ROI) of $1.17 per dollar spent, according to a University of Georgia study. Just as important, the ROI model used in the study provides a relatively simple and inexpensive tool to help companies estimate the dollar benefits of investing in employee wellness programs. The ability to simulate the cost savings associated with reducing employee health risks could help in building a "credible and defensible case" for investment in employee wellness.This story really got us thinking that it might also pay for individuals to begin considering what the ROI for investing in their health would be – if there’s a short term benefit measured in dollars for your employer to pay for you to get healthy, what’s the long term ROI for investing in your optimum health with all those other personal gains to be considered – such as happiness, a feeling of well-being and a few extra years of painless mobility. Read More
Solar trees take root at the University of California
By Emily Clark
23:24 September 8, 2008 PDT
The University of California in San Diego (UCSD) is undertaking an unusual forestry project on the roof of two of its parking garages. The “Solar Trees” being constructed on the roofs will comprise steel components fitted with a canopy of Kyocera photovoltaic modules to provide solar energy for the university. Read More
Sheraton’s Wild Horse Pass Resort launches GeoGreen sustainability program
By Jude Garvey
17:09 September 8, 2008 PDT
The Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa has launched a new initiative called GeoGreen which is designed to ensure environmental and cultural sustainability whilst maintaining the heritage and well-being of the Gila River Indian Community. Guests will find a restaurant menu featuring local ingredients sourced from Gila River farms, grounds filled with native plants watered by a timed drip system, local businesses being engaged in the process of keeping the resort green and will have the opportunity to be exposed to the culture of the Pima and Maricopa people. Read More
US Airways Center announces solar installation
By Emily Clark
23:25 September 7, 2008 PDT
The US Airways Center in Arizona, home to NBA team the Phoenix Suns, will soon be going green with the announcement of a new solar power project. The system is expected to be operational in 2009 and will utilize 1,125 Suntech panels, cover approximately 18,000 square feet and produce 331,233 kilowatt-hours of clean energy each year. Read More
Greencore's solar powered air conditioner
By Emily Clark
07:52 August 25, 2008 PDT
It's an idea that makes perfect sense - when it's hot, the sun is out, so why not utilize that energy to help cool down. Californian based Greencore has developed a hybrid solar-powered air conditioning system for both fixed and mobile applications which can cool a room up to 600 square feet in size using a single 170 watt solar panel, or switch to using power from the grid when necessary. Read More
Artificial Photosynthesis provides clean, cheap Hydrogen
By Kyle Sherer
12:43 August 24, 2008 PDT
An international team of researchers led by Monash University has used manganese, a chemical involved in photosynthesis, to split water into hydrogen and oxygen using only sunlight and an electrical potential of 1.2 volts. Scientists claim the process could provide a clean, cheap method of producing hydrogen for fuel cells and energy generation. Read More
Lotus deploys unique Concept Ice Vehicle to the Antarctic
By Loz Blain
09:28 August 24, 2008 PDT
August 24, 2008 Look closely and you'll see a Lotus badge on the side of this fascinating device. Built to act as a scout to plan routes for heavier vehicles on flat, hard-packed ice, the Concept Ice Vehicle (CIV) is set to perform its first tour of duty in Antarctica with the Moon Regan Transarctic Expedition. Three oversize, suspended skis give the ultra-light CIV a low friction contact patch, and handle the steering as the biofuel-powered propeller drives the vehicle forward. Braking is another issue - a large, spiked metal arm is forced down into the smooth ice, dragging the CIV to a halt - and it comes equipped with a radar to detect hidden ice crevasses that could spell trouble for the rest of the team. Read More
Student develops low-cost wind turbine for the developing world
By Emily Clark
04:08 August 21, 2008 PDT
A student from the University of Portsmouth in the UK has created a wind turbine made totally from recycled matter. Aimed at servicing the renewable energy needs of some of the word’s poorest countries, the low cost wind turbine is designed to be built by unskilled workers in less than a day using locally sourced scrap materials. Read More
BenQ's environmentally friendly widescreen LCDs
By Darren Quick
05:06 August 19, 2008 PDT
Two new 19” LCD monitors from BenQ replace the traditional four-lamp apparatus with two without affecting the brightness of the monitor screen. The energy saving technology used in the E900HD and G900HDA allows users to cut down power consumption by 25%, decrease carbon dioxide emissions by 25% and cut mercury emissions by 50%. Read More
Clinton Foundation considers 5,000MW solar station in India
By Emily Clark
21:15 August 13, 2008 PDT
August 14, 2008 According to Treehugger and The Business Standard, the US-based Clinton Foundation is currently in talks with the Indian government to undertake the world’s largest single location solar project. Costing around US$475 million and with an estimated output of 5,000MW (5 gigawatts), the Gujurat-based “Integrated Solar City” would rival even the biggest coal-fired power stations. Read More
Carbon Capture: a bridging technology too far?
By Kyle Sherer
06:56 August 7, 2008 PDT
Carbon capture and storage is a climate change mitigation technology characterized by sporadic and unreliable government support and plagued with accusations that it will worsen the environmental disaster it seeks to address. Yet, despite the negative stigma, CCS has been labeled by the IPCC and the Stern Report as an essential measure in reducing the impact of fossil fuels. Gizmag's Kyle Sherer takes a closer look. Read More
ECO Pedal to reduce car fuel consumption
By Emily Clark
10:25 August 6, 2008 PDT
With rising petrol prices and a focus on climate change, the automotive industry is looking to pioneer new methods of fuel consumption, both in terms of developing new propulsion systems and making existing technology more efficient. News on the latter approach comes from Nissan, which has unveiled technology designed to help drivers use less fuel by using an "eco-pedal" system that resists excess pressure being applied to the accelerator. Read More
Freedom Glen
- November 25, 2009 @ 02:47 UTC
