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Sustainable
Solar Decathlon hits the road to catch some Spanish sun
By Paul Ridden
17:05 February 4, 2010 PST
Madrid will host the first European version of the Solar Decathlon competition this summer which sees teams from universities throughout the world designing, building and displaying efficient and sustainable solar homes. The overall competition winner being decided after the completion of ten trials aimed at gauging each entry's energy efficiency and sustainability credentials. Read More
Honda's next gen solar-powered hydrogen fuel cell station for home use
By Jeff Salton
23:28 February 1, 2010 PST
Honda has begun work on a smaller solar hydrogen station prototype intended for use as a home refueling appliance. Capable of an overnight refill of fuel cell electric vehicles it is designed to be a single, integrated unit that will fit in the user's garage. Honda's next generation Solar Hydrogen Station, though not as big as the previous systems, will still produce enough hydrogen (0.5kg) via an eight-hour overnight fill for daily commuting (10,000 miles per year) for a fuel cell electric vehicle. Read More
The SEED Project - from unused shipping container to sustainable emergency housing
By Mick Webb
02:20 January 19, 2010 PST
Aside from tragic loss of life and incomprehensible destruction, events like last week’s devastating earthquake in Haiti create a myriad of problems in their wake, not least of which is homelessness. With over 30 million shipping containers the world over currently lying dormant, a team of researchers at Clemson University in South Carolina are working to help solve the issue of accommodation in disaster affected areas by developing a method to convert the unused containers into sustainable emergency housing. Read More
KLM conducts Europe's first biofuel-powered passenger flight
By Darren Quick
19:30 November 29, 2009 PST
Commercial aircraft are a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, but manufacturers and operators are taking steps to tackle the problem. Operators such as Virgin Atlantic have conducted demonstration flights using biofuel, and now KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has completed its first ever passenger flight powered by sustainable kerosene. Using a 50 percent biokerosene/50 percent normal jet fuel mix to power one of its four engines, a Boeing 747 carrying 40 select passengers last week circled the Netherlands for an hour in what KLM claims is the first flight of its kind in Europe. Read More
The world's first osmotic power plant from Statkraft
By Paul Ridden
15:06 November 26, 2009 PST
The principle of harnessing osmosis has the potential to produce enormous amounts of energy anywhere that salt water and fresh water meet. We looked at some of the approaches to turning this theory into reality earlier this year, including Statkraft's plans to build a prototype power plant. The company's plans are now coming to fruition with Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway officially opening the world's first osmotic power plant prototype on November 24. Read More
Ford Flex 2010 to feature wheat-straw reinforced plastic
By Jeff Salton
17:31 November 23, 2009 PST
Ford is the first automaker to develop and implement environmentally-friendly wheat straw-reinforced plastic in a vehicle. Before you get carried away, the car itself, a Ford Flex, isn’t made of plastic, instead, it’s just the third-row interior storage bins made from the natural fiber-based plastic that contains 20 percent wheat straw bio-filler. Surprisingly though, Ford says this application alone reduces petroleum usage by some 20,000lbs per year, cuts CO2 emissions by 30,000lbs per year, and represents a smart, sustainable usage for wheat straw, the waste byproduct of wheat. Read More
Envion Oil Generator turns plastic waste into oil
By Paul Ridden
17:12 September 21, 2009 PDT
The ground-breaking Envion Oil Generator (EOG) gave its first public performance at the Montgomery County Solid Waste Transfer Station in Derwood, Maryland recently. The EOG can be fed almost any petroleum-based waste plastic and will convert it into synthetic light to medium oil for less than USD$10 per barrel. As with crude oil, the synthetic oil can then be processed into commercial fuels or even back into plastic. Read More
First Suncatcher solar dishes to be used in Arizona
By Paul Ridden
15:56 September 2, 2009 PDT
Tessera Solar and Salt River Project have just announced that they'll partner to construct a 1.5 megawatt solar generation installation in Peoria, Arizona. The proposed output from the Maricopa Solar LLC project might not sound too impressive, but when combined with the news that the 60 dish installation represents a template for much bigger operations to come and will be the first commercial plant to use Suncatcher technology - things just got interesting. Read More
Renovo Hardwood Bikes provide the smoothest ride - the looks are a bonus
By Karen Sprey
21:07 August 24, 2009 PDT
Back in the 1700s before strong, lightweight metals were available, the first bicycles were made almost completely of wood. Crude wooden bikes are still used in many developing countries today, built from whatever recycled timber can be found. And as interest in sustainability and renewable energy grows, not only are more people (re)turning to pedal power, there is renewed interest in wooden frame bicycles. Renovo Hardwood Bicyles combine "high-tech magic and fine craftsmanship" to create a range of bikes from hollow wood and laminated bamboo, and are confident their bikes are “the smoothest bike you'll ever ride, stealth quiet, light and responsive, stiff as you want.” Read More
Arty sunflowers look good and provide power, too
By Paul Ridden
17:38 August 24, 2009 PDT
A boring and unattractive loading area at the rear of a retail development in Austin, Texas is now hidden from view by a collection of 15 huge blue sunflowers, the petals of which collect energy from the sun to power the artwork's LED lighting and generate funds to help towards costs. Whether driving past or walking through the Electric Garden, onlookers will be treated to an awe-inspiring panorama where art meets functionality. Read More
Eaton announces major development of plug-in hybrid commercial vehicles
By Jeff Salton
19:52 August 18, 2009 PDT
Eaton Corporation’s truck and electrical businesses will play a major role in producing 378 plug-in hybrid electric power vehicles, the largest commercial hybrid deployment to date in the U.S., thanks to a USD$45.4 million government grant. Eaton will also provide the electrical charging infrastructure for these vehicles. Read More
Reduce your Carbon skateprint: K2 Eco inline skates
By Paul Ridden
03:32 August 14, 2009 PDT
Undoubtedly a pretty environment-friendly way to travel, donning a pair of skates still leaves you with a bit of an eco-headache. With all that plastic and metal wrapped around your ankles, the skates themselves are a bit of an environmental let down - until now. Inline skate innovators at K2 skates have recently added another industry first to the company's catalogue of cutting edge developments. Not only are the boots and laces made from recycled plastic bottles but the wheel frame is made from one of the most sustainable materials on the planet, bamboo. Read More
Solar blimp: Projet Sol'r to take on the English Channel
By Paul Ridden
17:02 August 6, 2009 PDT
A group of French students are getting ready to fly across the English Channel in the world's first solar powered airship. One hundred years after Louis Blériot won the coveted Daily Mail prize of £1000 by being the first to traverse the watery expanse in his 3-cylinder, 25 horse-power XI monoplane, the Projet Sol'r team will take to the skies in Néphélios, a 22 meter long airship capable of cruising at 30-35kph. Gizmag recently talked to one of the project's founders, Arnaud Vaillant. Read More
Help design a car for the future
By Paul Ridden
23:22 July 27, 2009 PDT
C,mm,n (pronounced common) is an open community design project that is not only counting on its members to help design a car but is also tasking them with producing a whole new mobility solution to cope with the challenging demands of the future. The blueprints for the proposed electric car concept and the mobility concepts are freely available under an open source licence and contributions are welcome from anyone and everyone. Read More
ZPO tower Dubai - stunning and sustainable
By Jeff Salton
19:37 June 29, 2009 PDT
From the land of opulence – Dubai - comes another amazing feat of architecture and engineering to add to the emirate’s extravagant skyline. The spiraling tubular design for the Za'abeel Park Observation (ZPO) Tower incorporates roof gardens, extensive solar paneling and geothermal cooling and ventilation in an organically inspired structure topped by three observation deck "petals". Read More
Riversimple hydrogen-powered urban car provides fuel for thought
00:16 June 19, 2009 PDT
The Riversimple Urban Car, a hydrogen-powered two-seater capable of speeds up to 50mph and of traveling more than 200 miles without refueling, was unveiled in London this week. While the prototype car is itself a welcome development in sustainable travel, the aim of the company behind it is even more ambitious: to completely eliminate the environmental impact of personal transport. Read More
360 Paper water bottle offers renewable alternative to plastic
By Jude Garvey
05:20 June 10, 2009 PDT
Most people realize that plastic water bottles are bad for the environment, not only because research suggests it takes 2000 times more energy to produce bottled water than tap water but also because so many of them are not recycled. You may choose to filter your own water or just go without, but a new environmentally friendly solution may mean you can continue to drink bottled water and keep a clear conscience - the 360 Paper Water bottle. Read More
Ancient building technique may help future designs to be more eco-friendly
By Darren Quick
23:24 June 4, 2009 PDT
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
Bamboo bicycle range released
By Mike Hanlon
06:01 May 18, 2009 PDT
As the industries of the world search for sustainable construction materials, it's not surprising that many keep coming back to bamboo, one of man's oldest building materials. Bamboo can be at the same time, light, strong, durable, and very hard and has the additional benefit of being the fastest-growing plant on Earth. In recent times we've seen bamboo used in computers, surfboards, scooters, and Mitsubishi's “green plastic” is derived from bamboo. Bamboo's strength and flexibility also makes it ideal for use in bicycle frames, leading to a raft of projects using the ecologically sound material. Today, a new range of bamboo bicycles is being released in Denmark by Brazilian industrial designer, Flavio Deslandes. Read More
Prayer wheel generates more than karmic energy
By Karen Sprey
22:20 May 17, 2009 PDT
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
windykites1
- February 9, 2010 @ 19:22 UTC
