Inhabitat

July 2, 2009

‘Solar Ivy’ Photovoltaic Leaves Climb to New Heights

by Bridgette Meinhold

solar, wind, power, energy, renewable energy, piezoelectric generator, building integrated solar power, solar power, wind power

Solar Ivy (or SMIT Grow) is a spectacular system of thin, fluttering solar panels that generate energy by sparkling in the sunlight. The wind and solar power generating photovoltaic leaves can be easily integrated on the side of a building to produce energy. The concept, designed by Brooklyn based SMIT (Sustainably Minded Interactive Technology), consists of a layer of thin-film material on top of polyethylene with a piezoelectric generator attached to each leaf. When the sun is shining or the wind is blowing, energy is being generated via Solar Ivy.


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June 29, 2009

PG&E’s Solar Powered Sound System Rocks Novato Wine Festival

by Piper Kujac

sustainable design, green design, novato wine festival, pg&e, solar powered stage, clean renewable energy, pacific gas and electric

Our inhabitat founder and editor-in-chief, Jill Fehrenbacher, grew up in the small, sleepy Northern California town of Novato - so you can imagine how excited she was when we heard that a solar-powered eco event was coming to Novato! Jill unfortunately couldn’t make the solar-powered Novato Art & Wine Festival (as she’s busy running Inhabitat from NYC these days), but sent a certain green-building buff (yours truly) to attend and report back on the state of suburban greening! With the high-density greening of international cities and our constant focus on what’s new in design and construction, we’re curious about what’s going on in the ‘burbs, and so we took a moment to check out the 25th Annual Novato Art, Music and Wine Festival on June 13th. Pacific Gas & Electric helped sponsor this year’s event with Sustainable Waves, which amp’d up the festivities via a solar powered sound system.


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June 25, 2009

Chicken Feathers May Fuel Hydrogen Cars in the Future

by Sarah Parsons

cars fueled by chicken feathers, chicken feathers as fuel, senoz and wool, 13th annual green chemistry and engineering conference,Erman Şenöz and Richard P. Wool, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles

Chickens may start losing sleep over more than Americans’ love of McNuggets. Chicken consumption in the US creates over six billion pounds of feathers each year. Previously discarded as waste, researchers at the University of Delaware are developing an innovative way to put all that wasted plumage to use — as fuel to power hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. If this technology was implemented in a fuel cell vehicle, it would cost about $200, as opposed to using carbon nanotube tanks (which cost about $5.5 million) or metal hydrides (which cost about $30,000).

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June 25, 2009

LOOWATT: Toilet Made From Poo Transforms Excrement into Energy

by Mike Chino

virginia gardiner, ch4, composting toilet, poo power, sustainable design, social design, green design, design for health, waterless toilet system, waste into energy

Design gets very literal in this toilet made from poop!

Form follows function to whole new level in Virginia Gardiner’s energy generating toilet - which is literally made from poop! Designed for use in developing countries, the LooWatt is a waterless toilet system that transforms human waste into a highly valued commodity - energy. The low-cost mechanical eco commode encourages people to trade in their waste for biofuel, creating an urban infrastructure that encourages proper waste disposal, cuts down on the spread of water-born illnesses, and provides a reliable source of energy (so long as you’re regular). Check out Dwell’s fantastic video (below) for an interview with designer Virginia Gardiner, and read on for more on the poop toilet!


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15 Year Old Invents Algae-Powered Energy System

15 Year Old Invents Algae-Powered Energy System

Thanks to 15 year old Texan Javier Fernández-Han, we feel a little more hopeful about the next generation’s ability to adapt to a world of limited resources. The high school student developed a fully featured algae-powered energy system that combines a dozen new and existing technologies to treat waste, produce methane and bio-oil for fuel, produce food for humans and livestock, sequester greenhouse gases, and produce oxygen. Dubbed the VERSATILE system, the project is this year’s winner of the annual Invent Your World Challenge $20,000 scholarship.


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Sainsbury’s New Kinetic Energy Powered Green Supermarket

Sainsbury’s New Kinetic Energy Powered Green Supermarket

Next time you feel like generating a little energy, just roll into your local Sainsbury’s! The third largest British supermarket chain has just unveiled a new energy system that generates power from the vehicles entering the parking lot of its new store in Gloucester. Think that’s neat? It’s just the tip of the iceberg lettuce for this new lean, green market.


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High Altitude Wind Turbines Could Completely Power NYC

High Altitude Wind Turbines Could Completely Power NYC

How much wind power is available way up high in the sky? Turns out a lot, according to new research from the Carnegie Institution for Science and California State University. Researchers there recently crunched 28 years worth of data and discovered not only that high altitude winds contain enough energy to meet the world’s global energy demand 100 times over, but they also determined that the best places to capture that wind are over population centers in East Asia and the eastern US. Which means New York City is a prime candidate for high altitude wind energy captured by tethered kite wind turbines.


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Researchers Unveil Flexible Solar Cell Roof Shingles

Researchers Unveil Flexible Solar Cell Roof Shingles

By far one of the most wasted spaces of every residence is the roof - of course it is there to protect us from the elements, but surely it can be put to better use. Aiming to innovate upon conventional roof cladding, researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory recently unveiled a new breed of flexible and moisture resistant solar panels that are designed to be rolled out en masse as energy-generating roof tiles!

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World’s First Hybrid Solar Power Plant Opens in Israel

World’s First Hybrid Solar Power Plant Opens in Israel

Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) plants are an amazing, wonderful, renewable energy technology, as long as the sun is shining. However solar power alone cannot provide on-demand power, especially in the case of off-grid applications. Aora Solar, out of Yavne, Israel, is almost complete with the world’s first ever solar hybrid plant, which will combine concentrated solar power with a hybrid-microturbine to generate power 24 hours a day. This technology could help provide off-grid communities the necessary power without having to run miles of costly transmission lines.


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Firewinder: The Wind Powered Outdoor Light

Firewinder: The Wind Powered Outdoor Light

The Firewinder is an innovative outdoor light solution, powered entirely by the wind! Inspired and developed by young British inventor Tom Lawton, the Firewinder spins as the wind blows, turning into an eco-friendly night light. Lawton developed the light with a wish to highlight the invisible beauty and endless resource of alternative energies, and what a great job he did! Find out …

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U.S. Largest Solar Power Facility Approved for Austin

U.S. Largest Solar Power Facility Approved for Austin

Texas is famous for having the biggest of everything, from the biggest capitol in the nation, to the largest population of livestock cattle. And while one may not immediately think of Texas as a green state, that will soon change, as Gemini Solar Development has been selected by Austin Energy to install the United States’ largest solar power facility. A green Texas? Why not!


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PVT Solar Panels Generate Heat and Electricity at the Same Time

PVT Solar Panels Generate Heat and Electricity at the Same Time

PVT Solar is pioneering an ultra-efficient breed of solar panels that focus not just on incorporating better photovoltaic components, but also take the heat generated by the solar panels and use it to power a solar thermal system. According to the company, these solar cogeneration panels are three times more efficient than anything else out there!


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World’s Largest Laser to Attempt Nuclear Fusion

World’s Largest Laser to Attempt Nuclear Fusion

Laser enthusiasts everywhere, rejoice. California’s Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory just unveiled its $3.5 billion National Ignition Facility, a 10 story building as wide as three football fields that contains the world’s largest laser. When it goes online the facility will focus 192 laser beams on a 2 millimeter ball of frozen hydrogen gas in an attempt to create nuclear fusion - the holy grail of clean energy. If the machine does succeed, it stands to monumentally alter our energy landscape — one cubic kilometer of sea water has the fusion energy equivalent of the entire planet’s oil reserves!


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Energy 101: Austin’s Pecan Street Smart Grid Project

Energy 101: Austin’s Pecan Street Smart Grid Project

A few weeks ago, we looked at Boulder, Colorado’s plan to become the first smart grid city. But Boulder isn’t the only U.S. city with visions of becoming completely smart meter-equipped. The Pecan Street Project in Austin, Texas aims to provide the city with 300 MW (a power plant’s worth) of renewable energy produced within city limits as well as thousands of smart meters installed in local homes and businesses.

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Wind Turbine Towers Win Metropolis Next Generation Prize!

Wind Turbine Towers Win Metropolis Next Generation Prize!

Today Metropolis Magazine officially announced the winner of their 2009 Next Generation prize! Titled Wind-it, the brilliant project aims to give our existing energy grid a much needed boost by installing wind turbines in ailing electrical transmission towers. The project is designed for France, but creators Nicola Delon, Julien Choppin, and Raphael Menard believe it could be integrated everywhere, from China’s Sichuan Province to the streets of New York City.

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Energy 101 INTERVIEW: IBM’s Drew Clark on Future Smart Meters

Energy 101 INTERVIEW: IBM’s Drew Clark on Future Smart Meters

In last week’s Energy 101 column, we looked at some of the home energy monitoring devices currently available and explored the ways that they can help us live more efficient, eco-conscious lives. But with smart grid technologies rapidly approaching, a new group of energy-tracking devices is emerging. We had the chance to speak with Drew Clark, Director of Strategy for IBM’s Venture Capital Group, about what the future holds for smart meter technology.

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Kinetic Prayer Wheels Transform Prayers Into Energy

Kinetic Prayer Wheels Transform Prayers Into Energy

Every year millions of tourists and locals descend upon Tibet’s temples and spin the prayer wheels contained inside. If the mechanical energy generated by the movement of these spinning wheels could be harnessed, we could potentially reduce the size of our current carbon footprint and supplement an inadequate and unreliable electrical grid for numerous individuals. The Prayer Wheel Energy Generator, designed by Taikkun Yang Li does just this by transforming all of those good vibes into electricity that could be used to provide reliable energy for daily needs such as evening lighting.

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Energy 101: How to Monitor Your Energy

Energy 101: How to Monitor Your Energy

Last week we looked at the smart grid — essentially, a modernization of the transmission and distribution aspects of the electrical grid. This week we’re focusing upon tracking energy usage, since the first step to cutting down on our power consumption is being able to measure it. Smart meters installed as part of smart grid projects will make it extra-easy to monitor home energy use — and while there are numerous smart grid-linked energy monitoring devices coming out soon, there are also are plenty of ways to keep track of your power consumption with an old-fashioned meter.

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Optiwind Accelerating Wind Turbine Taps New Energy Fields

Optiwind Accelerating Wind Turbine Taps New Energy Fields

Traditional three-blade turbines are great if you have lots of space to play with, but the Optiwind Compact Wind Accelerating Turbine is ideal for high-density, low-wind areas. The turbine’s series of small, five bladed fans funnel in wind and accelerate it, thereby cranking up wind speeds to generate more power.

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Energy 101: What Is a Smart Grid?

Energy 101: What Is a Smart Grid?

In last week’s Energy 101 column, we took a look at the basics of where our energy comes from now. This week, we’re examining the future of energy—specifically, the smart grid. To recap, a smart grid is essentially a modernization of the transmission and distribution aspects of the electrical grid. In terms of transmission, a smart grid makes it easier to deliver alternative energy sources like wind and solar from rural installations to city centers. Without transmission lines, alternative energies are stuck where they’re produced—oftentimes in the middle of nowhere.

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Chicago Unveils First Solar Plug-in Charging Station

Chicago Unveils First Solar Plug-in Charging Station

Earlier this year we introduced you to Chargepoint, a network of electric vehicle charging stations that have been installed cities across the US and Canada. Well, making a great idea even better, Carbon Day Automotive recently announced the installation of a Solar Powered Chargepoint station in the city of Chicago. Solar charged electric vehicles? Fantastic!

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Energy 101: Where Does Our Power Come From?

Energy 101: Where Does Our Power Come From?

Today we’re excited to announce the launch of our new Energy 101 series, in which we’ll be exploring the future-forward technologies that stand to upgrade our grids, reduce our energy footprint, and slow the speed of global warming. Unless you have been living in a cave for the past few years, you’ve probably heard terms like “energy conservation”, “off-grid energy“, and “smart grid” tossed around. But before getting into the nitty-gritty of transitioning to renewable energy, we should stop and examine where exactly our power comes from now.

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PG&E Announces Solar Power From Space By 2016

PG&E Announces Solar Power From Space By 2016

Microwave beams sending electricity from space to power our homes may sound like a concept straight out of a science fiction novel, but with a recent announcement from PG&E, we may actually see a solar powered space station in the near future. The system would consist of a series of solar powered satellites 22,000 miles above the Earth’s equator that would generate electricity, convert it into radio waves and then transmit to a base station on Earth. PG&E has entered into a contract with California-based SolarEn Corp. to supply 200 MW of power by 2016. If they succeed in making space solar power affordable, this new technology could be a huge contender in meeting the world’s energy needs.

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Vatican to Build Europe’s Largest Solar Power Plant

Vatican to Build Europe’s Largest Solar Power Plant

The Vatican is going solar in a big way. The smallest country in the world recently announced that it intends to spend 660 million dollars to create what will effectively be Europe’s largest solar power plant. This massive 100 megawatt photovoltaic installation will provide enough energy to make the Vatican the first solar powered nation state in the world!

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Loopwing Wind-Powered Toy Car

Loopwing Wind-Powered Toy Car

Today’s tiny tots will be tomorrow’s eco designers, politicians, and engineers — so we can’t think of a better way to inspire the next generation to think about renewable energy than by giving them smart toys which use clean power sources like wind and solar. Loopwing’s clever wind-powered …

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POWERleap Harnesses Energy From Foot Steps!

POWERleap Harnesses Energy From Foot Steps!

Here’s a brilliant invention that makes us wonder why all city sidewalks aren’t covered in piezoelectric tiles. POWERleap is a floor tiling system that converts wasted energy from human foot traffic into electricity. The magic behind that awesomeness is piezoelectric technology and advanced circuitry design, which converts pitter-patter into power. First showcased in 2007 …

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MIT Develops Virus-Powered Car Battery

MIT Develops Virus-Powered Car Battery

Battery technology is looking brighter (and more futuristic) than ever as researchers at MIT recently announced they have successfully engineered viruses to build both the positively and negatively charged ends of a lithium-ion battery. These virus-built batteries can be created cheaply using an environmentally benign process, tout the same energy capacity as state-of-the-art rechargeable batteries, and may one day be used to power everything from personal electronic devices to hybrid vehicles.

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BLOOD POWER? Piezoelectric Nanowires Could Turn Your Body Into a Battery

BLOOD POWER? Piezoelectric Nanowires Could Turn Your Body Into a Battery

We’ve seen piezoelectric systems that harvest energy from roads, subways, and even umbrellas — now researchers have announced that they are on the brink of unlocking an energy grid composed of capillaries, arteries, and veins. Heralded by advancements in piezoelectric nanowires, the development may one day harness the flow of blood to power ipods, cellphones and other portable electronics. How’s that for an alternative take on plasma power?

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LIGHTS OUT: Earth Hour Goes Global on March 28th!

LIGHTS OUT: Earth Hour Goes Global on March 28th!

Earth Hour is a worldwide event that encourages individuals to unite in the fight against global warming by turning off their lights and spending sixty minutes outside with friends and family. Over the past two years the simple idea has grown into a monumental movement, and this year’s event is aiming for 1 billion participants. Earth hour 2009 takes place on March 28th at 8:30pm local time, so save the date, flip the switch, and see how this simple individual action can make a profound collective statement!

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VegaWatt: Powering Restaurants WIth Deep Fried Fuel

VegaWatt: Powering Restaurants WIth Deep Fried Fuel

While there’s still some guilt to be had when indulging in a deep-fried take-out, if the restaurant is equipped with a VegaWatt oil converter you can claim you’re only doing it to help the environment. A VegaWatt machine turns used vegetable oil into clean heat and energy for restaurants, eliminating the dirty and costly mess of oil disposal while producing 10-25% of the electricity needed to run a small restaurant.

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Soil Powered Lamp: A Fresh Take on “Dirty Energy”

Soil Powered Lamp: A Fresh Take on “Dirty Energy”

Soil naturally contains energy conducive metals like zinc, copper and iron, and microbial fuel cells (sometimes referred to as an earth batteries) are capable of converting electrolytes in soil into usable energy. Dutch designer Marieke Strap’s Soil Lamp uses conductive plates made from copper and zinc buried within the soil to provide constant and (nearly) eternal light for an LED bulb. Maintaining a Soil Lamp is as simple as watering a plant - just feed it a splash of water every now and then to keep the energy flowing.

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SunCat: Solar Batteries Powered by Sunshine

SunCat: Solar Batteries Powered by Sunshine

Designer and inventor extraordinaire Knut Karlsen recently unveiled an inspired approach to portable power that can’t be beat for its elegant simplicity: a prototype battery capable of charging itself when exposed to sunshine. His slick set of SunCat C-cells are wrapped in flexible photovoltaic panels and will slowly recharge when left to bask in the sun - just like a cat.

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BUGPLUG: A Kid-friendly Power Monitor

BUGPLUG: A Kid-friendly Power Monitor

This year’s Greener Gadgets Design Competition is heating up, and we’re excited to see so many great kid-friendly designs in the mix. One of our favorites is the Bugplug, a quirky little power meter that helps kids to conserve electricity. Simply attach it to a power strip of appliances and an infrared sensor will monitor the room to determine if anyone is around. If no one is, it pulls the …

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Germany Aims Big with a 960-Megawatt Offshore Wind Farm

Germany Aims Big with a 960-Megawatt Offshore Wind Farm

When it comes to offshore wind farms in the North Sea, bigger is certainly better! RWE Innogy, a German-based company, recently acquired the rights to a 960 Megawatt offshore wind project from ENOVA Energieanlagen GmbH, a subsidiary of the ENOVA Group. The offshore wind farm, named Innogy Nordsee 1, is anticipated to run just under 4,000 full-load hours and with the ability to supply over 3 TWh (Terawatt-hours) of electricity per year! Consisting of up to 250 wind turbines planned, each with a capacity of 5 to 6 Megawatts, this will be Germany’s largest offshore wind farm.

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POWER HOG: Piggybank Power Meter Keeps the Change

POWER HOG: Piggybank Power Meter Keeps the Change

Looking for a fun way to teach energy conservation to your kids? Check out the Power Hog, an adorably pig-shaped power monitor that introduces kids to energy efficiency (and general thriftiness) by piggybacking upon the familiar format of the piggy bank. You need to plop a coin in the Power-Piggy to activate electricity flow, so kids can use …

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LOTS MORE GREAT GREEN DESIGN STORIES HERE... KEEP READING!