Optimal gift wrapping comes from renewable sources and does not contain toxic substances. Virgin forest fiber, bleach and heavy-metal inks need not be a part of gift giving. What are some of the better choices? One of the more optimal ways to wrap … [Continue Reading]
HP To Install 1 Megawatt Solar Rooftop
November 30, 2007 by Leave a Comment
Hewlett-Packard has announced it will install a 1-megawatt solar array in its San Diego facility. The installation will be made up of 5,000 panels on seven buildings. It's a large solar array, but smaller than Google's 1.6-megawatt solar array, which … [Continue Reading]
Biomethane: A Fuel From Pure Grass
November 29, 2007 by 4 Comments
This is highly optimal. In Austria, cars can now fill up on a renewable, locally-produced fuel. The fuel is called "biomethane", and it's created by fermenting meadow grass (Poa pratensis). The grass is grown without the input of synthetic … [Continue Reading]
LED Christmas Lights
November 29, 2007 by 7 Comments
LED Christmas lights are efficient -- they use 90% less energy than incandescent bulbs. They are also brighter, less prone to breaking, and cool to the touch. Less optimal is the fact that almost all Christmas lights are made in China using … [Continue Reading]
Extreme Folding: MIT’s Bike Folds To Become Suitcase-Sized
November 29, 2007 by 5 Comments
A group at MIT has unveiled a scooter that folds in half, and collapses to the size of a suitcase. The low-cost bike could be carried on a bus or stored under your desk at work. A prototype of the new design was recently unveiled at the Milan Auto … [Continue Reading]
Throttle-Free Electric Bike To Be Introduced In 2008
November 28, 2007 by 3 Comments
Scheduled for release in early 2008, the iZip Express is an electric bike that will operate without a throttle. Instead, the bike has a special torque sensor that applies power as the rider requires it. Basically, the harder you pedal, the more the … [Continue Reading]
The Wind Shade Roof
November 28, 2007 by Leave a Comment
Personally, I find combination of clean energy and art to be compelling. Michael Jantzen's designs certainly embody both ideas. Pictured above is his "Wind Shade Roof" concept – it's a swimming pool complex with wind turbines integrated into the … [Continue Reading]
Solar Beads Could Cut Costs By 50%
November 28, 2007 by 5 Comments
Here's another solar innovation that could reduce cost of solar energy by as much as 50%. A company in Japan has developed a novel way of making solar cells with arrays of thousands of tiny silicon spheres surrounded by hexagonal reflectors. The key … [Continue Reading]
Google Wants To Make Clean Energy Cheaper Than Coal
November 27, 2007 by Leave a Comment
eSolar is one of the early-stage companies Google is working with. Google has announced a plan to develop sources of renewable energy that will be cheaper than coal. The new initiative, RE<C, (renewable energy is cheaper than coal) will begin … [Continue Reading]
Brammo Electric Motorcycle To Debut
November 26, 2007 by 3 Comments
Brammo Motorsports, a company based in Oregon, will be debut their Enertia Bike at the EVS-23 Show in Anaheim California (it's an electric vehicle show). The Enertia Bike was designed from the ground up to be a fully electric bike. It has a top speed … [Continue Reading]
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