Environmental News, Eco-Friendly Gadgets - FreshAirTimes.eu

Eco Factor: Hi-tech bus stop powered by solar energy.

A simple way to reduce your personal carbon footprint is making use of services such as buses and trains to go to your office and back home. However, tempting car owners to leave their luxuries at home and wait for a bus to their destination to arrive seems a tough ask. MIT architects are envisioning a future where people won’t only be encouraged to travel by a bus, but will also ensure that their relationship with the most modern of technologies is not disturbed in any way.

Passengers waiting for a bus at the “EyeStop” would be able to check their mailboxes, get the latest updates on weather, watch news and even get in touch with their Facebook friends. Other than this, riders can also plan a bus trip on an interactive map and monitor their real-time exposure to pollutants.

The EyeStop also keeps the riders aware of the current status of the bus they’re waiting for and glows at different levels of intensity to signal the distance of an approaching bus. The best feature of the EyeStop is that all those hi-tech features don’t consume a single watt of electricity from the grid as it is powered by electricity generated from the rooftop solar panels.

Via: Treehugger

Eco Factor: World’s largest solar energy plant planned for Australia.

Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd has said in a statement that the government is ready to invest $1.05 million (USD) to build the world’s largest solar power plant with an output of 1000MW. The plant will have three times the generating capacity of the current biggest solar energy plant which is in California.

The project is intended to exploit Australia’s biggest natural resources, the Sun. The plant will help Australia become a leader in the renewable energy sector. The project should eventually lead to a network of solar-powered stations across the country. The government stated that the country doesn’t want to be a renewable energy follower but a renewable energy but a clean energy leader in the world. Tender details will be announced later this year and successful bidders will be named in the first half of 2010.

Image Credit: Flickr [Under a Creative Commons License]

Via: Reuters

Eco Factor: Boat made from recycled materials runs on solar energy.

The design team of one of the most discussed green cars, the Aptera, is not just relaxing and enjoying the success their creation got but is working their way from the road to the open waters. The design team that includes Jason Hill of Design11 and Nathan Armstrong ofMotive Industries has designed a solar-powered boat known as the Loon.

 The boat comes with a solar roof capable of generating 1000W of green power, enabling the pontoon-shaped boat to cruise at a speed of 7 knots for an estimated range of over 35 miles. The solar roof is foldable for you to enjoy the sun after shutting down its electric power house. Made from recycled materials, bamboo and natural fibers, the 22-foot-long boat can also transfer electricity to the grid if the boat is anchored to the dock for the day.

The Dark Side:

The boat is still in the concept stage and more details on the boat would only surface after a prototype has been developed. If it comes at an affordable price, it could definitely green some inland waterway boating trips.

Via: Engadget/AutoBlogGreen 

Emcore Corp is a well-known supplier of space based solar power and communication systems and has formed a solar power division so that it can apply this advanced technology for the benefits of the territories. It has now signed a contract with Pod Generating Group in Ontario, Canada where it has to supply 60MW of solar power systems.

Multi-junction solar cells provided by Emcore are then combined into concentric photovoltaic (CPV) array. The solar power gets concentrated onto the multi junction cells with the help of lenses and mirrors through CPV technology. With the help of concentrator 1 cm square generates the same amount of power as will be the output by 500 sq, cm, without the concentrator. The cost part is taken care of by using low cost materials in the manufacturing unit and is cost effective too as compared to the typical silicon modules.

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A bio-gas plant in an Indian town generates 3,000 watts of electricity a day—from human waste. The human waste from an area housing complex collects in a sump, where the methane gas produced by the ‘sludge’ is used to operate a generator. This biogas produces 3,000 watts of electricity daily, enough to keep the town bright at night. Sorry forgot to mention the name of the town, its Thiruneeramalai in Tamil Nadu. This is surely some stinky tech, but we can’t forget that this country has a population over 1Bn and its still developing. Sources like these will only take it higher and it’s a good sign for sure, but some people are fussy about everything (no pun intended of course).

Via: GoodCleanTech

Homeowners have been advised to take steps to improve the energy-efficiency of their house.

The National Home Improvement Council stated that eco-friendly features such as loft insulation would help the environment and boost the property’s value at the same time.

Andrew Leech, technical consultant at the organisation, added that as soon as the house was put on the market, its energy-efficiency would be noticed by prospective buyers.

In addition, he said that energy-efficiency was important because it was now a necessary requirement of Home information packs (Hips).

Mr Leech commented: “[Surveyors] will be looking at whether you’ve got double glazing, whether you’ve got an efficient energy and heating system.”

Homeowners were also advised to consider lagging their hot water tank and pipes in order to minimise the likelihood of problems during cold weather.

The Hips scheme will be extended to include all types of properties in England and Wales from the end of this week.

source: realestatetv 

The UK government is going to soon unveil its plans of building approximately 7,000 wind turbines. It is expected that these offshore wind farms will generate enough electricity for every home in the UK by 2020. Shows how serious Britain is about saving the environment.

Even though the beautiful coastline of Britain would undergo change, it will play a vital part in Britain’s effort in combating climate change. If everything works according to the plans, then this would make the UK’s wind industry twice the size of any other country’s. Can you guess how much electricity these wind turbines will be producing by 2020? A whopping 33 gigawatts of electricity! (Current production is just 2 gigawatts)

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The LIKEaBIKE is a unique toy vehicle for children between the ages of two and five. This walking bike can be used indoors and out. It is a bike without pedals made from fine-looking birch wood with pneumatic inflated rubber tires, which make it highly versatile. It’s the perfect companion for trips off the beaten track, making rough and bumpy paths comfortable for the rider - a kind of all-terrain bike for tikes with lots of go! The seat is adjustable so that it can grow with children. An added safety feature is that the front wheel can only turn slightly in each direction, thereby avoiding sudden turns and falls.

Via: SwissMiss

The vehicle you see above is Stephan Soder’s brainchild. He created this innovative mode of transport in his garage with a small petrol motor.

Since you must be wondering what this thing actually is, let me tell you that it is a 12mph electric tricycle. The commercial version is called the Easyglider X6 which riders can use with a skateboard or roller-blades or stand on a two-wheeled rear platform.
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Violetta Solargear VS01 is a pocket sized solar battery charger designed for charging AA/AAA batteries, as well as batteries of small electronic devices such as cellular phones, PDA’s, digital cameras, CD players, portable games and other appliances. It is an economical and environmentally friendly power source, which can charge rechargeable AA/AAA batteries up to 1000 times! It is a perfect companion for your mobile appliances, since it is small in size and portable. It is reliable, durable and good for outdoor use.

Via: Device