Environmental News, Eco-Friendly Gadgets - FreshAirTimes.eu

Eco Factor: Solar-powered air conditioning systems.

The best way to get rid of blackouts during heat waves is to use the energy from the sun to cool your home. Researchers at the Australian National University have done just that by developing solar air-conditioning systems. The systems, which are currently in the testing phase, will be able to reduce energy load, especially during the peak hours of the day.

Apart from the use in air conditioning during summers, the same solar modules can also be used to heat your home in winter and provide you with solar-heated water as well. The reduction of load on the grid during peak hours will enable the grids to perform better and provide uninterrupted power for more important processes that require less but a consistent supply of electricity.

The Dark Side:

The use of solar air conditioning will definitely be a boon for the masses and the grid as well. However, depending on just solar energy, which is highly inconsistent, won’t have that much of an impact. If solar energy is coupled with some other forms of renewable energy like the wind, it can cater to a broader market.

Via: ABC  

Water is the single most important element on the face of the planet. Sure we need air to breathe and land top live on, but it is the blue magic that separates Earth from the other planets and has been the reason for our very existence. While 75% of the planet is covered in water, only 2 to 3 percent of that water is pure drinking water. With human activity wasting and using so much of water each year, how is it that we get the pure water sources filled up each season?

No, I do not wish to tell you the obvious, but intend to remind you of the importance of something that we believe is simple natural phenomenon and take it for granted. Every time it rains, our fresh water resources are getting a refill from Mother Nature. Of course for some of us rain is more romantic and for others poetic. But we won’t discuss that today; let’s talk about that in detail some other day. The point is nature restores water in its purest form by the simple process of evaporation. The process is simple, but people are now using that very same technique to make modern water purifiers.

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Sometimes technology and progress only make things more and more complicated than they originally were. With growing population and a constant need for space, we have created man made structures that demand more energy to run them due to their limited design. Most modern structures are too closed to natural light and run on mostly artificial lighting even during the day. While the sun is still shining bright and clear outside, we are forced to use up energy as we have no way of using the natural light.

SunTrackerOne is still to be patented and has shown some splendid results through testing. For example, a new Wal-Mart store in Aurora, Colorado, with 28 day lighting units could save $23,184 yearly, compared with using fluorescent lamps of the same output. Apart from this, the company claims that it improves productivity also. It is sure to become a major hit with time and might just be the technology to watch out for.

Via: Jets On Green