Fido Fashion LED Dog Leash

There seems to be no end of interesting and innovative renewably-powered gadgets coming on the market these days, some more affordable and useful than others. But they all have one thing in common: making it easier for you to power-up your various portable electronic devices on the go with clean energy, like solar energy, kinetic energy, and even doggie-powered energy!

Take the Scosche solBAT II for instance. It’s a solar charger that hooks up to most portable devices using a USB connection. It has a 1500mAh capacity battery with a 5-volt output. You can hook it to your backpack, hang it from your car window with a suction mount, or just put it on your desk. Wherever you put it, just be sure to leave it where it will get direct sunlight. You can charge up the onboard battery within about five hours (after an initial charge that takes 4-5 days). And the best part is that it is only $30.

Then there’s the new Neon Green solar bag. Now, we know that there are a ton of solar bags around these days, but this company has put together a wide range of styles and shapes so that there’s something for almost any renewable energy enthusiast looking for a new bag. From the Piggy Back Soular Back-Up Pack (attach it to your existing backpack), to the full-sized Centurian backpack, to the Big Piggy (for powering up gadgets), they’ve got all kinds of options.

And finally, check out Fido Fashions’ doggie-powered LED leash. It works by gathering energy as the leash coils and uncoils inside of the device. The energy gathered is then used to power three high-intensity LED lights that shine down to light-up your way as you walk your pooch. There’s also an LED light that projects upwards to illuminate your car or front door so that you don’t have to fumble with the keys. And for added convenience, the leash casing has a compartment for doggie waste bags. So check out these new power-saving gadgets and let us know what you think!

Neon Green Piggy Back Solar Back-up Pack

Scosche solBAT II USB power device

InCharge Battery Station

The Greener Gadgets Design Competition is on in anticipation of Greener Gadgets Conference to be held in New York City on February 25. You can make your voice heard by voting for the gadget you find more eco-friendly.

Consider, for instance, the BuLogics Smart Grid Home Controller. It’s billed as the world’s first smart grid-compatible wireless controller. By installing the Z-Wave HAN in your home, you can automatically shut down appliances and electronics that are not being used during peak electricity demand times. This occurs when your local utility grid sends a demand change request and allows you to reduce your monthly power costs. You can also monitor how much you’re using and saving using a wireless computer or cell phone. It’s a great way to really get a handle on when and how much energy you use in order to save power as much as possible.

Another option is the InCharge Battery Station by Pensa. We all know that using rechargeable batteries is not only cost-effective, it’s more environmentally-friendly than disposable batteries. But it can be a pain to plug in the charger and hook up the batteries. With the InCharge Battery Station, simply drop the batteries into the base—it automatically sorts them and begins charging. The LED light indicates the relative charge in each individual battery, holding charged batteries until you need them so that you always have batteries at the ready.

And if you want to produce your own power to charge your electronic devices, check out the RollerGen. As you cycle, the RollerGen will automatically charge two devices—cell phone, mp3 player, and so on—simultaneously. In fact, a 2-mile ride can charge a smartphone!

Or how about the Turbine Light? It’s a renewable energy harvesting device that doubles as a renewable energy system. As the wind turns the turbine, energy is created, which can be used to power the lighting at night. The wind is generated by weather or by passing vehicles.

So don’t miss out on your opportunity to vote for the greenest gadget (deadline February 25)!

RollerGen bicycle powering device

Turbine Light

Sanyo Eneloop electric bike YouTube video from CES 2010

For the summertime commute or for year-round transportation for those living in balmy climes, the Eneloop Bike by Sanyo could just be one of the biggest money and energy-saving devices you could ever buy. Forget about trading in your SUV for a hybrid vehicle! If you’re interested in truly low-cost driving, then check out this electric bike.

The Sanyo Eneloop electric bicycle is a very low-energy, cost effective means of getting from point A to point B, with little in the way of greenhouse gas emissions along the way. With a rack on the back, you can carry your work bag, groceries, or your child as you run errands, head to the office, or make a trip to a friend’s house. Plus you have the advantage of getting fresh air in the meantime!

When you pedal, it goes—the faster you pedal, the faster you move, up to 15 miles per hour. And by adjusting the built-in Power-Up mode, the bike automatically gives you assistance from the motor while you pedal so that you can ride comfortably uphill with very little energy (they state that it will increase your riding distance by 1.8 times).

Using “Loop charging” the bike circulates energy, charging the battery while you ride. When you apply the brakes, the rear brake acts like a generator that charges the battery. It can also be plugged in to charge it in 3 hours and 30 minutes.

It is available at a variety of retailers for about $2,300, including Best Buy (limited distribution) in their Personal Transportation department.  It’s only available in the white color and one size, but they believe the frame fits about 80% of the people in the market. The seat is adjustable up and down. You can also customize the graphics package for the bicycle (much like your iPhone), so you can personalize your vehicle for an extra charge.

Sanyo Eneloop electric bike

Concord Keystone solar-powered handbag helps you save power on the go

Concord Keystone Trading LLC, an interesting little company, has recently produced a new solar-powered tote bag that’s stylish as much as it is an energy-saver. Unlike many other solar-powered backpacks, briefcases, and handbags that are so not trendy or chic in the least, the 4U2ReUSE (for you to reuse) Solar Sling actually has some good style sense.

But more than that, the bag provides renewable energy while exposed to solar energy during the daytime. Using G24i’s solar panel technology, which is a thin-film variety form of photovoltaics that is capable of charging even when the sun hides behind the clouds, the on-board battery stores the energy from the panels and then can dole it out to small electronics via USB connector. It can charge anything from a cell phone or smart phone to digital cameras and iPods. When in full sun, the system should be fully charged within approximately five hours, according to Concord.

To add to the bag’s eco-credibility, it is made from recycled PET plastic bottles and of course can be used in place of disposable plastic bags handed out at a variety of vendors—from your local grocer to fashion retail outlet.

The bag’s other features include a compartment for a laptop, a key clip, and spacious pockets. It will be available in four color combinations and comes with the battery pack.

Concord Keystone featured this new product at CES, the consumer electronics tradeshow that took place in Las Vegas, Nevada. It has yet to be priced, though is expected to come on the market soon.

Wattvision YouTube video shows you how you can save energy by monitoring your power consumption

If you want a stupid simple way to see how much energy you use and what appliances are costing the most on your utility bills, then here’s a very user-friendly solution. Wattvision’s Sensor is a really easy system you can install yourself (no electrician required) to monitor the energy you use at home, at your school, or in your business. Once the system is installed, you’ll get a whole-house or whole-building energy-use report (with 15-second intervals) that can be read on a computer or your iPhone.

Many great features make this system incredibly practical. First, you can view how much energy you’ve saved (or used) over the history of your Wattvision system, down to the minute. So you can track trends by hour, day, week, or time of year. Additionally, with 15-second updates, as soon as you turn the system on you can test to see which appliances and electronics in your home are using the most energy. Unplug the fridge and watch the energy use diminish or plug in the kettle to see how much energy it takes to boil some water. With this system, you can pinpoint which energy-using devices need to be recycled or replaced so that you can begin to really make changes that count.

Wattvision saves you energy by showing you where you use the most

You can get started with your very own Wattvision Sensor by going to their site, telling them where you are (approximately) and what type of energy meter you have, and then ordering the right sensor for your home or building for $149 (with code wvbetablog; they’re regularly priced at $199). To see a Wattvision in action, check out their live demo.

Lucet LED Solar Window Lamp

Not yet something you can purchase at a boxing week sale, but this new solar-powered LED lamp has some great features that, if it ever hits the market, could make it much easier to light up your home with renewable energy. Designed as a concept lamp by industrial designer Rui Palma, the Lucet, as it is called is a lamp that runs on solar energy, collecting it as it sticks to your window. A great energy-saving device in the making.

Although this isn’t the first-ever solar lamp to stick to the window, it does have some great practical features. First, it uses AAA batteries, and while we’d like to see a way to get rid of batteries all together someday, for now, this makes it accessible to the average consumer. And since they’d have to be rechargeable batteries, they’ll at least have a longer life than conventional one-use batteries. As long as the consumer recycles them in the end, this is a pretty green solution.

Second, the lamp can be moved and positioned as needed. In fact, by combining several lamps together, the user could create some nifty designs to suit the room. Third, because it uses LED bulbs, it can provide light for much less energy consumption. Combined, you can control the amount of light provided depending on the illumination needed (more lamps equals a brighter indoor space). Unfortunately, the light may not be overly bright, but in time, as LED technology improves, this won’t likely pose much of a problem.

Great access to solar energy means great efficiency for indoor lighting. Plus, it looks kinda cool, too.

Lucet Lamps sticks to window

DIY solar is now a reality with solar systems available at Lowe's via Flickr - OregonDOT

Starting now, you can purchase easy-to-install solar photovoltaics from Lowe’s, carrying them home and installing them yourself, if you so desire. This first-ever, off-the-shelf option was recently announced by Akeena Solar Inc and is a way for DIY consumers to get the renewable energy system they want.

Akeena Solar is a manufacturer and installer of solar power systems and has hooked up with 21 Lowe’s home improvement stores in California to offer these plug-and-play solar panels to the general public.  Packages include racking, wiring, grounding, and all of the other parts needed to produce your own energy. Plus they have built-in inverters so they output AC power, which means no high-voltage wiring is required. These simple systems are supposedly to be installed easily by experienced do-it-yourselfers as well as electricians and HVAC contractors.

Barry Cinnamon, CEO of Akeena Solar, had this to say:

“The PC revolution in the computer industry occurred when new technology made PCs easy to use and affordable. Likewise, with panels becoming plug-and-play appliances, the solar revolution has started. The availability of solar panels in Lowe’s stores makes it easy for homeowners to go solar and is a big step toward getting solar on every sunny rooftop.”

The award-winning solar panels will be in Lowe’s Energy Centers where customers, using an interactive information kiosk, create their own unique energy plan according to their budget and energy goals. Additional energy-saving products will also be available in the Energy Centers.

The good news is that Lowe’s Energy Centers will be added to more stores throughout the US and Canada during 2010.

Lowes Home Improvement Energy Centers now carry solar systems (in California) via Flickr - doortoriver

Akeena Solar has teamed up with Lowe's to provide a DIY solar option for consumers

Obama administration recently announced a new clean energy REDI program

The Obama administration announced a new program on December 14: The Renewables and Efficiency Deployment Initiative (REDI), which will offer $350 million in funds to accelerate the development of clean energy technologies. As both a domestic and global initiative, some of the funds ($85 million) will go into a joint coffer (supported by other countries such as Australia, Norway, Switzerland, Netherlands, the UK, and France) to be used to develop and deploy clean energy tech around the world.

The program will operate in several industries, including advanced vehicles, bioenergy, building and industrial efficiencies, smart grid technologies, carbon capture, high-efficiency coal,  and of course, solar, wind, and marine energy. The official REDI website outlines the following programs that will receive this funding:

• The Solar and LED Energy Access Program will accelerate deployment of affordable solar home systems and LED lanterns to those without access to electricity.  This program will yield immediate economic and public health benefits by providing households with low-cost and quality-assured solar alternatives to expensive and polluting kerosene.
• The Super-efficient Equipment and Appliance Deployment Program will harness the market and convening power of MEF countries to improve efficiency for appliances traded throughout the world.  A number of MEF countries have implemented, or are exploring, incentive programs for energy-efficient appliances. Coordinating incentives, standards and labeling systems can create unprecedented economies of scale for these appliances.

• The Clean Energy Information Platform will establish an online platform for MEF countries to exchange technical resources, policy experience and the infrastructure to coordinate various activities in deploying clean energy technologies, and share this information with the world.

• The Scaling-up Renewable Energy Program (S-REP), under the World Bank’s Strategic Climate Fund, will provide policy support and technical assistance to low-income countries developing national renewable energy strategies and underwrite additional capital costs associated with renewable energy investments.  Funding through Climate REDI will accelerate the launch of S-REP.

Further, it states that REDI will use the following tools to disseminate the new technologies:

1. Quality assurance to guard developing country consumers against sub-standard renewable energy products;
2. Minimum efficiency standards to remove the lowest efficiency appliances from the market;
3. Labeling to guide consumers to quality-assured and high-efficiency products;
4. Financing for scale up of early-stage low-carbon products, to bring down costs and remove barriers to deployment and to catalyze investment by the private sector;
5. Information sharing that enables all energy stakeholders to access state-of-the art information on technology and best practices.

Solarmer Energy's organic photovoltaic technology

There have been some interesting developments in the world of solar this month and two in particular seemed share-worthy. First, ShadePlex, purportedly the leader in solar-electric flexible-use architectural fabrics, is now offering color-coordinated solar products! Their energy-producing fabric frames come in a variety of colors (red, yellow, green, or bright blue) so that you can match them to various surfaces.

While the fabrics themselves don’t product energy, the thin-film, flexible solar material is bonded to architectural fabrics to form a flexible, framed solar panel. They can be used to cover walkways and canopies, as tents, and in other flexible structures. And because of their lightweight materials, they require little to no reinforcement. Interesting concept!

Second, Solarmer Energy Inc has recently boosted the efficiency of their flexible plastic solar panels (organic photovoltaic technology or OPV) from the 7.6% efficiency they achieved earlier this year to 7.9%, a number that has been confirmed by the US Department of Energy. Though that may not seem like a huge bump in efficiency, it is still movement. And since Solarmer aims to reach 10% efficiency by the end of 2010, every bit counts. Here’s what they said regarding the breakthrough:

“First, low-cost plastic is used as the active materials to convert solar energy into electricity. Thanks to the extraordinary light absorption capability of the plastics, the active plastics layer is extremely thin – only a few tenth of micrometer thick, i.e. less than 1/1000 of silicon cell. This material cost is significantly lower.

Second, very low cost printing techniques can and will be used to manufacture plastic solar cells (just thinking of the newspaper). The combination gives much lower cost of equivalent energy (only ~10 – 20% that of silicon technology). In addition, the fabrication process is both low temperature and environmentally friendly, significantly reduces the amount of energy consumption in the manufacturing process.”

ShadePlex color-coordinated solar panels

Solarmer Energy's building-integrated solar photovoltaics

New efficient appliances Via Flickr - redjar

There have been rumors of a new stimulus program being announced, and thankfully they’re now coming true. Much like the Cash for Clunkers bill that allowed Americans to trade in gas-guzzling vehicles for more fuel efficient ones, the new Cash for Caulkers program, as it has been dubbed, could make each home eligible for up to $12,000 in rebate money for improving efficiencies. The same bill will also provide funding for businesses working in the renewable energy and efficiency sectors.

With the total program expected to be in the range of about $10 billion, it would provide funds for homes that replace old heating and cooling systems, appliances, and insulation with new, more efficient options. Though the percentage that would be rebated has yet to be determined, some are speculating that it could be as much as 50%, allowing people to spend $24,000 in upgrades and then receive half of it back.

This is an excellent idea, not only because it can go a long way to reducing our dependency on fossil fuels, but also because it has the potential to significantly lower residential utility bills for those who participate in the program. Some estimate that the improvements could reduce home energy consumption by as much as 20%. Find out more at Yahoo Finance.

And on the subject of fossil fuels and energy efficiency, don’t forget to take action in support of strong climate action at this week’s Copenhagen talks. Be part of the green noise (COP15 was the biggest topic on Google today).

Saving power with better appliances Via Flickr - hitormissIncreasing insulation to save energy Via Flickr - Velo Steve

COP15 America.gov Daily Video - check it out!

The day has finally arrived: today is the first day of the Copenhagen climate change talks begin. The COP15 (15^th Conference of the Parties as it is known) hopes to put together a global agreement that would work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to within safe levels – an agreement that would take over from the Kyoto Protocol which expires in 2012. It’s an audacious goal, but a worthy one. It’s a task we should not shrink from.

But there’s a lot to accomplish before truly binding agreements can be put in place. Perhaps the most contentious issue is that of how to regulate emissions in rich versus poor countries, with the poor nations demanding aid before they commit to targets, and rich nations requiring climate commitments before they send aid.

And there is also widespread disagreement as to the appropriate size of carbon reductions. While Obama has committed that the US will reduce its emissions by 17% below 2005 in the next few years, most scientists and global leaders contend that this is far too little.

Yet there is growing momentum behind the movement. Countries that could perhaps have the biggest impact on climate change in the near future – India, China, and Brazil being chief among them – have made public commitments to support the climate talks (here’s hoping they don’t walk out part-way through the proceedings as some have threatened to do). So there is hope.

Want to get involved? If you haven’t already, please do! Here are some resources for educating yourself and then digging in to make a difference during these important talks:

• Find up-to-the-minute information on the talks through the common editorial being put together by 56 newspapers in 45 countries.

• For a really quick primer, check out COP15: What’s at Stake in Under 5 Minutes.

• Then get active by signing petitions and encouraging others to do the same. Get involved by speaking up on Facebook or Twitter, sign up with the Tck Tck Tck and 350.org campaign or Hopenhagen, or get involved in civil protests (find one near you through Beyond Talk). You CAN make a difference.

COP15 Editorial Collage Via Flickr - Me.blogger

COP15 Maldives Demonstration Via Flickr – jasonwhat

Residential Wind Turbines and Solar Panels - greenforall.org

Good news via a study out of Yale, Berkley, and the University of Illinois. The study, entitled Clean Energy and Climate Policy for U.S. Growth and Job Creation outlines some very positive statistics on where we’ll be after the implementation of a climate bill in the US. According to the analysis by these folks, a climate bill will have exceptionally-positive benefits for both job creation and the economy: it could potentially boost the bottom line by $111 billion by 2020 as well as add 2 million jobs at the same time.

These numbers depend on a few key factors being present in any bill passed in the US. For instance, it requires that targets for emissions reductions be at least 17% nationwide by 2020, and then 83% by 2050. Additionally, utilities will need to get their electricity from renewables at a rate of 20% or greater.

According to the report’s summary, the key findings are as follows:

“All 50 states can gain economically from strong federal energy and climate policy, despite the diversity of their economies and energy mixes.

“Contrary to what is commonly assumed, comprehensive national climate policy does not benefit the coasts at the expense of the heartland states.

“The country as a whole can gain 918,000 to 1.9 million jobs, and household income can grow by $488 to $1,176, by 2020 under comprehensive energy and climate policy.”

The report even offers a state-by-state analysis of what effects a climate bill will have on local economies. This is all very good news for a skeptical and fearful society convinced that dealing with climate change will cost too much.

Center for American Progress Action Fund - 2009 National Clean Energy Jobs Tour

The ReVerb comes with nifty feedback icons

If you’re looking for the perfect gift for the techie in your life, look no further. Regen, a company that specializes in making solar-powered gadgets, most notably of which is their ReNu which powers any of their other devices such as the iPod Dock, Audio Dock, and Side Light.

But the most recent addition to the Regen family of solar gadgets is the ReVerb, a high-quality speaker with an integrated photovoltaic solar panel that generates enough energy to power the speaker for up to 12 hours at normal volume (to get it fully charged takes about 20 hours). Simply plug in your iPod Touch or iPhone to access digitally-stored media files and away you go.  It also comes equipped with 2x USB ports, 1x USB input for charging the unit, as well as a nice little LCD display (about four inches).

Though the speaker can also be powered by a regular AC adapter, it is meant to be run with solar power. And it provides some very nice quality sound, according to reviews. The Earthtechling reports that:

“It generates sound equal to that of a regular 60-watt speaker and sports stereo drivers and a sub-woofer.”

You can also use the speaker to control your audio device, whether you want to play/pause, increase/decrease volume, or select a different track. And one of the best parts is that it actually gives you feedback about how you’re using it. For instance, if you’re running low on power because of a lengthy playback session, it’ll let you know that it’s dissatisfied by displaying an unhappy face. Now that’s a full-service speaker!

But it doesn’t come cheap: about $2,300 each! And they won’t be available until April 2010.

The ReVerb in full view

With iPhone for perspective on size

Georgia Tech - close-up of 3-D solar cells

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It just makes sense that solar cells be exposed to as much sunlight as possible, right? Not with Dr. Zhong Lin Wang’s new nanostructure optical fiber “hidden” photovoltaic cells. This Georgia Institute of Technology professor, along with a team of researchers, recently developed a new way to create renewable energy, and it could spell a major change in the roof-top solar panel dominated industry—and in fact may take solar collectors underground. According to Wang:

“Optical fiber could conduct sunlight into a building’s walls where the nanostructures would convert it to electricity. This is truly a three dimensional solar cell.”

These solar collectors are made by modifying common optical fibers used in the telecommunications industry for data transport, applying zinc oxide (think lifeguard nose protection) as a conductive coating, and then adding nanowires as well. Then a dye-sensitized material is added that uses a photochemical system to produce energy. These are cheap to make, are highly durable and flexible, and very versatile. In fact, they could be installed into walls, roofs, and other building materials without any visual disturbance, making the collection of energy possible on nearly any surface.

“This will really provide some new options for photovoltaic systems,” Wang said. “We could eliminate the aesthetic issues of PV arrays on building. We can also envision PV systems for providing energy to parked vehicles, and for charging mobile military equipment where traditional arrays aren’t practical or you wouldn’t want to use them.”

One drawback is efficiency. Unlike traditional silicon-based solar cells which get about 12% efficiency, these currently only about 3.3%, but with diverse applications in which this technology could be used, the trade-off may just be worth it. And they hope to increase efficiencies to about 8% in the near future.

Georgia Tech - working on new hidden solar cells

Georgia Tech - Dr. Wang with zinc oxide solar cells

Chinese renewable energy Via Flickr - drs2biz

All eyes were on the Chinese-US talks the last week as Obama met with key leaders in the Asian country. With clean energy being one of the biggest issues on the table for the first time in a really public manner, we were all holding our collective breath to see whether anything would get done. And it seems that there is reason to hope!

The US and China, knowing the joint sway they will hold over the Copenhagen talks in January, were eager (or so it appeared) to see how they could influence the talks for good by developing a renewable energy agreement. These the two biggest emitters were able to agree on a broad plan that would help to bring about serious advances in clean energy.

The seven-point plan included the following:

• They US and China will establish a Clean Energy Research Center to facilitate joint research and development of renewable energy technologies. The center will receive both public and private funding to the tune of $150 million over the next five years.
• A joint US-Chinese Electric Vehicles Initiative was announced that will see joint vehicle standards, public education, demonstration projects, and more.
• Together, China and the US will work on an Energy Efficiency Action Plan for buildings, consumer products like appliances, as well as industrial facilities.
• A new US-China Renewable Energy Partnership was launched that will help to support renewable energy deployment and regional partnerships for sharing expertise and best practices.
• “Clean” coal was part of the overall strategy—21^st Century Coal. The two Presidents will work together to develop large-scale carbon capture and storage projects for coal-fired plants.
• Working together, the two countries will explore Shale Gas Resources within China using the experience gained on US soil.
• A new Energy Cooperation Program between China and the US will also be established to leverage private sector resources that will support smart grids, green buildings, combined heat/power, renewable energy, clean coal, and more.

Electrical outlet Via Flickr - kalleboo

Americans waste an enormous amount of energy powering devices as they sit idle. Whether it’s the television or DVD player, cell phone chargers, appliances, or toys, this “phantom drain” on your energy bill could be adding significantly to your monthly electricity costs. In fact, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists, vampire energy can account for as much as 5 to 10 percent of the average home’s electricity bill! Check out this fun graphic that illustrates where energy is most commonly wasted.

While unplugging unused electronics and appliances is perhaps the most simplistic way to avoid this kind of energy waste, it’s not the only method by far. Power strips are a more automated, convenient method of reducing your energy consumption, and they make great holiday gifts, too! Here are three great options for you to consider as you prepare to start shopping for those on your gift list:

Turn off unneeded energy-drains with the Belkin Conserve’s wall switch for the power strip. With eight always-on outlets and six that are controlled with the wall switch, you can customize which electronics and appliances get switched on and off with a flick of your finger.

The Isolé® IDP-3050 Plug Load Control has a unique, ultra-convenient feature: a motion detector that will switch electronics on when it senses someone in the room. And of course, it shuts them down when movement stops, too. Price: $90.

With a claim that it can pay for itself in as few as six weeks, the SmartStrip is a veteran in the intelligent power strip world. It can “sense” the flow of electrical current, turning off peripherals when they’re not in use. It also protects against power surges.

Belkin Conserve Energy Saving Surge Protector with Remote Switch

Isolé® IDP-3050 Plug Load Control

SmartStrip

Marriott is expanding its green hotel program

‘Tis the season to travel as people get ready to hit the road for Thanksgiving celebrations, book ski trips, plan beach getaways to escape the winter, and prepare to get together with family and friends for Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, or holiday festivities. We love to travel, but hopping on a plane or driving long distances can have a negative impact on our carbon footprint.l

So it’s nice to see hotel chains take climate change and environmental protection seriously. Marriott has recently been running a “green hotel” trial project, testing out the viability of greening their accommodations. The program involved initiatives to reduce water and energy consumption, cut waste, and lower toxicity and improve indoor air quality by choosing greener products used in the facilities.

There were 30 hotels in the initial trial, but Marriott just announced that it will be expanding its eco-friendly hotels by 1,000 percent to cover 500 hotels! But the move isn’t completely altruistic. In this depressed economy, the massive hotel company is also motivated by the bottom line. It seems that they achieved some sizable financial savings through their green hotel program , both in constructing and running the greener facilities.

That’s good news for the hotel industry as a whole, and hopefully Marriott’s ambitious plans will be a signal to their competitors that being green is better for business. So, as you plan your holiday travel, keep green in mind. Choose hotels with a green stamp of approval, ask about your preferred chain’s green policies, and leave comments when you check out encouraging conservation.

Marriot hotels now recycle in-room and beyond

Marriott is saving energy through a varieyt of initiatives

Barnes & Nobel Nook E-Reader

The world of e-book readers is in constant change these days, it would seem. This past month, two new e-readers were released to give Amazon’s Kindle a run for its money in the eco-friendly book space.

First up is Barnes and Noble’s new Nook, an e-reader with a 10-day battery life and weighing in at only 11.2 ounces. It comes with WiFi and AT&T 3G, a replaceable battery, PDF support, and has two screens—one for reading and the other (color) for easy browsing. It’s available now for about $260 (about the same as the Kindle) and can store 1,500+ eBooks, magazine, newspapers, and more. A fantastic green feature: you can “lend” your books to friends for up to 14 days!

Rumor has it that Apple will also soon be releasing their version of the e-reader with the Tablet (set to come out in 2010 according to BusinessWeek).

Using an e-reader saves energy in a number of ways:

• By reducing the number of books that are produced, we reduce deforestation, which in turn conserves carbon-absorbing trees.
• You’ll need less shelf space to store your books, which means you can presumably have a smaller home (less square footage to heat and cool).
• Buying books electronically saves on the fuel you’d use to go to the bookstore or the shipping require should you order a paper book online.

In fact, a report by the Cleantech Group has concluded that e-readers like the Kindle 2 can help you go green by saving 1,074 kg of CO2 annually (assuming you would avoid buying about 3 physical books/month).

Sopogy, a company specializing in solar technologies for industrial, commercial, and utility sectors on a smaller scale, has recently introduced their new Sopogy® “SopoFlare™” and it’s pretty cool. This scaled-down version of a concentrating solar power system (CSP) using parabolic designs is the first commercially available concentrating system designed for rooftops.

Using the parabolic structure of the concentrating solar system, this new MicroCSP can be used to provide a building with a variety of services, including air conditioning, drying, dehumidification, desalination, steam, and hot water.  It’s both lightweight and more rugged (so they say) than traditional solar PV systems, making it simple and easy to mount and fasten to almost any rooftop. It is then integrated into existing natural gas systems.

Sopogy has a proprietary integrated tracker technology to boost its efficiency and has priced the new system 30% cheaper than other rooftop solar technologies (such as solar photovoltaics, according to the company). They also tout a 3-year payback on the system when energy savings are taken into consideration.

“Sopogy has incorporated our unique frame, ready-to-assemble manufacturing and automated controls into a new compact product designed for rooftop installation. This brings concentrating solar power to the commercial and industrial facility in a cost effective, space efficient and contractor friendly solution. All combined our customers receive the fastest paybacks available in solar helping them save money and fight global warming” – Darren T. Kimura, President and CEO, Sopogy, Inc.

Sopogy MicroCSP

Thermostat at 69 degrees Via Flickr - t-bet

It’s the beginning of November, and for many that means winter has arrived, and with it heating season. Keeping indoor temps at a comfortable level costs North Americans a great deal in terms of money and energy. In fact, the average American will spend nearly $2,000 every year for heating, whether that be with oil, gas, electricity, or wood stove. It all adds to our climate footprint as well, with heating being one of the biggest residential contributors to greenhouse gas emissions.

But there are some very cost-effective (free!) things you can do to lower your heating bill and cut your carbon dioxide emissions. With just a few quick little environmentally-friendly seasonal changes to your heating system, you could help the country reduce its dependency on fossil fuels while saving energy, too.

Programmable Thermostat at 60 Degrees Via Flickr - Mr.Thomas

Lower your thermostat

Your thermostat is one of the most important tools you could use to lower your home’s energy impact. Learning how to maximize thermostat settings for efficiency is a great way to cut how much energy you use to heat your home.

Each season, you should readjust your thermostat settings. Now that it’s winter for many of us, it’s time to turn the setting down to 68°F or lower for those times when your home is occupied. It can go even lower when you’re asleep and when you’re not at home to further reduce your heating costs.

Make your job even easier by installing a programmable thermostat to do the work of adjusting for you. There are rebates for this simple upgrade for many states, and a programmable thermostat may just save you $150 every year on heating and cooling costs. Get more ideas from the Alliance to Save Energy.

Reverse Ceiling Fan in Winter Via Flickr - dane brian

Reverse your fan direction

Yes, it might seem counterproductive to run a fan in the middle of the winter, but a ceiling fan can actually help to reduce your heating costs. How? Well, if you reverse your fan’s rotation from counter-clockwise to clockwise, you’ll help to force warm air that’s trapped near the ceiling down to floor-level. This will ensure that your heated air is circulated more evenly, reducing the work your heating system has to do to keep you warm. It’s a low-free way to lower heating bills. Find out more at the Look Up Campaign.

Layer up

Yet another no-cost way to save on heating bills is the layering technique. What do we mean? Well, during the day, you can warm yourself up inexpensively by layering your clothing. As you get warmer, remove a layer or two. Likewise at night while you sleep—pile up the quilts to stay cozy at without raising the cost of heating. ENERGY STAR has even more ideas for how to heat and cool efficiently.

Met Office Climate Change Map

A new climate change map of the world, launched by the British government this past week at the Science Museum in London, shows the widespread impacts of a 4°C rise in temperature, and the picture is not pretty for humans or for the environment. It warns that we must keep global temperature increases to 2° C of face dire consequences globally.

The British government’s chief scientist, John Beddington, explained the anticipated impacts in a video that gives an overview of the new map, detailing things like:

• A serious decrease in major cereal crops in all major regions of production
• Significant reduction in the size of glaciers, resulting in flooding
• High pressure on water and food supplies as a result of droughts
• Severe drying of tropical rainforests such as the Amazon, with subsequent die-back

Ed Miliband, Climate and Energy Secretary put it this way:

“To tackle the problem of climate change, all of us – foreign ministries, environment ministries, treasuries, departments of defence and all parts of government and societies – must work together to keep global temperatures to 2° C.”

So, if you’re curious about what will happen should our temperatures continue to rise as they are right now, go ahead and play around with the map. You’ll soon discover how all-consuming this issue really is. Makes a good case for saving power in our daily lives. And if you haven’t already, be sure to sign one of many pledges and pacts to encourage your local leaders to take firm action on climate change by getting involved in Copenhagen:

• 350.org
• Action-Pact
• David Suzuki Foundation

According to the United Nations 170,000 square kilometres of forest is destroyed each year. If we constructed solar farms at the same rate, we would be finished in 3 years.

How little land is required to power the world with solar

Using some everyday math and artistic talent, the folks at Land Art Generator Initiative have put together some maps depicting how much physical space would actually be required to power the world energy requirements—all 678,000,000,000,000,000 Btus of energy worth—using only wind and solar energy. The results are quite encouraging, indeed.

As you can see from these visual representations of where and how wind and solar power could be generated, it’s obvious that the amount of land required would actually be very small. The US, for instance, would need approximately 1,000 solar “supersites” measuring about 10 square km (about 6.2 square miles) to generate enough solar energy for the entire country.

Compared to the amount of space required for the American highway system—94,000 square kilometres, or 58,400 square miles, and those highways were constructed in a space of 35 years.

Harvesting wind for the world’s energy needs

Land Art Generator - Wind Power to Fuel the World

The numbers for wind energy are equally as impressive:

A 5 MW turbine can be expected to produce 17 GWh per year (they are 40% effective from their peak rated capacity – 5 MW x 365 x 24 = 43.8 GWh). Therefore, it would require 11,748,294 of the 5 MW capacity turbines to create the same yearly output. There are 500 million cars in the world so it’s not like that’s an unattainable goal from a manufacturing standpoint. And each 5 MW turbine is a 30 year lifespan money making machine for whoever buys it. The same can not be said for my car. But if we can build 90,000 Cape Wind size installations, we would be there on wind alone. Based on that installation, each turbine requires 1/2 square mile of area for offshore sites. This would require 5.85 million square kilometers for 2030 world energy needs.

Image: Zipcar

Lower monthly transportation bills and environmentally-friendly driving has been possible for quite some time for those using Zipcar’s car sharing program. With over 325,000 members and 6,500 vehicles throughout North American states and provinces, as well as in London, England, Zipcar boasts an impressive community of members committed to energy conservation and reducing their greenhouse gas emissions.

But sharing cars just got a whole lot easier for iPhone users. Zipcar recently announced the release of their new iPhone application, available for download for free from the App Store for iPhone and iPod touch users. This new applications offers a variety of great features that make it easier for people to save energy by finding and use a Zipcar:

1. Find available Zipcars on a map using your current location, a favorite location, or any location

2. Reserve a Zipcar anytime, anywhere

3. Sort cars by time available, car type and model

4. View upcoming reservations

5. Get directions to your Zipcar

6. Easily locate your reserved Zipcar by telling it to honk its horn

7. Unlock and lock your Zipcar after scanning your Zipcard at the start of each reservation

8. Tap to contact Zipcar if help is needed during a reservation

9. Extend or cancel reservations on the go

10. Play around with the virtual key fob and make sounds even when you’re not in a reservation

This app makes finding a great car for much less totally fun and very sustainable. In fact, according to Austin CarShare, the average consumer can save approximately $6,500 every single year by joining a car share program!

Sunny Flower solar charger Via DesignBoom

We use energy to charge our mobile devices every single day. And since so many chargers are inefficient in their design (wasting energy by turning it into heat), it does us good to look for lower-energy methods of powering our gadgets and such.

But what is a green fashionista to do when she wants to power her gadgets without a clunky backpack or solar strip? Use a small, happy little solar charger, of course.

Welcome the new Sunny Flower solar charger by Chinese designer Fandi Meng. This ultra-portable solar-powered charger comes in a compact form, but by spreading out the “petals” it flowers into a cheery charging station.

It comes with the mini solar panel petals that charge an on-board battery. Once charged, simply fold up the petals and then use it to power almost any small mobile device—iPhone, mp3 player, etc. There’s even an indicator light that glows when your device is fully-charged.

This is a really nice, stylish solution for green power options on the go. It provides plugless, free solar energy and makes dead batteries a thing of the past, too.

Sunny Flower solar charger Via DesignBoom - on window

Sunny Flower solar charger Via DesignBoom - folds up

Livestock and climate change via Flickr - Sunfox

Want a simple way to reduce your impact on climate change without a lot of hassle or cost? Cut back the amount of meat and dairy you’re eating. That’s the conclusion of a recent Worldwatch Institute analysis of the impact of raising livestock and poultry entitled Livestock and Climate Change: What if the key actors in climate change are…cows, pigs, and chickens? In it, they discount the figures from a United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) report that estimate greenhouse gas emissions from raising livestock at 18 percent of the total annual worldwide amount.

Instead, the WorldWatch Institutes report puts the damage at a whopping 51 percent! That’s 32.6 billion tons of carbon dioxide that gets dumped into the atmosphere every year simply because of our dietary choices, which is less than any other source.

But where does it all come from? Well, apparently 13.7 percent comes as a result of livestock respiration. During their normal existence, livestock animals add a lot of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.

Slightly less is the impact from inefficient land use. As land is converted from tropical forests—tremendously valuable sources for carbon sequestration—to grazing land for sheep and cattle, we suffer a double whammy. First, we lose the carbon-sinking ability of the trees, and second, the rotting biomass (trees and underbrush) release a lot of carbon dioxide into the air. This accounts for 4.2 percent of all livestock-related emissions.

Next, there’s the methane gas—a greenhouse gas that’s 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide in terms of its ability to trap heat in the atmosphere—that livestock emit during normal digestion. This equals 7.9 percent.

There are more ways to count our meat- and dairy-eating habits’ effects on climate, but those are the main sources. Needless to say, it would be easy to make a change here to benefit the planet. Simply adopting an eco-friendly diet by cutting back on the quantity of dairy and meat we eat every week—have one meat free day, for instance—would make a big difference. And choosing an environmentally friendly veggie diet might actually save you money, too.

Peaches Via Flickr - ellievanhoutte

If you’re an avid gardener with too much of one type of produce at the end of the season—zucchini, potatoes, beets, peas, or lettuce, for instance—you might find this new site a great resource (started four months ago, actually). Veggie Trader is a free online resource that can be used by gardeners and produce seekers to procure local, sustainable fruits and vegetables from those in their own community.

Functioning much like the bargain ads in your local newspaper or Craiglist online, the Veggie Trader allows veggie growers and veggie eaters to sell, purchase, and barter their way to more sustainable meals.

Carrots Via Flickr - Robert Couse-Baker

The system is quite simple. You register to become part of the community and then get started! You can offer to purchase, offer to sell, or offer to trade, and then wait for others to chime in when their supply/demand fits yours.

Need to get rid of some crabapples before they all go bad on your lawn? Log on and offer these up to your neighbors. Want some beets to can for the winter? Sign in and ask the community who’s got the extra produce you’re looking for. It’s free to join and costs nothing to post a listing.

In time, the site hopes to expand its offerings to include other types of food, including dairy and eggs, though those are heavily regulated and will require some additional rules and policies to be in place first.

This new site has the potential to do many great things for the environment: reduce organic waste, cut carbon emissions related to the transportation of produce, encourage local, organic farmers to  sell their wares locally, and foster good green community. So get trading-selling-buying-bartering!

Electrical grid Via Flickr - Ian Muttoo

The smart grid, which is on its way to the US, promising huge energy savings for the country as a whole, and for individual consumers as well, has the potential to put control of energy use within the hands of the average person. In particular, the smart grid will help any energy user consume energy in low-demand periods, which will save them money and reduce the number of power plants required for the nation as a whole.

But in order to really take advantage of this new energy-efficiency technology, we’re going to need appliances that know how and when to consume energy, otherwise we won’t receive the full value of the grid at home. Today, there are several large manufacturers working on developing smart dishwashers, dryers, microwaves, and more that will save power and power plants.

Via Whirlpool

Whirlpool—a company that’s promised to make all of its appliances “smart” by 2015—finally seems to be putting some legs on its plans, announcing recently that they will be producing 1 million smart clothes dryers (one-quarter of its production) for sale by the end of 2011. For those with variable electricity pricing, Whirlpool believes this innovation could save the average consumer between $20 and $40 annually.

How does it work? The utility’s grid will automatically “tell” the dryer to power down during peak energy-use periods (immediately after normal work hours, for instance). Whirlpool estimates that if all million dryers were to go into standby mode during peak times, it could reduce energy demands equivalent to 6 coal power plants.

In a similar move, GE is in the process of putting plans for smart water heater production into place—technology that should reduce energy use by 50 percent compared to similar heat pumps. The good news is that these new, smarter appliances should not have price points much higher than a comparable ENERGY STAR product.

Solar Tree at the beach Via Yanko Design

Need a bit of electricity while sitting at the beach enjoying the sun? Want to have solar on-the-go on your next camping trip to power your cell phone? Then you may just be interested in the new Solar-Tree by designers: Jun-Se Kim, Min-Goo Kim & Dong-Eon Kim.

In the form of a stick or cane, the Solar-Tree can be easily and quickly “installed” by sticking it into the sand or the soil. Simply point in the direction of the sun for maximum energy collection, plug in, and you’re good to go! If the ground is particularly solid, digging a hole before installed the tree into the soil may help to anchor it safely in place.

Solar Tree Via Yanko Design

Like most other portable solar power devices, the Solar-Tree collects solar energy and then converts it from 12 volts to 230 volts of electricity so that it can be used to power just about anything. Comes with several plugs so that you can plug in multiple gadgets and devices at the same time (three is the maximum).

The Solar-Tree also comes with an on-board back-up battery so you can collect energy for use after the sun sets. It is rated to charge a variety of electrical devices, including cell phones, spotlights, laptops, fans, televisions, coolers, digital cameras, iPhones, mp3 players, and more. And it purportedly has a lifespan of 20 years!

Solar Tree Via Yanko Design

Nanosolar has an ambitious goal: to “design, engineer, and manufacture solar power technology that sets the standard for cost and capital efficiency.” Their goal has been to come up with a way to produce thin-film solar panels that would be extremely cheap to make and easy to handle.

On September 9, they announced that they’re finally finished their panel factory in Germany—a factory that uses automation 24/7 to produce their new thin-film panels at a rate of 640 MW annually or about one panel every 10 seconds. These panels are made by “printing” the solar cells onto a flexible metal foil using a nanoparticle solar ink (see video for a demonstration).

They also announced that they’ve already begun to produce the same solar panels through serious production in their San Jose, California factory earlier this year. They already have $4.1 billion worth of contract orders to complete.

The same day, the unveiled their first product Nanosolar Utility Panel™ which is panel designed specifically for utility-scale power systems.

The panel effectively eliminates the “balance-of-system penalty” that medium-efficient thin panels have conventionally carried relative to higher-efficiency (yet far more expensive) silicon panels.

It is said to be the industry’s highest-current thin panel by a factor of six and is certified by TUV for a system voltage of 1500V, which is 50 percent more than the previously highest certified. They’ve also published a white paper on the subject of utility technology.

Nanosolar panels

Nanosolar production line

Nanosolar production

Solar Bluetooth Headset via ITech

It feels like new solar-powered electronics and gadgets are being introduced every week. If it’s small and has rechargeable batteries, there’s bound to be a company slapping a solar cell onto it. It’s a fun trend, especially for the gadget lover looking for eco-friendly solutions.

There are two energy-free devices we’ll feature today. The first is the solar-powered Bluetooth headset by iTech Dynamic. This SolarVoice 908, which is available for just under $60 from Amazon.com, claims to be the first renewable energy Bluetooth headset on the market (and likely is!). It offers noise reduction, multipoint connection, innovative ear buds (which are supposed to eliminate ear fatigue), and of course, a tiny solar PV panel for collecting energy.

The SolarVoice 908 is said to hold a charge long enough for five hours of talk time or 140 hours of standby time between sessions in the sun (although they make no mention of how long it takes to charge via solar). Great for those who can’t be without their headset while enjoying nature.

Solar-powered LG e-reader via LG Display

The second fun solar-powered device is the LG Solar Cell e-Book. This thin film solar cell measures 10 cm (4”) square, is slimmer than a credit card, and weighs only 20 grams. It comes pre-installed on the Solar Cell e-Book and in just four to five hours with 9.6 percent efficiency, it can charge the e-book for extended battery life for mobile reading. We have not yet been told on when these will be available or for how much.

A Drop of WAter - watering can included

Looking for a rain barrel solution that’s both highly useful and attractive to the eyes? Dutch designer Bas Van Der Veer may have just the right solution for you. His new “A Drop of Water” rainwater collector combines form and function into a completely new way of collecting and using “free” rainwater.

“A Drop of Water” is an elegant, stylish solution for anyone wanting to attach a rainbarrel to their home that won’t detract from the exterior appearance.  The system has a watering can built in that fills with water as it rains (overflow goes into the barrel). No more having to store a watering can nearby with this rainwater collection device!

Plus, it comes with a small tap at the bottom of the barrel so when the watering can is empty, the user can just refill it again and go. These can even be installed by apartment-dwellers. And remember: saving water also saves energy. Moving and filtering water throughout your local community requires power. Collecting and using water onsite reduces these energy demands, although won’t likely reduce your own energy bill directly (your water bill will be smaller, however).

These water collectors are made with a coated wooden mold into which is applied a colored epoxy gelcoat to create the outer layer of the barrel. Following the gelcoat, the designers then apply several layers of glassfiber and epoxy resin. The barrel is finished after the epoxy resin is dry—the two halves are glued together with super strong glue. The rough edges are then removed to create a super-smooth outer appearance.

This designer has developed several other innovative garden tools such as the Bioplastic Planter and the Multiculti (planters). He’s even developed a Paper Table and a Shower Flower.

A Drop of Water - rain barrel

A Drop of Water - manufacturing process

Perito Moreno glacier Via Flickr - riggott

A study by Cardiff University and A&M University entitled Atmospheric carbon dioxide through the Eocene-Oligocene climate transition (available to subscribers of Nature International Weekly Journal of Science online), has confirmed a direct link between the levels of CO2 in the atmosphere and formation or melting of Antarctic ice sheets. According to the study, which involved collecting microfossils from samples of rocks in an East African village, the formation of the Antarctic ice-cap was formed as a result of gradual diminishment of the natural greenhouse effect.

As levels of atmospheric CO2 declined during the Eocene-Oligocene climate transitions, the ice sheet grew until a tipping point of 760 parts per million (ppm) of CO2 was reached. At this point, our world is facing 400 ppm of atmospheric CO2, which is significantly higher than recommended by many scientists.

Professor Paul Pearson of Cardiff University’s School of Earth and Ocean Sciences is quoted by Physorg.com as saying the following:

The period, known to geologists as the Eocene – Oligocene transition, culminated in the rapid development of a continental-scale ice sheet on Antarctica, which has been there ever since.

We therefore set out to establish whether there was a substantial decline in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels as the Antarctic ice sheet began to grow.

Another co-author of the study, Dr. Bridget Wade from Texas A&M University’s Department of Geology and Geophysics calls this the “biggest climate switch since the extinction of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.” She goes on to say:

Our study is the first to provide a direct link between the establishment of an ice sheet on Antarctica and atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and therefore confirms the relationship between carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere and global climate.

Perito Moreno glacier pools Via Flickr - Heather K. Powers

A significant finding, indeed. And a study our fellow power-savers may want to share with the climate deniers in their lives.

e-Cycler online recycling swap service

If you’ve got room in your recycling bin, you may just be able to rent out a portion of it to one of your neighbors or a family member—or whoever! Likewise, if your bin is threatening to overflow onto the lawn next door, or you’re lacking recycling pick-up altogether, you may want to find someone willing to take your recyclables away for you. With e-Cycler, a new online service, whether you’ve got extra room or are collecting extra recyclables, you’ll be able to swap, collect and recycle trash, while perhaps making a bit of extra dough for yourself. Everyone wins!

Curbside recycling Via Flickr - g_kat26

Here’s how it works. Regardless of whether you’re giving or taking recyclables, you simply start by registering as a member of the e-Cycler community. You next state whether you’ve got extra room or extra trash and then look for appropriate connections in your area (look for ones closer to your home or on a regular travel route to avoid adding additional greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere to transport your goods, of course).

The receiver/collector of the recyclables can then decide how they want to handle extra funds they receive as a result of recycling the extra goods. They can either decide to keep 100 percent of the profits for themselves, or if they like, they can opt to share the profits by sharing 40 percent of the profits with the giver and keeping 60 percent for themselves. It’s up to the collector ultimately.

Recycling drop-off Via Flickr - AGeekMom

Of course, because e-Cycler also want to make a bit of money, they are charging a small fee to collectors for every connection they make. It’s definitely a great system for helping to send trash in the right direction while saving power (making goods from recycled materials uses less energy than manufacturing with virgin materials), and as long as the connections don’t require enormous amounts of driving, it should have a positive net effect.

  

Solar energy assisted solid desiccant air drying/ventilation system flow diagram

Conventional air conditioning systems apply an evaporation-condensation cycle in order to cool the humid air and thus remove the water content from the air stream. The condensation process which is carried on by a compressor utilizes a significant amount of energy. An alternative to this procedure is moisture absorption by chemical materials known as desiccants. The desiccation process is reversible by heating the desiccant substances called as regeneration. The absorption-regeneration cycle consumes less energy than evaporation-compression cycle. Solid desiccant materials can be packed in or impregnated on corrugated sheets within a wheel or a cartridge to act more convenient in an air conditioning system. The solid desiccant wheel rotates regularly in this system while a part of it is absorbing humidity from countercurrent humid air stream and the other part is regenerating against heat stream.

Thermal energy exploited from solar heater panels has been recently assisted in a desiccant wheel air conditioning demonstration project in Kish Island, Persian Gulf, Iran. “This demonstration unit was completed in late 2008 and successfully tested afterwards” said Pejman Izadkhast, M.E., the project manager, “simple solar water heating panels by total surface of 48m² were utilized to supply required heat for solid desiccant regeneration. The hot water moves through a water-to-air heat exchanger and supplies the hot air stream for desiccant regeneration”. Interior air conditioning in very humid climate Kish Island located in southern Iran is a subject of great interest because the large number of inhabitants and passengers in this outstanding tourism spot creates a high energy demand for air conditioning which in turn imposes a great load to the independent power grid in the island. The long sunny hours in Kish Island (about 3100 hours per year) makes it attractive for exploitation of solar energy.

The installed solid desiccant air conditioning unit in Kish Island

This project was implemented in order to evaluate the performance of solar thermal assisted solid desiccant air drying system in practical conditions of Kish Island’s environment and its influence on energy saving. The nominal capacity of this demonstration unit is 5RT (60,000Btu/hr or 17.58kW) and employs primary heat exchanger, air humidifier, rotary desiccant wheel, regenerative heat exchanger, hot water tank, water pump, solar collectors, secondary heat exchanger, evaporator, condenser, supply fan and regeneration fan. The process flow chart has been demonstrated in the following figure:

Solar energy assisted solid desiccant air drying/ventilation system flow diagram

Performance monitoring of demonstration system during summer 2009 revealed some 32% reduce in electricity consumption comparing to conventional home air conditioners” declared Pejman Izadkhast, our next step is to compare its performance with absorptive chillers.

The next figure demonstrates the 3D configuration of system.

Three dimensional configuration of solid desiccant air conditioning package

The project was collaboratively supported by New Energies Organization of Iran (SUNA) and Niroo Research Institute (NRI) which performed investigations, conceptual and detailed designs, procurement, assembling, installations and test operations. Installation of this demonstration plant was carried on in administrative building of Kish Island’s Water and Power Organization. The following picture shows the completed system.

Guiding Light Mailbox

If you’ve been in the market for a way to light-up your home’s address markings, then you may just want to take a look at this new Guiding Light Mailbox. While having a lighted home address might seem a little over-the-top for many of us, as the company points out on their website, having an illuminated address sign on the exterior of your home may just help in emergencies. Should be awaiting the arrival of an ambulance, fire or police crew, having a lighted sign on the exterior of your home may just help them get to you a little faster. And now you can do it without using extra energy.

Produced by Sharpe Products, Inc, the Guiding Light Mailbox has several power-saving and eco-friendly features. First and foremost, it comes with its own miniature solar cell that collects energy from the sun all day long. Then, instead of using electricity or battery power to light up a sign with your home’s address, your Guiding Light Mailbox will guide people to your home using only the sun’s power.

And you don’t have to worry about not having enough sunlight to power your sign either. With only 4 hours of solar exposure, your address sign will have enough energy to shine for 4 days! Amazingly, the light can apparently be seen from about one-half of the length of a football field away, so that’s relatively powerful, too.

Another great green feature of this mailbox is that it is made to last a long time. Although not recycled, the saddle for the mailbox is tested to withstand scorching sun and wind, so it should function for a long time to come.  It will be available for about $79.99 starting on October 1, 2009.

Tokyo Station, Japan

Train stations in Tokyo are implementing power-generating floors, allowing passengers to contribute energy back to the station itself. Although this process is complicated, it will not alter the transportation process. The entire station would be outfitted with power-generating mats that will sense vibrations and convert them into electricity.

In two Tokyo train stations, steps are under way to generate electricity from the floors of the ticket gates and staircases. If successful, passengers could help provide the train stations with 1,400 kilowatts per second each day.

The Tokyo station and Shibuya station is used by about 2.4 million people on an average week day. This will generate approximately  10 watts per second, and helps to reduce the energy needed by the building by 90%.

When the test period ends in February 2009, the makers – Soundpower Corp.and East Japan Railway Company (JR East) – hope the floors have improved to the point that they can provide all the electricity needed to run the automatic ticket gates and electronic display systems.

This technological development is working on being implemented into mall floors, sidewalks and roads.

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