Bloom Box 60 Minutes Segment

Bloom Energy, a California startup with big financial backing, is about to launch (tomorrow) their Bloom Box, a fuel cell device that they hope to see in the home of every American in the next 5 to 10 years. Holding up two tiny boxes, K.R. Sridhar of Bloom Energy told Lesley Stahl in a recent 60 Minutes interview that they were enough to power a single American home (incidentally, the same number of boxes could power 4 Asian homes, and UK homes require just one).

Many, however, are skeptical that these Bloom Boxes will be able to deliver on their power-saving promises. Michael Kanellos, editors of Greentech Media, has doubts. His concerns are twofold. First, big firms such as GE already have patents for fuel cells but have not yet begun to sell them, primarily because they cost too much to be competitive. Second, well-funded projects like this one with a protracted product development stage—Bloom Energy has been working on its fuel cells for about 10 years and has already received more than $400 million in funding—tend to fall flat when they finally “go live.”

But Bloom Energy already has several clients that have been using the Bloom Box for 9+ months with a lot of success. The installation on the eBay lawn has been running for about that much time and apparently has already saved the company more than $100,000 in electricity costs, providing about 15% of the building’s energy. Their system produces about five times more energy than their acres of solar panels, too!

What remains to be seen is whether the Bloom Box will be affordable for the average consumer looking to save energy at home. Sridhar promises that it will be affordable for Americans, and even for communities in developing countries. We’ll find out tomorrow!

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

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

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

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

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).

Pushing the boundaries of existing technologies to find ways to produce energy, reduce the effects of climate change, and make our lives greener, healthier, and more productive is the task of the great thinkers of the world. Here are some of the projects they’ve been working on.

• Not necessarily new, but definitely significant in the fight against climate change, green roofs are super environmental. They help to mitigate stormwater runoff, provide habitat for wildlife and green spaces for humans, are a source of food, filter the air, and reduce the urban heat island effect.
• Electronic paper, which acts much like traditional tree-based paper, is being touted as an eco-friendly replacement. Epaper can be reused over and over again and works via microcapsules filled with particles that carry electric charges.
• Hydrogen power is perhaps one of the most sought-after forms of clean energy. If it can be harnessed safely and efficiently, hydrogen power has the potential to provide abundantly clean, infinitely renewable energy.
• Renewable energy comes in many forms, and scientists and engineers are working on better ways to turn the ocean’s waves into a source for clean energy. Wave energy has the potential to provide a significant portion of the world’s energy if it can be developed sustainably with little impact to ocean ecosystems.
• Another way to fight climate change is to remove heat-trapping gases like carbon dioxide from the air. The process called carbon sequestration hopes to do just that by sinking carbon into the deep layers of the earth where it won’t contribute to the greenhouse effect.
• Some scientists hope to add to the renewable energy mix with ocean thermal energy conversion. The ocean absorbs enormous quantities of energy, so by taking advantage of the difference in temperature between the ocean’s surface and depths, they hope to produce electricity.
• The looming water crisis threatens to be even bigger than energy shortages, with the possibility of millions of people being negatively impacted by drought and serious lack of clean water. To combat this problem, many environmentalists and scientists are working on ways to remove salt from seawater, making it potable for the masses in a process called desalination.
• One more potentially positive source of renewable energy is algae. By employing algae to make biofuels, many hope we can generate energy using some of the smallest creatures on the planet.

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

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.

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.

Kindle 2 Via Flickr - bfishadow

If you’re a reader and are looking for a way to feed your desire for new literature without consuming the Amazon rainforest, then an electronic reader like Amazon’s Kindle could be a great solution for you. And just in time—it has recently been reduced in price from US$359 to US$299. That’s even more affordable than the original Kindle 1 (the new price is for the Kindle 2—Amazon’s most recent release of their e-reader).

We’ve already talked about the virtues of e-paper: it requires the cutting of no trees, is light on energy consumption, can be used hundreds, if not thousands of times, and more. The reduction in price is great news for green readers.

This move is likely due to the acquisition of E-ink by Prime View International—the two companies responsible for Kindle’s key technologies. Now that they’re working together, the economies of scale are kicking in making it more affordable to produce. However, the sinking economy probably has as much to do with it—a lower price will stimulate sales in a flat economy.

The Kindle is also facing more competition in the e-reader market. The Samsun Papyrus and Fujitsu’s FLEPia are both competing for their market share of the e-reader industry. Although the Papyrus has yet to be released, it is supposed to be an A5-sized e-ink device larger than the Kindle with a touch screen. Speculation is that it will cost about US$300. The FLEPia on the other hand, which could have a pricetag of $1,000, will have a color touch screen and promises to run Windows CE 5.0 so that it can read books in Word, Excel, Powerpoint, PDF, TXT, or JPEG format.

Solio Charger

Portable Solar with Solio

A standard in any green backpack, the Solio Charger from Solio will charge devices anytime (there’s a battery on board for storing energy) from anywhere.  It’s small and versatile.

Cost: $50

Voltaic Systems Solar Backpack

Solar-powered anything with Volaic Systems Solar Backpack

A favorite with greens for many years, this Voltaic solar backpack can charge nearly any device (comes with 11 standard adaptors) as you walk to work or hike a mountain. There’s also a battery back that will store energy until you need it.

Cost: $249

NovoThink iphone-solar-skin

Sun-powered skin for the iPhone or iPod Touch by NovoThink

Available by the end of September, the NovoThink Solar Surge will make it a whole lot easier for iPhone or the iPod Touch owners to power-up their portables with solar. According to the literature, the Solar Surge will provide 30 minutes of talk time on 3G networks and 60 minutes on 2G networks with just 2 hours of charging in direct sunlight. The battery built into the skin will also hold 120 percent of the iPhone 3G’s capacity, too.

Cost: $70

Brunton SolarRolls

Roll-away solar charging is convenient, compact

The SolarRoll by Brunton is made to be packed pretty much anywhere—in your car, your backpack, or your briefcase—because it’s lightweight and compact. It’ll charge most hand-held devices and comes with three watt capacities for added flexibility.

Cost: $295-$480

SolarGorilla Laptop Charger

High Wattage with SolarGorilla Laptop Charger

From PowerTraveller comes the SolarGorilla, a portable solar charger that’s big on power. It’s compact, fold-up design is rugged and easy to use, and will power most devices, including laptops. Comes with many attachments for maximum usability.

Cost: $276