Eco Factor: Texas sets new record for wind generation.
Texas, the nation’s wind energy leader, set a new record for wind generation when 19 percent of the electricity of the state’s main grid was supplied by wind turbines. The 6272MW peak was generated, which didn’t include the energy being generated by the turbines in the windy Panhandle, because they are on a different grid.
Eco Factor: Sustainable skyscraper to produce fresh water from seawater.
The UNO and the World Water Council estimate that there is only about 1 percent of liquid fresh water present in the world, and the world might be heading toward a crisis affecting half the worldwide population by 2030. Designers over at the Design Crew for Architecture have come up with a sustainable tower that uses natural systems to desalinate seawater, without consuming electricity.
Eco Factor: Zero-emission car designed to be powered by electric batteries.
The zero-emission electric vehicle by Pininfarina and Bolloré is expected to be available for rental by the end of 2010. The vehicle, dubbed the Bluecar, will be launched if the crash tests are successful and the car meets the required safety regulations. The vehicle will also go on sale at a later, yet unknown date.
Eco Factor: Sustainable school building powered by onboard solar panels.
Mikou Design Studio has unveiled the design of a zero energy public school to be built in the City of Saint-Ouen. The zero energy development has been designed in order to be emblematic of the sustainable development of the Zac des Docks project. The development, expected to be complete by 2013, will be built at a cost of €11 million.
Eco Factor: Inflatable membrane façade reduces emissions by 37 percent.
Architect Enric Ruiz-Geli has designed an inflatable membrane façade from the Media-TIC building that will help it save energy and reduce carbon emissions by as much as 37 percent. The building will provide office space for several companies and organizations related to information technology.
Eco Factor: Energy-saving playhouse harvests solar energy.
Designed by C.F. Møller for Saint-Gobain Isover, the Saint-Gobain Playhouse is conceived as a sustainable playhouse for children and adults. According to the designers, the house is so well insulated that the even a few candles suffice for heating even during the cold winter months.
Eco Factor: Generating electricity from carbon nanotubes.
A team of scientists at MIT have discovered a new way to generate electricity using carbon nanotubes. Described as “Thermopower Waves,” the new phenomenon can cause powerful waves of energy to shoot through carbon nanotubes. Like a collection of flotsam propelled along the surface by waves traveling across the ocean, it turns out that a thermal wave traveling along a microscopic wire can drive electrons along, creating an electrical current.
Eco Factor: Seeds of Moringa oleifera tree could provide low-cost water purification.
The United Nations states that dirty water causes about 80 percent of diseases in the developing world and kills about 10 million people each year. While those living in the developed world have access to electronic water purifiers, people residing in the developing and the underdeveloped nations don’t have many alternatives.
Eco Factor: Concept zero-emission car powered by electricity.
After Ferrari, Lotus and Hyundai, the Geneva Motor Show saw the launch of yet another environmentally friendly concept vehicle – the Kia Venga EV. The vehicle features an electric motor with top power of 80KW and maximum torque of 280Nm. The Venga EV is the same size as the regular Venga B-segment MPV that is on sale in Europe.
Eco Factor: Prototype low-emission car powered by coffee granules.
While the auto world seems dominated by cars running on alternative sources of fuel, predominantly electricity, there are a few who believe that apart from gasoline and biofuel, coffee too is a good fuel. A team from the BBC1 science program “Bang Goes the Theory” has developed a prototype vehicle based on a 1998 Volkswagen Scirocco that runs on coffee granules.
Eco Factor: Generating hydrogen from water using sunlight.
Researchers at the University of East Anglia have reported a breakthrough in hydrogen generation from water, with a new system that achieves 60 percent efficiency for a process in which hydrogen is produced from water by the photons striking a specially designed electrode.
Eco Factor: Cellphone to be powered by renewable energy.
Finnish company Nokia is envisioning a cellphone that never needs to be plugged in to a wall socket for a recharge. The company has filed a US patent last week for a handset that recharges itself by harvesting energy from the owner’s motion. The cellphone that features built-in piezoelectric generators will be able to convert kinetic energy into usable electricity using onboard piezoelectric crystals.
Eco Factor: Zero-emission concept car powered by electricity.
SEAT has unveiled its new concept car, dubbed the IBE, at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. The concept vehicle uses a zero-emission drive and is a sporty and dynamic concept for urban mobility. The company claims that with the IBE, they are demonstrating that electric mobility will always be combined with excellent design and driving comfort.
Eco Factor: Sustainable tower embraces renewable energy and energy conservation.
OFIS Architecture has proposed a next-gen “All Seasons Tent Tower” as a part of the Mercedes-Benz hotel tower competition for the city of Yerevan, Armenia. The tower features two terraced cylindrical towers where the higher tower will be used as a restaurant, pool, spa and fitness center and bar.
Eco Factor: Concept socket switches off appliances after a specified interval.
For all those who are tired of systems that keep alerting them about the energy being consumed in their house and the appliances that are still plugged in, industrial designers Dongwon Joo and Jieun Choi have come up with a concept that will make energy conversation a bit easy. Dubbed the Wind Up Socket, the concept product automatically switches off appliances connected to it after a specified interval, preventing any waste.
Eco Factor: Concept coffee table harvests dirt power to recharge portable gadgets.
The VoltPot by designers at Nectar Design is a unique coffee table that doubles as an indoor planter and triples as a gadget charger. The concept table puts the environment to work indoors by harvesting the power of dirt using a built-in microbial fuel cell to provide enough energy to charge your portable gadgets.
Eco Factor: Process to produce energy using artificial photosynthesis.
After receiving $400 million in funding, ARPA-E’s first conference witnessed MIT chemist Dan Nocera proving that artificial photosynthesis could power an entire household using just sunlight and a bottle of water. Nocera has developed a special catalyst that splits water into its constituents that is hydrogen and oxygen, which can provide enough energy to run a house.
Eco Factor: Electric drive system to enable small teams to develop class leading motorcycles.
MotoCzysz has developed an electric drive system, dubbed the MotoCzysz Electric D1g1tal Dr1ve that will be offered for sale to teams who want to participate in electric racing series. The hot swap drive system features a motor, controller, suitcase chassis and eight battery packs.
Eco Factor: Wi-Fi network made using recycled materials.
Members of MIT’s Bits and Atoms lab, working in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, are building a wireless network made from locally sourced junk. Dubbed FabFi, the wireless network includes recycled board, wire, a plastic tub and some cans as well. The project resulted in 25 simultaneous live nodes enabling the residents to enjoy a stable connection all over the place.
Eco Factor: Zero-emission prototype motorcycle powered by electricity.
There is much more in the electric motorcycle world than the concepts showcased by Mission Motors and Zero Motorcycles. We’ve seen students try and build green motorcycles with some skill and the addition of electric engines in the past too and here’s something similar again. The motorcycle pictured above has been designed by Greenschool Motorcycles and Akershus University College.