Eco Factor: Low-cost hand-powered charger.
From less than 10 million telephones a decade ago, India has grown to the second largest telecom market in the world. This telecommunication revolution is primarily dominated by wireless communication devices such as cellphones, which did connect thousands of rural Indian villages with the rest of the world.
Eco Factor: Concept speed bump powers built-in LEDs with mechanical energy.
Roads humps aren’t noticed easily by drivers at night, especially cyclists, due to the weak light of the reflective strip, which is dangerous for both the driver and his vehicle. Industrial designers Zhang Yakun, He Siqian, Zhu Ningning, Chen Chen and Mu Zhiwei have come up with a green solution, in the form of a self-powered speed breaker dubbed the Safe Hump.
Eco Factor: Low CO2 version of Porsche Boxster being planned.
Porsche is planning a new green avatar of its popular Boxster sports car, which would be the automaker’s weapon to fight climate change along with a possible electric 911. The company is planning a downsized engine for the vehicle, which will help reduce Porsche’s emissions ahead of a 2012 EU deadline.
Eco Factor: Zero-emission motorcycle powered by an electric engine.
Roehr Motorcycles is set to unveil two electric motorcycles before mid-year and an all-electric 96bhp motorcycle with race level performance. Dubbed the eSuperbike, the motorcycle will be powered by high energy discharge 10KWh lithium iron phosphate battery pack.
Eco Factor: Efficient wind turbines align themselves to wind direction for optimal performance.
With the future of energy resting in renewable technologies, primarily dominated by solar and wind energy harvesting systems, researchers all around the globe are working on improvements that can generate more energy at a low cost. Denmark’s Risø National Laboratory for Sustainable Energy has announced a major breakthrough in wind turbines, by successfully testing the world’s first wind turbine that features a built-in anemometer.
Eco Factor: Renewable energy generating amphibious garden to clean waterways.
The UN estimates that rising at the current rate, population will soar to about 9.2 billion in 2050. However, even today more than one billion people don’t have access to potable water and more than 3,000 people die every day due to the lack of clean drinking water.
Eco Factor: Low-emission yacht powered by a fuel-efficient hybrid engine.
Magnum Marine has announced the development of a new 100’ model, which will be the largest yacht produced by the company. Powered by a fuel-efficient hybrid engine, the yacht is expected to be delivered by 2012.
Eco Factor: MPV designed to run on an electric engine.
Taiwan-based automaker Luxgen has unveiled a new all-electric MPV that is being claimed to be the world’s first all-electric 7-passenger MPV. Dubbed the EV+, the vehicle was unveiled at the Dubai International Auto Show and features an AC propulsion motor that can make it hit a speed of 62mph in just 8.5 seconds.
Eco Factor: Concept air purifier runs without electricity.
Conventional air filters do help in reducing the amount of pollutants that you breathe indoors, but in the process consume a large amount of energy to keep their fans and pumps running. Designed by Ben McGinley, the Aura Organic Air Filtration system is different, as it does keep indoor air quality healthy, but doesn’t consume any electricity for the same.
Eco Factor: Portable hydrogen generating device.
Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies made waves in 2006 when the company launched the first hydrogen-powered educational toy car. The company has some big plans for this year’s CES with the launch of the first portable desktop hydrogen generator being unveiled.
Eco Factor: Zero-emission sports car powered by electricity.
Westfield has unveiled plans for an all-electric sports car that will be used in a one-make race series to be held in 2011. Dubbed the iRACER, the sports car will feature two electric YASA motors that will take place of the differential and provide direct drive to each of the vehicle’s rear wheels.
Eco Factor: Software processes decades’ worth of images to track and monitor global deforestation.
After unveiling software tools for ocean mapping and home energy consumption details, Google will now help researchers track and monitor global deforestation using satellite imagery. The tool will help reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change.
Eco Factor: Concept battery with a built-in electricity generator.
Designed by Song Teaho and Hyejin Lee, the finger-powered battery is what will keep your talks going for those extra minutes before you have access to a wall socket. The concept isn’t built on a green theme, but does keep your chats lasting a wee bit longer by harnessing renewable energy.
Eco Factor: Solar-powered electronic gadget charger.
The Solar Mobile Charger is a multipurpose gadget charging device that harvests clean energy from the sun to charge portable electronic devices, including cellphones, GPS units, PMPs and even digicams. The device features a 2500mAh built-in lithium battery that stores solar energy for later use.
Eco Factor: Low-emission car to run on a hybrid engine.
Mercedes-Benz is planning to launch the next S-Class with a plug-in hybrid model. The car will also see improvements in its weight and aerodynamic properties, which coupled with the hybrid drivetrain, allow the vehicle to boast a fuel efficiency of 80mpg and emit less than 100g/km of CO2.
Eco Factor: Renewable energy supergrid to be developed in Europe.
Several North Sea countries have come together to develop a renewable energy supergrid that will connect wind farms across the north coast of Scotland, vast arrays of solar panels across Germany and hydro-electric dams located in Norway’s fjords.
Eco Factor: Prototype zero-emission car powered by electric batteries.
Swiss-based automaker Protoscar has already built a €1 million all-electric sports car prototype, the Lampo, and the company is nearly finished with a new model, the Lampo II, which will be unveiled at this year’s Geneva Motor Show.
Eco Factor: Katie Spotz to solo row across the Atlantic Ocean to raise $30,000 for Blue Planet Run.
Katie Spotz is planning to solo row across the Atlantic Ocean, a distance of about 2500 miles, which she hopes to cruise in about 100 days. Spotz has just shoved off from Senegal in her one-woman rowboat and will not see another human being for her entire three months at sea.
Eco Factor: Fish made from recycled materials teach children about sea life.
Masamichi Hayashi, a Japanese marine ecologist, has created a set of life-like robotic fish that have been produced from recycled materials, including raincoats and windscreen wipers. The robotic creatures mimic the swimming styles of the species on which they are modeled and are operated by remote controls.
Eco Factor: New process to convert waste glycerin into biofuel.
High grade glycerin is being used to make products like soaps, but vast quantities of crude glycerin is simply disposed as waste. Glycos Biotechnologies Inc. is now trying to commercialize glycerin-eating microorganisms, developed at Rice University, to convert crude glycerin into fuels and other products.