Eco Factor: PV module manufacturing facility to harvest solar energy for power.
Vipiemme Solar has announced that the company’s new manufacturing facility will be powered by renewable energy. The manufacturing site will produce photovoltaic cells, PV modules, solar panels and tracking equipment. Dubbed the Photovoltaic Shed, the facility will harvest clean energy using roof-mounted solar panels.
Eco Factor: Concept system to harvest solar energy.
Researchers opine that harvesting 40 minutes of sunlight falling on the entire planet can power the world for about a year. However, till date only 1% of that energy is harvested and converted into renewable electricity. Industrial designers have taken up the task to develop systems that can harvest solar energy in a better way, thereby leading to renewable power plants that are more efficient.
Eco Factor: Prototype device to harvest renewable energy.
Researchers at the Cornell University have created an energy-harvesting tree that uses the flittering of leaves to produce electricity. Dubbed the “Piezo-tree”, the system carries synthetic leaves that are connected to a piezoelectric stem.
Eco Factor: Sustainable office building harvests solar energy for heat and power.
Coca-Cola has unveiled new headquarters building in Madrid that follows new sustainability criteria to improve energy-efficiency and reduce the center’s dependence on grid electricity for heat and power. Located in Calle Ribera del Loira, the new center has been designed by Puerta+Asensio Architects and is constructed by Ferrovial.
Eco Factor: Traffic regulating robots powered by solar energy.
Qatar’s Public Works Authority (Ashghal) with support from the Qatar Science Club will soon be developing new robots that will replace the manual methods used in guiding traffic at varies road project sites. The green robots will be powered by solar energy harvested by onboard solar panels.
Eco Factor: Concept zero-emission vehicle made from recyclable materials.
Industrial designer James Yarger has come up with a zero-emission transportation concept dubbed the Yarga YoYo that is primarily a single seat inner city transportation vehicle. The vehicle can also be a part of a larger transportation system that offers vehicles on rent basis.
Eco Factor: Low-emission motorcycle runs on a hybrid engine.
Indian manufacturer Eko Vehicles has announced the development of the ET-120, which is being claimed to be the world’s first production hybrid motorcycle. The ET-120 has been developed with assistance from U.S.-based Emerging Technologies and uses a 70cc gasoline engine mated with a small electric motor.
Eco Factor: Prefabricated living module for sustainable living.
IRO Prefab is the work of industrial designer Mira Yung, which has been designed considering the need for low impact sustainable homes. The IRO can be fabricated locally or can be shipped to the site via a single standard 20 feet shipping container.
Eco Factor: Fuel-saving aircraft uses helium for lift.
The Dynalifter aircraft is a fuel-saving combination of an aircraft and a heavier-than-air airship that requires almost no ground infrastructure. The airship gets aloft with up to 80% lift coming from helium and the remaining provided by a fuel-efficient internal combustion engine.
Eco Factor: Sustainable architecture designed to minimize energy requirements.
David Chipperfield Architects has received the green light for a $130.5 million expansion of the St. Louis Art Museum. The new modernist wing will be able to provide over 200,000 square-feet of space, increasing the museum’s gallery and public space by 30 percent.
Eco Factor: Electric vehicle charging station powered by renewable energy.
Toyota Industries Corp. has developed a new charging station for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles that is powered by solar energy. The municipal government of Toyota City has adopted the stations and plans to build 21 stations at 11 places.
Eco Factor: Eye implants powered by onboard solar cells.
Researchers at Stanford University have developed photovoltaic chip implants for people suffering from degradation in their photoreceptor cells. The implants feature miniature solar cells that power the processing retinal chip.
Eco Factor: Solar panel array to generate 2MW of renewable electric power.
Florida Gulf Coast University has launched the US’s largest university-sited solar panel array that is capable of generating up to 2MW of green electric power. The installation features over 10,000 solar panels installed on a 16-acre site.
Eco Factor: Pedal-powered trike made from sustainable materials.
Monash University student Alexander Vittouris has come up with a zero-emission personal mobility vehicle that gets powered by human energy and is constructed from sustainable materials including bamboo. Dubbed the BamTrike, the recumbent trike also features side storage pockets that are sufficient to carry your personals.
Eco Factor: Zero-emission scooter powered by lithium cobalt batteries.
French auto manufacturer has announced plans to launch its first all-electric two wheeler by 2011. Dubbed the E-Vivacity, the scooter is powered by lithium cobalt batteries that offer a range of about 60 miles while cruising at a top speed of 28mph.
Eco Factor: Solar power plant capable of generating green electricity even after dark.
Keahole Solar Power has installed an array of micro-scale concentrating solar power concentrators at the Holaniku Solar Farm on Hawaii’s Big Island, which will be able to generate renewable energy even after sunset, overcoming the biggest hurdle in global solar adoption.
Eco Factor: Low-emission concept yacht.
Egypt-based design studio Pharos Marine has unveiled plans for a new low-emission concept yacht, dubbed the Orcageno, that is powered by a hydrogen diesel-electric system for low emissions. The axe-bow structure of the hull betters fuel-efficiency by reducing residence due to the low angle for entrance.
Eco Factor: Li-ion battery to store surplus renewable energy for home use.
After successfully acquiring more than a 50% stake in Sanyo, Panasonic is planning to commercialize a lithium-ion storage cell for home use. The company has already test-manufactured a storage battery for home use, which can store enough electricity for about one week of use.
Eco Factor: HCPV plant capable of producing 100MW of clean power annually.
Asia’s largest high-concentration photovoltaic (HCPV) power plant has been powered up in Taiwan, and it is expected to save up to 700 tons of CO2 emissions per year. Established by the Institute of Nuclear Energy Research, the power plant sits on a two-hectare site and is capable of producing over 100MW of clean renewable power annually.
Eco Factor: House constructed from sustainable materials.
H3AR Architecture and Design has come up with an Instant House proposal for an international student design competition. The theme being a temporary residential mini unit, the Instant House can be constructed easily and is designed to be made from sustainable materials.