After an array of solar windows flourished in the solar market, new transparent photovoltaic-glass windows from Rainbow Solar are  here to make their mark. In a recent study done by the NTUST (National Taiwan University of Science and Technology), the windows have proven their efficiency through energy savings of about 50%. Now, that seems a practical option!

Read the full story »

Believe it or not but even music can be eco-friendly. I am not just talking about the green lyrics but the production bit as well. Caribbean musician Turtuga Blanku creates music that is powered by the sun.

The studio that he records his blend of rock, reggae and pop is called the Green Machine and is lined with strong photovoltaic cells. These cells absorb solar energy during the day in a battery such that the studio can utilize them at night. Plus Blanku keeps the recording process very simple to make it solar power friendly. He used recording hardware only for drums, bass, guitar, piano and voice keeping the rest for software, also instrument overload is avoided. And we thought Cloud Cult had given us the greenest music.
Hats off to Blanku for giving us a rare bare music in times when digital studio experimenting is a huge fad. And must we add Blanku’s music is good what with his strong focus on well-developed guitar hooks, rhythms and beautiful piano melodies.
Via treehugger

The concept of ‘green buldings’ seems to be catching up in India. These structures are truly eco-friendly as they harvest their own water and not to forget the solar power systems. Not only this, they even have their own waste re-cycling system.

Plus the greenery in the otherwise concrete junglse that metros in India have become, is sure bliss. The construction has been done so that more than 50 per cent of the bulding is covered with glass like it is in Japan, which reflects the sun’s rays and keeps the indoor cool; thus, saving power.

When the fad was at a nascent stage, a 20,000 sqaure feet green building was consructed in Hyderbad in 2004. But now, the green attitude is catching up. You will be surprised to know that the green buldings (please read 315) in India today cover over 235 millin square feet.
Via zeenews

Wanna Ride?? This one shall prove to be an eco-friendly one with an inveterate entertainment. Yahoo’s newest bike is a complete showstopper. Armed with solar panel, a GPS enabled mobile phone hidden and a script to constantly take pictures at 60 seconds, this bike will be able to map out route that you take (and geotagged it properly) and upload to Flicker account instantly. Beneath the installation on the bikes, there is a Nokia N95 (based on the meta tag found on the pictures), a Solar panels which power the camera phone and Custom Python script installed on the phone which fires off the shutter every 60 seconds while the phone’s accelerometer detects that you’re in motion, and uploads the resulting photo with geotags to the bike’s Flickr account.

Being launched as a part of the company’s new “Start Wearing Purple” marketing campaign, this does have a feminine angle to it but it is well-equipped with valuables to attract men as well. Though initially starting from San Fransico and New York, these bikes would soon be pedaling around the world in countries such as Singapore, Denmark and the U.K.



If this happens to interest you, you can actually download the software to your symbian phone and capture the images yourself.
Via ohgizmo

Imitating nature, this may be called!! With Lianne van Genugte designing an automatic functioning device which lights up with the sun, technology seems to be going the nature way. Intertwined with flexible solar cells that receive power from the sun during the day this device provides shade to its owners or to portions of a house in need of protection from heat or bright light. This innovation has been selected as one of 64 finalists for the Golden Eye, the top award for which is to be given at Dutch Design Week in mid-October.
Though this is a step ahead towards optimum utilization of natural resources, it has its respective loop-holes. Automatic switching may lead in wastage of accumulated energy when not required. Besides this, it also requires a battery to store solar energy to reserve all the power for illuminating the nights followed by cloudy days.

Also such a solar guzzling shade can be utilized to power up few household gadgets. Like a flower opens to the sun, this device opens at daylight and closes at dusk.
Via EcoDesign

Suniva Inc., a manufacturer of high value crystalline silicon solar cells, recently announced that its R&D team has developed several silicon solar cells with over 20% conversion efficiencies using a patented combination of simple cell designs and screen printing technologies. These high efficiency milestones have been verified by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the U.S. Department of Energy’s premier laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. Following the company’s two recent customer agreements with Germany’s Solon AG and India’s Titan Energy Systems Ltd, together worth approximately USD$1 billion, this demonstrates “Suniva’s advanced technologies in diffusion, surface passivation and contacts increase conversion efficiency while reducing processing time and maintaining low cell cost.” according to Dr. Ajeet Rohatgi, its founder and CTO.

Suniva’s current ARTisun(TM) cell technology has produced a verified efficiency of 18.5% in the lab and its techniques can produce solar energy for 8 to 10 cents per KWh— a comparable price to conventional energy sources in the United States. Suniva can create a higher sheet resistance emitter as well as enhanced surface passivation dielectrics in a single high temperature step. It produces narrower screen-printed contacts on the front of the cell and a high-quality surface reflector on the back. These components, combined with improved texturing methodologies, allow it to trap light and achieve high efficiencies while keeping costs low.

Though it’s still time for long way to go before the cheap solar cells are on the market, this one is sure to be a cost-effective and environment friendly device & indeed worth being called a breakthrough in the cell technology.
Via Earth2Tech

As the latest innovation in green technology and water desalination, comes the Solar Cube (aka Spectra Solar Brackish Water System). Producing 950 to 1500 gallons of water daily, it can be used in disaster areas, such as hurricane affected sites. Not only this, the solar cells attached to the Cube can produce up to 1240W. It also has a wind generator that helps with energy production up to another 1000W.
Utilizing Spectra’s highly efficient Clark Pump technology it minimizes energy consumption & provides extra electricity to power other devices. Having advantages like rapid installation it provides Off-the-Grid water purification and has point-of-entry water filtration capabilities. Adding to this once deployed and in operation, no fuel or fuel delivery costs are incurred. Like all the inventions of our days, the Cube has been already tested by the army and the civilian services of Chile. Likewise, it has been imported in remote areas of South America and Asia. Early prototype models were used in Pakistan after the major 1995 earthquake.

The users say it performs well - it has a recovery rate of about 30% and it produces quality water, with less than 170mg/L of seawater in it. Hence this popular “off the grid” solution can be used for military applications & civil defense and creates drinking water and electricity anywhere at any time.
Via Cleantechnica

Want to spend sometime in the middle of the ocean? For all you nature lovers out there, this is your chance to experience serenity and be one with the life beyond. The solar powered hi-tech rowboat is a perfect bliss for you. This new invention of a hi-tech rowboat epitomizes the voyagers delight. Unlike a meager “regular” boat, this one comes equipped with cooking materials and other working tools for you to use when rowing, and can eventually serve as your little home in the ocean, wherein you can also sleep comfortably. Its major USP evidently is that it is solar powered, along with having the ability to row and stay in the middle of the ocean. With this comes its capacity to hold extra space for your belongings reaching you at a whooping cost of $50,000.

So for all the adventurers out there, rowing was never so much fun!!Buy yourself the solar rowboat and make the sea your second home.
Via igreenspot

Solar parking lots have been discussed many a times by the environmental technologists. The concept speaks of putting photovoltaic arrays and parking lots together so that sunlight can be harnessed. Then again, the array functions like a canopy thus providing shade to the cars. After much talks, finally someone paid attention. A Silicon Valley manufacturer that goes by the name of Applied Materials has incorporated a solar parking lot in its campus. Since the company makes semiconductors, LCD displays among other high-tech equipment, the solar energy harnessed basically will contribute to their energy uses.

Such parking lots will be a blessing for electric cars and with the demand growing for the latter, the parking system will need to be updated with the photovoltaic arrays. After all what does a solar parking lot need but just sunlight! The benefits are plenty.

Via ecogeek

Technology going ecofriendly is the best one could ask for. But if it brings foliage straight into your house-Bingo! Sara Rossbach has planted an innovative green concept for today’s energy consuming lifestyle. She has come up with a décor for your window that is dubbed as Leaf Shade. Leaf Shade utilizes sun’s energy to power up a house and at the same time acts as a screen to keep away the glaring sun. This leafy shade too just like real leaves absorbs the sun rays.

But the shade doesn’t prepare food for itself. It is tweaked to power your home with solar energy instead. Made of two layers, the prime solar film layer is fitted with a battery and does the actual job of energizing your abode with all the goodness of the sun. The other layer is fabric that is dressed with cutouts that give an impression of sunlight passing through the leaves. With the concrete jungles spreading like wildfire erasing all the greens from the face of the earth, this Leaf Shade would also remind you every moment to conserve our lush greens.

A very interesting and style of green décor and eco-energy, one would agree. This one’s a must have for every eco-lover!

Read