Solar Ivy loves to do a bit of biomimicry and while on that part, it generates power from the sun as well. This facade technology designed by startup company SMIT, is being developed under the GROW moniker. It now appears that the system is ready for its day under the sun, and will soon see commercial production.
(more…)

The Smart Energy Glasses from Dutch company Peer+ make a lot of sense, they give you the desired privacy, and they generate energy. Also, they don’t look like ugly or other-worldly appendages on your windows. With these glasses in place, you can do away with the need for curtains and blinds, and simply adjust the settings of the glasses to go from opaque, to translucent and transparent, courtesy of a “privacy mode” in the windows bearing these glasses.
(more…)

Researchers at the University of Michigan have come up with a tiny solar power system, that could ostensibly keep itself powered for a long time. Theoretically, this could go on forever, but the batteries have to be replaced after a few years. The tiny system measures 2.5mm x 3.5mm x 1mm, with a volume of just 9 cubic mm, making it a lot smaller than conventional solar powered systems. The solar panel and battery are accompanied by an ARM processor that could actually get a few things done by the tiny system.
(more…)

Two companies that provide solar power systems have decided to expand the availability of solar leases with no down payments. The company Sungevity has just launched a new 10-year residential solar lease, which has no upfront costs.

(more…)

Google’s green energy czar Bill Weihl says that the internet giant has developed a new prototype mirror that could potentially halve the cost associated with building a solar thermal plant. Apparantly, not quite content with ruling the internet, the company wants some piece of the “physical” world too. It is still an internal prototype in early stages, but Bill Weihl says it could be ready for use in the next three years.
(more…)

Cellular Networks are an essential part of modern lifestyle, but at the same time, they are responsible for very high emissions. That said, cellular networks play an important role in communications, and countries which haven’t yet been able to have a decent wired network, now provide access to cellular networks for millions of people. Expanding cellular networks to such areas would mean increased emissions and costs, but VNL, a company based in India has a decent solution to the problem.
(more…)

While most buildings (or designs for that matter) struggle to go near the zero energy mark, the Town Town Erdberg actually promises to generate more power than it would consume. Granted, it isn’t very easy to the eyes, but the new approach has its benefits. Also, the building (design) was good enough to get hold of the 2010 MIPIM sustainability award for its designers.
(more…)

Puma unveiled its brand new solar powered phone at the ongoing Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Though partnering with Sagem wouldn’t really make people run towards the phone, it has some pretty good features that might actually work well. The good-looking device has a solar panel at the rear to charge the batteries from the sun’s energy. More interesting is the way the phone utilizes this energy.
(more…)

The push on green technology has recently resulted in a number of advancements in the field of solar energy. A lot of work is being done to make them more efficient, robust, less intensive, and more cost efficient. Researchers at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, have found a way to make flexible solar cells with silicon wires.
(more…)

Owens Lake has caught the eyes of Los Angeles officials, and they have plans to create a huge solar farm in the area. A solar farm that would be amongst the largest in the world. What once used to be a lake is now just a dry piece of land with ample sunshine, and that has brought the area into the consideration of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP).
(more…)