The solar-powered ‘dragon’ stadium in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, is the world’s first stadium which gets all its power needs from the sun.

The solar-powered ‘dragon’ stadium in Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Designed by Japanese architect Toyo on a steel-rod structure with a roof covered with solar panels, the horseshoe-shaped structure has been constructed for the World Games to be held in Kaohsiung city in July 2009. Spread over 19 hectares and having a seating capacity of 55,000 it will be used mainly for athletics and rugby events, including hosting the main events for the 2009 World Games.

After the World Games, the Taiwanese national football team will play home matches at the ‘dragon’ stadium.

The stadium’s unique, semi-spiral shape imitates a dragon and is intended to provide a “cordial welcome and a cheerful greeting to athletes and spectators with its open-ended structure,” according to the organizers of the World Games.

There are 8,844 solar panels on the roof which are expected to generate more electricity than is needed to power the building’s 3,300 lights and two gigantic television screens. Some 1.14 million kWh of electricity a year will be generated – preventing, in the process, 660 tons of carbon dioxide from being discharged into the atmosphere.

As for the surplus energy generated during the warm weather, the government of Taiwan intends to sell it.

Source

If you're new here and you like our articles, how about subscribing free for our updates via RSS feed.

Solar energy is still running well despite the bad economic environment and while people are searching for green alternatives, designers are trying hard to come up with stylish and innovative options, that blend creativity with utility. Designed by Jongoh Lee, the beautiful, ergonomic and natural looking streetlights merge seamlessly into the natural canopy around to harness solar power effectively. The cute and leaf-like streetlights capture sun’s energy throughout the day and use it to power what looks like their LED lights during night.

Dubbed the ‘Invisible Streetlights’ they have a flexible body that allows to be part of any natural tree that lines up the streets of the big cities. However, the problem with the model is obvious: it needs a clear top above the light to tap into the sun’s rays and clear space beneath, to emit light at night.

Of course, it works great as even interior lighting option if you could modify it to suit your needs!

[via Ecofriend]

Solar energy is making such giant strides forward that it would be no surprise if in the next decade or so we all completely convert to solar power. For now though, each day is proving to be a new adventure for those working with and following the power of the sun.

The new arena that is being touched by solar power is the field of submarines as Swiss company BKW is all set to build the world’s first solar powered submarine.

Spending most of the time underneath the water, it won’t sport solar panels itself, but the docking station will. It will feature 30kW solar panels that will fully recharge the submarine’s batteries while docked.  Dubbed Project Goldfish, the submarine will be capable of carrying 20-30 passengers and two crew members, at a depth of up to 300 meters across Lake Thun in the Swiss Alps.

When required, the solar platform will be automatically hooked up with the sub via GPS.  There’s also a zero-emission solar-powered shuttle that will  ferry passengers to and from the shore and the boarding platform, making it completely eco-friendly trip.

The project is expected to be operational by 2012. – via CleanTechnica

Most of the RVs out there are arguably the worst things to happen to the planet in terms of both efficiency and carbon emissions.

But unlike those, the Verdier Solar-Powered Eco-RV is quite a simple and stunning green carrier as it mixes design, solar energy and some sort of lavish luxury. Five models dubbed Woody, Geeky, Ebony, Blueberry, and Purity, are being powered by a 4-cylinder hybrid engine and have a 170 W solar system installed on the roof.

Verdier’s solar RV allows you to change the direction of the panels on top of the carrier according to sun’s direction using a GPS system. Another interesting thing is the interior. Built to use the available space to the maximum, there are fold-out beds, rolled-up stairs, kitchen, recycling bins, a refrigerator/freezer combo and an on-board entertainment center with projector, surround sound and a roll down screen.

There is also an on-board computer to make sure that you stay connected while on the road as you can use it for tasks ranging from navigation, to Internet browsing to music and entertainment. With a price of $129,000 the solar-powered eco-RV is really a great “bargain” (not for you) for the planet. – via Jetson Green

The very modern Monte Rosa Alpine hut, outside Zermatt, is an exotic creation set atop the snow-clad Swiss Alps at 2,810m above sea level, overlooking the Matterhorn. This new 90% energy efficient solar powered hut is a creation of the Department of Architecture, at the Swiss Federal Technical University in Zurich, for the Swiss Alpine Club as a mountaineer’s retreat.

The hut which is an original wooden structure is digitally optimized to give it its grandeur crystalline look.

Studio Monte Rosa is the perfect haunt for the adventurous mountaineer, with its fascinating views and an equally comfortable hotel facility. This state of the art base camp has a 125 room guest facility which is sufficiently equipped. As the hut is out of range of electric power, most of its energy is drawn from the photo-voltaic panels and thermal systems, while the rest comes from a co-generative heat and power back up source. Plans are being worked out to use human waste to produce bio-gas so as to make the hut fully dependent on alternate energy.

This self-sufficient hutment which adopts the norms of biosphere conservation has already won itself a Holcim Bronze Award for Sustainable Construction soon after its completion in September. -via Inhabitat

The largest solar-powered tea factory will be built by Traditional Medicinals at their headquarters in Sonoma County, California. The whole project was supervised by Akeena Solar and includes some 1,450 solar panels that will generate an approximately 430,000 KWh per year which is some 75% from what the factory needs while the rest will be offset using wind energy credits.

“Since founding the company in 1974, we have always been committed to sustainable business practices that benefit our customers, trade partners, employees and our community” says Drake Sadler, co-founder and Chairman of the Board.

“The healing nature of plants has captured our imagination with their beauty and efficacy. As a socially conscious green business, we have a deep respect for the earth and humanity… projects like this solar panel installation, simply reflect and deepen our resolve to service,” he added.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a fan of Lipton, Tazo Tea or Traditional Medicinals, the most important fact is that these people are becoming more eco-conscious and that’s a good thing.

Source: TM

So, I am hanging out in Half Moon Bay, CA, home to some serious whale watching. But, this week it is hosting the LPGA Samsung World Championships.

The question – what does the LPGA have to do with green? The answer was just outside the media tent … the porta-potties. They are solar-powered. Now, to be sure, I am not sure what all that entails, but the things flush, the water runs and they are, by far, the cleanest such facilities I have ever used.

Samsung and Half Moon Bay – working hard to put on a first-rate tourney and do minimum harm to the world we live in, starting from the pots. How cool is that? And, if you keep your eyes peeled, you might even see a whale right off the coast.

Meanwhile, I am here covering the event for Golf Tribune. Please go there to read more of my ramblings.

Image courtesy of spiicytuna

If somebody is going to commute by taxi, a solar-powered taxi, you might want that somebody to be someone with influence, someone who can reach the world. Louis Palmer of Switzerland created a solar-powered taxi for use in New Delhi. Good for him, the UN Chief, Ban Ki-moon of South Korea commuted to work aboard the solar-powered vehicle to promote alternative energy sources.

GP wants to know why only one day? Why not every day? Why does promoting alternative energy sources have to be a once in a while thing and not an all the time thing?

Okay. I admit, it’s better to do it sometimes than never. And, if the UN Chief can do his part to get the word out, the world will be better for it, no?

Source

As much as we’d like to see solar powered planes, flying above our cities, that’s just not a viable solution at the moment. However, British scientists (others, too, of course) are researching ways of building the sustainable plane and came up with a solar powered spy plane that managed to set an unofficial record – longest duration unmanned flight – by staying in the air for three and a half days.

Dubbed Zephyr, the ultra-lightweight carbon-fibre aircraft is actually a hybrid that uses solar power during the day and rechargeable lithium-sulphur batteries while flying at night.

Because they needed a lot of sun, the trial flight took place between July 28 and 31 in the Sonoran Desert where the temperature went up to 45 Celsius degrees. Launched by hand from the US Army’s Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona, the plane flew on autopilot and reached an altitude of more than 60,000 ft. It stayed in the air for exactly 82 hours and 37 minutes.

When will we see Boeing or Airbus flying on solar power? Not anytime soon I suppose.

Though it may not be the exact place where I was expecting solar technology to be installed in, a Hindu Temple in California is ready to set a sustainable example. The BAPS Chino Hills Hindu Religious & Cultural Center is going to be built on a 20 acre-site, northeast of the 71 Freeway, between Monte Vista and Central Avenues.

The temple is going to benefit from a 60kW (kilowatt) grid-tied solar power system supplied by GoGreenSolar. 60kW is more than they need so the excess power will be sent to the local grid for distribution.

Estimations on how this new system will help the environment revealed that it should would reduce CO2 emissions by ~1,550 tonnes, which is the equivalent of planting 62,244 trees, over a period of 25 years. But they’re not going to stop here, because the temple will make use of the new solar tube lighting system that will eliminate the use of light bulbs during the day and will drastically cut on power consumption.

Other than using the sun’s light for energy and reducing energy consumption, they’re going to plant some 400 species of trees to better the air quality in the area and to make it a place of love, peace and harmony. My humble opinion is that they’ll succeed. Deserves applause or am I wrong?

Sources:
Chino Hills Hindu Religious & Cultural Center
Swaminarayan Sanstha

Via GoGreenSolar