Sundance Channel

Green tech finds, 9/15/11

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 19:03:46 +0000

Pig poop, coconuts, and seaweed: all the stuff of good green tech finds this week. An affordable, fast and tip-proof electric motorcycle: Lit Motors CEO Daniel Kim claims all of those qualities come together in the C-1 concept, which could be available as early as 2013. Check it out in the video above. (via GreenTech Pastures)

Green tech finds (6/30/11)

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 21:21:59 +0000

A car designed by teenagers that gets nearly 2000 mpg, white roofs for New York City, and how your DVR is jacking up your electric bill... this week's green tech finds.

Puma's "clever little bag" is biodegradeable: We mentioned Puma's alternative to the shoe box back in April of 2010; PSFK reports that the bags will also be compostable (or, if you're impatient, they'll dissolve in water in a few minutes). (via Environmental Leader)
The 2000 mpg car? OK, not quite... this design by students at Kingdown School in Warminster, UK got a mere 1,980 mpg. That was more than enough for it to win the Mileage Marathon Challenge at Mallory Park track near Leicester. (via Inhabitat)

Home solar power offers affordable, safe electricity in Cambodia

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 19:00:54 +0000

In the developed world, renewable energy technologies have to compete with existing infrastructure based on fossil fuels or nuclear power. In the developing world, however, power grids and centralized power stations are often in poor shape or non-existent, so technologies like solar and wind play on a much more level playing field. Cambodia's grid was relatively primitive from the start, and decades of warfare have degraded it even further; as a result, over 11 million people have no access to it. In this kind of setting, solar power often works as a safe, affordable means of providing the most basic electric "luxury": lighting.

100% green electricity potential exists in thirty US states

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:54:41 +0000

Arizona has massive solar power resources. Texas, Kansas, and South Dakota together could power the whole country with wind. And the Rocky Mountain region holds vast potential for geothermal power generation. Traditional thinking in renewable energy development holds that we should tap these resources, and then move the power generated around via a next-generation national electric grid. A new report from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance challenges this conventional wisdom, though, and makes the rather startling claim that 30 of the 50 US states could meet their own electricity demand entirely from in-state sources; seven more could generate 75% of their electricity needs this way. Thus, major (and expensive) improvements to the national grid may not be the most efficient use of resources.

Green tech finds (9/11/09)

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 13:41:34 +0000

Tree-power and homemade submarines... all that and more in your green tech finds for the week.

Google... the solar company?: The company announced on Wednesday that it's "working to develop its own new mirror technology that could reduce the cost of building solar thermal plants by a quarter or more."
Wind power from the air conditioner: Renewable energy company EarthSure has announced its WindAir system, which is designed to "[transform] the exhausted air flow from central air conditioning units into a source of renewable, clean energy."

Five Tools for Tracking (and Lowering) Your Energy Use

Jeff McIntire-Strasburg — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:29:25 +0000

Trying to keep the Carbon Cops at bay? Or, just want a lower electric bill? These five tools will help you identify the energy hogs in your life… and put them on a diet! ENERGY STAR@Home: This interactive web tool takes you on a tour of a typical American home, points out the energy guzzlers, [...]

Using Eco-mmunity Map to Energize Your Community

Sundance Channel — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 16:00:00 +0000

If you are interested in using the network of green-conscious individuals on the internet to empower your community, then you may want to check out the Eco-mmunity Map. The Map allows you to make map markers for the resources in your community that can help people live a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle. For instance, a new [...]