Eco Factor: Green home runs on solar power.
After working for two years on a home that gets powered by solar energy, students at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette have finally unveiled their solar-powered home designed for the Solar Decathlon competition to be held next month.
Eco Factor: Zero-emission DIY ship gets powered by hydrogen fuel cells.
A team of students at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are trying to prove the viability of hydrogen fuel cells by sailing from New York City to Troy on a DIY ship that gets powered by hydrogen fuel cells that were originally designed to power forklifts.
Eco Factor: Solar and wind energy powered streetlight concept.
When it comes to harnessing solar energy, all systems remain dumb during a cloudy day, same happens with wind generators during a clear day when the wind isn’t blowing. Industrial designers Zhou Qian and Tao Ma have tried to bring both these renewable energy generating techniques together in a concept streetlight dubbed Nature Power Light Your Road.
Eco Factor: New premises of China Science and Technology Museum to generate renewable energy using on-site generators.
After serving more than 20 million tourists with the rich scientific heritage of China, the old China Science and Technology Museum closed its doors and was repositioned in a much bigger and greener facility in Beijing.
Eco Factor: Low-cost LED light bulbs for flood and spot lights.
Apart from being energy-efficient, LED light bulbs aren’t as popular in the market as competing CFLs are. The reason is the high cost of LED light bulbs, which when compared to the energy they save, can recoup the investment in about 4 years. Using a breakthrough design Eternaleds Inc., has tried to reduce the cost of LED light bulbs by as much as 40%.
Eco Factor: Solar-energy harvesting backpacks with iPod control.
KILLA has partnered with QIO Systems to develop Vintage Series #1 bags that are made from 50-yeard old German vintage backpacks and satchels that were used during the Second World War. The backs have been chosen according to their physical condition so that they can serve their new users for a period of another 50 years.
Eco Factor: Bike beer bar to be shown off at the Oregon Manifest.
Beer has been criticized on environmental grounds in more ways than one. However, a Portland, Oregon brewery is looking to give a green image to beer by developing a pedal-powered mobile beer bar.
Eco Factor: Zero-emission supercar designed to run on electricity.
Comparitively new to auto manufacturing, California-based Steenstra GCM has some big plans. The company has released the first renderings of their dream machine called the Styletto. The all-electric car is designed to hit speeds in excess of 200mph and will be built in California.
Eco Factor: Highly-efficient solar panels don’t need direct sun.
Already available in a variety of shapes and forms, solar panels are going to get more efficient and perhaps good-looking with a Jerusalem company called GreenSun, looking for panels that aren’t silver but come in a variety of colors.
Eco Factor: Carbon kiosks to generate fund for green programs.
If you are a frequent air traveler, but don’t want to have your carbon footprint swell with every travel, San Francisco is gearing up for an alternative. San Francisco International Airport will be able to purchase carbon offsets for their flight right on the entry gate.
