Eco Factor: Sustainable house powered by solar energy.
Competing for the first time in the Solar Decathalon, students at Rice University have developed a zero-energy house that they call the “Ze-Row Energy House.” Armed with solar panels and a solar water heating system, the 800-square-foot house will travel to the Washington, D.C. National Mall this October.
Eco Factor: Solar-powered car capable of hitting 100mph.
Dr. Graham Sparey of Wrexham University is developing a solar car that will be capable of hitting a top speed of 100mph without emitting a single gram of CO2 or a single decibel of noise. The car, which will be showcased in September, will cost less than $16,000. The car is a follow-up to the “Gwawr Cymru” solar car, which featured a top speed of 60mph and competed in the 2007 Panasonic World Solar Challenge in Australia.
Eco Factor: World’s most efficient crystalline solar cells.
Sanyo Electric Co. has announced that it has succeeded it breaking its own record for the world’s highest energy conversion efficiency in crystalline silicon solar cells. The HIT solar cells boast an efficiency of 23%, which is about 0.7% more than the previous record. The success of the technology was stated to be a change in the quality of heterojunction of the HIT solar cells and a reduction in optical absorption loss, which till date has marred the efficiency of solar cells.
Eco Factor: Solar array capable of generating 80,000KWh of electricity annually for Logan International Airport
Logan International Airport, Boston, will soon be generating solar energy enough to power the garage. The system is a part of the $55.7 million project to repair the 35-year-old five-story garage. Other than the solar energy makeover, the garage project will also include installation of energy-efficient lighting systems and a rainwater harvesting system.
Eco Factor: Zero-emission sports car powered by fuel cells.
The Ariel Atom is one true sports car with race bred construction and components. But when the race to go green is in full swing with the carmakers, Ariel has its own plans with the open-top Atom sports car. The lightweight sports car manufacturer is considering plans to build an all-new alt-powered sports car. The future car have a standard engine, but it would still break new ground in the same way that the Atom first did, Ariel boss Simon Saunders told PistonHeads. Saunders further said that the new minimalist supercar will be a departure from the exposed skeletal structure. They have plans to go for new technologies, such as fuel cells and electric motors.
Eco Factor: Diamond-based solar energy generating system.
Using diamonds to generate green electricity seems an extravagant idea but not so to Dr. Neil Fox from the University of Bristol’s School of Chemistry. The researcher has been awarded a €980,000 grant by energy company E.ON to develop a true alternative of photovoltaic systems to generate solar electricity.
Eco Factor: Water saving system mixes fresh water with gray water for toilet flushing.
We’ve seen concepts that aim to make use of the gray water produced in your home to flush your toilet, but many of us thought that the system would end up making you wear a mask before you enter the toilet. Jang Woo-Seok’s “Eco Bath” system is a little different. It makes use of gray water but only after purifying it a bit, not by using the latest in UV purification, but simply mixing it with fresh water.
Eco Factor: Recycled furniture uses less material than sofas.
While you might consider your cozy couch to be the best place on earth to take a nap, Italian furniture maker Via Lattea wants you to change that opinion and try out a new furniture line that seems fit for a nightclub. The air-filled furniture is made from recycled sacks commonly used to transport grain and sugar. This new line of furniture has been showcased at the Milan Furniture Fair.
Eco Factor: Human-powered mobile phone charging device from Orange and Gotwind.
Last year Orange developed a solar and wind power solution for an off-the-grid cellphone charger for the Glastonbury Festival. Being associated with the festival for over 10 years now, the company has made sure that its image remains green and ecofriendly each time it attends the festival. This time Orange has shown its trust in the ever-dependable human power, as the company along with Gotwind has set up a foot-powered cellphone recharging device at this year’s Glastonbury Music Festival.
Eco Factor: Portable speakers run on solar energy.
In one of our previous articles we had brought to your attention the wonderful solar-powered concept Gramo Speakers. But designer Pekka Salokannel is not the only one to harness solar power for music as others in the same sphere, including designers Paolo Metaldi and Luca Elli, have made solar energy bring green music to your ears. The “Sound System” concept speakers include photovoltaic panels on the upper part of the device to trap solar energy and in the bottom part lay the speakers.
