Eco Factor: Modified airplane consumes 45mpg flying at 207mph.
Klaus Savier has won the Fuelventure 400 competition in a modified VariEze that gets 45mpg while flying at a decent speed of 207mph. The airplane normally flies at 190 KTAS to reach a Prius-like mileage of 50mpg, but if slowed down to extended range, the airplane can hit 100mpg.
Eco Factor: Low-cost solar-powered LED lighting system.
While many of us are busy our technology-dependent lives, there are still 1.5 billion people who’re waiting for the first spark of electricity to light their rural homes. Frederik Krebs has a new ray of light for them, which comes from a $7 LED light that gets powered by solar energy.
Eco Factor: Low-cost lamp designed to be powered by solar energy.
With roughly 2 million households in Cambodia still to see their first spark of electricity, Kamworks Ltd has announced the development of a low-cost solar lantern dubbed MoonLight that could replace inefficient and expensive kerosene lights.
Eco Factor: One-make car racing series to feature vehicles fueled by Bio-CNG made from renewable sources.
Lately a lot of buzz has been created by racing challenges where only green machines are allowed. Be it the Green X Challenge or the Global Green Challenge, these racing events do prove that being green doesn’t always mean having to go slow.
Eco Factor: Spacecraft to predict floods and gauge the impact of climate change.
The European Space Agency has launched the Smos (Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity) spacecraft that will help scientists predict floods easily by tracking water flow around the globe. The spacecraft will also help improve weather forecasts and check the impact of climate change.
Eco Factor: Device designed to harness kinetic energy of sea waves and convert it into usable electricity.
Finnish diver Rauno Koivusaari has designed a prototype device that could lead to the development of a system to harness renewable energy from ocean waves in a cost-effective manner. Dubbed WaveRoller, the system is essentially a door-shaped device that can generate up to 300KW of green power.
Eco Factor: Monorail system designed to be powered by solar energy.
Iosa Ghini Associati has proposed the Energy Belt, a solar-powered monorail system to connect Bologna’s airport to the city center. The system will run on sculpted lines above the countryside that will provide breathtaking views for the travelers.
Eco Factor: Mixed-use development to incorporate energy-saving and passive energy technologies.
Elenberg Fraser has proposed a sustainable mixed-use development for the Ajman waterfront. The development will provide space for 7 residential towers of 1000 apartments, 120 multilevel villa type dwellings, marina facilities, 10,000 sq m retail, commercial and hospitality areas and a 270-key, 5-star hotel.
Eco Factor: Zero emission folding bike powered by electric batteries.
ROBRADY Design has been awarded a Gold Spark award in the Mobility category of this year’s Spark Awards for their db0 Electric Folding Bike design. The design firm has partnered with Taiwanese manufacturer DK City to help the bike reach the real world.
Eco Factor: Solar charging module for cellphones.
Sharp Corp. has announced the development of a new and improved solar cell for mobile phones at Green Device 2009. Measuring 65.5 x 41 x 0.8mm, the module is capable of generating 450mW of power, which is an improvement from the 300mW the company’s previous module was capable of generating.
