cleantech
Skipped the cleantech news reports over the weekend? Not to worry. Greenbang’s got you covered with today’s roundup of stories you might have missed: * When you think about the potential for solar power, talking rubbish bins probably aren’t the first application to come to mind. But, hey,
energy efficiency
Housing is a huge source of carbon dioxide emissions, thanks both to its common dependence on high-polluting (to manufacture) materials like cement and to its all-too-often energy inefficiency. However, designers around the globe are continually creating new plans for green and sustainable residences. Following are five of our recent favorites:
climate
Rising sea levels caused by global warming pose a threat to animals, humans and important structures of Lancashire, Cumbria and Wales, according to researchers at the University of Manchester. Richard Kingston and Adam Barker, both with the university’s School of Environment and Development, have launched a Website where citizens
Here’s a brilliant question I never thought to ask, but someone at Google did: whatever happened to those solar hot water panels President Jimmy Carter had installed on the White House in 1979 (and which were ignominiously dumped seven years later by President Ronald Reagan)? Well, Google not only
biofuels
Following are some of the top headlines yesterday from the world of cleantech: * Technology developed at the University of Chicago might soon land in the marketplace in the form of a new and more efficient plastic solar cell for portable electronics. Solarmer Energy Inc. says it expects to have a
climate
It’s due to launch this May in New York City, but the Waterpod could find some interested customers in London, Amsterdam, Venice and other waterside cities as climate change global sea levels to rise. Designed by a team of New York artists, the Waterpod is a “floating sculptural living
carbon footprint
Who even thinks about the carbon footprint of a carton of orange juice? PepsiCo does, apparently, and the footprint is a surprisingly large one. The New York Times reports this week that PepsiCo, in the course of trying to assess its products’ impact on global warming, found that a half-gallon
california
California officials are hoping the new atmosphere in Washington, DC, will mean a renewed opportunity for them to regulate greenhouse gases in the state’s atmosphere. On Wednesday, Mary Nichols, chairman of California’s Air Resources Board (ARB), asked the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reconsider a decision that
carbon emissions
Can’t keep up with all the developments in cleantech? Here are some news stories you might have missed: * Carbon capture and sequestration technologies are too expensive to be viable as a means to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, leading cleantech venture capitalist Vinod Khosla told attendees at the World Future
LED
Creating a better light offers a plethora of promises: freedom from soot and dark for the world’s poor, lower energy costs for homeowners in developed countries, solutions to design problems, etc. So what’s new and creative in the eco-lighting world lately? Check out these innovations: * LightLane. Just a
carbon dioxide
On his first full day as president of the US, Barack Obama is receiving some climate change advice from the Sustainable Energy Network: Start tackling the problem today. A loose affiliation of 600-plus companies, groups and individuals, the Sustainable Energy Network outlined its recommendations for immediate action in a press
photovoltaics
Ferrari this week unveiled a new photovoltaic system on the roof of its engine mechanical machining facility in Maranello, Italy. The flat-roof array is expected to cut Ferrari’s off-the-grid energy consumption by nearly 214,000 kilowatt-hours a year. As part of an ongoing sustainability programme (could driving a Ferrari
