Green Technology

Breakthrough in Light Sensitivity Harvard scientists discovered black silicon by accident: They shone hyper-powerful laser — "briefly matching the energy produced by the sun falling on the surface of the entire earth" — on a silicon wafer, and then added sulfur hexafluoride. The result was a...  

Danish pilot looks to boost wave transformer with wind turbines. Graphic Floating Power Plant. Portugal gets the distinction of having both the world's first commercial wave power plant, Aguçadoura Wave Park, which officially opened last month and is expected to grow to 21 MW of capacity - it...  

Image courtesy of Take Away Festival The largest solar installation of any winery in the world is set to be built for Constellation Wines’ Gonzalez winery in Monterrey County, CA by Pacific Power Management. Mitsubishi solar panels will cover 170,000 square feet on the winery warehouse roof...  

Matt broke the ACEE state energy-efficiency scorecard story with: California Leads the Energy Efficiency Race: American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy Releases 2008 ScorecardIn their state-by-state analysis (2008 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard), the ACEEE found that California...  

As a non-profit , greenGoat is anything but trendy; it "boosts building efficiency through conservation measures that lower disposal costs, increase energy efficiency, manage storm water runoff, and improve building performance." It helps architects, contractors and people in the development...  

The Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center in Muskegon continues to pursue plans to build a test wind turbine on Muskegon Lake. MAREC Executive Director Imad Mahawili has written a proposal for a Muskegon Lake pilot project that would put...  

After lagging behind Europe in developing its offshore wind power potential, the United States has finally entered the race in ernest: Delaware has an offshore wind farm in development; similar projects have been discussed for Rhode Island, New York, and  

Jatropha curcas field (a bit sparsely planted and not in India, sorry couldn’t find one...) photo by: orgadem. India may be one of the world leaders in growing jatropha for use in biodiesel, but apparently some of the nation's biodiesel producers are encountering production bottlenecks. There...  

It was a substantial platform on 16 pilings in the Pamlico Sound, built by a collaborative of North Carolina academic research scientists. A fiberglass instrument house was bolted to the platform, a wireless communication system and an antenna were in place, and a wind turbine and high-efficiency...  

photo: Poncho Ferguson British organisation Partnership for Renewables has announced a plan, to be done in conjunction with British Waterways, that aims to turn canal and riverside locations across the UK into renewable energy power stations. The plan is claimed to save in excess of 100,000...  

photo: Ricardo Ferreira So you think you’re doing everything you can to improve your home’s energy efficiency. And if you haven’t done everything you can do personally, both TreeHugger and Planet Green have plenty of tips on how you can get up to speed on saving energy. But the bigger question...  

The mainstream wind establishment has a hard time getting excited about vertical turbines - they've been around for too long without a major market breakthrough. But right now it's a bit of the big wind versus little wind question. Vertical wind turbines can have some noise-cutting, cost-cutting...  

The city committee that rejected Ottawa’s first application for a residential wind turbine did so because the proposed location of the turbine is too close to neighbouring property lines, not due to its noise or visual impact.  

Building on couple of topics which are perennial TreeHugger favorites (cool roofs and thin-film solar photovoltaics)... Fremont, California-based Solyndra has announced the launch of a new type of rooftop solar array which the company says could revolutionize the market for commercial rooftop...  

A consortium of Norfolk farmers submit a formal application for a 19 wind turbine development in the Marshland.  

photo: Daniel Figueroa This one’s a twist on decentralized solar power generation, the solar-as-service model of energy development, and traditional utility-owned power. National Grid has announced that is has filed preliminary paperwork to develop up to 50 MW of solar power in Massachusetts...  

Images via Pedalite A few years ago we got all excited about Pealite’s self-charging bike light as a cool way to be seen without having to use batteries. Well they’re putting out another cool product – the solar-powered Anklelite. ...  

BOSTON (AP) -- The owner of a wind turbine company has agreed to pay $488,000 in restitution to clear up allegations that he violated the state's consumer protection act.  

Image source: KLTV Warning! If you do not want to live in a straw bale house with a living roof and solar panels to power your satellite internet connectivity, DO NOT watch the video over the fold! Because when you see this video of Nick Moser's straw bale house project, you will not be able...  

New Jersey Offshore Wind Farm New Jersey has approved a new huge offshore wind farm (346 megawatts). The 96 turbines will be installed in a grid pattern between 16 and 20 miles from land. The project, which would be in deeper water than most other offshore wind farms, would cost more than $1...  

MANCHESTER — The 114-year-old Marlow’s building on Main Street will soon get some of its energy from solar panels — part of a $2.2 million renovation project that also will create a dozen new apartments on its upper floors.  

Holy Green: The world's smallest state aims to become the first net zero emitter. (photo via Wikipedia) This week, the Vatican did its part to make the move to renewable energy, as workers began installing the first of 2,400 solar panels on the roof of the papal audience hall in Vatican City...  

By Jeannie M. Nuss, Globe Correspondent A former state representative agreed today to pay nearly $500,000 in restitution for misleading customers of his wind turbine business, according to a statement released by Attorney General Martha Coakley. Former Democratic Representative Mark...  

BYESVILLE -- The village is going green to save green as it soon will be installing a wind turbine near the water plant, Mayor Don Gadd announced Wednesday. "We're loo  

The personal wind power scene has a new mini charger to widen, ever so slightly, the number of options out there for charging mobile devices via the breeze. Personal wind chargers have started creeping up onto the scene now that people have caught on to the notion of charging smaller gadgets...  

photo: CJ C TreeHugger has covered vertical axis wind turbines a number of times. Smaller in scale than most of their bladed cousins, most are intended for smaller-scale applications. Illustrating this is an announcement that Wind Energy Corp. has gotten a pilot project online in Texas...  

But are operators blown away? Ericsson has fitted a four bladed wind turbine to its environmentally friendly radio base station, in an effort to persuade more operators to adopt the green towers in areas where electricity isn't available.  

Photo via SMUD The "Home of the Future" is the goal of BP Solar and OCR Solar & Roofing. They’ve teamed up to create a home that is the most state-of-the-art in energy efficiency. Their design and construction hopes to encapsulate everything a homeowner could want in terms of energy...  

Free-Piston Engines: The Future? While we wait for battery and hypercapacitor breakthroughs to allow us to go 100% electric and ditch internal combustion engines, series plug-in hybrids (electric motors turn the wheels and a gas generator kicks in when the batteries are empty) are our best bet...  

Image via GreenPeak When it comes to wireless energy monitoring and conservation, batteries take the bang out of the buck. They are always running out of juice and need replacement. That’s an annoying fact that multiple companies with multiple technologies have been working to fix, and...  

photo: Karel Hladky Though they’re not the first group to have a go at using seaweed as a feedstock for biofuels, they may be one of the largest. Reuters is reporting that Italy’s Union of Biodiesel Producers hopes to commercialize the production of seaweed-based biodiesel within five years...  

Eurasian Skylarks were among the species studied which were not negatively impacted by the wind turbines. Photo: Pei Wen Chang. The whole wind turbine versus bird debate continues to arise every few months. While most of the evidence is solidly on the side of modern wind turbines not being bird...  

It seems like a contradiction in terms, but they are trying to build a "green" shopping mall in Waterloo, Ontario. The addition to the Conestoga Mall uses Bullfrog wind power, white roofing, solar panels and LED lighting. They are also running a denim drive to collect old jeans from "enviro...  

That’s waste vegetable oil biodiesel in that coffee pot. Photo: Jon Eby. Not having a car myself, and living in a small New York City apartment, the desire to make my own biodiesel from cooking waste oil is one which has not arisen in me. That said, a growing number of people are looking to...  

Sanyo eneloop solar light We came across this nice little addition to the Sanyo eneloop solar family recently while browsing environmentally oriented electronics makers sites. Sanyo has been working hard to cultivate their green image with the eneloop series of rechargeable batteries, a big...  

(Photo: AFP/Getty Images from the AIST display of new, flexible solar cells) 80 percent of newly-built homes will be equipped with solar power systems by 2030? Sounds good to me. Japan plans to provide a subsidy of about 200,000 yen (just under $2,000) to households that buy a solar power...  

Image credit: Josh Parrish @ flickr Going green is definitely better for you, and the planet, but it can occasionally mean a little green has to leave your wallet. Even if you'll make the money back in increased efficiency or energy savings, you have to shell out some bucks for compact...  

Hydrogen, touted by many sources as the carbon neutral "energy of the future", has been receiving more and more attention lately in both environmental circles and the popular press. Although not everyone is convinced hydrogen is the solution to our problems, many countries and corporations are...  

Image: Emma Orbach, co-founder of Welsh eco-community (Wales News) By fateful chance, a glint of sunlight off one of their self-installed solar panels gave them away to a survey plane flying overhead in 1998. But before that, the 22 people of Brithdir Mawr, Roundhouse and Tir Ysbrydol eco...  

While some believe we shouldn't act at all because the price will be too high, other research suggests inaction would be far more costly. But both sides of this debate are wrong if we choose the best buys first, because then the cost of climate protection will be negative -- not a cost but a...  

If Mark is right and it is TEOWAWKI time, this solar powered water purification system uses wind and solar power to pump and purify up to 6500 gallons each day from brackish water; the seawater version can produce 925 gallons per day. On a sunny, windy day it will provide excess energy that can...  

The i MiEV Sport, image courtesy of Neolaia The Mitsubishi i MiEV is one of the most promising electric vehicles in development (as you loyal TreeHugger readers are likely aware). And now they could become the most prevalent car in Iceland. Hydrogen Transit Trouble Iceland announced in 1998...  

A proposed wind turbine on the grounds of the Woodridge Lake sewage treatment plant on Brush Hill Road in Goshen drew mostly opposition from residents who spoke during a public hearing on Tuesday before the Planning and Zoning Commission.  

A $500 reward is being offered by the Tonto National Forest to catch the thieves who stole 27 solar panels from a picnic area at Roosevelt Lake. According to officials, the panels were removed from the roof of a restroom facility.  

Electric Dirt Bike: Bigger Battery than Prius Hybrid We wrote about the Zero X last year: It's basically an electric motorcycle powered by non-toxic lithium-ion batteries. The amazing thing about the battery is that it can store 2 kWh vs. 1.31 kWh for the Toyota Prius hybrid's battery (which is...  

The Tonto National Forest is seeking assistance from the public in the recovery of solar panels recently stolen from the Vineyard Picnic Area in the Tonto Basin Ranger District at Roosevelt Lake.  

An Ottawa man can't erect a wind turbine in his backyard after a municipal committee refused to grant him exceptions to city bylaws that bar the device.  

photo: Scott Kraft If you live in Berkeley, California and have been put off by the initial costs of installing solar panels on your house, this one’s for you. Yesterday the City Council unanimously approved a program to give city-backed loans to homeowners to install solar panels, with the...  

Making Cheap, Inexpensive DIY Solar Panels at Home Mike Davis is an astronomer. To practice his hobby away from the light-pollution of cities, he bought some land in a remote part of Arizona. But there was a problem: No electricity.... But he's a resourceful fellow. He built some home-made...  

NEWBURYPORT and mdash; Installing solar panels on top of the middle school and public works building will generate at least $649,141 in savings to the city and mdash; using "conservative" figures, Mayor John Moak told his Energy Advisory Committee last night.  

photos: arbyreed (oil platform) and Phil Hollman (wind turbine) While renewable energy tax credits are withering away in the Senate, the Democrats have unveiled a compromise piece of legislation to the House of Representatives which aims to increase the amount of renewable energy used in the...  

Image source: Piedmont Biofuels Who doesn't love a good party, especially one that involves B100 (100% biodiesel) fueling stations? October 4, 2008, TS Designs and Piedmont Biofuels will co-host a ribbon cutting for their brand new B100 fueling station as part of their larger, first annual...  

Ultracapacitors "Imagine a cell-phone battery that recharges in a few seconds and that you would never have to replace. That's the promise of energy-storage devices known as ultracapacitors, but at present, they can store only about 5 percent as much energy as lithium-ion batteries...  

ROCHESTER — A group of students have raised money to put solar panels at Mayo High School and three other schools in the Rochester area.  

Visitors to the New Haven IKEA will soon be able to catch a glimpse of a new addition to the skyline: a wind turbine. The potential addition of such an energy resource to the city’s arsenal — as well as the energy efficiency of New Haven public schools and the resale value of used grease — was on...  

The research and development center is slated to work on water purification and energy efficiency and would employ 500 scientists.  

Back in the beginning of the summer we heard about plans to develop what at the time would have been world’s largest thin-film solar PV plant, a 10 megawatt facility outside of Las Vegas. Around the same time a 25 megawatt solar PV plant in Florida (using regular solar panels) was announced...  

Image source: Akeena Solar When Akeena Solar debuted their Andalay panels last year, it was already a break from the mold by offering the only solar panel that includes an integrated racking, wiring and grounding system. Most conventional systems have to be constructed on the roof and then...  

photo: conceptworker via flickr I suppose it's an unintended consequence of the booming wind industry in the United States: a new survey by Frontier Pro Services, reported on at Renewable Energy World, says that 60% of US wind turbines may be behind on maintenance. Apparently, there simply...  

ROCHESTER, Minn. (AP) - A group of students have raised money to put solar panels at Mayo High School and three other schools in the Rochester area. Now, the students want to raise $1 million by September so schools nationwide can also go green.