Germany Shatters Record by Producing 31% of its Electricity from Renewables in the First Half of 2014!

August 13, 2014, 2:34 pm

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When it comes to the production of renewable energy, Germany is well ahead of the game – villages regularly break records by producing more energy than they need, and the country has met up to 74% of its energy demand with renewable sources. Now Germany has shattered another record: In the first half of 2014, 31% of the entire country was powered by renewables!

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Post tags: "solar energy", "wind power", german solar, german wind, germany, germany renewable energy, Solar Power, wind energy

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LEED Gold Parking Deck Boasts a Bevy of EV Charging Stations in Santa Monica

August 14, 2014, 2:02 pm

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Post tags: "solar energy", Architecture, behnisch architekten, CoSM Parking Structure, gold LEED certification, parking deck design, parking lot design, parking structure #6, rechargeable bike racks, Santa Monica parking, Santa Monica parking structure #6, Studio Jantzen, sustainable urban design, urban architecture, Urban design

Spain Met More than a Third of July’s Electricity Demand with Wind and Solar Power

August 18, 2014, 12:00 pm

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July was a banner month in Spain in terms of renewable energy production with 34 percent of the country’s energy needs being met by wind and solar energy. Wind was the prominent low-carbon energy source in the Iberian Peninsula, providing 30 percent of the country’s energy needs, while solar power supplied about 4 percent. July’s renewable energy output is particularly noteworthy considering that the total combined energy provided by wind and solar in the entire first six months of 2014 only reached approximately 25.3 percent.

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Post tags: "solar energy", "wind power", clean energy generation, electricity demand, greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy, Solar Power, Spain, Spain's renewable energy, Spain's solar energy, Spain's wind energy

How a Gilded Era Manor Was Turned Into New England’s First Net-Zero Home

August 19, 2014, 12:30 pm

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Post tags: 19th century, eco-friendly, geothermal, geothermal heating, gilded, Gilded age, gilded era, green home, h3 hardy collaboration architecture, hundred year old home, manor home, manor house, net zero, Polly Guth, Solar Power, Stonlea

NASA’s New Space Solar Arrays Fold Like Extreme Origami Flowers

August 19, 2014, 2:32 pm

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Bigger is better when it comes to space-based solar panels – but rockets have a very limited amount of room, so getting them into orbit can be a challenge. So where do NASA researchers turn when looking for solutions to this packing problem? Surprisingly, they look no further than the good, old-fashioned art of origami. Using an innovative folding technique, researchers at Brigham Young University (BYU) and NASA created an 82-foot solar array that can fold down to just 8.9 feet when closed.

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Post tags: BYU folding solar, BYU origami solar, folding solar array, NASA folding solar, NASA origami solar, NASA solar array, nasa solar power, NASA space solar, NASA space solar power, origami NASA, origami solar array, solar array, space solar, space solar power

The Bizarre Way the Ivanpah Solar Plant Wants to Solve Its Bird-Killing Situation

August 20, 2014, 2:13 pm

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What’s the world’s largest solar plant to do when its massive mirrors start frying all of the birds flying by? If the solar plant is Ivanpah, the apparent solution is to institute a sort of cap and trade system for bird death. Ivanpah’s owners have decided that in order to offset the number of birds killed by the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System, it will donate money to spay and neuter cats, which are notorious bird killers themselves.

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Post tags: Brightsource Energy, BrightSource energy Ivanpah, BrightSource Energy killing birds, Ivanpah, Ivanpah frying birds, Ivanpah killing birds, Ivanpah neutering cats, Ivanpah solar, Ivanpah solar plant, Ivanpah spaying cats, solar kills birds, world's largest solar plant, worlds biggest solar

Project Dome Could Power Copenhagen Using Energy From the Sun, Wind, Water, and Biomass!

August 22, 2014, 6:00 am

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Project Dome is a design proposal submitted to this year’s Land Art Generator Initiative design competition, a contest that solicits ideas for constructible regenerative architecture in Copenhagen. Designed by Tony Thomas of Rayworks Design Studio, M. Ephraim Thomas, and Saleena Thomas, Project Dome pulls out all the stops by proposing a design that harnesses power from four major renewable energy sources: solar, wind, underwater current, and biomass.

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Post tags: "solar energy", 2014 LAGI competition, 2014 land art generator initiative, biogas, biomass, copenhagen, lagi 2014 competition, land art generator initiative, M. Ephraim Thomas, Project dome, rayworks design studio, Refshaleøen, Saleena Thomas, semi transparent pv panels, tony Thomas, undercurrent energy, wind energy

Crystal Clear Solar Panels Could Turn Your iPhone Into an Energy Generator

August 22, 2014, 2:25 pm

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Today’s smartphones are dominated by their screens – and researchers just unveiled a new type of 100% transparent solar panel that could turn displays, windows, and other transparent surfaces into clean energy generators. Vice Motherboard reports that Michigan State University has come up with a crystal clear solar concentrator that can be integrated into anything with a clear surface – from the window of your house to the screen on your smartphone – to gather energy without blocking the view.

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Post tags: clean, concentrator, Electricity, green, lunt, Michigan, panel, power, solar, state, transparent, university

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Solar-Powered Tuk Tuk to Travel from India to England!

August 26, 2014, 2:26 pm

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Post tags: bangalore, car, ecomobility, electric, England, green, India, naveen, powered, rabelli, solar, tejas, tuk tuk

Nepalese Teen Invents Cheap Solar Panel Using Human Hair

August 30, 2014, 5:00 am

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Did you know that melanin, the pigment in hair, is light sensitive and can be used as a conductor? Well, that’s what an 18 year old in Nepal recently discovered, and is now using human hair to replace silicon in solar panels. Since the price of hair is considerably cheaper than silicon, this enterprising youth may have just found a breakthrough technology to help bring down the cost of solar and give thousands of people in developing nations access to affordable renewable energy.

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Post tags: clean tech advances, green technology, hair as a replacement for silicon, hair photovoltaics, hair silicon, hair solar panels, human hair, human hair solar panel, kathmandu, Malin Karki, Nepal, nepalese teen, Nepalese Teen invents cheap solar panels using human hair, nepali teen, photovoltaic technology, renewable energy, solar panel, teen, teen inventor

Solar Rain Tree Oasis Could Alleviate Drought-Striken California Using Rainwater Collection and Clean Energy

September 3, 2014, 7:30 am

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Michael Jantzen just unveiled designs for the Solar Rain Tree Oasis, a public gathering pavilion designed to help alleviate drought-stricken California. Made from a large prefabricated steel shell, the structure is topped by ten large solar arrays that collect and convert solar energy into electricity, which can then be sent to the local power grid. Funnel-like indentations along the circular roof collect rainwater and direct the water flow towards a series of storage containers buried beneath the structure. A large oak tree planted at the center of the pavilion is surrounded by a circular bench as well as additional tables and seating.

+ Michael Jantzen

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Post tags: "clean energy", "sustainable architecture", California, Drought, michele jantzen, rainwater harvest, reader submitted content, solar arrays, solar rain tree oasis

Samoa Opens Largest Solar Photovoltaic Array in South Pacific

September 3, 2014, 7:35 am

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The South Pacific Island of Samoa has opened the region’s largest solar array, the Faleata Racecourse. Located in the capital city of Apia, the 2.2 MW photovoltaic array was built in the middle of the city’s large racecourse. Working with two smaller arrays, Faleata will provide 4.5 percent of Samoa’s energy needs renewably, reducing the country’s heavy dependence on diesel.

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Post tags: clean tech, Faleata Racecourse, largest solar array pacific, largest solar farm in the Pacific, Pacific solar farm, renewable energy, Samoa island, Samoa solar farm, solar array, Solar Power, solar pv, South Pacific solar power

Unofficial Leak: Tesla’s New Gigafactory is Headed to Nevada

September 3, 2014, 9:00 am

≫ Next: Super-Portable Solar Briefcase Lets You Carry Solar Power Everywhere You Go

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After months of waiting and speculation, word is out that the much-anticipated Tesla Gigafactory has finally broken ground in Reno, Nevada. Nevada governor Brian Sandoval and Tesla CEO Elon Musk are slated to make an official announcement today, and a source in the governor’s office has told CNBC that the Gigafactory is “a go, but they are still negotiating the specifics of the contract.” Reno has long been considered the front-runner in the Gigafactory race, and the company confirmed last month that it has cleared land in Reno for the factory, adding fuel to the speculation fire.

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Post tags: California gigafactory, California Tesla, elon musk, elon musk tesla, Elon Musk Tesla gigafactory, first Tesla Gigafactory Reno, gigafactory location, Nevada confirms gigafactory, Nevada gigafactory, Nevada Tesla factory, Nevada Tesla gigafactory, Reno confirms Gigafactory, Reno Tesla, Reno Tesla factory, Reno Tesla Gigafactory, Tesla first gigafactory, Tesla gigafactory location, Tesla Model 3

Super-Portable Solar Briefcase Lets You Carry Solar Power Everywhere You Go

September 4, 2014, 12:10 pm

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Grab the handle of this self-contained solar device and go! SolarBriefcase is an amazing portable generator designed and assembled by North Carolina-based company, LinorTek. One of the most portable solar generators on the market, it performs reliably in both everyday and emergency situations, and can be used at home, work, or outdoors. A built-in solar panel recharges a heavy-duty 18 amp/hour battery, and the product features power outputs for both 12 and 120 volts DC, as well as USB, allowing many different devices to be charged. An LCD screen displays the condition of the batteries, as well as the amount of power being utilized. Long battery life is ensured due to the master cut-off switch, allowing the device to be stored safely for long periods of time. SolarBriefcase can act as a convenient daily recharging device, and is now available at Alternative Energy, Inc.

+ Solar Briefcase by LinorTek

+ Alternative Energy, Inc.

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Post tags: "solar energy", alternative energy, Inc., Linor Tek, LinorTek, solar, Solar Briefcase, solar energy generator, Solar Power, SolarBriefcase

Saudi Arabia is Investing Heavily in Solar Power; Is This the End for Big Oil?

September 5, 2014, 1:51 pm

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When the country with the largest oil reserves in the world decides to start investing in renewable energy, it may well be a sign that the age of big oil is coming to an end. While the US is still focused on fossil fuels – whether drilling, importing, or otherwise – the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has realized that relying on a finite energy resource is not the smartest move, and it has begun to implement more solar systems into its electrical grid instead of older diesel generators.

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Post tags: "solar energy", crude oil, diesel generators, oil reserves, petroleum, SASIA, saudi arabia, Saudi Arabia Solar Industry Association, Solar Power, sunfounder

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Why Using Gas as a “Bridge Fuel” is Worse Than Burning Coal

September 8, 2014, 11:00 am

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In his 2014 State of the Union Address President Obama stated of coal seam gas: “if extracted safely, it’s the bridge fuel that can power our economy with less of the carbon pollution that causes climate change.” Many arguments against fracking aside (purely due to lack of space, I assure you), scientists are demonstrating that the U.S.’s growing reliance on gas-run power stations could actually be releasing more greenhouse gases than burning coal due to the amount of methane leaked during the extraction process. They also argue that by switching to gas for the next 100 years or so, we are delaying investment in the renewable energy sources that we will ultimately have to rely on when fossil fuels are depleted.

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Post tags: "wind power", bridge fuel, coal, cornell university, fracking, greenhouse gases, methane, natural gas, president obama, renewables, Robert Howarth, Solar Power

India to Install 2,200 Solar-Powered Cell Phone Towers in Response to Extremism

September 10, 2014, 8:18 am

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The Indian government just launched a plan to use solar-powered cell phone towers in response to left-wing extremism in the central belt of the country. The central government approved the ambitious project, and it will be erecting as many as 2,200 solar-powered mobile communication towers in the states of Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.

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Post tags: Andhra Pradesh, bihar, carbon emissions, carbon footprint, cell phone towers, chhattisgarh, diesel-powered cell phone towers, digital india, economically underdeveloped Indian states, India, indian government, jharkhand, largest number of cell phone users, left-wing extremism, madhya pradesh, Maharashtra, mobile phone industry, Odisha, refueling cell phone towers, renewable energy, smartphones, solar powered cell phone towers, telecom regulatory authority, trai, uttar pradesh, west bengal

Solar Sister Empowers Women to Bring Solar Energy to Rural Africa

September 10, 2014, 2:24 pm

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We take electricity for granted in the developed world, but did you know that 1.6 billion people – a full one quarter of the world’s population – don’t have access to reliable electricity? The consequences are far-reaching: The lack of electric lighting impacts children’s ability to do well in school and prevents people from working once the sun has set, and dangerous kerosene lamps fill the air with soot and CO2 emissions. Enter Solar Sister, a nonprofit that is eradicating energy poverty one solar device at a time while empowering women with economic opportunity. The organization distributes solar-powered products like lanterns and cell phone chargers through women’s rural networks in Africa.

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Post tags: "clean energy", Africa, business in a bag, Electricity, energy poverty, indoor air quality, kerosene lamps, micro-consignment, reliable electricity, rwanda, solar cell phone chargers, solar devices, solar lanterns, Solar Power, solar sister, solar sister entrepreneur, south sudan, Uganda, women's rural networks

Amazing Technology Can Print a Solar Cell Every Two Seconds!

September 11, 2014, 2:13 pm

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Click here to view the embedded video.

A consortium from Australia’s CSIRO and Melbourne and Monash Universities just announced that its printable solar cells are on the verge of commercialization. The technology uses a specially developed ‘solar ink’ that can be printed onto plastic film using existing printers in a similar way to printing plastic bank notes. The team envisions its printed solar cells being used anywhere that plastic is currently used – so they could power anything from laptop bags and device covers to skyscrapers. And best of all, a printer can spit out a solar cell every two seconds!

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Post tags: cell phone cover, CSIRO, laptop cover, mobile phone cover, mobile solar, monash university, printable solar cells, printing solar cells on plastic, semiconducting ink, solar cladding, solar ink, Solar Power, university of melbourne

EnGo Public Charging Station is Powered by Kinetic Tiles and Solar Panels in Missouri

September 16, 2014, 8:40 am

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NYC-based tech startup Volta Group has just installed its first EnGo public charging station that powers mobile devices with a clean energy combo of kinetic tiles and solar panels. Students at Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri can now recharge up to 14 portable devices (10 cables, two USB ports and two wireless charging pads) from the sun and their footsteps as electricity is generated every time someone walks across the kinetic energy tiles. The stations also include free Wi-Fi and an emergency intercom.

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Post tags: EnGo public charging station, footsteps, kinetic tiles, mobile devices, renewable energy, solar panels, Volta Group, Webster University