Gizmodo: off the grid

Solar Light: Outside by Day, Inside by Night

Charlie White — Mon, 15 May 2006 13:27:44 EDT

Designer Damion O'Sullivan created a concept for a solar lamp with 36 solar cells, each connected to an LED bulb. Hang it outside during the day to collect its energy from the sun, and then bring it inside via its carrying handle for use at night. Or just leave it hanging on a tree for an interesting garden decoration. Perfect for those post-modern, off-the-grid digs.

Solar Lampion [Mocoloco]

Off the Grid: Treehouse Concept

Charlie White — Fri, 12 May 2006 09:26:48 EDT

British design firm Sybarite aims to develop a modular treehouse concept that the company says could encourage a more organic approach to country living. The plan is to pre-fabricate modules of the house, quickly assembling a dwelling with up to five bedrooms.

Situated just above the tree top level, the idea is based on a green concept, where lightweight recyclable materials are used in its construction, and underneath the house, there will be what the company calls "undulating kinetic baffles" that use wind power to generate electricity. Even though this house could be built in less than two weeks, if they can just get this thing built in our lifetimes, we can have that treehouse we always wanted as kids.

Concept Tree House [Sybarite, via BornRich]

Get Off the Grid: Air-X Personal Wind Turbine

Charlie White — Fri, 24 Mar 2006 11:31:57 EST

If you're longing to get yourself off the grid, the Air-X is a personal wind turbine that gives you 400 watts of power when the wind is blowing at 28mph. When it s not, you can use batteries, and Air-X helps out there, too, with its charge controller that s smart enough to figure out when batteries need charging and when enough is enough.

A common complaint with wind turbines is the whining noise they make, and the Air-X is modified to reduce that racket. Its carbon fiber composite blades slow down automatically if the wind is blowing too hard. The 46-inch turbine sells for $499.

Product page [via Treehugger]