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more about #alternativeenergy License_to_iLL: I've been a reader of giz for a while now but this motivated me to sign up. I think it's great that even though this isn't the most advanced technolog... more » Soldier_CLE says DON'T STOP AT THE STAR! REVOKE THE WHOLE DAMN THING, OWEN!!!: I too, can get behind such an awesome idea of self-contained illumination for the reasons stated in this article, as well as the seemingly infinite co... more » Joseph Lau: I have my reservations on technologies that can change lives in developing worlds. At the developing countries poor state in terms of just basic infra... more » Panzer23: Nice post, if only there were more innovative people working on these types of things instead of military strength, then we might be getting somewher... more » tamoko: Great post Rosa... this is the kind, like solar charging cell phones, and micro loans, that will really help make a difference in people's lives. #pri... more » ekap: They could start putting these on road signs, granted they're bright enough in mass, and save a lot with the lighting of them. #printedsolarled more » ACoBildo: What ever happened to hydroelectric, geothermal, and in most respects, nuclear energy. I think it's hilarious that highly inefficient solar and wind p... more » Bigbadbikernerd: I definitely think we should look into developing Dilithium Crystal technology. Then we could get rid of Big Oil forever! more » dimoko: Actually this is a good thing. Photovoltaic cells are not an efficient way to harness the sun. Solar Thermal plants that use concentrated sunlight t... more » jibbly: I find it funny and depressing that solar is called alternative energy. more » jonhapimp: global warming wasn't man made anyways... more » dearjune: I've always assumed that Al Gore was the final boss of global warming. more » Lite: hates Illinois Nazis: The final boss of global warming is burning religious zealots at the stake to generate heat and electricity for the masses. more » .357: So, we will be creating clean energy to stop global warming from one of the gases that causes global warming. Can someone say irony? more » 92BuickLeSabre: Well according to 60 Minutes we're this close to cold fusion, so... more » Kaiser-Machead: Actually, the actual final "boss" greenhouse gas is water vapor, not CO2. Still an interesting development, and hopefully this doesn't end up in theor... more » the_Sleepwalker: The Citizen Eco-Drives use ANY kind of light and can run in pitch black for at least 6 months! [www.citizenwatch.com] more » Rick Lobrecht: My wife has a solar powered watch (a Citizen, I think) which is at least 10 years old. It needs to be charged every few days, which means it has to l... more » Jeremy82465: I still cling to my cold, heartless, steel time telling wrist machine while most of my friends do indeed check time with their phones. more » GitEmSteveDave_ My Brute Dojo Code CDIAFIFE: My Casio G-shock does almost as well and also checks itself against the atomic clock in Boulder 4x daily. more » -
#solarpower
Cheap, Printed Solar-Powered LEDs Could Change 1.5 Billion Lives
Photovoltaic cells printed on sheets aren't news, nor are LEDs and ultrathin lithium batteries. What's news is a combination of the three which can help give light to 1.5 billion people who live in impoverished areas without access to electricity. More » -
#ifeelgassy
Chevy Volt To Get 230 MPG City Fuel Economy Rating
Sources tell us GM CEO Fritz Henderson will announce today the Chevy Volt extended-range electric vehicle will receive a city fuel economy rating of 230 MPG from the EPA when it hits showroom floors later next year. Holy game-changer, Batman! More » -
#ifeelgassy
Tesla Gets Full $465 Million In Federal Loans
The Department of Energy just announced electric automaker Tesla will get the full $465 million in Federal loans it asked for. Ford will receive $5.9 billion and Nissan will get $1.6 billion. America will get three I.O.U.'s. [AP] -
#greenthenewblack
It's Looking Pretty Gloomy for Alternative Energy Right Now
As the WSJ reports on "darker times" for the solar-power industry, the NYT reports venture capitalists are shifting their dollars from bright-eyed alternative energy startups to ones focused on good ol' efficiency. We're doomed. [NYT] -
#green
Apparently We Can Turn Carbon Dioxide Into Eco-Friendly Biofuels Now
Singaporean researchers at the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology have devised a way to convert carbon dioxide into clean-burning biofuel methanol, using a safe, non-toxic process. Has mankind defeated the final boss of Global Warming? More » -
#solarwatches
Freestyle Solar-Powered Watch Draws 12 Months of Energy From One Sunny Charge
Most of us now check the time using cellphones, but there's still a stalwart few that insist on wearing watches. With the Freestyle solar watch, they can cling to old technology while being eco-friendly. More » -
#hamsterpower
How Many Hamsters Does It Take To Power a Device?
The answer is four, say scientists at Georgia Tech. If you are high now or plan to be soon, watch this video a few times. You can thank me later. [Full Story: Technology Review] -
#green
80 Buses in Oslo Will Be Powered by Raw Sewage
This might be the most disgusting use of green technology I've ever seen, but yes, Norweigan fecal matter will keep their Buses up and running. More » -
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#windpower
U.S. Flew to the Top in Wind Power Production Last Year
The U.S. surpassed Germany as the biggest producer of wind power in 2008, I guess proving that its alternative energy efforts haven't just been a load of hot air. More » -
#prtsystem
Driverless, Electricity-Run Taxis Will Dominate UAE Eco-City
The United Arab Emirates is planning a bunch of “personal rapid transit” devices: driverless taxis that run on electricity and could hit the streets of Masdar as early as this year. More » -
#themedievalfuture
Candle-Powered LEDs Are Both the Future and the Past
A company called Nextreme Thermal Solutions recently demoed this LED—which shines brighter than the candle whose heat powers it—as first step in what I assume is a move toward bonfire-charged laser weapons. [Tech-On] -
#sony
Sony Hana Akari Lamps Are Actually Un-Ugly Solar Chargers
Sony's Hana-Akari lamp prototype uses dye-sensitized solar cells to turn light into energy. Not only does it cost less than traditional cells, it can also be made pretty—great for those against solar because they're ugly. More » -
#japan
Pedestrian Power Will Generate Holiday Lights at Shibuya Station, Tokyo
Tokyo's Shibuya train has a special installation for Christmas that uses its pedestrians' footsteps to generate electricit. A mat using piezoelectric gadgetry runs a LED display board and a small holiday lights display. More » -
#solartaxi
17-Month Trip In Solar Taxi Ends At UN Climate Change Talks in Poland
After 17 grueling months, Swiss adventurer Louis Palmer's around-the-world trip in a solar-powered car is finally over. Altogether, he traveled 32,000 miles and across 40 countries. More » -
#alternativeenergy
World's First Tidal Turbine Farms to Power 40,000 Scottish Homes (or Pubs)
Following the apparent success of SeaGen, a small deployment of tidal turbines of the coast of Northern Ireland, Scottish Power is seeking approval for plans to build two farms of 20 100-foot, err, watermills promising a steady power supply for up to 40,000 homes. As with the previous example of tidal power generation, the most obvious problems have been pretty much addressed: fish, seals, and cryptozoological specimens (probably) won't be harmed by the slow-spinning blades, and shipping routes won't be affected on account of the depth of the deployment. Scottish Power claims that the project should be completed in about three years. Click the above image for a explanatory video. [BBC via CleanTechnica] -
#dreamcar
Update: Dream Car 123 Trades Dignity for Energy Efficiency
Last we left the Dream Car 123, the pyramid-shaped electric car that always gets picked last in kickball games, it was (in the words of Addy) "pootling" along the snowy streets of Illinois at about 45 mph, with a 80-mile range. Today we can report that, while the thing still looks like all sorts of ridiculousness, it's upped the range considerably, has bulletproof glass protecting the driver's compartment—and cut costs to boot! More »
