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Scottish architecture firm ZM Architecture has come up with a way to deliver more renewable energy to Glasgow: solar panel lily pads. Yep, they want to populate the River Clyde with a series of gigantic solar islands that'll soak up the rays all day long, sending electricity to the grid while also acting as an aesthetically-pleasing attraction. Initially an entry in the International Design Awards "Land and Sea" competition where it took first prize, the Glasgow city council is now considering testing out a small run of the solar lily pads in the river. [BBC via Inhabitat]
Glasgow Considering Installing Giant 'Solar Lily Pads' in the River Clyde
Scottish architecture firm ZM Architecture has come up with a way to deliver more renewable energy to Glasgow: solar panel lily pads. Yep, they want to populate the River Clyde with a series of gigantic solar islands that'll soak up the rays all day long, sending electricity to the grid while also acting as an aesthetically-pleasing attraction. Initially an entry in the International Design Awards "Land and Sea" competition where it took first prize, the Glasgow city council is now considering testing out a small run of the solar lily pads in the river. [BBC via Inhabitat]
solar
Sungevity Web App Makes Installing Solar Panels a Piece of Cake
Eco start-up company Sungevity is launching a new web application on Earth Day (three days away, people!) that will take the guess work out of solar panel installations. Enter your address on Sungevity's website and satellite-imaging software will zoom in on your home, calculate your roof's dimensions, select the right sized solar arrays and calculate how much money you'll save on energy costs. More »
4:30 PM on Sat Apr 19 2008
By Elaine Chow
15,229 views,
28 comments
green
When you're green, you're green: Tesla Motors chairman Elon Musk's other gig is SolarCity, a solar energy company that just announced it would lease panels to residents of San Jose with no money down. Typically going solar requires a $20K to $30K install, or at the very least, a $2,000 down payment, so a no-cash-upfront proposition is nice. But further reading suggests it may not be the homeowner's dream come true.
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Tesla Motors Founder to Lease No-Money-Down SolarCity Solar Panels
When you're green, you're green: Tesla Motors chairman Elon Musk's other gig is SolarCity, a solar energy company that just announced it would lease panels to residents of San Jose with no money down. Typically going solar requires a $20K to $30K install, or at the very least, a $2,000 down payment, so a no-cash-upfront proposition is nice. But further reading suggests it may not be the homeowner's dream come true.
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11:20 AM on Wed Apr 16 2008
By Wilson Rothman
7,498 views,
38 comments
Latest by ekornblum: I know a couple people around the SF bay area who've spec out home systems. In the $20-40K range, and would pay back in 20-25 years at today's rates. And knowing how much rates go up, it's probably more like more »
eco
GROW Shingles Shame Leaves and Solar Panels
While the future of solar technology seems to rest on nanotechnological innovation, these GROW panels by SMIT are fairly remarkable. Inspired by leaves, these tiny generators do one better than their biological counterparts, drawing power from the sun, but also capturing energy from the wind as they are jostled by the breeze. Developers currently showcasing the technology hope to sell modular kits through art/design resellers (as opposed to typical industrial outlets). Unfortunately, we're guessing that this more accessible purchase will have a major price trade off. [SMIT via inhabitat]
solar energy
Researchers at the Idaho National Laboratory have designed a lightweight, foldable solar panel design which they predict will function at 80% efficiency (the best solar panel prototypes operate at about 40%). The researchers' secret is the implementation of nanoantennas, which have the ability to absorb not only light, but heat from the sun as well.
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Foldable Solar Panels Could Be Up To 80% Efficient
Researchers at the Idaho National Laboratory have designed a lightweight, foldable solar panel design which they predict will function at 80% efficiency (the best solar panel prototypes operate at about 40%). The researchers' secret is the implementation of nanoantennas, which have the ability to absorb not only light, but heat from the sun as well.
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renewable energy
The city of San Francisco is working on a groundbreaking new solar energy initiative, working on adding a combo of loans and rebates that would make installing solar panels a cheaper and more attractive option for local residents. Under the proposed plan, businesses would be eligible for rebates of up to $10,000 while residents would be eligible for $3,000 to $5,000 discounts off the cost of installing panels.
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San Francisco Working on Ambitious Solar Plan, Rebates and Loans for Solar Installations
The city of San Francisco is working on a groundbreaking new solar energy initiative, working on adding a combo of loans and rebates that would make installing solar panels a cheaper and more attractive option for local residents. Under the proposed plan, businesses would be eligible for rebates of up to $10,000 while residents would be eligible for $3,000 to $5,000 discounts off the cost of installing panels.
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solient green
Solient Solar Concentrators Crank Out the Power Cheaper Than the Electro-Grid
Hey, there's going to be a half-price sale on solar energy this year, as soon as these way-cool solar panels from Solient Energy find their way onto your roof. In its first iteration that'll be available later this year, the devices work like a series of slats that track the sun. More »
solar shrine
Spanish Tower Draws Solar Energy from 600 Mirrors
It looks like something out of a sci-fi movie. Six hundred mirrors reflecting sunlight onto a massive 40-story tall tower out in the Andalusian countryside. Yet as eerie as it looks, this is Europe's first commercial solar power plant being operated by a company called Solucar. The structure generates 11 Megawatts of electricity—enough power for 6,000 homes. Here's how it works. More »
cellphones
Motorola Turns to the Sun to Power its Future Cellphones
Most of today's cellphones are pretty good when it comes to battery life, but Motorola is hoping it can make them better by fusing a phone's LCD with solar panels. The company has a new patent that speaks of a mobile phone with a screen that can both power the device and charge its internal battery. The concept itself isn't new, but we hope the folks at Motorola can turn this idea into a reality 'cause anything that can keep my smartphone juiced for a few extra hours is a welcome feature. More »
8:50 PM on Mon Apr 23 2007
By Louis Ramirez
3,030 views,
19 comments
Latest by iamxyj: I dunno about you guys but I keep my phone in my coat pocket when I'm not using it. The only time it's out is when I'm bored on the train and I'm doing some sudoku on it. Oh, and more »
cell phone
Power User - The Best of Lifehacker
This week at Lifehacker: Build yourself a solar-powered wifi booster for the backyard. Your mousing wrist feeling a little achy? Train yourself to mouse lefty (or righty, lefties.) PayPal your buddy your share of the dinner bill with your cell phone. Add encryption to Gmail and sync your Google calendar with your mobile phone or handheld.
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