This week at TreeHugger: We uncover the EcoSystem, a new PC designed around the Core Duo processor and energy efficient components that’s built to match the performance of their Pentium 4 counterparts while using 75% less energy. The light bulb goes off for solar-powered air conditioning — why didn’t we think of that years ago? After looking under rocks, back alleys and under the sea, we’ve narrowed down the top 10 emerging environmental technologies. And finally, we found researchers at German’s Fraunhofer Institute working on a solar-powered cell phone that’ll stay juiced up with just a couple hours of exposure to the sun’s warming rays.
From custom computer maker Jinglehorse comes this new PC called the EcoSystem. Designed around the Core Duo processor and energy efficient components, the EcoSystem PCs are built to match the performance of their Pentium 4 counterparts while using 75% less energy. The basic Jinglehorse EcoSystem configuration uses no more than 44 watts while idle and an average of 75 watts while under full load. The makers claim that it’s the most energy efficient PC available today. The EcoSystem PCs are also very quiet — lower power consumption means a cooler running temperature, so minimal fans are needed and are required to run less frequently.
Some concepts just make sense. Why it’s taken this long for solar-powered air conditioning to make it’s way to our desks, we’ll never know, but we’re sure glad the light bulb has gone off. According to the world’s largest manufacturer, Broad Air Conditioning in China, “To power our absorption cycles, BROAD absorption chillers use a wide range of energy sources: oil, gas, as well as solar power, steam, hot water and exhaust. As our chillers do not use electricity as an energy source, they have the potential to dramatically reduce investment in electricity infrastructure in both public and private sectors.” Cool…
TreeHugger sees a lot of different technologies that, in some way, proclaim to be part of the solution to creating a more modern, green world. From the mainstream out to the lunatic fringe, we’ve found a list of the top ten emerging environmental technologies. Some have been around for awhile and are already making a difference, and some are a bit more out there, still emerging from the fringes to make a serious run at displacing existing “dirty” technology. From making “paper” as we know it obsolete, to allowing plants and microbes to help clean up after us to harnessing waves and tides, the list is full of ideas for fostering green geekery.
Lastly, researchers at German’s Fraunhofer Institute are working on a solar-powered cell phone by using device-integrated, high-efficiency solar cells that offers a module efficiency rate of 20%. This allows the cell phone to remain continuously powered up as long as it receives sufficient sunlight; about 2 hours per day seems to do it. The researchers have demonstrated a working model of the phone; sadly, it doesn’t look like it will have a camera or any other gadgets that don’t help you make a phone call but are still fun to play with.
TreeHugger’s EcoModo column appears every Tuesday on Gizmodo.
