Investments in Renewable Energy Topped Fossil Fuels Last Year
by: Eco Geek Latest, 2011-11-29 20:52:45 UTC
For the first time, investments in renewable energy projects surpassed those in fossil fuel power plants, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance. Last year, $187 billion was invested in renewable energy installations, while $157 billion was invested in new natural gas, oil and coal plants.
The increase in investments in the sector, even while in a down economy, has led to price drops in equipment and renewable energy power, making solar and wind power far more competitive with coal power.
Renewable energy subsidies deserve a lot of credit for the spending increase: about $66 billion in subsidies were handed out last year.
It's a great bit of news as another round of global talks on the climate crisis is likely heading nowhere as we speak.
via LA Times
ionna vautrin: forêt illuminée for super-ette
by: Designboom - Weblog, 2011-11-28 12:13:00 UTC
a lamp with birch wood base and light-diffusing tyvek® encasement is able to physically realize natural motifs in one minimalistic design.
read more
rianne koens: peelpride
by: Designboom - Weblog, 2011-11-28 10:45:00 UTC
a set of kitchen tools capture the aromatic taste of fruit peels and help integrate it into domestic culinary culture.
read more
tea diver by abelpartners at designboom shop
by: Designboom - Weblog, 2011-11-25 19:00:00 UTC
submerge yourself in life's simple pleasures with the tea diver! the strainer takes the form of a scuba diver, adding a playful touch to teatime.
read more
Creating Artificial Muscles More Powerful Than Anything In Nature
by: fast company, 2011-11-28 18:24:49 UTC
By observing the inner workings of an octopus's leg or an elephant's trunk, scientists have created muscles from carbon nanotubes that could one day power machines.
“Nature has been developing her technologies for many hundreds of millions of years," said Ray Baughman. “By looking at the way in which nature has solved problems like muscles, we can advance our own technologies.” Baughman is Director of the NanoTech Institute at the University of Texas at Dallas. His lab creates very tiny artificial muscles by spinning filaments of invisibly small carbon nanotubes into an extraordinary yarn. Pound per pound, this nano-yarn is stronger than steel, yet is so light it almost floats in air.
Carmakers ‘Strengthening Focus on Lightweighting’
by: Environmental Leader, 2011-11-28 15:26:55 UTC
Automakers have been increasing their focus on substituting lightweight materials for heavier ones, according to Royston Jones, president and global CTO of engineering and design consultancy Altair ProductDesign. Writing in Industry Week, Jones cites the example of the bumper beam on the BMW M3. Engineers replaced steel with a glass fiber-filled polymer for a 40 [...]
Car+Quad all-electric Rovero SUV concept would make off-roading sustainable
by: Ecofriend, 2011-11-28 12:21:53 UTC
Asmita Prasad:
If you like exploring but don’t want the guilt of having polluted the environment with your big-bottomed SUV, then you’re gonna absolutely love the Rovero concept from Italian designer Pier Paolo Lazzarini. The vehicle addresses the most pressing issues surrounding urban mobility today in the most direct way possible- it has ample seating for three people, it is completely sustainably driven, it is operable via electricity, and it is an all terrain vehicle which allows users to use it both in the cities and towns as well as on their off-road adventures.
ROVERO (CAR+QUAD) Concept
The Rovero is, more than anything else, a rough-use, all terrain vehicle with incredible sustainability credentials that make the concept the perfect vehicle for adventurous and outgoing drivers that need a single vehicle to suit both their regular city commute as well as weekend getaways which may wonder into unpaved paths. For now the only option weekend adventurers have when they need to go off-roading is a fuel-sipping SUV which can be modded into a slightly more Eco-friendly vehicle via the addition of a hybrid powertrain though having a gas-burning engine onboard ultimately slows the electric engine’s performance thanks to the extra weight it needs to pull even when the gas engine is not in use.
Picture Gallery
3 seats, all-terrain vehicle (ATV), handlebars steering control.
Though big brand auto manufacturers have been exploring and expanding the current lot of electrified engine options, a full-electric SUV is still not offered as a standard showroom model. The Rovero aims at being a fully functional off-roader will an all-electric powertrain that is powerful enough to handle he trials and tribulations of rougher conditions.
The three-seater comes fully-fitted to run in different ground conditions with the center of the rear wheels axis housing the electric engine and a single box housing the transmission and the differential which saves space and lets the components work directly with the engine. Inspired by the Moon Rover, the Rovero vehicle concept rides like an amphibious vehicle with a high body allowing the compact vehicle to ride over obstacles on the ground without harming the underbody and eliminating unnecessary bumps in the cabin for the driver and passengers.
The designer has not specified the boot and cabin space the vehicle will have, what kind of battery pack would power the vehicle and whether the electric engine will allow an extensive use of electronics inside the vehicle. Using an innovative handlebars steering control, the all-terrain vehicle truly is also a perfect new sustainable option that can serve well as a city car as well.
Source: Lazzarini Design
Transformed Plum Pits, Barley, Weeds, and More: 10 Innovative Products from Chilean Sustainable Design Contest
by: TreeHugger Design, 2011-11-28 14:44:04 UTC
The results are in for the annual Remade in Chile design contest.
Group launches effort to improve water stewardship (News)
by: Euractive, 2011-11-25 08:00:17 UTC
As the European Commission prepares to review its freshwater policies, an organisation working with industry and farm groups launched a water stewardship programme yesterday (24 November) aimed at boosting efficiency and protecting Europe’s river basins.
More »
South Africa’s First Electric Vehicle is a Real “Joule”
by: Inhabitat , 2011-11-27 06:44:57 UTC
We first heard about South Africa’s exciting first electric vehicle named the “Joule” last year, and are happy to bring you updated information and images. This 5 seater passenger vehicle may not be as advanced as Nissan’s Leaf or Honda’s new all-electric Fit, but it’s still impressive for a country that suffers from many economic and social setbacks. Developed by a private company called Optimal Energy (Pty) Ltd which was founded in 2005 and received government assistance, the Joule meets all UN-ECE standards and has an appropriate city range of 186 miles.
Read the rest of
South Africa’s First Electric Vehicle is a Real “Joule”
Permalink |
Add to
del.icio.us |
digg
Post tags: "clean energy", Cape Town, eco design, electric vehicles, green design, green transportation, joule, lithium ion, optimal energy, proudly south african, recyclable batteries, renewable energy projects, South Africa, sustainable design, UNECE
Comments by our Users
Be the first to write a comment for this item.