Ricoh erecting 47 x 126-foot solar and wind-powered billboard in Times Square

Ever walk through Times Square and wonder how much electricity all those flashy billboards are soaking up? No? Well, Ricoh has, and now they're doing something about it. Ricoh Company Ltd. of Tokyo is erecting a 47 x 126-foot billboard at Seventh Avenue and 42nd Street that will be completely powered by the sun and wind. Fueled by 45 solar panels and four wind turbines, the billboard won't even need a backup electric generator. On days that the sun and wind aren't enough to power it, it will simply go dark. In the end, the billboard is said to reduce carbon dioxide usage by 18 tons a year. The billboard will go live in December, or just in time for the sun to go dark.

[Ignatius @ Jul 3rd 2008 1:33PM]

At least they're ballsy enough to let it die when there's not enough energy to power it.

[YankeesRule @ Jul 3rd 2008 2:10PM]

In the article it says only the floodlights will go off, so it will still be on, just not very bright at night.. of course Times Square is always busiest at night and it would get the most views then.

[Flashpoint @ Jul 3rd 2008 2:37PM]

Its astonishing how much energy we WASTE in the name of fashion and trendiness.

I don't think we'd be having such a huge problem with CO2 emmissions if we weren't simultaneously supporting mass deforestation.

[EricR @ Jul 3rd 2008 3:17PM]

@Flashpoint

When you say we who are you including?

If you are talking about Americans -- most American paper products are produced by companies who cut from well controlled forests.

If you mean the globe -- it really is hard to push China (where a good chunk of the world's deforestation happens) or South American countries into anything.

When it really comes down to it "putting our money where our mouth is" is the best message a company or country can send.

[Joe Stef @ Nov 15th 2008 10:23PM]

To be totally eco-friendly it would have to include fighting light pollution by pointing the lights down. We are losing our night sky and must fight light pollution now so that future generations can see the stars. http://www.darksky.org

[xcrunk @ Jul 3rd 2008 1:37PM]

I will be erecting a beer this evening.

[TomTom2007 @ Jul 3rd 2008 2:26PM]

makes me giggle everytime when someone uses the word "erect"... doesn't matter in what context...

hehe...erect... hahhaaa..

[Reader @ Jul 3rd 2008 3:02PM]

At least you're easy to entertain, ought to make life more enjoyable.

[Decoy @ Jul 3rd 2008 3:38PM]

Ricoh's massive erection doesn't leave a bad taste in my mouth.

[Ghen @ Jul 3rd 2008 4:19PM]

Its a green erection

[ojx @ Jul 3rd 2008 1:40PM]

hmmm maybe walgreen should follow their footstep.

[Nastro @ Jul 3rd 2008 1:44PM]

Gimmicks....even on the crossroads of the world, is still a gimmick.

[J @ Jul 3rd 2008 1:59PM]

So what you're saying is it will fit in perfectly in Times Square.

[kjb434 @ Jul 3rd 2008 2:04PM]

Yeah,

I bet $1000 that this billboard is still hook up to the power grid so when when New York City has a couple of cloudy winter days it'll stay on.

[Ghen @ Jul 3rd 2008 4:20PM]

I'll take that bet because I read TFA numbnuts.

[phanbouy @ Jul 3rd 2008 7:42PM]

yes, we get it, alternative energy makes baby jesus cry. wah wah wah, nastro.

[sinjinn @ Jul 3rd 2008 1:55PM]

the sun never goes dark

[KilgoreTrout @ Jul 3rd 2008 2:21PM]

Don' tell that to my friends in Lapland .
Your latitude is not the only one , you know? And not necessarily the best either

[Reader @ Jul 3rd 2008 3:04PM]

Well technically sinjinn is right, the sun cannot go dark unless it dies. Your latitude might not get any of it though.

[Jason @ Jul 3rd 2008 3:06PM]

@KilgoreTrout: latitude-shmatitude, the SUN never goes dark. Now, you might not be able to see it, but that doesn't mean it's not still burning brightly out there. If it did actually go dark, we'd all be in a heap of trouble.

[Rob @ Jul 3rd 2008 2:00PM]

About bloody time. Vegas should look into it as well.

[Shunnabunich @ Jul 3rd 2008 2:01PM]

In no way does it "reduce carbon dioxide usage by 18 tons a year". All it's doing is *not adding* 18 tons a year on top of all the other regular billboards that are staying up.

[hugoliva @ Jul 3rd 2008 2:10PM]

Exactly!!!! Is not like it was already there and they're changing the way they power it

[TheGasMan @ Jul 3rd 2008 2:33PM]

Not to mention how much carbon dioxide it's going to take just to construct it. It's a wonder more people don't see through the lies of "green" marketing.

[Kevlar @ Jul 3rd 2008 2:41PM]

What you really should focus on is the energy usage and hard chemicals used to manufacture it, and the emissions used when shipping and assembling it, and you're not much better than those other billboards that DO draw from the grid.

[jason @ Jul 3rd 2008 2:45PM]

@TheGasMan

i do not know if you are being sarcastic, but when has ANYTHING ever been carbon free construction? Every single thing that you will ever build will have a carbon impact.


sure it is one small step. however, nothing has ever spread so fast over the world that it has a giant impact over night. this is to set an example. i have seen more and more wind based operations, and it is a good thing.

just like anything, it will be an accelerating curve of green things. right now we are below the heel of the curve. however, soon (within the next 10 years) it will skyrocket.

being a pessimist and saying "uh, that wont work. that still makes carbon. boo hoo. i want something that is carbon free now." doesnt do any good. you are not benefiting anyone and are a detriment to society.

so unless you have a miraculous energy saving/producing device, stop being so hard on companies that are trying to go green. it will take a long time, however you only delay it when you ridicule companies that are trying to do it.

[Towncivilian @ Jul 3rd 2008 2:05PM]

So, they made this billboard only to say that's it's "lit by 100% eco power"?

[Danakin @ Jul 3rd 2008 2:08PM]

...it's decent advertising for the company

[tekdroid @ Jul 3rd 2008 2:06PM]

So when there's not enough wind or solar the floodlights won't go on, but the sign will still be seen.

I see. Sort of.
Isn't the sign illuminated itself? Or just the floodlights provide illumination? If the sign is illuminated, why the floodlights? I'm probably missing something here.

[Matt Already Said That @ Jul 3rd 2008 2:09PM]

I can't imagine a better way to sell cameras than an hideous, ultra massive, ridiculously expensive billboard that is seen primarily by tourists with perfectly fine cameras ALREADY in their hands.

[abib @ Jul 3rd 2008 2:21PM]

Ricoh mostly make photocopiers and such.

[Ghen @ Jul 3rd 2008 4:21PM]

pretty decent ones too.

[fashionista @ Jul 3rd 2008 4:44PM]

Having an ad in Times Square is marketing in an of itself. It's for prestige, like the Prada stores that lose boatloads of money but shore up the brand.

[bob sakamano @ Jul 3rd 2008 2:47PM]

crazy

we walked through there yesterday and were thinkin the same thing!

[jon @ Jul 3rd 2008 3:00PM]

I have to say it is great that they are trying....at least for the media. I have had several ricoh copy machines throughout the years and most of the consumables that the machines use could easily be refilled, but instead they just throw them away. The sign looks good for they're image but I wished they actually believed in going green.

[Ricoh Employee @ Jul 3rd 2008 4:05PM]

As a devotedly ANTI-GLOBAL WARMING person, a person who hates the effort needed to recycle, and a Ricoh employee I have to say that they do more than just give lip service to the "green" movement. We are ISO 14001 certified (gotta take a test every year to show I know all about our recycle policies), and I have to separate my trash into 3 different trash cans every day. I also get to walk down dim hallways since every other ceiling light is off, and the 3rd neon bulb in the on lights is off. In short, while this sign most likely isn't really doing anything, they do make an effort to be "green"

[kal326 @ Jul 3rd 2008 3:01PM]

Call me when Ricoh can make 100% eco powered copiers, they have something to put a billboard up about. Until then its just a gimick to hop on the "green" train.

[jason @ Jul 3rd 2008 3:11PM]

call me when YOU do something about the environment instead of complaining that other companies are doing nothing.

instead of complaining at a company that is doing something green, why not complain to companies that are blatently doing nothing.

this can only BENEFIT people.

another company sees all the positive publicity Ricoh gets, and they do something green. then another company, and another until it is expected of them.

[kal326 @ Jul 3rd 2008 3:23PM]

@Jason

The positive publicity of one billboard? Its not like they cut the power usage of their production facilities by 30%. This is all a big hey look at us, we're green, wink, wink, nudge, nudge, publicity ploy. All they are going to encourage is the next company to come up with an ever further out there idea to steal the green spot light for 15 seconds. You know how they could have made a bigger impact, buy the space and leave it vacant. Make a press release about how they are cutting back the global impact that marketing makes.

As for my own green policy, I car pool, but that really has more to do with green in my pocket, more than green policy. Which is exactly what it means to these companies. Companies are in the business of making money, the only reason they would take a green approach is because they figure they can cash in on the green train. Its the same thing business has been doing since the beginning of time, say one thing and do another.

[jason @ Jul 3rd 2008 3:45PM]

if you look at Ricoh, they have a long list of forest conservation, recycling initiative, and other programs

you dont care that they worked hard to make all their plants zero wastes, that their offices are set up to be very energy efficient, that they work to make their products more energy efficient, or that they spend to make environmental education far reaching. This is just another stepping stone in their history of going green. the only thing you cared about was being a bad-ass and wrongly ridiculing a company.

you decided to judge the company quickly on one article.

[jason @ Jul 3rd 2008 3:58PM]

it seems as if my comment was deleted,

but ricoh as the post below me points out dedicates many efforts to forest conservation, green buildings, zero waste manufacturing and a lot more.

[Rudemiestre @ Jul 3rd 2008 3:43PM]

Guys, Ricoh is one of the greenest companies around. This project is just an extension of their green credo. You don't know about this since most of what they do is internal within their many divisions. BTW, I work for Ricoh.

[Mr. Pips @ Jul 3rd 2008 9:48PM]

I wonder if they sell advertising on the screen that if (and when) it runs out of power they will be reembursing their advertisers.

This thing is a such a gimmick. When will all this "eco-friendly" crap pass?

[Nate DiDonato @ Jul 3rd 2008 5:09PM]

When I saw this photo I swore it was Shibuya, Tokyo...

[Mitch @ Jul 3rd 2008 7:30PM]

THere is a sign that looks identical in Ginza

[z0phi3l @ Jul 3rd 2008 5:33PM]

Too bad it'll be off for all of Winter, most of Spring and Fall, so it will only be seen in the Summer on Hot days :)

[aestheticstorm @ Jul 3rd 2008 5:50PM]

With a yellow taxi?

[IT-Accountant @ Jul 3rd 2008 8:18PM]

hey! I work in that building!

[忆忆 @ Jul 3rd 2008 8:31PM]

That's super huge.

--------------------------------------------------------
忆忆： http://yiyi519.blog.sohu.com/

[andres @ Sep 6th 2008 1:56AM]

thats what she said