Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Study says wind turbines raise surrounding area temperature, but only at night]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/30/study-wind-turbines-raise-area-temperature-/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/30/study-wind-turbines-raise-area-temperature-/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/30/study-wind-turbines-raise-area-temperature-/#comments Study says wind turbines raise surrounding area temperature, but only at night

Who said the butterfly effect couldn't apply to renewable energy? Though wind farms are considered pretty green on the energy-generating spectrum, it looks like they, too, have an impact on the planet. According to a study published today in the journal Nature Climate Change, turbines can raise the local temperature -- albeit slightly. From 2003 to 2011, researchers monitored satellite data for west-central Texas, which is home to 2,350-plus turbines and four of the world's largest wind farms. In that decade, scientists observed a temperature increase of 0.72 degrees in wind farm regions compared to areas without turbines. That warming trend was especially marked at night, when the temperature difference between the ground and the air is highest. The temperature increase was also higher in winter; researchers say that these cooler, windier conditions cause turbines to generate more electricity and therefore create more heat. Since the study didn't find any change in daytime temperatures, it looks like we don't have to ring the global warming alarm just yet.

Study says wind turbines raise surrounding area temperature, but only at night originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alternative energyAlternativeEnergyclimate changeClimateChangeEnergyenergy efficientEnergyEfficientglobal warmingGlobalWarminggreengreen energyGreenEnergynaturerenewable energyRenewableEnergyresearchresearcherssciencestudiesstudytemperaturetemperaturesturbineturbineswind farmwind farmingwind farmswind turbinewind turbinesWindFarmWindFarmingWindFarmsWindTurbineWindTurbinesMon, 30 Apr 2012 14:47:00 EST<![CDATA[Helium-filled floating wind turbine, renewable energy with style]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/22/helium-filled-floating-wind-turbine-renewable-energy-with-style/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/22/helium-filled-floating-wind-turbine-renewable-energy-with-style/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/22/helium-filled-floating-wind-turbine-renewable-energy-with-style/#comments Helium-filled floating wind turbine, renewable energy with style

There's no doubting that the cause of renewable energy is a noble one. But, ethics aside, it also gives birth to the occasional technical marvel. Altaeros Energies, a company from Massachusetts (with MIT and Harvard blood in its veins) has created one such curiosity. The prototype is a wind-turbine that doesn't just languish on a hill-top, cutting a line in the horizon. No, this one has a helium-filled outer-section which allows it to deploy itself to 1,000 feet, where it can benefit from stronger, more consistent winds and gives nearly twice the power yields of its land bound brethren. That's all very nice, but we just thought it looked dang cool in action.

Helium-filled floating wind turbine, renewable energy with style originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 Apr 2012 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>altaeros energiesAltaerosEnergieseco-friendlyfloating turbineFloatingTurbinegreenprototyperenewable energyRenewableEnergyturbinewindwind turbinewindmillWindTurbineSun, 22 Apr 2012 13:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Inhabitat's Week in Green: flexible OLEDs, wind-energy skyscrapers and 3D-printing spider robots]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/06/inhabitats-week-in-green-flexible-oleds-wind-energy-skyscrape/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/06/inhabitats-week-in-green-flexible-oleds-wind-energy-skyscrape/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/06/inhabitats-week-in-green-flexible-oleds-wind-energy-skyscrape/#comments Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.

Exciting energy projects lit up the newswires this week as Inhabitat reported that Desertec will begin building the world's largest solar project in the Sahara Desert next year. We also saw a West Virginia wind farm use batteries to improve its performance, and we showcased the brand new Eco Whisper wind turbine, which is quieter and more efficient than three-bladed models. Meanwhile, Apple announced plans to build a major solar-powered iCloud data center in North Carolina, architects unveiled plans for a towering wind-energy generating skyscraper in Taiwan, and we shared ten tips for cutting down your electricity bill this winter.

In other news, green transportation took off for the skies as the world's first manned electric multicopter launched its first flight. We also brought you six sexy electric cars that will be hitting the streets in 2012, plus one awesome compact camper that is a miniature house on wheels. Across the pond, Foster + Partners unveiled a massive Thames Hub plan to update Britain's energy and transportation infrastructure, and IKEA just announced plans to build a massive 26-acre suburb in East London.

Researchers also brought to light several stunning new forms of energy-efficient illumination as they unveiled the world's most efficient flexible OLED, Samsung announced plans to launch a bendable OLED cell phone in 2012, and we showcased a luminous netted vest for nighttime cyclists. We also spotted several fresh life-saving gadgets -- a spindly 3D printed spider robot that can analyze hazardous sites, and a series of designer gas masks that question our psychological reliance on luxury labels. Finally, you won't want to miss the awesome tot-sized Dalek costume that is currently tearing up our Green Halloween Costume Contest for kids, and this rock-solid carbonite Han Solo costume from our Halloween contest for adults.

Inhabitat's Week in Green: flexible OLEDs, wind-energy skyscrapers and 3D-printing spider robots originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 06 Nov 2011 20:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>campereco whisperEcoWhispergreenhan soloHanSoloinhabitatinhabitats week in greenInhabitatsWeekInGreenlondonnorth carolinaNorthCarolinaoledSkyscrapersolarsolar powersolar poweredSolarPowerSolarPoweredvestwest virginiaWestVirginiawind turbineWindTurbineSun, 06 Nov 2011 20:26:00 EST<![CDATA[Dean Kamen files patent application for an inflatable, illuminated wind turbine]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/17/dean-kamen-files-patent-application-for-an-inflatable-illuminat/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/17/dean-kamen-files-patent-application-for-an-inflatable-illuminat/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/17/dean-kamen-files-patent-application-for-an-inflatable-illuminat/#comments
Inflatable wind turbines may not be an entirely new idea, but prolific inventor Dean Kamen has detailed one of a slightly different sort in a recently published patent application. In addition to generating energy for general use, the turbine would also be able to power a set of LEDs adorning the turbine itself, which could be used to display advertising or other information using a persistence of vision effect. The application even suggests that multiple turbines could be linked together and synchronized to form one large billboard. Of course, it is still just that, a patent application -- but it is assigned to Kamen's DEKA company, so it may not be quite as far off from reality as some other applications.

Dean Kamen files patent application for an inflatable, illuminated wind turbine originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 17 Sep 2011 18:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advertisingbillboarddean kamenDeanKamendekaenergyinflatableinflatable turbineinflatable wind turbineInflatableTurbineInflatableWindTurbinekamenpatentpatent applicationPatentApplicationpowerturbinewind turbineWindTurbineSat, 17 Sep 2011 18:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Sanya Skypump charges your EV, illuminates parking lots using wind and rays (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/24/sanya-skypump-charges-your-ev-illuminates-parking-lots-using-wi/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/24/sanya-skypump-charges-your-ev-illuminates-parking-lots-using-wi/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/24/sanya-skypump-charges-your-ev-illuminates-parking-lots-using-wi/#comments So you're the first person in town to adopt an electric vehicle (EV), even clearing room for that 240v charging station in the garage. But what do you when you venture far from home, edging past the 200 mile mark on your Tesla Roadster? Well, if the Sanya Skypump ever sees the light of day (from its 150-watt solar panel), the hybrid solar / wind turbine-powered charging station will be making its way to parking lots around the world, pairing with a GE WattStation to juice up your EV as you shop at the mall, or browse a certain tech site from the office. The WattStation can theoretically recharge your EV in four to eight hours, though we're not sure how those figures translate with this particular setup. The Skypump system is based on Sanya's Streetlamp, which you can see in all its twirling glory in the B.o.B. music video remix just past the break.

Continue reading Sanya Skypump charges your EV, illuminates parking lots using wind and rays (video)

Sanya Skypump charges your EV, illuminates parking lots using wind and rays (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 24 Jul 2011 19:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chargerchargingcharging infrastructurecharging stationChargingInfrastruChargingInfrastructureChargingStationelectric vehicleElectricVehicleEVGEGeneral ElectricGeneralElectrichybridinfrastructuresanesane streetlampSaneStreetlampsanya skypumpSanyaSkypumpskypumpsolarsolar powerSolarPowersunturbinevideoWattStationWattStation chargerWattstationChargerwindwind powerwind turbineWindPowerWindTurbineSun, 24 Jul 2011 19:24:00 EST<![CDATA[Vestas unveils massive 7-megawatt offshore wind turbine (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/31/vestas-unveils-massive-7-megawatt-offshore-wind-turbine/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/31/vestas-unveils-massive-7-megawatt-offshore-wind-turbine/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/31/vestas-unveils-massive-7-megawatt-offshore-wind-turbine/#comments
Building and putting any sort of offshore wind turbine into place is a fairly impressive bit of engineering, but Denmark's Vestas is truly going the extra mile with its new V164-7.0 MW turbine. Not only does it promise to provide seven megawatts of power but, as you can see above, each of the blades is longer than nine double-decker buses, which gives the turbine itself a larger total diameter than the London Eye. Of course, the company also hopes that there will eventually be not just a few of these, but massive farms of the turbines at sea (the North Sea, specifically), although that won't exactly happen overnight -- Vestas only expects to have the first prototypes ready by the end of 2012, with full production expected to begin in the first quarter of 2015. Head on past the break for a video -- don't worry, nothing like this happens.

[Thanks, Alex]

Continue reading Vestas unveils massive 7-megawatt offshore wind turbine (video)

Vestas unveils massive 7-megawatt offshore wind turbine (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>offshore wind farmoffshore wind turbineOffshoreWindFarmOffshoreWindTurbineturbinevestasvideowindwind farmwind powerwind turbineWindFarmWindPowerWindTurbineThu, 31 Mar 2011 12:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Solar Wind bridge concept could power 15,000 homes, grow vegetables]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/07/solar-wind-bridge-concept-could-power-15-000-homes-grow-vegetab/http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/07/solar-wind-bridge-concept-could-power-15-000-homes-grow-vegetab/http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/07/solar-wind-bridge-concept-could-power-15-000-homes-grow-vegetab/#comments
Why just use solar power or wind power when you can use both? Designed by Francesco Colarossi, Giovanna Saracino and Luisa Saracino as part of an Italian design contest to re-imagine a decommissioned bridge (for which it placed second), this so-called Solar Wind concept would have solar cells embedded in the roadway (an idea that's already catching on) and an array of 26 wind turbines underneath, which the designers say could produce enough energy combined to power 15,000 homes. To make the design greener still, the designers have even included a "green promenade" that would run alongside the road, which they suggest could be used to grow fruits and vegetables that'd then be sold to folks driving by. Incidentally, while it's less focused on technology, the design that placed first in the contest (a so-called "vertical village") is pretty impressive in its own right -- check it out after the break.

Continue reading Solar Wind bridge concept could power 15,000 homes, grow vegetables

Solar Wind bridge concept could power 15,000 homes, grow vegetables originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 01:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bridgeconceptdesignsolarsolar cellssolar powerSolarCellsSolarPowerwindwind powerwind turbinewind turbinesWindPowerWindTurbineWindTurbinesMon, 07 Feb 2011 01:48:00 EST<![CDATA[Inhabitat's Week in Green: nuclear power, body heat electronics, and Greener Gadgets]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/21/inhabitats-week-in-green-nuclear-power-body-heat-electronics/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/21/inhabitats-week-in-green-nuclear-power-body-heat-electronics/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/21/inhabitats-week-in-green-nuclear-power-body-heat-electronics/#commentsThe Week in Green is a new item from our friends at Inhabitat, recapping the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us.
The past week saw several big developments in the energy industry as President Obama announced $8 Billion in loan guarantees for the construction of the first new nuclear plants in 30 years. Nuclear energy is basically emission free, which is a good thing - but what about all of that radioactive waste? Enter GE Hitachi, who announced a system capable of transforming nuclear waste into fuel. Meanwhile our friends in Norway are charging ahead with plans to build the world's largest wind turbine, and we're feeling a bit jealous of those forward-thinking Scandinavians.

We also saw signs of the inevitable cyborg uprising as researchers unveiled energy generating gadgets that may one day be implanted within our bodies. MIT is working on a range of heat harvesting electronics that could power biomedical devices such as heart rate and blood sugar monitors. Meanwhile, the University of Michigan has developed an energy recycling prosthetic foot that makes walking easier for amputees. Even the planet is getting wired, as HP gets set to roll out its Central Nervous System for the Earth -- an array of billions of sensors that are paving the way for smarter cities, healthier humans, and the "Internet of Things".

Finally we took a look at two more entries from the Greener Gadgets Design Competition that will be taking the stage next Thursday for live judging: an energy generating glider lounge for public spaces and bass-kicking subwoofer made from recycled car tires.

Inhabitat's Week in Green: nuclear power, body heat electronics, and Greener Gadgets originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 21 Feb 2010 18:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>body heatBodyHeatcentral nervous system for the earthCentralNervousSystemForTheEarthge hitachiGeHitachiglider loungeGliderLoungegreenheat harvestingHeatHarvestingHeatherPooleinhabitatnuclear powerNuclearPowerprosthetic footProstheticFootsubwooferweek in greenWeekInGreenwindwind turbineWindTurbineSun, 21 Feb 2010 18:23:00 EST<![CDATA[Ontario and Samsung seal $6.7 billion renewable energy deal]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/22/ontario-and-samsung-seal-6-7-billion-renewable-energy-deal/http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/22/ontario-and-samsung-seal-6-7-billion-renewable-energy-deal/http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/22/ontario-and-samsung-seal-6-7-billion-renewable-energy-deal/#comments Need to know how much it would cost you and your town to generate 2,500 megawatts of pure green energy? Your wind and solar farm infrastructure costs will come to 7 billion CAD (just under 6.7 billion in US currency), which includes a 437 million CAD "sweetener" to get Samsung on board. Plenty of curmudgeons have emerged from the woodwork to trash the deal as costing above market prices, but this appears to be the largest venture of its kind, so we're not entirely sure "market prices" exist yet. For its part, Samsung will create 16,000 jobs in the area, 4,000 of them permanent, as it builds toward the stated goal of providing enough energy to fully power 4 percent of Ontario's population.

[Thanks, Dan]

Ontario and Samsung seal $6.7 billion renewable energy deal originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Jan 2010 02:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>canadaenergyenvironmentgreengreen economygreen energyGreenEconomyGreenEnergyontariorenewable energyrenewable fuelsRenewableEnergyRenewableFuelssamsungsolar energysolar farmSolarEnergySolarFarmwind energywind farmwind turbinewind turbinesWindEnergyWindFarmWindTurbineWindTurbinesFri, 22 Jan 2010 02:21:00 EST<![CDATA[Helix Wind launching wind-powered cellphone tower trials in US and Africa]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/01/helix-wind-launching-wind-powered-cellphone-tower-trials-in-us-a/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/01/helix-wind-launching-wind-powered-cellphone-tower-trials-in-us-a/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/01/helix-wind-launching-wind-powered-cellphone-tower-trials-in-us-a/#comments Helix Wind, a company that produces some very distinctive-looking wind turbines, is getting ready to start new trials in the US and Africa. These trials will involve testing the vertical wind turbines as a source of power for cellphone towers in areas where they may be off the grid, and carry much higher operating costs. The turbines should produce enough energy to power the cellphone towers, and pay for themselves within about six months. The trials are set to start at the end of the month with local Nigerian provider Eltek NSG as a main participant.

[Via Inhabitat]

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Helix Wind launching wind-powered cellphone tower trials in US and Africa originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cellphone towercellphone towerscellphonesCellphoneTowerCellphoneTowersecoeco friendlyEcoFriendlyenergygreenhelix windHelixWindmobilewindwind powerwind turbinewind turbinesWindPowerWindTurbineWindTurbinesThu, 01 Oct 2009 12:52:00 EST<![CDATA[Helix Wind launching wind-powered cellphone tower trials in US and Africa]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/01/helix-wind-launching-wind-powered-cellphone-tower-trials-in-us-a/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/01/helix-wind-launching-wind-powered-cellphone-tower-trials-in-us-a/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/01/helix-wind-launching-wind-powered-cellphone-tower-trials-in-us-a/#comments Helix Wind, a company that produces some very distinctive-looking wind turbines, is getting ready to start new trials in the US and Africa. These trials will involve testing the vertical wind turbines as a source of power for cellphone towers in areas where they may be off the grid, and carry much higher operating costs. The turbines should produce enough energy to power the cellphone towers, and pay for themselves within about six months. The trials are set to start at the end of the month with local Nigerian provider Eltek NSG as a main participant.

[Via Inhabitat]

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Helix Wind launching wind-powered cellphone tower trials in US and Africa originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cellphone towercellphone towerscellphonesCellphoneTowerCellphoneTowersecoeco friendlyEcoFriendlyenergygreenhelix windHelixWindwindwind powerwind turbinewind turbinesWindPowerWindTurbineWindTurbinesThu, 01 Oct 2009 12:52:00 EST<![CDATA[Windspire vertical turbine on sale now, aiming to capture the consumer wind power market]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/01/windspire-vertical-turbine-on-sale-now-aiming-to-capture-the-co/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/01/windspire-vertical-turbine-on-sale-now-aiming-to-capture-the-co/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/01/windspire-vertical-turbine-on-sale-now-aiming-to-capture-the-co/#commentsWindspire vertical turbine on sale now, aiming to capture the consumer wind power market
We've covered plenty of wind turbines over the years, but most tend to be awfully conceptual or rather unsuited to consumer applications. Being eco-geeks at heart we're happy to report on a new one that is both consumer-friendly and in production now. Mariah Power's Windspire is a 9 meter tall vertical turbine intended for residential or commercial installation, capable of providing about a quarter of the power an "average" household needs (2000 kWh annually). It's "bird-friendly" thanks to a relatively slow maximum blade speed (2.5 times that of the wind) and even includes WiFi so you can watch your carbon footprint shrink wirelessly. The company is accepting orders now, and while prices aren't listed on the website (you'll need to request a quote), we hear you can get yourself into a 2009 model with a 5 year unlimited rotation warranty for around $5,000 -- plus customization if you want one in something other than "Soft Silver." We'll take ours in magenta, thanks.

[Via Digg]

Continue reading Windspire vertical turbine on sale now, aiming to capture the consumer wind power market

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Windspire vertical turbine on sale now, aiming to capture the consumer wind power market originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 07:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>meriah powermeriah power windspireMeriahPowerMeriahPowerWindspirevertical wind turbineVerticalWindTurbinewind turbinewindspireWindTurbineMon, 01 Dec 2008 07:32:00 EST<![CDATA[New wind turbines at least 30% more efficient, Earth one step closer to salvation]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/20/new-wind-turbines-at-least-30-more-efficient-earth-one-step-cl/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/20/new-wind-turbines-at-least-30-more-efficient-earth-one-step-cl/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/20/new-wind-turbines-at-least-30-more-efficient-earth-one-step-cl/#commentsStill addicted to oil like the rest of the world? You might reconsider wind power rehab now that a startup called ExRo has developed turbines that it says are consistently 30% -- and in some situations as much as 100% -- more efficient than the standard kind. The traditionally-used mechanical transmissions have been replaced with an inexpensive electric alternative that can adapt to changes in wind speed more efficiently. Also, many small generators are used instead of a large one, so the turbines can be customized in production to suit the intended installation site. If this is the real deal, it beats the 0.1% increase we saw in solar cell efficiency a few months ago, and those Maglev uber-turbines are still on the horizon. Hey Sun -- jealous yet?

[Via DailyTech]

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New wind turbines at least 30% more efficient, Earth one step closer to salvation originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Nov 2008 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>efficiencyexropowerturbinewindwind powerwind turbinewindpowerwindturbineThu, 20 Nov 2008 08:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Energy Ball wind turbine captures energy for the home]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/06/energy-ball-wind-turbine-captures-energy-for-the-home/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/06/energy-ball-wind-turbine-captures-energy-for-the-home/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/06/energy-ball-wind-turbine-captures-energy-for-the-home/#comments
As much as we prefer a good old-fashioned bird-killin' three blade wind turbine, apparently they cause a bit too much vibration and disturbance for regular home use. That's where the Energy Ball comes in, with its spherical shape that captures wind less obtrusively and yet more efficiently. At least that's what we're told, we're a bit short on details. We do know that it's in the prototype stages and was designed by Swedish company Home Energy, who claims their smallest Energy Ball can provide about 15% of the necessary energy to power the average Swedish home.

[Via Inhabitat]

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Energy Ball wind turbine captures energy for the home originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 06 Sep 2008 00:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>energy ballEnergyBallhome energyHomeEnergywind turbineWindTurbineSat, 06 Sep 2008 00:46:00 EST<![CDATA[Ricoh erecting 47 x 126-foot solar and wind-powered billboard in Times Square]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/03/ricoh-erecting-47-x-126-foot-solar-and-wind-powered-billboard-in/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/03/ricoh-erecting-47-x-126-foot-solar-and-wind-powered-billboard-in/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/03/ricoh-erecting-47-x-126-foot-solar-and-wind-powered-billboard-in/#commentsRicoh solar-powered billboard
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.

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Ricoh erecting 47 x 126-foot solar and wind-powered billboard in Times Square originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>billboardsricohsolarsolar energysolar powersolar-powersolar-poweredSolarEnergySolarPowertimes squareTimesSquarewind energywind powerwind turbinewind turbinesWindEnergyWindPowerWindTurbineWindTurbinesThu, 03 Jul 2008 13:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Philippe Starck shows off "Democratic Ecology" wind turbine]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/02/philippe-starck-shows-off-democratic-ecology-wind-turbine/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/02/philippe-starck-shows-off-democratic-ecology-wind-turbine/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/02/philippe-starck-shows-off-democratic-ecology-wind-turbine/#comments
It looks like wind power is about to get a bit more stylish with the outspoken Philippe Starck now wading into things with his "Democratic Ecology" personal wind turbine. The turbine first made its debut at the recent Greenenergy Design show in Milan and, according to Inhabitat, it's now on track for an actual release in September of this year, thanks to a little assistance from Pramac. If all goes as planned, the turbine will set you back about €400 (or just over $600), and provide anywhere from 20% to 60% of the energy need to power an average home, although you'll presumably need some additional equipment to go along with the turbine.

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Philippe Starck shows off "Democratic Ecology" wind turbine originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Jul 2008 15:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>philippe starckPhilippeStarckpramacstarckwind powerwind turbineWindPowerWindTurbineWed, 02 Jul 2008 15:48:00 EST<![CDATA[Broadstar Windsystem's AeroCam wind turbines break elusive price barrier]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/19/broadstar-windsystems-aerocam-wind-turbines-break-elusive-price/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/19/broadstar-windsystems-aerocam-wind-turbines-break-elusive-price/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/19/broadstar-windsystems-aerocam-wind-turbines-break-elusive-price/#commentsBroadstar AeroCam
As wind energy becomes a practical necessity, designers are scrambling to make the giant spinny things as visually inoffensive as possible. Some are small, some are off in the sea where we can't be bothered, and some just look really pretty. In this case, Broadstar AeroCam developed this handsome horizontal-axis turbine that can be installed in any number of configurations and shipped easier than other turbines, making it a viable solution for those who don't want to erect a giant pole or get involved in construction. AeroCams work on the physics of air lift -- like wings on a plane -- resulting in a huge amount of power from a small package given the amount of blades per unit. Broadstar also brags that the system's price is a boon as well -- a 250kW system runs $250,000, which it says makes AeroCam the first wind power system to break the $1/watt cost barrier.

[Via Inhabitat]

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Broadstar Windsystem's AeroCam wind turbines break elusive price barrier originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Jun 2008 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We've seem some impressive wind power tech, but a new breed of small, high-power wind turbines could potentially bring efficient wind power home. Developed by an inventor named Doug Selsam, the new turbines have rotors just 14-18 inches in diameter, but can produce 200 watts in a 20MPH wind, and much more than that at higher wind speeds. The trick is using high-strength carbon-fiber materials that allow several rotors to be hooked up as one -- in strong winds a thirteen-rotor system can produce enough juice to blow out a bank of car headlights "like flashbulbs." That's pretty impressive -- especially since the system is light and balanced enough to be held up with one hand. No word on when or how we might see these hit the public, but we can see some pretty sweet applications -- laptops in the park, anyone?

[Thanks, Yocheved]

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Superpowerful small wind turbines light up the night originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 May 2008 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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[Via Protein]

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Magenn gets its MARS floating wind turbine off the ground originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 May 2008 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You know how we love wind turbines around here, but we love carnage even more -- so we can't get enough of this 200-foot tall Danish wind turbine shearing itself to bits after its brakes failed during a recent storm. The 10-year old windmill is the one of two different Vestas windmills to fail in Denmark in the past week -- the company is launching an investigation, but might we suggest selling tickets instead?

[Via BoingBoing]

Continue reading Danish wind turbine eats itself

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Danish wind turbine eats itself originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Feb 2008 04:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We've seen a couple innovative wind power solutions pop up, but none that claim to offer the benefits of maglev wind turbines, which use full-permanent magnets to nearly eliminate friction by "floating" the blades above the base. According to developers, the technology is capable of scaling to massive sizes, with a proposed $53M turbine able enough to replace 1000 traditional windmills and power 750 thousand homes. Additional benefits include the ability to generate power with winds as slow as three miles per hour, operational costs some 50 percent cheaper than windmills, and an estimated lifespan of 500 years. That all sounds great, but the real proof will come when these things get put to use, which may happen sooner than you'd think: Development is proceeding rapidly in both the US and China, with Chinese power company Zhongke Hengyuan Energy Technology currently building a $5M factory to produce the turbines in capacities from 400 to 5,000 watts.

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Maglev wind turbines 1000x more efficient than normal windmills originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Nov 2007 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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[Via Inhabitat]

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Blow Light: the wind generated LED toy originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Apr 2007 05:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blow lightBlowLightconversationenergyenvironmentfangreenledlightlightingtoywindwind turbineWindTurbineFri, 27 Apr 2007 05:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Micro-turbines output micro-electricity for Hong Kong's micro-apartments]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/03/20/micro-turbines-output-micro-electricity-for-hong-kongs-micro-ap/http://www.engadget.com/2007/03/20/micro-turbines-output-micro-electricity-for-hong-kongs-micro-ap/http://www.engadget.com/2007/03/20/micro-turbines-output-micro-electricity-for-hong-kongs-micro-ap/#commentsIt's not just the fitness club types in Hong Kong attempting to generate a bit of renewable energy, inventor Lucien Gambarota -- the very man responsible for converting all that cardio into voltage -- is showing off some micro-wind turbines for even more power bill relief. There's currently only a single wind turbine on a small outer island providing energy to Hong Kong, the rest of the city just doesn't get enough wind for traditional turbines to do any good. Not so with Gambarota's new micro-turbines, which can generate electricity with as little as 2 mph of wind, and keep turning at all times from the slightest of breezes. The little windmills are actually gearwheels, mounted in a array. They can be arranged in different shapes and sizes, from two to thousands of square meters. The energy is put into a battery, which then powers appliances in the building. Currently the micro-turbines go for about $25 for a set of 20 gearwheels, but that price should drop considerably once they begin to be mass produced.

[Thanks, nvyseal]

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Micro-turbines output micro-electricity for Hong Kong's micro-apartments originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2007 18:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>micro-wind turbinesMicro-windTurbinesturbineswindwind turbinewind turbinesWindTurbineWindTurbinesTue, 20 Mar 2007 18:52:00 EST<![CDATA[Quiet Revolution's QR5 addresses wind turbine issues]]>http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/quiet-revolutions-qr5-addresses-wind-turbine-issues/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/quiet-revolutions-qr5-addresses-wind-turbine-issues/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/27/quiet-revolutions-qr5-addresses-wind-turbine-issues/#commentsIf you ask a person on the street what they think about wind turbines in general terms then the reaction will in most cases be favorable. Ask what they think if someone was about to place wind turbines within direct sight of their home, and the response probably won't be one of glee. Common concerns often include the whooshing sound that regular turbines produce, as well as their divisive visual aesthetics -- some love it, some loath it. A new type of wind turbine intended to address both of these issues is Quiet Revolution's QR5 Vertical Axis Wind Turbine, or VAWT for shawt. The QR5 is smaller, quieter, and way better looking than your typical windmill, plus it should produce the equivalent of its £25,000 price tag in clean energy within 15 years or less. We're down with the futuristic design and the company's noble aims, but we feel that the QR guys should spice up the name of this particular turbine. Our suggestion? Pigeon Dicer, Mark 5.

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Quiet Revolution's QR5 addresses wind turbine issues originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Nov 2006 07:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Clean EnergyCleanEnergyEnergyQR5Quiet RevolutionQuietRevolutionTurbineWindWind TurbineWindmillWindTurbineMon, 27 Nov 2006 07:05:00 EST<![CDATA[MIT's new "invisible" wind turbines float offshore]]>http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/19/mits-new-invisible-wind-turbines-float-offshore/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/19/mits-new-invisible-wind-turbines-float-offshore/http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/19/mits-new-invisible-wind-turbines-float-offshore/#comments Thanks to MIT's Paul D. Sclavounos, we might get a reprieve from the eyesore problem of windmills, while still sticking with their clean-and-cheap energy benefits. Unfortunately, hapless birds aren't going to get much of a respite. The plan is to plant these things offshore, far enough out into the water for the skinny white turbines to disappear on the horizon, but we're sure a few seagulls will be able to find those "invisible" blades all the same. The turbines can be anchored in water up to 650 deep, and can withstand even hurricane-generated waves. Another benefit of the system is the strong and steady wind out at sea, so the 90-meter turbines should be able to generate twice as much electricity in comparison to their near-shore counterparts. Count us in, we never liked seagulls too much anyways.

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MIT's new "invisible" wind turbines float offshore originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 Sep 2006 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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