Inhabitat's Week in Green: Obama's Keystone XL pipeline veto
The world's oceans contain an immense amount of energy -- and this week two pioneering projects sought to unlock it. First Australia announced the world's first wave energy microgrid, and then Scotland gave the green light to construct the largest floating wind farm on the planet. Germany is betting big on clean energy: The nation just announced that it's on track to produce 33 percent of its electricity from renewable sources this year. Meanwhile, Sweden is moving ahead with plans to become the world's first fossil fuel-free nation by the year 2050, and President Obama officially vetoed the Keystone XL pipeline ahead of the Paris climate change conference.
What if your home produced more electricity than it used? That's the idea behind the House of Energy, a super-efficient residence that can generate two to three times more power than it needs. In other architecture news, the world's second Vertical Forest is set to spring up in Lausanne, Switzerland, where it will clean the air, promote biodiversity and cut down on the urban heat island effect. Egypt is planning to build the world's first underwater museum, which will enable visitors to explore the submerged ruins of ancient Alexandria. Sweden's Ice Hotel is planning to stay open all-year round with a new suite of solar-powered rooms. And architects unveiled plans for a futuristic sky city that's as close as you'll ever get to living in a cloud.
Transcontinental flights are a drag, but imagine if you could travel from New York to London in 30 minutes flat. A new concept plane called the Skreemr could hit 7,373 miles per hour, making short work of long-haul flights. In other tech news, Haize has created a handy bike compass that makes it easy to navigate while pedaling through town. A Chinese company has produced the world's first 3D blood vessel bio-printer. And on the wearable technology front, we featured a parka made from super strong synthetic spider silk and Lauren Bowker launched a line of clothing that reacts to temperature, motion, and pollution.
