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The prospects for getting a global agreement on limiting greenhouse gases may be grim, but the world is shifting toward consuming more renewable energy in any case. According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, last year investors poured $187 billion into electricity from renewable sources (wind, sun, biomass, etc.), versus $157 billion for fossil fuels, marking the first time ever that clean......read more
This week, Yves Behar's fuseproject studio unveiled the latest addition to the One Laptop Per Child project, which aims to provide cheap, durable computers to kids in the developing world. The OLPC XO-3, launched at CES 2012, is substantially thicker than the absurdly thin concept tablet shown in 2009. Unfortunately, e-paper tech hasn't advanced as much as the designers envisioned, so Behar and......read more
Spinning sun and wind into wattage, Ikea's newly released Solvinden (Swedish for "sun-wind") Pendant Lamps provide a smart and sustainable source of illumination for the home. Solar-powered lamps are nothing new, but Solvinden spins in the slightest breeze, generating enough battery juice to keep it charged for up to 12 hours. The whimsical design comes standard......read more
With Spain in the midst of an economic meltdown, the Spanish government has cut off aid to the domestic renewable energy industry -- once the most heavily subsidized in Europe. Faced with an empty trough, Spanish clean energy companies are responding by seeking out projects abroad. As Todd Woody mentions at Forbes, the Spanish renewable energy giant Abengoa is making 90% of its capital......read more
We looked at the relative pros and cons of the various renewable energy sources a couple months ago. Now one of our favorite environmental nonprofits has laid out four reasons to get excited about developments in clean tech. In the Ethical Ocean article, Lena Lam espouses on the huge potential of green power: Algae fuel Biofuel created from algae – yes, pond scum – may soon be......read more
From Mother Nature Network's Jim Motavalli: I’m not a Kennedy—I don’t sail. I get seasick in anything more challenging than a kiddie pool. And yet I’m fascinating by the Vendée Globe, a round-the-world solo yachting race now underway, with the competitors currently battling it out at the halfway point in the Southern Ocean, on the way to a big finish in......read more
As renewable energy costs continue to plummet and buildings and machines become more and more efficient, the argument that we "need" to keep investing in fossil fuels seems weaker than ever. Countries that a couple decades ago ran on a fuel mix like America's are successfully weaning themselves off of oil and gas. According to the International Energy Agency, thirteen countries got more than 30......read more
No power? No problem. The Soulra, another smart product developed by the hypergeniuses at Etón, is a solar-powered dock and speaker system compatible with handheld Apple devices. With a space-spaving design that makes it easy to pack, the Soulra captures the sun's rays to power your music wherever you go. If you're poolside or at the beach, the Soulra offers an IPX-4......read more
Great Barrier Island, off the northern coast of New Zealand, is an awe-striking natural landscape characterized by wind-swept coastline and Puriri woods. Nestled among the forest is the Great Barrier House, a beautiful piece of sustainable architecture that's enough to make you drool. Designed by Crosson Clarke Carnachan Architects, the elevated home is made from sustainably-harvested timber......read more
The United States Energy Department on Monday offered a $1.37 billion loan guarantee to a company planning to build a large-scale solar power plant in the Southern California desert. The loan guarantee, for BrightSource Energy of Oakland, Calif., is the largest given for a solar project. BrightSource’s 392-megawatt Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System is the first utility-scale solar power......read more
