Oct 29

Insert Coin: Ray solar charger adheres to your window, basks in the sunlight

Posted in: Environment, green, solar, solar power, SolarPower, Today's Chili

In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you’d like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with “Insert Coin” as the subject line.

The most frustrating products are the ones that have such simple ideas, you’re upset that it hasn’t been done before — or that you weren’t the one that came up with it. No idea is so simple as the brilliant Ray solar charger. A mobile phone juicer that comes with a kickstand and built-in suction cup so that it’s nearly always pointed right at the sun. If you think that sounds like simple madness or genius, click past the break to find out why it could be worth your investment.

Continue reading Insert Coin: Ray solar charger adheres to your window, basks in the sunlight

Insert Coin: Ray solar charger adheres to your window, basks in the sunlight originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 29 Oct 2011 12:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 18

Living on the Fringes of the Modern World

Posted in: Environment, science, Today's Chili, top

While most of us get cozier by the minute with the latest iGadgets, perfected work and play stations, and 1,500 thread count sheets, there are still actual nomads out in the world, roaming. More »

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Oct 17

GE’s new factory will push out one solar panel every ten seconds

Posted in: eco, Environment, green, new-york, power, solar power, SolarPower, Today's Chili, video
General Electric is sending its troops to Colorado to conquer the thin film solar panel business. The 38th state will play home to a new facility that leverages the supermodel-thin panel know-how of PrimeStar Solar, which GE scooped up back in 2008. In traditional solar panels, sand is refined into silicon ingots, sliced wafers of which are then placed in a frame. The thin film process eliminates this, sandwiching layers of semiconductors between panes of glass — saving time, money and, most importantly, energy. The factory will open ahead of schedule in 2012 and is reportedly capable of producing a new panel every ten seconds. You can learn all of that and more in the press release we’ve got for you after the break.

Continue reading GE’s new factory will push out one solar panel every ten seconds

GE’s new factory will push out one solar panel every ten seconds originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 15:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sep 12

Exoconcept EXO all-electric jet ski: perfect for lake recon, your next indie action film

Posted in: electric vehicle, ElectricVehicle, Environment, green, Today's Chili

Part jet ski, part electric water scooter, 100 percent awesome. That’s the Exoconcept Exo — a new sea-born vehicle for stealth missions and the occasional run-in with Mr. Living Vicariously. The craft comes in a few flavors with shells made of high-end carbon fiber or ABS plastic, and engines ranging from 3.5-7kWh. Capable of cruising the open waters at a max speed of 15-27 knots (17-31 mph), it doesn’t really rival the thrust of some of its non-electric cousins, but it’s certainly fast and quiet enough for some reconnoitering or good old fashioned family fun. With four racks of Li Fe PO4 high capacity batteries, the motor powers a water jet turbine drive system to cut through waves without any sound pollution. Unfortunately, zipping around on electric power doesn’t come cheap — at €7,290 (or $9,939), it’ll probably only appeal to those who also own the lake needed to enjoy it on. But hey, at least you’ve got until Q1 2012 to save up!

Continue reading Exoconcept EXO all-electric jet ski: perfect for lake recon, your next indie action film

Exoconcept EXO all-electric jet ski: perfect for lake recon, your next indie action film originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 22:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sep 08

Electrified bacteria army kills uranium, gives Captain Planet a run for his money

Posted in: Environment, Today's Chili, video

A certain type of “hairy” bacteria may just be the answer to cleaning up radioactive spills. Scientists at the University of Southern California found that under certain circumstances, Geobacter sulfurreducens could make metals like uranium less soluble — essentially turning the metal into hard droplets rather than being absorbed. Researchers discovered that by lowering the bacteria’s temperature, it caused hair-like pili to extend, which enveloped the poison uranium and ultimately reduced it through long-range electron transfer. The breakthrough could help deplete sources of uranium or other radioactive isotopes where bacteria normally can’t survive — like from the Fukushima nuclear plant that devastated Japan earlier this year. Scientists believe they’ve only scratched the surface with this development and are optimistic about the future of bacteria “electromicrobiology,” which we can only guess grew in popularity after this ’80s classic hit the airwaves (video after the break).

Continue reading Electrified bacteria army kills uranium, gives Captain Planet a run for his money

Electrified bacteria army kills uranium, gives Captain Planet a run for his money originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 15:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sep 08

How the Greenest Skyscraper Ever Is Rising Out of the Rubble of the World Trade Center

Posted in: Environment, green, Today's Chili, top

On September 11, 2001, the World Trade Center transformed from a pair of gleaming towers into a carcinogenic pile of smoldering rubble that’s still killing people. Currently rising out of that rubble, though, is a skyscraper with the most environmentally advanced technologies ever attempted at the scale. More »

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Sep 07

Home-Made Camping Wind Turbine

Posted in: Environment, Hacks, Mods and DIY, Today's Chili

Power your gadgets with the wind using a lightweight, home-made turbine

Depending on where you are in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s either getting to the end of the camping season, or finally cooling down enough to enjoy being outdoors the whole day. So it might be the perfect time to build the Camping Wind Turbine, a tiny, portable propellor which will charge small gadgets.

The turbine was put together by “ineverfinishanyth” over on Instructables, and is incredibly simple in concept, although you’ll need to do some drilling and sawing to put it all together. Three plastic propellor blades are attached to a rescued DC motor, and then the assembly sits atop a stand with fold-up feet. The whole setup weighs 16 ounces (454 grams), but if you ditch the stand and carry only the propellor and motor, the weight drops to five ounces, or 142 grams.

Ineverfinishanyth says that the turbine puts out a little juice in a low breeze, but when thing get a little gustier, it can supply 1.6 volts. This could be used to power a small lamp or charge a phone. In the latter case, I’d prefer a little more circuitry, and maybe a small battery, to keep the current coming smoothly.

I might just give this one a go. After all, the parts are virtually free. I shall then attach it to a small USB-powered fan, point them towards each other and reap the riches my infinite, free-energy machine will bring.

Camping Wind Turbine [Instructables via Life Hacker]

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Aug 26

The 10 Stupidest Ways To Die in a Hurricane

Posted in: Environment, science, Today's Chili, top

Only 3,500 Americans have died in hurricanes since the 1940s thanks to improved warning and evacuation systems. If you end up one of them, you were either in the wrong place at the wrong time, or you were stupid. More »

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Aug 26

What Is a Hurricane?

Posted in: Environment, science, Today's Chili, top

Every year, about six tropical storms graduate to hurricane status, pummeling the Carribean and Eastern United States. Yes it’s a beast of a rain storm, but how does it get that way, and how do weather folks decide when it should be crowned “hurricane?” More »

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Aug 09

Apple puts PCs on free recycling party list, opens doors to iPads, iPhones

Posted in: Apple, Environment, Gadgets, green, ipad, iPhone, ipod, Mac, PC, Today's Chili

After being forced to pay off the door man to get into Apple’s electronics recycling party for years now, PCs are finally getting in for free — VIP style. Apple has revised its Reuse and Recycling Program and opened the gates to sheep from another shepherd’s flock. The new rules are quite a departure from past protocol, which charged PC users 30 bones to recycle non-Apple computers and displays — unless of course they agreed to purchase a Mac, in which case Apple would kindly do it for free. As part of the restructured program, ripe old iPads and iPhones are now eligible for Apple’s exchange program as well, where you’ll get a gift card if your device is actually worth anything. The company still recycles old iPods and mobile phones (regardless of manufacturer) for free, and offers 10% off a new iPod if you hand over an old one. With the revised plan it’s safe to say the folks at Apple ditched the program’s old theme song, “It’s Not Easy Being Green,” and are instead spinning a new track. Sparkly silver jacket not included.

Continue reading Apple puts PCs on free recycling party list, opens doors to iPads, iPhones

Apple puts PCs on free recycling party list, opens doors to iPads, iPhones originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Aug 2011 00:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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