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techstar

by techstar on February 24, 2010 · 1 comment

in LAND, URBAN

cuddly and inclusive

For decades the residents of elite Grosvenor Square in London’s Mayfair had to contend with overbearing security along the entire side of the square occupied by the American Embassy.  Now, much to their relief,  the Embassy is moving to the less rarified area of Wandsworth, and in environmental terms, the new building will be everything America aspires to but rarely achieves.

The $500m building will be nearly self-sufficient in energy production and capable of operating off-grid “for an extended period,” according to officials.
Unlike most glass office buildings, which appear slick and hard-edged, this one will look soft and pillowy thanks to the lightweight plastic attached to the façade “like boat sails.”

»Keep reading 'US Embassy in London to be off-grid ready'

Boom time for Bloom Box

February 21, 2010
Boom time for Bloom Box A new but still unseen fuel cell technology that its creator claims can be an off-grid source of cheap energy, and clean power,  is about to get its formal debut Bloom Energy's much-hyped fuel cell, known as the Bloom Box, will take place at eBay's headquarters in California tomorrow (24 Feb).  Bloom Box is already being trialed on the campuses of Google and eBay among others. FedEx, Wal-Mart and Staples are among a score of Fortune 100 companies that have signed up as Bloom Box clients to save million in electricity costs. Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, among those who endorse the technology, is on the Board of Directors of Bloom Energy, an eight-year old stealth start-up that raised more than $ 400 million from Silicon Valley's venture capitalists who have installed Bloom Boxes in their own bug-out locations.

»Keep reading 'Boom time for Bloom Box'

New wind power for ships

January 10, 2010
New wind power for ships The world's first cargo ship to be powered with high altitude kite-like sails tethered on lines 100 metres in the air was “Theseus,” last year. SkySails cannot power a ship unaided, but it can reduce the amount of power needed by up to 80 percent, without any additional crew or technology. The “Theseus” is one of three new Rhine class ships being built for Wessels at the Komarno shipyard in Slovakia. It is 90 meters long, has a capacity of some 3,700 dwt and a MaK main engine that produces 1,500 kW of power. A 160 m² SkySails propulsion system works to relieve the main engine of the “Theseus” the same way it does on board the “Michael A.”

»Keep reading 'New wind power for ships'

Free solar calculators

December 23, 2009
Free solar calculators

Who loves the Sun Solar Calculators (aka Solar Estimators) will estimate the size and calculate the cost to install a solar energy system for your home or building. There are many free ones on the Internet. Just type in "free solar calculator" They are all based on the number of hours of sunlight you can expect at a given address, and then vary in sophistication after that. 

»Keep reading 'Free solar calculators'

Slow spread of 1BoG

December 22, 2009
Slow spread of 1BoG Anyone considering solar power probably has a green outlook. If the deal you do is good for the planet yet not so good for your pocket book, will that slow the spread of green homepower? Companies like solar-installation organizer One Block Off the Grid (1BoG), aggregates the buying power of consumers to get the best deal, but that is not necessarily the cheapest deal. 1BoG arrives in an area and offers to install a minimumof 100 solar households, at a cost 10-20%  below the rate you would pay on your own, and it makes sure you are hooked up with a reputable supplier. At the moment the business is active in Arizona,Colorado and California, from where the example prices below are sourced. A house with a power bill of $150 per month that installs a 3 kilowatt system (a common size) will spend $9,639 –says 1BoG - after state and federal subsidies are subtracted -- to install it, and save $97 a month under current pricing.

»Keep reading 'Slow spread of 1BoG'

Lo-energy xmas

December 17, 2009
Lo-energy xmas The outside of your home may be a shining example of the Christmas season but there are ways to be energy efficient and still light up with Christmas fun. and in doing so we are fulfilling a historic mission, detailed below. A British householder who wires up his home with 45,000 festive lights and decorations is doing his bit for the planet by only using low-energy bulbs. David Grant, 49, has spent 20 years and "tens of thousands of pounds" turning his house into a giant Christmas "wonderland".

»Keep reading 'Lo-energy xmas'

India’s cleantech start-ups

December 11, 2009
India’s cleantech start-ups We all know that China is the world leader in relatively low-tech solar panels.  Now a clutch of tiny Indian start-ups  are proving  that global warming's business opportunities  will not be the exclusive preserve of  the developed nations. EnNatura of Dehli has developed washable,bio-degradable printing ink from vegetable oil.The offset printing industry in India alone consumes one million tonnes of petroleum products and emits 500,000 tonnes of volatile organic compounds every year. "I can see a company like this growing into a billion dollar global business," says Vivek Wadhwa of Duke University, who studies entrepreneurs. Solar-based LED lighting start-up Pegasus Semiconductor of Rajasthan makes off-grid home and street lighting systems using LED lights and solar for the power. It has done about 1,200 installations in Rajasthan and about 35 with companies and government and is expecting to reach revenues of $250,000 by the end of fiscal 2009.

»Keep reading 'India’s cleantech start-ups'

Portable battery chargers

December 5, 2009
Portable battery chargersBattery charging is an important part of off-grid life. Some of the devices I rely on when I'm on the road are ones that basically sit in my backpack doing nothing at all. We're talking portable battery chargers -- devices that store a charge and recharge a phone, camera or whatever small electronic device you've \run down. Best buy is the ALLSTART AMPG-108 1700 Amp Marina Portable Power Generator With Power Inverter.

»Keep reading 'Portable battery chargers'

Copenhagen’s off-grid tree

December 2, 2009
Copenhagen’s off-grid tree With international climate change talks less than a week away, the host city has taken its Christmas tree off-grid with a rack of bicycles powering LED lights. The traditional Christmas tree in Copenhagen's City Hall Square will be powered by people, rather than a distant power plant. The square has been equipped with 15 bicycles which, when pedalled, light up the 700 LED bulbs on the tree. During the summit, organisers say the city hall square will be take on the name "Hopenhagen Live" and become a hub for environmental and cultural activity. Project manager Stephen Risguard said that a number of bikes are connected to a different section of the tree and if no-one used the cycles, then there would be no power to turn the lights on.

»Keep reading 'Copenhagen’s off-grid tree'

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