CleanTech Archives - Page 5 of 43

Could This Little Gadget Clean Up Our Car & Truck Engines?

August 8, 2014

by Derek Markham

Aside from purchasing a new vehicle with cleaner emissions and higher efficiency, how can one reduce the amount of harmful tailpipe emissions? If this crowdfunding campaign succeeds, you may be able to add this little machine to an existing car or truck engine, which is claimed to reduce particulate matter emissions, increase combustion efficiency, and produce breathable oxygen, without reducing the performance of the vehicle. The LeefH2 takes aim at the emissions of the dirty internal combustion engine, especially diesels,…

Independence LED Lighting Launches $10 Million “Energy Independence Day” Program

July 2, 2014

by Derek Markham

Instead of buying fireworks and red, white, and blue party favors, one American LED lighting company is honoring the 4th of July by celebrating a different kind of independence. The Energy Independence Day program, from Independence LED Lighting, could be worth up to $10,000 in savings for each business that participates. The energy and cost savings that businesses can achieve by switching over to LED lighting can be quite significant (over 50% in many cases), but because LED lighting technology…

More Efficient Clothes Dryers Could Save $4 Billion in Energy Each Year

June 12, 2014

by Derek Markham

One incredibly common household appliance, the electric clothes dryer, is responsible for a whopping 2% of electricity consumption in the US, often consuming as much as the refrigerator, washing machine, and dishwasher combined. And while many other appliances have received much more attention, and therefore benefited from advanced energy efficiency technologies, electric clothes dryers have lagged far behind in the United States, especially when compared to more efficient versions sold overseas. A recent report from NRDC found that when compared…

Google Glass Apps Enable Electric Vehicle Drivers to Find Charging Stations

June 3, 2014

by Derek Markham

When the very first Google Glass units began appearing ‘in the wild’, people either loved the idea or they hated it, but now that the devices are becoming more widely available, app developers and businesses that are a bit more forward-thinking are starting to see how they can add to the wearable computing ecosystem in a way that furthers their company’s goals. One example of this is the release of Google Glass apps for EVs, which will allow the drivers…

This App Puts 12,000 Wind Farms at Your Fingertips

June 3, 2014

by Derek Markham

For the wind-curious and the renewable energy enthusiast, a new app puts over 12,000 wind farms at your fingertips, displaying specs, stats, and even pictures of the wind turbines. Wind farms, as an effective source for clean renewable power, are a key component in the move toward a more sustainable energy infrastructure, and can be a very visible example of the new energy paradigm. Whether you’re a wind power consumer, a wind developer, an energy policy wonk, or just enjoy…

Waste Heat Recovery System Uses Municipal Sewage Wastewater to Boost Heating & Cooling

May 22, 2014

by Derek Markham

It’s estimated that huge amount of energy ends up being flushed away every day, with as much as $40 billion worth of energy (from hot water) being sent down the drain every year in the US alone. And while using sewage as an energy source might seem a bit strange, by capitalizing on waste heat recovery to boost a building’s heating and cooling efforts, commercial property owners and municipalities could tap into a viable sustainable energy source and end up…

Hawaiian Contractor Builds Portable Solar Generator to Power Equipment

May 21, 2014

by Derek Markham

To replace the dirty and expensive diesel generators often used to power the tools and equipment in his contracting business, a Hawaiian contractor built a portable solar generator to provide clean, quiet power on the jobsite, and his solar-on-wheels system is not just a functional tool, but is a great introduction to solar energy for his fellow contractors. Tony Vidana, a contractor on the Big Island of Hawaii, originally designed and built his Ready2Go portable solar generator for his own…

Is This the World’s Fastest Solar Charger?

May 12, 2014

by Derek Markham

It’s really exciting to see the advancements being made in solar power over the last few years, especially in the small scale and personal solar charger industry, as they seem to keep getting smaller, more efficient, and more affordable. But how small can solar chargers go, while still being powerful enough to handle our mobile device charging needs? I’m no stranger to solar chargers, as I own and use several of them regularly, from the tiny Waka Waka solar light…

4 Huge Market Opportunities for Eco Entrepreneurs

May 2, 2014

by Derek Markham

We green types get accused of loving nature, the environment, etc., more than human beings a lot. But, from my perspective, an environmentally sustainable lifestyle is pretty human friendly: not only do we all need clean air, water, and soil to survive…