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Americans looking to kickstart the shift away from dirty energy scored a big victory this week, as the Environmental Protection Agency proposed limits on heat-trapping pollution from new power plants. The proposed regs would require new plants to emit about 43 percent less carbon dioxide than existing coal-fired generators. "Today we're taking a common-sense step to reduce pollution in our air,......read more
In a finding that restores our faith in judicial common sense, a federal appeals court in Washington has upheld the Environmental Protection Agency's right to regulate greenhouse gases in the name of public health. The decision is a major victory for Obama's climate pollution policy and a decisive blow to the utilities, coal companies, Koch-funded climate deniers and states like Texas that......read more
Conceived as a fracture in the landscape, monovolume's Punibach hydroelectric power station is harmonically integrated into its alpine surroundings. A concrete slab separates the smooth hilly landscape and the raw building structure made out of natural, earth coloured materials. At night, the thin wood planks that form a lamellar wall allow warm light from the interior to glow in......read more
When you ride a bike, your legs generate power (duh), and no small amount, either. According to Mapawatt, pro cyclists riding the Tour de France generate as much as 430 watt-hours. What if we could capture that energy and use it to power other stuff? That's the question asked -- and answered -- by Fenix, an SF-based tech company focused on creating renewable energy products for emerging......read more
Ryan Grenoble for the Huffington Post: It's a bird. It's a plane. It's a ... high-altitude flying wind turbine. A company by the name of Altaeros Energies, borne from the labs at MIT, is poised to break the record for the highest wind turbine ever deployed, with plans to float an electricity-generating device at an altitude of 1,000 feet above a site south of Fairbanks, Alaska. The......read more
In 1977, the Eameses took a break from designing iconic furniture to produce this mind-expanding video exploring the relative size of things, from the microscopic to the cosmic. Superb. Bonus images: Charles Eames (in lift) filming early version of film, chart plotting film sequences ...read more
With its suite of wireless charging products, Powermat has waged war on the tangled messes of cords that plague modern existence. The brand’s foldable Portable Mat charger adds a travel-friendly weapon to the arsenal. Featuring a universal, Energy Star level 5 power supply, the Portable Mat can wirelessly charge up to three Powermat-enabled devices (like your smartphone) at once....read more
In Sunday's New York Times Magazine, "Consumed" columnist Rob Walker (author of the excellent Buying In: A Secret Dialogue between What We Buy and Who We Are) looks at the work of Design 99, a Detroit-based creative duo using art to transform space in the troubled city. Two years ago, the husband-and-wife team purchased a house in East Detroit (for $1,900!), which they equipped......read more
Using technology that was initially designed for the military, PowerFilm's R15-300 Rollable Solar Power Charger is a super-lightweight and flexible charger for your cellphone, GPS, MPS, and other devices. Featuring monolithically integrated solar panels, the 5-watt charger eliminates the damage-prone manual connections of individual solar cells. It's also free of cadmium and other toxic......read more
When you get home and flick the light switch, do you ever wonder where the power comes? Well, I have. Some people who live near a geothermal plant claim their energy is very clean, while others who live near coal plants think the majority of their energy is dirty. Is that actually the case? After some probing, I found the EPA's Power Profiler, which is a great tool that tells you you how......read more
