Green Technology
The latest technology and information about the tools you’ll need to continue your green lifestyle.
Federal Tax Credit Increase Brings Solar Within Reach
The recent stock market collapse and subsequent Congressional bailout have brought a collective groan to pocketbooks across America and financial markets around the world. Afraid for their savings and jobs, and worried for the future of their homes and college funds, this may not seem like the time for homeowners to invest in expensive improvements.
The $700B corporate welfare package was passed through Congress, much as previous legislation overreached the bounds of government on the pretext of crisis. Stuffed with pork and served with theater, this move will haunt the world economy for years to come.
Google Grabs Green Leap Award for Alternative Energy Plan
Search Engine Giant Google Wins Green Leap Award
This is a new feature we’ve added in order to highlight organizations and companies who have made noteworthy contributions to developing a clean energy policy based on renewable power. We recently profiled Cal Green Lending, Real Goods, and Nanosolar, and these companies are retroactively awarded this distinction as well.
Today we’d like to salute…well…a giant media corporation. Not just any multibillion-dollar press magnet, either; Google is the most active web entity on Earth, attracting over 80 million visitors daily to its search result pages and other web services.
Sustainable Aviation: Bio-Fuels Reach the Stratosphere
Flying the Earth-Friendly Skies
Biofuel enthusiasts have been saying for a long time that the sky is the limit for organically-based, sustainable transportation solutions. Now, that barrier, too, seems to have been rapidly passed. With the announcement of the world’s very first organically produced aviation fuel from micro-algae, San Francisco biofuel pioneer Solazyme may have helped solve the missing link in the alternative energy puzzle.
The new jet fuel, which is made from algal culture grown in vats from a sugar medium, addresses the enormous global issues tied up with petrochemicals as fuel for flight, just in time for the sixth anniversary of the Word Trade Center destruction. This development comes on the heels of tests earlier this year by Virgin Airlines, which has since moved its program to Europe.
Alternative Energy Financing :
Making Solar Make Sense
Fed up with paying in to a private monopoly which is still holding us hostage with pollution-generating power plants? Tired of talking about the energy crisis and ready to invest in a future off the grid? Good for you.
Nanosolar: Thin is In for Renewable Energy
Enough sunlight falls on the Earth in two hours to support all of civilization’s power needs for an entire year. This compelling statistic ought to have mobs unplugging from the grid and off to the solar store for some PV modules and wires. When we see how energy is free, that it literally falls from the sky and all we have to do is collect it, why should we live under the whim of a heartless energy monopoly, in dread of their threatening pink notices?
At some level, however, we all know that unless the grid itself is powered by renewable energy, the economic, social, and environmental plague of fossil fuels and nuclear power will go on to pollute the world regardless of how tiny our individual footprints may be.
Drilling & Mounting-RV Solar Panel Installation
Part Two
In the previous post, we covered some of the main reasons why we chose the Unisolar 64 Watt solar panel for supplemental power in our alternative energy bus. We made the purchase at the Real Goods store in Hopland, California, but because our roof had no metal to fix the mounting brackets to, installation was pretty much up to us.
Erik at Real Goods helped us develop a plan, drew a diagram showing the proper way to hook up the wiring between the junction box of the solar panel, the regulator, and batteries, and wished us well. We had his card in the event of emergency; fortunately, we never needed it.
RV Solar Installation- Unisolar 64 Watt Thin Film Panel
Part One
We are proud to announce that the production of this site is now completely solar powered, as our two computers currently run off of our recently installed Unisolar Thin Film solar panel, which soaks up light like a sponge and allows the two of us to write and design to our hearts content, without using fossil fuels or depending on grid power.
Frankly, we’re pretty excited about it. Our hardy road-boat, Mahayana (which means “The Big Vehicle,” a type of Buddhism), has sailed the highways for over two years under the faint scent of French fries from the biodiesel she drinks with glee. Adding a to our array of alternative energy was a logical next step, but we found suppliers and information to be shockingly scarce…which is part of what motivated the construction of this site.
Solar Powered Portable Reading Devices
And for the first 500 years or so that his seminal invention helped reproduce the philosophies, theories, and conclusions of the finest minds in Western and Eastern cultures, it wasn’t much of an issue. Woodlands were abundant, print runs relatively short, and storing the sum of human knowledge certainly ranked in importance above a few trees.
Wholly Solar
The purpose of this site, as we’ll keep mentioning until we’re sure it has been made quite clear, is to advocate for and provide information on renewable, nonpolluting energy sources. There are quite a few reasons why we feel this is important, but all of them boil down to a concern over the toxic social, economic, and environmental impact of petrochemical dependence.
The solution, we believe, is to turn to nature. When we talk about solar power, we don’t just mean photovoltaic modules, although that is certainly one of our favorite forms of electricity generation. Solar power includes windmills, biofuel, and non-PV applications such as solar heaters and ovens.