Lumos Solar just unveiled their newest product: a modular and customizable photovoltaic structure called the SolarScape. Perfect for patio covers, pool awnings, carports, walkways, bus stops and commercial overhead applications, Lumos SolarScapes provide an aesthetic and architectural solution for providing shade and renewable energy. The structures are based around the award-winning LSX Frameless Module System, and their versatile design allows renewable energy to be integrated into everyday life in entirely new ways.

+ Lumos Solar

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Post tags: alternative energy, green design, lumos solar, lxs canopy, lxs frameless solar modules, photovoltaic panels, renewable energy, solar panels, Solar Power, solarscapes, sustainable design

Yale researchers recently discovered a way to boost the efficiency of solar cells by a whopping 38 percent by coating them with a fluorescent dye. Polymer solar cells are popular for their low cost, low weight, large area and mechanical flexibility, according to Physorg, but they only convert roughly 50 percent of the solar energy absorbed into usable electricity. The organic squaraine dye improves light absorption and recycles electrons, thereby hastening the light to energy conversion process.

Read the rest of Fluorescent Dye Boosts Solar Cell Efficiency by a Whopping 38 Percent

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Post tags: "solar energy", alternative energy, cleantech, Förster resonance energy transfer, renewable energy, solar cell efficiency, Solar cells, solar research and development, Squaraine dye, Yale University solar research

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Post tags: "sustainable energy", alternative energy, Andre Borschberg, bertrand piccard, California, fuel-free airplane, green transportation, HB-SIA, moffett air filed, mountain view, NASA Ames Research Center, photovoltaic panels, renewable energy, solar impulse, solar impulse across america, Solar Power, solar powered airplane, sun-powered plane, world's first solar plane

In 2009, Inhabitat reported that Helius Energy was teaming up with the Rothes consortium of whisky and scotch companies to create a biomass power plant fueled by by-products from the local distillery. This week, the whiskey-fueled power plant officially opened – and according to reports, it is capable of powering 9,000 homes with clean energy.

Read the rest of Helius Energy Opens Whiskey-Powered Biomass Plant in Scotland

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Post tags: "clean energy", alternative energy, Helius Energy, renewable energy, rothes consortium, scotch, Whiskey, whiskey power

The UN recently outlined its development goals for 2030 at a conference in Olso, where Director General of the U.N. Industrial Development Organization Kandeh Yumkella stated that air pollution is a bigger killer than AIDS and malaria combined. He went on to say that the transition towards cleaner energy sources could cut this death toll 50% by 2030.

Read the rest of UN Says Air Pollution Kills More People Than AIDS and Malaria Combined; Clean Energy Could Halve Death Toll

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Post tags: air pollution, Air quality, alternative energy, green energy, Kandeh Yumkella, pollution deaths, renewable energy, UN Industrial Development Organization, World Health Organization

Scientists just discovered a key ingredient that could help propel the production of biofuel: horse poop. Converting corn stalks and grass to biofuel requires removing lignin and breaking down cellulose, which is a complicated and expensive process. But thanks to an enzyme that lives in fungi in horse manure, scientists were able to drastically reduce costs, inching biofuel closer to becoming a viable and cost-effective energy source.

Read the rest of Horse Poop Could Be the Key to Commercial Biofuel Production

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Post tags: alternative energy, biofuels, commercial production of biofuels, eco design, green design, horse manure fuel, horse poop biofuel, Poo Power!, sustainable design

Read the rest of Solar Impulse Airplane to Launch First Sun-Powered Flight Across America!

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Post tags: "sustainable energy", alternative energy, Andre Borschberg, bertrand piccard, California, fuel-free airplane, green transportation, HB-SIA, moffett air filed, mountain view, NASA Ames Research Center, photovoltaic panels, renewable energy, solar impulse, solar impulse across america, Solar Power, solar powered airplane, sun-powered plane, world's first solar plane

The Firefly is a 3-wheeled pedal-powered vehicle topped with a weatherproof LED-lit shell. It was designed by GeoSpace Studio to provide a fun and eco-friendly alternative to cars – and it looks more like as a tiny spaceship than a tricycle!

Read the rest of All-Weather Firefly Trike Topped With a LED Shell Looks Like a Tiny Spaceship

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Post tags: alternative energy, alternative energy sources, alternative energy vehicle, eco-friendly transport, Firefly tricycle, GeoSpace Studio, green transportation, green vehicle design, human power, human powered motion, human-powered vehicles, LED lights, tricycle design, vehicle design

Four Nigerian teen girls have wowed visitors to Maker Faire Africa by creating a generator that is powered with pee. Using a resource that everyone has, the girls developed a generator that produces six hour of power for one liter of urine. At only 14 and 15 years old, the students are an inspiration for renewable energy developers everywhere and one can only imagine how useful a pee-powered energy generator would be in natural disasters or emergency situations.

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Post tags: Akindele Abiola, alternative energy, Bello Eniola, Duro-Aina Adebola, eco design, Faleke Oluwatoyin, green design, Maker Faire Africa, nigerian teens urine generator, Pee Power, renewable energy, sustainable design, urine generator, urine power, urine powered generator

Sick of your batteries dying at the very moment you need to make a call, flick on a flashlight, or find your position on a GPS when you are lost in the outdoors? Introducing the Voltmaker – an innovative and rapid kinetic electricity generator inspired by a fan or ratchet system. The Voltmaker is ideal for hikers and those who are constantly on the move – when you need a charge, simply extend the Voltmaker’s arm and give it a whirl to generate a steady source of energy. Small and compact, the device tucks away nicely in your backpack, handbag, glove box or even your jacket pocket ready to save the day.

+ The Voltmaker

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Post tags: "clean energy", alternative energy, clean tech, gadget charger, green backpacking charger, green camping, green design, green gadgetes, green hiking gadget, kinetic energy charger, renewable energy, renewable energy charger, sustainable charger, sustainable design, voltmaker

Presidential inauguration speeches are tricky as they provide a relatively short amount of time to outline the POTUS’ vision for the next four years, whilst paying lip service to the current concerns of the population. Due to this time restriction, many things get a passing mention while other things are put front and center. This was certainly the case with President Obama’s 2013 inauguration speech today, which reaffirmed the ‘promise of our democracy’ and what it means to be an American but was vague on everything else — especially climate change and alternative energy.

Read the rest of President Obama’s 2013 Inaugural Address is Vague on Climate Change Agenda

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Post tags: alternative energy, alternative energy agenda, barack obama, breweries, Climate Change, climate change agenda, election 2012, home brewing, inauguration speech, inauguration speech 2013, inauguration speech obama white house, Mitt Romney, obama inauguration 2013, president obama, white house, White House Honey Ale, White House Honey Blonde Ale, White House Honey Porter

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Post tags: "clean energy", "sustainable development", abu dhabi, alternative energy, clean tech, green design, Masdar, Masdar Clean Energy, parabolic trough technology, renewable energy, shams 1, Shams Power company, Solar Power, world's largest solar power plant

The Central American country of Nicaragua has never been as fortunate as its neighbors when it comes to energy reserves. In fact, most commercial electricity is generated by imported petroleum while a small portion of domestic energy is generated through hydropower and geothermal power. However that’s set to change with the country’s National Development Plan, which calls for 94% of the country’s electricity needs to be sourced from renewables by 2017.

Read the rest of Nicaragua Aims To Be 94% Powered By Renewable Sources By 2017

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Post tags: alternative energy, foreign oil, geothermal, Geothermal power, hydroelectric, hydropower, Latin America, National Development Plant, nicaragua, renewable energy, renewables, San Jacinto Project

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Post tags: "solar energy", alternative energy, backyard office, carbon dioxide, Climate Change, emissions, global warming, Micro Office Systems Space, mobile office, MoSS, radiant heating, sustainable design, Sustainable Materials, Urban design, victor vetterlein, wind energy

2012 was a banner year for renewable energy that saw scientists and engineers pushing the envelope towards ever more efficient and sustainable ways of producing power. Entire nations reaped the benefits of photovoltaics during record production periods while upstart innovators brought alternative energy into our own backyards. From ultra-efficient bird-friendly wind turbines and pop-up DIY photovoltaic factories to spherical solar cells that harvest light from every direction, read on for our top renewable energy stories of 2012 – and make sure to vote for your favorite!

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Post tags: "energy efficiency", "sustainable energy", "wind power", 2012 energy, 6 best energy posts of 2012, 6 best renewable energy stories of 2012, alternative energy, green design, inhabitat top energy stories 2012, kinetic energy, renewable energy, Solar Power, sustainable design, sustainable energy sources, top energy posts

Critics of wind power all like to point out the same problem with turbine technology: “What happens when the wind doesn’t blow”? Apple, usually a maker of products that consume energy, recently filed for a patent that may answer that question once and for all. The tech giant’s latest patent details a wind turbine that generates electricity from heat energy rather than rotational energy created by the rotation of the unit’s blades. According to the patent, this could allow wind energy to be stored in a “low-heat capacity fluid” which could then be tapped on an as-needed basis, i.e. whenever the wind dies down.

Read the rest of Apple Files Patent for Wind Turbine That Can Produce Energy Even When There’s No Wind

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Post tags: "wind power", alternative energy, apple, batteries, energy storage, invention, patent, renewable energy, wind energy, wind turbines

Americans installed a record number of rooftop solar panels in 2012, according to a recent Solar Energy Industries Association report. The group expects a total national installation of 3.2 gigawatts this year, 684 megawatts of which was installed in the third quarter alone. And fourth quarter rooftop panel projects could double to 1,200 megawatts – the highest number ever.

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Post tags: alternative energy, clean tech, environmental news, photovoltaic panels, record solar installations, renewable energy, rooftop solar, SEIA, solar panels, usa

New York is one of the world’s great cities – and when it was brought to a standstill by Hurricane Sandy, many questioned the state of the city’s infrastructure – and the country’s – in the face of increasingly destructive weather patterns. On the East Coast of the United States, subway tunnels were flooded, construction sites damaged, roads were left under several feet of water and over 7.5 million people were left without power. As a result, many are wondering what can be done to increase investment into the country’s aging infrastructure – and why it has taken so long for any action to be taken.

Read the rest of How We Can Strengthen America’s Infrastructure Against Future Natural Disasters

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Post tags: alternative energy, bridges, building, Disaster-proof design, green design, green infrastructure, green materials, green transportation, highways, Hurricane Sandy, infrastructure, roads, sewage systems, sustainable design, transport, united states infrastructure, us infrastructure

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Post tags: alternative energy, cheap housing, clean tech, Cso Arquitectura, Daylighting, eco design, eco home, green design, green home, low income housing, modular housing, prefabricated design, SAMVS, social housing, Solar Power, Spain, sustainable design, thermal massing

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Or, if you are really clever, make a clock. The Citrus Clock by the international design studio Anna Gram harnesses the power of the tart fruits to power a timepiece. The clock uses the same chemical principles as a conventional battery, and it’s able to last for a week or longer off a single lemon. Each lemon half is mounted on zinc and copper plugs, initiating electrolysis and reminding us of the energetic potential of the food we consume.

+ Anna Gram

Via Junkculture

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Post tags: acidic fruit energy source, alternative energy, anna gram, battery, citrus clock, electrolysis, fruit battery, fruit energy, lemon clock, lemon electricity, lemons