The carbon fiber and aluminum turbine was designed by Marcos Madia, Sergio Ohashi and Juan Manuel Pantano.  The Eolic’s designers haven’t divulged how much their product would cost, but chances are it will be significantly more expensive than the tiny $75 HYMINI wind-powered gadget charger. Still, we’re always happy to see new tools added to our portable alternative energy arsenal.

Send us your practical innovation.

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The GridKicker, by Solaroad Technologies

A picture is worth 1,000 words, so I will be brief and only share two pictures of one of the most practical, obvious renewable energy solutions that I have seen in some time.  The GridKicker by Solaroad Technologies, Inc.  Designed for use by road construction workers this device has obvious applications for any niche of the construction industry.  According to the company, the GridKicker can generate up to 5,000 watts, about the same as a high-end gasoline powered generator, only this beauty makes no noise, has no fumes, and continually re-charges itself while in use.  Is there a gas generator that can automatically re-fill itself, at no cost to you?  When I saw this picture my first thought was, how soon will I be able to buy on at The Home Depot or Lowes, and for how much? 

Imagine workmen coming to put on an addition to your house, repair your deck, or install solar panels on your roof.  Instead of a Honda gas powered generator and red tanks of gasoline to power thier tools they pull a GridKicker out of thier truck, set it up in the sunlight in your front lawn, run a yellow extension cord to thier work bench, and away they go with drills, saws, and other power tools.  Come to think of it, I can see myself doing just that working on my house in New Hampshire, or even for back up power supply.

THIS is what I call being an ‘emergy locavore’ – one construction site at a time.

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Green living begins at home, and New Green Home Solutions tells you how. Most of the energy-derived pollution we produce comes as a direct result of our homes – how we heat them, how we cool them, how we keep them well-lit and full of things that make our lives so comfortable. The good news is that we have tremendous power to create change. Renewable energy design, better insulation and more efficient appliances could reduce energy demands by 60 to 80 percent. By embracing conserva (more…)

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Learn a new vocabulary! Take a refresher course on the electrical power of the sun and the wind! Although the enthusiasm of renewable-energy experts Ewing and Pratt might get a bit wearing, they’ve developed a nontechnical reference and guide for home owners thinking about pulling the plug on their utility connections. In fact, after a look at the table of contents, the appendixes just might be the right place to start figuring out whether photovoltaic panel installati (more…)

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We have come along way in developing societies that have electricity and thepower necessary to fuel vehicles and for industry to be successful. All of theseefforts though rely upon the use of energy source that comes from fossil fuels.They are found in the ground and have to be processed in order for us to havethat fuel and that electricity. They are known as coal, natural gas, and fuel. Werely on them way too much for our own good and that is why change is soimportant.

(more…)

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This is the most complete collection of all the smaller renewable energy options for a home that I have found. — Peter Strugar, HomeownerThis is the most complete collection of all the smaller renewable energy options for a home that I have found. — Peter Strugar, Homeowner

This is the most complete collection of all the smaller renewable energy options for a home that I have found. –Peter Strugar, Homeowner

This book is a very comprehensive compilation (more…)

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The coming energy crisis caused by a peak in global oil and natural gas production will profoundly affect the lives of all North Americans. As the price of these vital fuels rises, homeowners will scramble to cut their fuel bills. Two options for meeting the upcoming challenge are dramatic improvements in home energy efficiency and efforts to tap into clean, affordable, renewable energy resources to heat and cool homes, to provide hot water and electricity, and even to cook. These mea (more…)

Related posts:

1. The Homeowner’s Guide to Renewable Energy: Achieving Energy Independence through Solar, Wind, Biomass and Hydropower (Kindle Edition)

More recommended reading from BBB Editors.

How to Live off the Grid & be 100% Self Sustainable & Debt Free. Stop oil & utility dependency, Stop paying high gas & utility costs. Live self-sufficient & lower monthly utility bills from an average $500 to $0.00 per month, even sell energy back to the power companies earning an additional $500+ per month income. The book teaches you How to move & Live off the grid, set in a Easy to Read Beginners level format (process made simple). (The resources, tips & tricks provided were tes (more…)

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Artists view of proposed solar panels installed on the Fairhaven Landfill

Every once in a while a project comes along that everyone can support. The Town of Fairhaven, MA has just such a project. They are proposing to build a solar power plant on top of the town landfill turning a ‘brown site’ – ‘green’.

The proposed plant will generate about 500kw of energy which the town can use to off-set a portion of the municipal electricity load. Panels will be placed mainly on the flat, top portion of the landfill which has very good southern exposure. Access to the site is through a commercial zone and there are only a few houses nearby so impact to neighbors will be minimal. The panels will be nearly invisible to most of the town because of the location of the landfill and the low profile of solar panels as compared to wind turbines. And the energy generated will not be just electric, the Selectmen hope to excite local school children with educational programs on solar power using the plant as a real-world teaching tool.

Representatives from the Town of Fairhaven, Mass DEP, Blue Sky Power, Smith Energy LLC, and Nexcepts visited the site on a rainy day

Under the leadership of Dr. Brian Bowcock, Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, a Request for Proposals (RFP) to install solar panels on the town’s closed landfill was issued over the summer. The town received one qualified proposal from a team of Massachusetts renewable energy developers led by Blue Sky Power and including Smith Energy, local solar firm Lighthouse Electrical, which has installed numerous solar projects in the Commonwealth, and the nationally known engineering firm Nexcepts. The Board will present the proposal and the developer(s) to the Town at it’s Fall Town Meeting for approval. Once the town has voted to approve the project construction is projected to start in the spring of 2010.

View of Hastings Middle School (top left) from the Landfill

The project is expected to receive strong support from all levels of State government. Governor Deval Patrick has been a strong supporter of renewable energy. In April 2007, Governor Patrick established a goal for installed solar power of 250 MW by 2017, up from 4 MW installed at the time he took office.   Also, on June 17, 2009, The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) and Department of Energy Resources (DOER) presented a workshop for municipal officials, solid waste consultants and renewable energy project developers about the unique issues surrounding the development of solar or wind installations at closed landfills – a representative from the Town of Fairhaven and one of the proposed project developers attended this session. The Mass DEP is planning more similar sessions further demonstrating their interest in seeing projects like Fairhaven’s succeed.

Artists view of porposed solar panels installed on the Fairhaven landfill

Fairhaven is located along the south coast of Massachusetts, about 50 miles south of Boston During the 1800s, the whaling industry and its related marine trades contributed greatly to the town’s growth making it one of the wealthiest communities in the world. Between 1885 and 1906, Fairhaven benefited greatly from the gifts of magnificent European style public architecture donated by native son Henry H. Rogers, a multimillionaire from his career in the Standard Oil Company. A grammar school, library, town hall, high school, Unitarian Church, and the public water system were among the gifts given by Rogers.

The generosity of Rogers and the can-do spirit of the town bode well for the success of this project.

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Profitable Renewable Energy

More recommended reading from the BBB Editors:

Profitable Renewable Energy describes a simple plan to allow every utility consumer to invest in and profit from the current renewable energy boom.  This book should be read by anyone concerned about the spiraling fuel costs, the environment, or their future financial security.  Individuals, business, and legislators alike will benefit from what this concept has to offer.  This book will explain how businesses and individuals can eliminate their energy bills for 20 to 30 years while (more…)

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