The east has always been forward in terms of technology. Recently, we’ve heard tidings from China, where electric taxis will soon begin doing the rounds. With the initiative kicking off in Hong Kong, these flaming red taxis will keep a substantial amount of pollutants away from the Chinese atmosphere. The fleet currently boasts 45 BYD e6 models. These cars sport a 300 mile range on a single charge.
Tired of that conventional digital camera that you’ve been using all along? Well, you can now satisfy your shutterbug-needs in a greener and more energy efficient way! Termed as the world’s first camera with a retro-shooting ability, the Sun and Cloud Self-Generating Digital Camera sports a solar panel and a hand crank, both of which can be used to power up this cheerful little device.
Toyota seems to storm ahead with its green plans and has found a fantastic way to boost the eco-friendliness of the eco-district built in Toyota City. The company has installed several charging stations designed to cater to single-passenger electro-mobility vehicles. Called the Smart Mobility Park charging station, this one’s located in Toyota Ecoful Town.
While car manufacturers around the world agree that green cars are the need of the hour, Italian sports car manufacturer, Ferrari, thinks otherwise! Recently, the chairman of the company, Luca di Montezemolo, said, “We will never manufacture an electric car as long as I’m chairman.” Well, that surely doesn’t mean the company isn’t “trying” to clean up its carbon footprint.
The Solar Impulse has been making headlines since quite a while now, and for good reason! This aircraft, powered completely by solar energy, is the first of its kind and is a way paver of sorts for a greener aviation industry in the future. A while ago, we had reported on the Solar Impulse’s United States flight. The sun-powered aircraft has now completed an 18-hour flight from San Francisco to Phoenix. This is the first leg of the Solar Impulse’s voyage across the United States.
A school in the United States recently decided to cut short its power bills and came up with a smart strategy to do the same. The Hotchkiss School replaced its oil-burning boiler with woodchip biomass ones, subsequently reducing its energy bills as well as the carbon footprint. The effort reduced the carbon footprint of the school by a sweet 45%. The building also now sports a green-roof, making it an LEED-certified facility.
If you’re a resident of Minnesota and you regularly hop on to your bicycle to commute, we’ve got good tidings for you! Pedal Minnesota teamed up with HealthPartner to unveil this bike-friendly tune-up station that is mobile. The concept has received a tremendous response since its launch and many Minnesota residents have begun using its services to have their bicycles fixed whenever required. Powered by solar energy, these green stations offer air for bicycle tires, a bike rack and tools.
The use of solar energy is indeed catching on quickly and all of this is evident from the increase in business of the solar-power industry. Manufacturers of solar power technology have been enjoying a booming business, particularly in the United States, where more and more individuals and organizations are turning towards the use of solar energy to power up homes, offices, institutions and factories. As per reports by the Solar Foundation, the solar power industry employs more than 119,000 in the United States!
Electric vehicles are slowly but surely replacing their gas-powered counterparts. More and more people have begun opting for these green and energy efficient vehicles that save the environment from chocking to a carbon-soaked death while working in the favor of the owner too, helping owners of save on gas bills. Yet another vehicle powered by electricity to hit city streets is the ElecTrike, a three-wheeled contraption powered by green juice.
IKEA, one of the world’s leading furniture manufacturers, has recently finished adding the final touches to its solar array. The largest in Maryland, the system was completed on the rooftop of the distribution center in Perryville. The solar array is a 2,674.9-kW system with 18,576 panels and is the state’s largest rooftop installation. Covering an area of 768,972-square-feet, this photovoltaic system will produce about 3,397,178 kWh of clean electricity annually and reduce CO2 emissions by a whopping 2,397 tons.
