Crisp Green » Energy

Green Gadget Update: BioLite Camp Stove

Karen MacKay — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:42:13 +0000

After two years of development, the BioLite stove is in production, with a more compact and easy-to-use design.

We first we told you about the BioLite stove in July 2011, but just in time for the 2012 camping season, BioLite is making headlines again.

After extensive user testing and field research, the BioLite team has redesigned the camp stove unit to be smaller, easier to light and more durable. The BioLite stove burns wood or other small combustible materials. Using energy captured from the fire, the stove can power or charge small gadgets and cell phones. Currently in production, the BioLite camp stove will be available in the coming months but is ready for pre-purchase now.

In addition the BioLite camp stove, BioLite also developed a home stove for use in developing countries, to address the hazardous health issue of smoke inhalation. The BioLite home stove removes 90 percent of the dangerous smoke found in wood-burning stoves, providing clean and efficient cooking. In 2012, BioLite will be starting a large scale pilot program with the home stoves in Ghana, Uganda, India and Kenya.

To learn more about BioLite visit their website or to purchase click here.

Source: BioLite

DIY Solar Panels Made From Grass Clippings

Krystal Persaud — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:39:13 +0000

MIT research scientist Andreas Mershin is on a mission to make solar power inexpensive and accessible to the masses, especially developing countries.

After years of research, Mershin and his team at MIT's Center for Bits and Atoms, along with University of Tennessee biochemist Barry Bruce, have worked out a process that extracts photosynthetic molecules from common agricultural waste.

How would this DIY solar kit work? Ideally, Mershin wants people to be able to gather up a pile of grass clippings, mix it with a blend of inexpensive chemicals, and paint it on your roof to begin harvesting electricity.

Mershin explains, "Leaves and plants are nature's solar panels… if we manage to somehow hijack the molecules that are responsible for photosynthesis in plants and other photosynthetic organisms, and use them to generate electricity for our own needs, this would represent a fantastic and disruptive new step in the way that we generate solar power or electricity in general."

Check out the video below to learn more:

One of the team's biggest challenges was figuring out how to preserve the light-gathering molecules they extracted from plants so that they still functioned outside of a cellular environment. Eventually, they were able to stabilize the chlorophyll-rich extract, also known as Photosystem I.

Here’s a breakdown of how the technology works: Mershin and his team have fabricated teeny tiny forest-like structures made of zinc oxide nanowires scattered with titanium dioxide "sponge” components. Then, the structures are coated with the plant extract, Photosystem I. When the coated structure is placed in direct sunlight, the harvested electricity can be stored and put to work.

Currently, the efficiency of these experimental cells is very low at 0.1%. With research groups like Mershin’s, the efficiency of biophotovoltaics is expected to rise to commercially viable levels (at least 1-2%) soon.

For more details, the team's findings are detailed in the paper Self-assembled Photosystem-I Biophotovoltaics on Nanostructured TiO2 and ZnO which is available at Nature.com.

Sources: Gizmag & MIT

Header Image: Best Design Options

Belkin Conserve Insight: Understand Your Energy Consumption

Karen MacKay — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:10:08 +0000

The Conserve Insight lets users learn about the economic and environmental cost of their home appliances.

Similar to many new devices on the market such as the Nest Thermostat or EnergyHub , the Belkin Conserve Insight helps users to understand more about their energy consumption choices. Whether you want to know more about what you are spending on monthly bills for your TV or how much CO2 is produced to power your computer, this device gives you a variety of information for any product you can plug into a conventional outlet.

The Conserve Insight lets you enter your local electricity rates and carbon dioxide emission rates for your region to give you a more accurate reading. Belkin also offers a family of energy saving products, from outlet timers to USB charging stations.

Why Is Energy Use Still So High? [Infographic]

Karen MacKay — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:43:49 +0000

Despite the constant efforts of designers, engineers, students and environmentalists to develop energy saving devices and systems, we are still using four times the global energy than in the 1950s. One Block Off the Grid has put together an informative infographic that lets us know which of those all too relied on appliances are pushing our consumption way up. But it's important to note, that it's not only what we use in our homes but where our homes are that keeps the energy numbers high.

Image Credit: Rudolf Vlcek

Source: Mother Nature Network

Green Gadget Review: Changers.com Solar Charger

Beth Buczynski — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:43:07 +0000

A few weeks ago, we posted a profile on a cool new technology-social media hybrid company, Changers.com. The Berlin-based company recently introduced a portable solar charging system as well as an online community through which you can track and share your energy production rates.

At the end of that post we hinted that Changers.com was sending us their solar charging starter kit to review...and this is that review!! (You can exhale now). Enjoy!

Light & Sweet

The first thing that surprised me about the Changers Starter Kit, which includes the Kalhuohfummi solar battery and the Maroshi solar panel, was the incredible lightness of the box. There was almost no excessive packaging, just a cardboard box to protect the flexible solar panel and small battery/data pack, a little bag of charging adapters, and a single sheet, 100% recycled paper quick start guide/poster.

Getting Started

The quick start guide included lots of easy to follow pictures, and honestly, I attached the solar panel's suction cups and connected it to the battery pack without even looking at the instructions. Understanding how I would track my solar energy production and how to get that energy from the battery pack to my phone required a quick read through of the guide. The most time intensive part of the process was downloading the Changers software and installing it on my computer. It only took a couple of minutes, but the words on all the installation screens were written in German, so I just had to hope I was pushing the right buttons!

Tapping The Sun

The day that I first hooked up the solar panel and battery was quite bright because of a fresh snowfall, but also overcast. I was worried that the panel wouldn't be strong enough to charge the batter without direct sunlight, but I was wrong! After about 10 minutes I saw the first tiny green blip of light on the battery's power bar. However, if you're in a time sensitive situation, you'll definitely want to place the panel in direct sunlight. All told, it took about 5 total hours of direct sunlight me to gather enough energy to charge my phone.

All Gadgets Welcome

Getting ready to juice up my phone with solar energy provided another pleasant surprise: the Changers kit included a USB type A cable to charge and 8 adapters, enabling the kit to charge over 1,000 devices! Before plugging up my phone, I used the same USB cord to connect the battery to my computer. I logged into my profile on Changers.com, and transferred the data from the battery to my account so that I could see how much carbon I had saved with just this first attempt.

CrispGreen Approved!

Overall, I love this device. Aside from a little lag time while setting up your account and downloading the software (in German!), it's ready to used right out of the minimal packaging. Both gadgets are compact, meaning they'll be super easy to take with my on my upcoming trip to California. Can't wait to see how much power I can generate in all that sun!

Buy your own Chargers.com Starter Kit here.

Disclaimer: While Changers.com did provide us with a complimentary solar charging kit to test and review, CrispGreen was in no way compensated for this review.

Nest: The Thermostat That Helps You Conserve Energy

Karen MacKay — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:15:29 +0000

Nest Founder and CEO Tony Fadell is changing the face of home energy conservation.

Tony Fadell isn't new to creating innovative and game-changing devices. His previous work includes leading the team that created the first 18 generations of the iPod and building the Mobile Computing Group at Philips Electronics. Nest is another great achievement that not only has a simple and easy to use interface, it's helping homeowners to reduce their bills and impact on the environment.

As Nest states on their website, "Technology should be about more than newest, loudest, prettiest. It should make a difference". That's exactly what Nest does by saving users money and conserving home energy.

Nest is designed to be used like conventional thermostats, but within one week is capable of learning your habits and schedule. Nest also keeps a history of your usage and lets you know when you saving energy with a green leaf icon.

Nest takes the worry out of forgetting to change the thermostat before you leave home, Nest can be connected to your Wi-fi network, giving users the power to control their home environment from almost anywhere via a computer, Android or Iphone.

Nest is fairly simple to install but installation services are offered if you need a little help. To learn more about purchasing a Nest Learning Thermostat go here.

IBM Lists ‘People Power’ As A Life-Changing Innovation

Beth Buczynski — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 17:48:00 +0000

Every year, IBM creates a list of the five technological innovations they think will have the biggest impact on society over the next five years.

This year, human-generated energy, or "people power" made a surprise appearance at the top of the list.

"Advances in renewable energy technology will allow individuals to collect this kinetic energy, which now goes to waste, and use it to help power our homes, offices and cities.

Imagine attaching small devices to the spokes on your bicycle wheels that recharge batteries as you pedal along. You will have the satisfaction of not only getting to where you want to go, but at the same time powering some of the lights in your home."

Other innovations to make the list include replacing digital passwords with biological identifiers, personalized advertising, and the reality of mind-reading. Watch the video below to learn more, and then tell us if you agree with IBM's choices.