Eco Factor: Concept three-wheeled vehicle powered by electric batteries.

The TEL (Trasporto Elettrico Leggero/Light Electric Transport) is a light electric vehicle with high performance, which has been designed for public administrators and service companies. Designed by Sebastiano Ercoli, Andrea Grassi, Pietro Gottardi and Marta Loureiro, the TEL is a single-user, three-wheeled vehicle, having two power front wheels and one rear wheel.

Continue Reading »
Eco Rides: TEL – An all-electric three-wheeler for busy streets

The DeSoto Next Generation Solar Energy Center: needs a smart grid. (Florida Power & Light rendering)

The DeSoto Next Generation Solar Energy Center in Florida will be large enough to serve the entire city of Arcadia, whose very name suggests some kind of modern-day post-oil paradise. Here’s what the 25-megawatt facility, the largest solar installation in the U.S. with 90,000 solar panels, looks like on video:

But there are clouds in the solar sky, and its name is the electric grid….

Construction of renewable energy projects has revealed some serious environmental issues that will have to be dealt with as we speed toward a clean energy future.  We recently wrote about the conflict between land conservation efforts and renewable energy projects in deserts out west.  Land that is ideal for solar energy production is also pristine land in need of protection.

In California, a similar conflict is arising between solar projects and water conservation.  Solar farms demand a lot of water, a resource that is stretched very thin in the arid areas where they’re being developed.  A large solar farm can use upwards of 500 million gallons of water a year for cooling purposes and there are currently 35 big projects slated for development in California desert.

A “dry cooling” technique exists that uses 90 percent less water than “wet cooling,” but it’s more expensive and reduces the efficiency of the solar plant.  Even so, some plants are giving in and going the dry route.

Solar plants are fighting with state regulators to get the water they need.  Some are succeeding, while others are failing.  Just with land conservation, there doesn’t seem to be one right side here.  Ideally, a new technique for cooling will be developed that doesn’t require large amounts of water or a dip in efficiency.

via Green Inc.

Bright Automotive, best known for its 100-mpg IDEA plug-in utility van, announced a new $1.4 million contract with the U.S. Army to build a plug-in hybrid for non-combat use.  The PHEV will be designed to cut Army fuel consumption as well as to demonstrate how an EV could potentially feed power back to the grid.  The project is part of an Army initiative to explore how bases could eventually run off-grid.

The Army contract isn’t the only way that Bright is lending its expertise these days.  The company has also launched eSolutions, a consulting program where they will provide automotive manufacturers knowledge on how to develop EVs.  The company will give guidance on design, engineering, energy storage, propulsion, conversion systems and how to green operations.

Bright is hoping these new endeavors will speed up EV development around the world.

via Autoblog Green

Eco Factor: Concept solar-powered radio and flashlight.

Designed by Renata Veiga, the Track Talk is a concept solar-powered device to be used in emergency situations or camping activities, trekking, etc. where communication, sense of direction and a source of light are crucial.

Continue Reading »
Eco Gadgets: Track Talk – A multi-purpose solar-powered genius for emergencies

The inside of a skyscraper is, literally, the most expensive “land” in the world. So it probably isn’t the best place to grow our food.

The idea of vertical farming (growing food in high-rise buildings in the middle of cities instead of out on farms) has been gaining a lot of interest lately. Most recetly, it showed up on BoingBoing, one of our favorite blogs. We’ve seen a few of these proposals, and we’ve been following the concept for some time. It seems EcoGeeky enough, but a quick glance at the actual economics of farming shows that this isn’t ever going to work.

At first, it seems to make all the sense in the world. Moving production of food into population centers to eliminate shipping. Creating highly efficient “food factories” that allow land elsewhere to be freed from cultivation. But when you look at some of the practicalities behind constructing buildings like these, vertical farms make no sense. As the Vertical farm Project itself notes: “The Vertical Farm must be efficient (cheap to construct and safe to operate).” And a vertical farm is the opposite of efficiency.

A farmer can expect his land to be worth roughly $1 per square foot…if it’s good, fertile land. The owner of a skyscraper, on the other hand, can expect to pay more than 200 times that per square foot of his building. And that’s just the cost of construction. Factor in the costs of electricity to pump water throughout the thing and keep the plants bathed in artificial sunlight all day, and you’ve got an inefficient mess.

Just looking at those numbers, you need two things to happen in order for vertical farms to make sense. You need the price of food to increase 100 fold over today’s prices, and you need the productivity of vertical farms to increase 100 fold over traditional farms. Neither of those things will ever happen. And as much as I hate to burst bubbles, the main claim to the efficiency of vertical farms (the elimination of transportation costs) is not vaild. Even if most of the calories we consume were to be grown inside of cities, almost all of it would be shipped out for processing (most of the food we eat isn’t fresh veggies…you may have noticed.)

None of this is to say that we think farming will remain forever as it is today. EcoGeek is glad that there are many changes coming to agriculture, some of which will increase yields enough to keep prices low while feeding the 10 billion people the Earth will house by 2050. And with the right technologies, we should be able to do this without harming the Earth too much.

We’re not even saying that farms will remain outside. Building multi-level (not necessarily muti-story) automated farming units on inexpensive land within 100 km of food processing plants, for example, might make a lot of sense. But if you’re going to make farming more efficient, you aren’t going to do it by moving it into the most expensive land in the world.

Science-fiction author (and former EcoGeek of the Week interviewee) Tobias Buckell also saw the article and offered his own comments on the topic, as well.

‘Vertical farm’ articles on EcoGeek

Eco Factor: Concept electric pedal-assist bicycle with a carbon fiber frame.

The Tokyo Motor Show isn’t just about futuristic cars that tickle the imagination buds of most, but has a few hidden gems under its sleeve as well, and the Lexus HB concept bicycle is just one of them.

Continue Reading »
Eco Bikes: Lexus debuts carbon fiber pedal-assist electric bicycle at Tokyo Motor Show

Honda’s Skydeck: A two-abreast hybrid minivan with room for six. (Honda photo)

Given the worldwide recession, it’s not surprising that the Tokyo Motor Show, on now, is playing host to very few non-Japanese manufacturers. Auto shows are an extravagance, and Japan is a long way away. But despite that, it’s still one of the greenest auto shows in recent memory. Everybody’s showing off electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid cars.

One of the most interesting vehicles on display is a new and bigger-than-Prius hybrid from Toyota, the Sai. And like the Prius, it’s a ground-up design not based on a previously released platform. The car, which gets a stellar 54 mpg, goes on sale in Japan in December, and Toyota expects to sell 3,000 a month. It’s unlikely it will come to the U.S. anytime soon.

Toyota has a good start in hybridizing its entire product lineup. A month ago, it announced a hybrid version of the Auris, a Corolla-sized car not sold in the U.S. With a version of Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy drivetrain, it promises not only fuel economy in the mid-70s but carbon dioxide emissions under 100 grams per kilometer.

Nissan showed off — or at least discussed — four new electrics in a floor speech by CEO Carlos Ghosn. The forthcoming Nissan Leaf battery EV, to be sold in major markets beginning at the end of next year, was front and center, of course (though the car on display was a non-running glider). The Leaf starts a national U.S. tour next month. An intriguing announcement in Tokyo was a luxury four-seat Infiniti battery car, doubtless drawing heavily on the Leaf. No date or target markets were specified. Infiniti spokesman Kyle Bazemore said the car would have a performance edge.

Editor’s note: We were delighted by Lauren Weber’s new book In Cheap We Trust: The Story of a Misunderstood American Virtue, and we weren’t just flattered that she mentioned The Daily Green, or Jeff Yeager’s own book The Ultimate Cheapskate’s Road Map to True Riches. Weber writes with style and humor about a topic dear to us: getting more out of life with less impact on the planet. We noticed some similarities in suggestions and outlook between these two thrifty authors, and also noted amusing ways in which they diverge in their habits.

So we put them to a Cheap Off of sorts, volleying the following questions their way. Weber’s answers are in regular text and Jeff’s are in italics.

Gloria Dawson, The Daily Green: What do you splurge on?

Is health insurance a “splurge”? Probably not, but it sure feels like it every month when I write that $360 check. I’m lucky to be very healthy (knock on wood, throw salt over the shoulder), so in purely monetary terms, I don’t get a lot for my money. However, the peace of mind is ultimately worth it.

Aside from that, I buy some insanely expensive skin-care products (see below). And I love to travel, so I’ll fork over big dollars to fly to India, Vietnam, Turkey or France. Once I’m there, though, I get around on public transportation, eat street food, stay in hostels or inexpensive motels and try to focus on having great experiences rather than buying a lot of souvenirs.

I agree with Lauren — a true Sister of the Cheaphood — when it comes to health care. We need to radically reform our system and catch up with the rest of the civilized world. But until then, readers can rest assured that I’ll continue the groundbreaking work I’ve been doing here in the Ultimate Cheapskate Lab to make do-it-yourself home surgery a practical alternative. Why am I guessing that if I could get a couple of politicians under my homemade scalpel, our health care system would be fixed overnight?

My splurges? It’s all relative. A cheapskate neighbor of mine is aghast that I pay a service $85 every couple of years to clean out my septic tank. To him, that’s a splurge. He cleans his septic tank out himself, by the bucketful. (And he wonders why we never have him over for dinner).

*********

Lately there has been lots of chatter around eating on $10 a day. Is it really possible? How?

Absolutely! In fact, $10 seems extravagant to me — that would include at least one meal out for me. On most days, I probably feed myself for around $3 to $5. I eat lots of lentils and beans, two of the healthiest and cheapest foods imaginable. And I hardly ever cook meat at home. Instead, I hold my diet mostly to legumes, vegetables, eggs, tofu and pasta. For a treat, I’ll get a $2 taco at the Mexican food stands under the elevated train in my New York City neighborhood.

That’s not to say I don’t like a pricey meal now and then. I once took a friend out for a $200 sushi dinner, and it was worth every penny.

Are we talking $10 a person?! If so, that’s a further indication of how out of touch many people (including many self-proclaimed personal finance gurus) are with money: According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American currently spends only about $4 a day on food. Yet, particularly with the recession, we have people writing articles about the “challenge” of spending ONLY $10 a day on food? Okay, so maybe it’s $10 for a household? If so, the average household is about 2.5 people, so that’s still not a “challenge,” just the national average. $10 for a family of four or more, maybe, but it’s still easily doable.

Be all that as it may, I try to buy mostly foods that cost under $1 a pound, primarily because those are often the healthiest foods (e.g. whole grains, legumes, fresh fruits and vegetables). My “under $1 a pound” approach channels you toward eating lower on the food chain, which is better for your health, the environment, and your bank account.

If you’re a smart shopper and plan your menus around the “loss leaders” advertised at the grocery store, you can have an extremely healthy, enjoyable diet for (generally) under $1 a pound. Many people don’t believe this, but I’ve proven it time and again — all around the country — on TV challenges and elsewhere. Also, FYI, I live in the Washington, DC metro area, with one of the highest costs of living in the country, and this is how I shop and eat.

Give it a try: “Under $1 a pound, year round.” (Of course, as my long-suffering wife likes to say, “If you are what you eat, my husband should be reduced-for-quick-sale.”)

********

Describe your ultimate cheap vacation (and you can’t stay at home!). Where would you go? What hotels do you like? How would you get there?

My boyfriend and I have been thinking about taking the Trans-Siberian Railway from Moscow to Beijing, via Mongolia. We’d hop off at cities along the way and spend our days as tourists, then get back on the trains at night, using them as both transportation and lodging. That would save us the cost of hotels every night. And if the TSR trains are anything like the ones in India, there will probably be food-sellers at every stop, plying inexpensive fruit, snacks and local specialties through the windows to locals and tourists alike. Of course, the expensive part is airfares to and from home. But I don’t mind suffering through a couple of layovers if it means saving a few hundred bucks.

I write a lot about how travel is a responsibility, not a luxury — to get out and meet the people of the world and see where and how they live. The thing is, if you spend a lot on luxury travel or tour groups, you defeat the whole purpose of travel: You’ll be staying in American-style hotels, eating American food, and associating only with American tourists, even though you’re half way around the world. Why not just stay home? Only by traveling on the cheap can you truly capture a sense of place and the people who live there.

Yes, so for me, it’s a lot of bicycling, hiking, public transport; youth hostels, CouchSurfing.com, and local/cheap hotels (you know, the kind of places where they ask for a $10 deposit to turn OFF the porno movies in your room); and street food and self-cooked meals along the way.

By stretching our travel dollars in this fashion, my wife and I travel both in the U.S. and abroad for about four months out of every year. Not a bad life, living on the cheap.