Archive for 'solar'

It’s staggering how little has been done in solar and wind alternative energy.  I think that shows just how apathetic we are when it comes to such ideas.  However, some folks have recently come up with a pretty neat idea.  It involves making solar cells that look like ivy, as you can see in the flash video above.  But this is also a wind generator, as you will see.

solar-ivy-closeup

The cells look interesting climbing up the side of a building, but they also generate solar power.  The interesting twist is that each leaf also carries a piezoelectric generator on the backside.  So, when the wind is blowing the leaves, it is generating electricity as well.  SMIT_grow as the project is called, is currently producing a lower design, but is working to get this idea into production.  I would love to see the energy generation facts on this as well as cost.

gaiam-hot-pot-solar-cooker

Having a solar cooker brings cheap, simple cooking to far away places.  Whether you are camping or without power at home, the Hot Pot Simple Solar Cooker will suffice.  It’s reiterative design has made for a surprisingly hot cooking experience.

The black, steel enameled pot (5 quarts) helps to absorb the sunlight.  And sunlight gathering is aided by the foldable, reflective surface.  And heat is kept within the cooking area by a glass enclosure.  All that adds up to 350-400 degrees of cooking power!  Not bad for $60.

Here’s a vid of Frijoles cooking:

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