Google pushes for green buildings, provides an example

Google has taken on his public blog this morning to talk about the company's focus on creating a greener, more sustainable jobs for their employees. The company participates in several green initiatives including energy audits and the use of green building materials and competitive programmes contrast with each other to become a greener Office team.

In addition, Google said that he now added its first LEED certified building in the Googleplex in mountain view, California.

LEED, which stands for "leadership in energy and environmental design", is an internationally recognized certification program for rating of green buildings. Google says this is not his first LEED building, but this is the first in the Googleplex.

New achievement was awarded LEED platinum for Interior renovation, which is a healthy building materials and methods, says Google. The company currently has 4.5 million square feet of building space across the world, which he hoped would soon earn LEED certification.

Other green building practices used by Google include:

Heating to prevent material containing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other known toxins that may cause damage to human health by using materials free of living building challenge red list materials and chemicals ConcernPushing EPA construction industry to adopt a more transparent practices when it comes to labelling of construction materials and require suppliers to meet transparency requirements through the Pharos ProjectInvests in the most effective, cooling and lighting systemsPerforms the regular energy conservation and water auditsImplements measures and develop the best practicesUses of renewable sources of energy, where feasible (as these solar panel)

Google launches an internal program of sustainable achievement of pit teams against each other to earn points based on their Office Green performance, measuring your green cleaning programmes, water use and waste management strategy.

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Renewable energy consumption Tops nuclear first time

According to a new report from the United States energy information Administration (EIA) engery consumption from renewable energy sources, recently topped both current and historical consumption for nuclear energy. Move immediately was caused by nuclear power, which coincided with the season of water for hydropower.

But there is a long-term trend in renewable sources of energy, which can be seen here, also, due to increased consumption of biofuels and wind energy capacity.

In the short term, the transition from nuclear to renewable energy depended on the United States weather trends. The western part of the United States saw record snowfall this year, leading to the HYDROELECTRIC works on stretched longer than usual. This happened while many nuclear facilities have been closed for routine maintenance and refueling, which is typical for this time of year. (NUCLEAR POWER PLANT shut down twice, once in spring, once in the winter).

However, the graphics, provided by EIA show long-term transition to renewable sources of energy as well, pointing out that this is not a fluke, caused by the coincidence timing of weather and plant shutdowns.

To compare different sources of energy consumed is measured in the year (British thermal units). In January, the consumption of renewable sources of energy was 724 trillion a year, when nuclear consumption was at 761 trillion a year. March, renewable energy sources reached 795 trillion a year, compared with 687 trillion a year for nuclear. And by April, it was 798 trillion year for renewable energy — 571 trillion a year for nuclear.

Renewable energy not only mean the Sun, wind, water, and geothermal sources, reminds us of the EIA. It also includes biofuels like ethanol and biodisel fuels and biomass both wood and wood waste.

This shift in energy consumption does not mean that renewable energy is now our main source of electrical power, however. Outside of the electricity generated energy is also used to produce steam transport, Heating and industrial.

Below you can see that renewable energy is still a bit lower than nuclear. But if these trends in renewable energy it is necessary to pass nuclear here, too, somewhere in the next few years.

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This electric plane is powered by its own solar hangar

Interested in greener flying enthusiasts to aviation can put Elektra one to their wishes. PC-Aero in electric aircraft can fly up to three hours on a single charge with a cruising speed of 100 mph. Tariffication is happening inside a hangar, included a solar-powered plane expected purchase price of $ 145.000.

The plane successfully completed its first flight in the spring of last year and will go on sale in the middle of next year, prior to certification as a new ultralight aircraft class in Germany. He recently won the electric planes of Lindbergh for aviation innovation.

Designed for maximum effectiveness, the ship is made of light Fibre composite. With battery weight about 440 pounds of aircraft and engine is 13.4 kW (17.96 HP).

Don't expect to invite your friends on board the aircraft, however: only one seat and the maximum cargo weight – the pilot included is 220 pounds.

Elektra one reduces not only on air pollution, noise pollution: its engineers say the airplane produces one fifth of the noise emitted by another aircraft and one half of the noise produced by regular extra.

See aircraft in action here:

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GE invests up to $ 40 million in eSolar.

General Electric Co. (GE) bought a minority stake in the California Solar company eSolar this week. Because of the deal, Paul Browning, President and CEO of solar thermal products for GE Energy, eSolar will join the Board of Directors.

ESolar is a license agreement with GE Energy that granted him exclusive rights throughout the world in eSolar modular technology for its solution, an integrated solar combined cycle power plant (ISCC). This decision, coupled with "50" FlexEfficiency combined cycle power plant of its own, is able to deliver the GE fuel efficiency more than 70%.

In less technical terms, this means that GE believes the combination of technologies, natural gas and solar is the best solution for renewable sources of energy. This combination will ultimately be most effective, most flexible and most affordable solution to address the global problem of climate change, the company said in a release (by using more complex language, of course).

Hybrid solar power plants

During the day, these plants are "hybrid" are using the Sun's heat to produce steam for the steam system, which generates electricity. This is done through the use of small, flat, modular mirrors to reflect heat back into the receiver mounted Tower. Natural gas is not used in the daytime. However, at night, or during periods of cloud cover, the plant will use natural gas.

GE of the ISCC technology currently exclude China and India, but companies say they are now targeting Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the United States.

ESolar was founded in 2007, the founder of Idealab, Bill gross, with a view to the use of modular form factors, combined with advanced software systems for the delivery of cost-competitive solar energy.

eSolar designed the solar plant thermalpower technology. eneration can be scaled from 46 MW to more than 500 MW. eSolar modular, scalable power architecture allows ordering ...

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I quit breathing

Paul Carr is the process of elimination, writer. He writes a weekly column for TechCrunch, focusing on media and technology. For the first part of what he might run away his career, he edited various publications and founded multiple businesses with varying degrees of abysmal failure. After getting fired from every job he ever had – including at least ... ? Read More

Earlier today, I had an amazing realization: I spend at least half of my breath in the day. The other half I am breathing out. However, I am literally my breath throughout his life.

Enough.

Today I am leaving the breath. Will no longer be my light is constantly on the oxygen consumption and disposal of carbon dioxide. In a bold move, I will be free from oppressive yoke of gaseous Exchange.

Now, I know what you think: If I quit, breathing cold Turkey, not my blood fill up fast with unwanted carbon dioxide? Possible. I am sure that in certain locations in coming weeks, I'll have to take from time to time by the inward or outward breath, to deal with emergency situations or avoid asphyxiation. But, generally speaking, I did.

I have a feeling for the next two minutes, at least, my performance is going to go through the roof. After that, who can say? I'll post the results here at TechCrunch.

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HaloIPT wireless speed-charged electric machines

Those who resist buying an electric car, because Charging stations are less ubiquitous than gas stations or figuring out how to charge your car at home it seems difficult, one less excuse to go green. The new system from the British HaloIPT car will start to charge wirelessly using induction.

Wireless energy transfer is a car battery for the current charge, similar to the concept of recharging an electric toothbrush, but with much more energy. Each car is equipped with a car that is ready to gain power.

This technology can also work for moving vehicles. The company cooperates with Drayson Racing technology to test drive technology that uses inductive power transfer via transmitters placed in the Hippodrome. Cars must not be directly over the transmitter to produce electricity, and they must be parked for so HaloIPT said that the system will work even when drivers swerve around their competitors.

It will be a while before racing car sees the start of a line: HaloIPT and Drayson, the plan should be ready for showtime to the end of 2015. But HaloIPT hopes to use what he learns with Drayson applied technology to the needs of car drivers do not race.

At the same time, Wireless charging fans can ogle on stationary system model, featured in the pilot 102EX Rolls-Royce Phantom.

The company sets out his vision in this video:

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Groupon for solar? Building Solar @ Work offers rebates for Going Green together

Buying group enters into commercial space clean energy through Solar @ Work programme developed by the San Francisco Department of the environment to ensure greater accessibility of solar panels for business owners. Companies have three options to get solar panels through the programme: procurement, leasing and credit. Federal grant covering 30% of the cost of installation is also on offer.

Solar Xpert@work hoped to sign on at least 20 owners in the area of the San Francisco buildings by the end of the year, that can be translated as 2 megawatts of solar energy.

While the program is innovative in simplifying solar commercial buildings, this is not the first harness group purchasing power for solar. 1Bog has a similar model for solar installations, at home, and SolarMosaic represents a crowdfunding platform for attraction of the Sun for public buildings such as schools and churches.

Group buying model can discount panels at 10-15% and reduce the cost of administrative fees at 75%. It doesn't sound like steal group buying consumer standards, but considering the price of solar panels, it can add up to significant savings. The city said, is the main obstacle to the entry into solar high upfront cost of solar most commercial property owners.

San Mateo SolarCity has won the tender to provide dashboards, and the participating enterprises are expected to pay less for Sun than what they pay for power from the grid. Currently, less than the four-story commercial buildings have the right to participate in the program. If the pilot is successful, this could be extended to other areas of the country, or even global level.

Photo of living Off the grid

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