Kitegen, an Italian company, is planning on making an unconventional use of wind force to generate electricity.
They are able to cut costs and simplify the process of generating renewable energy by using kites that fly at altitudes between 800 and 1,000 meters.
The movements of the kites are controlled by a computer, automatically. The kites are held by cables and anchored to a revolving structure that generates energy every time the wind force pulls and retracts the cables. This structure looks like a high-altitude turbine but here the turbine blades are replaced by kites.
Let’s take a look at some very interesting efficiency data. According to the company, a kite installation that occupies a diameter of 800 meters is able to generate as much energy as 150 wind turbines, which would require an area of 40km2.
The carrousel model holds several kites in the same unit and has an estimated energy generation capacity of 100 MW. Each kilowatt/hour it generates costs less than 0.03 Euros, which is less than the cost offered by fossil fuels today.
In June of 2006, the project was selected for financing by the Italian government, but received a lower priority rating. In 2008, the project was selected by the European Union and is expected to receive 3 million Euros for the installation of several structures.
The first commercial installation of the project is a 3MW generator that is being built near Asti, Italy. Tests started in September and operations should start soon.
Source: Next Big Future, Wikipedia
Plastic Plus, an Israeli design studio, is creating fantastic recycling projects with used tires.
The highlight is for the project focused on community playgrounds, built by the community on public spaces.
Lampshades, fruit bowls and other decorative objects made of butane gas canisters complete the decoration of Tyranny of Distance, a coffeehouse located in Melbourne, Australia.
The decoration of the coffeehouse was devised by designer Marcos Davidson, who embraced a recycling philosophy. There, the bar becomes an accidental gallery where several recycled pieces and craft objects are on display.
What would happen to the world if the level of the oceans went up a few meters?
This is the idea behind the Flood Maps website, which uses Google Maps to simulate an increase in the level of the oceans.
Through the options available, you can display the areas that would be underwater if the level of the oceans increased by up to 14 meters. For instance, my home town, Joinville, State of Santa Catarina, would be almost completely covered by water.
To draw attention to the relationship between humans and the incredible amount of waste we produce every day, the guys from the Salzig Design studio in Holland built this temple using 100 tons of recycled plastic bottles.
The Temple of Trash is a temporary structure, and was built in Rotterdam, Holland for the 2007 Follydock Festival. The Temple is 25 meters long, 10 meters wide and 7 meters tall.
What would researchers of the future say if they came across this temple while conducting their excavations?
via Salzig Design, Core77, Inhabitat
The ecologic plates, bowls and serving dishes created by VerTerra are made from palm leaves.
But it’s not only the material that is ecologic. The production process is free of chemicals and glues and, according to the company, approximately 80% of the water used in the steaming and pressing process is recycled.
Also, the products are compostable and can be used to make fertilizers at the end of their lifecycle.
To order, simply go to VerTerra’s website. A 12-piece set starts from US$ 25.
VerTerra was founded in 2006 by Michael Dwork. On that same year, they were granted two US$100,000 awards to boost their project.
I saw this chair in a blog called Eco Spirit, written by Portugal-born Maria and Wilma. I liked the chair so much that I had to talk about it here. Purupu, as this children’s chair is named, is made from a new material called DuraPulp.
DuraPulp is a mixture of paper pulp and biodegradable plastic created by a company called Södra PulpLab, which results in a waterproof paper as resistant as wood, steel or hard plastic. The new material boasts the best features offered by paper: it’s cheap, light and organic.
The chair made from this material was introduced during the 2009 Milan Design Week and was designed by Claesson Koivisto Rune, a company founded by three Swedish designers and architects—Marten Claesson, Eero Koivisto and Ola Rune.
These pendants made from plastic utensils by Luis Luna, Mexican designer, catch our eye due to his choice of materials.
In one of the projects, we have an array of white forks, spoons and knives from a children’s party; another one is built with red plastic cups, creating a pendant that can be the highlight of any room.
These are great ways to recycle and create new uses for everyday objects. We will never look at children’s birthday parties in the same way.
The Gluttony suspension lamp (built with forks and knives) was a finalist in the “House Party” competition, held during the 100% Design Tokyo 2008.
“Transformer” is a system created by designer Chun-wei Liao and allows you to use cardboard to make from pendants to little stools.
Objects manufactured with this system use a flat sheet of cardboard and several pyramids that can be attached to the main sheet to create an original form. The system was launched during this year’s Milan Design Week.
Source: iGreenSpot
This nuclear plant is located near the city of Smolensk and can generate 3 megawatts of energy. It was built over a period of 8 years, from 1982 to 1990. The plant was supposed to have 4 reactors, but due to the panic generated by the Chernobyl’s accident, the fourth reactor was never completed (fortunately). Check out more photos of the nuclear power plant, a time bomb, on the English Russia blog.
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