Solar Lights
March 5, 2010
Wonder Wheel Gets Solar Revamp
If you have ever seen the Wonder Wheel at Coney Island in New York in the 80's, you were already impressed with its, well, wonder. Deno Vourderis, whose family has owned the structure for 3 generations, has decided to make it greener. The bulbs that lit it up back then were removed for safety reasons, but it looks like the ride will get a second chance to light up the night with the installation of solar panels on the tops its 16 cars. The wheel will have a battery to save the sunlight during the day to light it up at night.
(Thanks to Mike Wrathell for image.)
Via NY Daily News
March 2, 2010
Sustainable City Lights from Philips
This prototype from Phillips Design is a simple concept in lighting. The Sustainable City Lights unfurl in the day to capture solar and wind energy, and are only triggered at night when people are around. Any excess energy returns to the main grid.
Via Philips
March 1, 2010
Cube Tube Adjustable Workstation Lighting
CubeTube, from Solaroad Technology, uses ambient light, indoor fluorescent and incandescent lighting to create energy for solar workstations. Available in different sizes, if there is not enough light to charge the photovoltaic electrical generator, a back up Lithium Polymer/Ion battery kicks in. If that fails, AC power can be used. Expect the real thing in 2011.
Via Solaroad Technologies
February 17, 2010
Wild Grass Brings Spring to Winter
With the nasty snow that has fallen lately, you can cheer up that dead lawn with solar Wild Grass. The 3 1 ft. tall LED lights have a 0.2 solar panel and a 500mAh built-in AA battery. Eight hours in the sun will provide 6 hours of automatic light at night. Choose between steady or flashing modes for the holidays.
Via Wild Grass
February 16, 2010
Flexible Ecovolt Lamp Fits Anywhere
Designed by Kim Joonhyun, Ecovolt is a clever lamp that attaches to a window and stores up enough energy to light up the night. Because it is made of flexible material, it can be placed almost anywhere and hung upright, rolled or attached to something. The lamp consists of a light panel in front, a solar collector in back and silicon to connect the two. The attached remote controls power and brightness.
Via Red-Dot
February 11, 2010
Eco Freezer Also Provides Lighting
Industrial designer Ruben Iglesias is thinking picnic and camping with his Eco Freezer. The hamper-sized device has two photocells/LED lamps powered by solar energy. They can be used for power or illumination. When the feasting is complete, the lamps can provide light in three modes, on, SOS and flicker. One lamp puts it into "low mode" while using both keep it in "high mode."
Via Yanko
January 29, 2010
Solar Snob Site O' The Week: Sol Inc.
Our SOW award goes to Sol Inc., a company that is donating solar lighting systems to Haiti. The lights will be used at food distribution areas, medical stations and along roads leading to Port-au-Prince. They have also launched an initiative for others who want to help. Purchase a Tropical Solar Light System for the country and Sol Inc. will match your donation. The TSL takes less than an hour to install and can withstand 170 mph winds.
Via Sol Inc.
January 26, 2010
Heliotropis Combines Art and Light
Anthony Castronovo designed the Heliotropis, a combination of bronze, ceramic and glass in the shape of a flower. His outdoor sculpture features petals that will open during the day, close at night and are illuminated with an LED array. Solar panels in the leaves collect the sunlight and Arduino microcontrollers let the flower to respond to such environmental aspects as temperature, barometric pressure, light, and wind. The Heliotropis will be erected in Rumson, New Jersey with a target date of sometime this year.
Via Anthony Castronovo
January 25, 2010
Solanterns Shed Light in Kenya
Solanterns are being sold in Kenya to replace kerosene lamps that can cause fires and damage users' lungs. At an initial price of 2000 Ksh (~$25.00,) families will save money in the long run as kerosene usually costs about $90.00 per year while the lantern will last for 3 yrs. before the battery needs replacing. The company's goal is to replace a million of them.
Via Solanterns
January 22, 2010
Solar Light Sticks Brighten Walkways
These Light Sticks quietly get their power during the day, then illuminate your walkway, backyard, driveway or other external sites. Easy to install, the devices are slimmer than most, easy to install and will last up to 100,000 before needing to be replaced. The set of four 2 x 2 1/4 x 27 3/4" stakes run on included AA batteries.
Via Solar Light Sticks
January 13, 2010
Midnight Meals With Solar Grill Light
Now you can barbecue during the night with the Solar Grill Light. Outdoor and salt-spray tested, the 4 LED bulbs will last about 50,000 hours and the built-in panel charges the included 3 AA Ni-Cad batteries. When fully charged, expect up to 4 hours of light. Made of stainless steel, it clips to any shelf up to 1" thick.
Via Solar Grill Light
January 4, 2010
od-do arhitekti Solar Lamp
od-do arhitekti's Solar Lamp faces the sun throughout the day and collects energy via its photovoltaic cells, then it powers up LED cells at night. The company has other green ideas, most of them in various stages of completion, but many of them are award winning designs nonetheless.
Via od-do
December 22, 2009
DOE Announces Climate REDI at CCC
During the recent Copenhagen Climate Conference, the DOE announced the launch of the Renewables and Efficiency Deployment Initiative (Climate REDI,) its purpose to promote the use of renewable and efficient energy products. This would not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but make life better for developing nations. Part of the program that will be implemented in the next 5 years is combining solar panels and LED lamps to replace those that run on kerosene.
Via DOE
December 16, 2009
Decorate with Solar Light Ring
Norwood's solar powered Light Ring has an LED light with three rotating red, green and blue star bursts. It comes with its own photocell and battery, turns on automatically at dusk and will last up to 8 hours on a charge. Not to mention what it will do to your head after a long night of partying.
Via Solar Light Ring
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