Day: 22 August 2006

Window-Powered Buildings

glass A company, XsunX, is producing some really enlightening technologies. They envision buildings that produce their own energy through solar power, they imagine a future where the very glass you are looking through is also powering your computer.

Glass as solar panels, this just makes sense. Office towers need power during the day, which is conveniently when the sun is up. I hope that this company makes these products inexpensive.

“XsunX is also developing an opaque solar cell that is so thin and flexible that it can be integrated into other building materials, such as roofing and siding. The possibilities are virtually endless.”

Minnesota Travels Hybrid-Style

Minnesota leads the other American states when it comes to using biofeuls, and they have taken one more step to maintain their lead. The state government is going to provide 150 hybrid busses for public transit.

“Our environment, Greater Minnesota’s economy and our transit budget all benefit when we use alternatives to regular gasoline and diesel,” Governor Pawlenty said. “Metro Transit’s ‘Go Greener’ initiative is a nation-leading effort to reduce tailpipe emissions and reliance on foreign oil, while also achieving fuel savings.”

Metro Transit also intends to double the biodiesel content of its fuel supply from 5 percent – the standard implemented by Metro Transit on July 1, 2006 – to 10 percent in mid-2007. The State of Minnesota requires a 2 percent bio-additive in diesel fuel sold in the state.

“We have already begun an operational test of 20 percent biodiesel in a portion of our fleet,” said Peter Bell, Metropolitan Council Chair. “This could be a precursor to even higher concentrations of soy esther, further boosting the use of this renewable energy supply.”