Wind farm development is playing a huge role in a clean energy future.  While mass wind power may offer a beneficial energy alternative, the construction of wind farms creates a great deal of controversy – from the destruction of natural habitats and dangers to birds and bats to the actual effectiveness of wind as an energy source.  Some even argue that wind farms are ugly, disrupting the scenic coastlines and natural beauty of the world.  Take a look at these wind farm pictures and let us know your thoughts – ugly or simply amazing?

Image by Wayfinder_73

The San Gorgonio Pass wind farm is one of the largest in California, generating 615 MW of power and comprised of 3,218 turbines.  

The world’s first floating wind turbine began producing energy just a few months ago, installed off the coast of Norway.  If the Hywind performs as expected over the next 2 years of testing, the concept could make offshore wind farm development much more efficient.

Whitelee wind farm went live in late May of this year and is currently the largest wind farm in Europe.  Located in East Renfrewshire, Scotland, the onshore farm includes 140 turbines and can generate enough electricity to power 180,000 homes.

Maple Ridge wind farm is currently New York’s largest wind farm and is located in the rural farming area of Lewis County.  Operational since 2006, Maple Ridge is responsible for nearly 75% of New York’s total wind power capacity.

This alternative energy concept creates an entirely new look for typical wind farms.  Designed by an Arizona State University student, freeway sign wind turbines like these could generate enough electricity to supply a small apartment at low wind speeds and require no additional land usage.

Horns Rev wind park, off the coast of Denmark, was was the world’s largest offshore wind farm when it was constructed in 2002.  The 2nd phase, Horns Rev 2, will push the farm ahead of the present offshore leader.  Still, the Greater Gabbard wind farm currently under construction in the Thames Estuary will be the largest wind farm in the world when it becomes operational in 2011.

The present title holder for the world’s largest offshore wind farm became operational in late 2008 off the coast of Lincolnshire, England. Lynn and Inner Dowsing wind farm generates power for 130,000 homes but will be surpassed by the Greater Gabbard park mentioned above.

Another of California’s amazing wind farms, Tehachapi Pass is also one of the oldest wind farms still in operation.  Since the early 1980’s, turbines in this area near the Mojave Desert have been upgraded and expanded.  Currently about a dozen different companies generate electricity in the Tehachapi Pass wind farm.

The World’s Most Amazing Wind Farms is a post from: Ecoble

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Image by Krassy Can Do It

New ways to integrate alternative energy sources into your home and everyday life are surfacing everyday.  We’ve featured creative off-the-grid gadgets, awesome uses for wind and solar power, and the available options for solar ready homes.  The power of humans is just as reliable – and typically more cost-effective – than other types of alternative energy.  Take a look at these innovative ways to use your own kinetic energy at home…

This concept phone by Kyocera gains a charge the more it’s used.  The kinetic powered phone boasts a space-age design, folding into a convenient wallet size for portability and simple calls.  Space memory technology  allows the keyboard to pop up when in use and to blend flat with the phone when it’s not needed.  Unfolded, the low-energy OLED screen widens making it an ideal phone for mobile media fans.

Designed by Efrain E. Velez for the 2008 Greener Gadgets Design Competition, this creative kinetic energy lamp is a suitable addition to any contemporary home.  Aptly named, the Krank Lamp is constructed of recyclable aluminum and uses eco-friendly LEDs.  About a minute of hand-powered cranking produces nearly an hour of light – the perfect reading lamp after dark!

You may remember the old push-powered floor sweepers?  The Electrolis is a similar human-powered concept, submitted to the Australian Design Award by Ms Neo Amy.  We’re not sure if this floor and carpet cleaner would perform much better than those from the past, but it definitely features a catchier design and is said to be much more comfortable to use, not to mention easier to empty.

The E-Bag may not get much use around the house, but it’s the perfect companion on the go.  Designed by Apor Püspöki, the kinetic powered snack cooler is a stylish bag with a built-in cooling unit and plenty of space for water, lunch, and snacks.  The handle is designed to rotate with movement, capturing energy from movement as you walk and using that to keep things cool.  

Pedal powered creations range from generators to juicers to washing machines and everything in between.  Kevin Blake, a bicycle designer, made this pedal-powered snow plow from an old lawnmower, pedals, and a snow shovel – an excellent eco  alternative to your traditional gas powered snow blower!

Another Greener Gadgets Design entry, the Minute Glass is an exceptional concept for a kinetic powered alarm clock.  No batteries, no cord – and no snooze button, this clock is sure to start your morning on time.  During the night, the clock can serve as a portable night light; in the morning, the alarm sounds to your favorite radio station and doesn’t turn off until you shake it long enough to stay charged until the next day.

Until the Kyocera Eos phone is available, the nPower Personal Energy Generator (PEG) can keep your gadgets powered by human energy whether you’re at home or out and about.  The kinetic powered charger is lightweight and can be carried in a bag or strapped to a bike rather than worn like other chargers.  The PEG doesn’t store energy but will keep your iPod or phone running while you clean or travel.  The charger is currently available for preorder with a price of $149 and includes 2 free adapters of your choice.

Instead of wasting energy to charge your wireless mouse, this concept design converts the movement of the device into power.  The kinetic mouse, created by Natalie Miklosic, ensures a continuous power source wherever you may be without depending on electricity.

8 Amazing Ways to Use Kinetic Energy at Home is a post from: Ecoble

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Solar ready homes are the latest thing in green building standards.  From prewiring to prefabs with solar-ready roofs, there are already plenty of options available.  New legislation, like the recently signed solar ready homes bill in Colorado, will ensure that even more homes can easily make use of solar power.   We’ve compiled a collection of the best solar ready housing options currently on the market…

Sunlight Homes offers custom designed houses with passive solar features, including zero-energy, self sustaining living options.  A Sunlight Home package includes everything needed to build your new home – from SIPs to lumber and fasteners – with an assortment of available add-ons, like garages and hardwood doors.  Once you’ve designed your Sunlight Home, the components are manufactured off-site and delivered to your lot where a local builder will erect the structure.

The Cornell Solar Decathlon House for 2009 boasts an intriguing cylindrical design, featuring a living room, kitchen, bed & bath, and covered courtyard within 800 square-feet of living space.  The sun-powered home is complete with Energy-Star appliances, a fuel-free indoor/outdoor fireplace, and plenty of dual-purpose living options.  Offers are currently being accepted for the creative home with an asking price of $199,000.

We’ve mentioned the intriguing (and affordable) i-House in a previous post – with it’s solar-ready roof and sustainable design, the i-House is a perfect addition to this list as well.  Created by mobile manufacturer Clayton Homes, the i-house is a customizable, solar-ready prefab that is loaded with eco friendly options – including Energy-Star design and appliances, bamboo flooring, and rainwater harvesting.

Michelle Kaufmann is one of our favorite green architects for obvious reasons.  All home designs are solar ready and built off-site with eco friendly materials for maximum sustainability.  The Glidehouse pictured above is available in 1 to 4 bedroom floorplans, complete with environmentally safe finishes and accessories.  Sunshades, FSC certified cabinetry, and water-efficient fixtures are integrated into the design as well.

Possibly one of the first homes designed to be solar ready, John Avenson built this house in 1982 and has enjoyed living in it ever since.  E-star certification was received, with an applaudable rating of 26, in May of 2007 and is still much more advanced than many modern sustainable homes.  When the solar house was built 28 years ago, the southern-oriented roof was designed to accommodate solar panels without protrusions that could interfere with the panel layout.  The Avenson website contains a wealth of information about solar-powered housing.

Solar Village Homes offers several options for solar ready living.  Custom solar home packages include everything from site planning to design to green consulting to ensure the best sustainable materials.  Five different turn-key options are available from Solar Village, ranging from 1 to 3 bedrooms and up to nearly 2,500 square-feet.  These homes, available in 34 states, can be ready for move in within 2 months and can completely eliminate utility bills.  

Shea Homes is the first builder to join Arizona Public Service Company’s solar home building program.  Solar ready connections were already an option in Shea’s Trilogy community in Arizona so this state incentive was a natural choice.  Shea Homes builds quality communities in California, North and South Carolina, Colorado, Florida, and Washington state as well and offer several eco-friendly options in their houses.

Serving the Colorado area, Prestige Home Builders designs custom homes with solar-ready tile roofs.  Each design is personally overseen by the company owner, meaning only a handful of Prestige homes are built each year.  Floor plans include 2-story models with more than 6,000 square feet of living space, as well as luxurious ranch style homes in various layouts.  

Road Home Builders is helping New Orleans rebuild green with their Sunconomy, high-efficiency homes.  Eighteen different floor plans are available, ranging from cozy 1-bedroom cottages to spacious models with 4 bedrooms and 3 baths.  Each home integrates a number of standard green features and are constructed of steel SIPs that can withstand 150 mph winds.  Solar hot water systems and photovoltaics are available as well.

Wisconsin residents can seek the services of award-winning green builders, PEA Builders, for their solar-ready home.  PEA homes are Energy Star and Green Built certified, featuring SIP construction, bamboo flooring, and on-demand hot water systems.  Passive solar designs are available, along with solar panel and geothermal energy options.

Feel free to add your thoughts, comments, and resources for solar ready homes in the comments!

Top 10 Solar Ready Homes is a post from: Ecoble

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While wind and solar power may not be the complete solution to a green energy future, these 2 sources of clean, renewable energy definitely have some amazing potential.  From off-grid homes and gadget chargers to bike helmet generators and fully-functional campers, there are already plenty of awesome applications for wind and solar power and just as many other unbelievable ideas to come…

Reminiscent of days gone by but with futuristic flair, the Westfalia Verdier solar camper doesn’t appear to have made it to the production lines but is an awesome concept regardless.  Using GPS technology, solar panels power the camper van when you’re ready to camp – lowering the vehicle onto the wheels to increase stability.  The pop-up design will accommodate a family of 4, but the proposed $69,000 price tag might be the holdup on getting this cool camper on the market.

This has to be the geekiest concept ever for a solar gadget charger – a solar necktie, complete with a built-in pocket and adapters to keep your favorite gadget safe while it charges.  The small solar panels create an intriguing design for the tie but I wonder how comfortable it would be with an iPod stuffed in the underside?

We’ve seen a few solar powered cars already, as well as a couple wind powered vehicles, but this intriguing concept by RORMaxx combines both wind and solar power into one amazing car that may actually see production later this year.  The Formula AE is designed to be a wind and solar powered race car, boasting a top speed of 155 mph, with a layer of solar cells and an innovative energy recovery system using intakes and turbines to store additional power.

Similar to the Hymini wind powered gadget charger we’ve featured before, the K3 offers solar and wind energy to power your portable devices.  This off-grid gadget charger is compatible with most rechargeable handhelds, including phones, cameras, and iPods, and will charge the typical cell phone 5 times when the K3 is fully powered (and it’s a bit more appealing than the solar tie above).

Creatively artistic and completely renewable, these street lamps produce 380 watts of power with nothing more than sun and wind.  Solar panels and a small wind turbine are masked amid the creative design of the hybrid street lamps by Urban Green Energy.  LED bulbs increase the lights’ efficiency and the company will customize the posts to suit the area where they will be installed.

The latest addition to China’s skyscraper skyline is an eco-friendly tower powered by the wind and sun.  The Austrian designed Shenzhen Tower will house businesses, meeting rooms, recreation facilities, and residences within it’s 49 floors and is created to provide natural ventilation and shade to increase efficiency and reduce China’s dependency on nonrenewable resources.

Forget electric motorbikes – a wind-powered helmet can create enough juice to operate headlights, turn signals, and tail lights!  Three Cheng Shiu University students came up with the light-powering helmet, using 5 small turbines to generate electricity while the bike is in motion.  Four batteries store the energy and then transmit power to the lights.  Plans to reduce the weight of the helmet are in the works, with hopes of public production in the future. 

Image by Michael Jantzen

Completely off-the-grid and totally recyclable, the Homestead House makes the most of solar and wind power.  The futuristic prefab, designed by Michael Jantzen, is still a concept but definitely one worth considering.  The house is made of recycled steel, is low cost, and easy to customize.  A small wind turbine and a series of solar panels provide the off-grid home’s energy, while utilizing passive solar technology to control the climate and the unique arched shape to harvest rainwater – a simply awesome use of wind and solar power!

8 Awesome Uses of Wind and Solar Power is a post from: Ecoble

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From staircases to furniture and art to lighting, a sustainably designed home requires eco-friendly accessories for a green design inside and out.  This collection of amazing eco designs goes beyond standard energy-star appliances and stainless steel cabinetry, including chairs from worn-out keyboards, elegant light fixtures from recycled aluminum, and more…

Book lovers that can’t bear to part with their old collections can transform them into bookcases and shelves to hold new books and trinkets.  These super-cool recycled bookcases are created by Jim Rosenau in Berkley, CA and can be purchased through his website.  Visit WebUrbanist for more awesome bookcase designs.

Old car parts, industrial scraps, and yesterday’s trampoline springs get new life as one-of-a-kind home decor when artist Tim Pace gets his hands on them.  Each piece of Eco-Art is imaginative, intriguing, and fashioned by hand from recycled metal.  The item pictured here is one of Tim’s amazing wine racks – other Eco-Art includes business card and candle holders, creative garden sculptures, and more.

Beautiful wood and simple steel are the only materials in this stunning spiral staircase designed by Patrick Jouin.  The magnificent set of stairs requires little space, making it ideal for modular building or prefab – not to mention the fact that it is absolutely gorgeous!  (via dornob designs)

Do your window blinds simply keep out the bright rays of sun and cool your home – or do they harvest the sun’s power and turn on your lamp?  The illuminating solar blinds, created by Yoon-Hui Kim and Eun-Kyung Kim, do just that!  During the day, the blinds shade your home while storing solar power.  Turn the blinds on after dark and an integrated table lamp, chandelier, or floor lamp will brighten the room without taking up space or using electricity.

Every home office needs a good desk.  The ‘Deborah’ is one of many pieces of innovative recycled furniture from Reestore.  An airplane wing is transformed into a sturdy and attractive surface, then topped with heavy glass.  The wing desk is supported by stainless steel legs and available for purchase for £1990.

Recycled aluminum, resin, and low-energy LEDs create amazing eco-lighting solutions.  Stem, Firefly, Cocoon, and Flur, pictured here, are part of the SKIN collection – a company featuring the award-winning lighting designs by LEED-accredited Deniece Duscheone.

Chic and modern, this creative lounger is also eco-friendly.  Named the Text-ile Chair and designed by Dante Bonnucelli and Lamm for the UMUL workshop in 2009, the furniture rescues several old keyboards to provide an intriguing and resourceful seating option.  (Via Inhabitat)

Demolition scrap piles are the perfect source for home interior remodeling – at least when A77 Studio is in charge of the job.  The house pictured here, located in Buenos Aries, was completely refurbished with discarded highway guardrails, scrap wood, and forgotten industrial doors and windows for a stunning eco interior design.

These snake-like creations are the latest innovation from designers MOI – transforming Trask lights.  The LED light fixtures are versatile and unique, doubling as an intriguing task light for your desk or end table or track lighting suspended from the ceiling.  Adding to the eco-friendliness of Trask lights, the units are manufactured from recycled sheet metal with a safe powder-coat finish and flat-pack shipped to minimize transportation costs.

Hold on to those plastic drinking straws – especially the colorful ones, and you could have your very own recycled chair, footstool, or even a lampshade.  We’re not sure exactly how many straws were used to create these intriguing pieces of recycled eco furniture, or how long they would last under regular use, but it is one of the most creative examples of reuse we’ve come across!

10 Incredible and Intriguing Eco Accessories for Your Home is a post from: Ecoble

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