ReGeneration Roundup - 2008-02-21
New Honda Development Turns Lost Engine Heat into Electricity
Most hybrid engines on the road today produce electricity through regenerative braking. Since the act of braking is what recharges the battery, these hybrid vehicles are most efficient when performing the stop-and-go driving of crowded city streets. On the highway, the standard combustible engine takes over, and the advantage of having a hybrid engine is minimized. Honda is tackling this problem by attempting to harness the waste heat off a running engine and turning it into electricity with a Rankine cycle generator. While the system is not cost-effective enough to be used in production vehicles yet, the test results have been promising. If the current hybrid craze continues, there’s no doubt we’ll be seeing these on the road in the near future. Honda will be publishing a report on their research at the SAE World Congress in April. Tip of the hat to Treehugger and ecofriend for informing us of this innovation.
Wal-Mart Inducts LNG Trucks Into Its Fleet
Wal-Mart is proud to introduce the latest installment in its Sustainability 360 program, four liquified natural gas (LNG)-fueled Peterbilt 386 Trucks. The trucks will run out of their distribution center in Apple Valley, California, and will be supported in part by funding from the MDAQMD’s Mobile Source Emission Reductions Competitive Bidding Program. As more of these trucks are added to the fleet, Wal-Mart comes closer to achieving their goal of cutting greenhouse emissions by 20 percent.
Costa Rican Treehouse Community Takes “Green” to New Heights
How can you meet the growing demand for residential development in tropical areas without clearing ecologically invaluable rainforest land? The developers of the Finca Bellavista rainforest community set out to meet this challenge, and their answer is both inspiring and stunning: you can preserve the towering trees and the ecosystem’s untamed beauty by simply building treehouse communities in the canopy. Looking remarkably similar to the ewok village in Return of the Jedi, the Finca Bellavista community is not only awe-inspiring, but sustainable. The guidelines set for the development dictate that rainwater catch systems are to provide the water for each dwelling, biodigesters will handle the waste, and a hydroelectric turbine as well as solar and wind systems will power the community. The pics and computer generated models of the community off their website are amazing. Thanks again to inhabitat for spreading the word about this.
Tips on Financing Green Businesses
Leah Edwards of the Ecopreneurist has published an informative article for people interested in seeing their “green” idea see the light of day. The blog covers four ways to secure the funding needed to get the idea off the ground, including SBA loans, social-venture capital funds, friends-and-family financing, and partnering with a non-profit organization. There are also some great insites posted by readers in the comments section based on their own personal experiences that are worth a look. Hopefully her article will inspire a few budding Edisons to get their green innovations out in the market and make the world a better place.
