No April Fools’ joke this: Google shares its data center details
Apr 2, 2009 Green Architecture, Green Technologies
Google operates perhaps the largest number of data centers today. Their energy efficiency is critical for the company, as it directly relates to the costs of running them. Efficiency is important not just because improving it cuts power consumption costs, but also because inefficiencies typically produce waste heat that requires yet more expense in cooling.
Google data centers have long been known to be amongst the most efficient, but their designs were secret. But finally, everyone got a peek at them at the recently held “Data Center Efficiency Summit”, where the company discussed the innards of one of its data centers and custom web servers — all in a bid to promote energy efficiency.
The data centers have 1AAA shipping containers, sporting 1106 custom built servers each. Interestingly, each of the servers has its own 12-volt UPS. This pushes energy efficiency to 99.9% , as opposed to a standard centralized UPS setup which at best would only score 95%!
Tags: data centers, Google, PUC, servers
GE’s amazing hologram based Smart Grid ad
Mar 24, 2009 Green Architecture, Green Technologies
GE is betting big on Smart Grid technologies. It had advertised during the Super Bowl in US this year and now, GE Energy has come out with a unique online ad.
One can log onto GE’s site and print out a special marker that looks like a solar panel, activate your computer’s webcam, and then point the marker so it faces your webcam. The smart grid should automatically open up on your screen, and you can even blow into your computer’s microphone to make the turbines spin faster! Amazing isn’t it? You can also try out the Solar Energy augmented reality ad as well.
See a video demo for yourself below:
Tags: Ad, GE, Smart grid
Ikea introduces solar powered LED lamps
Mar 7, 2009 Green Architecture, Green Technologies
Solar powered outdoor lamps
Ikea, international home products retail behemoth is now going to sell solar powered LED lamps for your home. There are a range of products: post lamps, strings of paper lanterns, accent lighting, pathway globes, a solar powered desk lamp amongst others. All come with rechargeable and replaceable batteries and solar power ensures that your lawn will look good without messy electric wires. Coming from Ikea, they are reasonably priced as well: from $6.99 to $19.99!
Check out the cute looking range here, though you will have to wait before you can order them online. You could cycle to your nearest Ikea store though and they may just be available there.
Tags: Ikea, Solar Energy
Artificial trees to produce green energy
Feb 28, 2009 Green Architecture, Green Technologies
SolarBotanic
A company called SolarBotanic claims to have developed what they call Energy Harvesting Trees. The trees aren’t “real” ( just modeled on real ones); they are composed of Nanoleafs, which use nanotechnology derived designs to capture the “sun’s energy in photovoltaic and thermovoltaic cells, then convert the radiation into electricity.”
The artificial trees also have stems and twigs which house nano-piezovoltaic material which act as generators producing electricity from movement or kinetic energy caused by wind or rain. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Artificial tree, piezoelectricty, Solar Energy, Solarbotanic
Diomede offers greener and cheaper data storage
Feb 28, 2009 Carbon Trading Mechanisms, Green Architecture
Diomede
Diomede is a new new online data storage company, that recently launched in private beta with the goal of offering low cost cloud-based storage with the added benefit of being energy efficient.
Diomede increases efficiency by allowing customers to designate files that they don’t need instant access to, and places them either as ‘nearline’ or ‘offline’. These files have an access time of five minutes or four hours, respectively, but cost only 1/12 as much as standard cloud providers to store and take as little as 1/60th the amount of energy! Additionally, Diomede offsets its carbon footprint through Carbonfund. Read the rest of this entry »
IBM to test smart grid in Denmark
Feb 26, 2009 Green Architecture, Green Technologies
IBM has announced that it is now a member of the EDISON project in Denmark, which plans rolling out a smart grid network on the Danish island of Bornholm. It had announced similar plans in Malta recently.
Electric Vehicles in a Distributed and Integrated Market using Sustainable Energy and Open Networks (or EDISON) is an initiative partly funded by the Danish government and has Siemens and Technical University of Denmark and DONG Energy, Denmark’s largest energy company as other collaborators. Initially the study will focus on the interaction of plug-in cars with the smart grid, including their use for energy storage to cope with the periodic nature of wind energy. But EDISON may also be applied to the management of other types of decentralized batteries throughout the system at a later stage. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Denmark, GE, Google, IBM, Smart grid
Now Google will help yo cut your energy consumption as well!
Feb 10, 2009 Green Architecture, Green Technologies
Google has just launched a free web service called PowerMeter that’ll let users track energy consumption in their homes or business in real time, provided there’s a means to upload the data. The service is currently in closed beta, so everybody won’t be able to test it just yet.
To use the Powermeter app and get access to energy information, you will need a “smart meters.” Even the devices should be compliant, so that energy consumption patterns can be shared and analysed seamlessly. Google is partnering with utility companies as well as gadget manufacturers fo this. But with 40 million smart meters in use worldwide currently, and with plans to add another 100 million in the next few years, this has enormous potential.
Hop over to the site or attend the upcoming GE-Google co-hosted event “Plug into the Smart Grid” on Feb. 17, 2009 at Washington DC ! The efforts of coporate behemoths like GE (recently airing an ad on smart grid during Superbowl) and Google (with the powermeter) will push the adoption of smart grid worldwide. There is a growing realisation that devising ways to control the demand for electric power is a cheaper and easier alternative to building more power plants.
Tags: GE, Google, Smart grid
Mumbai’s green dreams
Feb 9, 2009 Green Architecture, Green Technologies
Greening Mumbai
Mumbai is known for being the economic and entertainment capital of India (and lately for the terror attacks and being the backdrop of Slumdog Millionaire). Now it may be starting to get green buildings as well.
As one of five international architecture firms invited by Kohinoor CTNL Infrastructure Co. Ltd. to participate in a design competition to create a mixed-use urban development project in Mumbai, US based Perkins Eastman has showcased two different skyscraper designs, both of which would be a green addition to the skyline of the city. The first approach is to design a singular 33-story, 108,000-square meter skyscraper with a double story retail base and the other approach is to develop two mid-rise buildings each covering 66,700-square meters.
The plans incorporate systems to generate electricity using renewable energy, harness rainwater and keep the air surrounding the buildings clean with abundant façade plantings and a green roof. The architecture will also incorporate technologies such as solar chimneys and intelligent façade designs for maximizing daylight. Terracotta and solar panels will form an interesting juxtaposition. Read the rest of this entry »
More images after the jump.
Tags: Green Architecture, India, Kohinoor, Mumbai
Vote for the greenest of greener gadgets competition
Feb 7, 2009 Green Architecture, Green Technologies
Green Printer
Greener Gadgets Designs Competition, held in association with Consumer Electronics Association has just shortlisted the top 50 designs for its $3000 prize to be handed out at Greener Gadgets Conference on February 27th.
There are some interesting designs. One is Solaris, the solar table that can be used to recharge electronic devices while you grab a snack at the roadside cafe Then there is the hydro-wind chargerthat can be used while camping; the gadget can be used in water using the hydro power of a river for example, or outside using the wind as power. Another design, Blight uses electroluminescent materials and solar panels to concoct a solar power harnessing venetian blind.
The 50 strong list will be narrowed to the Top 10 by voting open to public. Voting ends on February 20th, so check out this year’s top entries today at the Greener Gadgets site.
Tags: Greener gadgets
Malta’s ambitious smart grid plans
Feb 5, 2009 Green Architecture, Green Technologies, Natural Resource Conservation
The tiny island nation of Malta is on its way to getting a Smart Grid by 2012. Its electric utility companies have signed a 70 million euro agreement with IBM to design and deliver a nationwide Smart Grid implementation.
Under the agreement, IBM will replace all 250,000 analog electricity meters with new smart electronic devices which will enable remote monitoring, management, meter readings and meter suspensions. Customers will also benefit from ability to better manage consumption, improved customer relationship management and the introduction of flexible tariffs and a customer oriented portal.
Smart Grid has been creating increased buzz recently, with GE even airing an ad in the Superbowl spot. Read the rest of this entry »