energy

You'd think summer had already arrived, given the recent spate of frolick-worthy products ranging from pool-dwelling jellyfish to splash-proof LCDs, not to mention at least two types of iPod-enabled grills.

But if all you want to do is enjoy your music wirelessly in the open air--and feel good about it, ecologically--then something like the "Outdoor Wireless Solar Speaker" might be in order. This cord-free acoustic device can work up to 150 feet from your stereo or computer, lasting as long as eight hours after each solar charge.

Just be sure that your microwave and land lines don'… Read more

You can hardly walk by a newsstand, Web site or TV station these days without getting the message that going green can save greenbacks and the Earth at the same time.

For Earth Day, big metro newspapers featured green specials, while MTV's Pimp My Ride converted a muscle car to run on biofuel. Magazines as varied as Outside, Vanity Fair and Knit.1 printed green issues this spring (whether they used recycled paper is another matter).

Over the weekend, two more big-media outlets released green offshoots designed to show a mainstream audience that every day can be like Earth … Read more

Those friendly Russians want to bring more energy directly to your doorstep if you live in North America. That means digging the world's longest tunnel. The proposed project would dig a tunnel over 60 miles long beneath the Bering Sea, surfacing at two islands en route.

Next week a coalition of Russian businesses will present this plan to Canada and the U.S. If it moves ahead, the tunnel would be twice as long as the one now connecting Britain and France.

The tunnel would connect major highways and pipelines yet to be constructed. The hope is to deliver … Read more

Move over, "Power Purse." There's a new bag in town.

Alternative energy continues to make inroads in the fashion world with the "Solar" series from Picard. Like other accessories with built-in solar panels, this line of leather computer bags, backpacks and luggage uses the sun's rays to charge all manner of electronic gadgets, including mobile phones, media players and laptops.

Of course, it wouldn't be a designer item without a designer price: Slashphone says the "Solar Bag" will go for about $670. What did you expect, a DIY backpack?

China isn't exactly known for its environmental sensitivities, so we were somewhat surprised to hear that it could be the source of one of the first mass-market solar phones. Then again, if there's a chance for a successful new industry, Chinese entrepreneurs are likely to be somewhere nearby.

Shenzhen-based HTW Electronics says it will introduce a mobile phone in China next month that's essentially covered with solar cells that charge its battery, according to Mobility Site and Unwired View. The handset needs to be exposed to direct sunlight to absorb the solar energy effectively--not ideal for phones … Read more

ZAP is giving four-wheeling enthusiasts a proverbial peek under the hood. The electric car maker just released some conceptual drawings of its ZAP-X Crossover SUV.

The ZAP-X Crossover SUV will feature all-wheel drive, with in-hub electric motors, a design that aims to deliver 644 horsepower and a top speed of 155 mph. But most electrical vehicle buyers have one thing in mind: "How far can I go, before I need to juice up?" The ZAP-X Crossover aims to reach a 350-mile range before it needs another 10-minute charge.

The price? $60,000. That's roughly the cost of two Honda Pilots. … Read more

We didn't know that there enough of these to create competition, but the "SolarShuttle" claims to be the "UK's largest and most advanced solar boat," according to Gizmag. Plying the waters of the "ecologically fragile" Serpentine Lake at Hyde Park in London, the boat reportedly runs silently and without pollution while ferrying up to 42 passengers. It even stores more than enough power to operate at night, sending surplus solar energy back to national utility plants. That's especially comforting because it means the boat won't get stranded while rented out … Read more

Three aircraft in the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) pipeline promise to change some assumptions we have about air travel--the assumption that there's a pilot in the cockpit, for instance.

In the works is an unmanned cargo plane with a 30-ton payload capacity. IAI could have gone for an unmanned passenger jet--the technology does exists--but "the world is not yet ready to be flown without a pilot at the stick," Shlomo Tsach, IAI director of flight sciences, told the Jerusalem Post. "A psychological obstacle needs to be overcome before people are willing to fly in unmanned planes.&… Read more

Regardless of what you think of its design, this is no ordinary handbag. The "Power Purse's" name refers not just to its importance as a fashion accessory but also to its functionality--as a portable source of solar energy.

The bag is covered with small solar panels that can power cell phones or any other gadgets through a USB port built into its interior. MobileWhack says the ingenius purse was designed by a student at Iowa State University and marketed through Solarjo, "a company that produces unlikely items from something that looks quite ordinary."

The price … Read more