BP may be getting closer to stopping the worst oil spill in U.S. history. Today, the company will attempt a pressure test to evaluate the effectiveness of a 40-foot-tall stack of valves designed to seal the leaking oil well. For 48 hours, BP plans to stop the flow of oil as a test. If successful, [...]

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The Sunshine State. That moniker has historically referenced Florida’s culture of sun, sand and surf, but in the age of green that sunshine is attracting a whole new level of attention. Solar power represents a key opportunity for Florida. The state is already home to the nation’s largest photovoltaic (PV) power plant and according to [...]

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IKEA Takes an Environmental Initiative and Opts for More Green Halogen Light Bulbs

Beginning August 1st, 2010; all US IKEA stores will phase out the Incandescent lights bulbs* in their store and switch to halogen bulbs which use 30 percent less energy and last 2-4 times longer than conventional bulbs. IKEA plans to completely eliminate Incandescent light bulbs in all the stores by January 1, 2011.  This bold move by the Swedish company is to help consumers live a more sustainable life and advance the environmental initiative. IKEA will be the first US retailer to completely switch over to more energy efficient light bulbs.

“IKEA is committed to integrating sustainability into all IKEA strategies and practices in the entire product life cycle. We also believe our customers are looking for every day environmentally responsible solutions for themselves. Eliminating incandescents is a simple way to lead the charge for IKEA customers to use energy saving light bulbs, thus reducing energy consumption and reducing the amount of greenhouses gases. It’s a little step with a big impact on our planet,” commented Mike Ward, US IKEA President.

Although IKEA may be the first retailer, it will certainly not be the last. With Federal legislation that will begin to eliminate Incandescent light bulbs beginning in  2012; IKEA is taking the initiative before the legislation will take effect. Jason Clay, Senior Vice President of Markets at World Wildlife Fund (WWF) said, “As the first major retailer to completely phase out incandescent bulbs, we hope IKEA’s leadership will be contagious.”

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According to a new study, heat pumps are not so efficient in extremely cold climates, only being suited for moderate climates. These provide cooling in summer and heating in winter. Researchers at Purdue University have recently developed a new type of heat pump that allows residents in cold climates to halve their heating bills, due to its high efficiency.

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Dr. Yong Shi, from Stevens Institute of Technology has released a paper called “1.6 V Nanogenerator for Mechanical Energy Harvesting Using PZT Nanofibers.” He uses piezoelectric nanowire- and nanofiber-based generators that can convert mechanical energy into electricity.

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