Energy efficiency

Biodiesel production ramps up on West Coast

When a new biodiesel plant opens early next year in Odessa, WA, it will employ a novel strategy: take locally grown seeds, crush them on site, and refine the resulting oil for fuel. It might sound obvious, but, according to plant manufacturers, the Odessa facility will be the first of its kind in the Western U.S. to fully integrate these steps necessary for biodiesel production.

The result? The facility, according to equipment suppliers, will be less vulnerable to fluctuating agricultural oil prices, which could help stabilize fuel prices further down the supply chain. For the community, it will give … Read more

A nationwide map of traffic jams

DAVIS, Calif.--A lot of time gets wasted in traffic.

Americans lose 3.7 billion hours a year in traffic jams, both anticipated jams and unexpected ones, according to Mygistics CEO Michael Ostrom, speaking at the GoingGreen conference taking place here.

Those delays result in 2.7 billion gallons of gas being burned unproductively. And 5.8 billion gallons of gas a year could be saved if Americans chose to work one day a week at home.

Why is Ostrom such a font of national traffic patterns? Because Mygistics is trying to create a dynamic, national-scale traffic model. The company … Read more

2008 smart cars ready to hit U.S.

Pricing is out for the new, admittedly odd-looking smart fortwo. The compact vehicle, manufactured by Mercedes, features a 1-liter, 3-cylinder engine that puts out a maximum of 71 horsepower. Cars are expected to ship the first quarter of 2008.

The base model starts at $11,590 and includes a 5-speed transmission that switches from automatic to manual mode with the touch of a button. The "passion coupe," which includes features found in more expensive luxury cars like a panorama roof, alloy wheels, paddle shifters and heated side mirrors, starts at $13,590. The convertible will be $16,590 … Read more

Is Microsoft Vista global warming friendly?

Is Microsoft Vista global warming friendly? Could Vista be the best-selling clean-tech product in the world? I was thinking about this question the other day, and started e-mailing the Microsoft press relations folks looking for an answer.

The Microsoft answer--yes, it is. They have a recent release titled "Windows Vista Power Management Features Can Help U.K. Companies Reduce Their Carbon Footprint" on some independent research they had done by PC Pro Labs in the U.K.

Here's their quote:

"Windows Vista is Microsoft's most energy efficient operating system to date with its power … Read more

Tiny gadget eases tire pressure worries

California-based company Resource Manufacturing Inc. (RMI), along with Wika Instrument, the world's largest gauge manufacturer, are touting their new air pressure gauge as the answer to every lazy motorist's prayer.

The patented TiroGage, which is designed to be left on, attaches directly to the tire's valve stem. The pressure reading is displayed constantly on an outer lens, which allows drivers to check their tires with just a quick glance. Air can be added or released through the gauge itself, eliminating the need for external gauges or valve stem caps.

This is great news for those of us (… Read more

Chevy Tahoe, GMC Yukon go hybrid

General Motors is banking on the increasing demand for fuel-efficient cars by launching hybrid versions of two of its full-size SUVs: the GMC Yukon and the Chevy Tahoe. And although the cars aren't slated to go on sale until this fall, GM is already busy building buzz.

The new models, available in both two- and four-wheel drive, use a "two-mode" powertrain designed jointly by GM with BMW and Daimler-Chrysler. This Hybrid Operating System (HOS) allows the car to operate either on electricity or gasoline, depending on the power needs of the car.

Allocation of electric power versus … Read more

When it comes to skyscrapers, is taller greener or smaller better?

I heard an interesting debate the other day on the topic of cities and skyscrapers. In a nutshell, when it comes to cities and buildings, is taller greener or is smaller better? In other words, should environmentally minded people like or dislike skyscrapers?

The Taller Greeners: Building up, rather than out, combats urban sprawl, means more concentration of people, means better for mass transit which equals fewer cars and lower emissions. Building bigger means more opportunity to use technologies like distributed generation, advanced energy efficiency, lighting and monitoring, which typically are more economic in larger projects.

The Smaller … Read more

Hybrid school bus unveiled in CA

One big yellow bus is going green in Napa County. The Northern California school district today received a plug-in hybrid diesel-electric school bus -- the first of its kind in the state.

The move is part of a nation-wide initiative aimed at reducing school bus emissions and cutting costs by improving fuel efficiency. The program is led by Advanced Energy, a non-profit corporation based in Raleigh, N.C.

The bus, which doesn't look terribly innovative on the outside, is built by IC Corporation, the largest school bus manufacturer in the country. It uses a hybrid drive technology dubbed a … Read more

Tesla Roadster: a skeptic converted

Tesla Motors CEO Martin Eberhard was in Los Angeles today to give members of the Motor Press Guild the story behind the making of its cars. For the past couple of years, the Bay Area-based company has gotten oodles of press coverage, much of it on the merits of its technology. But until this afternoon I wasn't entirely convinced. First, some background:

A year ago, I stood on Peter Hay hill at the Concours d'Elegance in Pebble Beach with a rather prominent car designer. Not too far in the distance, hordes of spectators gathered around a pair of … Read more

Juice box tracks HDTV power consumption

At CNET, we've been publishing information about HDTV power consumption for a year and a half in our Quick Guide, which currently lists the results of our tests of more than 50 televisions. Until now, this data has been restricted to the Guide, but it really belongs in each individual HDTV review. That's why we're pleased to announce the "Juice box," a new chart that summarizes the television's power consumption and scores it against other models.

You can check out an example here. Clicking the phrase "Juice box" takes you to an … Read more