Energy Independent Hamlets - Wadebridge Becomes the UK's First Solar-Powered Town (TrendHunter.com)

ProdigyWadebridge Becomes the UK's First Solar-Powered Town

Originally known simply as Wade, the township of Wadebridge earned its suffix in 1460 when a local magistrate built an archway bridge. Since then, however, nothing noteworthy has occurred in the Cornish village… until today.

Wadebridge now has the honor of becoming the United Kingdom’s first completely solar-powered town. After making headlines a few years back with the ambitious endeavor of reaching 30% renewable energy by 2015, the municipality jumped headfirst into the research books and came out with the idea of a sustainable solar farm. With the worldwide prices of sun-harnessing technologies dropping, it was only a matter of time until solar cells were adopted by countryside businesses, which are typically too far away for electrical cables. Former oilman Jeremy Leggett has helped renew the town of Wadebridge with a solar grid that generates up to 250 kilowatts of power.

Though German towns like Wildpoldsried are not only energy independent, but produce 321% more clean energy than they use, the efforts made in Wadebridge are an integral step in the right direction for the UK.

Tweet Published: Sep 14, 11 • References: telegraph and treehugger Must SeeWTFOMGLoLCuteNerdyHot

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Motion-Harnessing Mobile Chargers - The Viber Burst Transforms Kinetic Energy from Your Activities (TrendHunter.com)

SuperstarThe Viber Burst Transforms Kinetic Energy from Your Activities

There are so many unseized green opportunities to harness energy now that will cause the next generation to call us wasteful. The Viber Burst Kinetic Charger strives to kick-start the practice of economizing on available sources by offering a way to swap an electrical socket for sports. Devised by Josh Pell while at Swinburne University in Melbourne, Australia, this innovative idea would lower one’s ecological footprint.

The foot really is the key with this concept since the device is ideally placed within the laces of your shoe. Equally effective when fixed to the limb with the greatest frequency of motion, the eco cellphone charger turns the energy generated through movement into an electrical source to juice your handset. Viber Burst ingeniously lets the consumer take a sustainable lifestyle into his own hands—or feet.

Tweet Published: Sep 9, 11 • References: joshpell and ecofriend Must SeeWTFOMGLoLCuteNerdyHot

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