A social entrepreneur is someone who recognizes a social problem and uses entrepreneurial principles to create a venture designed to have a positive impact on society. Ecopreneurists are, simply, social entrepreneurs focused on the environment.  While a social entrepreneur’s business may be a for-profit enterprise, the driving force behind it is the desire to do something meaningful.

Generally speaking, social entrepreneurs are not involved with greenwashing (at least not blatantly or intentionally). However, being an ecopreneurist does not automatically give you immunity from scrutiny. The fact that so many companies have jumped onto the green bandwagon has created an environment of skepticism among potential customers that any company claiming to be green must overcome.

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We’ve all been hoping for that magic green solution to powering the increasing number of electronics imbedded in our communications hungry lifestyle. Freescale Semiconductor has an answer for us in the way of a new power conversion technology. Hoping to have the product released in mid 2009, one of the effects of the technology is that “a single solar cell attached to a mobile phone or other handheld device could charge the gadget” reported Todd Wooder for the Green Wombat.

The chip responds to some fundamental problems in solar technology:

1. The unwieldy size of the photovoltaics (PVs) required to power or recharge the battery of a component

2.  The significant drop in energy output of a PV array when some of the panels are shielded from the sun

Addressing the latter, given that the converter can be integrated into each solar cell, buildings depending on solar power can expect a significant increase in energy conversion even when some of the panels are shaded; more power created, requiring fewer panels. Cool! One of the companies interested in incorporating the technology into its panels is Suntech Power Holdings (STP)

As for our portable communications addiction, we may soon be able to live a guilt reduced life as we power those social media and IM wielding components with the renewable energy of solar power -without having to carry the power source in its own attache.

“Through Free Range’s 2008 Gratitude Grant program, we are offering up to $15,000 worth of design and/or strategic communications services from our menu of core offerings: strategy consulting, identity design, web design, print design, and online movies.

So what do you want to “ink” this year? A new campaign strategy? A website? A fresh logo? A never-before-seen Internet tool? As long as you have a concrete goal and a concrete goal to make a positive difference for our planet and its people, we encourage you to apply.”

Eager to join the ranks of previous grantees such as the Global Footprint Calculator or ChangingthePresent.org? Act fast and submit your organization’s eight-question application form by 5:00pm on Thursday, May 1st.

A small business success story of its own, Free Range is committed to helping fellow social change agents succeed. Even non-contestants come out ahead by downloading Free Range’s fantastic PDF guides to effective communication strategies.

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The 20 teams selected for the 2009 Solar Decathlon have been announced by the US Department of Energy. Each team will receive a $100,000 grant from the DOE to be used for creating a completely solar-powered home for the competition.

The full list can be found in an article at Custom Home Online. The 2009 competition has some international flavor, including last year’s winner, the Technische Universität Darmstadt, as well as the Universidad Polytécnica de Madrid and two groupings of Canadian universities.

• » See also: Volunteer at 1bog.org to help educate about solar energy
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One former faculty adviser to a university Decathlon team lamented the reduction of the Solar Decathlon to a more narrow range of design concepts. The first few Decathlons were wide-open events, with very different designs. But with certain criteria in place, the strategies have been narrowed down to address the specific problems posed by the Decathlon challenge. These are still good designs that are being produced, but they are now tuned to a set of particular requirements and criteria.

Homes designed for the Decathlon should perhaps be viewed in the same spirit as one views Formula One race cars compared to ordinary cars. In the cases of both the auto race and the Solar Decathlon, the competitors are tuned for specific ways of maximizing the allowable methods for winning a contest. While some developments in the competition may trickle down to more prosaic, domestic uses, it’s not a representative testbed.

We’ll certainly be looking at the entries when the Decathlon is held; however, I don’t expect to see great numbers of them making an appearance in a neighborhood anytime soon. Like race cars, they are great to look at, and fun to think about using, but for most of us, they aren’t a practical alternative to what we have now.
Image (Kansas State/Univ. Kansas 2007 entry in front of Washington Monument) via Curious Cat