Green Options

Very few globe-scattered yurt companies offer flooring. The exception is special event yurt providers and concierge service companies.

If you purchase your yurt near the location of your site, the yurt salesman may help connect you with an appropriate supplier. Otherwise, you are entirely responsible for the yurt flooring. No need to get the heebie-jeebies though.

Nissan has unveiled the technology platform of its eagerly anticipated all-electric car, scheduled to be revealed next Sunday prior to going on sale in Japan and the US in next year.

The new kit was debuted on a Tiida-based prototype, which features an in-house developed electric motor capable of delivering 107bhp and 206lb ft of torque. Power is supplied by a 24kWh laminated compact li-ion battery situated beneath the car’s floor so it doesn’t interefere with cabin or cargo space.

Google only announced its PowerMeter smart-meter platform in February (see our posts on the announcement here, here and here). But some startups are already chomping at the bit to access the platform.

In fact, two of the startups that presented at Earth2Tech’s Green:Net conference last week specifically said they are interested in using PowerMeter when it becomes available.

The Bush administration has taken steps to open the Californian coast to oil exploration and drilling in as few as three years. The move could potentially tap more than 10 billion barrels of oil, enough to power the U.S. for 17 months.

Swiss company BKW has revealed that it plans to launch a 20-30 meter long solar-powered submarine. The vessel, to be used as a tourist attraction, will feature a huge ‘living-room’ style passenger area, as well as 60-70cm viewing portholes.

Under the plan, called Project Goldfish, a team of engineers will build a submarine, capable of carrying 20-30 passengers and two crew, at a depth of up to 300 meters across Lake Thun. Since it operates underwater, the team has figured that it’s pointless to attach solar panels on the sub itself. Instead, the vessel will fully recharge at a floating solar platform on the surface of the lake, decked out with 300m2 of solar collectors capable of supplying up to 30kW of renewable energy.