The winner team of the 2009 version of the competition was the Technische Universitat Damstadt of Germany, which designed a two-story house almost entirely covered in solar PV panels. It generates twice the energy it needs. Construction costs were more than $650,000. The team got the highest score possible, 150, on the net metering contest, which evaluated the constructions’ ability to generate all the energy needed and more.

The houses were exhibited in October last year, on the National Mall in Washington DC.

The home designed by the German team is almost completely covered in photovoltaic (PV) cells. The roof has single-crystal silicon cells, whereas the walls are covered in around 250 thin-film copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) panels. These are a bit less efficient than silicon ones, but they work better when days are cloudy.

Besides, the cube-shaped building is highly insulated, and has shades that open or close automatically according to the weather. Inside, there is one single multifunctional space, with a bed, furniture and appliances; some of which fold away when needed.

Germany also won the 2007 version of the Solar Decathlon; that team collaborated with the 2009 winning team.

In the second place, came out the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, which designed the Gable House.

To access the winning house’s website click here

VIA: Iamchiq

1) Community Renewable Energy Deployment

This project will on the whole receive $20.5 million. It includes five projects that will work to deploy renewable energy in different communities. To allow this, clean energy infrastructures will be developed, which will in turn create jobs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save consumers money. Among them is the project of the city of Montpelier, Vermont, where a cogeneration plant will be installed, and the University of California at Davis, that will develop a system to convert waste to energy.

2) Biomass

Through two main projects; Advanced biofuels research and fueling infrastructure and advanced biorefinery, the aim is to enhance the development of a clean and sustainable transportation sector. Among other things, selected projects will research algae-based and advanced biofuels. In so doing, dependence on foreign oil will decrease, while job creation will increase. Another important task which will be addressed is the development of compatible infrastructure. Further, biorefinery projects are expected to help foster a national biomass industry. The are of biomass energy will receive $644 million.

3) Geothermal

The US has “vast geothermal energy resources, which hold enormous potential to heat our homes and power our economy”, according to Energy Secretary Steven Chu. About $388 million will go to more than 100 projects that will develop new geothermal fields and research advanced geothermal technologies. All these investments will help lower the cost of capturing geothermal energy. Besides, some other projects will focus on developing geothermal heating pumps, so as to advance commercial deployment of the renewable heating and cooling systems.

4) Fuel cells

This sector will receive $41.9 million, with the goal of deploying fuel cells, by improving their potential to provide power in stationary, portable and specialty vehicle applications. Thanks to the Recovery Act funding, around 1,000 fuel cell systems will be deployed for emergency backup power and material handling applications. These two are becoming important early markets, in which fuel cells can even compete with traditional power. Fuel cell manufacturers will get funding, and increased manufacture will help lower costs. One particular project will replace batteries with fuel cell systems in one of FedEx’s fleets of electric lift trucks in a service center in Springfield, Missouri.

5) Solar energy

Solar energy will receive $65 million in funding. Projects will work to investigate the impact of photovoltaics on the electrical grid, so as to ensure reliability. Others will focus on training solar workers to be able to install and maintain solar systems. Further, more than 10 cities will study the obstacles to urban deployment of solar energy. And other groups will work to further develop photovoltaic energy and concentrating solar power (CSP). One of the main goals is to “achieve cost-competitive solar electricity by 2015”.

6) Water power

Seven hydropower projects will receive $30.6 million to modernize hydropower infrastructure. They will increase efficiency and reduce environmental impacts, by implementing fish-friendly turbines, for example.

7) Wind energy

Wind energy will receive $118 million to improve turbine technology, making it more durable, and of a higher performance. Other aims include reducing costs, and speeding deployment of wind energy technology.

In one of the numerous speeches he gave to announce all of the funding, Chu said: “we are laying the foundation for a green energy economy”. And I think they are at least, starting to do so. By showing the industry and even society that energy efficiency and renewable energies are considered important enough as to receive all this funding, the government is making a statement; that it is slowly getting ready to evolve to a greener system. Let’s hope funding continues, and that it grows, and goes to the sources of energy with the most potential.

More: US Department of Energy – Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy

One of the latter is Malmo, a city located in the south of Sweden, with a population of about 280,000 people. Malmo has set itself the target of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 25% between 2008 and 2012. By 2030, the city plans to run entirely on renewable energies. To achieve this, different measures are being applied.

To start with, sustainable transport is being promoted. Public transportation is being fostered, as well as car-pooling, a more eco-friendly way of driving, and more sustainable cars and buses. Regarding buses, these are connected to traffic lights, so as to get green lights faster than cars, and they have separate lanes. 42% of them run on biogas created from the city’s waste.

Eco-driving is taught to municipal employees; it is also offered in several driving schools, and it has been spread to some of the largest truck companies.

Besides, the city encourages the use of bicycles; it has more than 410 km of cycle ways, and in 2004 it was named Bicycle City of the year in Sweden. So far, one fourth of the city’s daily trips are made by bike!

Renewable sources of energy are being developed in Malmo. Among them, solar energy, specifically photovoltaic panels are being deployed all over the city. Malmo has the largest area of PV installations in Sweden, around 3400 m2. The city is investing a lot in solar energy. Also, the Swedish government funds PV technology, so the conditions are quite optimal. Other renewable sources of energy being developed in Malmo include wind energy, and bioenergy. About 25% of the heat energy comes from the city’s incinerator which transforms waste to energy. And 16% of the city’s heating comes from water warmed by the excess heat released from industrial plants in the area.

Attention is also being paid to energy efficiency. An interesting example is Sadelmakarbyn’s preschool, which is the municipality’s first low-energy preschool. Its walls are a half meter thick, to help insulate, and reduce the energy consumed for heating and cooling. Plus, in this preschool, lights are controlled by sensors. On the whole, since 2001, energy consumption has been reduced 20% in municipal properties.

Another interesting initiative is that schools will increasingly be offering healthier, greener food to its students. Nowadays, 50% of the food offered in schools is ecological, and the aim is to reach 100%.

Concerning recycling, 96% of household waste is collected. Whatever can be recycled, is in fact recycled. The rest is used to generate biogas, including food waste.

There are three main neighborhoods that are specifically being led to greater sustainability. These are Western Harbor, Sege Park, and Augustenborg.

Western Harbor runs exclusively on renewable energy, produced locally. Its main sources of energy are the sun, the wind, the water and organic waste. With the organic waste, biogas is produced, and with it some buses are powered.

Augustenborg is well-known for its green roofs. These reduce water runoff, help insulate buildings, and add vegetation to the area. The district also has photovoltaic panels, some of them used for shading. Besides, the world’s first emissions-free electric street trains were created there.

Way to go Malmo! A truly inspiring initiative.

VIA: HowStuffWorks (PDF)

Malmo

The houses were designed by architect George Watt, and are now being built by Silver Lining Builders.

Electricity will come from the photovoltaic panels that will be installed in each house, on the roof. The system will be linked to the grid, via a net-metering system. So, when the panels aren’t working, (at night or on cloudy days), homes can use energy coming from the grid. However, the homes are designed to generate enough electricity to be self-sustaining.

The heating and cooling system will be based on a geothermal electric heat pump. The interior of the homes will be painted with non-toxic paints, with low VOC (volatile organic compound) and decorated with non-toxic furniture. Further, the homes include a mechanical ventilation system that brings in fresh air from the outside, and also either warm or cool air from the geothermal system.

To make the homes more energy-efficient, a great deal of attention was paid to insulation. Windows are double-glazed and low-E, which means that they have a low emittance of radiant energy. Walls and roofs are highly insulated, to keep interiors warm in winter, and cool in the summer.

They will be about 2,800 sq ft large. The largest one 4,000 sq ft. One of the homes was already built, and it is expected to be sold at $1.2 million, around $300 a square foot. However, the developers are trying to lower the costs to near $200 a square foot, for the other homes.

The neighborhood is of 1.5 acres, and it is located across from a market, shops and restaurants. It also has a good access by bus. This project is another proof that it is feasible to live inside our society in an environmentally conscious way. Let’s hope initiatives like this continue to grow, and we get to see more of these eco-neighborhoods.

Via: Daily Camera

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