fuelefficiency.org

• Home/Office

It's a hot sunny day. Your throat is parched. So what do you do? Reach for that bottle of cold water in your fridge? Consider for a moment that a typical refrigerator uses between 600 and 900 kilowatt hours per year (although an efficient one will use somewhat less depending on the size). Refrigerators and freezers typically make up over 20% of total residential electricity consumption in the United States [citation needed] and the continual opening and closing of that fridge door doesn't help! "Matkas", to which I will shortly introduce you, can cool your drinking water by up to 14° C lower than room temperature [1] without using any electricity! [...]

• Home/Office

'Return on Investment' (ROI) is simply a method for comparing the returns from different investments. Using ROI, an investor could compare very diverse investments like -- Bank CD's and fluorescent-light fixtures. Upgrading to fluorescent light fixtures actually proves to be a great investment compared to CDs and other traditional investments. Fluorescent-light fixtures typically have returns in the range of 40%. Compare this to 12 month CDs which are currently paying a measly ~2.25% at the time of this writing! [...]

• Wind

The Department of Energy (DOE) issued a report in May, 2008 that sets a goal of “20% Wind Energy by 2030”. The report documents the very rapid growth and technological advancements taking place in the wind industry; the report also dispels some myths about the industry. [...]

• Solar

Thin film technology is a promising new solar-energy technology that has the potential of making photovoltaics a cost-effective alternative to conventional electricity production. [...]

• Bicycles

A local Tennessee-news segment highlights a man who has clocked 15,000 miles on his electric-bike that he constructed from kits. [...]

• Home/Office
• Solar
• Wind

Gentleman discusses the benefits of living in a home that is off the electric grid.

• Solar

Southern California Edison entered a 20 year contract with Stirling Engine Systems that paved the way for the two largest solar plants in the world; one in the Mohave Dessert, and one in the Imperial Valley. [...]

• Bicycles

A Seattle cyclist details his electric-bike project. The cyclist cleverly incorporates several 36-Volt Nano-phosphate lithium-ion batteries (state-of-the-art batteries) to produce a bike that outperforms e-bikes costing several thousand [...]

• Vehicle Concepts & Tech.

Interesting television segment explains the production process for a lithium battery that is to be used in an electric vehicle.

• Vehicle Concepts & Tech.

Two radical designs from Venturi Automobiles. According to a company spokesperson, the second vehicle will be presented at the [...]