Besides the quietude, I can see that there are multiple environmental benefits. No bagging: it’s pure mulch mower. Reduced fugitive emissions. Owners can cancel their US$40/week landscaping contract, and count the savings against the capital and operating cost of the Automower Hybrid (said to be around $20.00/year in electricity). Wonder what the payback period would be in California?

via TreeHugger

• Honda Insight, most affordable hybrid
• India VC up 120 percent

Magnetic Air Cars, Inc. of San Jose California hopes to be in production by 2010.

The Magnetic Air Car uses three on-board substations to harness compressed air. The resulting airflow is channeled, modulated, and converted to torque that propels the car.

According to company representative Paul Donovan, the car uses a silicon salt battery that has 30% more mass power than a lead acid storage battery and can charge completely within an hour. The 95 percent recyclable battery can also can be used in a temperature range from -40 degrees Celsius to 50 degrees Celsius.

via CleanTechnica

• Intel demos wireless power
• MiEV

The Saudis have long memories and recall how high prices can cut into consumption; it happened in the 1980s and it’s happening again now. Any threat to oil’s leading role as a source of energy is a big worry for a country that sits on reserves of some 260 billion barrels. “We are concerned about the permanent destruction of demand,” says a senior Saudi official. “Those who buy hybrid vehicles are not going back to SUVs.”

via Businessweek

• Honda Insight, most affordable hybrid
• Fuel prices driving ecommerce

Looks like Ikea will have PV panels in stores within a few years.

IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad’s son Peter is an avowed green tech believer, and Stenebo’s Greentech will put about US$75 million into at many as ten companies in five different areas: solar technology, energy conservation, water saving products, alternative lighting, and new product materials. Scandinavian companies are Greentech’s first focus. Nearly all of these areas are ones we would welcome the IKEA low-cost approach to, although setting up solar roof panels with just the simplistic diagrams and little Allen keys that accompany IKEA’s usual do-it-yourself furniture seems something of a stretch. Then there’s the problem than many installations require building and other permits. But IKEA’s fabulous distribution network of 270 global superstores would mean green tech for the global masses, a welcome development.

via TreeHugger

• Dude, you smoked my car
• Coca Cola to roll out hybrid delivery trucks

Vertigro bioreactor

• I think he can dance
• Nikon D90 D-SLR records movies at 1280×720

Giant kites might one day provide enough electricity to power entire communities.

via Ecogeek , video from The Guardian

• Intel demos wireless power
• AlleyInsider: How Obama owned the YouTube primary

I guess we won’t be seeing too many pizzas being delivered by Hummers anymore ay?

Many companies — from utilities to architectural firms — are rushing to jump on the green bandwagon, and the soft-drink industry is no exception.

Coke’s new trucks are estimated to lower fuel consumption by 37 percent and emissions by 32 percent — solid figures to impress the growing number of people who are demanding a reduction in greenhouse gases.

via HuffPo

• Gas stations to be obsolete?
• comScore: India has fastest growing net population

photo by Lowerlighter

“The Next Millionaire-Maker Megatrend” says the headline at Motley Fool.

“Bigger than the Internet by an order of magnitude”

In case you’re unaware, an order of magnitude is a multiple of 10.

That’s right … venture capitalist Ray Lane recently told The Wall Street Journal that he’s found something he thinks could be 10 times bigger than the Internet.

And he would know. After all, he’s a partner at the famed venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. He was also an early backer of Internet companies like Google, Amazon, and Netscape.

More here

• 30% voted before election day
• Fuel prices driving ecommerce

This looks a bit more awesome than the Prius. I’m not sure what they are talking about when they say “extended time between charges” – flux capacitor time?

It’s still in the design phase, but we do know that SSC has at least one 500-HP electric motor designed, and they’re considering sticking two of them in one car to create an insane, 1,000-HP beast that doesn’t emit a thing. Even more interesting is the drive train, which SSC claims uses a power source that allows for extended time between charges.

• Welcome to The Machine
• Proton to OEM electric Gen2 and Persona models

via cnet

Tesla has opened its second store in Menlo Park, Calif., replicating the high-touch sales environment of its first store in Los Angeles. Showrooms in New York, Chicago, Miami, and Seattle are planned as well.

The Roaster will have a range of 220 miles per charge and the mileage equivalent of 135 mpg. It can go from standing still to 60 mph in less than 4 seconds.

The company is also planning to make an all-electric sedan priced at about $60,000.

• MiEV
• Gas stations to be obsolete?