Archive for March, 2009

Green is (Still) King: A Presidential Memorandum & the Economic Stimulus – An Eco-Friendly Roundhouse for Clean-Technology

Thursday, March 26th, 2009

obama-ali-w-borderBefore the February 17, 2009, signing of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, President Obama let lawmakers and his own Administration know that he means (green) business, especially when it comes to energy efficiency.

On February 5, 2009, in a memorandum sent to Obama Energy Secretary (and Noble laureate) Steven Chu, titled Appliance Efficiency Standards, Obama ordered Chu to ensure DOE and US business compliance with the 34 year old Energy Policy and Conservation Act that until now has not been enforced or acted upon by lawmakers, the DOE or past Administrations.

In short, the 1975 Act calls for the DOE to outline and the Secretary of Energy to enforce more stringent energy efficiency standards and regulations on a wide range of products, including appliances and should, now, encompass electronics that were not a mainstay of life in 1975 … cell phones, notebooks, power tools, etc.

As well, Obama’s economic stimulus package allocates around $22.2 billion towards energy efficiency out of the $37 billion slotted for green initiatives.  An even more encouraging figure is that around 80% of the energy efficiency money (abut $17.6 billion) is forecast to be spent over the next 2 years!  This is an impressive estimation that looks toward building a more responsible future in regards to wasteful and unnecessary energy consumption, which includes vampire energy loss.

What does this mean to US businesses and consumers?  According to the Wall Street Journal, the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy has issued a higher than expected forecast for energy efficiency savings of $168 billion through 2020!

The low hanging fruit is all around us – plugged into our outlets, running our vehicles and draining our planet’s scarce resources unnecessarily.  The time is upon us to innovate and act on past promises, and America’s leaders are finally giving the weight needed for a KO blow.  Whether you are in it to save the planet or be fiscally responsible, energy efficiency really saves green.

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Eco-Techs to Wireless Charging Proponents: Show Us the Metrics!

Monday, March 23rd, 2009

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A recent Wired article, and others like it, are calling out wireless charging technology companies on their energy efficiency claims.  And they have every right to do so.

Wireless charging technology is most notably comprised of 3 schools of thought – magnetic resonance, electromagnetic induction and radio frequency (RF).  Briefly, magnetic resonance is the exchange of energy in a target area via magnetic fields produced from a source that is plugged into an outlet, while electromagnetic induction is the passing of energy in a magnetic field from one wire to another.  RF is the transmission of energy via radio frequency.

Sounds futuristic, right?  However, this is not a new technology (unless you consider a model conceived over a hundred years ago as new); nevertheless, the companies marketing this technology would like consumers to think it’s new … see Tesla, think cordless phone.

Logic says to us that if our devices can’t even achieve maximum efficiencies passing electric currents through wires, then there’s grave risk in sending energy into open air trusting our devices to efficiently harness, convert and use the energy emitted.  It’s like running your air conditioner on high and leaving all the windows open – times a zillion.  Sure, the house may be cold, but the electric bill is $20,000.

wireless-charging-21Plus, the businesses behind these technologies are not helping us understand their energy efficiency claims.  Most use eco-truisms to sound compliant, but none have come forward with their efficiency models or technologies.

Wired produced one of the first such comparisons between wired chargers and their wireless counterparts.  Today’s standard cell phone chargers rate around 80% efficient (at best with many at 50%), and most wireless models are under 50%.  This dumbfounding gap between the inefficiencies of today and the giant step backwards that these numbers suggest is truly irresponsible.

Why are businesses, who claim to innovate, not thinking of the potential risks their products pose?

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from SXSW

Friday, March 20th, 2009

SXSW is a festival of many parts with a sum that transcends all things – energy.

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No, not the energy we often discuss at Vampire Labs, rather an energy that is the people who innovate technology, film, the creative arts and, of course, music.  Yet, strangely enough, we point to hopes that this energy will be used efficiently as well.  Meaning – our hope is that people take the creative inspirations brought on from the events and sessions they’ve attended at SXSW home with them and, well, continue to create.

With the evening beginning and my bracket scored, I find myself alone (as one can be in Austin in the middle of March) at BD Riley’s still riding the high that can only come from mingling with like minds.

I wanted to drop a few interesting notes by others to help you decide what to sink your teeth into during these last few days.

Take a listen to Omar Gallaga’s All Tech Considered where he offers a rundown on the new technology on display at the tech wing.  Ha, he says that the next big thing may be an electronic business card.  Shocker.

Also, check out the Nerdabout … some excellent SXSW tech choices offered.

Great music, free wireless, a little college ball and much information to digest …

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The GSMA’s Universal Charging Solution misses the causal connection between chargers and the environment.

Sunday, March 15th, 2009

In mid February 2009, the GSMA announced its newest environmental initiative, the Universal Charging Solution, which outlines a standardization plan to have the largest cell phone manufacturers and mobile operators convert 50% of their handset portfolio to handsets with universal charger capabilities by 2012.

Their initiative is commendable, but our concern is that they are not utilizing a comprehensive solution. Their figures seem great – a 50% reduction in charger production will in turn reduce 51,000 TONS of discarded chargers annually! Sounds awesome, right?

Sort of. While this is a small step forward, we can’t help but think that it’s not the most efficient path and could, unfortunately, be labeled a faux Green ploy designed to save cash on packaging and shipping for the manufacturers and mobile operators that the GSMA influences.

Hence, if they want to make the largest impact possible, they should look closer at their own numbers. A 50% reduction in charger production equates to 51,000 TONS of non biodegradable waste saved annually, which is fabulous. But, what does that number really mean?

According to Paul Hawkins’ collaborative book, Natural Capitalism, “Americans waste or cause to be wasted nearly 1 million pounds per person per year!”

A US ton equals 2000 pounds, which equates to every American trashing 500 tons on average per year! This means that 102 Americans make up the landfill savings created by the GSMA’s plan. There are 303,824,640 Americans as of July 2008. Since this is a global environmental problem not mutually exclusive to the US, it is obvious the GSMA has not reached for the highest goal.

Again, just to be clear, we support any initiative that will reduce environmental waste, but our concern is that it is not enough.

But, why is the GSMA not looking for comprehensive solutions that will help reduce vampire energy loss that equates to 20% of wasted energy globally?

Technologies, like our Vampire ProofTM technology, will actually eliminate wasted energy in this space (universal chargers under the GSMA’s 2012 initiative will still be subject to vampire energy loss even with 5 star energy chargers) and could easily be applied to a universal charger, completely eliminating phantom load waste that all chargers cause.

The Big 5 (Nokia, Samsung, LG, Sony Ericsson and Motorola) are very quick to adapt technology that drives sales, but slow to move when our world hangs in the balance.

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