We all love solar power, not because it’s environmentally friendly, but it saves us some bucks. Well as far as sports go, the one where you drive cars around in circles several times is likely not one of the most energy efficient. With that in mind, it’s nice to see locations like Northern California’s Infineon Raceway working toward sustainability, announcing this week the installation of more than 1,600 solar panels. The panels, manufactured by Panasonic, will provide around 41-percent of the Infineon’s energy usage. Also on its list of earth-friendly features: a solar-powered billboard and 3,000 sheep, which take care of a lot of the lawn mowing on the grounds and apparently aren’t of the electric variety. Now, the next step is to turn solar panels cheap so that everyone will fix it on their house’s roof.

SOURCE via Inhabitat

Nikon engaged in a bit of conceptual product show-and-not-as-much-tell at the French Cité des sciences et de l’industrie exhibit, Hello Demain (Hello Tomorrow). The four prototype cameras on display ranged from the clearly defined — a fully customizable SLR that swaps the lens, grip and LCD screen at your whimsy — to the mysterious webcam dongle-ish i-Ball of unknown purpose, to a mundane six-inch screener. But the real étoile of this forward-facing soirée is that Multi-Ball cam — guaranteed to be a panoramic morning-after hit (or cause for much hungover consternation). While these concepts reside proudly in the province of tomorrowland, it’s only a matter of time before they digitally immortalize your precious visage.

SOURCE via Slashgear

The Aiolos concept car offers an interesting perspective on the future of automobiles and metropolis cities. Designed by Kyoung Soo Na, this eco-friendly vehicle is part of a complex proposed system that involves buildings equipped with wind generators that are capable of pumping power into the energy grid to keep these electric vehicles charged.

Designed to keep pollution levels in massive industrious capitals to a minimum, the Aiolos features built in propellers that capture sustainable energy that is harnessed in large amounts at higher speeds. Outfitted with a single seat, this funky looking concept is ultra-compact and perfect for densely populated areas.

Italian design company Pininfarinia unveiled its Antares solar charging tree at a sustainable mobility show in Rome called MoTechEco. This 108 sqft tree-like structure features a modular design composed of 20 solar panels that are capable of producing 4.6 kilowatts of energy, which is enough to recharge two electric cars for approximately 50 miles each.

With an aesthetically pleasing design and efficient sustainability, the Antares would be a perfect addition to parking lots and gas stations. Not only would it provide a hefty amount of shade for vehicles parked under, it would also charge them as well! In the past year we have seen the rise of interest from automakers as well as consumers in the direction of electric vehicles and it comes as no surprise that companies such as Pininfarinia are developing efficient and stylish charging points for vehicles.

Perhaps in the distant future when the world is rid of its dependence on gasoline, the Antares and similar charging stations will be in place of gas stations. Unless of course, you can power up your car with your fart.

Santa Monica-based studio David Hertz Architects has recently completed the Wing House project.

Located on a 55-acre property in the remote hills of Malibu, California, this contemporary residence is built from a decommissioned Boeing 747!

As its name suggests, the roof of the residence is made of the plane’s wings. According to the architect, “the main residence uses both of the main wings as well as the 2 stabilizers from the tail section as a roof for the Master Bedroom.

The Art Studio Building uses a 50-foot long section of the upper fuselage as a roof, while the remaining front portion of the fuselage and upper first class cabin deck is be used as the roof of the Guest House.”

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So, the next Christopher Nolan’s batman movie is just around the corner, and Gordon Murray too has whipped out his “new” version of the BatMobile just in time for some hybrid/electric vehicle season.

The designer drew on his experience with the McLaren F1 for his new concept car, which includes a healthy dose of imagineering: there’s a carbon-fiber body that “breathes,” as well as LED-lit “virtual wheels.” We’re not sure how carbon fiber breathes or what virtual wheels are, but as Murray explain in the video below, they’re based on Formula One materials as he imagines those 15-20 years from now.

He also envisions a greener Dark Knight, whose ride runs on hydrogen fuel cells and lithium-ion batteries — no longer will the caped crusader suffer a guilty conscience due to his excessive carbon dioxide emissions. Read more…