Well it seems the green trend is percolating all the way down to the beer industry.

You’ve no doubt read about New Zealand’s Green Man eco-beer, but if beer imported from New Zealand is a little rich for your blood, there’s another option a little closer to home.

The Sierra Nevada brewery of Chico, California is aiming to 100% off-grid. Currently, they are running on fuel-cells, which account for about 75% of their power usage. They’ve been installing a brand new solar system however, and plan to be 100% off-grid very soon. In addition to solar power, they have several other green initiatives in place.

Already a model of sustainability, the brewery also focuses efforts in recycling, heat recovery, carbon-dioxide recovery, water conservation, energy efficiency, and byproduct recycling.

Wow, I have to say I’m impressed. Drink a beer and save the environment at the same time? What could be better?

Check out their environment page for more info. They’ve got a fantastic outline of all the green aspects of their brewery.

via Treehugger, Sierra Nevada Brewery

Popularity: 27% [?]

The Aptera is a new type of super-efficient vehicle from Aptera Motors of California.

The Aptera, which means “wingless” in Greek, is a super fuel-efficient vehicle, rated at a whopping 300mpg! It’s a hybrid diesel/electric vehicle, and is lightyears ahead of today’s hybrids, which in comparison, get a measly 35-45mpg. The Aptera is about 10 times as efficient!

How is this efficiency accomplished? Magic mostly, and a whole lot of engineering brilliance. Weight and wind resistance are huge factors that affect efficiency, and the Aptera has been carefully designed to optimize every aspect of the design to boost efficiency.

The Aptera weighs only 850 pounds (compared to the Toyota Prius at 2,890 pounds). This is achieved through what the company calls “Panelized Automated Composite Construction”, which basically means composite materials are use extensively instead of steel, cutting down on weight. Using only three wheels also cuts down on weight, and partially covering the wheels cuts down on wind resistance.

The Aptera can only hold two passengers, but with an insane 300mpg rating, you can always make extra trips.

In addition to the an amazing efficiency rating, the Aptera also features an innovative air conditioning system. It’s solar powered. This means that even on hot days when your car is off, the air conditioning can run and keep your car comfortable. Knowing first hand how brutal a car gets in the middle of July, this alone would be a great selling point!

In terms of safety, the composite material is super-strong, providing support in a collision. It also features a 360-degree viewing angle, accomplished through rear-mounted camera.

The Aptera has some impressive performance stats as well. 0-60 in about 11 seconds, and a top speed of 95mph. Costing only $30,000, it’s perfect for the average eco-conscious consumer.

The Aptera was created in response to the X-Prize Foundation‘s Automotive eco-competition. Having moved on from space, the X-Prize put up $25 million for the first vehicle to reach 100mpg. At 300mpg the Aptera has a great shot at winning

Check out Aptera Motors, and the Aptera Myspace Page

via AutoblogGreen, San Diego Union Tribune, popsci , Wired, Automotive X Prize

Popularity: 28% [?]

Well we’ve been seeing a whole bunch of new electric vehicle concepts, securing the age-old idea that we’ll all drive electric cars in the near future.

Unfortunately electric cars still have a problem with range. Most of them are very energy efficient, but still can’t drive very far without needing a recharge.

Mitsubishi has put some innovative ideas into the iMIEV to solve this problem. Use green energy!

The iMIEV features a solar panel on the roof and two compact wind turbines in the front to generate electricity. Along with solar and wind, the iMIEV has a regenerative braking system, which uses braking friction to generate electricity.

These technologies help recharge the car’s battery and helps to improve the car’s range. The solar roof alone adds about 20 miles to the range. It’s not much, but every little bit helps, and if it’s green energy, all the better!

In addition to the green power, the car features LED based lighting, heat-absorbing window glass, and green plastic – a plastic made from plant resin.

It’s great to see some innovative thinking in creating a green car, it’s ideas like this which will give us the car of the future, not just a simple concept.

via Treehugger

Popularity: 27% [?]

A new green company in California, Sun Run Generation, is providing an innovative way to reduce your emissions.

Instead of buying expensive solar panel systems to generate your own power, Sun Run will sell you power from a system they own. It’s a bit like renting solar panels.

You do not have to purchase the panels, and the one-time installation fee is far less than installation on your system. You will pay a monthly bill to Sun Run, so you’re not seeing the full cost-savings of your own system, but it saves you the big upfront cost of purchasing an entire solar system.

What’s more is you’ll be off the grid, and generating your own power. No more blackouts or rising electricity costs!

All in all this is a great, and cheap, way to switch to green electricity. The company takes care of setting it all up, and you’ll be green in no time!

via ENN

Popularity: 13% [?]

Kohl’s stores in California are taking the plunge and installing huge solar arrays to power their stores.

63 of the 80 Kohl’s locations in California are to be included in what’s being called “the largest planned US photovoltaic solar rollout to date”.

The finished system should produce about 25 megawatts.

It’s great to see a company recognize not only the environmental, but financial benefits from alternative energy. No doubt those big box stores take up a lot of energy, expensive energy. This one-time investment will serve future cost savings.

Kohl’s hopes to generate more than 35-million kilowatt hours of electricity annually.

via Engadget

Popularity: 11% [?]