Solarpunk technology
- Incredible Drone Display is World’s Biggest Ever - Guinness World Records - YouTube
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Just to be clear, the noise and air pollution that a switch to drone shows away from fireworks shows would save, would be incredibly significant. I don't think the cost makes it viable yet, but it's something to aim for.
- Fortescue’s 6MW electric vehicle charger stuns the EV and mining industriesthedriven.io Fortescue’s 6MW electric vehicle charger stuns the EV and mining industries
Fortescue says it has developed a 6 MW charger that can reboot the 1.8 MWh batteries in its giant electric haul trucks in just half an hour.
- How Germany outfitted half a million balconies with solar panelsgrist.org How Germany outfitted half a million balconies with solar panels
Meet balkonkraftwerk, the simple technology putting solar power in the hands of renters and nudging Germany toward its clean energy goals.
- BBC One - Magnus Spherical Airshipwww.bbc.co.uk BBC One - Wallace & Gromit's World of Invention, Reach for the Sky, Magnus Spherical Airship
Engineers have tried to harness the movement generated by the Magnus effect for decades.
- Communal Luxury: The Public Bathhousesolar.lowtechmagazine.com Communal Luxury: The Public Bathhouse
Throughout history, people have bathed in public rather than in private. Should we bring back the public bathhouse for the sake of sustainability?
- Geothermal energy could outperform nuclear power
cross-posted from: https://futurology.today/post/2274888
> >Tricks from the oil industry have produced a hot-rocks breakthrough
- Experiences With Mist Showers?
I've read following article on lowtechmagazine.com a while ago: Mist Showers: Sustainable Decadence?
I'm someone who showers quite a lot (sometimes up to twice daily), especially in humid summer weather. Usually, it's one warm one with a bit of soap, to get rid of dust, smells/ sweat, chemicals and dirt, and to sleep better, and then sometimes a quick cold shower in the morning without any surfactants, especially when I've sweat a lot in the night.
According to the article, showering often takes up to a few hundred liters of warm water in some cases, which is super inefficient to heat up. Reducing the water usage would also extremely reduce energy consumption A LOT.
In my case, I don't shower long, don't have the lever opened completely, and don't like (too) warm showers anyway. Still, I found the concept of spray showers very interesting, and I'm thinking about building one for myself. Someone has to do the first steps, right?
Does anybody here already have one, and wants to show their experience with it?
I also have a few questions:
- Was it hard to build?
- Do I have to consider anything, especially regarding safety and leaks (high pressure), clogged nozzles, and cleaning?
- How does the experience of showering with them feel like? Do you still get as clean as with a regular shower head, even without soap?
- How do guests react to it? Do they like it?
Thanks a lot! :)
- Respect for LinusTechTips; he's EARNED it! - Louis Rossmannyewtu.be Respect for LinusTechTips; he's EARNED it!
https://x.com/LinusTech/status/1825956050685800834 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsjHMzGl-VY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnSv8ylLfPw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1APM6t1ASqw https://x.com/FUTO_Tech/status/1719468941582442871 https://odysee.com/@ComputingEtCetera:1/louis-rossmann-censored-da...
- Trial shows heat batteries can revolutionise UK home heatingwww.renewableenergymagazine.com Trial shows heat batteries can revolutionise UK home heating
Millions of UK homes could successfully switch to low-carbon electrified heating whilst easing pressure on the grid by using innovative heat battery technology, enabling the UK to me...
- BMW Group trials motionless wind energy system in UK firstwww.renewableenergymagazine.com BMW Group trials motionless wind energy system in UK first
BMW Group has announced the installation of the UK?s first ?motionless? wind energy system at the Mini manufacturing plant in Oxford.
- How Big Tech Steals Our Lives
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Piped > Welcome to the world of data colonialism, where the continuous extraction of data from our lives generates massive wealth for the few and suffering for the many on a global scale.
Andrewism at it again 🔥
- hoping to build a list of car parts that can be used for other things
Hi, I've had some good discussions here in the past, so I thought I'd reach out with an idea for a resource I'd like to try to put together for solarpunk writers and artists.
I was talking with A.E. Marling about a story he's working on, and one of the things he was looking for was uses for old cars.
I think the obvious answer you'll get from solarpunks (aside for limited use where it makes sense) is to melt them down for your society's steel manufacturing needs - electric arc furnace smelters running off a green grid, recycling, are about as close to zero emission steel as you're likely to get, and the metal is already refined so I think you could get pretty tight control over the quality on the output.
But I think reuse offers some much more interesting opportunities. I'm only just starting to learn about fixing cars, but I've already been struck by the fact that at least some parts in cars can go into other things. For example, it looks like certain old alternators can be used to generate a wide range of amperage and voltage, suitable for different needs, including welding: https://diysolarforum.com/threads/diy-low-cost-generator-from-vehicle-alternator-alternating-generator.1843/ so perhaps one could be hooked by belts (adjusting speed) to a waterwheel or something?
I feel like a solarpunk society with a really strong library economy might start cataloguing parts of more complicated machines (even salvaged from machines like cars).
And looking for parts commonalities and alternative uses strikes me as a really cool step towards building an open-source manufacturing sphere. Perhaps starting with a database of hardware/parts so they could be identified and repurposed, and alternatives identified.
So the actual proposal:
I'd like to try and put together a list of common car parts which can be reasonably used in other (more solarpunk) contexts. This doesn't have to be specific down to the model number or include a how-to guide, (though I recognize that some reuses might only be possible with a specific model) just something solarpunk writers could casually drop into a description of a room or workshop, or an artist could put in the background of a scene. Something that shows that this isn't a scratch-built future, but that they're repurposing stuff where they can. Think of all the weird ways postapoclyptic movies dress the sets with misused items from the present - we could offer something like that to solarpunk, but grounded in at least some practicality. If you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them.
Thanks!
edit: I've built out a list and it's located over here: https://slrpnk.net/post/13032570
- "universal and free electric service is the floor if we want to keep the green transition going"
Example: where wet bulb temperatures are the new normal, air conditioning is as vital as air and water because you will literally die without cooling. "You can buy all the electricity you can afford" is not good enough.
- Fight Health Insurance (US)| Generate Health Insurance Appeals
Little interview https://sfstandard.com/2024/08/23/holden-karau-fight-health-insurance-appeal-claims-denials/
- The secret robot that will disrupt fashion | Hard Reset
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> Could a 3D-robotic loom be the answer to making fast fashion faster and more sustainable? Unspun's patented loom (so proprietary that we had to blur it for the video) can create clothing that fits you seamlessly every time, with just a scan of your phone, and far less waste than other clothing production methods.
>Unspun is pioneering a different method of apparel production out of Oakland, California. By utilizing three-dimensional weaving, the start-up is building garments from the ground up, perfectly customized for the wearer's dimensions.
One other fact that stood out to me is that the weave uses more yarn (about 3x more, if my memory is right) than the average clothes today. That difference makes clothes more durable and last longer.
I doubt this will make the clothes more affordable, but the tech is interesting.
- Speech to birdsong conversionwww.windytan.com Speech to birdsong conversion
A blog about signals, programming, music, and other stuff.
There's plenty of research around translating non-human communication into human language (https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/05/do-sperm-whale-calls-share-features-with-speech-or-song/), but what about translating human language into non-human speech? This is a fun little project from an interesting blog.
- Under Meredith Whittaker, Signal Is Out to Prove Surveillance Capitalism Wrongwww.wired.com Under Meredith Whittaker, Signal Is Out to Prove Surveillance Capitalism Wrong
On its 10th anniversary, Signal’s president wants to remind you that the world’s most secure communications platform is a nonprofit. It’s free. It doesn’t track you or serve you ads. It pays its engineers very well. And it’s a go-to app for hundreds of millions of people.
- Meta wants geothermal energy to help power US datacenters • The Registerwww.theregister.com Meta wants geothermal energy to help power US datacenters
Teaming up with Sage Geosystems, house of Facbook plans to tap into Earth's fiery underbelly
- Linux, now 33, "won't be big and professional like GNU" in 1991
This is not just a "happy birthday" post for Linux, but also a reminder that despite it becoming big and professional, the freedom to tinker with Linux remains accessible.
I had to use this freedom recently when I discovered that V4L video pipelines could buffer up to 32 frames both on the encoder and decoder (unacceptable, we demand minimum latency!) so it was again time to recompile the kernel. :)
My previous time to recompile parts of Linux had been a week ago. Some hacker had discovered a way of tricking their WiFi card beyond the legally permitted power - with what I understand as thermal compensation settings. Wanting to taste the sweet extra milliwatts, I noticed that nobody was packaging that driver as a binary, so the only way to get it was to patch and recompile its kernel module.
Finally of course, thanks to Linux we have countless open-source drivers and if you want to venture onto the path that Linus Torvalds took - of building an operating system - congratulations, you have less obstacles in your way. :) Some people have taken this path with the Circle project and you can compile your homebrew and bare-metal kernel for a Raspberry Pi with reasonable effort, and it can even draw on the screen, write to serial ports and flip GPIO lines without reverse-engineering anyone's trade secrets. :)
- Bacteria helping to extract rare metals from old batteries in boost for green techwww.theguardian.com Bacteria helping to extract rare metals from old batteries in boost for green tech
Team at University of Edinburgh using microbes to recycle lithium, cobalt and other expensive minerals
- Having to pay for giving solar energy back
it's weird, but legal for some reason. Giving back energy to the grid can cost money. Shy of just stacking a bunch of batteries, what could I do with the spare summer sunlight?
- Startup [Bio Reform] Replaces 6 Million Plastic Bags with Prototype Made from Corn Waste That Decomposes in 180 Days - Good News Networkwww.goodnewsnetwork.org /startup-replaces-6-million-plastic-bags-with-prototype-made-from-corn-waste-that-decomposes-in-180-days/
>An Indian entrepreneur is using sugar, cellulose, and corn fibers to make a plastic-like carrier bag for small Indian businesses. > > His company Bio Reform has already replaced 6 million plastic bags in the checkout counters of stores all over India. > > Based in Hyderabad, Mohammed Azhar Mohiuddin first got the idea during the general mayhem that arose during the pandemic. Mohiuddin was looking at global environmental issues with the hope of finding one his entrepreneurial spirit had the capacity to tackle.
- The INSANE Plan To Build The World’s Biggest Wooden City - YouTube
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- Proposal For World's Tallest Mass Timber Building Moves Forward In Milwaukee - CleanTechnicacleantechnica.com Proposal For World's Tallest Mass Timber Building Moves Forward In Milwaukee - CleanTechnica
The world's tallest mass timber building is coming to Milwaukee, thanks to the industry-leading efforts of Michael Green Architecture.
- Icelandic group demos renewables-driven private cloud • The Registerwww.theregister.com Icelandic group demos renewables-driven private cloud
Sited in Reykjavík, datacenter running on geothermals and hydropower
- Electrical 'superhighway' between Scotland and England approved - BBC Newswww.bbc.co.uk Electrical 'superhighway' between Scotland and England approved
The multi-billion link will allow Scottish renewable energy to be sent to consumers down south
- Proxy Please: Help People Connect to Signalsignal.org Proxy Please: Help People Connect to Signal
Several countries have recently blocked Signal, leaving their residents without a trusted and safe place to communicate. To help in this situation, Signal provides a built-in censorship circumvention feature and also includes support for a simple TLS proxy that can bypass these blocks in many cir...
- Android Lemmy Client
Hi. Hopefully someone can help me out. I have installed Combustible as an Android Lemmy client but when I try to connect to https://slrpnk.net I get an error: "unable to connect to specified Lemmy instance!" I'm willing to try a different app but would prefer FOSS.
- How to Engineer the PERFECT Pool! - 1 Variable Speed Pumps - YouTube
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So I enjoyed this. This is the kinda stuff that no one ever needs until they need, but it was insightful and so I thought worth a share.
Summary: > This video is the first part of a series about how to engineer the perfect pool. In this video, the speaker talks about the importance of variable speed pumps for energy efficiency. They discuss how to choose the right pump for your needs and how to install it. They also provide tips on how to save energy and money with your pool. Here are some key points from the video: > > * Variable speed pumps can save you a lot of money on your energy bill. > * You can choose from a variety of different pumps to find the one that best suits your needs. > * It is important to consider the size of your pool and the flow rate of the pump when making your decision. > * You can also use a pool robot to help keep your pool clean. > * There are a number of other things you can do to save energy and money with your pool, such as using a solar cover and investing in a heat pump. > > Overall, this video provides a lot of valuable information about how to engineer the perfect pool. If you are looking to save money on your energy bill or improve the efficiency of your pool, this video is definitely worth watching.
- Robot weed killers could create a sustainable future for agriculture | The Optimist Dailywww.optimistdaily.com Robot weed killers could create a sustainable future for agriculture | The Optimist Daily
How autonomous technology can revolutionize agriculture.
>Herbicides have a long history of negative consequences. Glyphosate and paraquat, among other pollutants, are extremely harmful to human health and the environment. These pollutants impair soil quality and destroy beneficial organisms such as pollinators. Furthermore, the widespread use of herbicides has resulted in weed resistance, making chemical management less effective.
>Kenny Lee, co-founder and CEO of Aigen Robotics, is personally committed to reducing pesticide use. Lee, a glyphosate-related non-Hodgkin lymphoma survivor, has collected $19 million for his startup to produce solar-powered weeding robots. “We’re on a personal mission,” Lee says, emphasizing their dedication to sustainable agriculture.
- Why Didn't the Soviets Automate Their Economy?: Cybernetics in the USSRyt.artemislena.eu Why Didn't the Soviets Automate Their Economy?: Cybernetics in the USSR
The Soviet Union had a chance to computerize and automate its economy. Why did efforts to achieve this vision not succeed? This video covers a brief history of cybernetics in the USSR and offers some explanations for the ultimate demise of automated planning in the Soviet context. -------- Narration...
- Here's how shredded wind turbine blades can be used to make cement. #recycling #waste #windturbines - YouTubeyoutube.com Here's how shredded wind turbine blades can be used to make cement. #recycling #waste #windturbines
------------------------------------------------------Business Insider tells you all you need to know about business, finance, tech, retail, and more.Visit o...
Didn't know the blades couldn't be reused.
- Tidal Energy Scheme Trials Solar Powered Bird Trackerwww.renewableenergymagazine.com Tidal Energy Scheme Trials Solar Powered Bird Tracker
Specially developed miniature solar powered devices have been fitted onto birds off the coast of Ynys Môn, to track their migration and behavior patterns. Part of the ongoing marine ch...
- Thematic Book Series: How Circular is the Circular Economy?solar.lowtechmagazine.com Thematic Book Series: How Circular is the Circular Economy?
The fourth volume in a series of books opening up Low-tech Magazine’s archive by theme.
- Low-tech Magazine: The Ebookssolar.lowtechmagazine.com Low-tech Magazine: The Ebooks
Low-tech Magazine now offers its complete book collection in epub format.
- Baking Bread in a Solar Oven 🍞☀️
> "To help feed the country’s population, an inventor, Toufic Hamdan, created a commercial bakery to bake bread in solar ovens. The startup “Partners With Sun” has installed a solar convection oven on the bakery’s roof. The Solar Oven uses large silver mirrors to capture and magnify the sun’s rays to build heat. The heat is transported by a transfer fluid which is then used to help operate a convection oven, allowing it to reach a baking temperature of between 300 and 400 Celsius. The heat is used directly in food and beverage production. " Baking Bread in a Solar Oven | Happy Eco News
According to the company website, “The Solar Oven cuts up to 80% of the bakery’s fuel bill.”