Rendering Of Renault Solar Installation At Its Douai Facility (image: Renault)

Massive rooftop solar arrays seem to be popping up at an accelerating rate, thanks in part to cheaper, more efficient solar panel technologies and financial incentives in the form of rebates and stabilized energy costs.  Renault’s solar energy system at its French production facilities will dwarf most of the competition when it goes online next year.

Spread among six different facilities located in Douai, Maubeuge, Flins, Batilly, Sandouville, and Cléon, the Renault project will be the largest ever developed in the automotive industry.  The total square footage will be equivalent to 63 football fields, producing a whopping 60 megawatts of power – enough to provide annual electricity to a town of 15,000.

Renault has committed to reducing its overall carbon footprint by 20% over the next five years, and expects this project alone to help slash its carbon emissions by 30,000 tons annually.  The rooftop arrays, developed in partnership with Gestamp Solar, will cover delivery and shipping centers as well as staff parking facilities.  Construction is scheduled to begin shortly, in June 2011, and should be completed by February 2012.

For the sake of comparison, General Motors’ 10MW solar installation at its plant in Zaragoza, Spain was groundbreaking in the industry when it was announced just a couple years ago in 2008.  It seems green roofs aren’t the only environmentally friendly use for all that space above – so stay tuned for the next large-scale solar project on the horizon…

(via Renault)

The Best LED TVs of 2011

LED TVs are a type of LCD TV that use LED lights to illuminate the screen. In full-array LED TVs the light emitting diodes are embedded across the entire back of the panel, while other models are edge-lit, where the LEDs are arranged around the sides of the panel and illumination is directed toward the center. Most LED TVs feature local dimming, meaning that the individual lights can be adjusted independently.

In general, the full-array offers the best picture quality, but edge-lit offers a slimmer design and the local dimming technology is becoming more advanced on the edge-lit LED TVs. Of all the choices in TVs today, the LEDs offer the best energy efficiency with many exceeding the energy star rating which translates into savings in your pocket. The local dimming technology increases this efficiency. Reviews for the best rated LED TVs can be found on Consumer Reports (subscription required), Amazon, and Cnet. Here are our picks for the best LED TVs including estimated annual energy cost.

Vizio XVT553SV Tru Led TV

Vizio XVT553SV Tru Led TV

The Vizio XVT553SV Tru Led TV received a best buy from Consumer Reports with loads of features for the money and was the 2010 editor’s choice from Cnet, who called it the “best value among high-end LED-based LCD TVs today”. Though Vizio has been considered a budget LCD TV company, they’ve made a name for themselves by making quality products that have pleased their customers. The 55 inch 1080p HDTV screen on this model is one of the few to use full array LED backlit illumination. It features smart dimming technology to control the LEDs and produce blur-free clarity.

Integrated Wi-Fi gives you access to Vizio Internet Apps (VIA) which includes access to streaming movies from Amazon, Netflix, and Vudu. Also features a universal Bluetooth remote with slide-out Qwerty keyboard. The only negative from Consumer Reports was the sound quality was said to be below that of most other TVs this size. They gave sound quality a fair rating, but gave picture quality an excellent rating. This model exceeds the current Energy Star guidelines by 50% and the LEDs do not contain mercury. The estimated annual energy cost from Consumer Reports is $52, that’s with a daily use of 8 hours without using the energy saving mode.

The Vizio XVT553SV Tru Led TV is currently on sale at Amazon for $1,699.98.

LG 42LE5400 LED TV

LG 42LE5400 LED TV

Recommended by Consumer Reports, the LG 5400 series of LED TVs features 1080p full HD resolution with TruMotion 120 HZ technology for no motion blur. The 42 inch model shown is backlit by inward-projecting LED lights embedded around the edges to make this TV energy efficient and ultra-slim. Other features include Picture Wizard and Intelligent Sensor which automatically adjusts the pictures to your surroundings, internet access with Wi-Fi adapatability for access to Netflix, CinemaNow, Vudu, YouTube, Picasa Photos, and Pandora Internet Radio, and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound.

Consumer Reports liked the LG 5400 for it’s excellent versatility and ease of use. They gave the picture quality a very good rating and the sound quality a good rating. Cnet hasn’t reviewed this product yet, but you can read another review at PCMag. Metaefficient likes the energy star rating estimated annual energy cost of $25 per year as well as the price itself.

The 42LE5400 LED TV retails for around $1,400, but is currently on sale at Amazon for $899.99.

Sony Bravia KDL-46HX800 LED TV

Sony Bravia KDL-46HX800 LED TV

The least expensive of Sony’s new line of 3D HD LED TVs is the HX800. The LED scheme on this model is edge-lit with local dimming, which means the LEDs are placed around the sides of the TV and can be dimmed independently within zones. Local dimming is typically only found in the full-array LED configuration, so this technology is fairly new. The 46 inch Sony Bravia shown features 1080p HD resolution, Motionflow 240HZ technology, and is 3D capable, though you’d need to purchase the glasses and 3D sync transmitter. It’s Wi-Fi adapter ready with access to Bravia internet including Neflix, Amazon Video, YouTube, Crackle, and Pandora Internet Radio.

Consumer Reports gave the picture quality and versatility an excellent rating. They liked the 3D effect, though it wasn’t perfect and had noticeable ghosting at times. All in all, it’s a reasonably priced LED TV from a high-end brand that will give you excellent picture quality and an estimated energy cost of $33 per year.

You can get the 46 inch Sony Bravia HX800 LED TV on Amazon for $1,499.

Samsung UN46C8000 LED TV

Samsung UN46C8000 LED TV

With the Samsung UN46C8000 LED TV you’ll get a chic, uber-thin (just under an inch) design and superior picture quality to other edge-lit LED TVs, yet with a retail price of $2,799.99 you’ll pay for it. Amazon has it currently on sale for $1,648.00, which is quite a savings. The LEDs can be locally dimmed. Features 1080p and 240HZ no-blur technology, 3D capability with separate purchase of glasses, and wireless connection to Samsung Smart TV with access to video, games, and social networking.

If the 3D feature is your priority, you may want to look elsewhere. Both Cnet and Consumer Reports found the 3D effect had considerable ghosting along the edges. However, Amazon reviewers love it, especially the abundance of features comparable to other TVs. This 46 inch model exceeds the energy star qualification with an estimated cost of $38 per year.

The Samsung UN46C8000 is on sale on Amazon for $1,648.00. (You’ll need to actually put the item in your cart to see this price.)

VIZIO M370NV LED TV

VIZIO M370NV LED TV

This 37 inch LED edge-backlit TV from Vizio is perfect for a small to medium sized room and will save you money on energy cost and give you a lot of features for the money. Consumer Reports reviewed the 32 inch model giving picture quality and viewing angle an excellent rating, but sound quality was only fair. Features a full 1080p HD resolution and TruVolume technology which controls volume inconsistencies between programming. Since the LEDs are arranged on the side, the set is a mere 1.7 inches thick. Amazon reviewers have given the Vizio M370NV LED TV an average 4.5 star rating. A great value all around, this TV has an estimated $20 per year energy cost.

The Vizio M370NV LED TV is currently on sale at Amazon for $529.99.

LG INFINIA 47LE8500 LED TV

LG INFINIA 47LE8500 LED TV

Like the Vizio XVT553SV, the LG Infinia 47 inch 8500 uses full array LED backlighting with local dimming capability. Even with the LEDs behind the screen, the set is still slim at 1.4 inches. Features the full HD 1080p screen with 240HZ technology and internet access to LG’s Netcast Entertainment which includes Netflix, Vudu, YouTube, Picasa, and Yahoo widgets. The LG Infinia is recommended by Cnet for excellent picture quality, though one flaw they did notice was the unevenness of the backlighting and some reflectiveness especially in bright rooms. Overall though, the full array, independently adjustable LEDs of the LG Infinia help to create an unrivaled picture clarity and is one of the highest rated LED TVs on Amazon. Read the user reviews here. The estimated energy cost is $22 per year.

The LG Infinia 47LE8500 retails for $2,699.99, but is currently on sale at Amazon for $1,499.95.

ADC (Advanced Data Centers), a company based in San Francisco, is set to build the country’s greenest data center. Because of its efficiency, the project stands to save its owner from $1.8 million to $2 million in energy costs. ADC says its new center will be 25-30 percent more energy efficient than the industry standard.

The data center will use outside air to cool its racks of computing gear for 75 percent of the year, which significantly decreases its cooling needs. Ducts and pipes will be laid to maximize flow and minimize turns that reduce efficiency.

ADC has already secured a Platinum Pre-Certification for a data center under the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program for rating green buildings. The building is now under construction and is set to take tenants in the first quarter of next year.

Customers will have the option of using water to cool their equipment. ADC has structured its billing so customers pay a percentage of the cooling costs, which gives customers incentive to use energy-efficient technology like virtualization.

Its Sacramento facility will also have a number of water-saving features, including the ability to capture nearly all its rainwater runoff for landscaping, its cooling towers, and bathroom fixtures.

Paints and sealants without volatile organic compounds will be used in the building, as well as porous and reflective materials to avoid absorbing heat.

Image via CNET.

More details: ZDNET

How many times have you seen a broken or flickering neon light? Durability is not one neon’s strengths. But now a new product, LED-Flex, has been introduced as a substitute for neon. The producer, Mule Lighting, has managed to make the flexible LEDs have the appearance and brightness of neon. The biggest advantage of this product is the efficiency level — it reduces energy costs by about 70%.

It also has all the advantages of LEDs — durability, a cool operating temperatures and longevity. It’s available from Tri-North Lighting and Platinum Lighting. The cost is $12-22 per foot.

Found via Transmaterial