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Inhabitat's Week in Green: 'round the clock solar plants, USB camping pot and wave energy farms

<div><img alt="" border="1" class="aligncenter" height="199" hspace="4" src="http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/9462/solarfield.jpg" style="margin-top: 4px; margin-bottom: 4px; border: 1px solid black;" vspace="4" width="322" /></div><br/>Green transportation soared to new heights this week as Inhabitat showcased the world's first true hybrid-electric airplane, and we spotted plans for a zero-emission hypersonic jet capable of traveling from London to New York in a single hour. Meanwhile, Japan gave the green for the construction of a blazing fast 313 MPH maglev train line, and we spotted a crazy high-speed rail concept that would allow passengers to change trains while speeding along the tracks. We also watched as an 11-year-old student piloted a 1,325 MPG hypermiling supercar and we saw an 8-ton Volkswagen beetle sculpture sink into the sea to start a new life as an artificial reef.<br/><br/>It's been a scorching summer for solar power as Torresol opened the world's first 24/7 solar plant in Spain, and Samsung unveiled the first photovoltaic-laden laptop to be sold in the US. We also saw Aquamarine Power break ground on a massive wave energy farm in Orkney, while Germany hatched a plan to store excess wind power in abandoned coal mines. Finally, we spotted several <del>novel</del> incredibly odd new energy-generating gizmos -- a t-shirt that converts rock music into electricity and a power-generating USB camping pot that charges your gadgets as you cook.<br/><br/>Speaking of renewable energy, this week we caught a first look at the amazing EDV-01 shelter -- a high-tech solar-powered building with a luminous LED facade that is capable of doubling its capacity with the flick of a switch. We also brought you Adrian Smith and Gordon Gill's plans for the world's 4th tallest skyscraper, and we showcased an ultramodern paperless office in the Netherlands that looks like a meteor fallen from space. Last but not least, we took an exclusive first look inside BIG's mountainous green-roofed eco village in Copenhagen, and tech expert Peter Rojas tackled the question of whether it's better to turn your laptop off or set it to sleep in our Ask a Tech Geek column.

Inhabitat's Week in Green: 'round the clock solar plants, USB camping pot and wave energy farms

Green transportation soared to new heights this week as Inhabitat showcased the world's first true hybrid-electric airplane, and we spot...

Inhabitat's Week in Green: Renewable art touches the sky, an electric Audi TT, and cryogenic energy

<em>Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. </em><br/><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" height="291" hspace="4" src="http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/2262/4311inhabitat.jpg" style="margin: 4px;" vspace="4" width="350" /></div><br/>This week Inhabitat saw renewable energy projects blast off around the world as Kenya announced the construction of the largest wind farm in Africa and a team of Georgia Tech researchers developed a heart-powered nanobattery that can charge your gadgets on the go. We also learned that the mixture of saltwater and fresh water in estuaries could provide for 13% of the world's power needs, and we took an in-depth look at a cryogenic energy system that produces electricity from liquefied air. Finally, we showcased photographer Mitch Epstein's haunting photos of "American Power" which recently won the Prix Pictet prize.<br/><br/>It was also an epic week for architecture as the Pritzker Prize - the world's highest architecture honor - was awarded to Portuguese architect Eduardo Souto de Moura. We also saw a high-tech solar skyscraper with a mind-bending wavy facade rise in Seoul, and we shared 15 visions for skyscrapers of the future -- from vertical farms to shipping container towers and oil rig cities.<br/><br/>Finally, this week we saw a bright future dawn for green transportation as a team of students unveiled a hyper-modified electric Audi TT that is powered by solar energy. We also learned that the European Union is considering banning gas cars by 2050, and we took a look at Microsoft's new database that tells you the cheapest place to charge your EV. Last but not least, we brought you a 10-seater pedal-powered party bike, and we showcased a stylish LED-lit jacket designed to keep cyclists safe at night.

Inhabitat's Week in Green: Renewable art touches the sky, an electric Audi TT, and cryogenic energy

Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week ...