Osaka Gas Co. of Japan announced that an energy-saving house in Saito Asagi, Ibaraki City, Osaka Prefecture, equipped with a "double-generation system," which is made up of a co-generation system using a household-type polymer electrolyte fuel cell and a solar photovoltaic system, would be open to the public. The house will remain open until the end of May 2008.The fuel cell is rated at one kilowatt and simultaneously generates power and heat, with the heat being effectively utilized for heating water. The combination of the 4-kilowatt photovoltaic system and this fuel cell enables the average household to reduce primary energy consumption by about 55 percent and carbon dioxide emissions by about 70 percent over conventional systems.Moreover, although blinds are typically set inside of windows, the blinds in this house are set outside of windows in order to cut sunlight in the summer, while absorbing thermal energy from sunlight in the winter and transmitting it to the specially designed walls; thus, energy requirements for heating and cooling are reduced. With the latest gas facilities and home-security systems, visitors can enjoy experiencing the exceptional functionality this concept house offers.
Energy Net on 29 Jun 10"Oakland, CA - In a rare move for advocacy groups, the SolarontheWhiteHouse.com campaign has created "Power the House," a fun, engaging way to continue fueling buzz and momentum around the national call for President Obama to put solar panels back on the White House. Using Brushfire technology, the game is accessed through social media sites Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and FourSquare where solar advocates can earn points by completing solar missions. Players earn points based on how they virally spread the word about the campaign. Player status levels include Solar Maven, Solar Organizer, Solar Senator and Globamanator. The highest scorers will receive glow in the dark Globama t-shirts and other solar merchandise, and in addition to bragging rights through their social networks, the "Ultimate Solar Advocate" will be named in a nation-wide press release when the campaign reaches 10,000 petition signatures. "As part of our initiative to get solar on the White House we've created a fun, social-media-linked site to help fans get involved and spread the word," said Danny Kennedy, Sungevity Founder. "We like to think of it this as 'campaign headquarters' where advocates and supporters can check in daily and get armed to continue to get the message out that solar starts at home.""
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