most popular:
2008 Holiday Gift Guides



most popular: Hot Home Wind Turbines


most popular:
$19k Electric Car in US


th comments
Ken Clive said: "Interesting design, although we need to abandon the air-pressure tire altogether and put this motor inside of the tweel (I think that's another gre..." [read]

Joe said: "Lemon trees do not really grow like weeds, but aside from that, the amount of fuel to distribute the lemon from the tree to the clock far outweighs..." [read]

Jack Dawkins said: ""i have to say that its a pretty crappy thing to be vegan or vegetarian year round for a compilation of reasons, and then to throw it away because ..." [read]

Mr. Linkk said: "if some will(can) remember the Chevy Volt WAS supposed too be COMPLETLY electric. now they appear to have chickened out and gone hybrid. what..." [read]

Jack D said: "bob b: cynicism makes it so easy to put down others. Do you even know them? Perhaps he walks home after the protest, or takes a wheelchair. Perhaps..." [read]

Wind Turbines are Best Sellers

by Bonnie Alter, London on 11. 7.06
Science & Technology

b%20%26Q.jpg Wind turbines have become the top-selling item at B&Q (the British equivalent to Home Depot) weeks after they first went on sale. In the wake of the Stern report, and concerns about "green" taxes being imposed, home owners are rushing to buy them at £1,498 ($2,840 U.S.) a pop. They have also started selling seven different kinds of solar panels for tile and slate roofs. Some are used to heat water whilst others generate electricity. The store will also help with applying for planning permission, grant applications and advise on suitability. The turbines will generate up to 1KW of electricity. The reasons are manifold: subisidies are being offered by the government, high energy bills and the cachet of having one. Next year the store intends to offer products to recycle "grey water" from washing up for use in the garden. :: Financial Times

Comments (5)

Wow, this B&Q sounds impressive. They seem to be actually trying to make it easy and convenient for individuals to make their lifes more self-sufficient and self-sustaining. I hope comparable stores in Spain follow suit.

jump to top houston says:

B&Q are doing some very impressive things indeed. They previously worked with the Bioregional Development Group (whose directors we interviewed here) on supplying local charcoal to stores across the UK using a decentralised ordering system (details from their website here).

jump to top Sami Grover says:

Slighty ironic that these have become best sellers when you look at the location of B&Q stores...mostly out of town retail parks. You should see the traffic at my local store of a weekend. Still, good to see this stuff going mainstream. All we need now are some coherent planning laws.

jump to top Philder says:

Unfortunately, wind experts like Paul Gipe and Hugh Piggott are not at all supportive of these rooftop wind turbines.

http://www.wind-works.org/articles/RoofTopMounting.html

jump to top Dennis says:

Here in Uruguay, wind turbines have been in widespread use for decades. A very common sight in farms far away from the power grid, they are used to charge a car battery which in turn powers the TV at night.
Rarely found today but used some time ago were kerosene-powered refrigerators.

jump to top Alvaro Coronel says:

Post a comment

(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)

th ads
th top picks
th ads