MAKE » Tag: Alternative Energy

Toolsday Hangout on Air, Live and Online Today at 2pm PST/5pm EST

Eric Weinhoffer — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 20:10:52 +0000

Today is Toolsday here at MAKE, so you know what that means - a live Google+ hangout where we will be discussing our favorite tools and workspace essentials. The main topic of the hangout will be power, in various forms. We'll discuss a few of the many possible ways to power your projects, whether it's with a homemade bench-top supply, a solar panel hanging out of your window, or a kit like the Mintyboost.

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How-To: Spray Paint a Vintage Bike

Arwen O'Reilly Griffith — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 21:00:43 +0000

I must admit I’ve always been a little intimidated by the thought of repainting a bike, but this DIY bike makeover makes it look easy! Filed under: Craft, Energy, Fun & Games, Workshop

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Efficient Biohybrid Solar Cells with Spinach

Adam Flaherty — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 09:00:51 +0000

A group from Vanderbilt University, lead by Professor David Cliffel, claims that a protein found in spinach, called PS1, when combined with silicon found in solar panels to form a biohybrid cell, end up being 2.5 times more efficient then cells lacking the protein.

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Tropical Fruit-Powered Laser

Michael Colombo — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 19:00:33 +0000

Over at the Maui Makers hackerspace, member Ryan K showed up with a mess of Lilikoi fruit (also known as passion fruit). Using anodized bolts (source of zinc), some thin copper pipe, wire, switches, LEDs, and a capacitor, he built himself a battery from the fruit.

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Interview with Vela Creations’ Abe Connally, Off-Grid Homesteader

Goli Mohammadi — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 01:01:00 +0000

Abe and Josie Connally are two of my maker heros. Their infectious positivity and passion for preserving the environment fuel their unfaltering dedication to living the DIY off-grid homesteading dream. They’ve built their homestead from the ground up in the hills of Chihuahua, Mexico, and they relish in sharing their […]

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Maker Faire Detroit: Kinetic Push Mill Interview

Goli Mohammadi — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 00:30:47 +0000

The projects at Maker Faire always run the gamut, with a healthy balance between the whimsical and the practical. Maker Faire Detroit, taking place this weekend, July 28 and 29, at The Henry Ford, is no exception. Last week we got a window into the Great American Horn Machine, mobile […]

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Fluttering Wind Generator Lights it Up

Michael Colombo — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 23:00:33 +0000

ITP students Michell Cardona and Nelson Ramon Ramirez created several different oscillating wind generators before settling on something that works the best. Similar to the Humdinger in function, their Linear Wind Electricity Catcher works by fluttering a magnet in close proximity to a transformer, which translates kinetic energy to electrical energy after being rectified.

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