Eco Factor: Solar-powered island to use LEDs for lighting.
North Dumpling is a three-acre island off the Connecticut coast, owned by the inventor of Segway Human Transporter, Dean Kamen. The island would be the first ever island entirely lit by LEDs running on solar power. Kamen decided to green the island when the US Coast Guard cut their grid connectivity in favor of solar power.
The LEDs for the island will be provided by Philips Color Kinetics, which would reduce the island’s electricity consumption by 70 percent. The self-sustaining island will be unveiled in the spring of 2009 during a two-day fundraising event for FIRST. Kamen states that this island would be an example of what can be achieved on a much larger scale using today’s energy efficient technologies.
The Dark Side:
The island’s small surface area has allowed the owner to achieve the net zero energy status. However, using the same technology globally would cost much more than what developing nations can afford.
Via: LEDsMagazine
