Tag Archives: electronics
LDK Solar Defaults on Convertible Notes
On the heels of Suntech’s bankruptcy last month, LDK Solar Company Ltd. (Xinyu City, China) failed to make full payments of $23.8 million-worth of 4.75% convertible notes due this year. LDK was able to reach a private agreement on some cash payments and payment postponement with two other holders of $16.6M in notes. The company [...]
In Focus: Green Gadgets for the Home
As the harsh reality of global warming continues to strike fear and suffering on a frighteningly consistent basis in the form of natural disasters, it’s about time we acknowledge our role as the most intelligent species on the planet and play our part more seriously. Fortunately, putting your environmentally conscious intentions and strategies in line [...]
Foxconn Goes Solar
Infamous Foxconn, best known for the deplorable working conditions for Chinese workers that make Apple’s iPod and other products, is intent on developing a strong presence in the solar industry. The company first announced this decision in 2011 at the height of overcapacity in the industry. The last thing that was needed was a big new player that would bring [...]
Did You Know? Smartphones Reduce Energy Usage
Smartphones are an increasingly ubiquitous aspect of modern life and research shows that they are decreasing the amount of energy used globally. This is the finding from Outlier, a research group that explores trends in how people use energy. As reported in Energy Manager Today smartphone sales volumes in 2012 were estimated at 717 million [...]
Eco Design at The 2013 Consumer Electronics Show
The 2013 International CES show is the biggest trade show in the Americas and includes some of the newest eco-design and sustainable technologies. The show is organized by the Consumer Electronics Association and takes place in Las Vegas from January 8 to January 11. Last year 156,000 people attended CES 2012. The show is huge [...]
FUTUREWATCH: What Comes After MEMS?
Over the last 50 years computing power has migrated from the mainframe, to the desktop, to the laptop, and now, with almost-equivalent computing capability, onto mobile devices, tablets, and smart phones. And tomorrow? If you were in Scottsdale, AZ in November for the now semi-annual MEMS Executive Congress, you would have heard about the latest [...]
A123 Systems: Going to Zero?
There was so much enthusiasm when high-performance battery manufacturer A123 Systems (NASDAQ:AONE) came on the scene. The promise of an advanced battery manufacturing facility pumping out batteries for next-generation electric cars while providing jobs for US workers was a bold one, and one that a lot of folks cheered. But certain realities rapidly turned that [...]
Can Vivint be the Biggest U.S Solar Installer in 2013?
Following on the heels of the announcement that Vivint would be purchased by Blackstone for more than $2 billion, Vivint has said it plans to install solar on at least 10,000 homes in 2013. That’s according to founder Todd Pederson, who discussed expansion plans with Bloomberg earlier this week. That’s up significantly from about [...]
In Focus: DIY Consumption
There is a revolution underway that is transforming consumption. If the twentieth century was marked by hyper-consumption the twenty-first century will be marked by collaborative consumption. This new form of consumption is being facilitated by a wide range of technological innovations. Social media is a great example of technologies that contribute to the new model [...]