While electric car manufacturers kept rolling out electric vehicles throughout the year, there was no dearth of analysts who believed that the electric car revolution would need the grids to deliver more electricity, which won’t always come from renewable sources of energy. Trying to solve the problems associated with electric cars, the year 2010 saw some auto designers come up with concept vehicles that would be able to power themselves using solar generated electricity. Here we have compiled a list of 15 of the most interesting concept vehicles that will be able to power themselves in a sustainable way.

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With our planet in a desperate need of new eco-friendly energy generating systems, researchers over the globe have been working hard to develop systems that can power the world of the future in a sustainable fashion. The year 2010 saw some great breakthroughs in the field of renewable energy technology, which when fully developed, could help create a better world. Here we have compiled a list of 10 such breakthroughs that are bound to have a significant impact in the future.

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Eco Factor: Airborne wind turbines to use high velocity winds for more power.

While onshore and offshore wind farms are common in different parts of the world, a NASA researcher is envisioning a future where wind farms will not be built on land or the sea, but will actually take up the free space above the ground. These airborne turbines would spin with greater speeds found at high altitudes and send power back to Earth via nanotube tether cables. Swarms of these energy harvesting turbines could stay aloft for a year and could easily be reeled in during storms.

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Eco Factor: Low-cost water disinfection system powered by solar energy.

The idea of using solar energy for purifying water has been around for ages and is still practiced in different parts of the globe. However, now a team of students from the University of Washington have come up with a bright idea taking a little bit of technical help to devise a low-cost solution to a global problem. Using simple parts, the student team has developed a cheap setup solution for drinking water in poor areas, which has won them a $40,000 prize.

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Eco Factor: Zero-emission electric bicycle concept.

Eco-conscious designer Juliano Bortolin aims to make zero emission bicycle transport more attractive for people who respect the environment and its resources with a new concept electric bike dubbed the E-Bike Summer Life. Designed for people who love surfing, nature and outdoor life, the E-bike features six lithium batteries that help propel the bike.

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Eco Factor: Concept shelter works as a solar-powered water dispensing unit.

With billions of people over the world lacking access to safe drinking water, industrial designers have taken up the opportunity to design systems that help improve the conditions for some. Designer Mostafa Bonakdar has shared with us his new concept water dispensing unit that collects and purifies rainwater to be used as drinking water. Christened the Hydroleaf, the water dispensing unit, which also functions as a shelter, makes use of renewable solar energy for the filtration process.

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Eco Factor: Concept headset powered by renewable solar energy.

Industrial designer Zhong-Fa Lie has come up with concept headphones that aim to swipe the floor under your feet by combining the features of portable speakers as well. Dubbed Hexound, the portable wireless headset features the use of renewable solar energy, ensuring that you enjoy music without worrying much about the battery life.

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Eco Factor: Machine generates hydrogen and syngas using solar energy.

A team of researchers in the US and Switzerland have created a machine that like plants uses solar energy to produce fuels, which can later be used in different ways. The machine makes use of the sun’s rays and a metal oxide called ceria to break down carbon dioxide or water in fuels that can be stored and transported. Unlike solar panels, which work only during the day, this new machine is designed to store energy for later use.

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Eco Factor: School building made from discarded plastic bottles.

We, at EcoFriend, have seen architecture made from bottles in the past as well, but the Bottle School is the first of its kind structure that we’ve come across. Developed by Illac Diaz and the MyShelter Foundation, the school is made from thousands of discarded plastic bottles that are filled with liquefied adobe. The combination, which is relatively cheap, is being claimed to be three times stronger than concrete.

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As we know it

With fossil fuel reserves depleting fast, researchers over the globe are focusing their attention on systems that can generate energy from renewable sources of energy such as wind. The trend is catching up fast as in 2005 wind energy generated less than one percent of global energy by producing 58,982MW of power. However, by 2008 eight percent of Europe’s electricity was derived from wind, which was well ahead of coal and natural gas. Moreover, wind power generation in the United States has increased 13 fold from what it was in 2000, and this surge has played a crucial role in propelling the U.S. to the number one position in terms of wind energy production.

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What it is

After LG launched its first solar-powered e-book reader over a year ago, we were pretty confident that other companies will soon follow the trend. Justifying our hopes, Toshiba and KDDI have unveiled a uniquely designed e-book reader called the Biblio Leaf. Featuring a 6-inch e-ink display, Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity, the Biblio Leaf includes 2GB of memory which can be expanded via a microSD card. The device features front-mounted solar panels that juice up the onboard battery using renewable energy.

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Eco Factor: Sustainable emergency shelters include solar panels for renewable electricity.

The Haven is a concept emergency shelter that can easily be airlifted to disaster areas or war zones. Designed by Song Kee Hong, Timothy Hoo, Ng Teck Tiong and Felix Lee, the Haven units can be flattened and stacked to ease transportation. The panels of these shelters are made using plastic sheets that enclose a thin core of honeycomb and air for insulation and structural strength.

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Eco Factor: Zero-emission concept vehicle powered by electric motors.

Designed by Bobin Kil, the Light Weight concept is a zero-emission electric vehicle for the future that can also give you the pleasure of riding a one-wheeled motorcycle if you want to. The compact urban city car concept includes transforming rear wheels that can be used as single-wheeled electric motorcycles.

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Eco Factor: Concept cellphone harnesses renewable solar energy.

Designers at ZTE Corporation have unveiled a new concept cellphone, dubbed the Double, which will never run out of juice on a sunny day. The concept phone features photovoltaic panels across its entire façade, which harness sunlight to recharge the onboard battery.

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Eco Factor: EV testing program to include solar powered public charging stations.

The lack of proper infrastructure to accommodate electric vehicles has been a major hurdle in the global adoption of clean electric cars. To find solutions, Honda has revealed plans to test a solar-powered public EV charging station and conduct a range of tests on electric vehicles in real-world urban transportation environments.

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Eco Factor: Machine utilizes solar energy and harvested rainwater to create rainbows.

Michael Jones McKean, a former resident at the Bemis Center and now a professor at the Virginia Commonwealth University, has created a machine that can create artificial rainbows using natural materials. McKean has been practicing the feat in parking lots for years and is now preparing for a larger installation at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts in Omaha, Nebraska.

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Eco Factor: Fuel-efficient vehicle powered by a hybrid engine.

Honda has unveiled its new PHV, the Accord plug-in hybrid demonstrator, that could be launched in 2013. The vehicle, which is nothing more than an early-stage prototype, will make use of a new hybrid system designed for mid-size to larger vehicles. The hybrid drive system allows for short, frequent trips in all-electric mode.

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Eco Factor: Lightweight bike powered by an electric motor.

The YikeBike, which initially surfaced just over a year ago, has now been made available in the United States by its manufacturer. To be a proud owner of one of these lightweight electric bikes, you’ll have to spend about $3600. The compact bike, which has been designed to dodge traffic jams, has a carbon fiber body to reduce overall weight to just 22 pounds.

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Eco Factor: Zero-emission motorcycle powered by electric motors.

Mission Motors has unveiled a new electric motorcycle that packs a new look and better electric motor that generates a whopping 141 horsepower. Christened the Mission R, the electric motorcycle features 14.4KWh and 141hp in a package smaller than a modern 600cc sportbike.

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Eco Factor: Cargo pants with photovoltaic cells help charge gadgets.

Silvr Lining has introduced unique cargo pants that have been especially designed to fascinate the minds of all eco-friends. Dubbed the Go Urban, these unique cargo pants include a pair of built-in photovoltaic panels on two easy-access side pockets.

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Eco Factor: Concept generator harnesses renewable energy while riding a bike.

Industrial designer Fandi Meng has come up with a concept generator that allows you to charge your cellphones using renewable energy harvested by the device. Christened the I-Green Bicycle Charging System, the device can be attached to the frame of the bike to harvest kinetic energy, which is later converted into usable electricity.

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Eco Factor: Fuel-efficient hybrid sweeper uses electric motors to reduce engine load.

With a fuel-efficient 6.7-liter Cummins diesel engine, the Allianz 4000 is a new hybrid sweeper that is being touted to be the first in the world. The Allianz 4000 has a top speed of about 60mph and uses two 12-volt lithium-ion batteries and an electric-traction drive system. The company is confident that the hybrid setup allows the Allianz 4000 to reduce fuel consumption by as much as 45 percent over a diesel-only counterpart.

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Eco Factor: Power plant to produce 48MW of solar electrical power.

With a plan to build a 500MW solar photovoltaic farm in the near future, Sempra Energy has entered into the record books by building the largest photovoltaic power plant in the United States. Construction on the 48MW power plant, christened the Copper Mountain Solar Facility, began in January 2010 at a 380-acre desert site and included the installation of 775,000 thin-film PV solar panels.

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Eco Factor: Sustainable multipurpose facility harvests energy and water.

In an effort to support the environmental mission of the Bronx River Alliance, Kiss + Cathcart Architects have designed a new multipurpose facility for the alliance, that can provide space for the alliance’s canoes and kayaks, while providing a sustainable working area. Dubbed the Bronx River House, the facility functions as a living part of the park with a vine-covered steel mesh screen wall that wraps around the building.

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Eco Factor: Self-sustaining house generates renewable energy.

The Institute for Lightweight Structures and Conceptual Design at the University of Stuttgart has unveiled a new concept home that not only generates power for itself, but can also help the homeowner charge his or her EV with homemade electricity.

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