Central Reykjavik (ocean in the distance)

Central Reykjavik

Large natural lake in central Reykjavik

I visited Iceland recently and was amazed at how they really use their natural renewable resources. Their Hydro electricity is on a grid that provides for over 80% of electricity on this huge island. They have a lot of rivers and glaciers melting, waterfalls etc. The Geothermal plants provide for a very large amount of heating & hot water to houses as well as providing hot water for municipal pools. 

I also was fortunate to meet a very nice couple that have a couple of apartments they rent out that are more comfortable than most places that you would normally rent. The apartments are very well equipped, and they also have excursion services. 

They speak English very well, as do many Islanders. Their website for tours is: Iceland Luxury Tours, Apartments: Cosy Reykjavik - Sveinn and Stella are guaranteed to enhance the quality of your visit! 

Link to Geothermal Video

This solar powered boat operates in Sydney Australia as a passenger ferry. Pollution free boats- WOW!

Boats are among the biggest fuel guzzlers of all time… right up there with  Hummers and Tanks.

This is a passenger boat that is powered by wind and solar energy. It has movable wing- like solar panels that act as sails.

Since it is Hybrid, it can run on wind, sun, battery, diesel or any combination of these.

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This is The Solar Shuttle, designed by SolarLab founder Christoph Behling. It is the UK’s largest and most advanced solar boat. It carries 42 passengers in all daylight conditions, has reserve power for night-time running and even generates surplus energy that can be fed back into the national grid.

It operates on the ecologically-fragile Serpentine Lake in one of the oldest parks in the world, London’s Hyde Park.

I know that the life expectancy of my hot water heater has passed, and so I decided to look into Tankless Hot Water Heaters. Below are some of my findings.

Tankless water heaters cost more to purchase ($800-$1250), and cost more to install (average installation according to Consumer Reports is around $1250). Many models have a life expectancy of around 20 years. It is estimated that the savings is in the neighborhood of $70-$80 per year, which means it could take up to 22 years to break even. There are often rebates or incentives which would improve this return on investment. Doing an online search, I’ve read that some of these units are more favorable than others, so do your homework.

Regular hot water heater tanks cost between $300- $500 to purchase for mid range models, and cost about $300 for installation. They don’t usually require much maintenance with the exception of running the overflow valve monthly to help eliminate sludge. This may vary according to the quality of water in your area.

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Of the new electric cars that are making headlines, this car looks very exciting. Think City Electric Car has come up with a design that can travel up to 100 miles on a single charge, and can be charged using an onboard AC charger. It will do an 80% charge in just 15 minutes! It has room for four with optional back seats. It also has electric windows and mirrors, central locking, 2 front airbags, ABS brakes and regenerative braking!

Click here to check out their site: