The Best Eco-Inventions of 2009

The Solar Shingle: The Dow Chemical Co. has developed a new roof shingle that doubles as a solar panel. Dow Chemical introduced a new roof shingle this year that incorporates thin-film solar cells. It can be installed alongside regular asphalt shingles, and double as a solar panel. Dow predicts it will bring in as much as $10 billion in revenue by 2020. The innovative shingle is expected to cost 10% to 15% less than traditional solar panels and will be cheaper and quicker to install.

Turning Solid Waste into Energy: Waste Management takes landfill waste and converts it into energy. They use technology called Wheelabrator, a waste-to-energy technology that converts solid waste into clean, renewable electric power. Since the 1970s, Wheelabrator facilities have turned over 145 million tons of municipal solid waste into 75 billion kilowatt-hours of energy.

Turning Waste into Energy: Green Energy TV has given Ze-gen, the Two Green Thumbs Up Award for being one of the Best Green Companies. Ze-gen is transforming waste. Instead of a liability or burden, waste should be a domestic, distributed energy source. An economical and environmentally superior alternative to land filling or incineration. Clean and highly efficient gasification technology unlocks the potential for waste to be a domestically produced, renewable resource.

Turning Used Oil into Power: The Vegawatt is a turnkey plant that converts spent vegetable fryer oil, into electricity & hot water for restaurants.

Green Exercise: One man is reported to have lost over 70 pounds from riding his bike, that powered his TV in his home. Some gym's are starting to harness the energy from treadmills, bikes, and other equipment to power their electricity needs.

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