GreenBytes nabs $12M to improve energy-efficient SSD tech

Solid-state array maker GreenBytes has raised $12 million in its second round of funding, with a goal of making SSD technology more energy-efficient while still keeping up performance, the company announced this morning.

The new round shows that the conversation …

Solving the energy storage problem, Liquid Metal Battery Corp raises $15M with support from Bill Gates

Liquid Metal Battery Corporation, which says it found the solution to storing energy from renewable sources, is getting a new charge in funding.

Led by cleantech investor Khosla Ventures, the battery tech company has raised $15 million in a second …

How air freshener research led to a new fuel-cell charger for phones

Fuel cell gadget charger PowerTrekk is finally hits store shelves in the States. Starting May 2012, you can head to outdoor equipment store REI to purchase this nifty device, which charges electronics with only water.

PowerTrekk first debuted at the …

Get money for your crappy old phones

Brush off those dusty old electronics and broken phones sitting in a drawer. EcoATM has raised $17 million for its electronics recycling “ATM” kiosks, which give you money for handing over old phones, MP3 players, and even laptops.

The other …

Meet the $60 ‘Earth Day’ LED light bulb

Just in time for Earth Day, Dutch electronics company Philips is unveiling a new super energy-efficient light bulb today with a shelf life that should last about 25 years.

The catch? It costs about $60, but Philips is said to …

For Earth Day: a chat with IBM’s “Building Whisperer,” Dave Bartlett, on the tech behind sustainability

IBM recently won the contract to create a more sustainable and energy efficient Los Angeles Unified School District. But before ripping out old roofs or replacing leaky windows, David Bartlett’s, the computing gaint’s sustainability guru, took a look at the …

Apple agrees to another audit, this time for the environment

Looks like there are more audits are in Apple’s future, this time exploring its environmental cost. The company has teamed up with the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs (IPE) to audit one of its Chinese circuit-board factories.

IPE, which …

Nest fights back: taps former Apple patent chief to take on Honeywell

It’s become a tired pattern these days: create an innovative product, then sit back and watch the patent lawsuits pile up. That’s what happened to the smart thermostat maker Nest, which wowed the world with its gorgeous web-connected device in …

Pipe dreams: ABB invests in water monitoring startup TaKaDu

What would happen to your city if all the taps ran dry? We can’t survive without water, but water shortages will effect many of us in the future due to population growth, climate change and crumbling water networks.

Electricity infrastructure …