This 52 home community is taking the next step in solar power communion in Alberta, Canada. Yea, Canada is a cold place but for these houses, which can provide over 90% of the annual heating and hot water needs, the cold is the last of their worries. However, the slaying of baby seals is another story for another day.

It’s called the Drake Landing Solar Community and as the name implies, it collects solar energy through an array of solar panels on the roof of each home. The heat is stored in the earth as a heated fluid which is transferred from a neighborhood energy center. By storing heat in the summer time, the community is provided with warmer winters with the help of simple solar panels. Beats living in that freezing house you traded for a paper clip all year round.
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I really don’t see what the big deal is about saving energy. At home, we just ignore our electric bill until the company sends us a letter crying about paying them money. We send them some cash, they’re happy and the virtuous cycle repeats. Of course, not every tree-hugging citizen would agree and that’s why technologies like wind-based power plants and solar energy panels exist; solely to please the masses.

Case in point: Lumeta’s Power-Ply 380. What sounds like a next-gen gaming console is actually a new type of solar panel that can be stuck onto rooftops like a giant sticker. It allows faster installation without sacrificing quality and can be tailored for most buildings. Though they lose about 5-percent of the energy they generate, each panel can produce up to 380 watts of power. That means big savings for those who can afford solar panel installation on their domicile.

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