Horizon Wind Energy, GE Energy Signs Wind Turbine Supply, Service Agreements

Horizon Wind Energy Signs Wind Turbine Supply, Service Agreements With GE Energy

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. - January 29, 2008 : – Horizon Wind Energy LLC, a leading wind project developer, has signed wind turbine supply and service agreements with GE Energy for future U.S. projects. Horizon also announced today the establishment of a regional headquarters in Albany, N.Y. to oversee its future projects in New York State and the Northeastern United States.

GE will supply Horizon with 201 1.5-megawatt wind turbines, to be shipped during 2010. Under a separate, two-year agreement, GE will provide operations support, parts and maintenance for those units.

"We see strong potential for future wind projects throughout this region, and our new Albany office positions us to better serve this promising market," said Antonio Martins da Costa, CEO of Horizon Wind Energy. "In addition, our local presence will reinforce our strong relationship with GE Energy's renewable energy business, based in nearby Schenectady, NY."

"Albany and the Capital Region have a rich history in the energy industry," said Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings. "It's great to see that we will continue to play an integral role in the future as clean energy technologies from companies like GE Energy begin to change the way we produce energy. I'm thrilled that Horizon Wind Energy has chosen Albany as the site to manage its northeastern activities."

"With their new presence in the region, we look forward to working even more closely with Horizon Wind Energy," said Victor Abate, Vice President-Renewables for GE Energy. "The new agreements with Horizon are further evidence that the wind industry continues to embrace our 1.5-megawatt wind turbine technology and support services. We have provided more than 7,700 of these machines for projects worldwide."

Headquartered in Houston, Horizon Wind Energy is a fully owned subsidiary of Energias de Portugal S.A. (EDP), a major Portuguese utility and one of the world's largest generators of electricity from renewable energy sources. At the end of 2007, Horizon was operating wind power plants with a total installed capacity of more than 1,300 megawatts, and the company currently is developing a portfolio of more than 10,500 megawatts in more than a dozen states.

The new agreements with Horizon Energy follow the October 2007 announcement of a global frame agreement between GE and with Horizon's parent company, EDP, for the supply of 500 megawatts of wind turbines for 2008 and 2009 projects in the U.S. and Europe.

In addition to its relationship with GE Energy, Horizon Wind Energy is receiving a $300 million equity investment from GE Energy Financial Services in four of its wind farms. The investment will go to a 600-megawatt portfolio of wind farms in Oregon, Minnesota, Illinois and Texas.

GE Energy's wind turbine technology is a key component of ecomagination, the GE corporate-wide initiative to address challenges such as the need for cleaner, more efficient sources of energy, reduced emissions and abundant sources of clean water.

http://www.gepower.com/about/press/en/2008_press/012908c.htm

tag: wind energy, wind turbines, Renewables, GE Energy, wind farms, Horizon Wind Energy, Energias de Portugal

Costaka To Produce Ethanol Costing less than $1/gallon

Warrenville, IL – January 13, 2008 – Coskata Inc., a leading developer of biology-based technology for the production of biofuels, formally launched and unveiled its proprietary process today. The Coskata process can produce ethanol almost anywhere in the world, using a wide range of feedstock, for less than US $1.00 per gallon. This technology makes the widespread use and availability of ethanol much more achievable.

Today, the company also announced major industry support through a strategic partnership with General Motors. Rick Wagoner, the Chairman and CEO of General Motors, announced the partnership and that GM had taken an undisclosed equity stake in Coskata at the 2008 North American International Auto Show. Coskata was initially formed with funding from Advanced Technology Ventures (ATV), GreatPoint Ventures and Khosla Ventures.

“As a nation, we’ve been dependent on oil for so long, we continue to think we will be dependent on oil to meet our future energy needs,” said Vinod Khosla of Khosla Ventures. “Scientists, technologists and entrepreneurs like Coskata are here to prove it doesn’t have to be this way. With the development of an economically-viable ethanol solution, Coskata has the propensity to change the types of fuel consumers find at the pump – providing fuel derived from widely-available national resources, rather than foreign imports.”

Coskata’s process is feedstock flexible, and enables the use of cost-effective, locally abundant materials to achieve the lowest ethanol production cost targets in the industry. This groundbreaking approach addresses many of the constraints lodged against current renewable energy options, including environmental, transportation and land use concerns.

Using patented microorganisms and transformative bioreactor designs, Coskata ethanol is produced via a unique three-step conversion process that turns virtually any carbon-based feedstock, including biomass, municipal solid waste, bagasse and other agricultural waste into ethanol, making production a possibility in almost any geography. Coskata’s process technology is ethanol-specific and enzyme independent, requiring no additional chemicals or pre-treatments; environmentally superior, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by as much as 84% compared to conventional gasoline; and has the ability to generate 7.7 times as much energy as is required to produce the ethanol, compared to corn ethanol which generates approximately 1.3 times as much energy according to Argonne National Labs.

“Our technology and proprietary process have been validated by some of the world’s most renowned research labs, universities and energy companies,” said Bill Roe, CEO of Coskata. “Coskata is poised to revolutionize the ethanol industry with the backing of GM and our partners. Together, we can make ethanol a viable transportation fuel with production costs of under $1 per gallon.”

Coskata is working closely with leading research institutions focused on renewable energy to bring this compelling syngas-to-ethanol process technology to market, including Oklahoma State University, The University of Oklahoma, Brigham Young University and Argonne National Laboratory. Founded in 2006 by Todd Kimmel and Dr. Rathin Datta, the company has compiled a strong IP portfolio of patents, trade secrets, know-how and assembled a first-class management team.

"Coskata's announcement is a perfect example of the evolutionary state of the ethanol industry," said Bob Dinneen, president of the Renewable Fuels Association, the national trade association for the U.S. ethanol industry. “Building on the solid foundation grain-based ethanol production has provided, and partnering with companies like General Motors that have demonstrated a commitment to renewable fuels, Coskata demonstrates what is possible when financial and intellectual capital are applied to solving the growing energy crisis in the United States."

More info at Costaka

tag: Ethanol, biofuels, Coskata, General Motors, Advanced Technology Ventures, GreatPoint Ventures, Khosla Ventures, bioreactor,

SunEdison Simplifies Solar by Pushing Adoption of Utility-Industry Standards

Implementation of IHS Standards Expert™ Service, the Leading Information Management Tool for the Utility Industry, is a Key Step.
BELTSVILLE, Md — January 18, 2008—SunEdison, North America's largest solar energy services provider, announced today a significant step in simplifying solar across North America by beginning integration of more than 3,300 electric utility-industry standards in the engineering,construction, deployment, and maintenance of photovoltaic systems.
With the IHS Standards Expert solution, a leading information management tool for utility industries, SunEdison engineering, construction and maintenance crews will have real-time access to utility industry standards. The new capabilities and easy-to-use interface of the IHS tool also support SunEdison's mission to simplify solar. Implementation of broad solar standards will facilitate traditional utility interconnections and drive economies of scale for the solar industry.
IHS (NYSE: IHS) is a global provider of critical technical information, decision-support tools and related strategic services for leading companies in the utility industry.
SunEdison will use the IHS standards management tool to fully integrate standards for the solar industry which are used by electricity providers and traditional utilities. More than 300 SunEdison team members globally will have access to IHS Standards Expert during the development, implementation and refinement of photovoltaic energy systems, tapping more than 3,300 utility-adopted standards and specifications from standards developing bodies, such as IEEE, NEMA, UL and IEC.
"Solar is complex. By driving standards, SunEdison is simplifying the solar industry," said Thomas (Tom) Rainwater, CEO of SunEdison. "Industry standards are key to ensuring a common language, specifications and measurements for development, construction and maintenance of photovoltaic energy systems in order to extract the maximum value from their systems." "We are proud to be working with SunEdison, providing the critical standards information they need in their leadership role in the solar energy industry," said Jeff Tarr, co-president and cochief operating officer, IHS. "The utilities industry has complex standards and managing that is the key for any energy service provider. SunEdison is helping to establish the benchmark for the industry which will lead to economies of scale in solar."
About SunEdison
Sun Edison LLC is North America's largest solar energy services provider. SunEdison provides solar-generated energy at or below current retail utility rates to a broad and diverse client base of commercial, municipal and utility customers. For more information about SunEdison, please visit www.sunedison.com. The company headquarters is located in Beltsville, Md.

About IHS (www.ihs.com)
IHS (NYSE: IHS) is a leading global source of critical information and insight for customers in a broad range of industries. Our customer product and service solutions span four major areas of information: energy, product lifecycle management, environmental and security. By focusing on our customers first, we deliver data and expertise that enable innovative and successful decision-making. Customers range from governments and multinational companies to smaller companies and technical professionals in more than 180 countries. IHS has been in business since 1959 and employs more than 3,000 people in 35 locations around the world. IHS is a registered trademark of IHS Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners. Copyright (C) 2007 IHS Inc. All rights reserved.
CONTACT: For SunEdison
Loretta W. Prencipe, 703-941-0277
loretta@m1pr.com
OR
IHS Inc.
Lauren Baker, 303-397-2615
lauren.baker@ihs.com
Tags: solar power, Solar Standards, SunEdison, IHS

Whole Foods Market®, Today "Bring Your Own Bag Day;" Celebrates by Giving Away Over 50,000 Reusable Bags to Customers Companywide

We usually shop a lot at Whole Foods because we like the quality of products that Whole Foods Market offer. Not only the products we get from the counters but efforts like, solar Power, BYOB, Bring Your Own Bag. We have been using the bag shown in the picture for months. The bag was a gift from Whole Foods.Now they have completely end the use plastic grocery bags and be plastic bag free by Earth Day, April 22, 2008. Way to go Whole Foods!

AUSTIN, Texas. (January 22, 2008). Whole Foods Market (NASDAQ: WFMI), the world's leading natural and organic foods supermarket, announced today it will end the use of disposable plastic grocery bags at the checkouts in all of its 270 stores in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. with the goal to be plastic bag-free by Earth Day, April 22, 2008.

"Central to Whole Foods Market's core values is caring for our communities and the environment, and this includes adopting wise environmental practices," said A.C. Gallo, co-president and chief operating officer for Whole Foods Market. "More and more cities and countries are beginning to place serious restrictions on single-use plastic shopping bags since they don't break down in our landfills, can harm nature by clogging waterways and endangering wildlife, and litter our roadsides. Together with our shoppers, our gift to the planet this Earth Day will be reducing our environmental impact as we estimate we will keep 100 million new plastic grocery bags out of our environment between Earth Day and the end of this year alone."

The first U.S. supermarket to commit to completely eliminating disposable plastic grocery bags to help protect the environment and conserve resources, Whole Foods Market has declared today "Bring Your Own Bag Day" and will give out over 50,000 reusable shopping bags to customers at the checkouts this morning to celebrate today's announcement. "We hope to inspire shoppers to prompt positive environmental change by adopting the reusable bag mindset," added Gallo.

"Doing away with plastic grocery bags won't just help protect marine life, it's a key move in shifting us away from a 'consume-and-dispose' mentality," says Lisa Mastny, editor of the Worldwatch Institute report Oceans in Peril. "Disposable plastic bags can linger in the environment for more than 1,000 years and are the major debris item found on the seabed, especially near the coast."

"During our International Coastal Cleanup each year, our volunteers find hundreds of thousands of bags on beaches and in the ocean posing a threat to birds, turtles and other marine life. As people continue to learn more about the impact their lifestyle has on the environment, we find they are looking for personal solutions to global problems," said Laura Capps, senior vice president of communications and outreach with Ocean Conservancy. "We applaud Whole Foods Market for encouraging their customers to bring re-usable bags when shopping and for making better stewardship of our environment a part of their everyday lives."

Beginning immediately, each store in the Company will work on depleting stocks of disposable plastic grocery bags at the checkouts and will help raise awareness about the benefits of reusable bags. Over the next three months, stores will reduce plastic grocery bag inventories and increase selections of reusable bags for purchase.

Whole Foods Market has encouraged shoppers to bring their own bags for years by offering a refund of either five or ten cents at the checkouts, depending on the store. The Company also sells different types of reusable bags, ranging from canvas to its new large, stylish "A Better Bag" - a sound environmental choice since 80 percent of its content comes from recycled plastic bottles and it is an economical choice as well since it costs only 99 cents.

"Before Whole Foods Market decided to do away with this disposable plastic grocery bags at our checkouts, we ran tests in San Francisco, Toronto and Austin. Customers have overwhelmingly supported the plastic bag ban initiated by Whole Foods Market in these cities and applauded the progressive stance the stores have taken," said Gallo. "The response has been incredibly positive, and our customers are thanking us for doing this. Additionally, our Team Members are excited and passionate about taking this initiative, and we're finding it's created a great forum for discussion and awareness at the checkout counters."

Although the natural and organic grocer hopes to inspire shoppers to bring their own reusable bags, the Company will continue to offer an environmentally sensitive option when needed - 100 percent recycled paper grocery bags. Last year, Whole Foods Market became the first and only food retailer in North America to offer these recycled paper grocery bags made with 100 percent recycled fiber content, which also are completely recyclable.

Discontinuing disposable plastic grocery bags at the checkouts is another step in the Company's ongoing effort to provide more Earth-friendly bags and containers in its stores. Recently, Whole Foods Market stores began using all-natural fiber packaging at its salad and food bars. The fibers for the new containers come from plants that are cultivated or grow wild and are harvested annually. Additionally, the Company continues to seek alternatives to plastic bags in its bulk, produce, bakery and seafood departments.

"We realize there are many more steps to take, and we recognize it's an ongoing process to provide as much Earth-friendly packaging as possible," said Gallo. "We will continue to evaluate each department within our stores as we seek to continually improve."

More information can be found at online at www.wholefoodsmarket.com/byobag.

Tags: solar power, Earth Day, BYOB, whole foods

"We Are Running Out Of Time". Project Better Place

As I promised in my earlier post, I am posting the speech by Shai Agassi's at today's announcement by the government of Israel and Renault-Nissan on their collaboration along the Better Place framework - creating the first three way partnership for an oil-independent country. The original speech was in Hebrew and the following is the first few lines of the translated version of the speech. I would have posted the the speech in it's entirety but then I want even the little traffic I get, to visit the Project Better Place. We all will benefit from the work they are doing and as Shai said, the time is running out! So please follow the link below for the complete speech and the rest of the Project Better Place.

Mr. Prime Minister; Mr. Ghosn; honorable guests. It is an honor to be here with you today.

It is not typical and a rather humbling moment for a founder of a small startup to share a stage with the prime minister of his own country - Ehud Olmert, and one of the legendary CEOs of our times – Carlos Ghosn.

It is not a typical for a government take a bold strategic decision and challenge the private sector to help it solve a problem of global magnitude as the prime minister and its President of Israel did.

But these are not typical times.

These are times where we are running out of oil in the ground and we are running out of air, The oil we burn harms the atmosphere that controls the climate of our the planet. We have reached times where in some parts of our world children cannot see the sky.

Finally, we are running out of our most precious commodity of all – we are running out of time.

Project Better Place

tag: Project Better Place, , Renault-Nissan, electric vehicles, zero-emission, Israel

Project Better Place, and the Renault-Nissan Alliance engage in a breakthrough Project for electric vehicles in Israel

Project better place, Shai Agassi's initiative to revolutionize transport by building an entire electrically powered system for cars, starting with solar energy, non-polluting electric vehicles and infrastructure to charge the cars - all without dependence on oil, in Israel, is making very good progress. Here is the latest news release from the site. I will also be posting a speech by Shai Agassi later.
Project Better Place, and the Renault-Nissan Alliance engage in a breakthrough Project for electric vehicles in Israel

JERUSALEM--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In a significant move towards reducing CO₂ car emissions as well as particles pollution, the Renault-Nissan Alliance and Project Better Place engage in a breakthrough with electric vehicles in Israel. The solution framework comes in response to the Israeli State’s challenge to the auto industry and its supply chain to migrate the country’s transportation infrastructure to renewable sources of energy.

For the first time in history, all the conditions necessary for electric vehicles to be successfully mass-marketed will be brought together in a partnership between the Renault-Nissan Alliance and Project Better Place in Israel. The Israeli government would provide tax incentives to customers, Renault would supply the electric vehicles, and Project Better Place would construct and operate an Electric Recharge Grid across the entire country. Electric vehicles will be available for customers in 2011.

• 100% electric vehicles: Renault’s vehicles will run on pure electricity for all functions. The objective of zero emissions will be achieved, while at the same time offering driving performances similar to a 1.6 liter gasoline engine. Renault’s electric vehicles will be equipped with lithium-ion batteries, ensuring greater driving range and longevity.
• Innovative business model: For the first time in the electric vehicle business, ownership of the car is separated from the requirement to own a battery. Consumers will buy and own their car and subscribe to energy, including the use of the battery, on a basis of kilometers driven. This model is similar to the way mobile phones are sold, with an initial purchase and a monthly subscription for the mobility service.
• Competitive cost of ownership: The Israeli government recently extended a tax incentive on the purchase of any zero-emissions vehicle until 2019, making them more affordable. Combined with the lower cost of electricity as opposed to fuel-based energy, and the vehicle’s lifetime guarantee, the total cost of ownership for the customer will be significantly lower than that of a fuel-based car over the life cycle of the vehicle.
• Electric Recharge Grid infrastructure: California-based Project Better Place plans to deploy a massive network of battery charging spots. Driving range will no longer be an obstacle, because customers will be able to plug their cars into charging units in any of the 500,000 charging spots in Israel. An on-board computer system will indicate to the driver the remaining power supply and the nearest charging spot. Nissan, through its joint venture with NEC, has created a battery pack that meets the requirements of the electric vehicle and will mass-produce it. Renault is working on development of exchangeable batteries for continuous mobility. The entire framework will go through a series of tests starting this year.
• Perfect first mass market: In Israel, where 90% of car owners drive less than 70 kilometers per day, and all major urban centers are less than 150 kilometers apart, electric vehicles would be the ideal means of transportation and could therefore cover most of the population’s transportation needs.

Along with Project Better Place, this is the first illustration of the Alliance’s commitment to mass-market zero-emission vehicles all over the world.

Project Better Place

Project Better Place is a venture-backed company that aims to reduce global dependency on oil through the creation of a market-based transportation infrastructure that supports electric vehicles, providing consumers with a cleaner, sustainable, personal transportation alternative. Launched in October 2007, Project Better Place will build its first pilot Electric Recharge Grid in Israel and plans to deploy the infrastructure on a country-by-country basis with initial deployments beginning in 2010.

tag: Project Better Place, zero-emission, Electric Recharge Grid, electric vehicles, Renault-Nissan,

Asphalt, Another Solar Energy Source.

By ARTHUR MAX The Associated Press

SCHARWOUDE, Netherlands – If you've ever blistered your bare feet on a hot road you know how asphalt absorbs the sun's rays. Now, a Dutch company is siphoning the heat from roads and parking lots to heat homes and offices.
As climate change rises on the international agenda, the system built by the civil engineering firm Ooms Avenhorn Holding BV doesn't look as wacky as it might have 10 years ago when it was first conceived.
Solar energy collected from a 200-yard stretch of road and a small parking lot helps heat a 70-unit, four-story apartment building in the northern village of Avenhorn. An industrial park of some 160,000 square feet in the nearby city of Hoorn is kept warm in winter with the help of heat stored during the summer from 36,000 square feet of pavement. The runways of a Dutch air force base in the south supply heat for its hangar.
And all that under normally cloudy Dutch skies, with only a few days a year of truly sweltering temperatures.
The Road Energy System is one of the more unusual ways scientists and engineers are trying to harness the power of the sun, the single most plentiful, reliable, accessible and inexhaustible source of renewable energy – radiating to earth more watts in one hour than the world can use in a whole year.
But today, solar power provides just 0.04 percent of global energy, held back by high production costs and low efficiency rates.
Solar advocates say that will change within a few years.
Other renewable sources have drawbacks: Not every place is breezy enough for wind turbines; waves and tides are good only for coastal regions; hydroelectricity requires rivers and increasingly objectionable dams; biofuels take up land needed for food crops.
"But solar falls everywhere," says Patrick Mazza, of Climate Solutions, a consultancy group in Seattle, Wash.
Compared with other energy sources, "solar comes out as the one with the real heavy lift. It's the one we really need to get at," he said in an interview.
Ooms' thermal energy system is too expensive and inefficient to solve the world's energy problems. In fact, it was actually a spin-off of a method to reduce road maintenance.
A latticework of flexible plastic pipes, held in place by a plastic grid, is covered over by asphalt, which magnifies the sun's thermal power. As cool water in the pipes is heated, it is pumped deep under the ground to natural aquifers where it maintains a fairly constant temperature of about 68 F. The heated water can be retrieved months later to keep the road surface ice-free in winter.
The same system pumps cold water from a separate subterranean reservoir to cool buildings on hot days.
Though it doubles the cost of construction, the system's first benefits are a longer life for roads and bridges, fewer ice-induced accidents and less need to repave worn surfaces.
"We found we were gathering more energy in summer than we needed, so we asked a building contractor what we can do with the extra energy," said Lex Van Zaane, the commercial manager. The answer was to construct buildings near the tarmac and pipe hot water under the floor.
The water usually isn't hot enough on its own, and must go through an electricity-powered heat pump for an extra boost, Van Zaane said. The installation cost is about twice as much as normal gas heating, but the energy required is about half of what would otherwise be needed. That translates into lower monthly heating bills and a 50 percent savings in carbon emissions.
Rooftop solar water heaters have been standard in some countries for decades. In 1954 Bell Labs created the first photovoltaic cells, which use sunlight to create electric current.
But it is only in the last decade that researchers have begun raising the efficiency of photovoltaic cells to economically generate electricity, and new technologies aim to make them commercially competitive without subsidies from taxpayers.
Experimental technologies involve new methods to concentrate the sun's energy by using mirrors or lenses, or devices that track the sun's path across the sky. New materials are being developed to make better cells. And scientists are working with electrochemical cells using a liquid rather than a solid component to absorb light.
"The prospect of relying on the sun for all our power demands is finally becoming realistic," says report in New Scientist.
tag: Solar Energy Source, asphalt, Ooms, Avenhorn, global energy, biofuels, hydroelectricity, Climate Solutions, photovoltaic, photovoltaic cells,

The world is on the verge of a water crisis.

After reading statistics about our world affairs on the world meters, I looked around for information on water crisis as I was surprised to read about so many people without water. This is the first article that made me stop to read.

The world is on the verge of a water crisis. As the global economy and the world's population continue to expand, we are becoming a much thirstier planet. It is important to realize just how much water we need to make the various aspects of our economy work.

Every litre of petrol (Gasoline) requires up to 2.5litres of water to produce it. On average, crops grown for their bio-energy need at least 1000 litres of water to make one litre of biofuel. It takes about 2700 litres of water to make one cotton T-shirt, up to 4000litres of water to produce 1kg of wheat and up to 16,000 litres to produce 1kg of beef.

The statistics are equally surprising for hundreds of other products that we all take for granted, such as milk, juice, coffee, fruit, pizza, detergents, carpets, paint, electrical appliances, cosmetics and so on. On average, wealthier people consume upwards of 3000 litres of water every day. Even to produce the much more basic things our economy needs, such as cement, steel, chemicals, mining or power generation, requires tonnes of water.

We have seen how a combination of crop switch for biofuels and drought can have an inflationary impact on food. Water is the bigger problem behind this issue. It has the potential for a much more profound impact on consumers and voters. In the breadbasket areas of the world, which help feed our fast-growing urban populations, we are heading for painful trade-offs or even conflict.

Along the Colorado, the Indus, the Murray Darling, the Mekong, the Nile or within the North China Plain, for example, do we use the scarce water for food, for fuel, for people and cities, or for industrial growth? How much of the upstream river can we really dam? How do we figure out ways for every actor in the economy to get the water they need to meet their human, economic and cultural aspirations? And can we ensure that the environment is not wrecked but can flourish in the process?

A world united on water Continue to read the article here

tag: water, biofuels, water crisis, global economy

Measuring The World!

The above is a just a small sample of what the site has to offer. I also learned the urgency of our need to find answers to energy needs come up with energy solutions. But you will also see that quite bit of people have no access to water! One of the most basic needs of life. I thank the site for the information provided. You too could have a look at worldmeters!.
tag: energy needs, energy solutions, worldmeters

Of All Things, A Solar Bikini To Charge Your Devices At Beach!

Although designed last year, solar bikini from siggraph 2007 has returned. This bikini can charge you iPod may be iPhone and any other device that supports charging with USB and 5V.
But the bad part of it is that lot of real estate is covered with the Solar Bra and the Solar Bikini!
But not to be out done the same group has created a male version of the swimming pant called iDrink that is so powerful, it can keep beer cool on th beach. But I wonder what happens when you take a dip! (Oops, site says; "The iDrink solar swimware line is perfect for those who want to go the beach, listen to music, and enjoy a cold and deserved beverage, but who don’t want to get wet!").
In any case if you are interested, here is the product page!

tag: solar bikini, iDrink, siggraph, Solar Bra

2007 Innovate Or Die invention contest Winners Announced

The 2007 Innovate or Die pedal powered invention contest was presented by Google, Specialized Bicycles, and Goodby, Silverstein & Partners . The contest winners will each receive a Specialized World Bike and, as a group, a check for $5000.
The contest is over. And the Grand Prize, goes to the invention in the YouTube Video. The Aquaduct, the entry from a team of five California design students, addresses the needs of 1.1 million people in the world who don't have access to clean drinking water.
More information about winner, the runners-up, and the project itself, could be found at the Innovate or Die website. To see videos of all 100 qualified inventions, visit the You-Tube page.

tag: youtube, Innovate or Die, Google, Specialized Bicycles, Innovate or Die winner

PHOENIX is moving ahead on becoming a solar-friendly city.

An article on Arizona Central lead me to the sprawling city's work on solar energy. It was pleasant to learn that Phoenix has been involving itself with Solar Power since 1990 with its Solar Canopies for Bus Stations, on Central Avenue. The city has small and large solar power projects under its belt and is about to start a new project further the solar power / alternative energy usage.
Phoenix's year around sun shine leads to providing better solar power conversion and need for better cooling, be it buildings or car parking areas. Demetrius Laloudakis, who oversees energy management for the Public Works Department, said the projects would go on city-owned rooftops and large open spaces such as unused landfill areas in the future. The department is responsible for the city's solar efforts.
"This is good for the environment and good for the bottom line," said Deputy City Manager Cynthia Seelhammer, who oversees the city's Public Works Department.
The city has applied to the federal government for a $200,000 matching grant to promote solar energy. The federal grant would help with the process, paving the way for fee reductions on the projects.
The newest project, atop the Phoenix Convention Center's completed west building, will be a city-owned and -operated unit. Phoenix partnered with Arizona Public Service (APS) to develop a solar energy project on the West Building of the Phoenix Convention Center. The renewable power generated from this city-owned 100 kW roof-mounted PV system will provide power to the Phoenix Convention Center and will be equivalent to the average annual energy needs of 12 Valley homes. The project is scheduled for completion in early 2008.
One can easily see the city's solar and renewable energy efforts here.
Arizona Central article.


tag: solar power, alternative energy, phoenix, Arizona Public Service, Phoenix Convention Center

Thin-Film Solar Cell Research Project Debuts In UK

DURHAM, England, British scientists led by Durham University are starting one of the United Kingdom's largest research projects into photovoltaic solar energy.The $12.3 million, four-year PV-21 program is to focus on making thin-film light absorbing cells for solar panels from sustainable and affordable materials.
A national team of scientists are embarking on one of the UK’s largest ever research projects into photovoltaic (PV) solar energy.The £6.3million PV-21 programme, led by experts at Durham University, will focus on making thin-film light absorbing cells for solar panels from sustainable and affordable materials.The four-year project, which begins in April (2008), is being funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) under the SUPERGEN initiative.Eight UK universities, led by Durham and including Bangor, Bath, Cranfield, Edinburgh, Imperial College London, Northumbria and Southampton, are involved in the project.
They will work together with nine industrial partners towards a “medium to long-term goal” of making solar energy more competitive and sustainable, particularly in light of the recent rise in fossil fuel prices.At present solar cells – used to convert light energy into electricity - are made from key components such as the rare and expensive metal indium which costs approximately £320 ($660) per kilogram.To cut costs in solar cell production the research team will work to reduce the thickness of the cells.Making a solar semiconductor thinner by one millionth of a metre in solar cells generating one gigawatt of power could save 50 tonnes of material.Researchers will also experiment with sustainable low-cost materials which could be used in the manufacturing of solar cells and on the use of nanotechnology and dyes on ultra-thin silicon to capture increased amounts of energy from the sun’s rays.Principal investigator Professor Ken Durose, in the Department of Physics, at Durham University, said: “With the rapid increase in fossil fuel prices and the recent Government announcement about investment in nuclear power it is even more important that we look at long-term future energy generation from solar power.“At present you would need tens of tonnes of very rare and expensive materials for large scale production of solar cells to produce sizeable amounts of power.
“Some of the materials currently used may not be sustainable in 20 years time which is why we have to conduct research into alternative materials that are cheaper to buy and more sustainable. “We are also leading the way in making ultra-thin solar cells that need less material. “Our medium to long-term goal is to make a major contribution to achieving competitive photovoltaic solar energy, which we hope will lead to an uptake in the use of solar power.”

The latest funding follows an initial four-year research project by PV-21 focusing on the development of thin-layer PV cells using compound semiconductors based on the cadmium telluride and chalcopyrite systems.
This work will form the basis for testing new ideas over the next four years.
Chris Pywell, Head of Strategic Economic Change at regional development agency One NorthEast, said: “This project will add substantially to the position of North East England which is already at the forefront of photovoltaic energy research.
“This leading position presents a great opportunity to the region as the world addresses climate change. As well as the strengths of Durham and Northumbria universities that are demonstrated by this success, we have the PV development facilities at NaREC, the new PETEC facilities at NETPark, and great businesses such as ROMAG.
“The Agency, Durham University and our other partners are committed to building on this new project and our many other successes to ensure the region leads the UK in renewable energy.”

tag: Thin-Film Solar Cell, Solar Energy Research, ROMAG, NETPark, PV-21, nanotechnology, Durham University, indium, SUPERGEN, photovoltaic

Army Goes Green In Fort Carson, Colorado, With "The solar station"

DENVER (AP) -- Green has been the Army's color for years. Now the service is trying to go green, from a Colorado base to the battlefield.On Monday, the Army will dedicate a solar power station at sprawling Fort Carson, south of Colorado Springs. The solar station -- the largest of any Army base in the country -- will provide 2 megawatts of power, enough to supply 540 homes or more than 2 percent of the base's power consumption.Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter, a strong supporter of renewable energy, awarded Fort Carson an "excellence in renewable energy award" Thursday in part for its solar efforts.
Similar projects are planned for other army bases, said Thomas Warren, who has held several titles at Fort Carson, including director of environmental compliance and management.Karen Linne, a Fort Carson spokeswoman, said the Army hopes to save about $300,000 in energy bills over a 17-year contract with providers involved in the project, including Xcel Energy, Colorado Springs Utilities and the Western Area Power Administration.Being environmentally sensitive is serious business, even in wartime, Warren said."Fort Carson kind of works from the perspective that by being a leader, you help others to be aware," he said.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press.
tag: US Army, solar power, The solar station, Fort Carson, "excellence in renewable energy award", renewable energy, Xcel Energy,

Lesser Benefits For Solar Industry

Forbes has an article about the energy bill that President Bush signed recently. "

"The omission of renewed investment tax credits for solar energy in the wide-sweeping energy bill signed by President Bush late last month has put the future health of the U.S. solar power industry in question.

The bill includes more stringent mandates for fuel economy and energy efficiency, but it doesn't extend the investment tax credit for companies specializing in solar power systems. That credit, which amounts to 30 percent of the value of qualified residential or commercial solar equipment, is set to revert to 10 percent at the end of 2008 unless it is extended."

Perhaps it is reserved to give to oil companies that face hardships ;)

tag: tax credits for solar energy, Energy Bill, energy efficiency, Solar Power

The United States delays decision on whether global warming threatens polar bears

Perhaps someone needs to light a fire or heat a pan of water under the feet of these so called scientists. This is clearly a case of receding ice in the polar region that is affecting the lives of polar bears. Drowning polar bears has been reported for a while now. I am not a fanatic that will do anything to save an animal. If killing polar bears will save lives of people like Barrow Eskimo, a good friend of mine, I am ready to end any polar bears life. But it is people like Barrow Eskimo that make the connection between lives of Eskimos and Polar bears and other animals like seals and whales that makes the cycle complete. I believe him because his place is the northern most part of USA, Barrow, Alaska.
The deadline for deciding whether to list the big white bears as threatened under the Endangered Species Act is Wednesday but Dale Hall, head of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, told reporters it would take as much as a month more to analyze all the information.

This is the first time global warming has been a factor in proposing threatened status for any U.S. species, Hall said, and that has added to the complexity of the decision.
Within minutes of the government's announcement of the delay, environmental groups vowed to sue to enforce the deadline in the polar bear case.

"The Bush administration has squandered seven years denying the devastating scientific evidence of global warming," Kert Davies of Greenpeace USA said in a statement. "Stalling has cost us dearly, putting the polar bear at risk of extinction and jeopardizing the future welfare of billions of people around the world."

Greenpeace, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Center for Biological Diversity said in a joint statement they plan to start the legal process on Wednesday with a formal notice to sue, as required under the Endangered Species Act.
Please visit these organizations to learn more about life and our environment. It is of no use to save the world with solar power and alternative energy, if the world is going to be a barren place.

Greenpeace USA
Natural Resources Defense Council
Center For Biological Diversity

Global Warming News Source
tag: global warming, Endangered Species Act, polar bears, Barrow Eskimo, Bush administration, Greenpeace, extinction, Biological Diversity, Natural Resources Defense Council

Head-Royce School Goes Green

BERKELEY, CA--(Marketwire - January 7, 2008) - Head-Royce School, an independent, coeducational, college preparatory K-12 day school in Oakland, today announced the completion of a 412-panel solar electric system that will offset more than 35 percent of the school's current electricity usage. The system, installed by Borrego Solar Systems, Inc., will be officially unveiled and activated during a community event held at Head-Royce on Thursday, January 10, 2007 at 11:25 a.m. PST.

"Today, environmental issues are among the most serious facing our nation, and taking positive steps to make Head-Royce a model green school is simply the right thing to do," said Paul Chapman, head of school at Head-Royce. "We want to help our students understand the challenges we face in environmental sustainability, and going solar is one of the most important components in this effort. We are proud to have U.C. Berkeley Professor Dan Kammen and Borrego Solar as part of this initiative."

The solar panels are the latest initiative put in place by Head-Royce's "Green Council," a group founded in 2006 designed to help its 800 students -- as well as faculty, parents and the community at large -- be more environmentally conscious. Other initiatives implemented at Head-Royce include expanded recycling and composting, a school vegetable garden and integrating "green" thinking into the curriculum. As a testament to the Green Council, Head-Royce is only the third school in Alameda County to be certified as a green business.

"Environmental responsibility goes hand-in-hand with education, and Borrego Solar is proud to be a part of Head-Royce's commitment to its students, faculty and the surrounding community," said Mike Hall, president of Borrego Solar. "It is becoming easier and more advantageous for schools to pursue alternative energy options and promote 'going green.' As energy costs continue to rise we anticipate that many more schools will take this bold step."

Event Details:

What: Head-Royce School unveiling of new solar energy installation

Who: Dr. Dan Kammen, professor at U.C. Berkeley (keynote address)
Paul Chapman, head of school at Head-Royce
Head-Royce student and faculty speakers

Where: Head-Royce School, 4315 Lincoln Ave., Oakland

When: Thursday, January 10, 2008 from 11:25 a.m.-12:10 p.m. PST

Media interested in attending the event -- or speaking with Dr. Kammen, a Borrego Solar executive or Head-Royce faculty or students prior to the event -- can contact Schwartz Communications at (415) 512-0770 or borregosolar@schwartz-pr.com.

tag: solar power, green initiative, U.C.Berkeley, Borrego Solar Systems, Head-Royce School,

Reaearch Paper On Global Markets and Technologies Related To Photovoltiacs

Global Photovoltaic Market: Module Shipments and Materials, 2007 and 2013 ($ Millions)
The global market for photovoltaics (PV) will increase from $12,908.8 million in 2007 to an estimated $16,083.3 million by the end of 2008. It should reach $32,252.3 million by 2012, a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.9%.

The rapid growth of PV will be driven by the global demand for energy of all kinds, the potential problems of climate change, the renewable features of solar energy and improvements in PV technology and materials.

Silicon technology, which accounted for about 89% of the market in 2007, will continue to dominate through the end of our forecast period, but will represent only 79% of the market by 2013.

PVs date back to the 1950s and the advent of the space program, but the initial concerted efforts to fully develop this technology for industry and consumer use began during the oil embargoes of the 1970s. The eventual stabilization of oil prices, however, had a dampening effect on investment, tax credits, and government funding for research and development (R&D).

Despite these changes, the development of PV technology and materials continued, and in the late 1990s, R&D funding, cist-shared programs, and industry activity once again increased. Now, with the increasing demand for energy and the rising prices of fossil fuels, PV again offers assistance in meeting energy demands.

BCC Research examined this industry in a 2005 report, EGY014E-Photovoltaics: Markets and Technologies. Since the demand for energy is growing at unprecedented levels, and global climate change is demanding the development of alternatives to fossil fuels, we were interested in revisiting the state of PV technology, analyzing the major growth factors, and projecting the PV industry's growth potential.

The Research Paper contains;

• Descriptions of various types of photovoltaics (PV) technologies including monocrystalline silicon, multicrystalline silicon, thin films (e.g. amorphous silicon, cadmium telluride, copper indium diselenide) and compound semiconductor materials (e.g. gallium arsenide)
• Discussion of emerging approaches such as nanostructured films, dye-sensitized solar cells, and organic technologies
• The current market status for PV, trends and forecasts for growth over the next 6 years
• Technological issues including the latest trends and a thorough patent analysis
• Analysis of the industry's manufacturing capacity and consumption by various regional markets.

To Obtain a copy of the paper.
tag: Photovoltaic Market, Solar Energy, Research Paper