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CAPE WIND: Wine-Sipping Hypocrites Preach Gospel Of Renewable Energy...As Long As It Doesn't Wreck The View

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Click for Video Click for Video About a decade ago, a Massachusetts-based energy entrepreneur named Jim Gordon had an idea. Instead of building another natural-gas-fueled power plant, which would pump more carbon into the atmosphere and add to the country's dependence on fossil fuels, Jim's idea was to build the country's first offshore wind farm. The project, called Cape Wind, would place 130 turbines on a windy shoal in Nantucket Sound and produce 75% of the electricity required to power Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket. Cape Wind would do this without consuming a drop of foreign oil or pumping an ounce of carbon into the atmosphere. It would use a free resource that Nantucket Sound is chock full of. And, thanks to some subsidies, it would provide power at a price that was close to the prevailing price for fossil fuels and well below the price that fossil-fuel power would cost if and when the country had another energy crisis. As the nation's first major offshore wind farm, Cape Wind would also help make the United States less of a laggard in the race to develop significant sources of renewable energy. To a small extent, it would also lessen the country's dependence on the kindness of foreign strangers. So when Jim told everyone in Massachusetts about his idea, he was hailed as a hero, right? Nope. Why not? Well, according to the official logic of the well-funded and vocal opposition groups that began fighting Cape Wind even before it had been formally announced, Jim's plan was lousy for many reasons, including: Wind power costs more than fossil-fuel power (ex. subsidies) Consumers don't want to pay more for wind power Cape Wind would not lower the cost of electricity for consumers Onshore wind power is cheaper than offshore wind power These complaints were familiar, in part because they're true and in part because opponents of renewable energy--usually organized by the producers of fossil-fuel-powered energy--have invoked them to oppose renewable projects forever. This logic did not explain the vehemence of the anti-Cape Wind complaints, though. What really got Cape residents fired up was something else. Cape Wind's opponents also allege Cape Wind will: Reduce property values Hurt tourism Cost Cape Cod jobs And why, pray tell, will Cape Wind do these latter horrible things? Because the Cape Wind turbines will be visible from shore (see below). When homeowners try to sell their houses, the logic goes, potential buyers will say, "I'm knocking off 5% for the windmills." Tourists won't want to come to the Cape anymore because the spectacular Sound vistas will be despoiled by windmills. Cape Cod folks who serve these tourists fried clams and rent them bedrooms and sell them inflatable plastic lobsters will lose their jobs. Etc. Of course, those arguments are debatable, at best. More likely, it seems, people will instantly get used to the windmills. In time, some will likely come to be proud of them: "See that? That's our power source. Where does YOUR power come from." So one suspects that what is really going on is that the fierce opposition to Cape Wind, which has now lasted more than 9 years, boils down to a handful of rich beachfront homeowners don't want anything impinging on their view. The folks who live on the shores of Cape Cod and sail their boats across Nantucket Sound, after all, are some of the richest people in the world. (As they have to be, to live and sail there). Those folks have gotten used to a turbine-free view. No doubt, some of the more forward-thinking of them talk a good game about the benefits of recycling, conservation, renewable energy, and other forms of "green" innovation, but they'll be damned if they support these things if they wreck the view. In other words, it's NIMBY writ large (Not In My Backyard). The late Senator Ted Kennedy, who owned a beachfront compound in Hyannis, hated Cape Wind. Joseph Kennedy II, who still owns one, has written long, tortured explanations of why he supports wind energy in New England but wants to kill this project (In sum: He supports it if it's somewhere else.) And many other New England notables have joined the fight. And it's undeniable that Cape Wind will affect a handful of Massachusetts residents more than it will affect others--because they'll be able to see the windmills. And obviously they have the right to say something about that. But new power plants always affect some people more than others. And the reason power plants usually get built in someone else's backyard is that the someone else often has less money and influence with which to fight the project. So it's hard to conclude anything other than that the real reason Cape Wind has encountered such vehement opposition for the past 9 years is that a handful of rich people don't want it to affect their views. Over the past 9 years, Jim Gordon has spent $45 million of his company's money leaping one Cape Wind hurdle after another. This spring, the Interior Department will finally approve or kill the project once and for all. If they approve it, Jim can finally move on to the more important challenge, which is building a viable renewable energy plant right in his own backyard. Two weeks ago, I went to Boston to talk to Jim about the project. Here are some highlights. – The Issue Of Environmental Hypocrisy – Where Denmark Went Right (And The U.S. Didn't) See the full interview with Jim Gordon below: Production by Bright Red Pixels. Join the conversation about this story » (from: www.businessinsider.com)

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The Ins and Outs of the Upcoming Energy and Climate Bill and Why It’s Stalled

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Key senators, industry officials, senior advisers and cabinet members met yesterday with President Obama to talk about the upcoming Climate and Energy Bill. The bill has been largely put aside by Congress in favor of passing Healthcare legislation and yesterday’s meetings were an attempt by President Obama to get the bill moving. The talks highlighted [...] (from: www.inhabitat.com)

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Canada's Largest Supermarket Chain to Install Solar Panels on 100+ Stores in Ontario

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Photo: Google Maps Loblaw Couldn't Resist Ontario's Generous Feed-in Tariff? Loblaw is announcing today that it will put solar panels on the roof of 4 supermarkets in a pilot program, with the ultimate goal of installing solar arrays on more than 100 stores in Ontario. This is not surprising considering how insanely generous the feed-in tariffs for solar power are in the province (between 53.9 and 80.2 ¢/kWh, with 20-year contracts). I just hope that measures have been taken to avoid repeating what happened in S... Read the full story on TreeHugger (from: www.treehugger.com)

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A123 Systems gets battery supply contract for Navistar-Modec JV

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in Modec electric truck - Click above for high-res image gallery The joint venture that was formed last year between Navistar and Modec has selected A123 Systems to develop and produce lithium ion battery packs for its trucks. Modec is a British company that has developed a dedicated electric drive medium duty truck chassis. Navistar will be building the Modec trucks in Wakarusa, IN for the North and South American markets. A123 Systems will be building the packs at its new factory in Livonia, MI that is scheduled to open this month. The goal is to give the Navistar-Modec trucks a 100 mile range on a single charge. A123's battery technology is capable of absorbing energy at high rate so that it can be fast charged without degrading the lifespan. This could be very beneficial to the commercial users of such vehicles because they don't want them sitting idle while waiting for a charge. Gallery: MODEC - Electric Delivery Van Gallery: EVS23: Modec electric delivery truck [Source: A123 Systems] Continue reading A123 Systems gets battery supply contract for Navistar-Modec JV A123 Systems gets battery supply contract for Navistar-Modec JV originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Comments (from: green.autoblog.com)

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KAIST Introduces Online Electric Vehicle With Inductive Charging for Amusement Park

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KAIST’s operational OLEV. Click to enlarge. The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) has developed and deployed a prototype implementation of its online electric vehicle (OLEV) technology that picks up electricity from power cables buried underground through a non-contact magnetic charging method. The OLEV demonstrator developed by KAIST replaces a trackless combustion-engine train running inside Seoul Grand Park. KAIST called the non-contact charging of vehicles while running, idling, or parking an important and practical technology necessary for the development of commercialized electric vehicles. The power pickup equipment installed underneath OLEV collects electricity from a roadway and distributes the power either to operate the vehicle or for battery storage. Whether running or stopped, the OLEV constantly receives electric power through the underground cables. As a result, OLEV the mitigates the burden of equipping electric vehicles with large battery packs—the OLEV’s battery size is one-fifth of the batteries installed in electric vehicles currently on the market. A road embedded with underground recharging strips is divided into several segments so that, when a car drives on a certain segment, a sensor in the segment is turned on, and the car above the segment picks up electricity. A selective provision of power to vehicles with the pickup equipment relieves safety concerns about electromagnetic radiation exposure to pedestrians or other conventional vehicles. EMF test results for OLEV are well below the 1998 the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guideline, 62.5mG at 20kHz. If the OLEV charging method is applied to the public bus system in South Korea, the underground power lines would need to be installed on only 20% of the total bus route at places like bus stops, parking lots, and intersections, KAIST said. In terms of power system transmission efficiency, KAIST’s research team achieved a maximum pick-up capacity of 62 kW/h, 74% with an airgap height of 13cm from the road to the bottom of the vehicle. Comprising one engine and three passenger cars, the OLEV travels along a total length of 2.2km. There are four sections of power supply infrastructure on the route (Sections 1, 2, and 3: 122.5 meters long each, and Section 4: 5 meters long). The power supply cables were installed under the road surface for a total of 372.5 meters, 16% of the total distance of the 2,200 meter route. The city government of Seoul and KAIST signed a Memorandum of Understating (MOU) on the development of the online electric vehicle in August 2009. KAIST has submitted more than 120 applications for patent rights in connection with the development of OLEV, and has set up a roadmap for research and development that will lead to the commercialization of OLEV: Development of core technology for the power supply and collection system (2009) Development of test prototype for OLEV and common core technology of electric bus (2010) Development of practical prototype technology for OLEV (2011) Development of standard prototype technology for OLEV (2012) Introduction of commercial product to market (2013 and beyond) (from: www.greencarcongress.com)

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IBM and Stanford University Developing New Organic Catalysts for New Types of Biodegradeable, Biocompatible Plastics

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Scientists from IBM and Stanford University are developing organic molecules for use as catalysts (organocatalysis) that could lead to the development of new types of biodegradable, biocompatible plastics. In a Perspective published in the ACS journal Macromolecules , they highlight the opportunities and challenges in the use of organic molecules as catalysts for polymerization reactions. Through the introduction of organic catalysis to synthetic polymer chemistry, scientists have developed a broadly applicable technology with demonstrations in a diverse range of polymerization techniques and monomer types. The result of a multi-year research effort, the developments could lead to a new recycling process that has the potential to significantly increase the ability to recycle and reuse common PET and plant-based plastics in the future. The developments may have sustainability implications across a wide range of industries including biodegradable plastics, plastics recycling, healthcare and microelectronics. A major focus of their efforts has been on ring-opening polymerization, a strategy dominated by metal oxide or metal hydroxide catalysts. They have shown that organic catalysts both exhibit activities that rival the most active metal-based catalysts, and provide access to polymer architectures that are difficult to access by conventional approaches. The paper outlines the development of several new families of highly active, environmentally benign organic catalysts for the conversion of renewable resources to products that exhibit cost/performance characteristics comparable to existing materials. The paper also describes recycling or degradation strategies that would enable a “closed-loop” life cycle for materials that meet the needs of the marketplace while helping to minimize the environmental footprint left for future generations. Additionally, the team has developed a new strategy for the synthesis of high molecular weight cyclic polyesters and the generation of new families of biocompatible polymers for biomedical applications. Disposable plastic bottles are among the most vexing environmental challenges. More than 13 billion plastic bottles are disposed of each year. While plastics are recyclable, the resulting materials are limited to “second generation reuse” only. This means the materials made from recycled plastic bottles are disposed in landfills. In the United States, up to 63 pounds of plastic packaging per-person is disposed of each year, instead of being repeatedly recycled. The IBM-Stanford breakthrough in green chemistry could lead to a new recycling process that reverses the polymerization process to regenerate monomers in their original state, reducing waste and pollution significantly. IBM also is collaborating with scientists from King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) to develop the recycling process for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics, which is a common plastic used in containers for food, beverages and other liquids. Resources Matthew K. Kiesewetter, Eun Ji Shin, James L. Hedrick and Robert M. Waymouth (2010) Organocatalysis: Opportunities and Challenges for Polymer Synthesis. Macromolecules , 43 (5), pp 2093–2107 doi: 10.1021/ma9025948 (from: www.greencarcongress.com)

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US probes runaway Toyota Prius

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US investigators launched a probe Tuesday into a runaway Toyota Prius in California, a high-profile case that threatens to undermine the Japanese automaker's effort to repair its battered image. (from: news.yahoo.com)

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Accord struggles despite China, India sign-up

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China and India endorse the Copenhagen Accord, but hopes for it leading to a new global treaty are fading... (from: www.carbonpositive.net)

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KAIST's On Line Electric Vehicle draws energy from the road, now in use in S. Korea

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in , Asia In September, the Korea Advanced Institute of Technology (KAIST) demonstrated the technical concept for the On Line Electric Vehicle (OLEV) using individual cars (which were really kind of cute - see them here ). Today, the KAIST launched an actual prototype electric train that draws energy through non-contact magnetic charging from power strips embedded in the road. The train, with three cars, is now in use at an amusement park in Gwacheon, south of Seoul. The power strips are only required in 400 meters of the 2.2-kilometer (1.4-mile) route, or about 18-20 percent of the total distance. KAIST will build a larger system in Seoul for buses if the technology in the train proves successful. Why is all this important? Because, by drawing energy from the road as it moves along, the train can use a battery that is only 20 percent as large and powerful as would otherwise be required. There's a serious cost reduction as well - with the cost shifted to installing the power strips into the road. Overall, the total cost for electric vehicles is about a third of what standalone electric vehicles cost. KAIST president Suh Nam-Pyo had high praise for the technology: The potential for application (of this technology to public transport systems) is limitless. I dare say this is one of the most significant technical gains in the 21st century . Thanks to Roy B. for the tip! [Source: Physorg ] KAIST's On Line Electric Vehicle draws energy from the road, now in use in S. Korea originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments (from: green.autoblog.com)

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Dolphin Warriors! Animal Planet Announces New Series Based On ‘The Cove’

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That didn’t take long. Animal Planet execs know a good thing when they see it — and the Oscar-winning Cove documentary was apparently all they needed for the creation of a new series called Dolphin Warriors . From the LA Times : The series picks up where the movie leaves off and, like the film, stars animal activist Ric O’Barry. Two episodes of the series — which is being executive produced by O’Barry’s son, Lincoln — have already been completed, although a premiere date has yet to be announced, Ric O’Barry said. Animal Planet says the series may premiere in the fall, after “The Cove” debuts on the channel this summer. The series will reportedly address questions over whether the slaughter is continuing — and if the Japanese public is aware of the high levels of mercury present in dolphin meat. “Ric and Lincoln O’Barry are fascinating men with an important mission and remarkable stories to share,” Marjorie Kaplan, general manager and president of Animal Planet told the LA Times . “We’re delighted to be working with them on their next project.” Wonderful news! Related Reading (from: www.ecorazzi.com)

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I accept George Monbiot's £100 solar PV bet

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I wish to make nine points in my response to George Monbiot's latest round in our disagreement about the importance of solar photovoltaics (PV) and the UK government's upcoming feed-in tariffs . I have posted a longer version of this comment on my website (doc) 1. Monbiot argues that "either solar photovoltaic (PV) power in the United Kingdom is, as (Leggett) claims, a cheap, efficient technology, or it isn't. If it is, why should we be subsidising it to the tune of 41p per kilowatt hour? If it needs this subsidy, it is neither cheap nor efficient. If it doesn't need it, the feed-in tariffs are even more of a swindle than I thought." This view takes a snapshot in time that is a flawed basis for analysis because it ignores both the past and the future, in terms of cost, plus the strategic context of the discussion. I don't claim PV is "cheap" today – I never have. PV is on a descending cost trajectory because economies of scale are at work in both manufacturing and installation, and costs and prices of conventional electricity are rising fast. The feed-in tariff is a market-building mechanism. It is designed to create sufficient demand for PV systems to trigger two benefits: first, falling cost and price of solar electricity, and second, growth of a proper UK-based solar PV industry that can compete with the fast-growing industries in Germany, China, the US, Japan and many other countries. More than 40 governments now have feed-in tariffs, and it is clear that many people believe them to be the best way to make grow renewables markets fast. 2. Monbiot bets me £100 that my prediction that solar PV electricity in homes will be no more pricey in 2013 than conventional electricity will be wrong. I accept Monbiot's bet. But I have a proviso: that the winner donates the £100 to the charity SolarAid , set up by my company, for the training and equipping of solar PV lighting entrepreneurs in Africa. This seems appropriate because of another sad aspect of Monbiot's assault on PV. He does not mention the strategic importance of providing channels of distribution and credit for mobilising solar PV in the developing world, where solar PV electricity is already economic in competition with kerosene and other alternatives. As even the World Bank has admitted, solar PV is a better bet than conventional power plants for the hundreds of millions of developing-world households currently without electricity. If I lose the bet on timing of UK grid parity, it would only be by a few years at most, and by 2013 I am confident that people will be able to see the writing on the wall with respect to grid parity. And herein lies my return bet with Monbiot. I bet that if we are near or at grid parity by 2013, that we won't see a column of his admitting to how wrong he was. If he does, I'd gladly donate another £100 to SolarAid. 3. Monbiot suggests that if I "really believed" my sales pitch, I would be calling for the feed-in tariff for new installations to be scrapped in 2013, as it would then be redundant: "He can't have it both ways: defending the tariff while suggesting that the tariff won't be necessary." I have never suggested that the "tariff won't be necessary." The government does not share my view of when grid parity will be delivered, but nor do they believe as Monbiot appears to that new industries and new installer capacity can just be turned on overnight. By 2013, just three short years from now, the UK will still be endeavouring to build a domestic PV industry that can compete globally. To do that we will need a strong domestic market. To build that we will need a continuing market-enablement regime. The feed-in tariffs can and will be lower by then, but we will still need them. Otherwise, with a low-growth domestic market in an explosively growing global market, we will be importing almost all the solar technology we useand we will have further undermined our chances of energy independence down the track. 4. Monbiot asserts: "Every pound spent on PV is a pound not spent on a more effective technology." This is another use of the flawed snapshot argument devoid of strategic considerations. If we were to use only the current price of energy technologies as a yardstick, and discount all trends and strategic considerations, we would allocate all our money to energy efficiency, where we get the quickest paybacks and carbon "bang for the buck." But this not an either-or: we can't solve all our energy problems with energy efficiency. We will need plenty of new generation to replace aging coal and nuclear plants, and this will have to mean a range of generation by renewables, alongside as much gas as Vladimir Putin and others overseas will allow us. We would be crazy just to go for the technologies that happen to be the cheapest in March 2010, and it is extraordinary that an advocate of expensive nuclear like Monbiot can argue this. 5. Monbiot says of the German feed-in tariff: "The realisation in Germany, after 10 years of minimal returns, that they have been getting shockingly bad value for money from their scheme coincides with the launching of the same fiasco in the UK". It is untrue to suggest that the returns are minimal. Consider just taxation. In 2008, the German government gained almost €3bn from the direct and indirect taxation of German solar power companies and their employees. In the same year, feed-in tariff investments amounted to about €2bn. 6. Monbiot questions the jobs the German feed-in tariff has created. He says: "Leggett goes on to claim, again without attribution, that the Germans have "created over 50,000 jobs in solar PV alone." The 50,000 German employees are counted by the Federal Solar Industry Association. Monbiot's questioning of even this statistic introduces another relevant issue. I have invited him in to Solarcentury several times to discuss the detail of our story and have a go at calibrating numbers ahead of any epistolary exchanges. I have had no success. He seems to prefer unrooted conflict from afar. 7. Monbiot also questions the location of jobs created. He says: "The electricity users who have to pay for the tariff would be rather put out to discover that the jobs the government says it will create are actually on the other side of the world." How many mistakes can you make in one article? The Federal Solar Industry Association count over 100 factories in Germany in the industry built to date by the feed-in tariffs. Then there are all the installer companies. Certainly modules are also imported from China and Japan as well. The global PV market is one of the fastest growing markets in the world (87% in 2008). That is why UK plc needs to be a part of it. Feed-in tariffs in the UK will lead to many jobs in the UK. Solar companies estimate that around 100,000 new jobs could be created in the UK by 2020. And they will be skilled and fulfilling jobs. 8. Monbiot persists with the argument from his first article: that the British poor will subsidise the solar roofs of the middle class. He says: "Their bills will rise just like everyone else's to pay for a scheme which will mostly benefit the middle classes. This is why it is deeply regressive." First, it is necessary to be clear about the numbers and the likely impact on average household bills as a result of this scheme. The average yearly cost of the feed-in tariff scheme to household levy payers is projected to be £8.50 per year to 2030. The average annual household levy in 2013 when tariff rates are all up for review is likely to be £3. And those are the costs for all technologies not just solar PV. So the question is whether an average household levy of just £8.50 per year makes the feed-in tariff scheme regressive or not? Furthermore, the government has already committed to make the scheme revenue natural by offering loans whereby households can borrow the capital cost of energy efficiency and renewable technologies and repay them over time using the money saved as a result of installation. And if PV was so regressive, how come housing associations are so keen on PV as a tool for addressing fuel poverty? 9. Lastly, Monbiot accuses me of ignoring a "killer fact". He says: "Feed-in tariffs cannot reduce our carbon emissions by 1g while the UK remains within the European emissions trading scheme (ETS). Monbiot and I might find things to agree on, when it comes to scope for nonsense in the European emission trading scheme, as it stands. But climate policymaking requires many tools in the toolkit, and there is no reason to throw feed-in tariffs out just because politicians have historically granted heavy industry emissions allocations that are too high to deliver an effective carbon price. Monbiot's "killer fact" taken to its logical conclusion would mean no support for any low or zero carbon technology outside the EU ETS. • Jeremy Leggett is founder and chairman of Solarcentury , the UK's largest solar solutions company. Solar power Energy Renewable energy Jeremy Leggett guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds (from: www.guardian.co.uk)

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Report: Nissan has 56,000 pre-orders for all-electric Leaf

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Filed under: EV/Plug-in , Nissan Nissan Leaf - Click above for high-res image gallery According to BusinessWeek , Renault-Nissan's CEO Carlos Ghosn said recently that his company has 56,000 orders for the Leaf in the United States. The car will be available late this year, and Ghosn said that real mass production will start in 2012, when the alliance plans to have capacity to 500,000 electronic vehicles in Japan, Europe and the United States. Ghosn, who is totally bullish on electric vehicles , told BW that: Frankly, I mean so far there is no competition. Let's be serious. It's not because someone is coming with a prototype and one car that this is competition. The question is how much capacity are you building . We know that Nissan is pushing hard to get electric vehicles onto the road and that people are excited for the Leaf, but we can't help but wonder if something got lost in translation somewhere with that 56,000 pre-order number. Just a month ago, Nissan announced that 50,000 people had signed up to be on the reservation list and that pre-orders would not start until April. That list allows people to move to the head of the line when it comes time to order the Leaf, but it's not an official intent form. Gallery: 2010 Nissan LEAF [Source: BusinessWeek via Treehugger ] Report: Nissan has 56,000 pre-orders for all-electric Leaf originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments (from: green.autoblog.com)

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Porsche's Concept Hybrid - Hot !

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Porsche's take on hybrid technology is a 918 Spyder that uses " ... a plug-in hybrid system comprised of two electric motors coupled to a 3.4-liter V-8 racing engine ... a parallel hybrid, the car can run on pure electricity, just gas, or a combination of the two." It looks great ... ! Via: ZDNet LINK (from: greentechnolog.com)

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E Light Wind + Solar

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Two companies -- including E Light Wind + Solar -- won a $17.3M design-build contract for a 3.2 mW solar power system at the Denver Federal Center. One is Centerre Government Contracting (Denver). The other partner is E Light Wind + Solar, a division of E Light Electric Services (Englewood, Colo.). (from: www.electricalcontractor.com)

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Solar Power for Buses

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by Zachary ShahanA bus powered with solar energy. That gets my blood moving!SunPods Inc., a California-based manufacturer of modular, fully integrated and tested solar power generation systems, and Bauer (from: uk.reuters.com)

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SEAT debuts IBE all-electric concept at Geneva Motor Show

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Eco Factor: Zero-emission concept car powered by electricity. SEAT has unveiled its new concept car, dubbed the IBE, at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. The concept vehicle uses a zero-emission drive and is a sporty and dynamic concept for urban mobility. The company claims that with the IBE, they are demonstrating that electric mobility will always be combined with excellent design and driving comfort. The vehicle’s two-door layout includes its extremely low bonnet and long roof line. Tightly cut as a 2+2, the IBE is conceived for youthful lifestyles and while it has plenty of space for a couple, there is also the possibility of carrying up to four. With the onboard battery rated at 18KWh, the vehicle produces 75KW of power and 200Nm of torque, which makes the car reach 62mph in less than 10 seconds. Via: AutoBlogGreen (from: www.ecofriend.org)

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Arctic reveals surprise greenhouse-gas source

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Methane, a potent global warming gas, is bubbling out of the frozen Arctic faster than had been expected. Global warming - Greenhouse gas - Environment - Climate change - Arctic Ocean (from: www.msnbc.msn.com)

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The First Test Drive of the Latest Affordable Electric Car: Will It Be a Game Changer?

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The Wheego Whip Life: 90 miles on a charge. (Credit: Jim Motavalli) ATLANTA--We've reached the make-or-break point for electric vehicles . As many as a half dozen different models will be on the road by the end of the year, and when it comes right down to it we have no idea if people will line up to buy them. There are several big hurdles, including price (EVs will be significantly more expensive than we're used to -- small two-seat cars will start around $25,000), unfamiliarity (people will be plugging in at night, instead of going to the gas station) and range anxiety (most of these cars will go only 100 miles between charges). Last week, I talked to Mary Ann Wright, managing director of the business accelerator at major battery maker Johnson Controls (they're supplying lithium-ion packs to both the BMW and Mercedes-Benz hybrids), and heard about the "EV gap." She said the industry worldwide has the capacity to produce four million cars, but the actual demand might be only two million. Wright was among several witnesses at a Senate hearing last week asking the feds, specifically the Department of Energy, for help closing that gap -- with one popular concept being the mass purchase of EVs for government fleets, which could include more than a million vehicles. It makes a lot of sense, particularly because fleet cars come back to central depots that make recharging a cinch. Wright also told me that EV costs will come down with desperately needed volume. "Scale won't get us all the way, but it is going to be a significant driver," she said. (from: www.thedailygreen.com)

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Tata Motors Displays Tata Nano EV at Geneva Motor Show

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Tata Motors presented the Tata Nano Electric Vehicle (EV), based on the Tata Nano platform, at the Geneva Motor Show. When launched, the Nano EV will join the Tata Indica Vista EV in Tata’s EV portfolio. The Tata Nano EV. Click to enlarge. The Indica Vista EV will be introduced in select European countries, beginning this year, and Tata will then progressively introduce electric vehicles in relevant markets, according to Ravi Kant, Vice Chairman, Tata Motors. The Tata Nano EV, which will seat four, will have a predicted range of up to 160 km (99 miles) and an acceleration of 0-60 km/h (0-37 mph) in less than 10 seconds. Tata will use lithium-polymer batteries, as in the Tata Indica Vista EV, in the Nano EV. The Tata Indica Vista EV, based on the new generation Tata Indica Vista, uses Electrovaya’s Lithium Ion SuperPolymer batteries ( earlier post ) has a predicted range of up to 200 km (124 miles) and acceleration of 0-60 km/h in under 10 seconds. Miljøbil Grenland AS, a Norwegian subsidiary of Tata Motors European Technical Centre plc., has also awarded South Korea-based Energy Innovation Group Ltd. (EIG) a contract to supply batteries for the Indica Vista EV project. ( Earlier post .) (from: www.greencarcongress.com)

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James Cameron & More Support Global Green's Greener Cities Cooler Planet

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It's the 7th year of Greening Pre-Oscar parties for Global Green and it doesn't look like they'll be slowing down anytime soon. We attended the Green party held at the Avalon to witness A-listers line the green carpet & party for greener cities and a cooler planet. Watch this interview with Avatar director, James Cameron and find out how passionate he is about spreading the Eco message while still keeping us all entertained. Watch More Videos! Check out the post release of the event provided by slate-pr.com Portion of video provided by slate-pr.com ------------- Celebrity Supporters James Cameron & Suzy Amis Cameron, Jessica Alba, Serena Williams, Mel B, Nicole Scherzinger and More Joined Global Green to Celebrate and Support “Greener Cities for a Cooler Planet” Performances by Mia Maestro, Benji and Joel Madden of Good Charlotte and Camp Freddy with special guest performances by Juliette Lewis and Mark McGrath Global Green USA celebrated its 7th Annual Pre-Oscar® party on Wednesday night at the Avalon Hollywood, raising funds and awareness for Global Green’s national initiatives to fight climate change. The star-studded event featured musical performances by Mia Maestro, Benji and Joel Madden of Good Charlotte, and Camp Freddy. “Greener Cities for a Cooler Planet” was the theme of the evening which benefited Global Green’s initiatives to promote smart solutions to climate change by creating healthy, green communities. “I’m so pleased to see the continued support for Global Green and its national initiatives from the Hollywood community, said Matt Petersen , Global Green USA President and CEO. “By raising awareness about the threats posed by climate change and by holding our corporate and political leaders accountable, we can make a real difference. Americans can and must do something about climate change, and we can start by creating green buildings, schools, cities and communities that create green jobs, save money and improve our health.” Celebrity supporters in attendance at the event included: Leonardo DiCaprio, James and Suzy Cameron, Jessica Alba, Benji and Joel Madden, Serena Williams, Mel B, Nicole Scherzinger, Nia Vardalos, Juliette Lewis, Radha Mitchell, Mia Maestro, Josie Maran, Sharon Lawrence, Slash Hudson, Mark McGrath, Dave Navarro, Billy Morrison, Billy Gibbons, Matt Sorum, Hill Harper, Stephen Dorff, Maiara Walsh, Carter Jenkins, Judy Greer, Roma Maffia, Donovan Leitch, Franky Perez, Ian Gomez, Izabella Miko, Johnny Galecki, Barry Watson, Bahar Soomekh, Q’orianka Kilcher, Richard and Lincoln O’Barry, Dana Gould and more. Prior to the walking the carpet, many of the celebrities recorded an online video PSA entitled “I Am” that will soon be released at www.globalgreen.org. The PSA, written in collaboration with Global Green supporter Marshall Herskovitz and made possible by Paul Emami’s Storytellerz, raises awareness of the threats posed by global climate change to more than 150 million Americans and more than 2.75 billion globally. Juliette Lewis, Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top), Mark McGrath, Steve Jones, and Franky Perez surprised the audience by joining Camp Freddy – Billy Morrison, Dave Navarro, Matt Sorum, Donovan Leitch, and Chris Chaney – on stage for a special performance, keeping the crowd rocking into the night. The evening kicked off with acoustical performances by Mia Maestro and Benji and Joel Madden of Good Charlotte. In addition to the special musical performances, guests were treated to the official unveiling of the eco-friendly gown Suzy Amis Cameron plans to wear on the red carpet at the Academy Awards on Sunday, March 7 as part of her “Red Carpet Green Dress” design campaign to benefit Muse Elementary. Jillian Granz , a student from Michigan State University won the competition and was recognized by Suzy and James Cameron who also spoke about their passion for creating green schools and healthy learning environments for kids. For the first time ever, Global Green USA also featured the new Chevrolet Volt Plug-In Electric Vehicle, an electric car that can travel up to 40 miles on electric charge, reducing harmful carbon emissions and gas usage. Displayed alongside the green carpet, VIP guests were treated a sneak peek of the vehicle which will go on sale later this year. Global Green USA’s Pre-Oscar® Party was made possible by longtime sponsor partners including Caroma, maker of water-efficient dual-flush toilets, Pureology, 360 Vodka, LACarGUY, Alternative Apparel, Centropolis, Newton Vineyard, and new sponsor partners Office Depot, Sempra, VOX Entertainment, and EcoSystem. Green car transportation was generously donated by LACARGUY/Toyota of Hollywood and by ECOlimo. Media sponsors included Angeleno Magazine and Dwell Magazine. Donations were generously provided by NorthStar Moving Corporation, New Belgium Brewing Company, Senor Rio Tequila, Distillery No. 209, CauseCast, The Green Guard, SlatePR, and Auberge Resorts. (from: www.thegreengirls.com)

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