Electric Vehicle Racing Greening Up Motor Sports

Posted on January 22, 2012 by quest

Strategic sustainability project specialists Quimera, the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) and the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón (ALMS) will form a joint venture combining their respective areas of expertise in 2012 launching a new global initiative to develop the next generation of sustainable motorsport. Working strategically, both IMSA and Quimera have immediately begun to define their objective of organizing a global, non-fossil fuel based championship.

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Initial steps will be taken to prepare investors, the general public, media, sponsors and other interested parties for motorsport’s impending embrace of clean technology. By 2013 this joint venture will be ready to launch its new international Electric Vehicle (EV) series. This Series will represent the first clean technology professional motorsport championship that will include various categories and also remain open to any OEMs eager to showcase and develop their own green credentials in a cost-controlled environment.

By embracing the “cleantech concept,” the championship is also looking to include motorcycles as part of its event roster.For the first time ever this will ensure an event that features clean technology on two wheels as well as four, helping significant commercial and technical benefits to be realized for all stakeholders concerned. IMSA and Quimera’s partnership is expected to develop further by empowering R&D activities in both new and existing technologies, thereby emphasizing motorsport’s essential role as a test bed for the automotive sector, for technology transfer as well as other key potential applications.

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Where is your water?

Posted on January 20, 2012 by quest

By Sig Britt Ivey - According to the Hopi prophecies,“…there are things to be considered….Where are you living?  What are you doing? …. Where is your water?“
Water is sacred. It is a great mystery and the source of all life. Our bodies are 70% water as is the Earth. Without water we would die and so would all life on earth. What we do to our soil and water we do to ourselves. Years ago I wrote an article about toxic waste being used as fertilizer. It was apparent to me that polluting our soil would eventually pollute us. Who comes up with these crazy ideas anyway ? It’s so outraegeous that its somehow accepted as okay. The fracking controversy involving pumping hundreds of toxic chemicals into the earth to extract natural gas is a similar outlandish proposal and practice. These toxic chemicals eventually leak into the groundwater polluting the soil, animals and people along the way. When will we as a species, learn that it’s not a good idea to spoil your own nest ? No other animal behaves in such a ludicrous manner.The documentary GASLAND explains what’s happening all over the country where natural gas drilling is taking place.

Clean drinking water becomes a rare commodity in many areas where fracking is allowed and people and animals are getting sick and possibly even dying. The quality of water we drink has a direct effect on brain function since the human brain is 85% water. A strong movement against fracking is developing in New York State where many people are calling for a ban. Citizen’s are outraged by stories of polluted water in Pennsylvania where there have been numerous complaints of toxic drinking water. Fracking has been linked to over 1000 incidents of groundwater contamination across the U.S. including many cases where people can actually ignite their tap water. Just go to You Tube and input “Tap water on Fire” and you’ll see for yourself. Fracking involves injecting secret, highly toxic chemicals deep underground to break up shale formations. The process is unregulated and the Environmental Protection Agency, in charge of supposedly…Read the full article

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Solar Water Bulb Lighting New Philippine Lifestyle

Posted on January 11, 2012 by quest

When Los Angeles based green entrepreneur and founder of Savor Solar, Susan Rigali first turned me on to this story I was struck by the simplicity of roof mounted bottles of water providing light to communities in the Philippines. Designed and developed by students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the Solar Bottle Bulb is based on the principles of Appropriate Technologies – a concept that provides simple and easily replicable technologies that address basic needs in developing communities. Illac Diaz is a Philippine born social entrepreneur who helped bring the Solar Bottle Bulb concept the country. As the financial, environmental and job creation power of solar energy becomes more apparent – alternatives to thin film and silicon based solutions are also coming to the forefront. Light being diffused through bottled water are just part of a wave of innovations in renewable energy which include spray on solar, solar powered boats and airplanes.

A Liter of Light – MyShelter Foundation is a sustainable lighting project which aims to bring the eco-friendly Solar Bottle Bulb to challenged communities throughout the island nation. The program inspired by many innovations from around the world. Many cultures have used glass bottles to allow lighting through the roof, and Alfredo Moser from Brazil began pioneering methods of experimenting with plastic bottles. There has been modifications to the Philippine model, but what must be emphasized is the amount of people whose lives are being affected by this innovation.

Solar Water Blub

Recent statistics from the National Electrification Commission in the Philippines reveals 3 million households still remain powerless outside Metro Manila. And even in the metropolitan Manila families still continue to live in darkness. Government officials report that a large number of fire- related incidents involve faulty electrical connections. Informal settlements are high-risk areas, since local officials do not conduct fire hazard inspections in these communities. MyShelter Foundation is bringing economically- and ecologically-sustainable sources of light that will provide immediate environmental and green job solutions.

Patrick Dempsey Trina Solar Light Me Up Supporter

Posted on December 20, 2011 by quest

Trina Solar Limited a leading integrated manufacturer of solar photovoltaic (PV) products from the production of ingots, wafers and cells to the assembly of PV modules was joined by actor and race car driver Patrick Dempsey to announce the launch of “Plug me in, Light me up” video. The video discusses solar power and the difference solar panels can make to communities off the traditional energy grid and the human significance of the solar industry’s technological advances.

The actor discusses the real power of solar energy to help people and the solar industry’s ability to provide products to meet their needs. While Dempsey is not a company spokesman his participation was motivated by a personal interest in solar power as an energy solution; an interest which he plans to action by installing solar panels at his home in Southern California.

Solar photovoltaics present an affordable, reliable and clean way to generate much-needed electricity for communities off the traditional energy grid and to supplement existing, more expensive electricity generation for those on the grid. As the industry continues to make great progress in improving product efficiencies and lowering the cost of solar energy, we hope that the solar industry will play a leading role in bringing energy independence to empower individuals and their communities. The video introduces viewers to Trina Solar’s philanthropic efforts in bringing energy independence to a Mexican home for orphaned children, an African hospital, and an American camp for children with special medical needs.

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Spray On Solar Windows Generating Energy

Posted on December 14, 2011 by quest

New Energy Technologies, recently announced that researchers developing SolarWindow, capable of generating electricity on see-through glass, have successfully fabricated its latest working window prototype using a faster, rapid scale-up process for applying solution-based coatings. The prospect of rapidly scaling up the size of SolarWindow while applying electricity-generating coatings onto glass at faster speeds, are important technical advancements in New Energy’s drive to aggressively advance the world’s first-of-its-kind technology towards commercial launch. Among other commercial considerations, researchers developing New Energy’s SolarWindow have been vigilant in their efforts to improve transparency and keep manufacturing costs low. For example, last year, scientists undertaking advanced SolarWindow research achieved the ability to ‘spray’ the Company’s electricity-generating coatings onto glass also, at room temperature and pressure.

John A. Conklin, President and CEO of New Energy Technologies, Inc said,“Today’s faster and improved scale-up application breakthrough marks a significant leap forward in our SolarWindow evolution from advanced research towards commercial product development.Importantly, this new and improved processing method still allows for the application of our novel electricity-generating coatings to be applied at room temperature and pressure. We’re not at the mercy of cumbersome and expensive temperature and pressure sensitive systems often utilized in the manufacture of conventional and thin-film solar photovoltaic products.”The new solution-coating method announced today provides an alternative to spray and allows for rapid scale-up to larger glass surface areas. This improved process also generally provides for more uniform application of SolarWindow electricity-generating coatings than conventional methods.

New Energy Technologies, Inc., together with its wholly owned subsidiaries, is a developer of next generation alternative and renewable energy technologies. Among the Company’s technologies under development are MotionPower roadway systems for generating electricity by capturing the kinetic energy produced by moving vehicles.

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U.S. Postmaster Makes Case For Going Green

Posted on December 11, 2011 by quest

Speaking at the COP 17 climate conference last week in Durban, South Africa, U.S. Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahoe heralded the U.S. Postal Service‘s sustainability successes, making the business case to go green.”Leaner, greener, faster and smarter is our sustainability call to action,” said Donahoe. “It’s environmentally responsible, as well as a very good business decision.”The Postal Service’s vision is to be a sustainability leader by creating a culture of conservation throughout the Postal Service and leading the adoption of sustainable business practices by employees, customers, suppliers, the mailing industry and U.S. federal government peers.

While the US Postal Service is facing some major budgetary challenges before Congress and is in the midst of the busy holiday season, Donahoe talked about the Postal Service’s 400 Lean Green Teams, comprised of cross-functional postal employees who collaborate to identify and implement low- and no-cost ways to conserve natural resources, purchase fewer consumable products and reduce costs.”Lean Green Teams have helped the Postal Service reduce energy, water and petroleum-fuel use, and solid waste to landfills, helping the Postal Service save more than $5 million in fiscal year 2010. Lean Green Teams also helped recycle more than 222,000 tons of material — an increase of nearly 8,000 tons over the prior year — which generated $13 million in revenue and saved more than $9 million in landfill fees,” said Donahoe. “This is a powerful story and makes the business case for sustainability.”Among other things the Postal Service works to achieve aggressive sustainability performance goals such as reducing facility and vehicle petroleum use.

With 32,000 retail locations the Postal Service has annual revenue of more than $65 billion and delivers nearly 40 percent of the world’s mail. If it were a private sector company, the U.S. Postal Service would rank 29th in the 2010 Fortune 500. Black Enterprise and Hispanic Business magazines ranked the Postal Service as a leader in workforce diversity. The Postal Service has been named the Most Trusted Government Agency six consecutive years and the sixth Most Trusted Business in the nation by the Ponemon Institute.

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