Samsungrecently unveiled its first Solar Powered Internet School in South Africa to help students in their studies without having to worry about electricity or Internet connectivity. The environmentally-friendly, transportable classroom is a perfect fit for Africa as it addresses one of the region’s biggest challenges – providing stable supply of electricity in rural areas.Despite differing views on the industry’s outlook, Samsung continues to believe solar energy can always be put to good use – not just generating electricity for residential or commercial utilization, but also for something really meaningful that can positively impact people’s lives.
A prime example of this is the use of solar power in education. Of course, solar-powered calculators, notebooks or other educational resources all contribute to improving the learning environment for young students. But what about an entire school or classroom that’s powered by solar energy? The 12-meter renovated container has solar panels installed on the roof that can generate nine hours of electricity a day, powering the electronic equipments inside the classroom. The classroom is equipped with a 50-inch electronic board, Internet-enabled solar-powered notebooks, Samsung’s Galaxy tablet computers as well as Wi-Fi cameras – all of which help enrich the learning experience. Up to 21 students can use the classroom, and the entire curriculums until grade 12 are stored in a central computer server enabling two-way learning by connecting to the Internet. The school can also be moved easily with a truck so that students in even the remotest of areas can continue their education.
The Solar Powered Internet School is just one of Samsung’s efforts to contribute to the local community with its innovative technologies and plans to expand these schools to other regions throughout Africa. Samsung last year identified solar as one of its new growth businesses, aiming to invest 6 trillion won ($5.4 billion) until 2020 to generate 10 trillion won in annual revenue by that year. Samsung SDI Co., which makes rechargeable batteries for mobile devices, is responsible for their solar business, currently has a capacity to produce 150 megawatts, with plans to increase production to 3 gigawatts by 2015.
The University of Southern California announced today that a partnership led byCaltech,UCLA and USC have been selected to receive a $360,000 grant from theU.S. Department of Energy(DOE) to develop a national business plan competition for young cleantech entrepreneurs. The winning proposal is one of six awarded regionally as part of a three-year, $2 million program, funded by the DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy to develop competitions that inspire students to come up with innovative business plans involving clean-energy technology. Called First Look West (FLoW), the partnership will also include Chapman University, the Rady School of Management at UC San Diego, energy company OnGreen, Inc, and student leaders from campus groups, such as eClubs, Net Impact, Engineers for a Sustainable World and NOBE, the National Organization of Business and Engineering. FLoW builds on First Look LA, a program organized by Caltech, USC, and UCLA that showcases research and innovation to investors and has been successfully nurturing academic entrepreneurship in Southern California for five years.
The regional contests will be completed by May 1, 2012. Regional winners, selected by a panel of judges, will each receive $100,000 from the DOE and a chance to compete for a National Grand Prize in the final competition held at the DOE in Washington, D.C. in early summer 2012. The competition is part of Startup America, the Obama Administration’s campaign to inspire and promote entrepreneurship. The purpose of this national initiative is to provide student participants with the skills needed to start new businesses, and transform promising energy technologies into innovative energy products that will create jobs, boost American competitiveness, and strengthen the economy.
“Creating new industries in clean-energy technology is a necessity for Los Angeles and an opportunity that cannot be missed,” said Dean Yannis C. Yortsos of the USC Viterbi School of Engineering. “In today’s global economy, which is based more than ever before on the creation of intellectual property, the Los Angeles area needs the entrepreneurship ethos and the intellectual capital and dynamism offered by our three partner institutions. The USC Viterbi School of Engineering is very excited about engaging young engineers and entrepreneurs in this field and looks forward to the development of a flourishing innovation ecosystem in the area.”
Written by Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins: Chief Executive Officer of Green For All. Since 2008, these two things haven’t changed: the world is getting warmer and millions of Americans are out of work. They’re not going away any time soon. Green For All was founded on the idea that those two problems could be relieved with a common solution, green jobs. We’ve seen that this can work; renewable energy businesses are among the fastest growing in the American economy.
We’ve also learned that the green economy holds much more promise than just renewables. The scope of jobs that improve our environment runs from factory workers building high-efficiency vehicles to entrepreneurs selling organic skincare products to businesses that turn a profit recycling waste from shredded automobiles.
In July, the Brookings Institutionreleased a report detailing the extent of the green economy. Some 2.7 million Americans work at green jobs – more than work in the fossil fuel industry. The US Conference of Mayorsestimates that number will almost triple by 2040. And green jobs are quality jobs. Median wages are 13 percent higher than the median – and they’re available to more Americans who have a high school degree. Investment in clean energy projects yields more than three times as many jobs as investing in fossil fuels.
Even so, there is a lot of room for growth. Back in 2008, we argued that the green economy held great promise – and could grow to scale if Congress acted boldly. Had Congress passed comprehensive climate legislation, for example, or if they’d enacted the
by Richard Andrews: FromVan Jones, Natalie Portman, Bill McKibben, Majora Carter, Prince Charles, Al Gore, Reverend Lennox Yearwood,Rickie Ott, Justin Timberlakeand so many, many more people -including possibly you… are spreading the word.
And the word is “green” which is clarifying the relationship between environmental sanity, job development and to go real deep, human survival and sustainability on planet earth. What an incredible situation we find ourselves in…California, the nation, the world. To quote famous author Charles Dickens from, A Tale of Two Cities” It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of enlightenment, it was the age of foolishness.” Thomas Paine in a series of pamphlets, The American Crisis in late 1776 wrote, ” These are the times that try men’s soul.”
To get real we cannot, we must not leave the leading of this country to politicians, remember they’re supposed to represent us, the largest and most entitled group from which the most money flows…the American taxpayer. By now we can see what the industrial, military, money, media complex will do when they are left unchecked, or when they twist reality to serve the own agenda.
Given the mental, emotional, intellectual and financial state America is in now, clean green empowering jobs are on everyone’s mind. These jobs represent an opportunity to bring an age of enlightenment to America...”a new green renaissance.” For this to happen though we will have to avoid eating the hate that is served up to Americans everyday by those caught up in self serving greed and divisiveness. As President Obama said on the campaign trail…”We are the change we seek.” And quoting from the hip hop movie Notorious ” We can’t change the world…until we change ourselves”
An exclusive programme of presentations with internationally renowned speakers addressing the subject of “Solar Mobility – Battery Systems, Fuel Cells and Biofuels for Sustainable Electromobility” awaits participants in this year’s Solar Summit Freiburg 2010 taking place at Freiburg Concert Hall from 13 to 14 October. The congress, which is being held in English, offers all specialists from the automotive, electricity, hydrogen and fuel cell technology and battery system sectors sound insight into the developments of the coming years in the area of sustainable electromobility and alternative forms of mobility. The focus of the event is the direct comparison between vehicle concepts based on battery, biogenic fuel and hydrogen drive systems. In more than 20 lectures, innovative solution approaches for vehicle and drive concepts as well as for battery and charging systems are being presented. Read on
What an incredible situation we find ourselves in. The tragic oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico has brought a greater understanding about the intricate relationship between our environment and the economy. To quote famous author Charles Dickens from, A Tale of Two Cities” It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of enlightenment, it was the age of foolishness.” Thomas Paine in a series of pamphlets, The American Crisis in late 1776 wrote, ” These are the times that try mens soul.”
One morning while surfing the net I came across a recording of Earl Nightingale. For those of you who are unfamiliar with him, he is the author of the Strangest Secret, Acres of Diamonds and he did the audio version of Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. I guess you could sort of think of him as the; graveled voiced Godfather of modern day motivational speakers. But there I was, listening to him again. It has been many years since a mentor of mine, turned me on to his words… it was early in the wee hours of the morning that I was listening….he said and it hit me hard…“You become what you think about!”
These thoughts really aren’t so secret because they show up in just about every faith in the world. So it comes as no surprise when these principals resurfaced as the “Laws of Attraction” as artfully delivered by Michael Beckwith and others as, The Secret. Today I hope career seekers and employers gain some perspective…because as funny as it seems listening to that program Nightingale wrote some years ago …What he said then, rings true today.
What can we think about? How about the remarkable job and business opportunities that are coming into existence in all aspects of renewable energy including solar. Has the dream of one day running your own business found it’s way into your thoughts? Somewhere within the green economy you can be of value. Solar power plants are springing up where closed auto factories once stood. Electric vehicles are being introduced at lower and lower cost and ecotourism is an area of travel that is growing. Think about the alternative ways we communicate now which didn’t even exist just 5 years ago. Think about how finding a job has changed and hasn’t changed? And yet the human element still exist and to get hired in these trying times the need to connect is crucial. As the Linked In slogan so poignantly underscores, “relationships matter.” While the advantages of mobile media, email and other social networking tools are many, the challenge is that real time spontaneity, subtlety and genuine understanding can be completely misinterpreted. In the evolving green age there is the opportunity to change the world as we know it. We’ll still need to connect on a human level. Just maybe we the job seekers, employers, managers, owners and investors can harvest the rewards of going green by contributing to people, profit and the planet. We’re all in this thing together.
As Senators enter the final rounds of negotiations on the climate and energy bill,
big utility companies are apparently making unconscionable demands that threaten the
health and safety of all Americans.
From trading carbon limits for relaxing smog, mercury and acid rain pollutants to
bargaining away Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to protect America from
dirty air and water, *these demands are unacceptable*.
And, if the bill limits the ability of the EPA to enforce greenhouse gas regulation,
or worse limits its ability to enforce regulation of mercury and ozone, the American
people will suffer immediate and long-term health consequences, from asthma to early
death.
The American people deserve a climate and energy bill that not only improves air
quality, but also creates jobs that will help pull the economy out of recession.
This bill is in danger of doing neither.
If the Senate can get this right, this historic climate and energy bill will
maintain our clean air protections, while opening the door to a new era: one in
which our nation is no longer addicted to dirty, dangerous fuels; no longer
dependent on overseas supplies of oil; and finally able to put millions to work in
clean, new industries.
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Spain overtakes US with world’s biggest solar power station
Nacho Doce/Reuters
Spain has opened the world’s largest solar power station, meaning that it overtakes the US as the biggest solar generator in the world. The nation’s total solar power production is now equivalent to the output of a nuclear power station.
Spain is a world leader in renewable energies and has long been a producer of hydro-electricity (only China and the US have built more dams). It also has a highly developed wind power sector which, like solar power, has received generous government subsidies.
The new La Florida solar plant takes Spain’s solar output to 432MW, which compares with the US output of 422MW. The plant, at Alvarado, Badajoz, in the west of the country, is a parabolic trough. With this method of collecting solar energy, sunlight is reflected off a parabolic mirror on to a fluid-filled tube. The heated liquid is then used to heat steam to run the turbines. The mirror rotates during the day to follow the sun’s movement. The solar farm covers 550,000 square metres (the size of around 77 football pitches) and produces 50MW of power.
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Samsung recently unveiled its first Solar Powered Internet School in South Africa to help 
students in their studies without having to worry about electricity or Internet connectivity. The environmentally-friendly, transportable classroom is a perfect fit for Africa as it addresses one of the region’s biggest challenges – providing stable supply of electricity in rural areas.Despite differing views on the industry’s outlook, Samsung continues to believe solar energy can always be put to good use – not just generating electricity for residential or commercial utilization, but also for something really meaningful that can positively impact people’s lives.
A prime example of this is the use of solar power in education. Of course, solar-powered calculators, notebooks or other educational resources all contribute to improving the learning environment for young students. But what about an entire school or classroom that’s powered by solar energy? The 12-meter renovated container has solar panels installed on the roof that can generate nine hours of electricity a day, powering the electronic equipments inside the classroom. The classroom is equipped with a 50-inch electronic board, Internet-enabled solar-powered notebooks, Samsung’s Galaxy tablet computers as well as Wi-Fi cameras – all of which help enrich the learning experience. Up to 21 students can use the classroom, and the entire curriculums until grade 12 are stored in a central computer server enabling two-way learning by connecting to the Internet. The school can also be moved easily with a truck so that students in even the remotest of areas can continue their education.
