Solar Powered Gran Turismo Drives The Globe

Posted on March 16, 2012 by quest

A solar-powered car sponsored by SolarWorld will visit the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), a research institute of the University of Central Florida (UCF) in Cocoa, Fla., on March 19.The visit is the final U.S. stop on the vehicle’s 21,000-mile quest to circle the globe, propelled only by the sun’s rays. The SolarWorld Gran Turismo (GT), a collaboration between SolarWorld and Bochum University of Applied Sciences in Germany, is a two-seat sports car powered by roof-integrated solar panels. The GT’s circumnavigation of the planet, a first for an automobile directly powered by renewable energy, is expected to set a “Guinness Book of World Records” record for the longest distance covered by a solar car. The Gran Turiso joins another first, Planet Solar which when completed will be is the world’s solar powered boat to circumnavigate the world by sea.

At 2 p.m. March 19, SolarWorld and the vehicle’s drivers and crew – the college students who developed and designed the SolarWorld GT – will host a reception showcasing the vehicle and awarding one audience member the chance to ride in the SolarWorld GT. The one-hour event is open to the public and will take place at the FSEC office at 1679 Clearlake Road in Cocoa.“The SolarWorld GT is an ambassador for sustainable personal transportation, reminding us that the power to shift our driving habits away from dirty fossil fuels is within our grasp,” said Kevin Kilkelly, president of SolarWorld Americas, the company’s commercial unit based in Camarillo, Calif. “The vehicle’s visit to FSEC, an esteemed research institute that has been promoting America’s energy independence for more than 35 years, is especially fitting. Our organizations have a history of collaboration on solar projects across the Sunshine State.”

The event at FSEC marks the sixth stop on the SolarWorld GT’s 3,774-mile cross-country road trip that originated in California and will culminate in South Carolina. Previous stops have included University of California Santa Barbara, SolarWorld’s commercial hub in Camarillo, Arizona State University in Tempe, Texas Christian University in Fort Worth and the joint Florida A & M University-Florida State University College of Engineering in Tallahassee.The SolarWorld GT began its trans-world journey in Australia and New Zealand in October 2011, covering more than 3,100 miles before shipping to the United States in December. Following the U.S. leg, the vehicle and its crew will travel through Europe, Africa and Asia before finishing in Australia in late 2012. SolarWorld also showcased the Electra One a solar powered airplane in July of 2011.

AAA offers digital tools for electric vehicle drivers

Solar Energy Powering Viking River Cruises Longships

Posted on March 14, 2012 by quest

Viking River Cruises a leading world river cruise line, announced today that it has commissioned six more Viking Longships for delivery in 2013. The six vessels will be joining Viking Freya, Viking Idun, Viking Njord, Viking Odin, which will be christened on March 21, 2012, and Viking Embla and Viking Aegir, which will be delivered later in 2012.”The new orders reflect the great interest in Viking River Cruises and its revolutionary Longships,” said Viking’s Chairman Torstein Hagen.Viking Longships integrate patent-pending* design and cutting-edge technology with comfortable amenities that reflect guest preferences and current travel trends, to include; Sustainability upgrades, such as solar panels, an onboard organic herb garden and energy-efficient hybrid engines that reduce vibrations for a remarkably smooth ride.

Viking River Cruises, is a leading river cruise company, offers scenic cruising along the rivers of Europe, Russia, China, Southeast Asia and Egypt. The company has been honored multiple times as the top river cruise line on Conde Nast Traveler’s “Gold List” and Travel + Leisure’s “World’s Best” Awards as well as recognized as the World’s Leading River Cruise Operator at the World Travel Awards and by the editors of Cruise Critic as “Best River Cruise Line” in the website’s 4th Annual Editors’ Picks Awards.

The Viking Longship series has been designed by celebrated maritime architects Yran & Storbraaten and Los Angeles based Rottet Studios. They are all being built at the Neptun Yard in Germany, part of the Meyer Neptun group.”At Viking, we are proud of our Norse heritage. The ancient Vikings were the ultimate explorers, and that tradition lives at Viking River Cruises today. For that reason, we have honored our new Viking Longships — and our beautifully refurbished Russian fleet — with names of celebrated Viking gods and heroes,” said Hagen. With the six additional vessels, Viking will have invested over $400 million in its fleet development program over three years.

Empire State Building greens up its energy

Green Empire State Building for Sale

The Heroes of Solar

Posted on March 9, 2012 by quest

When it comes to business, where are the commemorative plaques to the ones that sweat, labored, and innovated to help the small guys? In a world where big business takes all the attention, glory, jobs, and market share – what is to become of small business? Let’s take a moment to acknowledge and appreciate the small guy – businesses like you or me – amidst a sea of Boss Tweeds.From the roster of these unsung heroes comes CEGA – a Solar Power engineering/consulting company from California, a figurative Robin Hood who has made it its mission to save small business in an industry slated for complete corporate domination.

The booming Solar Industry, quite reminiscent of the dot com boom in the 90s, is quickly pervading the energy market through major mergers, corporate partnerships and government subsidies. One notes the heavily publicized deal between SolarCity and Walmart, or SunPower’s partnership with Nissan last November. On the ground floor of this situation are the independent contractors – licensed professionals who have made a living throughout the years doing construction and installations – plumbing, electric, heating, roofing – these professionals added a personal touch to the otherwise impersonal utilities industry.The boom of the solar industry though, however positive, has been moving the utilities industry away from the public and into the private sector – challenging the future business of these contracting companies who have up until now primarily depended on the symbiotic relationship between themselves and the utility companies.CEGA, an acronym for ‘Clean Energy Group Alliance’, pronounced “sAY-Ga”, is noteworthy in this regard for creating a shield for these small contracting businesses and acting as their liaison into the Solar Industry.

CEGA effectively handles the administrative, engineering, and marketing side of things, leaving the contractor companies the freedom to operate independently and pursue their interests. CEGA is benefitted with a staff featuring DWP and Ebara Corp. backgrounds, as well as a centralized location in Encino, Los Angeles – serving communities from Fresno to San Diego. Through this powerful vision of a small guy winning in a big guy’s world CEGA has accumulated a strong network of over 50 contractor companies, many of whom CEGA saved from the brink of extinction.

Energy From Solar Panels Building Electric Vehicles

Solar Flares Heading This Way

Posted on March 8, 2012 by quest

NASA is reporting that the sun erupted with one of the largest solar flares of this solar cycle on March 6, 2012 at 7PM EST. This flare was categorized as an X5.4, making it the second largest flare — after an X6.9 on August 9, 2011 — since the sun’s activity segued into a period of relatively low activity called solar minimum in early 2007. The current increase in the number of X-class flares is part of the sun’s normal 11-year solar cycle, during which activity on the sun ramps up to solar maximum, which is expected to peak in late 2013. About an hour later, at 8:14 PM ET, March 6, the same region let loose an X1.3 class flare. An X1 is 5 times smaller than an X5 flare.

NPR is reporting that the flares will hit the earth on Thursday. The report goes on,”The flares took place about an hour apart. And when they hit Earth, the waves of magnetic fields may disrupt power grids, as well as radio-based communications. But the phenomenon might also bring auroras to the skies above residents of the northern United States, according to an interview with NASA solar physicist Alex Young, over at The Los Angeles Times. And when they hit Earth, the waves of magnetic fields may disrupt power grids, as well as radio-based communications.But the phenomenon might also bring auroras to the skies above residents of the northern United States, according to an interview with NASA solar physicist Alex Young, over at The Los Angeles Times.”

NASA gathers information from the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) and the Solar Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). In addition, last night’s flares have sent solar particles into Earth’s atmosphere, producing a moderate solar energetic particle event, also called a solar radiation storm. These particles have been detected by NASA’s SOHO and STEREO spacecraft, and NOAA’s GOES spacecraft.

US House Passes Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act

SunPower & GRID Alternatives Community Connected

Posted on March 7, 2012 by quest

SunPower, a Silicon Valley-based manufacturer of high efficiency solar cells, solar panels and solar systems today announced that it is an official 2012 solar panel provider for GRID Alternatives, a Bay Area-based non-profit solar installer. SunPower and GRID Alternatives celebrated this new agreement on March 2, 2012, by installing a SunPower rooftop system on a low-income home in San Francisco with the help of SunPower employee volunteers and local solar job trainees. Under terms of the supplier agreement, SunPower will provide GRID Alternatives with its high efficiency solar panels through a combination of donations and fair market value sales, bringing the power of solar energy to low-income households in 2012. SunPower has worked with GRID Alternatives for the past six years to help hundreds of families in need, providing more than 1,000 employee volunteer hours, philanthropic gifts, equipment donations and sales. This partnership is expected to generate a combined $10 million in electricity savings for these families over the life of the systems.

Powering The Grid And People

“Partnering with GRID Alternatives aligns perfectly with SunPower’s commitment to building clean-powered communities around the world, and in this case, right here in our backyard.” said Tom Werner, SunPower president and CEO. “By providing GRID with the highest efficiency, highest-reliability solar panels commercially available today, SunPower is helping families in need to reduce their electricity costs over the life of each system, while our employees support local volunteerism.” SunPower Corp. , a Silicon Valley-based manufacturer of high efficiency solar cells, solar panels and solar systems today announced that it is an official 2012 solar panel provider for GRID Alternatives, a Bay Area-based non-profit solar installer. SunPower and GRID Alternatives celebrated this new agreement on March 2, 2012, by installing a SunPower rooftop system on a low-income home in San Francisco with the help of SunPower employee volunteers and local solar job trainees.

“We’re often trying to make solar work on modest homes with small roofs,” said GRID Alternatives Program Director and Co-Founder Tim Sears. “SunPower’s high efficiency panels can make the difference for those families being able to go solar.” “SunPower is one of our longest-running solar sponsors and has helped us support families, job trainees and the environment since 2006,” said Erica Mackie, GRID Alternatives Executive Director and Co-Founder. “We’re excited to welcome SunPower as an official solar module provider this year.”

Green Jobs Growing in Los Angeles

Solar Trees Powering New Las Vegas City Hall

Posted on March 6, 2012 by quest

Yesterday Las Vegas City Hall dedicated its newly completed facility designed by Forest City Enterprises. Company officials joined Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn G. Goodman, City Manager Betsy Fretwell, members of City Council and other civic leaders for an evening dedication ceremony that showcased the building’s iconic architecture and computer-controlled LED lighting. Forest City’s Real Estate Services subsidiary developed the City Hall for Las Vegas on a fee basis. The company owns three additional adjoining blocks of land which it intends to develop into a new civic district with a mix of uses including office, retail and services that support the City Hall and other nearby governmental buildings. Construction of the City Hall is part of a broader strategy by Las Vegas leaders to stimulate job creation and economic revitalization of the city’s historic downtown.

“This project and the benefits it will bring Las Vegas are examples of the power of public-private partnerships to revitalize our cities,” said David J. LaRue, Forest City president and chief executive officer. “Great cities have strong downtowns, and it starts with great public buildings, like the new City Hall. We congratulate Las Vegas and its leaders for the vision that enabled this project to become a reality.” Forest City Enterprises, Inc. is an NYSE-listed national real estate company that is principally engaged in the ownership, development, management and acquisition of commercial and residential real estate and land throughout the United States.

The City Hall is designed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards. According to the city, the new building will reduce the city’s energy costs by more than $400,000 annually and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 2,400 metric tons. Thirty-three “solar trees” on the plaza and solar panels on the building’s roof will produce approximately 290,000 kilowatt hours of power for the City Hall annually.