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

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.

Hawaii Green Certified Tour Operators

Solar Smart Windows Reflecting Growth

Posted on March 4, 2012 by quest

After many years of being no more than a niche, the smart windows market is starting to reflect growth says a report from NanoMarkets in its latest report on “Smart Windows Markets 2012. NanoMarkets is a leading provider of market research and industry analysis of opportunities within advanced materials and emerging energy and electronics markets. The firm believes that several factors are combining to make this happen. The most obvious perhaps is that there is a growing awareness of energy conservation, green building and fuel efficient transportation by building owners and governments. Smart windows will further provide a growth platform for architectural glass manufacturers and window manufacturers. Already “pricey” architectural glass and window products can be sold at incremental price increase, while providing valuable additional features such as energy savings with smart coatings on the windows and glass facades.

For the construction and architectural side of things, NanoMarkets believes that firms who focus on LEED design and construction, and who adopt smart windows technologies, will benefit the most. As smart windows technology grows and pervades the marketplace, it will eventually become a “required technology” for LEED design and construction. Therefore, architectural and construction firms that are early adopters of smart windows technology in their building designs will gain a sustainable competitive advantage for growing their businesses.With all these developments in mind, NanoMarkets is publishing this new report to pinpoint and quantify where the money will be made – and lost – in the worldwide smart windows business. The report covers both traditional passive smart windows, as well as the new breed of active electrochromic and thermochromic smart window technologies. It also discusses the numerous challenges that will have to be overcome in this market to make new products a success.

This report analyzes the markets for self-dimming windows, self-cleaning windows and the smart windows of the future that will combine window functionality with the ability to serve as either lighting or solar panels; or both.

Universities Offering Joint Program in Energy Law

Michael Picker To Keynote San Diego Solar Symposium

Posted on March 1, 2012 by quest

In an effort to continue the San Diego region’s rapid deployment of residential and commercial solar power installations, CleanTECH San Diego and the Solar Electric Power Association are co-hosting the San Diego Solar Energy Symposium on March 6 at the University of San Diego . The symposium will feature a number of distinguished guests from the solar industry to discuss the future of solar power in San Diego.”No matter how much has been done, we’ve only just tapped into the full potential of rooftop solar solutions and mass adoption,” said Jim Waring, President and Chief Executive Officer of CleanTECH San Diego. “The lessons learned are the platform from which the region can grow to reach its full solar energy potential.”

Michael Picker, Senior Advisor to California Governor Jerry Brown for Renewable Energy Facilities, will keynote the symposium, discussing the region’s solar market and how to build a foundation for sustainable solar energy growth. A host of industry experts including representatives from San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), Kyocera Solar, REC Solar, Xtreme Power Solutions, Soitec, UC San Diego and the Clean Coalition will bring perspective to today’s trends and challenges as well as outline a San Diego vision for solar power generation over the next decade. Scott Anders, USD Energy Policy Initiatives Center Director, and Andrew McAllister, Director of Policy and Strategy for the California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE), will moderate the panel discussions.

“Transforming solar from a niche technology to a mainstream resource is a complicated undertaking. Our San Diego event brings together a productive mix of viewpoints that can serve as a model for the conversations that must take place across the nation,” said Bob Gibson, SEPA Vice President of Market Intelligence. SDG&E echoed the need for collaboration as the region continues to move forward and distinguish itself as a solar power leader. “SDG&E is fully committed to the development of solar power and entered into 12 contracts with developers for 897 megawatts of new solar energy in 2011,” said James P. Avery, SDG&E Senior Vice President of Power Supply. “The Solar Energy Symposium is a key part of our ongoing effort to collaborate with leaders in the solar industry, policy makers and our customers as we progress in transitioning SDG&E to a clean energy future.