IKEA Charging Up EV’s In Southern California

Posted on November 11, 2011 by quest

IKEA-USA a leading home furnishings retailer, today officially plugged-in four Blink Pedestal electric vehicle charging stations at its Carson, California store as part of its partnership with ECOtality, Inc., a leader in clean electric transportation and storage technologies. This initiative represents the second such project for IKEA in the United States. Installation also is planned at seven other IKEA stores in the Western U.S. To charge an EV at IKEA Carson, drivers pull into a designated parking spot, swipe their Blink InCard (RFID card), plug the charger into the EV, and then shop and eat at their leisure in the IKEA store while the vehicle is charging.

Maike Buhmann, IKEA Carson store manager said, “We are thrilled at how these electric-vehicle charging stations further the sustainability of IKEA Carson, and now are available to the public.” “We appreciate the support of ECOtality and Southern California Edison – our partners in helping facilitate and promote the use of EVs in Southern California.”ECOtality is the project manager of The EV Project, a public-private partnership funded in part by a federal stimulus grant from the U.S. Department of Energy made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to provide the necessary infrastructure to support the deployment of EVs. Globally, IKEA evaluates all locations regularly for energy conservation opportunities, integrates innovative materials into product design, works with Global Forest Watch to maintain sustainable resources, and flat-packs goods for efficient distribution. The company is the process of installing solar panels atop more than half of its U.S. locations. In addition their sustainable efforts include: recycling waste material (paper, wood, plastic, etc.); incorporating environmental measures into the construction of buildings in terms of energy-efficient HVAC and lighting systems, recycled construction materials, skylights in warehouse areas, and water conserving restrooms; and operationally, phasing out the sale of incandescent light bulbs and facilitating recycling of customers’ compact fluorescent bulbs.

Since its 1943 founding in Sweden, IKEA has offered home furnishings of good design and function, at low prices so the majority of people can afford them. There are currently more than 330 IKEA stores in 40 countries, including 38 in the U.S. IKEA incorporates sustainable efforts into day-to-day business and supports initiatives that benefit children and the environment.

The Challenging World Solar Challenge Race

Chevy Volt Tested After Fire

Environmental Disaster Halted With XL Pipeline Review

Posted on November 10, 2011 by quest

By Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins - CEO Green for All. It’s breathtaking. Stunning. It’s absolutely the right thing to do, of course, to further assess the potential damage the pipeline could do – to the land it runs across if the oil were to spill; to the planet, once its burned. But somehow I don’t think we expected this to happen.   It was your leadership that got this done. It was the leadership of the thousands who protested last weekend in Washington, of the hundreds who went to jail to draw attention to the cause. It was the leadership of young people and indigenous people and retirees and communities of color. It was the leadership of our allies at 350.org.

But it was also the leadership of President Barack Obama. Make no mistake: without his intervention, this outcome may not have happened. We thank him for doing the right thing – and we remind him that the fight for a cleaner environment isn’t over.  Thank you for your engagement and your commitment. It’s been a generally bleak few months. So let’s take a moment today to celebrate a substantial victory.

SRI Listening To Tech and Clean Energy Innovations

Solar Power Wars

Posted on November 10, 2011 by quest

Gordon Brinser, president of SolarWorld and a leader for the Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing (CASM) said.“We are pleased that the facts have begun to speak for themselves. China’s plans for the U.S. market have been clear from its excessive and illegal subsidization of its export-heavy industry, its ever-escalating drive to dump product at artificially low prices on the U.S. marketplace and its contrived public-affairs tactics, including a new coalition for Chinese importers that purports to serve the interests of American consumers.” His comments came in response to the U.S. Department of Commerce‘s decision to initiate an intensive, year-long investigation into Chinese solar export practices. “The anti-competitive tactics of Chinese exporters have threatened to wipe out U.S. producers and jobs,” Brinser said. “Domestic producers look forward to returning to steady increases in efficiency and sustainable decreases in pricing that directly result from legal international competition – and to advances in America’s renewable-energy future.”

A recently published survey by the Solar Energy Industries Association is clear that the U.S. public cares deeply about the vitality of domestic manufacturing as it stands in China’s crosshairs. The survey shows overwhelming bipartisan support – 82 percent – for U.S. solar manufacturing. Chinese companies have almost no production on U.S. soil. CASM alleges that China’s state-sponsored industry has mounted an onslaught of dumping that has included a surge of imports in recent months. Chinese exports into the United States in July alone exceeded those of all of 2010, according to federal trade data. To counter this alleged surge ahead of the U.S. investigation, the SolarWorld-led coalition is seeking a federal determination of “critical circumstances,” requiring that any import duties required to offset alleged improper trade tactics be applied retroactively for three months.

In discussing China’s market share accomplishments Jifin Gao, President of China based Trina Solar said he, “attributed that success to better operational management that creates a “huge cost advantage” to competitors from Japan, Europe or the U.S., he said. “We have a faster reaction to the market because it’s being managed properly. This gives us a competitive advantage.”Assuming the International Trade Commission finds on Dec. 5 that Chinese exports have harmed the domestic industry, the first possible determination on “critical circumstances” could come as soon as Jan. 12, meaning importers of record could later be required to deposit estimated duties on imports back to this past Oct. 14, according to CASM.

Solar Powered Education On the Move In South Africa

Don’t Hate Electric Vehicles Hate Pollution

Posted on November 9, 2011 by quest

Ok if you’re a hater and you hate everything green. Here’s your opportunity to get your hate on. In fact check out the EV haters guide so you can do it right:The EV-Hater’s Guide to Hating Electric Cars.The ultimate driving machine people, BMW have released some information on their new concept electric vehicles which could make you forget that these cars are green and all.

All-electric – the BMW i3 Concept.The electric motor of the BMW i3 Concept is designed primarily for operation in an urban environment. Typically an electric motor develops, maximum torque from standstill, in contrast to an internal combustion engine where torque increases with engine rpm.This makes the BMW i3 Concept highly agile and provides impressive acceleration. The BMW i3 Concept accomplishes 0-37 mph in under four seconds and 0-62 mph in under eight seconds.

BMW i8 Concept – emotional, dynamic and efficient.Its innovative plug-in hybrid concept combines the modified electric drive system from the BMW i3 Concept. Acceleration of 0 to 62 mph in under five seconds combined with fuel consumption in the European cycle of under three liters per 100 kilometers (approx. 94 mpg imp) are figures currently beyond the capability of any vehicle powered by a combustion engine of comparable performance. Thanks to the eDrive technology with its large lithium-ion battery, which can be charged from a domestic power supply, the BMW i8 Concept can travel to approx. 20 miles on electric power alone. Added to which, the 2+2-seater offers enough space for four people, giving it a high level of everyday practicality. You can look forward to seeing the BMW i3 in 2013 and the BMW i3 in 2014.

Frenchman Rides Solar Electric Bike from France to Japan

U.S. and Chinese Solar Companies Square Off

Urban Farmers Grow New Green Acres

Posted on November 9, 2011 by quest

“Green Acres is the place for me. Farm living is the life for me. Land spreading out so far and wide. Keep Manhattan just give me that countryside.” With that Mr. Douglas (Eddie Albert) and wife Lisa Douglas(Eva Gabor) left New York City for Hooterville. Well it turns start out things have changed since the 1965 TV sitcom hit the airwaves. As new solar solutions are being implemented to address how we heat, electricfy our homes – and transport ourselves; so too are some very basic assumptions about how and where we get our food.

Global population analyst have just announced the world population is now 7 billion people. How can we know for sure what the real current world population is?That’s a whole lot of mouths to feed in world that’s already struggling with stone age energy, political, transportation and economic systems. Urban farming is taking on unique characteristics such as what we’re seeing in Chicago and Atlanta.

Urban farms provide healthy food

In his recent Ted Talk Urban Farmer Roman Gaus frames out some of the big issues we face as a world society and how urban farming can provide solutions to challenges we’ll have no choice in facing.

But while the idea of community gardens, rooftop farming and vertical farming may seem new: Victory Farms was in full effect in America over 70 years ago.

Urban Farming: Past Present Future

Green Tech Companies in Growth Mode

United Steelworkers Stand With U.S. Solar Companies

Posted on November 8, 2011 by quest

Recently Jifan Gao, Trina Solar President responded to The Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing. (CASM), compliant to the World Trade Organization of unfair trade practices. Now a group of seven domestic U.S. solar manufacturers led by SolarWorld Industries America Inc., today welcomed the support of the United Steelworkers (USW) – with 850,000 active members, the nation’s largest union – for the coalition’s petitions for anti-dumping and countervailing duties on Chinese imports.
The solar energy business continues to gather mainstream media attention as New Times writer Paul Krugman reported in his article, “Here comes the sun.” In it he laid out the case for the rapid development of renewable energy in America. Meanwhile Trina CEO, Goa in an interview with Bloomberg said “This is the decade of mergers and acquisitions. From now until 2015 is the first phase, when about two-thirds of the players will be shaken out.”

According to U.S. trade statistics, Chinese exports of solar cells and panels to the United States rose more than 350 percent from 2008 to 2010. In the first eight months of 2011 alone, imports from China totaled $1.6 billion, more than in all of 2010. In fact, exports in the month of July 2011 alone exceeded those from all of 2010. CASM contends that Chinese dumping has played a significant role in causing seven U.S. solar plants to close or downsize during the past 18 months, eliminating thousands of jobs, directly and indirectly, in Arizona, California, Massachusetts, Maryland, New York and Pennsylvania.

In the union’s letter to the U.S. Department of Commerce and the International Trade Commission (ITC), Leo W. Gerard, International President of the United Steelworkers, said, in part: “Unfortunately, China continues to operate in a manner that is utterly inconsistent with its WTO obligations, which comes at the expense of developing our nation’s clean energy sector and creating and sustaining clean energy jobs for American workers. We urge you to vigorously apply and enforce our trade laws in these solar cases so that American workers and domestic industries can have a fair chance to compete in the U.S. market.” “Manufacturing is the fuel that drives our economic engine,” said Gordon Brinser, U.S. president of SolarWorld, the leader of CASM and the named petitioner in the case. “Members of the Steelworkers Union understand that the key to American economic growth is healthy competition. Their support for U.S. trade actions that keep quality, high-paying jobs in America and allow American companies to compete fairly in the global marketplace is greatly appreciated.”The next step in the case is an ITC staff hearing today Nov. 8, 2011.

Green Jobs Occupy California’s Future

10,000 Surrounded White House Protesting Oil Pipeline