Solar Trees Powering Electric Vehicles

Posted on August 25, 2011 by quest

Envision Solar International, Inc., a leading sustainable infrastructure product designer and developer, today announced that the company has commenced work on 15 electric-vehicle (EV) charging enabled Solar Tree structures with their integrated EnvisionTrak proprietary and patent pending tracking systems for a major US Government entity. The project will generate over $800,000 of revenue for the company and is expected to be completed in Q4 of 2011.

Envision Solar’s President and CEO, Desmond Wheatley, said, “Our ability to deliver high quality products to equally high quality customers with whom we have huge scaling potential is key to our growth strategy. This deployment of 15 of our CleanCharge enabled EnvisionTrak Solar Tree structures for the world’s largest customer is another significant indication of our ability to repeatedly execute on that strategy. We are proud and delighted to have been selected for this very high visibility project and look forward to many more.”

Company Chairman and Founder Robert Noble stated, “We are excited about seeing 15 of our iconic, archetypal “Smart Trees™” deployed at this highly visible location right here in our home town, San Diego. For many years to come, visitors to this Solar Grove will be able to charge their EVs, see clean energy generation in action, up close, and experience the sheer pleasure of a shady park of beautiful Solar Trees. It is truly an honor for us to be working on such a forward-looking project which we know will be a powerful demonstration of the government’s growing real commitment to a sustainable future.”

Elon Musk Donates Solar Power Project to Japan

Game Pioneering Ideas In Solar Energy & Business

Posted on August 21, 2011 by quest

“Alex is just a woman who loves her job; she´s ambitious and that´s why she plays the game to win and have fun,” as Alice N. York describes the main character of her eBook. In this fictional story Alex takes on a job in a highly diversified team of a large international corporation to develop new technological business in the solar energy sector. Despite her background and fast success based on pioneering ideas and dedication she soon hits the glass ceiling, throwing her life into turmoil.

The reading experience is like a cocktail with a new twist; let us say a raspberry mojito – ginger style. Take a pinch of smart innovative ideas like solar-driven and robot-handled greenhouses for organic food. Then throw in a dash of spicy and daringly honest experiences of daily work life at a leading corporation and add a handful of personal bitter-sweetness to feed your soul. Finally top it off with strokes of fate as strong as vodka that will turn the heroine´s world upside down with every mouthful you take.  Just like a cocktail this book slowly takes effect on you, eventually sweeping you off your feet, leaving you intoxicated and unable to remain impartial.

GAME-Faint Signals profiles a corporate world in which Alex finds developing long-term strategies and innovational product ideas just as inspiring as implementing both practically; and where business trips take her to fascinating locales around the globe offering insights into different cultures. But it is a ruthless, unscrupulous professional world in which no prisoners are taken; a world that is dominated by demanding challenges and an unbalanced playing field in which the rules keep changing. Faint Signals indicate that something is not quite right and Alex angles her antennas. But – maybe being naive – her code book does not conform. Eventually she is left to her own devices, backed only by family and friends, and her personal supreme court – the daily look into the mirror. A Story Inspired By True Events, ebook Now Out For Kindle, ibooks, Android. Start reading GAME-Faint Signals for free: Game_extract

The EV-Hater’s Guide to Hating Electric Cars

Cadillac Electric Vehicle ELR Comes To Life

Posted on August 18, 2011 by quest

The innovative Cadillac Converj Concept, a dramatic luxury coupe with extended-range electric vehicle technology, is moving forward as a production car that will be called the Cadillac ELR. Development of the ELR is just underway, so details on performance, price and timing will be announced later. The Cadillac ELR will feature an electric propulsion system made up of a T-shaped lithium ion battery, an electric drive unit, and a four-cylinder engine-generator. It uses electricity as its primary source to drive the car without using gasoline or producing tailpipe emissions. When the battery’s energy is low, the ELR seamlessly switches to extended-range mode to enable driving for hundreds of additional miles.

“The concept generated instant enthusiasm,” said Don Butler, vice president-Cadillac Marketing. “Like other milestone Cadillac models of the past, the ELR will offer something not otherwise present – the combination of electric propulsion with striking design and the fun of luxury coupe driving.” Cadillac selected the name ELR to indicate the car’s electric propulsion technology, in keeping with the brand’s 3-letter international model naming convention.
The Converj Concept sparked the idea of combining the desirability of a grand touring coupe with electrification, said Ed Welburn, GM vice president, Global Design.“There’s no mistaking it for anything but a Cadillac, an aggressive, forward-leaning profile and proportion showcases a uniquely shaped, modern vision of a personal luxury 2+2,” Welburn said.

Life Changing Solar

SunPower and Ford Offer ‘Drive Green for Life’

Posted on August 10, 2011 by quest

Ford and SunPower have teamed up to offer customers a rooftop solar system that will allow Focus Electric owners to “Drive Green for Life” by providing customers with enough clean, renewable energy to offset the electricity used to charge the vehicle. “SunPower‘s innovative partnership with Ford is a win-win for customers, providing a comprehensive sustainability program,” said Tom Werner, SunPower president and CEO. “By taking advantage of this program, Focus Electric customers can receive the added benefit of installing a SunPower solar system, the highest-efficiency, most reliable on the market today, generating the electricity needed to charge their vehicles.” The 2.5 kilowatt rooftop solar system is comprised of the SunPower E18 Series solar panels that produce an average of 3,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually. These high-efficiency solar panels generate approximately 50 percent more electricity than conventional panels and utilize a smaller footprint on the roof. The system was sized to accommodate a customer who drives about 1,000 miles per month.

“Under the ‘Drive Green for Life’ program, Focus Electric owners can reduce their total cost of ownership by generating enough energy from their high efficiency SunPower rooftop solar system to offset the electricity required to charge the vehicle at night,” said Mike Tinskey, Ford director of Global Vehicle Electrification and Infrastructure. “It’s an eco-friendly solution that perfectly complements our plug-in products and other green initiatives.”

The complete SunPower solar system is offered at a base price of less than $10,000, after federal tax credits. Local and state rebates, along with other incentives, may drive the system cost down even more, depending on a customer’s location. Included in the purchase is a residential monitoring system, which includes the ability to track the performance of their solar system on the web or through an iPhone application. Affordable financing options for the solar system are available through SunPower. By partnering with SunPower, Ford now offers Focus Electric owners two complementary charging solutions to make the overall experience of owning an electric vehicle easier. In January, Ford announced an agreement with consumer electronics leader Best Buy to offer a 240-volt home charging station for the Focus Electric and future electric vehicle owners.

Rainwater A Source of Residential Drinking Water

Watts Up With GE WattStation Wall Mount Electric Vehicle Charging

Posted on August 9, 2011 by quest

Electric vehicle owners, fleet managers, home builders, parking lot owners and municipalities will welcome ordering and purchasing opportunities this August for GE’s fast, easy-to-use, compact electric vehicle (EV) charging solution called GE WattStation Wall Mount.“The GE WattStation Wall Mount meets EV-charging needs with both modern design and simplicity—delivering a hassle-free experience,” says Chris Bowler, general manager of marketing for GE Energy Industrial Solutions. “Easily installed in a variety of residential settings, such as the home garage, and commercial uses, such as mounted outside in a business parking lot, the GE WattStation Wall Mount works seamlessly within the EV ecosystem and electrical grid.”

The GE WattStation Wall Mount delivers a full-cycle charge to a 24kWh battery in only 4-8 hours, whereas plugging an EV into a standard electrical outlet would require 12-18 hours to provide the same level of charge. Suitable for both indoor and outdoor installations, the GE WattStation Wall Mount is NEMA 3R rated to resist rain, sleet and even ice. The unit measures only 24 inches tall, 16 inches wide and 6 inches deep. A flexible cord conveniently wraps around the unit to keep it organized and off the ground. In addition to providing ease of installation and versatility in design, the sleek, weather-resistant GE WattStation Wall Mount meets UL and fire safety standards and conserves energy by allowing users to select zero energy consumption when the charger is not in use. With ground fault protection and clearly labeled LED charging and fault status indicators, consumers have a support system that provides added safety and ease of use.

GE offers a portfolio of end-to-end product solutions. Along with a suite of EV chargers that includes the GE DuraStation and WattStation Wall Mount, GE’s circuit protection equipment and transformers touch every part of electric vehicle infrastructure development. This enables GE to lead and support wide-scale electric vehicle adoption.

Coal vs. Environment

Rolls Royce Electric Vehicle Preps for World Tour

Posted on August 1, 2011 by quest

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars recently took its Phantom Experimental Electric prototype to the MIRA research facility in Warwickshire for a series of laboratory-controlled temperature tests. Engineers want to learn how extreme conditions such as high temperatures and humidity levels affect battery performance while in use. This information is critical as 102EX will shortly embark on a global tour that will take in markets such as the Middle East, Asia-Pacific and North America. “The tests have furnished us with important data about the effects of heat and humidity on 102EX’s battery and management systems,” commented Andrew Martin, 102EX chief engineer. “For example we are clear that the battery management system, which maintains safety and optimal operation of individual cells, will inhibit charging at extreme temperatures. Practically speaking, this may mean finding locations in which the car’s cells can cool after test drives before a re-charge can begin.”

The tests have also reinforced expectations of the temperature range in which the car can be driven. In general, the car’s 96 cells will continue to operate at temperatures as high as 50 degrees Celsius and in relative humidity as low as 30%. This is well within temperature ranges expected while on tour, however battery performance will continue to be monitored by engineers as the car is taken to typically hot locations such as Dubai. 102EX began its tour in May with events at the home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood. This was followed by drives in London and the South East of England, then Manchester and Edinburgh. The car departs for international events in the following locations: Asia-Pacific Region: Singapore and Beijing (Early August 2011) North America: Pebble Beach, LA (Tuesday 16 to Sunday 21 August 2011) Europe: Regional tour (September 2011) Asia-Pacific Region: Japan (final week of September 2011) Middle East: Dubai (October 2011) North America: New York, Los Angeles Motor Show, Las Vegas, Florida and Art Basel, Miami (November and early December 2011).