If you think Christmas is about crass comercialism than go here:
http://www.merry-christmas.com/
But if you think Christmas is about lowering your use of fossil fuels, and other scare resources, please try here:
(:=}
A generation ago those of us in the alternative energy world, utility policy and energy conservation had a one word battle cry. Hood River. The town in Oregon that demonstrated many of the priniciples that we had fought for and Energy Corporate America had fought against. Well SeaGen is one of THOSE.
http://ecoscraps.com/2008/04/06/animation-seagen-tidal-power-turbine/
SeaGen Shatters Tidal Power Generation Record
Published on December 18th, 2008
Posted in alternative energy
Since its inception, we have been keeping a close eye on Marine Current Turbine’s SeaGen project in the UK, the world’s first commercial scale tidal stream turbine. Well, today there is more big news to report from the strong tidal flows of Strangford Lough as SeaGen has generated at its maximum capacity of 1.2MW for the first time. Thus far, this is the highest power produced by a tidal stream system anywhere in the world and exceeds the previous highest output of 300kW produced in 2004 by the company’s earlier SeaFlow system, off the north Devon coast.
Generating at full power is an important milestone for the company, and in particular our in-house engineering team. We are very pleased with SeaGen’s performance during commissioning,” said Martin Wright, Managing Director of Marine Current Turbines (MCT). “It demonstrates, for the first time, the commercial potential of tidal energy as a viable alternative source of renewable energy.”
According to company officials, now that SeaGen has reached full power it will move towards full-operating mode for periods of up to 22 hours a day, with regular inspections and performance testing undertaken as part of the project’s development program.
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Or You can go to the website itself:
http://www.seageneration.co.uk/
SeaGen is the name given to the 1.2MW tidal energy convertor that will be installed in Strangford Lough in April 2008. Sea Generation Ltd is the project company which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Marine Current Turbines Ltd. SeaGen has been has been licensed for a maximum installed duration of 5 years.
Marine Current Turbines Ltd have been operating the 300kW Seaflow tidal energy system at Lynmouth, Devon since May 2003 and are recognised as being one of the worlds leading tidal energy system developers.
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into a search engine. I WAS still looking for that gosh darn #$@%!&*(”_) beetle like car that I saw in San Francisco. I turned up the Tango and just loved it. We shall take up SeaGen on Monday. Have a Good Weekend and may God Bless.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/pacificnw/2003/0727/cover.html
WRITTEN BY PAULA BOCK
PHOTOGRAPHED BY BENJAMIN BENSCHNEIDER
Even though it’s Ferrari red, zooms from zero to 60 in four seconds, and has a sensuous black leather dash with the same Motech data display found in Grand Prix race cars, this is not your typical little red sports car.
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For starters, it’s smaller. Or rather, smallest. At 39 inches wide and 8 feet 5 inches long, it’s skinnier than some motorcycles and shorter than many a living-room couch. It runs on batteries, not gas. And, if the thing ever makes it out of Spokane and into consumer production — a big if — this two-person, commuter concept car could very well alleviate air pollution, cruise past freeway congestion, shimmy through urban gridlock and actually find a parking spot.
At the moment, however, U.S. Patent No. 6,328,121 (Ultra-Narrow Automobile Stabilized with Ballast) is causing a jam in front of Spokane’s Northtown Mall. Traffic stops, drivers gawk.
“Cool,” declares a 20-year-old strawberry blonde, snapping a paparazzi shot. “Can I borrow it and drive to California?” A silvery couple in matching pink polo shirts inquires about the nearest dealership. A woman with toddlers wants to know about safety.
Remarkably, though trapped by the rubberneckers, everyone smiles at the little red car, including a mall-security guy who, instead of unblocking the lanes, gives a thumbs-up: “Awesome!”
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It all started with a sailboat…
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Rick and Brian Woodbury refurbished an ocean-going 35-foot junk-rigged schooner, Sea Witch, to sail Puget Sound. It was the sailboat, in a strange way, that launched the skinny car. “Mom hated it,” Bryan recalls. Alice Woodbury never acquired sea legs, feared her family would drown, and didn’t like her husband and son spending every weekend across state at Bainbridge Island’s Eagle Harbor, where Sea Witch moored for free. So Alice issued an ultimatum: The boat. Or her.
Kickstart. Father and son sold Sea Witch and started work on the Tango
Compared to that, creating the Tango was quick, cheap and clean. In 1998, Rick and Bryan took their $20,000 profit from selling the boat and haunted junkyards and used-car lots buying parts. In Seattle, they found a 1968 Fiat 850 Spyder that had been converted to electric, trailered it home to Spokane and tore it apart in their garage. Within two months, they’d built a new frame, mounted wheels, brakes and steering components and rolled the chassis down the street, neighbor kids chasing alongside. By winter they had a drivable car, and by fall, they were racing it on autocross tracks. Working from a photo-shopped picture of a 1998 Mercedes A-Class hatchback morphed to ultra-narrow dimensions, Bryan hand-sculpted a body for the car out of Urethane, fiberglass, epoxy and Bondo, sanding large areas with a cheese grater. They hired a pro to finish and paint the body, then took the car to California.
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Turns out they have their own page:
The revolutionary commuter vehicle that combines the speed and agility of a motorcycle with the security and comfort of a high-performance sports car.
The Tango’s ability to maneuver through traffic is second to none. Like a motorcycle, it can change lanes to gain advantage in traffic better than any car in history. Unlike a motorcycle, it is safe, dry, climate controlled, and can securely carry a reasonable amount of cargo. Where lane splitting is permitted (i.e., driving between lanes of stopped or slow-moving traffic), such as California, Europe, and Asia, the advantage can be staggering. In extremely heavy traffic, a Tango or motorcycle can travel in 20 seconds the distance that cars travel in 20 minutes.
The Tango can fit in a 6-foot half-lane with more clearance than a truck has in a full 12-foot freeway lane. This virtual doubling of lane capacity can make the traffic jam a fading memory.
A Tango can park perpendicular to the curb, in left-over spaces between cars or driveways, next to buildings, or in unused corners of parking lots–in thousands of heretofore-unusable parking spaces.
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For more than you ever cared:
http://www.spokesmanreview.com/breaking/story.asp?ID=17387
http://metrospokane.typepad.com/index/2008/06/tango-the-world.html
http://www.evworld.com/news.cfm?newsid=16622
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commuter_Cars_Tango
It really is a cute little car (:=}
Still no luck finding the car I saw in San Francisco. I even tried searching images to see if I could locate a picture. It was a Volkswagen like car but it was narrower in the body and had wheel wells that were not integrated into the body like this littles electric from India:
http://www.nepalitimes.com.np/issue/2008/12/5/Business/15418
Sunny side up
Lotus Energy’s solar technology shines a light on the future
PAAVAN MATHEMA
It is a sad irony that Nepal, with its sunny winters and the highest hydropower potential of any country in the world, suffers from endless power cuts.
The country is better placed than most to take advantage of renewable energy sources, but successive governments have done almost nothing to make this happen. Private entrepreneurs, however, have stepped in and one of the pioneers in this field has been Lotus Energy.
“You see the dark houses, the power cuts, you see the pollution on the road and you feel that you have to do something,” says Adam Friedensohn who set up Lotus Energy when he moved to Nepal 15 years ago to promote solar and wind energy technologies.
With partner Jeevan Goff, Friedensohn has set up the company to provide Nepalis with affordable solar alternatives for lighting. Starting with just three staff in 1993, Lotus now employs 100 and has branches across Nepal.
Friedensohn started out with trying to light up rural areas of Nepal with solar power, but quickly got involved in trying to find a solution to the extremely polluting Vikram three wheelers. Lotus collaborated with other parters to start Electric Vehicle Company (EVCO). The project to replace the diesel powered smoke belchers with battery-powered three wheelers became a runaway success, and ‘Safe tempo’ has today become a household word.
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2008/05/reva-takes-2008.html
Frost & Sullivan presented its 2008 European Automotive Powertrain Company of the Year Award to Reva Electric Car Company (RECC) for demonstrating excellence in sales volumes, superior market penetration and high levels of customer satisfaction within the electric vehicle (EV) industry. In 2007, on average one REVA electric car was sold per day in the United Kingdom.
RECC has successfully tested and evaluated lithium ion batteries for the REVA quadricycle. The newly developed lithium ion batteries provide a driving range of more than 140 kilometers (87 miles) compared to 60-80 km from the existing lead acid battery pack.
The company’s current REVAi has been designed to facilitate upgrades to li-ion packs when they are made available for sale this year. With the incorporation of the new AC electric motor, the REVAi increases the mid-range torque by 40% and offers a boost mode for short term acceleration.
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Cool as this site is, it’s not the car I saw in San Francisco. Drat!
| Sedan |
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2008 IT Sedan |
The Sedan is a four-seat, four door multi-purpose vehicle. Performing duties on campus, around the job site or just around town. Standard with hatchback, halogen headlamps, self cancelling turn signals, three point anchored seatbelts, automotive safety windshield, dual zone automotive brakes, side and rear view mirrors, windshield wiper with two speeds and heater/de-mister system.
Specifications
Dimensions
Length: 140 in (3566 mm) See the Sedan Photo Gallery
Width: 60 in (1524 mm) Available Option
Height: 63 in (1600 mm)
Dwonlod a Full Spacification Sheet
Wheelbase: 90 in (2286 mm)
Curb Weight: 1450 lbs (653 kg)
(Sedan w/doors & glass)
ConstructionFrame Material: Aluminum
Body Material: Infusion Molded Fiberglass
Bumper Material: Rotationally Molded Plastic
Windshield: Laminated Safety Glass
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The car looked like a Volkswagen on a Diet. It did not have the fulls curves of a modern Volkswagen and it appeared narrower. Still haven’t found it but I did find these folks and they are neat.
http://www.thegreencarco.com/about_us/contact_us.php
We Have Moved!!!!
Address: 345 – 106TH AVE NE, Bellevue, WA 98004
Telephone: 425-820-4549
Hours: Now Open 7 days a Week for your convenience!!!
Monday – Friday : 8am – 6pm
Saturday & Sunday – 9:30am – 6pm
Email: Sales@greencarco.com
The Green Car Company is located just off the NE 4th St. exit off of the I-405. From the NE 4th exit, go west toward downtown Bellevue. Turn Left at 106th Ave NE. We will be immediately on your right hand side. The building has a funny round roofline and used to be Backstreet Frame and Art. We are next door to Bellevue Auto House and two doors down from Taco Time.
We have Moved!!!!
Address: 345 106TH AVE NE, Bellevue, WA 98004
Telephone: 425-820-4549
Hours:
Monday – Friday : 8:00am – 4:00pm
Closed Saturday & Sunday
Email: Service@greencarco.com
Xof1 Solar Car visits The Green Car Company
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UPDATE:
The Xof1 Solar Car was on display here at The Green Car Company and the event was a blast. (Pictures and video to come!)
The Solar Car will be on display again today! Come by and see it anytime this morning through early afternoon. Call: 425-820-4549 for more information.
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Marcelo da Luz, who has been trekking across North America via solar car will be showing off his Xof1 Solar Car to the public here at the Green Car Company. Come by early Monday afternoon at 2:30pm to see this amazing car!
The Xof1 left Buffalo, NY in early June, traveled up through Northern Canada to the Arctic Circle and he is now on his way down the West Coast to California and beyond. His website www.Xof1.com is cataloging his journey and has a wealth of information about his car.
We apologize for the short notice. Come by early Monday afternoon if you can, otherwise watch this space for lots of photos/video of the event!
XEBRAS do not attempt to behave like other vehicles. Unique, quite and surprisingly agile the Xebra is everything noisy internal combustion engines are not. The ZAP XEBRA electric vehicle is the offspring of more than three decades of thought and evolution. This vehicle was created as a breed by itself. Because the use and purpose of electric vehicles are different from gas cars, the wheel did indeed need to be reinvented.
For 2008, The Green Car Company has taken the original Xebra and upgraded it to a new level. The Xebra EV has more power, speed, longer range and longer life! This new level also includes a suspension upgrade with stiffer springs and shocks giving the Xebra lower resistance and better handling!
Will we ever learn?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081212/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_poland_climate_talks
POZNAN, Poland – Negotiators at a U.N. climate conference broke through red tape and freed up millions of dollars Friday to help poor countries adapt to increasingly severe droughts, floods and other effects of global warming.“This could be the one thing to come out of Poznan,” said Kit Vaughan of WWF-Britain.The decision in the final hours of the two-week conference could begin to release some $60 million (euro45 million) within months, according to delegates and environmentalists following the closed-door talks.“This is an important step,” said delegate Mozaharul Alam of Bangladesh.Alam said ministers and senior delegates from dozens of countries decided to give a blocked fund’s governing board the authority to directly disburse money to developing countries for projects to reduce greenhouse gases.
Until now, the U.N.-backed Adaptation Fund board could not operate because its board had no right to approve and sign those contracts.
The fund is derived from a 2 percent levy on offset investments that industrial nations make on green projects in the developing world. The negotiators have been discussing other ways to ramp up the fund into the billions.
The agreement was one of the few concrete goals the delegates set for Poznan when the talks began Dec. 1. Delegations from nearly 190 countries are negotiating a new climate change pact, to be completed next December in the Danish capital of Copenhagen, that would succeed the Kyoto Protocol when it expires in 2012.
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So I will just list them. Since you HAVE to read them EVERY day, nuff said right?
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/10-sites-to-keep-you-updated-of-green-news/
But not that one: it’s just the source…
I do the right thing:
http://www.dotherightthing.com/
Care 2:
http://www.care2.com/causes-news/
Best Green Deals:
Environmental Graffiti:
http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/
Tree Hugger:
(I borrow a lot from this one)
The Good Human:
Green Options:
Ecorazzi:
(rad man rad)
ViroPOP:
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Of course if you just want to talk about the environment, while you puff your cigaret, eat your steak barely clothed in the winter with the thermostat set on 80 degree while scheming more uses for plastics, well then these sites are for you:
Lighter Footsteps:
http://twitter.com/LighterFootstep
Greener Ideal:
http://twitter.com/greenerideal
Ecoprenuerist::
http://twitter.com/Ecopreneurist
Green News:
http://twitter.com/Ecopreneurist
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If you follow this regime everyday for a week you WILL be green. Good luck and may God Bless.
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http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/12/10/heerlen-minewater-project/
December 10, 2008
Recently the town of Heerlen in the Netherlands repurposed an old abandoned coal mine into a brilliant source of geothermal energy. The project takes advantage of flooded underground mine shafts, using their thermal energy to power a large-scale district heating system. Dubbed the Minewater Project, the new system recently went online and provides 350 homes and businesses in the town with hot water and heating in the winter and cool water in the summer.
In the Netherlands, coal was one of the main sources of energy from the turn of the century up until around 1959, when large amounts of cheap natural gas were discovered in the north. The coal industry lost market share and mine after mine was closed down – in the city of Heerlen, for instance, the coal mine was closed and the shafts were flooded with water and have been unused for the last 30 years
Five new wells were drilled in various locations around town to access the underground mine shafts. Each well is 700 meters (2,300 ft) deep and can pump out nearly 80 cubic meters (2,800 cubic feet) of water per hour. The water temperature at the bottom of the well is 32 C (89 F) and gradually cools to 28 C at the surface. Warm water from the mine is brought to the surface where a heat pump extracts the heat in order to supply hot water to households in the area. Meanwhile the Minewater is pumped back down 450 meters to be reheated. In the summer, to provide cooling, water will be pumped from a much shallower depth of 250 meters, where it is not so warm.
The area supplied by the Minewater is a relatively new development and includes a supermarket and a brand new cultural center and library as well as many homes and businesses. While the cost of the heating and cooling is not much different than before, customers can be assured of stable prices in the future compared to the cost they could incur by using fossil fuels.
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No offense meant because Pitt, Branford Marsealus and Harry Connick Jr. are doing great things in New Orleans but this is amazing…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsuziBrNeO4&feature=rec-HM-fresh+div
http://www.beausoleilhome.org/
BeauSoleil, meaning “Beautiful Sun” in French or simply “Sunshine” in Cajun French has provided the inspiration and name for the University of Louisiana at Lafayette‘s Solar Decathlon Team. The BeauSoleil Louisiana Solar Home will serve as a culturally resonant, uniquely regional work of architecture and eventually a marketable prototype for the 2009 U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon competition held on the Mall in Washington, DC. The competition will showcase the BeauSoleil Louisiana Solar home’s role as not only a cultural expression but a technological hybrid that advances the traditional homebuilding in our region.
The BeauSoleil Louisiana Solar Home team mission is to design and build a Solar Decathlon house that uses renewable energy sources in a culturally resonant form that also serve as a building model for other locations throughout the world facing similar climactic and natural challenges to those we face in Louisiana. Join us and our sponsors as we bring together the Cajun culture with the future of homebuilding, energy consumption and design. The Solar Decathlon is a worldwide competition between 20 colleges and universities to design, build, and operate the most attractive and energy-efficient solar-powered home.