AeroVironment Installs Wind Turbines on Roof of Potato Chip Factory

Efficient electric energy systems provider, AeroVironment, Inc. has installed its Architectural Wind system on the roof of the new Beloit, Wisconsin manufacturing facility of Kettle Foods, a Salem, Ore.-based producer of all-natural potato chips and other snack foods.

The Beloit installation includes 18 wind turbines.

According to AeroVironment, its small, modular Architectural Wind system is designed for quick and easy installation onto the parapet of a new or existing tilt-up or pre-cast building, allowing the turbines to take advantage of the building's unique aerodynamics.

Assuming normal wind conditions, the 18 wind turbines on the Kettle Foods facility are projected to generate approximately 28,000 kilowatt hours of power each year - enough to produce 56,000 bags of potato chips, says Tim Fallon, president of Kettle Foods North America.

AV's Architectural Wind system played a key role in Kettle Foods' receipt of the U.S. Green Building Council Gold level certification for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). The certification acknowledges the company's efforts to minimize the environmental footprint of its new 73,000-square-foot plant.

"We're proud to receive this kind of recognition for our ongoing commitment to sustainable initiatives," said Fallon. "The contribution of AeroVironment in helping us meet our ambitious green-building standards was most significant." Vie RE

Val Kilmer’s tree house

Nobody’s saying he uses his utility belt to winch himself up there, but he sure loves to get away. Val Kilmer’s love for nature, particularly trees, has deep roots. His second cousin Alfred Joyce Kilmer wrote the famous poem “Trees” in 1913.

Kilmer eventually will ‘build a new house here by the river, have some organic gardens to farm what I need and just get back to the land. In a way, this treehouse is my first step in that direction. Look at this tree. It’s so solid and yet so fragile that it moves with the wind,” he says, grasping one of the oaks. “There’s a sense of freedom and wonderment up here.”

TREES (1913)

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

And lets face it - you can’t live in a poem. (Trees and Other Poems (The Collected Works of Joyce Kilmer - 10 Volumes) Click on the link to buy the book from Amazon.

‘In places like this,’ he says, ‘I can figure out what I’m all about. I lived in New York for ten years and loved it, but I think once you find out what you really want, it’s important to live where you pray the best, where you’re the healthiest.’

We first mentioned Val Kilmer’s treehouse last winter. Its on his ranch, built into the side of a mountain and supported by five oak trees. The structure was built with wood from an old barn, as well as limbs and fallen trees from the property. Metal was taken local salvage yards. But others have written about it a lot since then. Now USA Today has revealed more details.

Kilmer commissioned Roderick Romero to design the structure — known for his attention to the health of the trees involved — as well as eco-sourcing of the building materials.

Kilmer specifically wanted the structure to blend in with the surroundings — staying true to his eco values. This treehouse is located on the same 6,000 acres of land that the actor wishes to build a massive eco-village on.

And Kilmer has been hands on through the process. He told CNN: “I put every darn nail in this treehouse. It’s all built with screws, you see. That’s my little contribution.”

For the Batman star, its all about beauty: ” I think that I shall never see a poem as lovely as a tree,” he says. Via Off Grid

What's the Difference Between Solar Energy and Solar Power?

Q: I'm confused about the use of the terms solar energy and solar power. Is solar energy both a type of energy and a type of technology? Is solar power both a type of power and a type of technology? It seems like the terms get mixed up and used interchangeably, like kWh and kW do even though these units describe two different things. What are the general differences between solar energy and solar power? Thank you. -- Lee K.

A:

Lee, this is a question I get often, and believe it is worth addressing. Solar "power" usually means converting the sun's rays (photons) to electricity. The solar technologies could be photovoltaics, or the various concentrating thermal technologies: solar troughs, solar dish/engines, and solar power towers.

Solar "energy" is a more generic term, meaning any technology that converts the sun's energy into a form of energy—so that includes the aforementioned solar power technologies, but also solar thermal for water heating, space heating and cooling, and industrial process heat. Solar energy includes solar daylighting and even passive solar that uses building orientation, design and materials to heat and cool buildings.

Now in the early 1980's, I was Political Director of the Solar Lobby, formed by the big nine national environmental groups, that embraced all solar technologies—which we viewed as wind, hydropower, and biomass, along with the long list of traditional solar conversion technologies.

The thesis, which is correct, is that the sun contributes to growing plants, wind regimes, and evaporation and rain (hydropower), so that all the renewables are part of the solar family. Now, of course, most would argue that geothermal, and tidal and wave (effected by the gravitational force of the moon) are not solar, but we included these technologies as well.

While I have this platform on solar terminology, I am routinely annoyed by media stories about solar cells (which they assume describes photovoltaics). Photovoltaics technology has changed over the decades from groups of silicon cells wired together under glass to make a photovoltaic module (panel), to various thin film materials deposed on glass, metal and plastics, and including the newer nanotechnology photovoltaics incorporating light sensitive dyes.

While solar exerts could nitpick that these are indeed other types of embedded solar cells, I would venture, the term is outmoded. The word "photovoltaics" for the direct conversion of sunlight to electricity is sufficient. Via RE

Amazing wind Power image

Some things just need to be shared. This 3-D image from Aleksandar Rodic is just...pleasant. EcoGeek asked him why he created it, and he said:

My intention was to show the beauty of clean energy and thereby oppose the argument of those who say that wind turbines are ruining the beauty of landscapes. Wind turbines are very elegant and beautifully products of human engineering which have positive impact on environment. Symbioses of nature and technology fitted perfectly in this story about clean energy.

Thanks, Aleksandar, for using a computer to create a digital image of a natural portrayal of a technological marvel. The image is available as a print from his website; also, a larger version is available for download (apparently for free.) The image won first prize at the AWEA conference in Pittsburgh.

Miscea: Hands-Free Faucet Delivers Water, Soap, LED Fun

Sensor activated faucets are so passee! Miscea has introduced their new generation Sensor Activated Faucet / dispenser that features that gives you not only water but also soap and a choice of disinfectant/lotion without touching the faucet.

The MISCEA is made of stainless steel and its elegant design is accentuated by the interactive user interface. The faucet’s head is made of laser engraved glass with LED lighting so when you point your hand to the control sensors, the indicated section will get activated. The hi-tech faucet even allows for motion controlled adjustment of water temperature. Just bring your hand next to the plus or minus and the temperature will change as indicated by the digital display. The touch free interface is both hygienic and convenient.

Besides the faucet is also environment-friendly as it saves up to 70% amount of water used each time you wash your hands. MISCEA is easy to install and it fits in any washbasin or kitchen environment. The system operates on 12 volt and does not require batteries reducing maintenance needs. So, now your bathroom remains clutter free with all-in-one hi-tech faucet besides adding a luxury touch to your bathroom. Via BornRich

RV Solar Panels: Working Towards No Emissions

Nil or at least minimal emissions – this is the aim of vehicle companies nowadays, many of which having had expressed their concern about how carbon and fossil fuels have so far caused grave damage to our environment. All I can say is – it is just about time. Or has it been an otherwise good decision that has all but come too late?

If anyone would really desire less damaging emissions, then the ordinary consumer and vehicle owner can do their part. If home solar panel is ideal power alternative source for the homes, then the RV solar panel is a great compliment, if not replacement for the conventional fuel generator.

We all know how immense and large scale the emissions are, which in turn can be very damaging to the air that we breathe these generators create. Definitely, in the grand and noble design of saving the world from further damage brought about by these generators, we can count on alternative sources of energy such as the sun, water and wind.

The most popular source is the sun; this is why among the energy gadgets, sun-powered ones are the most widely utilized. Solar panels can actually be an effective way of producing clean and efficient power for everyday and commercial uses. The only hindrance to solar panels becoming a major source of power is its cost.

Harmful emissions can be reduced if not eliminated all together if only much cheaper RV solar panels will be made accessible by the ordinary vehicle owners. A built-in solar panel on vehicles might still be a little far from becoming a common thing. The next best thing to really help reduce emissions is by propagating the mounting and use of RV solar panel on cars.

While solar inventors and manufacturers must really come up with inexpensive gadgets, the government should do their part by promoting the utilization of such solar panels. Certainly, this will help in the reduction of the use of fuel generators, and consequently lessen the pollution in the air that we breathe, and the environment that we live in. Via Solar Power World

Fort Carson to Host 2 MW Solar PV Array

3 Phases Energy Services, LLC, SunTechnics Energy Systems, Inc., and Morgan Stanley, will develop, engineer, install and finance a 2-megawatt (MW), ground-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) array at Fort Carson, CO. When completed, the PV project will cover nearly 12 acres at Fort Carson making it the largest solar array at a U.S. Army facility and one of the largest in Colorado, according to the companies.

The ground-mounted solar array will consist of flat-plate, thin-film solar technology provided by First Solar. The solar modules are warranted for 25 years and the plant can be expected to produce energy efficiently for up to 40 years.

The project will generate 3,200 megawatt-hours (MWh) of solar power annually and is one of the first major customer-sited projects to emerge from Colorado's voter-led initiative to make the state a leading user of renewable energy.

Governor Bill Ritter recently led a successful campaign to double the amount of renewable energy in the state's renewable portfolio standard. By 2020, Colorado will get 20 percent of its power from renewable energy, including solar, wind, biomass and geothermal resources.

"The 2 MW solar project at Fort Carson represents the collaboration of seven major players, each of whom has played a decisive role in making this project a tremendous success," said Erik Rothenberg, Managing Director at 3 Phases Energy. A California-based developer of renewable energy projects, 3 Phases worked with Fort Carson to assemble the various pieces and partners to make this an economically viable project for the Army.

Xcel Energy will purchase the renewable energy credits (RECs) for 20 years under its Solar*Rewards program, which provides incentives for residential and commercial solar installations. The RECs will support Colorado's renewable portfolio standard.

Colorado Springs Utilities, which provides services to Fort Carson, will host the system on its grid. Under its power marketing authority, Western Area Power Administration's Rocky Mountain Region will procure the power from the system on behalf of Fort Carson.

SunTechnics Inc. will design and construct the project. Morgan Stanley Co. will serve as the project investor and long-term owner.

San Francisco’s Airport Going Solar

ABC 7 reports the San Francisco International Airport Terminal 3 now has more than 2,800 solar panels on its rooftop. The solar panels are part of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and SFO’s joint solar energy project to help reduce energy use. San Francisco Mayor, Gavin Newsom said, “his major solar energy project further establishes San Francisco as America’s solar energy leader and symbolizes the commitment of the city - and San Francisco International Airport - to leading the way on renewable energy generation and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Via SEI

Virgin Atlantic testing Bio-fuel on Jumbo Jet

British billionaire Richard Branson said on Monday his Virgin Group hopes to produce clean biofuels by around the start of the next decade and early next year will test a jet plane on renewable fuel.

Virgin hopes to provide clean fuel for buses, trains and cars within three or four years, Branson told a Mortgage Bankers Association meeting in Boston.

In the meantime, Virgin will be conducting a test jet flight on renewable fuels. "Early next year we will fly one of our 747s without passengers with one of the fuels that we have developed," Branson told the annual conference.

Virgin is developing biofuels for aircraft in conjunct

ion with Boeing Co and engine-maker GE Aviation, a unit of General Electric Co. Previously, Branson had said the company would test the fuel sometime next year and that some people had said it would be late in the year.

Air New Zealand has said it plans to test a flight

on a combination fuel of biofuel and kerosene in late 2008, but Virgin is trying to beat that airline by testing biofuels first.

Branson pledged last year to spend all the profit over the next 10 years from his 51 percent stake in Virgin's airline and rail businesses on fighting global warming.

He also created Virgin Fuels, which is investing

$400 million over three years in renewable energy initiatives, as part of the pledge.

Biofuels, at this point mostly ethanol and biodiesel, have witnessed explosive growth this year amid record oil prices and concern about global warming. They are believed to emit less greenhouse gases because they are made from plants like corn and soybeans that absorb carbon dioxide, the main heat-trapping gas, when they grow.

utting emissions of heat-trapping gases from transportation sources is more difficult than cutting them from stationary sources like power plants. Power stations can switch from coal, the heaviest greenhouse gas emitter, to cleaner burning natural gas.

On Monday, Branson said jets may have problems using ethanol, the most common biofuel, which is made mainly from corn in the United States and sugar cane in Brazil.

He said ethanol freezes at 15,000 feet and that butanol, a fuel similar to gasoline that can be made from biomass, may be a better alternative. It is also less corrosive than ethanol.

Virgin Fuels has invested in a small number of U.S. ethanol projects and hopes eventually to produce branded biofuels, the company's managing partner said earlier this year.

Separately, Branson said Virgin would name one of its Galactic crafts -- planned for use in space tourism -- after his friend Steve Fossett, the millionaire adventurer who disappeared in a small private plane in the U.S. West early last month.

Test flights of the Galactic crafts begin next year and passenger service is expected to begin in 2009. Via Reuters

Turbine Free Wind Power: Alternative Alternative Energy

Wind power is great, but those big turbines are inefficient (the bearings suck out a lot of energy) and, if you're a passing bird, dangerous. Shawn Frayne has come up with an alternative to this alternative energy, which he says is ten times more efficient than a turbine and, because it has no bearings, scales well to smaller sizes.

Inspired by the famous Tacoma Narrows Bridge, which you've all seen shaking itself apart in this video, the Windbelt is a tight plastic strip stretched in a frame, joined to magnets at both ends. When the wind blows across the belt, it vibrates (like when you blow a blade of grass to make music) and the magnets move inside wire coils, generating power. This table top version will put out 40 milliwatts and can power an LED. It's cheap and simple, and can generate power from breezes as slow as 10mph, making it ideal for developing nations (California based Frayne worked in Haiti and saw a need for cheap power to replace dangerous kerosene lamps).

We're also intrigued by the demo video. Frayne uses a fan to power the unit. While inefficient, it's essentially a form of wireless power transfer. Via Wired

World's Offshore Largest Wind Farm Approved

The world's largest wind farm, which has been planned for the ocean off the coast of Kent, UK, for some time has been officially approved. However, the project, which is being planned by Eon and Shell energy companies, is being threatened by an increase and projected costs, and possible regulatory problems with transmitting the power.

A substation and the power cables necessary to transport the power to population centers are being fought by locals. At the same time, the projected cost of the project has increased from £1.5bn to £2bn.

Locals are uninterested in having the 340 turbine project in their back yard, but the UK needs to focus on these massive renewable projects in order to meet its Kyoto targets. Without them, it simply won't happen. Via Ecogeek

HYmini Wind-Powered Gadget Charger

We've seen lots of solar chargers before, and though sunshine on our shoulders makes us happy, it can't always be counted on to shine when we need it. Enter HYmini, an honest-to-goodness wind-powered charger for the list of small consumer electronics that have become familiar to alternative-energy-charging enthusiasts: iPods and mp3 players, cell phones, PDAs and digital cameras. It's due in stores at the end of the month.

Strap it to your bike handlebars, hold it when you go for a jog, or stick it out the window in the car(pool) when you're driving down the road, and you may never have to plug your gadgets into the wall again. If that weren't enough, you can further extend its ability to harvest renewable energy with some optional solar panels. More details below the fold. ::HYmini via ::Core77

TreeHugger picked up on a similar example in a cab in Japan, but that was just one cab, and it didn't have a battery to store the power generated by the mini turbine. Performance details, according to Swept Away Media, are as follows:

“Spend an hour outside in the sun with HYmini and you’ll get enough power for 2 full hours of MP3 playtime. Ride your bike for an hour, with HYmini strapped on your arm, or mounted on the handlebars, and you’ll have enough power for over 50 digital photos or about 15 extra minutes on your cell phone. Mount HYmini on a car window, drive about 40 MPR, and you’ll generate enough power to listen to over 8 hours of music on your MP3 or chat on your cell for over 40 minutes.”

Hang tight for a few weeks to see if the real deal will live up to the (awesome-sounding) hype. Via TH

Latest Home Solar Panels: Compact and Portable

While we may be familiar with the conventional home solar panel, as well as other sun-powered gadgets such as outdoor solar light and RV solar panel, there is a continuous discovery and invention of newer and better solar gadgets.

Aside from the fact that the latest home solar panel now is more efficient and reliable, it is much better in terms of its appearance and weight.

The latest solar panels are now more compact and sleek. In fact, there are models that are foldable and portable. These are the type that you need when power is a requirement especially during your hiking adventure or outdoor activities.

You can see how flexible solar panels are today. Many can be folded and brought along during any trip. And when you arrive at your site, just take them out for easy mounting.

Another advantage of these compact, foldable sun-powered gadgets is that they are very light in weight. And perhaps because of its lightweight components, the price is low compared to the conventional home solar panel.

Such gadgets can be used to power your cellular phone or electronic appliances, and even your laptop computer.

There are numerous solar shops that you can log on to at the Internet. You may check for these compact solar panel products, the more online shops you check on to, the better as this gives you the chance to compare prices as well as product specifications. Via RE

An Off-Grid Vertical Farm for Downtown Seattle

We face a lot of challenges, complex and sometimes overwhelming challenges. There are no Single Shot / Silver Bullet solutions out there. But, in some ways, there are solution sets that could be considered a Silver BB.

Our challenges include Peak Oil, Global Warming, clean water constraints, food supply challenges (including every increasing food miles, how far food is traveling to the dinner table), poor urban infrastructure, urban heat islands, housing challenges, etc ...

Vertical urban agriculture offers a potential silver BB in this domain ... with a new concept from Seattle offering one of the most integrated and interesting approaches that I've seen to date.

Mithun won a best of show prize (Cascadia Region Green Building Council's Living Building Challenge) for their urban farm design that to integrate farming (vegetables, chickens) and housing to a high-rise in downtown Seattle.

The Living Building Challenge is a competition that encourages building owners, architects, engineers, and design professionals to build in a way that advances knowledge and innovation in the sustainable building industry. The term "living building" comes from the idea that it is possible to create a structure that functions like a living organism - able to survive using only the natural environment around it.

Some features of the "Center for Urban Agriculture" (CUA):

• Fully self-sufficient building: in energy and water.
  • 31,000 sq ft rooftop water rainwater collection
  • Recycling of gray water (including an ability to handle some of the surrounding area's waste water up to "20 times its own discharge potential")
  • 34,000+ sq ft of solar PV cells with hydrogen gas backup
• "Agricultural features include fields for growing veggies and grains, greenhouses, rooftop gardens and even a chicken farm."
  • Local produced food is critical for changing energy patterns as "40 percent of an individual's ecological footprint is generated by the embodied energy in food."
• 318 apartments (studio, 1 & 2 bedroom units)
• Restaurant & Cafe (The "Greenhouse" using building grown food.
  

What is the site requirement? .72 acres!!!

Clipper To Develop 7.5 MW Britannia Offshore Wind Turbine

Clipper Windpower Plc announced last week that it has established a Center of Excellence for Offshore Wind in Blyth, United Kingdom, to develop a 7.5 MW offshore wind turbine, which the company says would be world's largest.

The "Britannia Project" has attracted support from the UK's One NorthEast Regional Development Agency.

The development of the 7.5 MW wind turbine will build upon Clipper's Liberty 2.5-MW turbine.

The Britannia Project addresses the growing demand for highly reliable and efficient offshore wind energy. Clipper will enlist the services and test facilities of the Blyth-based New and Renewable Energy Centre (NaREC) in this project.

"We are extremely pleased to have the U.K.'s One NorthEast working with us in the Britannia Project," said James G.P. Dehlsen, Chairman and CEO of Clipper. "We established the Project based on the offshore wind application of our technology and in concert with the U.K. government's policy leadership targeted to provide upwards of 20% of the nation's electricity from renewable sources which will rely in great part on offshore wind development."

U.K. Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR), the Rt. Hon. John Hutton MP, noted, "Clipper Windpower's decision to develop a new generation of offshore wind turbines in the North East of England is further evidence that the U.K. is fast becoming a magnet for renewable energy investment."

"A recent report from Ernst & Young showed that the UK has moved up from fifth to second in the world for attractiveness in new renewable investment. Behind this is the Government's determination to bring down planning barriers and target support at marine and emerging renewables. By 2015 we expect to see a threefold increase in green energy feeding into the grid," Hutton continued.

Funding provided by One NorthEast also will support the development of Clipper's turbine supply chain and related manufacturing facilities.

Horizon Wind Energy Announces 400-MW Contract with Suzlon

Horizon Wind Energy, owned by Portuguese utility EDP (Energias de Portugal, S.A.) a renewable energy developer, has signed a contract with Suzlon Wind Energy Corporation, the US-based subsidiary of Suzlon Energy A/S of Denmark for 400 MW of wind turbine capacity

The contract calls for delivery of 200 MW of turbine capacity in 2008 and another 200 MW of capacity in 2009.

The agreement calls for the delivery of Suzlon's S88-2.1 MW wind turbine to various ready-to-build sites in Horizon's large project pipeline. Ninety-five units are to be supplied in 2008 and ninety-five in 2009.

Suzlon is also contracted for operations, maintenance and service of the wind turbines for two years and an option for five, and will do so by expanding its service territory with new facilities to meet demand.

"The wind power market is becoming less segmented, as it quickly transitions into a truly global business with transactions occurring across continents all the time," said Andre Horbach, CEO of Suzlon Group based in Amsterdam. "Suzlon's global structure and vertical integration strategy complement this dynamic shift, so we believe the company is well-structured to help Horizon Wind reach its goals in the U.S."

Horizon Wind Energy is part of the EDP group of companies, a leader in renewable energy with 2569 MW (gross) of renewable power capacity. Via RE

The Solar Farmer

Alvin Kunugi has a love-hate relationship with the sun, and it just got more complex. A farmer in San Luis Valley, Colorado, Kunugi's plants harvest the sun's energy and turn it into stored energy in the form of calories. But the sun in the valley is a little too much.

It's actually one of sunniest places in the U.S.—and forces him to spend 15,000 dollars a year on energy for irrigation.

The irrigation works with a central pivot. These plots look like large green circles from the sky. But roads in the prairies create a checkerboard. The result is four unfarmed corners on each checker, which provide amazing space for harvesting the sun in another way: with solar panels.

Kunugi, as well as five other farmers, recently each had a 10 kilowatt (kW) photovoltaic (PV) solar system installed on their property. In the summer months, most of the energy generated from these systems will go to the farmers pivot irrigation and in the winter, it will go to the pool of electricity in the grid.

Jack Gilleland is another one of these farmers. He pays $8,000 a year to power his irrigation system and will see that number cut in half with his PV system. "The best part is I'll save money by producing my own green power from the sun," he says.

The project will save the farmers money for three main reasons. The first one is a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture managed by the local Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D). The second is a $4.50 buy down per watt from Xcel Energy, the local utility. The last part of the equation is a federal tax credit of up to 30% of the upfront costs for a business such as a farm.

But money will only make a project work with the right people. The main driver was Jim Mietz from the San Luis Valley RC&D. While others talked about the possibility of such a project, Mietz went ahead and initiated it. He also received help from Ravi Malhotra who works with iCAST, a non-profit that partners with communities to bring appropriate technology to the people who need it.

iCAST helped with the project design, development of the bid and managed the proposals to eventually pick the best bid, which ended up being Direct Water and Power Corporation. The company is installing the PV systems at the six farms, one of which includes Paul Newbenefit's.

Newbenefit is excited about the experience he, and the other farmers, will gain noting, "if we can learn something from it and encourage the solar industry, we'll be happy... we are at a fantastic place for solar and we will [all] benefit."

American producers like Kunugi, Gilleland and Newbenefit are joining the renewable energy revolution. The fact is they have good access to renewable resources like solar or wind energy. It's usually just a question of ironing out the details and that's where organizations like iCAST come in.

This all leads to greater energy autonomy where we work with the forces of nature, farming the sun that just comes back every morning. As Kunugi says, "I just wish I could have gotten into it in a bigger way."

Raphael Shay is the Outreach Coordinator at iCAST, where he bridges iCAST's projects with the people who need them most. iCAST is a Denver, Colorado based organization that facilitates appropriate technology, business, and infrastructure development projects. Via RE

EA and BP Collaborate to Include Climate Education in SimCity Socities

Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) and BP have collaborated to include climate change education within SimCity™ Societies, the next iteration in the genre-defining city-building franchise that has sold more than 18 million games to date. The collaboration brings together world-class game building skills and industry expertise on energy, electricity production and greenhouse gas emissions to highlight the impact of electricity generation on the emissions of carbon dioxide that are linked to climate change. The low-carbon electricity choices and monitoring of SimCity's carbon emissions provide an entertaining, fully-integrated and accurate look at some of the causes and some of the major solutions available to combat rising levels of carbon and to help address the threat of global warming. SimCity Societies will be available at retailers across North America and Europe November 15.

"The time was right for this partnership. EA was developing the next iteration of the SimCity series at the same time that we were looking for opportunities to raise awareness about low-carbon power choices," said Carol Battershell, Vice President, BP Alternative Energy. "EA has a powerful reach to the next generation and BP has a suite of low-carbon power alternatives. In our collaboration through this innovative game, we can provide education on the issues surrounding climate change, its association with carbon emissions and the ability to take early positive action through low-carbon power choices."

“Since their inception in 1989, SimCity games have served as excellent creative and educational tools to convey complex subjects. With SimCity Societies, we have the opportunity not only to demonstrate some of the causes and effects of global warming, but also to educate players how seemingly small choices can have a big global impact,” said Steve Seabolt, Vice President of Global Brand Development for The Sims Label at EA. “BP was one of the first major energy companies to publicly acknowledge the need to reduce carbon emissions and begin taking precautionary measures. As such, they are the perfect partner to help educate people on this important social issue in SimCity Societies.” The game does not force players to power their cities any specific way, but allows them to make choices, each of which come with advantages and disadvantages. Similar to real-life, the least expensive and most readily-available buildings in SimCity Societies are also the biggest producers of carbon dioxide, an invisible gas that contributes to global warming. Should players choose to build cities dependent on these types of sources for power to conserve their in-game money, their carbon ratings will rise and, at reaching critical levels, the game will issue alerts about the threat of the various natural disasters like droughts, heat waves and others that may strike their cities. Alternatively, players can strive to create a greener environment and avoid hazards caused by excessive carbon emissions by choosing from a variety of BP Alternative Energy low-carbon power options. Using hydrogen and natural gas plants to wind farms and solar power, SimCity Societies encourages people to learn about some of the causes and consequences of global warming in an engaging, educational and meaningful way. While these power sources maintain nearby property values and keep the cities’ citizens safer from disaster, they also mimic real-life in that they cost players more of their funds, and do not produce as much power as less green options that take up similar space. Informative real-world snippets about power production and conservation will also be available in-game, informing players of global warming issues both virtually and in reality. “The time was right for this partnership. EA was developing the next iteration of the SimCity series at the same time that we were looking for opportunities to raise awareness about low-carbon power choices,” said Carol Battershell, Vice President, BP Alternative Energy. “EA has a powerful reach to the next generation and BP has a suite of low-carbon power alternatives. In our collaboration through this innovative game, we can provide education on the issues surrounding climate change, its association with carbon emissions and the ability to take early positive action through low-carbon power choices.” The SimCity franchise is one of the most popular PC gaming franchises in history, having sold more than 18 million games worldwide to date since the SimCity launch in 1989. Subsequent base game releases include SimCity 2000™ (1989), SimCity 3000™ (1989) and SimCity 4 (2003). SimCity Societies is being published by Electronic Arts and developed by Tilted Mill Entertainment.###About Electronic ArtsElectronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, cellular handsets and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS™, EA™, EA SPORTS BIG™ and POGO™. In fiscal 2007, EA posted revenue of $3.09 billion and had 24 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com. About BP Alternative EnergyBP is one of the world’s largest energy companies, with interests in more than 100 countries and over 96,000 employees. BP Alternative Energy, formed in 2005, brings together BP’s interests in zero and low-carbon power generation: BP Solar, the company’s photovoltaic business; wind power generation; hydrogen power -- which combines fossil fuel power generation with carbon capture and storage to provide extremely low carbon power; and BP’s natural gas-fired power interests. BP Alternative Energy has an active wind development portfolio in Europe, North America and Asia; the company’s hydrogen business includes a project in Los Angeles; BP Solar is a leading global solar company; and BP participates in more than 13,000 MW of gas-fired generation around the world. For further information, please visit http://www.bpalternativenergy.com. Electronic Arts, EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS BIG, POGO, SIMCITY, SIMCITY 2000 and SimCity 3000 are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners

Schuco USA L.P. Turns Building Envelopes into Power Plants

American supplier of solar power systems, markets building-integrated photovoltaic modules "Made in Germany". Schuco's extremely efficient glass-glass modules are available in sizes up to 6.56' x 9.84' and come in all colors. These modules can be seen for the first time in the US at Solar Power 2007 in Long Beach (Stand 414).

Schüco PROSOL PV modules are produced in Germany. Depending on the cell type, up to 21% of sunlight is converted into electric power. Aside from basic blue, bronze and grey, PROSOL PV modules come in many other colors. The underside is designed to ensure maximum choice. Customers can select the color they like, and also choose between transparent and translucent structures. For architects, this presents a whole new dimension in creative freedom.

The new PV modules are equally suitable for curtain wall facades and single-layer facades in buildings of all sizes. This is because PROSOL PV modules are available in non-insulated, thermally insulated and safety glass versions. The combination of photovoltaic power generation and extreme thermal insulation results in unsurpassed energy efficiency. But these building-integrated photovoltaic modules do more than just save energy and foster architectural creativity. Based on sustainable technology, they project a powerful image, significantly increasing a building's long-term value and pushing down operating costs. Tried and tested, Schüco components are designed for long-lasting operating safety. Relentless R&D keeps the company on the cutting edge.

Schüco USA L.P., on hand at Solar Power 2007 in Long Beach (Stand 414), supplies vinyl windows and doors, aluminum systems for building envelopes as well as solar power systems. Schüco USA belongs to European market leader Schüco International KG, which boasts fifty years' experience in aluminum, steel, vinyl and solar systems. It has 4,700 employees and 12,000 partner companies in 77 countries Via RE

Carrefour selects ICP Solar as Solar energy Products Provider in Spain

ICP Solar Technologies Inc. (OTCBB: ICPR, FRANKFURT: K1U.F), a developer, manufacturer and marketer of solar cells and products, today announced that Carrefour Group one of the world’s leading distribution groups, the world’s second-largest retailer and the largest in Europe, will carry the Sunsei® line of mobile chargers in Spain. "We are very happy to be working with Carrefour. They are one of the premier retailers in the world and our companies have always shared the same customer centric strategies that focus on delivering top-quality, innovative and reliable products,” said Pascal Petit, Director of Sales EMEA. “Our products are a perfect fit. Sunsei® panels deliver over 50% more power per square inch than other comparable amorphous-silicon solar panels. Coupled with our advanced features, esthetics, connectivity and a solid 10-year warranty, Carrefour’s customers can be assured they are getting the best product for their money.” “As the third largest solar market in the world, the Spanish market is a key market for our products. Our strategy of offering solutions based selling of superior Sunsei quality and features is what these solar savvy customers are looking for,” said Sass Peress, ICP chairman and chief executive officer. “The fact that Carrefour chose to carry our products chain-wide in Spain validates the investments we have made, in order to ensure that Sunsei® products are the most innovative and reliable products of their kind. We look forward to developing new and exciting ways to address the current and future needs of Carrefour’s solar customers.” About ICP Solar Technologies, Inc.ICP Solar is a developer, manufacturer and marketer of solar cells and solar cell based products and building materials. Through the application of next-generation technologies and use of proprietary intellectual design the Company aims to be the industry's innovation leader. For the past 19 years, ICP Solar has led the consumer market through innovation and has now begun to apply that same philosophy to the OEM, rooftop and power generation segment of the solar industry. ICP Solar's management has over 50 years of experience in the renewable energy sector. The company’s headquarters are located in Montreal, Canada, with additional locations in the USA, Spain, Ireland and France. Corporate information may be found at www.icpsolar.comAbout Carrefour GroupOver the past 40 years, the Carrefour group has grown to become one of the world’s leading distribution groups. The world’s second-largest retailer and the largest in Europe, the group currently operates four main grocery store formats: hypermarkets, supermarkets, hard discount and convenience stores. The Carrefour group currently has over 12,500 stores, either company-operated or franchises. N°2 worldwide N°1 in Europe with more than 456,000 employees An international retailer with a presence in 30 countries, over 52% of group turnover derives from outside France. More information at www.carrefour.com The forward-looking statements herein include, but are not limited to, the expected expansion of our solar solutions into Europe Middle East, Asia and Africa. Our actual results may differ materially from those implied in these forward-looking statements as a result of many factors, including, but not limited to, overall industry environment, customer acceptance of our products, delay in the introduction of new products, further approvals of regulatory authorities, adverse court rulings, production and/or quality control problems, the denial, suspension or revocation of permits or licenses by regulatory or governmental authorities, termination or non-renewal of customer contracts, competitive pressures and general economic conditions, and our financial condition. These and other risks and uncertainties are described in more detail in our most recent SB-2 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. We undertake no obligation to update or revise such statements to reflect new circumstances or unanticipated events as they occur, except as required by applicable laws, and you are urged to review and consider disclosures that we make in the reports that we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission that discuss other factors germane to our business Via RE

US WIND POWER INSTALLATIONS TO RISE 63 PCT IN 2007

Timothy Gardner and Marguerita Choy

US wind power installations are projected to jump 63 percent this year amid concern about global warming and rising fuel prices, an industry group said on Friday

NEW YORK, US: November 10, 2007.- The US wind industry is on track to complete a total of 4,000 megawatts worth of installations in 2007, or about enough to power 1 million average homes, according to the American Wind Energy Association.

The new projection beats AWEA’s previous expectation for the year by about 33 percent.

“This is great news because it means that new, readily available, clean generation is reaching consumers at a time when electricity demand and global warming concerns are both on the rise,” said Randall Swisher, AWEA’s executive director, said in a release.

Texas leads the country this year in wind power installments with California, Iowa and Minnesota close behind.

While wind power growth has been strong in recent years, it only generates a tiny fraction of US electricity. Last year alternative power sources, including solar energy, but excluding hydropower, generated 2.4 percent of US electricity, according to the the US Energy Information Administration.

Wind power has benefited amid concern about emissions of the main greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, from coal, which generates about half of US electricity and natural gas, which generates about 20 percent of the country’s power. In some areas of the country, wind power costs roughly the same as traditional power from the grid.

The US Congress is considering bills that would limit greenhouse gas emissions, though President George W. Bush has opposed such regulations.

AWEA said a long-term national policy to promote alternative energy is needed to assure strong wind power growth going forward. A federal production tax credit for renewable energy will expire in December next year.

(Reuters)

OLPC On Sale for All!

The Greenest Laptop in existence is officially going on sale for everyone, starting Monday, November 12th! But act fast...because it'll only be available for two weeks. While the laptop was originally designed for a market that is quite different from American Christmas shoppers, the One Laptop Per Child XO is likely going to sell pretty well...for a few interesting reasons.

First, you get to feel good about your gadget. Not only does the $100 XO consume less power than any other laptop while looking to last longer than the average 3-year computer, you also cannot buy one for yourself (or your child) without donating one to a child in a developing nation.

This "$100" laptop can only be purchased for that price by governments and NGOs. If you want one for youself, you'll have to pay a much more significant $400, the profits of which will buy one for a child in a developing nation and help finance the OLPC project.

The computers come with a web browser, a writing pad, an integrated video camera, and wireless Internet, and there are a variety of options for powering the device, from solar power to a hand crank! It's a great gift for an EcoGeek, or a child who can learn about computers while learning about the developing world. I'm totally sold on this one...even if $400 is a ridiculously high price for what you actually get. Ecogeek

Wal-Mart's Ultra-Efficient Linux PC Sells Out

Well...after all the naysaying, it took about a week for Wal-Mart's $200 green Linux PC to sell out of their online warehouses. Of course, it probably isn't selling quite that fast in stores.

The Everex machine, which runs on a power-sipping Via 1.5 Ghz processor, is the first Ubuntu machine to be sold by any major retailer. It's strange that Wal-Mart was the pioneer here, but their constant search for lower prices meshes well with the freeness of Linux. After all, you can buy the hardware for less than the cost of Microsoft Office and get everything you need (except a monitor).

Wal-Mart's sales page is now littered with positive reviews from people who've never used Linux before (and even a couple people who've never used a PC before). The overwhelming theme is that the machine isn't impressive in any way...but it is just as useful as the majority of Windows machines that roll off the shelves for two or three times the cost (without a built-in office suite).

In the end, it's a lower-end machine that runs blazingly fast because the OS doesn't hog all the resources. That's real efficiency, and if I wasn't so married to my graphics applications, I'd consider the switch myself. ecoogeek

Sweden's Green Car Explosion

At this week's Clean Vehicles and Fuels conference in Stockholm, city officials released an updated survey showing that 50 percent of city residents would consider shopping for a "miljöbil" when they buy their next car. That's a huge increase from 2004, the last time the survey was done, when just 20 percent of respondents said they'd consider buying a green, or environmentally friendlier car.

One reason for the mental shift has to be Stockholm's congestion tax, newly implemented this year after a 2006 trial. Registered green cars are exempt from the automated tax, and thus are becoming highly sought after - a total of more than 25,000 have been sold since May, to both consumers and for fleets.

A big percentage of those green cars are 'bi-fuel' models that run on either regular gas or the E85 ethanol blend. Sales of ethanol bi-fuels in Sweden more than doubled from 21,000 by the end of 2005 to 46,000 by the end of 2006. But just as Swedish consumers jump on the ethanol trend big time, officials are going another direction.

City governments in Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö are putting their resources into a better biogas - compressed natural gas - infrastructure. Unfortunately, a series of unfortunate events - including Volvo dropping its biogas models in 2006 - means biogas cars are few and far between still in Sweden, though more widely available in other European countries. A little surprisingly, Italy is the biggest biogas car driving nation - with 413,000 vehicles, while Germany produces the most biogas - 2,000,000 tons annually. The scarcity of biogas cars is forcing Swedes to import from other countries, especially Germany. Thus two new biogas cars hotly awaited here are the 2008 Passat Ecofuel (pictured), and the Mercedes B170 NGT Treehugger
Energía solar fotovoltaica

Solar Energy tower in Australia

The worlds larger solar tower will be built in Australia, it will be done in 2005 and will work without having a negative impact over the environment. It will generate 200mw all over a surface of 5 square km of solar cells.

The tower will be built within 2 years and will cost 380 millions of euros, I will transform the mass of the energy in air. To keep the warmth during night the platform will be over solar tubes filled with water. Those panels heat the air that goes to a chimney.

Days and Nights

As the hot air tends to raise and the environmental temperature diminishes a degree each one hundred meters of altitude, an airflow crosses the chimney permanently driving thirtytwo turbines, of a capacity of 6.5 MW each one, that are the ones that feed the generator . The power station will generate electricity thus all the day and all the night and all thanks to solar energy.

The solar power station its like a huge chimney and it will be installed in the region of Buronga, 625 kilometers to the Southeast of Sydney. Its emanations consist solely of hot airflows and steam, which turns it into a totally ecological initiative.

At the present time, Australia obtains 90% of the electricity through coal power stations, which are highly polluting. In order to produce 200MW and to illuminate 200,000 homes, these power stations generate 900,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year.

The solar energy radiation that the Earth receives in less than one hour is equivalent to the human consumption of energy of a year and giving it a thought, in less than 20 years, more than billion people will take advantage of the energy emitted by the “star king”.

The Answer for the desert

If the project is successful, the promoter company, Schlaich Bergermann and Partner, of Stuttgart, will build other four power stations in Australia before 2010 and is possible that more will be built in the United States and Canada, as well as in Mexico and Spain.

The company has acquired the rights to even develop this technology in Jordan, Vietnam, China, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Egypt. To confirm their effectiveness and environmental iniquity, towers of this type would be the power solution of the desert regions of the world.

In 1982 the beginning of operation in an installation was proven in a Spain pilot of 50 kW in Manzanares (Madrid). The chimney had a small of only 195 meters, and the field of collectors a diameter of 240 meters. It worked during seven years and now it is used in Australia with better conditions, being in a very sunny region with ample uninhabited spaces around.

The facilities combine a fascinating and simple way of the physical phenomena of the chimney and conservatory effect. The process is the following one: under a flat and round glass ceiling air by means of solar energy is warmed up and raises through a located chimney in the center of the circle and impels an air turbine that is located in the lower part of the chimney.