How to Bike to Work (Or Anywhere Else)

With soaring gasoline prices — and a hint of autumn in the air — there’s never been a better time to start bicycling to work. Here’s how to get rolling!

Today is World Carfree Day. Now in its eighth year, this international event is a terrific showcase for alternative means of moving people from place to place. Even if you can’t leave your car in the driveway this morning, it’s a great time to consider walking, public transportation — and the greenest, most efficient form of transport ever devised: cycling.

Once a novelty of the Industrial Revolution, bicycles now supply millions of people with efficient, healthy, pollution-free daily transportation. Bicycles can reduce traffic congestion and noise. You can park a dozen bikes in the space of a single automobile, and the idea of a morning commute free of fossil fuels seems particularly attractive in the face of rising fuel costs.

Even if you only cycle once a week — on Casual Fridays, perhaps — you’ll be reducing your weekly commute’s environment by 20 percent. That’s about the same as trading your current vehicle for a hybrid, and a lot cheaper.

Yes, you’ll sweat. No, you won’t smell like a horse around the office. Yes, you can really do this. You’ll be healthier and a little richer for the experience.

But commuting by bicycle takes planning. Let’s get started!

There’s an old saying that a journey starts with a single step. With bicycle commuting, though, your journey begins with deciding what happens once you arrive.

The first thing you need is a secure place to park your bike at work. Bikes tend to get in the way indoors, so keep yours out of hallways where people might knock it down or get their clothes greasy. A back room or storage area might work, but your best bet is probably outside — a covered location, if possible — with something solid for a locking support.

Mornings are the coolest time of day to ride, but depending on the length of your commute, you may want a place to change or freshen up. Talk to your employer about your plans and the possibility of setting up a bike-to-work program. If there are no suitable facilities where you work, look for a public washroom (or even a gym shower) within easy walking distance of your destination. You really don’t need much: just some privacy and room to change.
Are you in good enough shape?

Probably so. Whether you’re a casual commuter or a pro bike racer, cycling is all about pace.

The biggest mistake made by beginner cyclists is pushing too hard a gear. Regardless of how many “speeds” your bike might have, choose a midrange gear in which you can comfortably turn the pedals at 70 or 80 revolutions per minute. Over mixed terrain, use your gears to maintain this rhythm. This is the secret to efficient cycling. Spin — don’t grind.

Commuting should be a gently aerobic activity. If you’re feeling winded, ease back. As your fitness improves, you’ll be able to turn bigger gears at that 70 to 80 rpm cadence. Ride for pace, and the speed will come naturally.

As with all exercise regimes, consult your physician or primary care-giver before getting started.
Key consideration: route planning

The shortest way to work may not be the best. Scout roads with marked bicycle lanes. If none are available, look for routes that avoid overly narrow roads, tricky bridges or intersections, and open storm gratings.

Routes through residential areas are pleasant and usually have the benefit of lower traffic. But keep in mind that people are heading to work at the same time you are, and the most dangerous place on the road for a cyclist is the foot of a driveway. Watch for distracted drivers backing into the street. Avoid the temptation to hop up onto a sidewalk: it decreases the time a car has to spot you, and bikes are a hazard to pedestrians.

Once you’ve found a good route — find another. Part of the fun of cycling is slowing down enough to really see things. Vary your commute and keep things fresh.

CO2 Calculator adds up your carbon footprint

From Frepar Networks, makers of the Sub Spacial Communication Pod, comes a tool that will make tree huggers go crazy adding up the impending doom. The solar-powered CO2 Calculator allows you to take all of your daily activities and add them up to form your “carbon footprint”.

Everything from utilities to trash and recyclables are included in the handy pocket device, making just about any human activity easy to compute. Is this going too far? While perhaps useful as a teaching device (”OK class, spend one week calculating your environmental impact!”) obsessive compulsive carbon mathematicians now have a new toy. If Al Gore has his way, we may just be using these to calculate our yearly Carbon Tax payments as well!

It’s greatest potential, of course, is for learning. Japan is in the midst of a major Ecology boom that, while trendy, can always be good for creating environmental awareness at many different levels. For the next step, we’re eyeballing a function that calculates how much carbon is burned creating CO2 calculators. Gotta burn carbon to save carbon, right?

Al Gore to Buy Environmental Magazine, 'Plenty'

Al Gore's getting into the magazine business. Sources familiar with the former vice president's plans say he is set to announce the acquisition of a stake in Plenty, a four-year-old title about environmentally-conscious living. As it happens, Gore -- who already has a toe in the media business through his TV network, Current -- is on the cover of the current issue.

Asked about the situation, Plenty founder Mark Spellun acknowledged there is a deal of some sort in the works but said it was "not correct" to say that Gore was buying the company. "That wouldn't be quite accurate," he said. Pressed on whether that means Gore is purchasing some sort of interest, however, either directly or through another entity, Spellun declined to comment further, saying an announcement would come next week.

Whatever Gore's role in Plenty turns out to be, the title would seem to be a good fit with his post-political emphasis on curbing global warming. According to its media kit, Plenty uses more than than 85 percent recycled paper and keeps its production process carbon-neutral through the purchase of offsets. The magazine is published bimonthly and has a rate base (the minimum circulation guaranteed to advertisers) of 200,000.

Google Floats A Data Center Patent: Offshore,

Google seems to be positioning for a Water World-like scenario. That's hyperbole to get your attention to what Google has designed in the way of offshore data centers (see patent application filing here). What's Google designing for a non-apocalyptic future? Imagine a barge (as pictured) holding modular groupings of water-cooled servers, with all of them gobbling power from tethered wave generators. Save for the linked generators, all the component parts are off-the-shelf technology, including the cargo containers which comprise the 'modules'. Not so fantastic really. Combining free server-cooling with green energy gives real efficiency gains.

Think on the other benefits. Steady, green hydro-power capacities are threatened by climate-change in many areas, limiting future prospects for buying commercial quantities of stable green power. Adds an option.

Why does Google want to put them so far offshore? See below for some answers.

The design also offers freedom of choice for data-center siting. Put them where you need them, when you need them. (A very large slice of the worlds' population lives in coastal cities.)

The floating data centers would be located 3 to 7 miles from shore, in 50 to 70 meters of water. If perfected, this approach could be used to build 40 megawatt data centers that don’t require real estate or property taxes.

Via::Data Center Knowledge, Google Planning Offshore Data Barges.

Offshore waves, especially the sub surface "rollers" are quite steady and involve less turbulence than surface waves; and, the "data ship" being relatively far offshore would isolate it's generators from rip tides, tidal extremes, and traffic and anchor lines around busy harbor areas.

The self contained power sourcing would maintain operability in the event that political struggles or resource shortages threaten land-based power supplies. And did we mention that the power would be all green?

The modularity and flexibility of the proposal is a wonder.

From the patent application:-

Also, data centers, when in the form of shipping containers, may be quickly traded out when technology changes. Modularization also makes maintenance simpler; hardware that is corroded or worn out from the harsh salt water environment can be easily replaced with fresh hardware by swapping containers

In the event of a tropical storm, the ship would need to leave it's mooring and make for a safe harbor, where it would then perhaps reattach to the network and fire up diesel generators to run things until the storm has passed.

Would be an extreme bore to work on board, unless there were frequent shore junkets.

N.Y. Tests Turbines to Produce Power

But the capacity of the turbines is not the only stumbling block. There were years of environmental testing on the site, including an investment of more than $2 million to monitor the impact on fish and migratory birds. Both have avoided the big, clunky turbines thus far, Taylor said, but regulations require ongoing inspections.

The city needs new ways to generate energy because existing transmission lines from upstate are inadequate and the city's needs are growing, said James Gallagher, energy expert at the city's Economic Development Corp.

"We need generation within the city, and anything we can add in terms of clean, efficient, new generation, has a value to it," he said.

He and other analysts say tidal power is a small piece of the city's energy equation. In fact, New York is learning the rules of the game for its own brand of urban sustainable energy production: The winds and waters of this port city can be harnessed, but only in certain places. Tidal power is reliable, but small-scale. Wind power is cheap but rare. Solar power is unreliable, inconstant and expensive but easy to install.

Experts warn that before these alternatives are widely adopted, New York will have to upgrade its antiquated grid system, which is currently incapable of incorporating a great deal of power from multiple small sources.

The city's peak energy consumption is 12,000 megawatts at any given moment, said Stephen Hammer, the director of the Urban Energy Program at Columbia University. "The question is, 'What's our goal? How much of that 12,000 megawatts total do we want to try to achieve? What kind of cost burden do we want to bear to achieve it?'

So far, support has been relatively strong on Roosevelt Island, the quiet community between Manhattan and Queens that is the project's base. Developers began building that support in 2001, long before any installation, beginning with neighborhood meetings.

"I think it's a great thing," said Pia Doane, 63, speaking as she shopped for fruit at the Gristede's supermarket the project powers. She said she'd rather live in view of a turbine than a smokestack, such as those at the massive power plant just across the water, which she calls Asthma Alley. "This current has a big force," she said. "We should use it."

New Solar Power Plants

Californians will soon be using a more natural, less expensive way to produce their electricity. Pacific Gas and Electric (NYSE: PCG), which is based in San Francisco, will be making this possible by teaming up with builders SunPower (NasdaqGS: SPWR) and Optisolar.

Optisolar will be the leading builder, and PG&E is estimating that Optisolar’s facility, a 550-megawatt farm structure, will omit enough carbon emissions that are equivalent to removing 90,000 cars and their fuel pollution. Spain leads at this time, with their 23-megawatt plant, and Australia is in the process of building a 154-megawatt station.

California is bound by the legislative climate law AB 32, which requires them to turn back their greenhouse emissions to the level it was in 1990, by the year 2020. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is determined to make California, the highest producer of greenhouse emissions due to its immense population, the leader in environment policy making.

P G&E will be making this possible with their proposed plan to produce enough solar power to accommodate 250,000 homes. But they aren’t the only U.S. state determined to be the leader in solar power facilities. Floridian commissioners have given the green light for Florida Power and Light (Amex: FPU) to build three such facilities by 2009, the first of which will be the largest commercial solar-power plant in the state. SunPower has also been chosen by Florida to build their first 75-megawatt solar-power plant, stationed in Martin County.

This trend is becoming fastly embraced by all states, and will put the U.S. on the track to once again lead as pioneers in a fairly new frontier. The U.S. Senate is passing new laws, such as the Clean Energy Stimulus Act (S.2821), that will force each state to have to comply and rely on more natural resources for energy, while House Democrats are providing incentatives such as feed-in tariffs for states wishing to build solar-powered plants.

The projection is that within the next few years each state will have their own solar-energy projects in progress. This will end our dependency on energy fuel that is unhealthy for our planet, and with each effort to become so, the U.S. might well become the leader in solar-energy at a much lower cost to the consumer.

Solar Power Growth

Politics aside anything to help lower energy costs of all kinds is good. Questar just got the approval to hike rates 33%, which their profit for the last two quarters of the year were over 36%. Doesnt seem like the Fed needed to approve that hike to me.


Two companies are planning to build solar energy plants in the deserts of California close to an AFB now. Read Here This is very exciting especially the amount of power that each one can generate. I am all for this alternative fuel sources and I am left to ask myself why we havent done anything with it sooner.

Solar Powered Homes Sell Faster

While much of the residential real estate and building markets have faced severe challenges in recent months, there is one area that is shining brightly. SunPower Corporation (Nasdaq: SPWR), a Silicon Valley-based manufacturer of high-efficiency solar cells, solar panels and solar systems, announced today that new homes powered with SunPower solar electric power systems are selling more than twice as fast, on average, as new homes without solar. Additionally, a survey of owners of new homes with SunPower systems indicates that 92 percent would recommend a new solar home to a friend.

Solar Sells Faster

SunPower has installed, or is currently installing, its high-efficiency solar power technology in more than 75 new home communities throughout California. A recent study conducted by The Ryness Company found that new homes in 13 communities with SunPower solar panel systems were selling at an average of 3.46 homes per month, while sales of comparable homes without solar in adjacent or nearby communities were selling at a rate of 1.71 per month. Comparable communities were selected based upon geographic location, square footage and lot sizes, publicized sales prices and development concept. The data was gathered from sales in 2006 through March 2008 from three regions in the state.

– In the Sacramento region, new solar homes are selling at a rate of 3.20 per month, while comparable non-solar homes are selling at a rate of 1.90 per month.

– New solar homes in the San Francisco Bay Area are selling at a rate of 3.24 per month, while comparable non-solar homes are selling at a rate of 1.33 per month.

– In the Central Valley region, new solar homes are selling at a rate of 4.72 per month, while comparable non-solar homes are selling at a rate of 2.37 per month.

“Homebuyers value solar systems today because they can significantly reduce their electric bills and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Jon Nicholson, division president of Standard Pacific Homes in Sacramento. “Families in our energy-efficient solar communities are reducing their utility costs by up to 60 percent, and enjoy the satisfaction of generating their own clean, renewable energy.”

Satisfied Solar Home Owners

In a SunPower survey of 133 people who own new homes with SunPower solar panel systems, 92 percent of respondents said they would recommend a home with solar to a friend. Ninety percent indicated that inclusion of a solar power system was very important or somewhat important in their decision to buy their home. Eighty-five percent responded that they would definitely or likely buy another solar home in the future.

Comments gathered as part of the anonymous survey included the following:

– “We would not have purchased the larger home had it not been for the solar savings.”

– “We have already recommended [solar] to many of our friends.”

– “We have looked at other homes, even really liked the floor plans, but without solar it was out of the question.”

“Most of the builders we work with include the installation of high-performing SunPower solar power systems with high-quality energy efficiency features,” said Bill Kelly, general manager, New Homes Division, for SunPower. “This combination of solar technology and energy efficiency results in very low utility costs for the homeowner while improving home comfort. This is a great value for homeowners, and an investment by our homebuilder partners towards cleaner air and a better environment.”

Most homebuilders working with SunPower install the SunPower SunTile(R) system on their homes. SunTile is a roof-integrated system that blends seamlessly into the roof and features the most efficient solar technology available on the market.

SunPower’s survey is supported by a recently completed market research study of new construction home buyers commissioned by the California Energy Commission (http://www.gosolarcalifornia.ca.gov/builders/marketing_resources/index.html), which found that solar is generally seen “as a proven, reliable technology that can pay for itself and will help reduce global warming.” In addition, nearly all respondents consider residential solar power systems to be “user-friendly” and “low maintenance.”

SunPower works with homebuilders such as Centex, Standard Pacific, The Olson Company, and Woodside Homes.

About SunPower

SunPower Corporation (Nasdaq: SPWR) designs, manufactures and delivers high-performance solarelectric systems worldwide for residential, commercial and utility-scale power plant customers. SunPower high-efficiency solar cells and solar panels generate up to 50 percent more power than conventional solar technologies and have a uniquely attractive, all-black appearance. With headquarters in San Jose, Calif., SunPower has offices in North America, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit http://www.sunpowercorp.com. SunPower is a majority-owned subsidiary of Cypress Semiconductor Corp. (NYSE: CY).

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements are statements that do not represent historical facts. The company uses words and phrases such as “would,” “can,” and “will,” and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. Forward- looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, the company’s plans and expectations regarding: (a) installing solar power systems in more than 75 new home communities throughout California; (b) reducing electric bills by up to 60 percent; (c) lowering greenhouse gas emissions; (d) recommending a home with solar to a friend or buy another home with solar; (e) systems paying for themselves; and (f) reducing global warming. These forward-looking statements are based on information available to the company as of the date of this release and management’s current expectations, forecasts and assumptions, and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by these forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include a variety of factors, some of which are beyond the company’s control. In particular, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ include: (i) construction difficulties or potential delays in the project implementation process; (ii) unanticipated delays or difficulties securing necessary permits, licenses or other governmental approvals; (iii) the risk of continuation of supply of products and components from suppliers; (iv) unanticipated problems with deploying the systems on the sites; (v) the actual energy generation; (vi) the actual energy consumption rate; (vii) unexpected changes in utility service rates; (viii) variations in carbon dioxide emissions reductions; (ix) continued customer satisfaction; and (ix) other risks described in the company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 30, 2008, and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the company’s views as of any subsequent date, and the company is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any responsibility to, update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SunPower is a registered trademark of SunPower Corp. Cypress is a registered trademark of Cypress Semiconductor Corp. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Information on Solar Electric Power and GE

Solar energy is the mother of most renewable energies on earth. There are various ways to use this power, including in lighting around your home and even to power a vehicle. One of the biggest advantages to solar power is that it is free and it is also inexhaustible.

There are problems with solar power however, although just a few. One is that solar energy only works when the sun is shining, and so on cloudy and rainy days your solar powered appliances will not work. These are very minor downfalls however, and the benefits that you are offered by solar power are much more significant than the problems.

Solar electric power offers many more advantages than most people realize. There are many companies and businesses around the world that offer solar electric power applications, and GE is definitely one of the leaders here.

About the Company

GE is the company that most people around the world turn to for advanced power systems and around the clock energy services. They feature an installed base of steam and heavy duty gas turbines now has over 10,000 units and they are one of the most experienced and popular electric companies in the world.

GE and Solar Power

When it comes to solar electric power, the GE Company definitely knows what they are doing. GE’s solar electric power systems and products all offer high quality, reliable power generation technology for residential, commercial and industrial applications.

Their solar modules are especially popular, and their module line ranges from 66 watts to 200 watts, and feature heavy duty anodized frames and weather resistant junction boxes for easy and safe field interconnection.

Most other electric companies have also integrated solar electric power into their processes and products, but GE is definitely one that is leading the way.

If you are interested in starting to integrate solar power more into your own life, there are a few things that you can do. Maybe you want to start off small by simply changing the lights in and around your home to solar powered lights.

The use of solar power in the home is quickly becoming an attractive proposition for people around the world, and once implemented in the home, solar power can even be used to heat the entire house, which will obviously result in you saving thousands of dollars on the cost of your electricity.

Also keep in mind that cutting costs is only one of many benefits offered by solar energy, so it is definitely worth you at least checking out.

California To Get The Largest Ever Solar Power Plants

On Friday, solar panel maker SunPower Corp. announced it would join the huge project put together by Pacific Gas & Electric Corp., according to which two solar power plants will be built in California.

It was said the two plants would have an electricity output twelve times larger than the biggest similar power plant functional today. They will occupy more than 12 square miles of land in the middle of the state with solar panels; in any given cloudless day, they would generate around 800 megawatts, which is quite close to the power output a small nuclear plant would have.

The power is to be sold to Pacific Gas & Electric, which, by 2010, must obtain one fifth of its electricity from renewable sources.
According to Jennifer Zerwer, a spokeswoman for the utility, similar projects could be extrapolated all over the world; she considers it to be a milestone.

OptiSolar, maker of solar panels, is to deploy 550 megawatts in San Luis Obispo County. The SunPower Corporation, also a solar panel maker, but using a different type of technology, will install 250 megawatts somewhere else in the county. The panels provided by SunPower will be placed at a 20-degree angle towards south and will be able to switch exposure from east to west in order to continuously face the sun. OptiSolar’s panels will be built at a fixed angle; although they will be larger and less effective, they will also be cheaper to built and therefore the final results would pretty much be the same.