In the last two years, a new technology that produces energy from waste has become popular in European and Asian countries, such as Korea and Japan.

Korea’s Incheon city is currently running a facility that produces fuel from residential wastes. It gets rid of combustible wastes first, and makes Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) by compressing the rest of the waste.

This facility produces about 200 tons of RDF out of 150 tons of residential waste. RDF is known as efficient as anthracite in terms of energy efficiency. RDF is mostly used at a thermoelectric power plant or a paper-mill. Incheon city is planning to produce 1200 more tons of RDF this year.

Meanwhile, Denmark’s Thisted city gets its heating energy by burning abandoned straw and animal wastes. When straw and animal wastes are being burnt, they emit heat with little carbon dioxide, which makes them eco-friendly. In addition, Thisted city is getting about 20 percent of the electricity it needs from residential or industrial wastes.

There is a reason why many nations are becoming interested in energy made with waste. Since most waste is buried in the ground, many major cities worldwide are having trouble with securing places to bury those wastes. For nations with limited land space, like Korea, this problem is more serious. According to Korea’s Ministry of Environment, 83.6 percent of waste produced in Korea is recycled, but the rest of it is just buried in the ground every year. Therefore, several major cities in Korea, such as Incheon, Busan, Kwangju and Deagu either already built or seek to build a special facility to produce RDF.

European countries started producing energy by recycling waste earlier than Asian countries. Some of European countries not only produce RDF but also bio-gas, from food and sewage wastes.

Public transportation like subway or buses in Sweden’s Hammarby sjostad city are running by 100 percent recycled energy. Hammarby sjostad is known as “the city with zero carbon emission.” It is easy to spot people putting bio-gas in their vehicles at every gas stations in Hammarby sjostad city. According to Eurostat, only one percent of waste was buried in the ground in Sweden last year, thanks to Sweden’s effort to recycle waste.

Meanwhile, in Germany, there were 75 bio-gas plants that produce energy from food wastes and animal drops in the 1980s. However, now you can see about 2,000 bio-gas plants in Germany.

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February 25 Children in Kedungnoyo, Indonesia witnessed electronic light for the first time in their lives.  Kedungnoyo, which takes about five hours by car from the Indonesia’s second biggest city Surabaya to get to, is one of the poorest cities in Indonesia where about 223 people are making money by growing and selling crops. Since the electricity does not reach this town, the residents have never used any electronic goods or light at nighttime.

The Korea Green Foundation helped bring light to the town by pushing for the campaign to help cities in Asia without electricity to have sunlight-generated lamps. The foundation started this campaign because it realized that it is necessary for a lot of poor cities in Asia to have not only water, but light to enhance their quality of life.

According to the statistics released by the International Energy Agency (IEA), about 600 million people in Asia have no approach to the electricity. The statistics reveal that about 300 million people in India, 90 million in Bangladesh, 60 million in Indonesia, 50 million in Pakistan, 20 million in the Philippines, and 4 million in China, do not have any electricity.

The Korea Green Foundation decided to push for this campaign in April 2012, and devised the plan to distribute about 10,000 sunlight-generated lamps to people in Indonesia, Nepal, Cambodia, Bangladesh, India, and Myanmar from November 2012 to end of this year.

The sunlight-generated lamp is designed to last almost ten hours once it is charged for about four hours under the sunlight. It costs $200,000 to make one lamp, but once it is made, it does not cost any extra money to use, and this product can be used semi-permanently.

Korea Green Foundation is planning to raise about $2 billion to finish its campaign successfully, and it has already secured half a billion dollars from Korea’s Samsung Group.

The foundation was founded in 2002 as Korea’s first public foundation aiming to conserve the environment. It focuses on educational and cultural programs to raise awareness for urgent environmental issues. For that purpose, it annually holds the Green Film Festival in Seoul to introduce various environment-related films to the world, publishes books dealing with environmental issues, organizes forums and educational programs for children to adults, and runs the Eco Shop with eco-friendly products.

Image Courtesy : Timekin

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London, U.K. — As The New Economy announces the winners of the Cleantech and New Energy Awards, governments and organisations have made it clear that energy providers’ strategies are still fundamental to the future of business development.

The two-day blackout experienced across two thirds of India in July illustrated that the nation’s power demands rest on a knife edge. In a country whose cities use an estimated 40 percent of electricity on air conditioning to make working life tolerable, intelligent solutions are clearly required to utilise available energy to maximum efficiency. And India is far from the only country in this situation.

With the need for a smarter use of resources to meet ever-growing demands, the Cleantech and New Energy Awards 2012 offer commendation to the companies and projects whose work is pioneering new ways of generating energy and efficiency in energy usage. Their ingenuity in the field offers a brighter prospect for the use.

The award winners represent a large spectrum of intelligent ideas for the creation and saving of energy and resources. From better ways to preserve water to creating power via hydroelectricity, The New Economy has evaluated the projects that will serve and impact on the way of life well into the next century. The winners represent the companies who are delivering progress in this area while considering our relationship with the environment at the same time.

The Clean Tech and New Energy Awards 2012 also celebrate the companies who have pursued new thinking for existing technologies. Focusing on efficiency, these winners have demonstrated their excellence through projects such as achieving greater power generation from wind turbines and developing higher-yielding and less costly solar panels.

The New Economy presents these well-earned accolades and offers its warmest congratulations to all winners and looks forward to a brighter future they offer us.

The full announcement of The Clean Tech and New Energy Awards 2012, along with articles on some of the winning technologies, can be found in the Autumn edition of The New Economy in shops now. To see a full listing of award winners please visit their site.

World News Media is a leading publisher of quality financial and business magazines, enjoying a global distribution network that includes subscriber lists of the most prominent and senior decision-makers around the world, as well as comprehensive airport, hotel and conference site distribution.

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Las Vegas, U.S.A. – Xtreme Green Products, a manufacturer of 100% electric off-road vehicles, announced that through its distributor AB Safe in Mexico, Xtreme Green has sold 25 of its Sentinel Police Mobility Vehicles (PMV) to the police department in Guadalajara, Mexico which were recently deployed for use.

AB Safe SA De CV of Mexico City, Mexico (“AB Safe”) has the exclusive rights to distribute all five of the Company’s 100% electric specialty vehicles in twenty-nine States of Mexico and one Federal District of Mexico. Xtreme Green has the largest selection of electric specialty vehicles using Lithium Ion Iron Phosphate batteries in the world.

“It is exciting to see that the benefits of the Sentinel are of a global nature, not only from the perspective of green technology, but the practical policing benefits it offers. These vehicles are perfect for law enforcement agencies who are being asked to police larger areas with fewer officers. These vehicles provide officers greater response and mobility. The agencies using the PMVs have indicated a reduction of about 50% in crimes since they began using our vehicles,” said Roth.

“Mexico is a great market for us because of its large population and we expect to continue to see a steady growth pattern in Mexico for the Sentinels as well as our electric ATVs and UTVs,” said Roth.

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Danville, Ind., U.S.A. — Waste Management of Indiana, Wabash Valley Power Association and Hendricks Power Cooperative Wednesday dedicated a renewable energy generation facility that uses gas from landfill waste to generate electricity.

The celebration marks the completion of the fourth landfill gas-to-energy plant at the Twin Bridges Recycling and Disposal Facility. With the addition of the 3.2 megawatts of power from Twin Bridges IV, the site now generates the equivalent amount of electricity to power approximately 14,000 homes.

Twin Bridges IV represents Wabash Valley Power’s 14th landfill gas-to-energy facility, each of which is located throughout the northern half of Indiana on landfills owned by Waste Management. Through an exclusive partnership, Wabash Valley Power owns the power plants, while Waste Management of Indiana supplies the landfill gas and serves as the plant operator.

“In 2007, our Board of Directors set a goal to increase our ownership of diverse fuel resources,” explained Greg Wagoner, Vice President of Business Development, Wabash Valley Power. ”Yet while we want to be proactive in our pursuit of that goal, we remain committed to the delivery of affordable, reliable power to our member cooperatives. Our partnership with Waste Management of Indiana is instrumental in this process.”

Fuel for the Twin Bridges landfill gas-to-energy facility is derived from wastes buried in the landfill, which generate methane gas. A network of recovery wells and pipes control and collect the methane and convey it to an on-site power plant. There the gas is condensed, purified and used as fuel to drive engines that, in turn, drive electricity generators.

The engines used in this process are manufactured by Caterpillar, Inc. at its Lafayette (Ind.) Engine Center. At Twin Bridges IV, two 20-cylinder engines burn landfill gas (methane), each of which generates 1.6 megawatts of electricity. The facility is designed to be scalable, with the ability to grow to four engines as the landfill’s gas generation increases in future years.

“Our goal is to operate our landfill facilities in a way that meets the highest environmental standards,” said Brad Eisenhart, Senior District Manager for Waste Management of Indiana. ”The Twin Bridges landfill and gas-to-energy facilities do that and more by managing waste gases and channeling them to generate energy. This benefits the community in way that makes our people and company very proud.”

Waste Management has established as one of its sustainability goals doubling its waste-based energy production by the year 2020, he said.  Achieving this goal would mean its facilities across North America generate power to serve more than 2 million homes.

As part of a major expansion in 1993, Waste Management committed to make Twin Bridges an environmental and a recreational asset for the Danville community. The facility includes 975 acres with 237 acres permitted for solid waste disposal. Waste Management developed the facility to serve as an important local recreational area offering the community soccer and girls softball fields, an 18-hole golf course, a trap and skeet range, an archery range and other outdoor amenities. Twin Bridges received certifications by the Wildlife Habitat Council as a Corporate Lands for Learning and Wildlife at Work facility.

Waste Management and Wabash Valley Power partner on 14 landfill gas-to-energy facilities in Cass, Elkhart, Hendricks, Jay, Lake, La Porte, St. Joseph, and White counties.

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New York, U.S.A. — Toyota and the National Audubon Society awarded over $1 million in TogetherGreen Innovation Grants funding to 41 innovative environmental projects nationwide.

This year’s winning projects involve more than 150 conservation, environmental justice and community organizations working collaboratively on habitat, water and energy conservation. Many of the projects focus on engaging audiences that have traditionally been underrepresented in the conservation movement, from landowners to religious communities to inner-city students.

“Groups that won Innovation Grants this year have ingenuity and creativity on full display. And that’s what it takes to tackle the environmental challenges we face today,” said Audubon President and CEO David Yarnold. “I’m proud to partner with these innovators in creative approaches to achieve healthier communities and big conservation results.”

Sample projects that will receive 2012 funding include:

Habitat: In Connecticut, Audubon Connecticut and the Connecticut Student Conservation Association will create Audubon WildLife Guards, a Coastal Stewardship and Youth Conservation Training Program in Bridgeport, Conn. The program will provide green job training, mentoring and employment opportunities for high school students who will work to protect threatened beach nesting birds on Pleasure Beach, the largest intact barrier beach in the state.

Water: In Kansas, Friends of the Kaw, Inc., along with the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, Topeka Audubon Society and Jayhawk Audubon Society will launch the “Save Soldier Creek” campaign to minimize stormwater runoff  in the rural Soldier Creek watershed – reducing pollution and improving water quality and bird habitat).

Energy: In Arizona, Nina Mason Pulliam Rio Salado Audubon Center and Arizona Interfaith Power & Light will broaden its Footprints of Faith campaign to African American and Latino churches in Phoenix and Tucson promoting steps congregations can take to reduce their carbon footprints.

Engaging diverse audiences in conservation: In North Carolina, Wild South and its partners North Carolina Audubon Society, High Country Audubon Society, National Forests of NC and the Western North Carolina Alliance will reach out to military servicemen and women and nearby Asheville residents to involve them in controlling non-native invasive plants, monitoring bird populations, and educating the public on environmental issues. The goal of the project is to preserve the wilderness character and rare species habitat of the Linville Gorge Wilderness, one of the most rugged and scenic areas in the East.

“Toyota and Audubon really share in the belief that environmental change starts at the grassroots level,” said Patricia Salas Pineda, group vice president of national philanthropy and the Toyota USA Foundation. “We’re so proud to support this year’s Innovation Grants, which embody TogetherGreen’s commitment to conservation, innovation and diversity.”

Image Courtesy of   just.Luc

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Discovery Bay, U.S.A. – Starting August, 1 the world’s most efficient solar lamp becomes available to the American public through several online resources. Largely unknown to many in this country until recently, the WakaWaka Solar Lamp makes its debut after a very successful Kickstarter promotion completed in February. Patented solar technology enables WakaWaka to produce over 16 hours of excellent reading light on less than a day solar charge.

What do President Clinton, Janet Jackson, Walmart, Amazon and the Masai people of Kenya have in common? They all love the WakaWaka Solar Lamp and the business model on which it is built. “Yes, the design is dramatic, the technology is patented and the charging time ratio of 8 hours sunlight versus 16 hours reading light is amazing, but even more powerful is the business model created to help bring light to the 1.5 Billion people in the world living in darkness,” says Eric Clare, CEO of Digital Concepts 2.0, the exclusive distributor for WakaWaka in the USA.

Off-Grid Solutions (OGS) headquartered in the Netherlands is the creator of WakaWaka. They set out to find a solution for roughly 20 percent of the world’s population who still depend on toxic, expensive and dangerous kerosene lamps. They came up with a hi-tech, hi quality product providing the light families need who live at the so-called economic ‘Base of the Pyramid’.

Americans demand quality, hi-tech products but also have a growing desire to make a meaningful impact on the world around them. This led to the idea of creating a cool, useful, best of breed solar lamp that could be fairly priced in the U.S. with profits enabling a subsidy for families living at the bottom of the pyramid. “We found a way to enable people to deliver support not charity, a leveling of the playing field, making safe light affordable for people living on less than $2/day,” stated Camille van Gestel, OGS business director.

The World Bank researched the impact of solar LED lighting on the pass rate for students. Two years after introduction of the solar lamps the pass rate improved from 57% to 100%.

WakaWaka is more than just an efficient solar lamp. It is a story; a solar lamp on a mission. Hopefully U.S. citizens will lead the way out of darkness, while enjoying the benefits of WakaWaka Solar Lamp in their own lives.

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Huddersfield, England — Over the last few years many different companies have sprung up around the UK, all offering the same thing: solar panels.

Apollo Energy Technologies (formally Apollo Solar) are part of this industry, but also realise that carbon reduction is more than just installing solar panels. With this in mind, they evolved their business to offer customers independent advice on a range of alternative power technologies.

“We’re proud of our solar past,” states David Shaw, Operations Director “but when you look into our past, don’t just look at solar panels, look at the combined 50 years’ experience we have in electrical and mechanical engineering and renewable energies. Then you’ll realise how passionate we are.”

Indeed, Apollo Energy Technologies are a hub of products and information, not just installing renewable technologies but also offering a free energy audit to businesses in order to establish where they can reduce usage, save money and/ or make money.

“We don’t want to be the sort of company that say ‘you need this product’ we want to be the sort of company businesses can trust to give unbiased advice about the best way to save energy. We’re not tied to any one supplier or technology so our advice is independent.”

One business which understands the benefit of Apollo Energy Technologies’ expertise are a well known lace manufacturer in Somerset, who recently engaged in a GBP600k solar and biomass package. This investment saw them not only reduce their carbon emissions but also their dependence on oil and energy companies, future proofing their business.

As well as this, Apollo Energy Technologies offers favourable business finance options, which together with government incentives guarantees you get at least a cash neutral, if not a cost positive investment.

“There really has never been a better time to invest in green energy technologies.”

Although domestic renewable power has suffered from reduced pricing options from the government, large commercial funding has not been affected and there is no better time for businesses to invest in renewable energies.

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Annapolis, U.S.A. — Clean Wind Energy Tower, Inc. announced on July 23 the publishing of its patent titled Efficient Energy Conversion Devices & Methods by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

The patent covers specific aspects of deploying multiple turbines in a wind tunnel coupled to a novel hydraulic system capable of maintaining high efficiency hydraulic to electric conversion under a wide variance of wind speeds. The ultimate goal is to maximize the capture and utilization of all available wind energy in any given wind tunnel, as well as providing a consistency of power output during any deviations in wind speed. The Company considers this patent to be a “Core Patent” providing a significant barrier to entry for any potential competitor.

Ronald W. Pickett, President, Chief Executive Officer of CWET previously stated, “Our innovative solution of extracting the maximum energy generated by the captured wind, with the least loss of power throughout the transmission cycle from capture to exhaust, produces a much more consistent level of power output while compensating for the normal differentials in atmospheric conditions over any given period, and should coincide with our customers’ requirements. The technological concepts and applications claimed and embodied within this patent provide significant benefits toward enhancing the level of efficient power generation, as well as reducing operational costs.

The annual capacity factor for the downdraft portion of the Energy Tower is predicted at approximately 51%. Prime production periods are daytime and evening during spring, summer and fall, which closely align with electricity demand patterns. However, the External Wind Capture keeps working 24/7, whenever a wind is blowing, including cold winter months and at night.

Its capacity factor is estimated at approximately 75%, which raises the Energy Tower’s overall capacity factor to above 60%. Clean Wind believes that the Downdraft Tower will be capable of recapturing and recycling the vast majority of the water used to create the downdraft. This water may be returned to be reused in the Downdraft Tower or diverted for local potable water.

As currently designed, the Company anticipates that each Downdraft Tower will be capable of generating up to 1,200 megawatts per hour of salable electricity to the grid.  One megawatt equates to 1,000,000 watts or 1,000 kilowatts of electricity. Currently, avoided costs per kilowatt in California are running approximately $0.11 per kilowatt hour.

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New York, U.S.A. — In an effort to reduce vehicle air pollution, Duane Reade, in partnership with Mission Electric, is turning to New Yorkers to determine which of its stores should be served solely by electric trucks. New Yorkers can vote for locations they feel should receive 100% electric delivery via an interactive map (nyc.missionelectric.org) launched by Mission Electric, a non-profit and city government social engagement campaign focused on enhancing electric vehicle transportation.

Based on the campaign results, the two leading stores will be going electric, with five more pre-selected stores to follow in later months. Participants in the campaign will be entered in a contest to win Duane Reade ”green” gift baskets and gift cards. Combined, more than 30 stores have been identified as electric truck ready in the 4 boroughs boroughs of Queens, Bronx, Brooklyn, and Manhattan.

To reduce the impact of air pollution originating from vehicle deliveries, Duane Reade has purchased 14 new Smith Electric trucks that will replace almost 25% of the company’s truck fleet. The partnership with Mission Electric will reduce Duane Reade’s total green house gas impact by about 20 percent. That is the equivalent of removing over 1,000 vehicles’ tailpipe emissions from New York’s streets. Because the new trucks do not require combustion, their operation is almost silent, reducing noise levels from overnight deliveries.

“Partnering with Mission Electric is an important component of our effort to be green,” said Michael Fowles, Fleet Manager of Duane Reade. “This exciting project is an excellent way for us to get our stores and our customers involved in the process of a cleaner future. It fosters true engagement around common urban challenges of air pollution, noise, and congestion. Through this program we can more easily work together to continue to make NYC such a wonderful place to live and visit.”

“New Yorkers live in the fast lane, and this partnership will help them also take the green lane,” said David Bragdon, Director of the New York City Mayor’s Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability. “The City’s own municipal fleet is the second-largest public sector fleet in the nation, after the Federal Government’s, but it is important for the private sector to do its part too. Duane Reade’s investment in electric vehicles will help meet our ambitious PlaNYC goal of reducing NYC’s green house gas emissions. We’re pleased to work with all the partners in the Mission Electric campaign to drive forward to a greener, cleaner city.”

“Electric transportation isn’t the future it’s the present, and we want to ensure that everyone has a say on how this new technology unfolds,” said Christina Ficicchia, Executive Director of NYC and Lower Hudson Valley Clean Cities Coalition. “NYCLHVCC is excited to be Mission Electric’s founding partner and we hope that more businesses follow the example set by Duane Reade and the City of New York to get cleaner vehicles on the streets. We encourage New Yorkers to log on, vote and steer the way towards an electric future.”

About Duane Reade

Founded in 1960, Duane Reade is the largest drug store chain in New York City. In keeping with the company’s brand vision of New York Living Made Easy, Duane Reade provides New Yorkers with prescriptions, health products and services, beauty products and services, food and convenience items for daily life in the City…everything for “How I Feel”, “How I Look”, and “What I Need Now.” The company operates 250+ stores throughout the metropolitan New York region. Duane Reade is part of the Walgreens family of companies, the nation’s largest drugstore chain with more than 7,800 stores in all 50 states, theDistrict of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

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Guildford, England — The first dispenser in Europe of drinks using new technology is unveiled at the University of Surrey June 26 by its inventor American entrepreneur Mitchell Joseph.

Professor Roland Clift, of the Centre for Environmental Strategy (CES) at the University of Surrey, has been working with the Joseph Company of California in developing a way to deliver cooled drinks without refrigerated storage: the Chillcan technology. To chill the drink to about 15 degree(s) C below ambient temperature, the consumer just has to push a button on the base of the can. This releases pressurized carbon dioxide which is adsorbed onto activated carbon contained in an inner can. The release absorbs heat (the “heat of desorption”) which cools the drink, contained in the space between the inner and outer cans. The liquid is then ready to be poured or drunk from the top of the can in the usual way.

The Chillcan is much more climate-friendly than drinks stored in refrigerators. It avoids the power consumption and also leaks of refrigerant which represent contributions to greenhouse gas emissions causing climate change. The carbon dioxide is recovered from waste gases which would have gone into the atmosphere anyway. The activated carbon comes from biological waste – coconut shells, at present.

Roland Clift, Emeritus Professor at the University of Surrey and Executive Director of the International Society of Industrial Ecology, said: “Helping the development of the Chillcan has been a unique opportunity to apply the kind of systems thinking we have developed in the Centre for Environmental Strategy to a potentially disruptive high-volume consumer product.

“We have been able to help Mitchell Joseph by using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to ensure that the whole supply chain is environmentally sound. LCA has also shown where best to launch the can: to replace drinks dispensers which may be badly maintained, leaking energy and refrigerant.”

“It also shows the importance of recovering and re-using the chiller units, which is the next important stage in developing the Chillcan system.”

The Centre for Environmental Strategy at the University of Surrey is celebrating its 20th anniversary and the new drinks dispenser was launched at a special event to mark the occasion.

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Racine, Wisconsin, U.S.A. – SC Johnson continues to build its legacy as an environmental champion with the announcement that it will build two wind turbines at its largest global manufacturing plant, Waxdale, located in Mt. Pleasant, Wisconsin. The company received clearance to begin construction on the turbines, which will put wind power behind trusted brands such as Windex, Glade, Pledge, Raid and Scrubbing Bubbles. The turbines are expected to be operational by the end of 2012.

“This initiative is a visible symbol of our long legacy to do what’s right for the environment,” said Fisk Johnson, Chairman and CEO of SC Johnson. “The wind turbines allow us to expand our use of green energy in manufacturing our products. When completed, the addition of these wind turbines will enable us generate on average 100 percent of our electrical energy on-site at Waxdale, with approximately 60 percent of it coming from renewable sources.”

Waxdale, the size of 36 football fields, is SC Johnson’s largest global manufacturing facility. The wind turbines will generate approximately eight million KWH of electricity per year, the equivalent of powering more than 700 homes annually, and reduce carbon emissions associated with powering Waxdale by six thousand metric tons annually. The turbines are expected to be approximately 415 feet high.

The wind turbines are the latest in a series of renewable energy production investments at Waxdale. In addition to the practical energy and sustainability benefits, the investment in the company’s Waxdale facility continues SC Johnson’s commitment to manufacturing in the Racine community.

Wind Turbines – The Facts, Benefits

The company expects the wind turbines will produce approximately 15 percent of the electrical energy used at Waxdale. The remaining approximately 85 percent of Waxdale’s electrical energy requirements can be produced by two co-generation units installed during the last decade that produce electrical energy and steam. Approximately 27 million KWH per year or 45 percent will be renewable energy from landfill gases used by co-generation unit one; on average, the remaining 23 million KWH or 40 percent will be from methane/clean energy used by co-generation unit two. The electricity generated will be the energy equivalent of more than 600,000 gallons of gasoline every year, equal to an average amount of gas used by more than 1,100 cars annually. This effort will reduce annual carbon emissions associated with powering the Waxdale plant by six thousand metric tons.

Reducing Resource Use

Sustainability has been a focus for SC Johnson for decades. In late 2011, the company was recognized with a Green Power Leadership Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for their commitment and contribution to the advancement of the nation’s voluntary green power market.Three SWIFT mini-wind turbines at its Racine, Wisconsin. Corporate Headquarters that were installed as a pilot program in 2010, with the goal of reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions while raising awareness that renewable energy can be used in urban settings. In their first year of operation, the mini-turbines have reduced GHGs by 580 pounds.

The company also installed three SWIFT turbines at their Lowell, Ark. sales office in May 2012. Once fully operational, they will be connected to the site’s electrical distribution system and will be capable of generating as much as 3,600 kWh of electricity annually – the equivalent to the carbon dioxide emissions reduction from 278 gallons of gasoline consumed. The 2009 construction of a 262-foot-tall wind turbine tower helps power SC Johnson’s European manufacturing facility in Mijdrecht, Netherlands. It produces approximately five to six million kWh of electricity a year – eliminating 3,500-4,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually.

An innovative burner/boiler system that since 2007 has enabled the company’s Medan, Indonesia, factory to run on palm shells, the remaining waste of the palm oil industry. Rather than being burned as a waste product, the shells are used as a fuel source, transferring them to the value chain with minimal environmental impact and reducing the company’s diesel fuel usage by 80 percent.

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Brussels, Belgium - During a few days in mid-June, a delegation of over 50 crop protection industry and authority representatives together with farmers from various European countries gather in Sinaia, Romania, for a conference on the safe and sustainable use of pesticides.

Each year the conference is organized in one of the countries implementing ECPA’s European crop protection industry-initiated Safe Use Initiative (SUI) – a program designed to provide farmers and operators with an easy to use toolbox to successfully increase crop protection user safety. This year the conference has been organized by AIPROM (The Romanian Crop Protection Association) together with the Romanian Ministry of Agriculture.

Participants will have the opportunity to learn and exchange views and experiences on all aspects of applying plant protection products in a safe and sustainable way. The conference also includes a farm visit in the region, where participants will have the chance to see the practical implementation of the SUI principles.

“SUI has enjoyed continued success over the past years. “In Romania, the SUI training manual produced by the AIPROM was endorsed with the logo of the Romanian Ministry of Agriculture and University of Agronomy in Bucharest. This will increase SUI awareness and hopefully have an enormous impact on farmer’s uptake of the recommendations” said Yves Picquet, President of AIPROM.

In Slovakia, where the SUI program is also established, the Slovakian Crop Protection’s Association’s video- guide comprising of 16 clips[1] on how to properly use pesticides has been endorsed by the Slovakian Ministry of Agriculture and is now the official video-manual from application techniques to proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and disposal of the containers.

The SUI recommendations have not only been appreciated by European authorities. In France, during the 2012 International Exhibition of Agriculture, farmers awarded UIPP (The French Crop Protection Association) and partners for its risk awareness campaign ‘un tel outil de travail, ca se protege’. “This campaign highlights not only one of the key elements of basic Personal Protective Equipment, i.e. the need of gloves when handling crop protection products, but also risk management and prevention on farm. We are very proud to have received this award and of being positively recognized by the farming community” – commented Jean-Charles Bocquet, the Director General of UIPP.

“In the ten years that our network has been running the Safe Use Initiative project we have seen a great impact and uptake of the recommendations. Today we are running SUI it in 12[2] countries and the intention is to share the SUI principles with all Member States. Farmer and operator health is key, and the easy to apply measures of the SUI contribute to a vibrant sustainable agriculture sector” – Friedhelm Schmider, Director General of the European Crop Protection Association (ECPA) concluded.

Image Courtesy of   Herald Post

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A new study released by the Health Effects Institute (HEI) provides important new insights on the advancements in clean diesel technology and ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel, according to Allen Schaeffer, Executive Director of the Diesel Technology Forum.

The peer-reviewed study entitled “HEI Research Report 166: Advanced Collaborative Emissions Study (ACES) Subchronic Exposure Results: Biological Responses in Rats and Mice and Assessment of Genotoxicity,” was conducted by the Health Effects Institute (HEI) in collaboration with the Coordinating Research Council.

The goal of ACES is to test the emissions and health effects of the new technology diesel engines to document the improvements that have been made and to ensure that there are no unintended emissions from this new technology.  The study evaluated impacts from exposure to diesel exhaust emissions on laboratory animals over various time intervals.

In their Commentary on the study the ACES Review Panel concluded: “Overall, these results showed few biologic effects related to diesel exhaust exposure.”

“As this new study illustrates, the 2007 compliant diesel technology provided historic improvements in reducing particulate and nitrogen oxide emissions,” Schaeffer said.

“And the 2010 and newer diesel technology is even cleaner with near zero emissions. In the past decade, emissions from heavy-duty diesel trucks and buses have been reduced by 99 percent for nitrogen oxides (NOx) – an ozone precursor – and 98 percent for particulate emissions which include black carbon,” Schaeffer said.

While this study is limited to highway diesel engines like those used in commercial trucks and buses, virtually the same technologies (cleaner diesel fuel and advanced engine and emissions controls) are being phased in for all non-road engines and equipment used in construction, agriculture, mining and other industries.

“Getting to these near-zero levels of emissions is a result of the highly integrated clean diesel system – cleaner ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel, advanced engine technologies and emissions control systems,” Schaeffer said.  “Not only are the engines near zero emissions, they are also achieving important gains in fuel efficiency of anywhere from two to 10 percent, bringing valuable savings to owners and operators of new clean diesel engines.”

Schaeffer said the findings in the new HEI report coincide with the Environmental Protection Agency’s recently-released ”Report to Congress on Black Report”, which stated: ”The United States will achieve substantial (black carbon) emissions reductions by 2030, largely due to controls on new mobile diesel engines.  Diesel retrofit programs for in-use mobile sources are a valuable complement to new engine standards for reducing emissions.”

“Today, diesel engines are responsible for less than six percent of all particulate emissions in the U.S.,” Schaeffer said.  “As clean diesel technology continues to advance, these improvements will be even more significant.”

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Multi stakeholder initiative, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) reported unprecedented growth for Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO) in the year 2011 as accounted for in its inaugural qualitative review entitled “2011 RSPO CSPO Growth Interpretation Narrative” (2011 GIN). The 2011 GIN, the first of its kind for any sustainable commodity, will be an annual report aimed at recording and analysing the growth and trends of RSPO and CSPO in the global marketplace.

The report confirms the upward trend in the supply and sale of sustainable palm oil, since the certification of the commodity was first launched by the RSPO in 2008. From 2009 to 2011 supply of CSPO has increased by 250% (1,357,511 metric tons in 2009 to 4,798,512 metric tons in 2011) while sales volume has grown by over 6 times, approximately 620% (343,857 metric tons in 2009 to 2,490,526 metric tons in 2011).

According to the report, the year-on-year supply of CSPO in 2011 increased by 73%, reaching 4,798,512 metric tons compared to 2,773,567 metric tons in 2010, while year-on-year sales volume increased by a whopping 94%.

The remarkable surge in supply can be attributed to the rising number of certified growers entering into RSPO’s certification process. While in 2008, RSPO could count 17 certified mills in just two countries (Malaysia and Papua New Guinea), today there are 29 grower companies with 135 certified mills in six countries: Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands - an increase in certified mills of approximately 8 times over a 3 year period.

Darrel Webber, Secretary General of the RSPO commented that: “The growth of CSPO has shown an escalating trend and clearly reflects the inclination of sustainability standards towards palm oil. RSPO praises the efforts of growers for embarking on the certification process and committing themselves to the RSPO Principles and Criteria.

A total of US$21.5 million worth of premiums has been paid to date to RSPO certified growers since the first certificates via the Book & Claim system under the GreenPalm were traded in 2008 – and we hope that the growers have found this valuable in empowering their transformation to sustainable cultivation practices.”

RSPO membership has also been rapidly expanding in the past year. Membership  of consumer goods manufacturer increased by over 60% while the retailers category increased by 50% – both primarily from the European regions which is an affirmative step in accelerating demand of CSPO. The processors & traders category also intensified by over 30% strengthening commitment along the palm oil supply chain, another integral development in transforming the market.

“Central to all these strategies, is the RSPO commitment to our philosophy of harmonizing the interests of diverse group of nations, organizations and individuals through an inclusive, participative and consensual process. We will continue our openness, responsiveness, accessibility and accountability. Despite the dynamic landscape, our pursuit for transformation to make sustainable palm oil the norm does seem to be drawing closer.” Webber reiterated.

Jan Kees Vis, RSPO President and Global Director Sustainable Sourcing Development for Unilever said: “While reflecting on the trends and performance of 2011, the RSPO will advance forward focused on 3 strategic pillars for 2012 which include:

The first strategic pillar will be to increase CSPO uptake amongst current demand markets while penetrating major new markets for sustainable palm oil.

We aim to achieve this by: driving membership and strategic collaborations in new demand markets such as India and China, increasing membership throughout the supply chain to focus more on processors & traders to consumer goods manufacturers and retailers, tracking the annual communications on progress reports by members on their pledge towards CSPO; and promoting and marketing the adoption of the RSPO trademark.

The second strategic pillar will be focused on continuing certification momentum in large producer nations, while concurrently guiding and accelerating certification in new frontiers. We will do this through engagement and outreach within our multi stakeholder structure and also with various governments, member companies and associations; as well as facilitating funding and capacity building mechanisms for smallholders and new frontiers.

The third strategic pillar will be to enhance RSPO’s international standards for certification through the current review process of its Principles & Criteria, and address significant concerns such as GHG emissions and Indirect Land Use Change; guide and facilitate the New Planting Procedure and Supply Chain Certification process, commit to solving grievance concerns through a constructive engagement process; and develop acceptance of RSPO standards for other international schemes such as those for biofuels and benchmarking our standards through strategic and synergistic collaboration.” Vis further commented.

News Release: Inaugural Report Shows Impressive Uptake of RSPO Certified Sustainable Palm Oil in 2011

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Only two months after the testing and approval of its small scale model (in cooperation with the Hydro Mechanic Institute of Kiev), Eco Wave Power is already in final construction phases of its medium scale wave energy generation system. The medium scale power plant will be implemented on a pier in the Black sea during the first quarter of 2012, and will produce a minimum of stable 5KW from each floater.

As can be seen in the company’s website (http://www.ecowavepower.com), the company has already secured funding for three ocean energy generation systems, the last of which will be a full-size commercial scale power plant, with the ability to supply electricity up to 1000 households.

According to the founder, Mr. David Leb: “When Eco Wave Power started to develop its unique wave energy technology, we knew that the greatest challenge of the wave energy industry is to find the “golden middle” between producing the maximum amount of KW, while still insuring the reliability and the long life span of the system.

The problem was that on the one hand high waves enable the greatest KW production, but also impose the highest risk to the system. On the other hand, low waves do not endanger the system, yet they also do not produce sufficient KW amounts. Another problematic issue important to address is the cost of such system”.

The developing countries had spent as much as $40 to $60 billion a year on electricity by the end of the 20th century (G8, RETF, 2001), and still approximately 40% of the population in these countries remains without access to electricity.

These countries need a reliable, yet cost-efficient solution to their energy needs, and therefore one of the greatest emphases in EWP’s development process was the price.

EWP’s system is being developed to produce electricity for a cheaper price then traditional energy generation methods such as: coal, gas and oil and also cheaper then renewable energy generation methods such as: wind or Solar.

Mr. David Leb, will be making a presentation titled “Wave Energy Generation Difficulties Solved by Eco Wave Power” at the “Energy Harvesting and Storage” conference by IDTechEx, to be held in Berlin, Germany on the 15-16 of May, 2012.

In such conference, Mr. Leb will explain how Eco Wave Power’s technology is able to address four major issues: Cost, Reliability, Compatibility and Sufficient energy production, which were always seen as barriers to the commercialization of wave energy technologies.

The conference will host top of the field companies, such as: Volvo, Nokia, Jaguar, Sharp, Philips, ABB, Microsemi and more, and will reinforce Eco Wave Power’s position as a leading company in the wave energy field.

For further info with regard to the conference and the speakers, please visit: http://www.idtechex.com/energy-harvesting-europe/speakers.asp

Eco Wave Power came up with a realistic product in the wave energy field, and during the upcoming testing of the medium-scale system “Our work will be the presentation of our capabilities” (Edward Gibbon).

Image Courtesy of   http://www.ecowavepower.com/

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With India’s highest solar radiation in western Rajasthan, half of India’s solar capacity in 2022 could come from this state, says Satya Kumar, managing director of Shri Shakti Alternative Energy.

The high radiation in combination with a large amount of sunny days in Rajasthan makes it by far the most popular location for projects under the National Solar Mission. The average tariff of all project bids under the second round of the National Solar Mission was as low as Rs.8.78/Kwh.

“The natural reaction of some investors to this outcome was that it’s too low. But if you analyse the conditions in Rajasthan, it will become clear that this tariff is viable,” says Kumar, who researched a case for a 10MW plant in Rajasthan. Shri Shakti Alernative Energy Ltd is developing the infrastructure for a 100MW private solar park being developed under an MoU with Government of Rajasthan.

“In western Rajasthan, a Capacity Utilisation Factor (CUF) of 21 percent can be achieved,” Kumar further explains. “In Germany, the world solar capital, this is typically 13 percent. This means that a 1MW solar plant in western Rajasthan can produce 1.85 million units per year, compared to around 1.6 million units elsewhere in India.”

“The conditions in Rajasthan are so favourable, that it will be amongst the most logical places in the world to implement solar power,” says Edwin Koot, CEO of Solarplaza, a Netherlands based information platform for international solar energy stakeholders.

Solarplaza is organizing the conference The Solar Future: India II on 29 February in Jaipur. “It’s only a matter of time for solar power to take off on a large scale in Rajasthan,” says Koot, explaining the choice of location.

Besides attention for the benefits of Rajasthan and other local developments, the conference will host internationally renowned speakers with an eye for global trends and inspirational future visions. This in combination with an informal networking atmosphere gives the event a unique character.

Speakers include Ravindra Raina, President of India operations, Astonfield; Ravi Khanna, CEO of Solar Power Business of Aditya Birla Group; Jigar Shah – CEO, Carbon War Room; Vishal Shah – Managing Director & Senior Analyst Alternative Energy Deutsche Bank; Ashok Bhalotra, Ambassador, KuiperCompagnons; Madan Mohan Vijayvergia – Director (Technical), Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation.

http://www.thesolarfuture.in

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Whether in New Delhi or New York, Sao Paulo or Abu Dhabi, staying competitive in today’s building environment means keeping pace with rapid advancements in building trends and environmental issues.

Carrier, the world’s leader in high technology heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) solutions and a part of United Technologies is making it easy to learn the latest in green building technologies, sustainable design and engineering practices, bringing some of the world’s experts together under one roof for its 11th Global Engineering Conference, themed ”20/20 the Future in Focus: Rethink. Restore. Regenerate.”

Scheduled for March 18-20, 2012 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, the event features more than 20 workshops and presentations by a distinguished slate of international speakers, such as:

• George Berbari, CEO and founder of DC Pro Engineering, who will talk about accelerating citywide efficiency improvement based on his expertise from the Middle East.
• Markus Dochantschi, founder and principal of New York’s studioMDA, who will share his experience from around the globe, through his implementation of new building technologies and design of passive sustainability strategies for buildings in Japan, England, Switzerland and Austria.
• Ahmed Abdul Ganhi, chairman, Allied Consultants, from Egypt, who will review practices in the district cooling systems and pumping schemes to manage the impact on energy.
• Rohan Parikh from Infosys, one of India’s leading software companies, who will highlight what it takes to create a low-energy building.
• Rajan Rajendran, vice president, Engineering Services and Sustainability for Emerson Climate Technologies, who will speak on refrigerants of the future and how these choices can impact our industry through examples of his work with alternate refrigerants in the U.S., Europe and Asia.
• Vincent Tse, managing director, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Building MEP, China Region, who will discuss sustainable design in mega-large entertainment resorts and venues in Singapore andMacau.

In addition, keynote speakers such as Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair of the U.S. Green Building Council, and David Gottfried, founder of the U.S. Green Building Council  and World Green Building Council, will help create a vision for the future, focusing on rethinking current practices, restoring natural resources and developing regenerative initiatives.

Speakers will also spotlight new technology and engineering topics in the HVAC industry, as well as a variety of technical, multi-disciplinary, case study and sustainability topics. As a result of these workshops, attendees of the Global Engineering Conference will leave with immediate actionable practices and clarity on the future of buildings in our industry.

“At Carrier, we never rest on our accomplishments, but instead seek ways to continuously improve our products, our environment and the world,” said Geraud Darnis, president & CEO, UTC Climate, Controls & Security, and president of Carrier. “The Global Engineering Conference is another way we can create dialogue and share ideas on how we can rethink, restore and regenerate our resources.”

Continuing Education Units and Professional Development Hours will be awarded. To review the complete agenda for the event or to register, visit www.2012GEC.com.

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Research led by the Good Housekeeping Research Institute has found that  Zero Technologies – developers of the only dual ion exchange tap water filtration pitchers and dispensers, removed more pharmaceuticals and chemicals than market-leaders Brita and PUR.

Independent testing found ZeroWater’s 8-cup pitcher removes the highest percentage of 15 common tap water contaminants that are still unregulated, including BPA, ibuprofen, DEET and other drugs and chemicals. The research appears in the March issue of Good Housekeeping.  ZeroWater filtration products offer consumers an affordable and effective solution for at-home tap water filtration that outperforms Brita and PUR.

“We know pharmaceuticals are in our tap water, and that they can be dangerous. Unfortunately, this is an area that has been largely overlooked by regulators.  This research is exactly what is needed to moveWashington towards creating safety standards for pharmaceuticals,” said Doug Kellam, chief executive officer at Zero Technologies.

“The research also reveals what most people don’t realize: that really good filtration is available without having to spend a bundle.  Recent technology innovations enable filtration performance on par with expensive built-in systems.  At ZeroWater, we’re proud to be on the leading edge of these advances in order to make excellent filtration available at a reasonable cost.”

In addition to this new research, other third party organizations have cited ZeroWater as an industry leader.  ZeroWater is the only filter-pitcher  to receive NSF International’s certification for chromium-6 and lead reduction, and it has received recognition from the Water Quality Association (WQA) – the international trade association and Gold Seal product certification body – representing the residential, commercial and industrial water treatment industry.

ZeroWater is the only pitcher on the market that uses a patented five-level dual ion exchange and carbon filtration process to filter water. It is the only pitcher on the market that combines activated carbon and dual ion exchange technologies to eliminate virtually all dissolved solids in tap water.

This makes ZeroWater the only filter-pitcher on the market that delivers water that meets the Food and Drug Administration’s requirement for the amount of dissolved solids permitted in purified bottled water. All ZeroWater products include a laboratory-grade water testing meter and guarantees a “000″ reading on Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) to ensure great-tasting water.  The company was also first to offer a filter recycling program.

ZeroWater offers a variety of broadly available and affordable options for every person’s home tap water filtration needs, including a 23-cup Filter Dispenser, a 10-cup Pitcher, an 8-cup Pitcher and a 6-cup Space Saver Pitcher. Products are available online at ZeroWater.com, Amazon.com and many other online resellers, or at national retailers, including Target, Walmart, Bed Bath & Beyond, Meijer and Fry’s.

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The first Plantagon Greenhouse breaks ground. A new type of greenhouse for vertical farming, an international Centre of Excellence for Urban Agriculture, a demo-plant for Swedish clean-tech and a climate-smart way to use excess heating and CO2 from industries. The potential is tremendous and ambitions high for the new greenhouse being built in Linkoping, Sweden, near the regional energy company, Tekniska Verken. Not least, it will be a new landmark for the people in Linkoping to enjoy.

Representatives from Linkoping city, Plantagon and Tekniska Verken gathered for a symbolic groundbreaking ceremony. Once the drafting stage is complete, construction of the greenhouse will take an estimated 12-16 months.

“I am immensely proud that Linkoping is the chosen site for the first vertical greenhouse. We will be the first city in the world to test the new technology and the systems involved to develop sustainable agricultural solutions for future cities,” says Paul Lindvall, Mayor of Linkoping.

“We are full of praise for Plantagon’s exciting project launching in Linkoping. Our ambition is to support the project with smart ideas for sustainable energy systems,” says Anders Jonsson, CEO of Tekniska Verken.

“This is a historic day for Plantagon. This ceremony marks the realization of the vision of creating functional sustainable solutions for the growing cities of today and tomorrow, where we can grow food in the cities in a resource-smart way, making use of the special conditions of the city,” says Hans Hassle, CEO of Plantagon.

The Plantagon greenhouse, developed together with Sweco, is designed for vertical agriculture of vegetables in urban areas. In cooperation with several partners, Plantagon plans to develop integrated solutions for energy, excess heat, waste, CO2 and water.

“With this greenhouse we’re developing and fine-tuning the technical systems required for vertical farming in urban areas, together with several well-known Swedish partner companies. We want to gather expertise in the field, and our long-term objective is to create an international Center of Excellence for Urban Agriculture here in Linkoping,” says Hans Hassle.

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The Plastic Packaging Market 2012-2022 is Visiongain ‘s new materials report for readers globally. Although the overall packaging industry was severely impacted by the economic recession, the plastic packaging market is gradually gaining significance through the latest technologies and enhanced products in the vast global packaging industry.

The global plastic packaging market is a steadily growing market which is expected to follow a modest growth rate in mature markets and a progressive above average growth rate in emerging markets. Visiongain calculates that the global plastic packaging market will reach $196.42bn in 2012.

Whilst the recession impacted demand for all types of packaging; upcoming environmental issues, changing consumer needs, high disposable incomes and improved packaging products, have resulted in sturdy growth for plastic packaging. Visiongain expects the global packaging market and in particular, the plastic packaging market to demonstrate solid growth in line with previously expected growth rates.

The emerging economies, which in total maintained positive growth during the crisis, will continue to register strong growth, driving demand for sustainable, lightweight, user-friendly and enhanced plastic packaging products in the coming decade. Plastics have increasingly replaced traditional materials in the packaging industry because of their lightweight and superior functionality. Although the consumption of flexible plastic packaging is growing at a rapid pace, rigid plastic packaging still holds the majority of the market.

A key trend that has been beneficial to growth has been a shift by the consumer to consumption at home. In an attempt to save money, many consumers are attempting to re-create the dining out experience at home, with intelligently packaged ready meals. As such plastic packaging applications are increasing in the food & beverage sectors. Also, the sub-markets of the consumer plastic packaging industry continue to rapidly develop, with stand out growth rates being witnessed in the personal care and healthcare sectors in particular.

The plastic packaging market stands immune to the recent economic downturn as technological advancements related to lightweight, convenient and sustainable packaging will retain its demand in the industry. Furthermore, key industry players and manufacturers are opting for better materials made from renewable sources for packaging purposes thus keeping them out of the landfills.

Environmental-friendliness and sustainability have become basic qualifying criterions for all packaging products. In this regard, the plastic packaging market is at a distinctive advantage since with the advent of biodegradable plastic and bio-plastic, the plastic packaging market has gained an edge over other packaging materials, which makes it easier to recycle, reduce and reuse and raise its eco-friendly profile.

The global plastic packaging industry is expected to exhibit solid growth, driven by three major drivers – escalating demand for lightweight and sustainable packaging solutions; healthier and better lifestyles worldwide; and rapidly developing emerging markets with improved disposable incomes and growing consumer demand for plastic packaging across all submarkets.

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Air-powered cars are motorized by compressed air motors. These cars can be exclusively powered by air, or they can be combined with other types of fuels such as electricity, gasoline, or ethanol. The idea of the compressed air motors is to use the kinetic energy that stores compressed air in a tank under high pressure, around 30 megapascals (4351.13 pounds per square inch).

These motors are considered among the greenest that can be used in personal transportation methods and are considered very eco-friendly cars by both European and Indian standards. The refueling of the vehicle can be done at home or with a normal air compressor at service stations.

The same compressed air can also be used in air conditioning for heating or cooling the passengers. Adding to the environmental and economical benefits of the air-powered cars, these cars would help in the reduction and elimination of chemical and thermal hazards by gasoline and battery acids.

The major Indian automobile company, Tata Motors, has announced that they will begin selling these cars, dubbed the Tata Mini CAT car, in the world market during 2012. According to the designers, the car has keyless operating and an access card to open the car doors and to start driving. It seats six, and the maximum speed of the car is about 105 kilometers per hour (65.24 miles per hour).

The starting price of the Mini CAT car begins at about $12,700 USD in the Indian market and will be available around the globe. Tata is using a technology from the Luxembourgian Motor Development International company (MDI) to produce this type of car to be sold commercially around the world.

This car was manufactured after failing to market the first version of the car due to difficulties of limited range and low engine temperatures. Tata called the first version Tata OneCAT, which was produced between 2008 and 2009. Following that, all OneCat information has been removed from Tata and MDI’s websites.

Tata also has other green cars, such as the Indica Vista EV and the Tata Nano EV, which are fully electric vehicles. Indica Vista EV is available in Indian, Norwegian, British, and Spanish markets with a price around 30,000 Euros ($38,464.94 USD). MDI also produces a lot of air-powered vehicles, including AIRPod, OneFlowAIR, MiniFlowAIR, CityFlowAIR, and MultiFlowAIR.

All MDI products range from 1,000 euros to 9,000 euros ($1,284.13 to $11,545.25 USD), and the air refueling would cost around 2 euros per 300 kilometers. The spread of environmentally friendly cars, instead of petrol-fueled cars, will help sustain life on our planet and save natural resources.

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The Vail Valley Foundation, in conjunction with Stanford University’s Precourt Institute for Energy (PIE) and Precourt Energy Efficiency Center (PEEC), will host the inaugural Vail Global Energy Forum (VGEF), March 3 and 4, 2012, at the Vilar Performing Arts Center (VPAC).

“The Vail Global Energy Forum is dedicated to the search for sustainable solutions to one of the most pressing issues of our times – how to produce enough clean, cost-efficient energy from reliable sources to power our global economy while we bridge the transition to breakthrough renewable energy solutions of the future,” said Vail resident, Jay Precourt, who endowed the Precourt Institute for Energy at Stanford University.

The VGEF will examine the combined challenges of energy supply, energy security, and the impacts of energy use that will shape the energy transitions underway now and in the decades to come.

“Beaver Creek is an ideal setting for the Vail Global Energy Forum,” said Harry Frampton, Chairman of the Vail Valley Foundation’s board of directors. “Colorado is both an energy-producing state and an acutely environmentally-aware state. It is also home to some of the fastest-growing new-energy business ‘incubators,’ devoted to the development of clean-energy solutions and Vail Resorts is a recreational leader in utilizing and promoting green technologies.”

The VGEF will bring together some of the world’s foremost leaders in their fields to discuss how best to provide the energy the world needs to support a productive global economy while limiting adverse effects on the environment.

Participants and speakers will include distinguished government officials, corporate executives, research scientists, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, investors and world-renowned journalists. Confirmed participants include George P. Shultz, former U.S. Secretary of State, Secretary of the Treasury and Secretary of Labor and now Distinguished Fellow of Stanford’s Hoover Institution; U.S. Senator Mark Udall of Colorado, Member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources; Jeffrey Ball, Former Environment Editor of The Wall Street Journal; Tom Petrie, Vice Chairman of Bank of America; Dr. Ernest Moniz, Director of the Energy Initiative at MIT; Dr. Burton Richter, Nobel Laureate in Physics, Senior Fellow at Stanford; and Dr. Nathan Lewis, Director, Lewis Research Group at Caltech.

Additional speakers and panelists will include Gregory Ebel, President and CEO of Spectra Energy; Tom Siebel, Founder of Siebel Systems; Dr. Franklin M. Orr, Director, Precourt Institute for Energy at Stanford; Dr. James Sweeney, Director, Precourt Energy Efficiency Center at Stanford; Dr. Sally Benson, Director, Global Climate and Energy Project, also at Stanford.

“Satisfying the worldwide demand for efficient and clean energy presents one of the greatest challenges of the century,” explained John L. Hennessy, President of Stanford University.  “It also represents a global opportunity.  The breakthrough research being done within the Precourt Institute of Energy at Stanford is addressing this challenge to find working solutions through technologies that are sustainable and affordable.”

The Vail Global Energy Forum is organized by the Vail Valley Foundation in collaboration with Jay Precourt, Dr. Franklin L. Orr, Dr. James Sweeney and Carl Colby, Executive Director VGEF.

The event will be open to the public, with ticket sales now underway.  Tickets are $100 for general admission and $175 for a “Signature Package,” which includes reserved seating, pre and post event receptions on Saturday, as well as continental breakfast on Sunday.

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The Gas Company (TGC), Hawaii’s clean gas energy provider, is now producing renewable natural gas (RNG) for Hawaii. The Gas Company is transforming non-food-grade oils and fats into clean, reliable gas and biofuels at its renewable natural gas pilot plant in West Oahu.

The renewable natural gas plant is capable of processing up to one million gallons of feedstock per year, and it is designed to allow for expansion to accommodate increasing demand and feedstock supply availability. The facility was designed in association with Primoris Renewables, a leading innovator in renewable energy technology, and is located on the premises of TGC’s synthetic natural gas (SNG) manufacturing plant in Oahu’s Campbell Industrial Park.

The Hawaii Renewable Energy Development Venture, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, awarded a $1 million grant to The Gas Company to support the RNG plant demonstration. No tax credit or further taxpayer support is required for the project. ”The production of renewable natural gas is a major milestone that will allow us to provide sustainable energy from local agricultural products that were previously discarded or shipped out of state,” said TGC’s president and CEO, Jeffrey Kissel.

The Gas Company is working with companies in Hawaii to purchase locally produced, sustainable non-food-grade oils and fats for the production of renewable natural gas. Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie participated in today’s dedication of the RNG plant.

“Hawaii’s clean energy industry is becoming a test bed for clean technologies because of our rich portfolio of renewable energy sources and strong partnerships,” he said. “Our state government has put in place the most aggressive clean energy policy in the nation, and The Gas Company’s renewable natural gas pilot plant is a prime example of how Hawaii is investing in itself rather than exporting its dollars elsewhere.”

Because Hawaii relies on imported petroleum for approximately 90 percent of its energy – more than twice as much as any other state – Hawaii’s state government launched the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative in 2008, calling for 70 percent clean energy by 2030. The Gas Company is working toward producing half of its gas from renewable and sustainable sources.

The new facility transforms fats and oils in a process that uses the heat from its existing gas production facilities, surplus hydrogen, and steam to produce renewable natural gas and biofuels.

The renewable natural gas and biofuels that the RNG pilot plant produces will be incorporated into The Gas Company’s existing manufacturing and distribution operations. Renewable natural gas will displace gas produced from petroleum and will be distributed through The Gas Company’s 1,100-mile Oahu pipeline network. The cost for renewable natural gas should be the same as, or less, than gas produced from current sources without relying on taxpayer subsidy.

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Research from SRI International has identified a promising new way to produce liquid transportation fuels from coal without consuming water or generating carbon dioxide. Based on data from bench-scale tests, SRI engineers estimate that the capital cost for a full-scale plant using SRI’s process would be less than half that of a conventional coal-to-liquids plant that uses a process called Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. FTS produces only a small fraction of the hydrocarbons needed for fuel and requires extensive recycling.

SRI’s new process uses natural gas to provide the hydrogen needed to convert coal to syngas (a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen). Syngas is first converted into methanol, which can then be efficiently processed to make transportation fuels.

Using natural gas eliminates the need to add water as a source of hydrogen, reduces the need to add energy to drive the gasification reaction, and results in the use of a smaller gasifier. In conventional CTL approaches, energy is supplied by burning a portion of the coal feed, which then produces carbon dioxide. SRI’s approach makes it economical to use carbon neutral electricity, such as nuclear, hydro, or solar as a source of additional energy.

“The implications of this research are expansive, including enhancing U.S. energy security through the use of domestic carbon sources,” said Robert Wilson, Ph.D., director, Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory, SRI International. “The process can also dramatically reduce the environmental footprint associated with alternative transportation fuels.”

SRI performed a series of analyses to examine the environmental impact of the technology under several scenarios. Based on these analyses, if diesel were produced using biogas as the source of methane, the resulting product would qualify as an alternative fuel under the revised Renewable Fuels Standard of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. The Act requires alternative fuels to meet a standard of 50 percent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions compared to other fuels.

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The Mercedes S400 hybrid proves you don’t have to sacrifice an iota of luxury to reduce your carbon footprint. The ‘S’ in the Mercedes S-Class series stands for sonderklasse, German for “special class” – a truly apt nomenclature for a vehicle that combines the classic style and sophistication of a luxury sedan with the hi-tech amenities and fuel economy of a cutting-edge hybrid model. For green limo service in Los Angeles, nothing rivals the elegance and the comfort of the Mercedes S400 Hybrid. Superior acceleration endures a smooth, quiet ride. A slew of luxury interior accommodations, including heated, ventilated seats complete with massage features, will make you think twice about getting out even after you’ve reached your destination. Indeed, saving the Earth never felt so good…

And now, you can find this gorgeous piece of machinery at KLS Transportation Services, a Los Angeles limousine company that has earned heaps of praise from its many loyal clients, but still refuses to rest on its laurels. The addition of the S400 represents their latest step to further improving on their service and offering their clients even more choices. Southern California has long been known as a pioneer in environmental sustainability. As a leader in the luxury transportation industry, it makes perfect sense for KLS to offer eco-friendly options to its large and ever-growing base of customers.

KLS has been serving the community for years, offering a wide variety of luxury vehicles that range from their Lincoln Town Car series to stretch limousines, a party bus in Los Angeles, and more. This is a Los Angeles limousine service that endeavors to always stay ahead of the curve, and the incorporation of hybrid technology into their extensive fleet is just one part of that continuing effort.

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“Even when it’s gray, concrete is green.” According to National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA), concrete has environmentally friendly features which make it the building material of choice for sustainability.

Concrete is the most widely used building material that has been used in various forms since the Roman times. The mixture of cement, aggregate, water, and chemical additives is a $35 billion industry in the United States alone. The operation and construction of buildings in the United States account for about 40 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions, often pointing to concrete as a major culprit.

However, a recent study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) asserts that certain measures can be taken to “drastically reduce and possibly eliminate” the carbon footprint of new concrete buildings and possibly even older ones as well.

The study looks at carbon emissions produced over the entire life-cycle of concrete buildings, from construction and use to demolition. The research was published by the MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub, which is funded by the cement and concrete industries. The two year study is believed to be the most detailed accounting ever taken on the life-cycle of buildings, focusing on sources of raw materials and their transportation.

Researchers found many areas of potential savings that would also cut emissions, such as expanding upon the thermal properties of concrete by incorporating it into the energy needs of buildings as insulation. Direct exposure to sunlight is also believed to allow heat storage during the winter and even at night.

The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has identified that green building is the most cost-effective way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, before real reductions take place, a reliable method for quantifying emissions needs to be established.

Cement and concrete companies hope to rise to that challenge by providing the MIT study in support of concrete as a sustainable building material. The goal of reducing life-cycle emissions from concrete buildings has been embraced by many in fact, leading The American Institute of Engineers to enter the 2030 challenge, an initiative to reduce building energy use.

Cities and other organizations have also joined the initiative, which calls for a 60 percent reduction of emissions immediately and a 100 percent reduction by 2030. If this is accomplished, concrete buildings will have no net energy consumption at all.

Falling in step with other multi process industries, the cement and concrete industry is going green through certification and taking more sustainable measures. The NRMCA has established a certification program for the multiple steps of cradle to grave construction, such as establishing concrete delivery professionals and sustainable concrete plant certifications.

Concrete has also been able to make the jump to being a sustainable choice through the development of alternative cements. Portland cement, invented in 1824, is the most commonly used cement throughout the world. The heating and mixing process to create this cement requires massive amounts of energy and emits alarming levels of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

To combat the high levels of greenhouse gases emitted as a byproduct of the concrete industry, Green innovators have invented cement substitutes such as fly ash, a waste product of coal combustion studied by MIT. Fly ash can be recycled to form a similar compound to Portland cement and displaces more than 25 percent of the cement used in traditional concrete.

Another break through of a more environmentally friendly concrete is pervious concrete, which as a 15-25 percent void structure that allows 3-8 gallons of water per minute to pass through each square foot. This allows rain water to drain back into the ground preventing run-off, an environmentally harmful process that has long been associated with pavement and cement.

To learn more about the green benefits of concrete, visit http://www.nrmca.org/greenconcrete/default.asp

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Since Japan saw March’s devastating earthquake hit, the island nation has been focusing on securing its energy supply with a focus on electric vehicles. With the Fukushima nuclear plant knocked out and many other plants affected by what has been called the worst earthquake in 300 years, widespread blackouts became common throughout the country. In response, off-the-grid electricity sources have become increasingly favored to prevent future failures.

According to the National Police Agency of Japan, the 8.9 Richter scale earthquake and tsunami that hit the Pacific coast of Tohoku severely affected five of the country’s top companies. Toyota Motor Corp., Sony Corp., Honda Motor Co.,  Nissan Motor Co. and Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. were the top five which suffered setbacks.

Nissan, the creator of the all-electric Leaf, has taken action by developing a solar charging system which stores its power in the Leaf’s lithium-ion battery. The automaker has installed 488 solar panels so far at its Japan headquarters which will provide enough power for 1,800 Leafs for a year.

Nissan suspended its operations at six plants immediately following the earthquake. Due to damages and small fires which broke out at the Tochigi and Iwaki Plant, restorations took place lasting longer only at the Iwaki engine plant which was in the quake zone. Production restarted March 24 with almost 1,300 Infiniti models lost due to damages during the quake.

While the company’s shares lost 10.1% following the wake of the earthquake, it has regained strength in shares as well as in the development. In a joint venture with Sumitomo Corp, Nissan plans to reconstruct its electric car batteries when they are traded then resold as power storage units. Plans to implement this project are estimated to begin in 2016.

“These batteries can be useful as back-up power for homes when there’s an outage,” said Takashi Sakagami, head of the joint venture, 4R Energy Corp.

In addition to helping household energy security, a second life for old car batteries is also made possible. The batteries are high capacity and composed of various heavy, precious and rare metals which would be problematic to dispose.

Increasing technology of electric cars provides an advantage that is not only beneficial to the environment but also to Japan’s energy security. With electric vehicles, each household could potentially have its own mobile power source in the event of another disaster which disables access to mass produced power.

Big power consumers on the eastern side of the island are now required to cut power use by 15 percent and households have been directed to do the same.

Other automakers in Japan are developing their own methods of bringing energy security from the car to the home. Mitsubishi Motors is developing a portable converter which will allow electric vehicles to power household electronics. Toyota is developing batteries for direct home use to power a project known as the “Toyota Home.”

These model homes will manage power usage, tap into solar power and store excess power in the batteries for night-time use. It is estimated by Toyota’s project manager, Hiroshi Okajima, to be available by the end of 2013.

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Continuing unrest in Libya as well as other North African and Middle Eastern countries has led to the highest crude oil prices since 2008, the U.S. Engery Information Administration (EIA) reported March 8.

In correlation to the disturbance of crude oil exports in countries such as Libya, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) and other crude oil benchmarks have risen around $15 per barrel since mid-February— $14 higher than previously predicted— allowing  an estimation of $105 per barrel of crude oil to refiners in 2011.

Acceleration of spot crude and gasoline prices has begun to affect consumers in retail environments.  Increases in pump prices will continue to rise through the spring due to delayed relay between crude oil and gasoline.

Motorists can expect regular-grade gasoline to average around $3.56 per gallon, 77 cents higher than the 2010 average, and 40 cents higher than initially predicted for 2011. However, during the peak driving season, (April through September) EIA predicts drivers will pay $3.70 per gallon, considering regional disparity.

Significant uncertainty within the current market has led analysts to predict there is a 25 percent chance that the national average for gas prices this summer could exceed $4.00 per gallon. This may be due not only to rising crude oil prices, but higher refining margins as well.

As long as world oil markets tighten and unrest persists throughout North Africa and the Middle East—the world’s largest oil producers—uncertainty in the oil market will remain.  If instability in the Eastern Hemisphere continues to spread, there will be adverse side effects for the oil market.

Auto Manufacturers such as Chevrolet and Toyota have been strategically reaping the ambiguity facing crude oil.

Although Tesla Motors is given credit with creating the first purely electric car, the roadster (est. 2008; msrp 109,999 and model s (expected to be released in 2012 with a base price of 49,900), Chevrolet and Toyota are making gas and emission free cars more available to middle income families.

Introduced in October 2011, the Chevy Volt is an electric car which uses gas to create its own electricity for up to 40 hours of drive time. Even if the driver is unable to recharge the car, Volt will use a generator which produces several hundreds of miles on a single tank of gas.

Toyota, maker of the hybrid Prius, is expected to release a plug-in version of the popular car in the beginning of 2012.  Recently, they and several other companies such as GE and Schneider Electric have begun manufacturing at-home electric car chargers.

The expansion and increase of residential conveniences toward green cars questions when gas powered vehicles will become obsolete. As emission free technology broadens, techniques for finding and extracting oil will as well.

The development of electricity as an alternative dominate energy source seems plausible, but is the world prepared to move away from the internal combustion engine?

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Sustainable housing in Melbourne has taken two steps forward, with the Victorian Premier Ted Bailleu launching an alliance between architectural service Archicentre and the Robin Boyd Foundation, a charity organisation focusing on the benefits of design.

Architecture firm Grocon also announced the plans for a new apartment building, known as Delta, which will be carbon neutral and made from timber present in the current building site.

When announcing the alliance Mr Baillieu expanded on the positive affects of sustainable housing, including energy savings with buildings remaining cooler in summer and warmer in winter without electrical devices.

“Trained architects use passive solar design to combine materials, methods, building form and the sun’s natural energy to provide year-round comfort in a house.

“Many Victorians may not be aware that a passive solar home can save them thousands of dollars and add extra value to the home when it is sold,” Mr Baillieu said.

Grocon’s development of the Delta building also placed a great emphasis on the future of sustainable building in Australia as having the potential to reduce energy and heating costs.

Currently the greenest building in Australia is Pixel, also made by Grocon, which has received a perfect score of 105 from the Green Building Council of Australia.

Grocon’s General Manager at the Carlton Brewery site, which will be the site of the Delta building, David Waldren said the company was keen to continue going further towards sustainable housing in the development and construction industries.

“With the Federal Government’s announcement that there will be a carbon price from July 1, 2012, we must all be ready for a new way of living and working. The carbon-constrained economy is upon us.

“More importantly, we must commit ourselves to ensuring less carbon is emitted into the global atmosphere to preserve the environment for generations to come,” stated Mr Waldren.

When Premier Baillieu announced the sustainable housing alliance, he expressed his commitment to promoting sustainable energy for cost-benefit reasons

“The Coalition Government is committed to reducing living costs wherever possible – for example by introducing a year-round 17.5 per cent electricity discount for concession card holders – and we are keen to promote passive solar designs and other
ways to reduce costs by improving the design of new or renovated houses,” said Mr Baillieu.

Mr Waldren has stressed the potential for comfort and quality in the designs of buildings such as Delta, which is planned to be ten stories high with 50 apartments.

“Buildings like Delta will bring a new standard of comfort and quality to Australian residential settings,” Mr Waldren said.

“We believe homeowners should have the opportunity to take advantage of technology available around the world and achieve the most sustainable home possible.”

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