This is my U.S.A.

From poo to power

2009-11-20T13:51:00.004-06:00

I wrote a story the other day about a University of Kansas project to turn sewage sludge from human waste into fuel.

It's a pretty neat concept that is being tested at several locations around the country. Basically, the sludge is fed into an anaerobic digester that produces gas that can be further refined to power vehicles. The process also helps purify the leftover waste.

If the test works out, we could see such plants popping up all around the country, then around the world. The more we can do to convert our detritus into usable materials, the better job we're doing of completing the circle of life.

It's almost like something Native Americans would have done.

Innovative urban wind turbine hits close to home

2009-11-20T13:44:00.005-06:00

This innovative wind turbine went up just days ago, only a few miles from my house.

A.L. Huber, a general contractor based in Overland Park, Ks., is demonstrating the feasibility of a new kind of wind turbine. The company's goal is to not only generate some power to run its business, but also to show potential customers how this sort of wingding can be applied in real life.

What's good about this wind turbine is that it can generate electricity at lower speeds than traditional wind turbines with blades. And it supposedly is less likely to kill birds. These two elements make it much more palatable in an urban environment.

The turbine is made by AES Wind. A.L. Huber partnered with KC-based architectural firm Burns & McDonnell to put up the turbine.

Here's a video of the installation.

Facebook application takes over your computer for the good of mankind

2009-08-10T12:36:00.003-05:00

Here's a story I wrote this week. It's about Intel using a Facebook application to let people's idle computers power a scientific project that is modeling climate change.

From the article:

"The Progress Through Processors application essentially takes a Facebook user’s unused computing power at any given moment to help run the researchers’ climate models at ClimatePrediction.net, as well as separate research on battling cancer and malaria.

Worldwide, the connected personal computers form a sort of supercomputer to help perform complex calculations. While participants are using their computers, the Facebook software sits idle, according to InformationWeek."

Personally, I'm not about to give my computer over to an outside source. But it's a cool concept that I'm sure many people will latch on to.

Solar forest serves as parking lot cover

2009-08-10T12:32:00.002-05:00

I have seen parking lots with solar coverings, but I haven't seen a concept as aesthetically pleasing as this.

I love the way the panels rotate to follow the sun, and you can plug your electric car into them.

Roof tiles that generate solar electricity

2009-07-06T13:41:00.005-05:00

Here's a pretty cool style of roofing tile that gathers solar energy to create electricity for the home.

Nice idea, but I wonder about the durability of something like this. If a tree branch falls on it or I climb on the roof, will they last?

Washing machine that uses one cup of water?

2009-07-01T22:02:00.004-05:00

I'm from Missouri, so paint me into the corner of "Show Me" when it comes to the claim that a new washing machine will use just one cup of water.

It's maker, Xeros, claims that it uses less than 90 percent of the water of conventional machines and 30 percent less energy.

I don't doubt that it uses just one cup of water.

I doubt that it gets my clothes clean.

That said, show me. I'd like to see this thing work.

From the Alternative Energy News site, here's an explanation of how the machine works:

"The work of water is replaced by using thousands of tiny reusable nylon polymer beads. These plastic beads attract and absorb dirt under humid conditions."

"This technology requires a small amount of water and detergent to dampen the clothes and loosen stains. This device also creates the water vapor that allows the beads to work. Once washing is finished, the beads fall through a mesh in the machine’s drum. These beads are reusable. One can reuse them up to a hundred times. One needs 20kg of the beads along with a cup of water and detergent. The chips can be used up to 100 times, the equivalent of six months’ washing."

Sounds like a good option for washing clothes in outer space and the desert, anyway. In both of those places it could be powered by solar rays, further reducing the environmental impact.

Electric airplane hits 155 MPH

2009-06-19T00:12:00.002-05:00

An electric airplane at a demonstration in Italy hit 155 miles per hour in an eight minute flight. See here for more.

The SkySpark is powered by a 75kW brushless electric motor and lithium polymer batteries. The project was coordinated by Italy's own DigiSky, an engineering company specializing in aeronautics, in conjunction with Turin Polytechnic University.

How sweet would that be to fly in a plane that makes so little noise?

Low-MPH wind turbine designed with the home in mind

2009-06-18T23:56:00.003-05:00

Here's an interesting wind turbine designed for the residential market.

One of the knocks on residential wind power is that it doesn't work at low speeds. Well, this one is said to work at speeds as low as 2 miles per hour.

It costs about $4,500 and delivers up to 2,000 kilowatt hours a year for locations with Class 4 - or very good - breezes. It's made by WindTronics, based in Muskegon, Mich. Learn more here.

Of course it's hard to find exactly how much electricity the wind turbine will produce at low winds.

The device, which weighs 95 pounds and is six feet in diameter, can be mounted on rooftops, attached to chimneys, or put on a pole. WindTronics says it hopes to sell the turbines through Ace Hardware stores.

How about Costco? That's where I do my shopping.

Electric motorcycle that can actually get up to speed

2009-05-13T10:19:00.006-05:00

A few years ago, some electric motorcycles came out. They were very slow, in comparison to their gas counterparts.

Now, researchers at Kingston University in the UK have come up with an electric model that can get up to 102 miles an hour and run for up to 38 miles. While that's still not up to the speed of Ducatis and other high-end bikes, it still offers some fun for riders who want to take short jaunts.

The new bike can be charged from a standard outlet. It runs on two custom-built 72-volt batteries, according to Alternative Energy News.

The Kingston University team is taking its bike to the world’s first zero-emissions Grand Prix later this summer, competing against 24 other eco-bikes from America, India, Italy, Germany and Austria. The race is the 2009 Isle of Man TTXGP.

Helping save bats from wind turbines

2009-05-12T21:11:00.007-05:00

One of the negative aspects of generating electricity from wind is the unfortunate death of birds and bats.

A new study shows that turning off the blades during periods of low winds reduces bat deaths by 70 percent. It makes sense, because bats don't like to fly in heavy winds. At least around here, they like still nights.

The study, performed by Bats and Wind Energy Cooperative and the Pennsylvania Game Commission at Pennsylvania's Casselman wind farm, found that turbines that were not curtailed on low wind nights were as much as four times as likely to result in bat deaths.

Curtailing the turbines did not even result in a great loss of electricity generation. The full study (PDF) showed that if all 23 turbines had been shut down, it would have resulted in a 3 percent annual loss of electricity generation.

Of course, in a low-margin business like electricity generation, every percentage point counts. But it is important for renewable energy sources to show that they can be friendly to nature.

I would like to see a related study on how to reduce bird deaths from wind turbines.

H-car Gets nearly 3,000 miles per gallon equivalent

2009-05-11T13:34:00.006-05:00

Yes, you read that correctly.

In a competition to build the world's most efficient car, some Norwegian students constructed a tiny, aerodynamic car that runs on hydrogen. Teams that enter the Shell Eco-Marathon try to see whose car will go the farthest on the equivalent of one liter of gasoline.

The DNV Fuel Fighter team designed a car that went 1,246 kilometers, beating the world record of 848 kilometers. Doing the math, the little car got about 4,600 kilometers a gallon, or about 2,950 miles a gallon.

The car was built by ten students at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, Norway.

What a great accomplishment. Learn more here.

Now, if we can just get these kids to come work for General Motors ...

Here are some more pictures from the event.

Mongo power lines for Kansas?

2009-05-10T18:34:00.003-05:00

Under a proposed compromise to bring both more wind power and more coal plants to Kansas, a giant power line could be constructed.

The set of three power lines have to be big enough to send massive amounts of electricity to power-hungry folks back East. Each cable would measure 30 inches in diameter. All three cables would carry 765 kilovolts in total, or more than double the 345 kilovolts of the largest existing power line in Kansas.

I would not want to live near that power line. I've stood under much smaller power lines and felt the buzz and had my skin crawl.

Still, the prospect for making Kansas a real power in the wind energy world is tempting. It would bring lots of jobs and hopefully less expensive energy for residents of the state.

On the other hand, the notion of sending electricity many, many states away is not at all in line with the think-local ethos that America needs to adopt regarding its consumption patterns.

Plus, we don't really need more coal plants in this state. Former Governor Kathleen Sebelius spent parts of two terms fighting this, and now that she's gone Sunflower Electric is finding a sneaky - and smart - way to get this done. Yet, the compromise would require state utilities to generate 20 percent of their electricity from renewables by 2020.

Much to think about.

Doughnuts for (wind) dollars

2009-05-07T13:19:00.003-05:00

Wind turbines should be able to spin a little faster and a little longer if new research by Leviathan Energy plays out.

The company came up with a method to direct the winds around a wind turbine more efficiently into the path of the blades. A doughnut-shaped plastic and metal skirt is placed at the base of the turbine, directing windflow more efficiently.

Supposedly it will increase efficiency by 15-30 percent.

We're just at the beginning stages of real advances in wind power. I can't wait until the price comes down -- and the technology improves -- to the point where I can cost-effectively add one to my home.

First public recharging station for electric cars

2009-05-04T10:51:00.005-05:00

If - no, WHEN, my wife remind me - we win the lottery, I want to get a Tesla electric roadster. The car goes 244 miles on a charge and does 0-60 mph in four seconds. And you can charge it in your garage overnight.

Which is all well and good unless you're on a cross-country jaunt.

Well, someone has finally built the first public electric charging station. It's at Gateway Center in East Woodland, Calif.

Here are some pictures from the launch of the recharging station.

Kansas has great potential to export wind energy

2009-04-29T08:22:00.003-05:00

Kansas has the potential to produce 19 gigawatts of wind-generated electricity, according to a recent Forbes article.

The problem is what to do with all the electricity?

To export it to states to the East would require massive investment in grid and delivery infrastructure.

At the current cost of building wind generators, the projects are prohibitive. However, if the cap on carbon emissions goes through, or some other federal assistance comes on line, this could become a reality.

The Forbes article is based on a report from the American Council on Renewable Energy. It says the Kansas economy could reap benefits of $400 million per year by 2018 and $800 million to $900 million annually from 2020 to 2030.

However, the council says that wind energy investments have been slow in coming to Kansas after the state agreed not to build wind towers in the picturesque Flint Hills. The power industry has come away with the impression that Kansas is "anti-wind."

As a stubborn Missourian living in Kansas, I would like to see at least something positive come out of this state, so here's hoping that the Kansas wind generation industry can take off.

Global warming, they hardly knew you

2009-04-27T10:27:00.004-05:00

Or did they?

For years the Global Climate Coalition spent billions to debunk scientific claims about global warming. Read about it here.

The coalition, which was funded by the fossil fuels industry, was disbanded in 2002, but its legacy remains. It was able to cause enough doubt to delay serious efforts toward understanding and addressing climate change.

Personally, I think global warming is the wrong term to use. While the Earth may be getting warmer on average, not all places are. Most places, however, are seeing changes in their climate patterns. This has impacts on the ability of humanity to feed itself, and for the natural ecosystem to remain in balance. Climate change is the term that should be used going forward.

If not for the Global Climate Coalition, and the many media outlets that seized on its messaging, we may have been able to begin adopting more renewable energy sources years earlier. Doing so would have put the U.S. in a position to better take advantage of the global economic revolution that is happening, with nations and companies spending billions and billions on energy saving technologies.

Domo-ori-gato, Mr. Tomato

2009-04-27T10:13:00.003-05:00

Trends via TrendHunter.com.

Here's a video of a Japanese exoskeleton that is made to help elderly rural farmers continue on in the task of growing and harvesting vegetables and whatnot.

It looks strange, but I'm all for anything that helps people maintain self-sufficiency, even when their body no longer is able to naturally do so on its own.

I do wonder about the net impact of such a device. Does the cost to purchase, maintain and power a device like this far exceed the amount gained by growing your own veggies?

Electricity goes viral

2009-04-17T08:30:00.004-05:00

An MIT team has found a way to use a virus to build batteries. The virus, M13 bacteriophage, is attracted to inorganic materials, making it fairly unique among viruses.

The virus is coated with gold and cobalt oxide to transform it into a piece of nanowire. When the viruses are encouraged to grow into a chain, they form a film that carries a negative ionic charge.

The advantage to this kind of battery making is that it eliminates harmful solvents that are used to make traditional batteries.

This is a pretty cool advance, and I wish the MIT team well.

One always has to wonder about the unintended consequences of new technologies, however. What happens when a battery containing a virus is discarded? After the battery's shell breaks down, can the virus escape and take on all the inorganic material in the landfill as a host? Could it mutate?

Yes, I watch too many sci-fi movies.

Self-cleaning solar cells

2009-04-10T10:55:00.003-05:00

One of the issues with traditional solar panels is that, in order to maintain maximum efficiency, they need to be cleaned to remove dust and other buildup.

A new three-dimensional design of solar cells promises to be somewhat self-cleaning.

Bumps and peaks on the photovoltaic surface help wisk away water, carrying with it dust and dirt.

The new innovation comes from the Georgia Tech School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering.

Read more here.

Obama Girl, here to get our energy up

2009-04-07T09:43:00.004-05:00

Obama Girl has a new youtube video about saving energy and recycling. It's part of a promotion for America's Greenest Campus.

Renewable energy, I believe we're in Kansas now

2009-04-07T09:34:00.003-05:00

The wind-swept plains of Kansas are ideal for wind and solar energy production, and the state will now get a chance to play on a level field against other states that are adding incentives for renewable energy investments.

Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius recently put her signature on the Kansas Economic Revitalization and Reinvestment Act, according to Kansascity.com.

"To recover from this economic recession, we must look to new industries and new opportunities. Renewable energy companies are a perfect fit for Kansas as we’re the third best state in the nation for wind energy and we have a trained and able workforce,” Sebelius was quoted at the Web site. “Kansas wind can provide the energy we need and create sustainable jobs right here at home.”

To receive funding under the plan, a project must:

relate to the research, development, engineering or manufacturing of a business component or product for either the wind or solar energy industries.
require at least a $30 million proposed investment in Kansas.
within five years, employ a minimum of 200 full-time employees at an average salary of at least $32,500.

Those are pretty heady requirements for public aid, but it's good that Kansas is thinking big-picture.

Small-scale wind farm

2009-03-14T08:00:00.001-05:00

A Minnesota couple is building a small wind farm. We need more private wind farms, especially where I live on the windy plains of Kansas.

An electric airplane

2009-03-14T07:53:00.005-05:00

Supposedly this airplane can fly up to an hour. It uses lithium battery packs, which weigh 78 pounds. The motor weighs 28 pounds and the whole thing weighs only 380 pounds. Learn more here.

This looks kind of like a Prius with wings.

Here's a video of the Electraflyer in flight.

Holy Cow! A solar/plug-in Fiero!

2009-03-14T07:47:00.004-05:00

It's tough to admit, but I owned a red Fiero when I was in college. It was a lot of fun to take around corners but it was a total nightmare mechanically.

This is a cool electric plug-in version with solar capability too.

Turning CO2 into "environmentally friendly acid"

2009-03-14T07:37:00.004-05:00

A company called Mantra is recycling CO2 into formic acid, which can be used as a substitute for hydrochloric acid. Among other uses, the steel industry uses hydrochloric acid to remove rust, and this would be a more environmentally friendly substitute.

Supposedly one ton of CO2 can be converted to one ton of formic acid.

Evidently there is already a pretty big world market for formic acid. Research firm Global Industry Analysts projects it to reach 573,000 tons by 2012. Chemical companies like BASF, Celanese Chemicals, Kemira, Perstorp and SAMSUNG Fine Chemicals are already making conventional formalic acid. See the full story here.

Wouldn't it be great to find other cool ways to recycle CO2, since we're already pumping it into the atmosphere by the boatload?

Sustainability and the Army

2009-03-06T09:01:00.025-06:00

What with shrapnel, abandoned equipment and the general detritus of war, the U.S. Army is probably the last place you'd expect to see a sustainability focus. However, perhaps because of its profound effect on the environment and the economy, the Army indeed has embraced sustainability.

The Army has adopted a strategy called “Triple Bottom Line—Plus.” The three bottom lines are: mission, environment and community. The "plus" stands for economic beneﬁts that sustainability proffers, including reduced costs and impacts and accelerated innovation.

On March 6, I was invited to participate in a conference call with Tad Davis, the Army's Deputy Assistant Secretary of Environment, Safety and Occupational Health.

Davis helped start Army sustainability in 2001 at Fort Bragg. Since then, he's progressively been working to develop an Army-wide sustainability concept.

"Our Army, your Army, is building green, buying green and going green," Davis said.

"A challenge for us has been to define sustainability in a context that resonates for folks in the Pentagon. We need to look 30 years down the road so we have programs in place," Davis said.

A lot of emphasis goes into how to dispose of hazardous wastes, as well as maintaining water quality and quantity, he said.

The Army is embracing new technology and processes at base installations. For constructing permanent structures, in 2008 the Army established a rule that buildings must adhere to the Silver LEED standard.

Going forward, 50% of every building that is deconstructed will be reused or recycled instead of being sent to a landfill, he said.

"We are a global corporation, for all intents and purposes," Davis said. "We're looking at our size and scale, and how we can be more sustainable by what we purchase."

About 40,000 of 68,000 non-tactical vehicles, which include sedans or other vehicles for general transport, are alternative-fuel capable, he said.

Currently, Davis is trying to put a number on the total savings by Army sustainability efforts. "It's part of our strategy to get military and civilian leaders to embrace sustainability. If we can say that we'll reduce waste by three percent, then we can show a big-picture view," he said.

As a localized example, a project two years ago at West Point reduced energy consumption by nearly $1 million a year, he said. "When we started sustainability, the way we sold it up the chain was economics and savings. We were able to reduce consumption of water and electricity significantly, then use the savings for other projects."

To comply with recent EPA standards on carbon emissions, Davis said the Army is conducting a study to learn how to reduce Army's greenhouse gas emissions. "We want to be part of the solution," he said.

Davis gave a battlefield example of how the Army has been more sustainable.

The Army was losing 80% efficiency in air conditioning of temporary structures, such as those that house computer servers and command posts. Now it is using spray foaming on these temporary structures to cut efficiency loss by half, he said.

The Army is using some hydro and wind power in Afghanistan and it is considering solar applications in Iraq and Djibouti.

"If we can reduce the power requirement by using smart grids, we'll reduce the amount of power needed," Davis said.

In some permanent structures at Fort Knox, the Army is using thermal-exchange programs to pipe water well below the surface, to be cooled or warmed depending on the season, then return the water to the facilities to aid in climate control, Davis said.

To make soldiers more sustainable on an individual basis, the Army goes back to the method of training. At every base they're given instructions specific to the area they're in or the task they're doing, whether that involves consideration of endangered species or general recycling and reduction of resources, Davis said.

Here are some interesting facts about the Army and sustainability, as taken from its 2007 Sustainability Report.

About 78% of FY07 Army Military Construction projects were designed to at least U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED certiﬁcation standards for new construction.
Since FY03, the Army achieved an 8.4% reduction in facility energy use intensity (KBtu/gross square foot/per year).
While there was an 11% increase in absolute Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) releases from CY03 to CY06, the Army achieved a 13% decrease in pounds TRI released per $1000 net Army cost of operations.

Whatever you believe about war and peace, it's comforting to know that the Army is looking at its environmental impact. In the big picture, wars will happen and people will die. If we can reduce the ancillary suffering and harm, we'll be better for it.

The face of technology in 2019

2009-03-04T06:59:00.005-06:00

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What might technology look like - and do for us - in ten years?

Microsoft put together this cool video. I like the scene where a conversation is automatically translated and seen in a bubble. What if people could wear special glasses to enable this? Or if the hearing-impaired could wear glasses that displayed the words of conversations that they were missing?

Microsoft created a whole series of these videos, which are available here.

Reusable toilet wipes? See the top-10 list of environmental oddities

2009-03-04T06:46:00.003-06:00

This article on Time.com is worth a read. It's a top-10 list of some of the odd ideas to come out of the environmental movement.

No. 1 is the reusable toilet wipe. There was a great headline about this on Drudgereport last week. It read: "Bottom reached: 'Natural living' advocates unveil reusable toilet wipes."

Other items on the list include eco-condoms, the staple-less stapler and biodegradeable plates made from pig urine. I kid you not.

Wind power from artificial trees

2009-03-04T06:28:00.003-06:00

The notion of biomimicry, or innovation inspired by nature, is gaining prominence. The basic idea is: how would nature do it?

Now comes the idea that an artificial tree could generate electricity. Using a synthetic leaf, London-based Solar Botanic is causing a stir with its idea to use the simple back-and-forth movement caused by wind to generate electricty.

According to a Web page on Nanoleaves, “A Nanoleaf is thin like a natural leaf, when outside forces, like the wind pushes the Nanoleaf back and forth, mechanical stresses appear in the petiole, twig and branches. When thousands of Nanoleaves flap back and forth due to wind, millions and millions of Pico watts are generated, the stronger the wind, the more energy is generated.”

Wind movement is not the only way Nanoleaves would generate energy.

Nanoleaves would reflect back only a tiny percentage of sunlight directed at them. The remaining light would be absorbed by photovoltaic and thermovoltaic cells in the Nanoleaf. Then, the light would be converted thermal radiation and finally into electricity. Nanoleaves would even be able to harness infrared radiations to create energy.

Expect to hear more about biomimicry in the coming years. Here's a video on the subject.

Victory City

2009-03-02T00:30:00.004-06:00

Get your freedom fries at Victory City.

The brainchild of Orville Simpson II, of Cincinnati, a Victory City is a self-contained, privately run city of the future.

Simpson envisions hundreds of these being built worldwide, giving like-minded people the opportunity to congregate amongst themselves, in relative self-sufficiency.

Accommodating up to 332,000 people, a Victory City would rely on surrounding farmland for most of its food needs, supplemented by greenhouses, fish tanks and "poultry centers" close to the cafeteria areas. The city itself, under one roof, would take up about 3 square miles.

Some buildings would be up to 102-stories tall.

Simpson has put some thought into this: The Main Elevator Building would be divided into 9 sections. The upper 8 sections would be served by elevators, which would travel "express" to their particular sky-lobbies, carrying up to 50 people each. When people get off at their sky lobby, they would get on standard-sized elevators, which would take them express to their particular floor. The platforms ... would hold 50 people. When the elevator door opens, one platform carrying 50 people who want to go up would roll into the elevator, while at the same time, another platform carrying 50 people who just came down would roll out the door on the opposite side.

On the surface, it sounds utopian enough. It also sounds like a perfect setting for a sci-fi movie with a storyline gone wrong.

Still, the domain of the future belongs to dreamers. If it can be dreamed up, eventually it can be built. And as any movie watcher knows ... if you build it, they will come.

Solar farming - an avenue to renew the Homestead Act?

2009-03-01T23:59:00.006-06:00

A French farmer is taking a huge gamble, adding $26 million in solar-power generating infrastructure to his farm, which prior to this counted eggs and grains as the main income generators.

The farmer is building five giant sheds covered by 36,000 square meters of solar panels. These should generate up to 4.5 megawatts of electricity, or about enough to power 4,000 homes, according to this Reuters article. The farmer expects to generate about $2.5 million in electricity sales per year.

This is made possible by legislation creating 20-year contracts with favorable incentives to sell electricity to the grid. France aims to have a third of its electricity come from renewables by 2020.

On the farmer's part, he is taking a huge risk, as that's quite an investment.

As the United States moves toward more renewable energy, I'm reminded of the legacy of the Homestead Act, which gave able-bodied Americans 160 acres of government-owned land and a mule as long as they developed the property.

Now, the U.S. government long ago gave away all the decent farmland, and the Homestead Act was finally put to rest with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976.

But I think of the huge swaths of land in the West that are basically desert, good for nothing - except solar. If the government were to organize one section of this land, and offer the land for free, along with federal loans to develop solar power, there might be a good reason to renew the Homestead Act.

These plots could be situated so they all conveniently fed into a single electrical grid.

If the project worked, this same model could be applied in other sunny areas, and in areas where wind power could be generated.

Sustainable design ideas from nature

2009-02-27T18:34:00.004-06:00

Janine Benyus gave this speech at the TED Conference in Monterey, Calif. She talks about "biomimicry," or learning from examples in nature, and applying that to the human experience. Benyus is a natural sciences writer who actually coined the term.

Be forewarned this is a long video.

Some pretty cool stuff, though.

Does your car run on fish and chips? Fried appetizer plates?

2009-02-23T10:55:00.004-06:00

This New York Times story details how the United Kingdom is setting up stations to collect used cooking oil, which will be turned into biodiesel fuel.

Just think if the United States turned to such a project. All the fried food we eat surely should be put to a better use.

Ride the wave

2009-02-23T10:49:00.002-06:00

The bulk of the U.S. population lives on the coasts. We really should be investigating more wave-power projects such as the one above.

The video is of a Pelamis wave generator. The first commercial wave farm was started in September 2008 off the coast of Portugal. It can generate up to 2.25 megawatts, or enough to power 1,500 Portuguese homes.

Wind turbines old and new - an insider's view

2009-02-23T10:46:00.004-06:00

The view from the top is amazing. Installing these would not be a job for the faint-of-heart.

Time-lapse video of wind turbine construction

2009-02-23T10:43:00.002-06:00

If only they all went up in less than a minute! Very cool video.

Electric vehicles that give back to the grid

2009-02-23T10:36:00.003-06:00

Plug-in electric cars obviously will be a draw on the electrical grid.

Now, Willett Kempton, a renewable-energy professor at the University of Delaware, is developing a car that adds electricity back to the grid when it contains a surplus.

For electric cars to be the most energy efficient, it will take innovative ideas like this.

Making electricity from potholes - the shocking truth

2009-02-20T08:33:00.002-06:00

It's possible to build a regenerative apparatus on a car that takes advantage of the power absorbed when a car's wheel goes over a pothole.

A team of MIT undergraduates came up with a prototype that gains a boost of 10 percent in overall vehicle fuel efficiency through regenerative shock absorbers.

To make our cars go longer per unit of energy, we're going to have to be more inventive, which these MIT students obviously are.

Now, we should put the concepts to work in buildings. Elevators, for instance, are a prime candidate to regenerate electricity on the downward haul. Buildings with rotating doorways could generate modest amounts of electricity.

Even floors could be designed to absorb the impact of footsteps and transfer the energy into electricity. Think about the foot traffic in a mall or other public spots.

So that's how it works

2009-02-19T23:39:00.001-06:00

The Crisis of Credit Visualized from Jonathan Jarvis on Vimeo.

Well, for months now we've had a pretty good idea how we got ourselves into this awful economic mess.

This clever video does a pretty good job explaining it. It would almost be enjoyable if it wasn't so depressing.

From behind bars to the rooftop

2009-02-18T10:04:00.003-06:00

California has an innovative program to train ex-convicts to install solar panels, which is a booming market in the state.

Some solar-installation companies say these new employees are among their most productive and trustworthy, according to this WSJ article.

It would be great if more states had programs like this. And prison inmates should be put to work fabricating rooftop wind turbines, in addition to license plates. The turbines could be installed on government buildings, saving taxpayer money.

It's about time for a German electric car

2009-02-17T14:01:00.004-06:00

When it comes to cars, I have a soft spot for German makes. If you've ever driven a good Audi, BMW, Mercedes or Volkswagen, you know that they are well-engineered and a blast to drive.

Now, it looks like Volkswagen is teaming up with Toshiba to develop an electric car.

They aim to have one on the market by 2012.

Towers of power

2009-02-16T12:31:00.004-06:00

A California utility plans to power more than 800,000 homes with solar electricity in a new project.

Southern California Edison plans to puchase electricity from a series of solar towers to be operated by BrightSource Energy.

Drawing from the design of a BrightSource "power tower" in Israel’s Negev Desert, the California towers will use heliostats or moving mirrors to concentrate light onto a tower. This concentrated energy will be used to make steam. The first project will be completed in 2013, according to this article.

Aiming to generate 100-megawatts of power in Ivanpah, Calif., Brightsource says it can power 65,000 homes via 286,000 megawatt-hours of electricity per year.

Financial details of the deal are not being revealed, but some are calling this one of the biggest solar power contracts in the United States.

This is the kind of project that can be replicated in many areas of the United States.

Here's a video from Brightsource.

How to build a rain barrel

2009-02-13T20:36:00.002-06:00

We have several rain barrels in use at our house. They are very similar to this design, except for the filler.

They are great for watering in the summertime. The main downside to a rain barrel is when you hook a hose up to it, the water pressure is pretty low. Evidently you can buy an electric pump but that kind of defeats the green notion.

We use the rain barrels to fill up a hand held water bucket, and I'll hook up the hose and run it out to certain garden plants like tomatoes and peppers, where a slow stream actually is of benefit.

Aptera electric car makes ZapRoot video

2009-02-13T20:27:00.003-06:00

Here's another video on the Aptera 2e electric car, from ZapRoot Video. Sorry about the clutter at the end of the video. Maybe you can get some holiday shopping ideas, in February.

Chinese take interest in wind turbines

2009-02-13T20:23:00.003-06:00

Interesting video on Chinese interest in Canadian wind turbine technologies.

China is seeing the light, and it certainly has the manufacturing prowess to make wind turbines out the wazoo.

The United States should be taking the lead on exporting this kind of technology, yet where did this figure into the stimulus package?

Bow down before Google

2009-02-12T11:47:00.004-06:00

While perhaps well-meaning, Google is overstepping its bounds in trying to shape the nation's energy future.

Google has been quietly pushing an energy agenda with the Obama Administration, and on February 11 the Internet giant unveiled Google PowerMeter, a program that helps people monitor their home power consumption. See the article here. See Google's own blog on the topic here.

Again, all good and well, but I think Google already has enough of a handle on what Americans do with their time, money and conversations (public Web, e-mail, phone).

This is coming from someone who loves Google products like youtube, and blogger, which supports this particular blog.

I remember when I first saw Google in action. It must have been the late 90s. I was an editor at a newspaper, and a hotshot intern was showing me the search engine he really like. And it beat the heck out of the multiple search engines I was using at the time. It was just a simple little search box on a white Web page.

At its core essence, Google hasn't changed so much. In what else it does, it has taken a life of its own that is probably too much power for one entity.

Spray-on solar cells from Down Under?

2009-02-12T11:34:00.004-06:00

Australian scientists are working on a technique for spray-on solar cells. See the article here.

Now, this won't be sold in a can at the hardware store. But if they are successful, it will be an intriguing new method for manufacturing lower-cost solar cells.

The reason for the high cost of solar cells is the fact they must be coated in a vacuum. Skip that step and the price tag comes down.

According to the article: The new method uses a spray-on hydrogen film and spray-on anti-reflective film. In this spray-on method vacuums are not needed. The cells travel along a conveyor belt where the films are sprayed on. The simplified process could trim down about $5 million in capital equipment costs per medium-sized factory.

Australian solar company Spark Solar and Braggone Oy, a materials group from Finland, are working with Australian National University (ANU) on the method, which may be available by 2011.

Stimulus bill not stimulating enough for alternative energy

2009-02-12T08:16:00.005-06:00

If you've read this blog before, you know that I firmly believe the best thing we can do for this nation is reduce our energy usage. Doing so will allow us to scale back our military footprint and make us a less-hated presence in the world. We have spent well over a trillion dollars on our Mideast wars so far.

So I'm more than a little displeased with the compromise stimulus bill, which tags a mere $50 billion toward energy programs, according to the San Jose Mercury News.

Specifically for energy programs, the bill includes:
$13.9 billion to subsidize loans for renewable energy projects;
$11 billion toward a smart electricity grid to reduce waste;
$6.4 billion to clean up nuclear-weapon production sites;
$6.3 billion in state energy efficiency and clean energy grants;
$5 billion to weatherize modest-income homes; and
$4.5 billion to make federal buildings more energy efficient.

Among other line items, the bill also contains:

$8.4 billion for mass transit;
$8 billion for construction of high-speed railways;
$6.4 billion for clean and drinking water projects; and
$7 billion to bring broadband Internet service to underserved areas.

Meanwhile, the Obama team is saying the bank bailout may top $2.5 trillion. By the way, that's $8,333 per man, woman and child in the United States. The $50 billion for energy amounts to just over $166 per capita.

Come on! Let's put our money where, as a nation, we're bleeding. End wars over oil, put the money into renewable energy. Build an export-oriented economy around wind turbines, solar cells and whatever else we can dream up.

It's seems so simple that I'm starting to wonder if I'm a simpleton.

Nevada city actively seeking ecopower development

2009-02-09T09:02:00.004-06:00

Carson City, Nevada, has launched a private-public initiative called Team Nevada, with the aim of drawing businesses willing to invest in renewable energy technology.

According to this article, the project also has backing from the Nevada Commission on Economic Development and renewable energy investment engine NV Energy.

From wind to solar to geothermal, Nevada offers a lot of renewable energy potential. To harness this, Nevada is building a 250-mile long grid that runs north-south, enabling renewable energy projects to tap into the delivery system.

Smart states are getting ahead of this trend. Every state has an economic development commission of some sort. Now is the time for state business interests to convince government to establish separate commissions to go after cleantech. Or at least to have working groups within the existing commissions.

Windmill 101

2009-02-08T10:19:00.001-06:00

There are some good general insights about installing wind power at this site.

Homemade wind turbine built using 55-gallon plastic drums and PVC

2009-02-08T09:51:00.002-06:00

Gotta love homespun ingenuity. Learn more at the builder's blog.

Here's part two, which covers actually making electricity from the project. This produced about 12 volts, or enough to keep charge on a typical car battery.

UK wind turbine

2009-02-08T09:47:00.003-06:00

This video of a homemade wind turbine in the United Kingdom shows what a little ingenuity and experimentation can produce.

This turbine can produce up to a kilowatt of electricity but on average makes 200 watts.

Making water

2009-02-08T09:43:00.002-06:00

Some say that future wars will be fought over water, not oil.

With the growth of human population, we continue to move to areas that don't have good, quality natural water sources. Thus grows the need to create potable water from less-than-ideal sources.

This Popular Mechanics article has a rundown on five ambitious water projects.

Pedal-powered homemade submarine

2009-02-05T00:32:00.004-06:00

In what sounds like a very slow way to cross the Atlantic Ocean, a man plans to pedal a one-man submarine from West Africa to Barbados.

The trip would take about 50 days, according to this article.

Inventor Ted Ciamillo is no stranger to marine propulsion technologies. In 1997, he designed the Hydrospeeder, a sort of underwater motorbike. (see image below)

Later, he invented the amazing Lunocet, a tail fin that you strap onto your feet, allowing you to swim much more like a dolphin. See the Lunocet video:

Ciamillo obviously has some talent. And to think about taking a homemade sub across the Atlantic he has cajones. A very interesting story.

Hopefully just a false start

2009-02-05T00:21:00.003-06:00

Demand for solar and wind power systems is plummeting, according to this New York Times article.

Low energy prices, the credit crisis and lack of general confidence in the economy are to blame.

From the article:

Much of the problem stems from the credit crisis that has left Wall Street banks reeling. Once, as many as 18 big banks and financial institutions were willing to help finance installation of wind turbines and solar arrays, taking advantage of generous federal tax incentives. But with the banks in so much trouble, that number has dropped to four, according to Keith Martin, a tax and project finance specialist with the law firm Chadbourne & Parke.

But this is just a bump on the road. At some point, the world economy will recover and demand for energy and commodities will resume its healthy growth rate. When that happens, the United States needs to have renewable energy infrastructure in place. We need to have factories ready to export such technology and products.

If President Obama wants to look for a place to inject stimulus funds, this is it. The future is now if we make it so.

The wild Canadian Hinterland

2009-02-05T00:06:00.003-06:00

A Canadian automotive design group led by executives from Bombardier (airplanes, boats) has a design for a long range electric car.

The Hinterland uses a German word as its namesake (Hinterland is a a place untouched by man, far from urban areas). Check out some more images and information on the vehicle here.

The car would be constructed of aluminum.

From company press materials:

This original form is also an attempt to find a characteristic image for a Canadian economy electric car that could become a recognizable national icon, rather like our distinctive and characteristic emblems (Olympic Stadium, Montréal Metro). The case of London’s and New York’s taxis are good examples of this.

By combining sources of artistic, technical and scientific expertise (recreational vehicles, electric motors and batteries, aeronautics, aluminium, plastics processing, video games, etc.), we could design, produce and sell a technically and distinctly innovative passenger vehicle, elegant in its simplicity, non-polluting, recyclable, safe and adapted to the North American climate, while providing jobs for thousands of specialists and qualified workers.

Another city of the future being planned

2009-02-03T11:20:00.005-06:00

In the unlikely nation of Azerbaijan, a radical eco-city may be about to take wing.

An island named Zira will become a 1 million square-meter tourist resort and residential area with zero carbon footprint, according to this Fast Company article.

Zira, in the Caspian Sea, will receive its makeover from Dutch architects Bjarke Ingels Group. Buildings and architecture will resemble the Seven Peaks of Azerbaijan. View a slideshow of the project details here.

Solar and other sustainable energy features will be integrated throughout the structures, and off-shore wind turbines will provide a big chunk of electricity too.

The eco city will feature beaches, a hanging garden, golf course and promenade.

Here's a view of the cityscape.

Here's a representation of the city's resemblence to the seven peaks.

Google and NASA launching school to help humans keep up with computers

2009-02-02T23:52:00.003-06:00

From the world of truth is stranger than fiction comes the news that Google and NASA are partnering to create a special school for futurists in Silicon Valley to "prepare scientists for an era when machines become cleverer than people," according to the Financial Times article.

The institution - “Singularity University” - will be led by Ray Kurzweil, who predicted the exponential pace of technological change.

Among other things, Kurzweil gained notoriety for his stance that before 2050 artificial intelligence will outpace humans, thus meaning we will be living in the freaking Matrix.

To quote the FT article:

The so-called “singularity” is a theorised period of rapid technological progress in the near future. Mr Kurzweil, an American inventor, popularised the term in his 2005 book “The Singularity is Near”.

Proponents say that during the singularity, machines will be able to improve themselves using artificial intelligence and that smarter-than-human computers will solve problems including energy scarcity, climate change and hunger.

Yet many critics call the singularity dangerous. Some worry that a malicious artificial intelligence might annihilate the human race.

Well, I'm glad NASA is on this one. We will need the world's brightest minds to save us from computers. Aren't we already addicted enough to these things?

Not to trivialize a significant matter, because the law of unintended consequences is alive and well. Who knew that those computer punch cards of yore would lead to where we are today, a world where people text instead of talk, surf instead of walk and theorize without chalk.

Welcome to the future.

Green social networking online part I: Just Means

2009-02-01T21:32:00.003-06:00

"Where good work lives." That's the motto of green social networking site JustMeans.

This site claims to give users the ability to "talk to companies about their social and environmental impact."

Prominently on the front page, registered users can make posts about what they're up to, what they think, what they'd like to see happen, using the 140 characters or less standard employed by twitter.

There's a pretty decent green jobs board. Users can create profiles, post their resume, manage a job search.

For companies wanting to spread the word about their environmental and social programs, there is a place to post press releases.

There is an events listing page.

Are you a member of JustMeans? Let us know what you think of the site.

Tax credits for solar really do create economic growth

2009-01-29T23:19:00.003-06:00

Because of federal and state incentives, the booming solar industry in California is adding exponentially more to the economy, according to this story.

Two years into the California Solar Initiative, the taxpayers’ investment of $775 million in solar rebates has yielded $5 billion in private investment in solar projects and rapidly expanded the state’s renewable energy industry, according to the report. That’s helped create strong solar companies like solar cell maker SunPower (SPWRA) and markets for thin-film solar companies such as First Solar (FSLR). The decade-long program is on track to achieve its target of 3,000 megawatts of rooftop solar and in the first two years of the program more solar has been installed in California than in the previous 25 years.

Check out the report from the California Public Utilities Commission. According to a CPUC press release, "On average, for every $1 in incentive committed by the California Solar Initiative, an additional $6 in private funds is invested in solar technology in California."

More states need to introduce aggressive tax credits for solar, wind and other alternative energy production. And if the federal government went even higher than the 30% tax credit, we'd see huge investment by business.

As I've written before, the key to reducing our trade imbalance is curbing our energy imports. And if we curb our energy imports by creating a domestic economy based on green energy production, we will create an export boom.

Remember the huge boom to our economy from the Silicon Valley days? We can do it again, but this time the effects would truly be sustainable.

Top 10 green jobs for the next decade

2009-01-29T13:03:00.003-06:00

Fastcompany.com has a story about the top 10 green jobs for the next decade.

And they are (drumroll, please):

Farmer
Forester
Solar Power Installer
Energy Efficiency Builder
Wind turbine fabricator
Conservation Biologist
Green MBA and Entrepreneur
Recycler
Sustainability Systems Developer
Urban Planner

The article lists schools and companies that are involved in these fields. If you want to position your career for growth, take some time to learn what industries are poised to benefit from changes in how we look at the environment and food, and how we produce and consume energy.

WWGSD?

2009-01-29T12:46:00.002-06:00

What would George Soros do?

Soros has made tons and tons of money over the years by timing the market correctly.

Here's a fascinating column he wrote for Financial Times. As much as I enjoyed the column, I paid attention to the sidebar where he writes about what went right and wrong for his fund for 2008.

As for the welfare of the United States and capitalism in general, Soros thinks we need to keep capitalizing the banks, and that we also need to overhaul the mortgage system.

He also thinks that America will be better off by developing alternative energy sources. But to make that economically feasible, he calls for an end to cheap oil, proposing a floor price of $70 a barrel - about double today's value.

I'm glad to see the era's great economic thinkers putting their heads into this, but you have to realize that they're looking out for their own bottom lines too. His prescription calls for a lot of market meddling.

While I don't want to see my 401K continue to falter, at some point we have to ask ourselves: Is this capitalism? What ever happened to simple supply and demand?

Availability of credit surely is a great economic generator. But only when extended to people and companies that can pay it back. In the long haul that's what got us in trouble, and now all that anyone can do is scream about there not being enough credit in the system.

Living large, USA-style, eco-style

2009-01-29T08:15:00.007-06:00

With the option of power-assist, this velomobile from Goblin Aero offers protection from the elements and can travel faster than a bicycle.

With a 35 c.c. Honda motor for power-assist, the standard gearing allows the Aero to go 30 mph on flat roadways. Optional lower gearing allows easier travel up extreme grades, but limits speed to 20 mph. The gas tank holds .28 gallons and is good for 30-40 miles.

As equipped above, the Goblin Aero runs $6,445, or nearly 50% more than the Yugo cost when it came out.

Looking at this human-powered psuedo-bike, I had to chuckle at the made-for-the-U.S.A. marketing message that appeared in this story.

Popular in Europe for years, this is the first time that such vehicles have been designed and manufactured to accommodate larger American citizens.

Hooray for fat America!

General Pessimism, meet Private Optimism

2009-01-28T13:44:00.003-06:00

According to this BBC news article, the reason for so many stocks tanking and companies laying off workers is an overriding sense of global pessimism.

Wow, that's some reporting.

Personally, I think this is a great time to be unemployed. All the workers are worried about losing their jobs. Management fears the loss of bonuses.

Me, I've got the soft glow of the Internet and a warm cup of chicken noodle soup.

Not to mention the hope that this economic malaise will result in a new wave of job generation, ones that are focused on energy efficiency, reducing carbon emissions and a host of things that are positive for the world.

As with all times of great disruption and change, there exists plentiful opportunity. Identify who you want to be, and how you want to live, and make it so.

"An optimist is someone who looks for the opportunity in every difficulty. A pessimist is someone who looks for the difficulty in every opportunity." - Anonymous.

Cool wind turbine animation

2009-01-28T11:31:00.003-06:00

This is a pretty instructive animation of a low-impact wind turbine in action. About 3/4 through the video, it begins to show how wind speed affects electricity output.

This really shows that wind turbines are most effective when you have sustained, forceful winds. In low-wind areas, these probably aren't worth the time or investment.

A perpetual motion car? Show me.

2009-01-28T10:16:00.009-06:00

From California comes a new car design that relies solely on alternative energy.

The car would go 155 mph, do zero to 60 in four seconds and cost about $170,000.

Solar cells on its skin would charge the battery in 1.5 hours and after reaching speed-here's where I become skeptical-a set of strategically placed mini wind turbines would recharge the battery, enabling the car to go 200 miles, or about an hour if you're gunning it around a racetrack.

The car, dubbed the Formula AE, is being designed by Rory Handel and Maxx Bricklinas from Beverly Hills, California. Read how the car will use alternative energy here.

Here's a link to RorMaxx's sponsors and affiliates. One of the affiliates is the X Prize Foundation, which seeks "revolution through competition."

Typically, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. I'm from Missouri, so RorMaxx will have to show me.

Citigroup to give up lavish jet

2009-01-27T11:18:00.004-06:00

Finally, someone is talking some sense into Citigroup.

I blogged the other day about Citigroup's plans to go ahead with buying a $50 million corporate jet.

The banking giant has taken so much heat that now it appears to be backing off, according to this ABCNews.com story.

Apparently, the Obama Administration told Citigroup to "fix it."

That's change I can agree with.

Renewable energy sources account for biggest chunk of new U.S. energy sources in 2007

2009-01-26T23:43:00.004-06:00

Renewable energy sources are gaining enough traction to account for the biggest piece of the pie when it comes to gains in U.S. electrical output.

General electrical capacity increased by 2.3% in 2007, according to Electrical Power Annual 2007. Total 2007 electrical capacity was boosted to 4,157 million megawatt-hours, up from 4,065 MWh in 2006.

Net summer capacity increased by 8,673 MW, with wind power accounting for 5,186 MW.

Renewable energy remains but a drop in the bucket, however. Renewables generate 105 million MWh annually, just 2.5 % of total electrical capacity.

The Obama administration needs to put more money into this sector. Reducing energy costs - and doing it more cleanly - will be a bellweather issue this century. We need to get a head start on the world so we can export the technology.

Seattle inventor puts forth rooftop wind turbine. Target price tag? $500

2009-01-26T15:46:00.003-06:00

The high cost of most alternative energy ideas is a major hurdle to adoption by the masses.

A Seattle-area inventor has a wind turbine that he thinks could be produced and sold for less than $500, according to this story.

His prototype cost only $100 to build.

The turbine would not create a lot of electricity, but perhaps as much as 40 kilowatt hours a month. That's enough to offset the amount of high-efficiency bulbs used in some households.

"It's not going to power the whole house," inventor Chad Maglaque told the Seattle Times. "But it's about doing every little bit."

According to the article, he's entered his wind-turbine idea in Google's "Project 10 to the 100th" contest, which, to celebrate the company's 10th birthday, will award $10 million to five innovative ideas that seek, in simple terms, to change the world.

Bailout beneficiary Citigroup buys $50 million luxury corporate jet

2009-01-26T09:08:00.005-06:00

As ordinary Americans hunker down and forgo new car purchases, new home purchases and even steak at the restaurant, the executives at Citibank see no need to scale back on planned purchases.

Of course, Citibank has received $45 billion in bailout money so far, so why worry.

Citibank recently went ahead with the purchase of a $50 million Dassault Falcon 7X luxury jet, according to this story.

The plane seats up to 12 in a plush interior with leather seats, sofas and a customizable entertainment center.

Granted, Citigroup had placed the order two years ago, well before the current meltdown, but sometimes it makes more sense to give up the deposit and do the right thing.

After all, Citigroup already has two 10-year-old Dassaults, which it is now trying to unload for $27 million each.

What gets me are some of the apologistic comments on the story, which seem to have been placed by trolls (no attempt made to correct faulty grammar):

Poster bsmbdt wrote: Im sorry, but doesnt spending $50M on a jet put that very $50M into the economy? I mean the Jet maker , pays their employees and taxes, and hires employees and vendors, etc. CITI also pays taxes, and then hires pilots , mechanics, and staff, not to menton the maintenance folks, etc. Now each of those folks went and bought food, gas, clothing, heat for their houses/apartments, some bought houses, others condos, and cars, etc. etc. etc. Im sorry but have we become so clueless that we cant think through what buying a $50M aircraft does for plain old people like you and me? Are we that dense now that all we can do is knee jerk react?

I can think of better ways for Citigroup to spend OUR bailout money. Make loans available to small businesses and regular folk.

slcraigre wrote: You've got to be kidding? Has the Post now dranl the Kool-Aide too? That Jet was ordered years ago. It took 1000s of hours of manpower and hundreds of companies making parts to produce it. You want all those employess and companies to give back that money?
What has happened to your journalistic integrity?
If CITI had a contract with you for ad space would you let them just cancel on a whim?

Actually, newspaper ad contracts get broken all the time. And the newspaper rarely does anything about it because it wants the advertiser to return when there actually is money to spend. At the very worst, an advertiser that pulls back might have to eat a deposit, but in 99% of cases print advertising is not paid for until it publishes.

Clairesolt wrote: All this scandal mongering about airplanes and carpetsa just tells me that out journalissts can't understand multi billion business. If I have a credit card balance or mortgagr or car loan, that does not mean that the bank can follow me around the grocery store and comment on what I buy. Oh look! She is buying filet, Shouldn't we write in her contract that she can onlly have hot dogs?

No, the bank can't follow you around. But if you can't pay back your credit card balance or you are late with a payment, it can dramatically increase the interest rate, effectively putting you in the hotdog-eating crowd. It can impose a credit limit. How do you think Citigroup makes its money? By being a nice lender?

What it boils down to is this: Citigroup has accepted help from we, the taxpayers. In fact, in its $45 billion bailout, it has claimed approximately $150 for every man, woman or child in the United States. And since the government doesn't actually have the bailout money, but is instead printing more money or borrowing it, we are paying for this through increased interest on government debt, or decreased personal purchasing power because of dillution of dollar value.

I'd rather that Citigroup not have taken delivery of the new jet, and also sold their old jets. If they have somewhere to fly, get in line with the rest of us at Southwest.

Here's what Citigroup got. Fast-forward to about 2 minutes to see pictures of the lush interior.

States to get right to set own automobile fuel efficiency and emissions standards

2009-01-25T22:20:00.004-06:00

California and 13 other states that have sought to set fuel efficiency standards and limit emissions on new cars sold will get that right.

President Obama is set to issue a federal order Monday to make this possible, according to a New York Times article.

It's clear that people want to hold carmakers to a higher standard. This might make the cars more expensive, but the success of pricier hybrids has shown that people are willing to pay for cars that satisfy their conscience.

The more states that pass such standards on fuel efficiency and emissions, the more that automakers will make all cars more fuel efficient. Really, this is a long time coming. My wife's old 1998 Honda Civic would get 38 mpg on a good day. Now, a decade later, things haven't improved much, and that's not acceptable.

California's big energy gamble

2009-01-25T17:40:00.011-06:00

California has been a world leader in design, style, entertainment and technology. If Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger gets his way, the state will also be a world leader in reducing energy use and carbon emissions.

A recent episode of Nova on PBS focused on the Governator's initiative, called AB-32. Here's a link to the PBS Web site on this particular program, "California's Big Energy Gamble." You can get additional information and watch streaming video of the program.

The initiative hopes to slash predicted emissions by 30% by 2020. By 2050 it aims to reduce California's emissions to levels not seen since the early 20th century.

Critics say the initiative will destroy the state's economy by increasing energy costs to the point where jobs and capital leave the state.

The program compares TV stars and neighbors Ed Begley, Jr., and Bill Nye (The Science Guy). Begley has six KW of solar panels on his roof, Nye has four KW. Begley also is ahead of Nye by having dimmable flourescent lights. Watching the friendly competition and back and forth between the two is fun and illustrative of how people can put green initiatives into their homes.

But these improvements come at great cost. A single wind turbine on Begley's house cost $3,000.

Yet most ordinary Californian's can't afford such improvements. The show looks at Richmond, Calif., which is a low-income area between San Francisco and Sacramento. A local activist describes how leaky window frames cost an extra 30-40% in wasted energy, but that people can't afford to buy new windows with the already high costs of energy in their homes. It's a Catch-22.

This is where government tax credits for energy efficient windows fall short. My wife and I upgraded windows a couple years ago, and the tax deduction saved us only several hundred dollars - on nearly $13,000 in windows. It will take us a long, long time to recoup the costs through energy savings.

With 12 million low income people in California, there is no chance people can upgrade windows without true tax credits, instead of simple deductions.

Yet getting Americans to upgrade windows and other household elements to reduce energy costs should be a key strategy to wean us off foreign energy sources, and thus make us more secure from foreign threats like energy dictatorships, which harbor terrorists.

But there is hope in the big picture, because the power of the state is large. California now gets 10% of its electricity from renewable energy. Schwarzenegger plans to double that in just two years, and to have the state attain 33% of its electricity from renewables by 2020.

Of course there are numerous challenges to AB-32. But there are also some solutions within the private sector. I'll explore these in future posts.

The episode of Nova is thought-provoking, and definitely worth a watch.

A new twist on the free press: France to offer every teen a complimentary newspaper subscription

2009-01-23T13:42:00.004-06:00

U.S. newspapers are facing declining readership and advertising, and much of that is due to the emergence of new media and the fact that kids don't tend to read physical newspapers.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has offered to give every French teen a free sub to a newspaper of their choice, according to this story.

Sarkozy announced a number of initiatives to bolster the press, according to the article.

"The habit of reading the press takes hold at a very young age," Sarkozy said.

The president said the newspapers themselves would provide free copies for 18-year-olds, while the state would cover the cost of delivering them to many thousands of homes.

In addition to the free paper scheme, Sarkozy announced plans to double the government's budget for buying advertising in the press, a freeze on the cost of postal distribution and a reduction in payroll taxes for newsagents.

I'm not in favor of massive U.S. subsidies for teen newspaper readership. However, I do think it would be smart for U.S. metropolitan dailies to offer a free subscription to teens in order to boost their ranks of future readers. It's called a loss-leader, and it might not be a bad idea if newspapers want to keep from losing.

Bailout money goes toward bank bonuses

2009-01-23T11:04:00.002-06:00

As further proof of the foolhardiness of these bank bailouts, it appears that Merrill Lynch execs were paid nearly $4 billion in bonuses just days before new Lynch owner Bank of America got another $20 billion in TARP funds. See a story here.

And, these bonuses were paid out a month ahead of schedule. Does anyone smell rotten fish?

Global warming is dead, long live global warming!

2009-01-23T10:18:00.011-06:00

It was a beautiful sunny day yesterday, and today it's turning bitterly cold and windy. So, today, I'm all for global warming.

But with the state of the economy and other issues taking precedence, Americans are less and less concerned about global warming, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, conducted Jan. 7-11 among 1,503 adults.

What's telling about the results of this survey is the fact that Americans are thinking more about domestic issues these days. There is less of a global mindset. Take a look at the following chart, which was available on the same Pew survey page.

Americans haven't been so focused on their own country's issues since the mid 1990s, which is ironic since things seemed to have been going pretty well at the time, at least compared to now.

Getting back to how we view changes in weather patterns, the term we probably should be using is climate change. On average, many areas are indeed getting warmer. But they're also getting colder in the winter. Maybe the Earth's axis is changing, or other developments may be causing overall climate change.

The media needs to get over the misleading term "global warming." Not every area is going to get warmer. Some scientists predict the coming of a "little ice age."

We may be experiencing man-induced climate change, and that is something we can address by reducing carbon emissions and other air pollutants.

Regardless of your thoughts on global warming, climate change, et. al., it does behoove us all to reduce our reliance on carbon-based fuels. Doing so will reduce pollution (thus reducing allergies, thus reducing health care costs) and it will reduce our reliance on foreign energy sources (thus reducing our need to assert ourselves in far-flung conflicts, thus reducing our military expenditures and loss of life).

As a tool to get the public's attention, the mantra of global warming has had its time. Now it should die, and we should focus on the other benefits of alternative energy sources.

Facing declining oil production, Mexico installs one of the world's largest wind farms

2009-01-23T10:04:00.004-06:00

With a price tag of $550 million, a new wind farm in Mexico is not cheap.

But with oil production falling 9% last year, Mexico realized it needed to take a step toward the future, according to this USA Today article.

Situated on the isthmus between the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, the 6,180-acre farm will boast 167 turbines capable of generating 250 megawatts of electricity. The area has wind gusts of 16-22 mph.

The wind farm is being built and operated by Spanish energy company Acciona Energia, which says it should produce enough electricity for a half million homes, and reduce carbon emissions by 600,000 metric tons annually.

Accounting for other wind projects, Mexico aims to generate 2,500 megawatts of electricity by 2012.

One thing I like about this project is the fact that Mexican cement giant Cemex is putting forward 25% of the development costs, in return for the rights to some electricity. Cemex wants to reduce its energy costs.

Under President Obama's plan to revitalize our economy with green initiatives, he should offer tax incentives that encourage U.S. manufacturers to invest in public wind and solar projects.

Seth Godin's five pillars of success

2009-01-23T09:57:00.003-06:00

At his blog, Seth Godin points to what he calls the five pillars of success.

They are:

See (really see) what's possible
Know specifically what you want to achieve
Make good decisions
Understand the tactics to get things done and to change minds
Earn the trust and respect of the people around you

He points out that most people spend too much time focused on point No. 4. I think he's right.

Numbers 2, 3 and 5 are just as important, if not more. Still, not understanding the tactics to get things done is a sure way to fail.

I like these five pillars. They are so deceptively simple, yet have been proven effective time and again.

The politicization of bank bailouts

2009-01-23T09:46:00.003-06:00

Of course we know that some of the bank bailouts have been made possible by having friends in very high places.

So far, most of those have come at the discretion of appointed leaders within the Treasury. As such, it's a little harder to nail down the exact way in which strings are being pulled.

Now, a Wall Street Journal story indicates that Democratic Representative Barney Frank appears to have influenced legislation to benefit OneUnited Bank in his home state of Massachusetts.

As head of the House Financial Services Committee, Frank is in a position to do such things. Unfortunately, he's not alone, according to the story:

Several Ohio banks received funds after Ohio's congressional delegation complained bitterly about the treatment of Cleveland-based National City Corp., which regulators forced into a merger rather than provide with cash. And in Alabama, the state's top banking official says a windfall there -- five banks are slated to receive funds -- is testament to the influence of two powerful Alabama lawmakers who sit on key congressional committees.

If we want to keep political favoritism out of the private sector, which is one of the things President Obama campaigned for, then we need to simply let these banks fail. Sell the assets to the highest bidder. If no one buys the debts, well I guess the debts are forgiven.

How much further down the road to corporate welfare must we go?

Another low-speed electric vehicle

2009-01-23T09:33:00.003-06:00

The problem with some of the electric vehicle concepts out there is that they are designed for low speeds. In order to be efficient, they have to be small and light. In accomplishing that, their roadworthiness and speed for the highway is compromised.

Here's another one, called the EcoV Electric Car. It would be great for use at factories or for short commutes in a limited area, but it's good that other manufacturers are focusing their efforts on the open road, where the majority of people actually want to drive.

Here's some more information that was attached to the video:

EnVironmental Transportation solutions, LLC, manufacturers the EcoV-1. A battery electric vehicle (BEV), or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), the EcoV-1 offers a low carbon, high mpg, low speed alternative to moving people and packages outdoors or indoors.

One chassis, several skins:
passenger van - utility truck - stake bed - pick-up postal/delivery - recreational vehicle for golf - handicap & wheelchair access.

For more information and investor opportunities visit www.EcoVElectric.com

Wind turbine design from Down Under

2009-01-23T09:26:00.004-06:00

From Australia comes a wind turbine electrical generator that is cheap and easy to install.

Designed to be placed at a home's roof peak, where wind speed is greatest, it supposedly could be sold for as little as 700 Australian dollars, or about $450 U.S.

The disadvantage to this kind of wind turbine is it has to be situated in the direction of the wind to gain maximum efficiency. For many East/West facing houses (at least in the Midwest) that is not a problem, because of prevailing wind patterns. If my house was facing South, it would generate less power.

Here's the video:

Wind power, old and new

2009-01-20T16:27:00.005-06:00

In this striking juxtaposition of wind power icons, old meets new.

Here's the caption from the photo, which is featured at the Boston Globe's photo feature, "Sailing around the world."

A figure from Antony Gormley's "Another Place" welcomes one of the Tall Ships to Merseyside as it sails past the Burbo Bank windfarm on the approach to the Port of Liverpool on July 18, 2008, Liverpool, England. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

New leader, new Web site

2009-01-20T16:14:00.004-06:00

At the same time as President Obama was being sworn in, the official Web site of the executive branch changed its look.

Whitehouse.gov has a daily blog, a place for proclamations and contact information. The first proclamation was to declare today a day of "renewal and reconciliation."

My wife turned me on to the new Web site, via Facebook. She said, "... I like that the site will now publish all non-emergency legislation for five days -- allowing the public to review and comment before the President signs it."

I agree. I think that's a cool feature. It's nice to have an administration that is so tech-savvy. Reaching out to the younger generation is key to fixing our country's problems.

Welcome Mr. President, here's what the journalists think you need to do

2009-01-20T08:24:00.009-06:00

As Obama takes office, many newspaper and magazine columnists are writing their predictions, or their thoughts on what Obama's term may be like.

Here are some links.

Obama's moment arrives, by Barton Gellman, Washington Post.

The politics of cohesion, by David Brooks, New York Times.

Start the fire, by Roger Cohen, New York Times (words set to the Billy Joel tune "We didn't start the fire.")

Obama, the unifier, by Howard Fineman, Newsweek.

The next war president, by William Kristol, New York Times.

Welcome to town, President Obama, by Cal Thomas, Jewish World Review.

Time for (self) shock therapy, by Thomas Friedman, New York Times.

The Obama portfolio, by Jim Cramer, New York Magazine.

Inauguration photos from everyday folk

2009-01-19T23:42:00.005-06:00

Here is a very cool interactive feature from the New York Times. It's a montage of photos submitted by readers. Check it out.

Here are some choice images:

This land was made for you and me

2009-01-19T23:19:00.006-06:00

One of the first songs I learned in grade school music class was "This land is your land."

Originally written as a defiant, subversive song, Woody Guthrie's tune has been used for patriotic purposes much more often than not. That's the beauty of art, which truly is in the eye - or ear - of the beholder.

As Obama gets ready to take his oath of office, we are reminded of the power of democracy. I do hope the new government takes on the ethos of the song, because the U.S. of A. needs some work. While we can't rely on government to fix the country, we can expect it to provide some tools. We should expect it to not stand in the way, for this land really was made for you and me.

Here's a video of ancient folk singer Pete Seeger, Bruce Springsteen and someone else I don't recognize, singing the song at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

Even the oil-rich Arabs see the future in green cities

2009-01-19T22:47:00.009-06:00

If you haven't seen any of the magazine articles about Masdar City in Abu Dhabi, you might find it interesting to know that the world's first city designed to be green from the ground up will be in the middle of a desert, in one of the most oil-rich areas on the globe.

This city - which has a goal of producing net zero waste - will be home to 50,000 people. People will get to work via automated smart cars. Eighty percent of water will be recycled, reducing overall water use by 75% compared to other cities. It will have a 55-acre, 10 megawatt solar electricity generating plant that is being designed by Enviromena Power Systems.

Here's an article on Greenbiz.com that has some basics. For a more in-depth look, go to the Masdar City Web site.

Here's a video promoting the city.

The end goal of Masdar City is much more than having a green city. It is about perfecting the technology to build such cities. See, when the oil is gone, Abu Dhabi will need other ways to make money. And Abu Dhabi, which sits on 9% of the world's proven oil reserves, still sees a future in exporting energy. Just a different kind of future.

Here's what the Masdar Web site has to say about the project:

The Masdar Initiative is Abu Dhabi’s multi-faceted investment in the development and commercialization of innovative technologies in renewable, alternative and sustainable energies as well as sustainable design. Masdar is driven by the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (ADFEC), a wholly owned company of the government of Abu Dhabi through the Mubadala Development Company. In January 2008, Abu Dhabi announced it will invest $15 billion in Masdar, the largest single government investment of its kind.

That's the kind of thinking we need here in the United States. Hopefully President Obama's green initiatives can provide some spark and capital. I would much prefer to see taxpayer money going toward the future than to bailing out banks. What's lost is lost. We need to find our way forward.

Seriously, if we could do something like this for $15 billion, that's chump change compared to what our government has already handed over to the banks.

More on toxic debts, bad banks

2009-01-19T11:28:00.003-06:00

Talkingpointsmemo.com has a good post on the idea of an aggregator bank taking up the toxic debt.

Here's a snippet of the post, with a good analogy on what the banks are trying to pull over our heads.

It's like a scene out of some bizarro, Wall Streetified Antique Road Show. The bankers come in with their old china and cabinets from the attic that they're sure are worth $20,000. Sadly, the appraiser informs them they're only worth about $850. Only of course they're not from the attic. They bought them only last year convinced $20,000 was a steal back at the height of the antique crap craze. And now they're condemned to roam the byways of America looking for an appraiser or antique buyer who will finally recognize the true value of their crap and pay them $20,000 to help them get their money back. Unless of course we agree to pay them $20,000 for it now and let them get back to their lives and stop all the craziness.

If the government wants to waste money, send it to those who really know how to waste it - American consumers.

Flying car to use bio-fuel on London to Timbuktu flight

2009-01-17T08:37:00.009-06:00

The other day, I lamented the lack of an electric flying car.

Now, I learn that some Brits have come up with a flying car that will run on biofuel. Not only that, they plan to fly it from London to Timbouctou (using the King's English spelling).

The Skycar, an all-terrain, road-legal buggy that doubles as a parasailer, is the vehicle. The Skycar actually goes faster on land (120 mph) than it can fly (70 mph). But, oh to fly.

Can't wait for the production version of this car? The Parajet Volution comes with the motor, wing and helmet, for the price of a slick 6,000 British pounds. Order here.

"Good" banks theirs, "bad" bank ours

2009-01-17T08:20:00.007-06:00

Can you leave office soon enough Hank Paulson?

Paulson's idea for an aggregator bank - basically one bank that would combine all the bad debt and other illiquid assets - gained momentum January 16 in the financial community.

With $350 billion in TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program) funds already spent, Paulson thinks its a good idea to shuffle all the troubled debt into one "bad" bank, thus leaving Americans with the bill.

Listen, I'm not happy about the economic situation and I don't particularly know what the answer is, but I do know when to call "shenanigans!"

I don't want to own the "bad" bank, while the tycoons make off with giant salaries, giant bonuses and all the "good" banks.

Late update: Now I see that Obama may adopt this plan. As I said, I don't like to see taxpayers holding all the bad debt. Let the big banks fail under their own weight, and capitalize and create new banks to do the actual lending ... that might be an option that actually gets the credit flowing again. It's like if were a loan shark and none of my debtors (or their families) are able to repay me, then I go bust. These banks played with toxic assets and it's sent the economy into spirals, ruining 401Ks and putting tons of people out of work. I don't see what good it does to save the bankers if they will be unwilling to loan to consumers.

Hybrid Coca Cola delivery trucks

2009-01-16T20:34:00.004-06:00

Atlanta-based Coca-Cola Enterprises is doubling the number of hybrid delivery trucks in its fleet, according to GreenBiz.com.

The bottler already had 142 hybrid 12-bay box trucks with a 33,000 gross vehicle weight.

The 185 new jumbo hybrid trucks, with a gross combination vehicle weight of 55,000, are more in-line with the company's standard bulk delivery trucks. But the new hybrids consume 30% less fuel and belch out 30% fewer emissions than standard tractors.

It's great to see mainstream companies committing to eco-friendly delivery options. Not only are they easier on the environment, but they make business sense over the long haul - and the short haul.

Hybrid-electric bicycle - what's the point?

2009-01-16T19:44:00.006-06:00

Here's something I don't get - a rechargeable electric bicycle marketed as a green item.

A battery provides power assist while you pedal, helping you get up to speed faster. New from Schwinn, the Tailwind weighs just 58 pounds and costs a mere $3,200. Stop me before I pull out my checkbook - just kidding.

At the risk of sounding incredibly American, to me a bicycle is more an instrument for exercise than it is for transportation. If I have three grand to put toward transportation, I'd buy a motorcycle - maybe even a rechargeable electric one.

A heavy, clunky battery-powered bike just seems oxymoronic.

Trouble in the wind

2009-01-16T15:39:00.006-06:00

Along with some of the titans of American industry, now the nation's largest wind turbine manufacturer is laying off 20% of its workforce at three plants.

D.M.I. Industries is powering back at plants in Tulsa, Okla., Fargo, N.D., and Stevensville, Ontario, according to this post at Green Inc., a New York Times blog.

It's not looking good for other manufacturers either, according to the blog:

L.M. Glasfiber, a Danish turbine company, also announced 150 layoffs last week at a blade-making plant in Arkansas. And Gamesa, a Spanish turbine maker, said it was initiating layoffs at an Eastern Pennsylvania factory — though it was expanding a factory in the western part of the state, which can make larger blades.

The troubles of turbine manufacturers are mirrored in the solar industry, which has also suffered manufacturing layoffs recently.

This is troubling for the small towns that had seen these factories as a beacon of hope for the future. Like many other manufacturing woes, this has its genesis in the banking fiasco.

The wind business, which requires an enormous amount of capital investment, has been hit especially hard by troubles in the banking sector. Experts say that the number of big banks willing to invest in projects through the production tax credit has fallen sharply. Many wind-farm developers, from NextEra (formerly F.P.L. Energy) to the Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens, are cutting back on plans to expand their farms.

The wind industry hopes that the incoming administration and Congress will change the tax structure to make the production tax credit refundable, which would allow more companies to invest in it.

Thanks to Alexis Madrigal of Wired.com for passing along the news in his tweet.

What kind of capitalism is this?

2009-01-16T09:33:00.003-06:00

With another $20 billion infusion into Bank of America, the U.S. government now becomes that bank's largest shareholder.

A number of years ago, I thought about writing a book about a new type of serfdom, wherein Americans - up to or over their eyeballs in debt - basically became serfs to the economic system. Because you owed your house mortgage, your car payment, your food bill, etc., to the credit givers, you basically were at their service. You toiled your whole life just to get by, and in the end you never really owned anything but a pile of mortgage receipts.

Now, if I were to write the book, the credit giver would essentially be the U.S. government. Think about it, the more banks that go under, the more that the government holds our debts. Sort of gives a new meaning to the term debtor's prison.

Aussie PhD makes low-tech solar cells

2009-01-16T09:10:00.002-06:00

A 23-year-old Australian PhD student has patented a way to make solar cells using an inkjet printer, nail varnish-like material and a pizza oven. See the article here.

Maybe soon we'll see Papa Murphy's take n bake solar cells.

Green going green: U.S. Army to lease electric vehicles

2009-01-15T21:21:00.005-06:00

The U.S. Army will save millions in fuel costs by leasing electric vehicles for some on-base and relatively local usage.

As with everything military, these vehicles have an acronym - NEV (Neighborhood Electric Vehicle). Here is the Army's official press release.

The vehicles will be used for security patrol, passenger transport, maintenance and deliveries. NEVs can travel 30 miles at 25 miles an hour, with an eight hour charge. The Army will lease up to 4,000 NEVs, which are made by Global Electric Motorcars, a division of Chrysler. Here is what a civilian utility version of these looks like.

By using these electric vehicles, the Army aims to reduce fossil fuel consumption by 11.5 million gallons over six years.

These vehicles are not intended to be used in war zones. However, according to the release, "as part of its Future Combat Systems (FCS) ground force modernization program, the Army is developing a suite of eight new hybrid-electric powered Manned Ground Vehicles (MGVs) for its armored forces. These more fuel-efficient vehicles will reduce the Army's dependence on fossil fuels and reduce the number of refueling convoys exposed in combat."

Well, I hope to NEVer see a NEV in my neighborhood, but I'm glad the military is thinking progressively.

Obama send-up

2009-01-14T20:08:00.005-06:00

Okay, we're just days away from a historic inauguration of the nation's first black president.

As much as people are focusing on the cost of the inauguration (more than $120 million and counting), what I'm looking forward to are his first 100 days in office. I want to see what he'll do with regards to the economy, the environment, Russia, the Middle East. There are so many problems he will face, and I wish him well.

To keep things more lighthearted, here are some funny and strange Obama-related Youtube videos.

Water. Good, clean, pure water. What's really in it

2009-01-13T10:32:00.002-06:00

Water is about the best thing you can drink. But it's rarely as simple as pure H2O.

This article details the findings of a water report of 28 million American households.

The study found 11 compounds in the water, albeit at low levels. Atrazine was the one that stood out most to me, mostly because I've heard of it before. Here is a smattering of the other 11 compounds:

• Carbamazepine, a mood-stabilising drug used to treat bipolar disorder, amongst other things

• Estrone, an oestrogen hormone secreted by the ovaries and blamed for causing gender-bending changes in fish

• Meprobamate, a tranquiliser widely used in psychiatric treatment

• Naproxen, a painkiller and anti-inflammatory linked to increases in asthma incidence

• Phenytoin, an anticonvulsant that has been used to treat epilepsy

Plus, there were a number of antibiotics.

If you're concerned about what comes out of your tap, you should consider adding a water purification system. My house came equipped with one under the kitchen sink, for drinking water only. It's an Amway brand and it seemingly does a good job, though I must say I've never done a chemical comparison test. I can taste the difference, however.

I replace the filter once a year, at a cost of about $65 a year. A little over a dollar a week for filtered water beats the cost of using bottled water, and it has a much smaller environmental impact.

Do you use a filter for your water? If so, what kind? Have you had your water tested? What chemical surprised you most?

Electric, hybrid, alternative power commercial trucks to be unveiled at Work Truck Show in March

2009-01-11T21:54:00.005-06:00

Commercial truck manufacturers are set to unleash a dozen or so electric, hybrid or alternative fuel vehicles March 4-6 at the Work Truck Show in Chicago's McCormick Center.

It's great to see so many U.S. manufacturers joining in. Making these vehicles available for businesses is a huge benefit. Instead of loud diesel-belching delivery trucks clogging the roadways, you might be seeing quiet, efficient electric delivery trucks bringing produce to local restaurants, delivering parcels and whatnot.

Here's a list of the manufacturers and truck types that will participate in the green pavillion at the show:

Ford to announce electric cargo van for U.S. market

2009-01-11T21:33:00.005-06:00

Responding to my earlier post, Detroit Auto Show buzz? Electrifying, reader Stan Wellaway left a comment about Ford partnering with UK-based Smith Electric Vehicles to introduce an electric cargo van to the U.S. market.

This is great news. Vehicles that make limited routes within a metropolitan area are prime candidates to go electric. Ford is set to make an announcement March 4-6 at the Work Truck Show in Chicago. This follows an announcement in April to partner in making electric F-series commercial trucks for the U.S. market.

Smith Electric Vehicles offers a number of variations. A small cargo van can go up to 60 miles an hour and has a 100-mile range per charge.

Finally, flying cars! But can you get an electric one?

2009-01-11T21:24:00.002-06:00

After all these years, the predictions of decades-old sci-fi rags are coming true - the flying car!

It can fly 500 miles on a tank of gas. The wings fold out in 15 seconds. It has a 100 horsepower engine that runs on unleaded gasoline. All for a price tag of $200,000.

Oh, and the only place in America where it's legal to take off and land from a public road is Alaska.

Well, I'm glad this day is finally here. But darn it, why isn't this flying car electric?