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| Let The Sun Shine In |
| 05.31.05 (9:52 pm) |
XsunX has focused on the development of very thin semi-transparent coatings and films that create large area monolithic solar cell structures that you can see through. This semi-transparency makes Power Glass™ glazing desirable for placing over glass, plastics, and other see-through structures. Using patented processes, such as reel-to-reel manufacturing techniques and multi-terminal cell structure designs, we are working to commercialize large area cell manufacturing processes for thin film flexible plastics.
 
First generation Power Glass™ Second generation Power Glass™
Power Glass™ represents a new breed of solar cell design that balances solar cell efficiencies and manufacturing costs with broad applications and uses. The Company believes that these design, manufacturing, and application efficiencies may provide as much as a 100% efficiency-to-cost gain over conventional opaque solar cells. This 100% gain in efficiency-to-cost is based on Company estimates of Power Glass™ solar cells operating at as much as 50%, or half, the efficiency of conventional opaque amorphous solar cells yet costing as little as 25%, or one fourth, to produce. Final cost to efficiency analysis will be determined upon completion of development.
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| Livin' Large With H2 |
| 05.30.05 (2:22 pm) |
Actress Victoria Peters demonstrates how she will fuel her Hummer limo with
hydrogen from her newly delivered hydrogen Air Products fueling station in Taos, New Mexico. Angel's Nest is the realization of Robert Plarr and Victoria Peter's dream of a fully self-sustaining home or commercial building that produces sufficient power for luxurious living and even fuels vehicles for local travel. The solar- efficient design allows the home to remain comfortable in freezing cold or blazing desert heat. The home can even recycle all its water and waste through levels of greenhouses, producing food, refreshing the air and eliminating the residential load on the West's dwindling water resources.
Download the "How I Fuel My Car Video"
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| Intelligent Energy ENV |
| 05.30.05 (12:52 pm) |
Being a clean-living girl could be fun
By Janie Omorogbe of The Sunday Times
I’ve seen the future, and it’s black and white and powered by a fuel cell. Imagine a world where vehicles run silently and there are no black clouds of pollution. The reality is getting closer by the day and it could actually be good fun.
The ENV (Emissions Neutral Vehicle) is the world’s first fully functioning hydrogen fuel cell motorbike and it tells a fantastic story of British innovation. The Loughborough-based Intelligent Energy has dedicated more than 10 years to the development of fuel cell technology. Working with Seymourpowell, a firm of product designers, it has come up with the ENV motorbike — a green and clean hydrogen-powered bike.
Fuel cells aren’t a new idea — there are even fuel cell buses running in London. The basic principle is that during an electrochemical reaction, hydrogen and oxygen produce water and electricity. The oxygen is taken from the air and the hydrogen can be sourced from any hydrocarbon, such as oil or natural gas, or even renewable sources such as bioethanol, which can be derived from sugar cane. The water by-product is hardly noticeable but for a gentle vapour expelled from the fuel cell.
The extraction of hydrogen from a hydrocarbon can be done in various ways. Some will produce pollution, but in a very small amount compared with the conventional combustion engine. Also, any such pollution can be contained wherever the extraction is taking place, probably in an industrial plant, whereas our vehicles release their fumes directly into the atmosphere. This technology has implications that stretch from powering bikes and cars to powering a family home.
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| Vaisala Lightning Explorer |
| 05.30.05 (12:33 pm) |
Vaisala Lightning Explorer displays recent lightning activity across the entire continental U.S. The lightning data displayed is 30 minutes delayed and fresh data is then available every 30 minutes. Get the latest map available by clicking the "Refresh" next to the map. The map shows a 2-hour time period with lightning data color coded in 20-minute increments.
Lightning Flash Data from the U.S. National Lightning Detection Network
Vaisala Lightning Explorer uses lightning data from Vaisala's U.S. NLDN®, the only national lightning detection system in the U.S. The U.S. NLDN® constantly detects lightning discharges to ground. Each lightning event, called a flash, is recorded at the NLDN Network Control Center at Vaisala's Tucson Operations. Each dot on the map represents one recorded flash.
Additional Lightning Tracking and Lightning Warning Products and Services
Vaisala Lightning Explorer provides an interesting snapshot of recent lightning activity across the continental U.S. If you are interested in additional features and functions for weather forecasting, lightning warning, or lightning tracking, Vaisala offers a wide variety of online lightning mapping services, lightning detection and warning systems, and historic lightning analysis services.
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| Giving Hybrids A Real Jolt |
| 05.30.05 (12:14 pm) |
By John Carey in Washington
A plug-in gas-electric vehicle may be key in saving fuel and cutting pollution
Is there a car that can cut America's oil imports to a trickle, dramatically reduce pollution, and do it all with currently available technology? Greg Hanssen thinks so. His company has already built one such car -- a converted Toyota Prius that gets 100 to 180 mpg in a typical commute. Andrew A. Frank thinks so, too. The University of California at Davis professor has constructed a handful of such vehicles. His latest: a converted 325-horsepower Ford Explorer that goes 50 miles using no gas at all, then gets 30 mpg. "It goes like a rocket," he says. Advertisement
These vehicles are quickly becoming the darlings of strange bedfellows: both conservative hawks and environmentalists, who see such fuel efficiency as key to ensuring national security and fighting climate change. Reducing dependence on the turbulent Middle East "is a war issue," says former CIA Chief R. James Woolsey, who calls the cars' potential "phenomenal."
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| DOE Moving America To Hydrogen Based Economy by 2020 |
| 05.30.05 (11:30 am) |
Contributed by: Tommy
General NewsWASHINGTON, DC – Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman has announced the selection of over $64 million in research and development projects aimed at making hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and refueling stations available, practical and affordable for American consumers by 2020.
“Since President Bush first laid out his vision for a hydrogen economy, we’ve witnessed incredible innovation and tremendous advancement,” Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman said. “We hope that through our ingenuity, investment and effort, hydrogen vehicles will someday be as commonplace as the cars we drive today.”
A total of 70 hydrogen research projects have been selected to focus on fundamental science and enable revolutionary breakthroughs in hydrogen production, and storage in addition to new fuel cell technologies. Participants in the projects include more than 50 research organizations in 25 states. The organizations include academic institutions, industry, and national laboratories (see attached list).
Department Of Energy SealThe initiatives announced are part of a comprehensive, balanced portfolio of basic and applied research, technology development, and learning demonstration projects aimed to significantly advance President Bush’s Hydrogen Fuel Initiative. The projects were selected through an open, merit-reviewed, competitive solicitation process. A total of $64 million over three years will be provided by the Department to these entities, subject to Congressional appropriations.
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| ZAP Delivers First Smart Car Americanized by ZAP to U.S. Consumer |
| 05.30.05 (9:54 am) |
The "Biggest Little Car in the World" has Official U.S. Sales Launch in Reno, Nevada -- the "Biggest Little City in the World"
RENO, Nev.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 18, 2005--ZAP (OTCBB:ZAPZ - News), pioneering the next generation of advanced transportation and energy technologies, has announced the delivery of the first Smart Car Americanized by ZAP to a private U.S. consumer. Delivery of the high-efficiency Smart Car microcoupe took place during a ceremony at an authorized ZAP dealership in Reno, Nevada, on Tuesday.
The delivery is a marketing milestone for ZAP that validates the Company's successful efforts to develop necessary technology to Americanize the Smart Car and obtain the governmental authorizations required for sale of the European-made vehicle in the United States.
Las Vegas residents Phil and Leigh Aurbach took receipt of the keys to their Smart Car in the Reno ceremony with ZAP officers and dealers on Tuesday. "We went on our honeymoon to France a little over a year ago and saw the Smart Car everywhere, and fell in love with it. We have been trying to get one for more than a year in the United States," said Mr. Aurbach, an attorney. "We're glad that ZAP is taking the lead now to bring the first Smart Cars to the United States."
The Smart Car delivery was sponsored by two Reno-area authorized ZAP dealerships. "We welcome the opportunity to offer the first Smart Cars to American Consumers," said Keith Spradling, a ZAP dealer. "After all the success that they have had in Europe, we look forward to a successful dealership with ZAP. I remember the first fuel efficient cars in the early Seventies and it seems like we have a similar opportunity today. But these are truly the next generation of fuel-efficient cars -- and with safety foremost in mind."
ZAP car dealer Bob Chauvin added, "It's appropriate that the biggest little car in the world has its U.S. launch in Reno -- the Biggest Little City in the World."
The vehicle delivered on Tuesday is the first Smart Car fully compliant with U.S. emissions and safety regulations. The delivery of the vehicle to the first private consumers was met with national media and press attention, as well as public interest from spectators who arrived at the dealership after hearing about the ceremony on local radio stations earlier that day, according to ZAP CEO, Steve Schneider. "They wanted to know how they could get one of their own Smart Cars," he said. "We believe this is a reflection of the strong demand for the Smart among drivers across the United States who are seeking a new motor vehicle solution to the problem of rising gas prices. The Smart Car is one of the most fuel-efficient vehicles on the planet, and has an innovative design that is stylish, safe and functional."
ZAP is in discussions now with a number of potential partners to meet the strong demand for the Smart Car. Delivery of the vehicles represented by the current level of purchase orders is conditional upon the company's execution of strategic relationships with major automotive manufacturing partners, to enable ZAP to support the full sales pipeline.
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| World Environment Day to Feature Largest Collection of Fuel Cell Vehicles |
| 05.30.05 (9:05 am) |
San Francisco, Calif., -- On June 1 and 2, the California Fuel Cell Partnership will present the world’s largest gathering of fuel cell vehicles at World Environment Day held in San Francisco’s Civic Center/City Hall plaza. In addition to the two days of technology displays, representatives from CaFCP’s member organizations will be available for interviews and provide up-close-and-personal looks at the technologies from 1:00-3:00 pm on June 1, and from 9:00-11:30 am on June 2.
CaFCP’s “Hydrogen” zone at the “California Tomorrow Festival” will feature 23 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, including cars from major auto manufacturers and city transit buses. In addition, CaFCP members will show several ways to produce and deliver hydrogen, and the important role the government plays in advancing fuel cell and hydrogen technologies.
“Fuel cell vehicles and hydrogen fuel hold the promise of providing high-performance, fuel-efficient, zero-emission, sustainable transportation,” said Catherine Dunwoody, executive director of the CaFCP. “World Environment Day is a great opportunity to showcase the solid foundation our members have built through their collaborative technical and outreach programs.”
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| Fuel cell fatigue? |
| 05.30.05 (8:55 am) |
By MARY LYNN YOUNG
VANCOUVER — British Columbia investors have a new disease called FCF, or fuel cell fatigue. The mantra that "commercialization is around the corner" is now a negative for investors who supported the Canadian fuel cell industry based in the province.
Investors are pinching their noses and holding their breath, while the federal government has raised -- slightly -- the amount of research funds available to the industry through a number of programs. Some of the reasons for the private capital crunch are emotional. It's natural: There has been a lot of disappointment over the years. The rest involves the short-term focus of financial markets and risk aversion. After pumping so much money into the sector, investors have realized no financial return of late, and determined that the area poses too much risk.
What's worse is that the fuel cell sector in Canada -- including giants like Ballard Power Systems Inc. -- is starting to run out of the operating and research monies that it accumulated during the heady heydays of the tech boom. But the sums needed to get over the finish line with a viable fuel cell vehicle on the market are still huge, estimated to be in the billions. Part of the reason for the big dollar figure is that the burn rate for research and development in this sector in Canada is pegged at more than $300-million a year.
The key question amid all the loss involves where the B.C. industry is going to access the funds needed to bring a viable and affordable fuel cell vehicle to the highways. It is a particularly pressing concern with oil hovering at $50 a barrel and alternative energy sources seen as an important hope for the future.
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| Experts: Petroleum May Be Nearing a Peak (AP) |
| 05.28.05 (6:07 pm) |
AP - Could the petroleum joyride — cheap, abundant oil that has sent the global economy whizzing along with the pedal to the metal and the AC blasting for decades — be coming to an end? Some observers of the oil industry think so. They predict that this year, maybe next — almost certainly by the end of the decade — the world's oil production, having grown exuberantly for more than a century, will peak and begin to decline.
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| New Website Explains How Climate Change Affects New York City |
| 05.26.05 (3:55 pm) |
By Michael Johnston
2005
A new website called; "the Climate Change Information Resource, New York Metropolitan Region" was launched in March of this year. It is a highly researched site and provides scientific answers to how climate change will affect urban areas, especially NYC. Over half of the world's population now live in cities and this site is intended to be accessable and understandable by everyone.
"The purpose of this site is to inform decision makers, educators and the general public in urban areas about climate variability and change," said Cynthia Rosenzweig, a senior researcher at NASA GISS, and a co-principal investigator on the CCIR-NY project. "Since many cities are located in coastal areas, useful information is provided about the potential for flooding of transportation infrastructure, saltwater intrusion into water supplies, and erosion of public beaches. Knowledge of climate can also improve public health responses to heat stress and air quality, especially for the elderly and poor. While the site is focused on New York City, the information found here may apply to other cities."
Informatin and quotes in this story were provided by eurekalert.org
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| First order for Pelamis wave energy converter |
| 05.26.05 (3:33 pm) |
20 May 2005 - The UK wave energy development firm Ocean Power Delivery (OPD) announced Thursday the signing of an order with a Portuguese consortium, led by Enersis, to build the initial phase of the world's first commercial wave-farm to generate renewable electricity from ocean waves.
The initial phase will consist of three Pelamis P-750 machines located 5km off the northern coast of Portugal, near Póvoa de Varim. The €8m ($10.1m) project will have an installed capacity of 2.25 MW, and is expected to meet the average electricity demand of more than 1500 Portuguese households whilst displacing more than 6000 tonnes per year of carbon dioxide emissions from conventional generating plant.
Subject to the satisfactory performance of the first stage, an order for a further 30 Pelamis machines (20 MW) is anticipated.
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| Offshore wind project investment forecast at $13bn |
| 05.26.05 (3:27 pm) |
25 May 2005 - Over 2300 wind turbines are forecast to be installed offshore over the next five years at a cost of $13bn, according to energy analysts Douglas-Westwood Limited.
Speaking at the Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce Renewable Energy Business Breakfast today, John Westwood stated his firm's belief that offshore renewable energy could form an important part of the energy mix for the UK and other countries.
Speaking at the same conference, UK energy minister Malcolm Wicks underlined the government's support for renewable technologies. "I want there to be no doubt of our determination to push ahead on renewables. Energy policy was set in the White Paper for the long term and our target of generating 10 per cent of electricity from renewables by 2010 is central to it. This will help us to meet our climate change commitments and build reliable energy supplies."
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| Argentine town hopes wind equals windfall |
| 05.26.05 (3:24 pm) |
The town gets more than half of its electricity from four windmills, two of which began operating three weeks ago. Last month, a small village nearby was designated as one of five places in the world that would be powered solely by alternative fuels as part of a U.N. pilot project. And in June, Pico Truncado plans a grand opening for the first wind-powered hydrogen production plant in Latin America.
With some experts predicting that hydrogen fuel produced at wind-powered electrical facilities could eventually overtake oil as the main source of the world's energy, residents and officials hope this desolate, half-forgotten region of southern Argentina could become the Middle East of the future.
"Why not?" said Mario Salomon, 62, an auto mechanic. "We lack water, we lack money, but we have never lacked wind. We have plenty to spare."
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| Wall Street bear-ly cares about fuel cells |
| 05.26.05 (3:20 pm) |
Bad pun, but that’s the state of the market for companies pushing fuel cell research. Unlike the popular gas-electric hybrids, fuel cell vehicles are a departure from the internal combustion engine, and possibly an entirely new infrastructure to support hydrogen fueling stations, that is unless the vehicles can create their own. Automotive News sat down with the CEO of Ballard Power Systems and discussed how Wall Street skeptics have hindered fuel cell advances. Wonder if oil moguls have anything to do with this? Conspiracy theories anyone?
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| Rolls-Royce could make a hydrogen -fuelled Phantom |
| 05.26.05 (3:17 pm) |
Article Summary:
A Rolls-Royce powered by hydrogen is a possibility, according to the brand's new CEO Ian Robertson.
(site registration required to view full article ED.)
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| Experts Gather in South Africa to Discuss Other Forms of Energy |
| 05.26.05 (3:09 pm) |
Zibonele Ntuli
International experts are engaged in a high-level Indaba here, to assist South Africa explore hydrogen gas and fuel cells as other forms of energy.
The gas is believed to have zero toxic emissions and is globally regarded as an energy solution.
The transition to hydrogen is expected to greatly reduce dependency on oil and gas, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions, especially when used in efficient fuel cells.
In the spectrum of technologies that interconnect to build up the hydrogen economy vision, platinum plays a crucial role as a catalyst that converts hydrogen to electricity.
Giving South Africa's perspective in this regard, Science and Technology Minister Mosibudi Mangena said researchers in the country had already started investigating some aspects of the technologies related to hydrogen economy.
"We are hoping to interlink these processes and work closely to develop a robust strategy for the Hydrogen Economy in South Africa.
"South Africa generally has an extremely strong propensity for new ideas and a world-class industrial profile, both underpinned by a well-established research base in its institutions.
"What is lacking is the existence of an equally robust base for the transformation of research outputs into commercial products and services, and the creation of new industries," said Mr Mangena.
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| National Hydrogen Association Lauds President's Recognition of Hydrogen Development |
| 05.26.05 (2:54 pm) |
Washington, DC – President Bush drew national attention to the development of hydrogen and fuel cell
technology today while visiting a hydrogen fueling station and fueling hydrogen vehicles. The station, in
Washington, DC, is the first retail hydrogen and gasoline station in North America.
“The main reasons to develop hydrogen technologies are to reduce dependence on imported fuels,
improve the environment, and drive economic growth,” said National Hydrogen Association President,
Jeff Serfass. “I am pleased to see the President recognizing the investment and progress made by industry.
Hydrogen fuel has become more affordable and the costs of hydrogen technologies, like fuel cells, are
falling.” Many NHA members have hydrogen equipment or products in service today.
In order to reach the hydrogen/fuel cell goal set by President Bush in his 2003 State of the Union speech,
the NHA believes that the $1.7 billion over 5 years put forward by President Bush 2 years ago is a good
start, but more will be needed. In congress, the NHA supports the levels of funding for hydrogen
included in the energy bill passed by the House and pending in the Senate. “By leveraging private sector
dollars with public funds, as provided in the legislation, the U.S. can embark on an aggressive solution to
our long term energy and environmental challenges,” said Serfass.
The National Hydrogen Association is supportive of the federal government’s forming partnerships with
the private sector to develop alternative energy sources. Continued development and implementation of
hydrogen and fuel cell technology will foster new opportunities for collaboration while generating
tremendous long term benefits for the country.
About the National Hydrogen Association: The National Hydrogen Association (NHA) is the Nation’s
premier hydrogen trade organization dedicated to supporting the transition to hydrogen. Efforts are
focused on education and outreach, policy, safety and codes and standards. Since 1989, the NHA has
served as a catalyst for information exchange and cooperative projects and continues to provide the
setting for mutual support among industry, research and government organizations.
CONTACT: Patrick Serfass
202-302-7894 mobile
202-223-5547, ext. 366
serfassp@HydrogenAssociat ion.org
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| RUSSIA DEVELOPS HYDROGEN TECHNOLOGIES |
| 05.26.05 (2:47 pm) |
MOSCOW, May 26 (RIA Novosti) - The Norilsk Nickel public company and the Russian Academy of Sciences have completed the first stage of implementing the General Agreement on Cooperation in the sphere of hydrogen power engineering and fuel elements. The Norilsk Nickel annually spends 30-40 million US dollars on this hydrogen project, the newspaper of the Russian Armed Forces, Krasnaya Zvezda, says.
According to the Academy's Vice President Gennady Mesyats, several dozen research institutions take part in the hydrogen program, and with subcontrators -- more than 100 state and private scientific centers, design bureaus and industrial enterprises. In the course 18 months, over 85 projects were carried out.
Hydrogen power engineering is effective in the military sphere. Gennady Mesyats believes that in the army of the 21st century power availability per man must be at the level of 100-200 watts to ensure individual night vision devices, guidance, communication and other systems. The task is to create such a hydrogen energy device which, unlike accumulators, could work for months, not for several hours or days.
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| The Interstate Traveler: a High Speed Hydrogen-Solar Transportation System that Produces Enough Abun |
| 05.26.05 (1:47 pm) |
American Computer Scientists Association announces it is mentoring / engaging in assistance to perform a validation, demonstration study to the Interstate Traveler Project, a project originated by Justin Sutton to build a high speed hydrogen solar rail transportation system with some remarkable side benefits.
(PRWEB) May 26, 2005 -- Imagine traveling from NY to Los Angeles by car in 10.5 hours, while your Rail system is producing enough hydrogen to power 70% or more of the Nation’s entire energy demand at no extra charge? Sounds impossible? Don’t bet on it. If a young group of dedicated pioneers have their way, within a year ground could be broke to build a new kind of accelerated highway based on rail transportation of autos, freight and people.
The new highway, called the “Trailblazer” is one that can carry cars between major metropolitan areas reportedly with absolutely no fuel cost. The startup company, Interstate Traveler Company, (http://www.interstatetraveler...) has been “adopted” by the American Computer Science Association as “the wave of the future, now!” According to the ACSA, who has studied the solutions offered by the Interstate Traveler Project – a truly innovative business model has broken down the barriers to a ready supply of cheap, hydrogen energy for the future clean energy economy of America.
Major breakthroughs in engineering have made it now possible to build a high speed transportation system that has virtually no fuel costs, can move automobiles, people and freight interstate at speeds up to 250 miles per hour or more, and yet it produces 300% excess hydrogen for every 100% of its own power needs. The unique technology of the Interstate Traveler uses twin-rail light duty Mag-Lev propulsion, and includes a large array of “Hydrogen from Solar” Conduits (HSCs) that produce hydrogen the entire length of the rail system during sunlight hours.
(Note: I am reserving judgement on this project until I have talked to it's founder. ED.)
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| Senate Bill Would Double Ethanol Use in Gasoline to Eight Billion Gallons a Year |
| 05.26.05 (1:42 pm) |
Over the strong objections of oil companies, a Senate committee on Wednesday approved a requirement that refiners must use more corn-based ethanol and other renewable fuels in gasoline.
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| The Climate Change News |
| 05.26.05 (1:17 pm) |
By Michael Johnston
2005
Here we go boys and girls, time for another trip into the bizarre world of global climate change. This week finds us realizing that the Queen of England's big speech totally ignored climate change. And if that wasn't bad enough a poll revealed that, at the same time, 73% of Britons say government is not doing enough to combat climate change! Ah, but what to the peons know? Just one of the perks of a monarchy. But it is Green Week in the EU this week and so perhaps some new ideas on climate change will emerge there after all.
Moving on to the rest of the world, Arctic Leaders this week Sounded The Alarm Over Global Warming . While far south of the Arctic Climate change was noted in growth of Antarctic ice. But it would seem that, in Antarctica, the Ice sheet confounds climate theory . Which is good I suppose but remember that we have to look at the big picture over time and like Bobby Kennedy says; Facts are Stubborn Things. If you want to be optomstic take the time to remember when Climate Change was being billed as a good thing. Of course former President Clinton thinks that "Global warming is the biggest challenge the world faces, but too many people don't take it seriously".
Did you know that some cities are now hiring people for the position of Climate Change Officer? Yep, Aspen for example, just hired such an employee. But I guess that is inevitable because even though climate change is a global thing what really matters to each of us is how it affects our hometown. Los Angeles did their part by adopting a 20% renewable energy goal by 2017.
This brings us back to things like jobs and climate change and industry. In industry today we see some definite winners like BP Solar which has finally turned a profit. EXXON on the other hand has only now finally decided to Face the Music on Climate Change. While the easyJet chief says green campaigners have a point. Nice of him to notice.
Scientists have decided that, to track global warming, we should watch the water flow, or maybe the lack of it would be better as there seems to be a lot of drought news this week. Of course some scientists say that drought is not an indicator of climate change. Arid NW China for example is endeavoring to seek water from heaven . This might be in vain though because at least one expert says that China's north is to see a "thirsty" decade. With that in mind China opened an International symposium on arid climate change. Where I suppose they will talk about things like The Drought of 2005.
They are claiming that Ocean Warmth Tied is to African Drought. We have seen in past weeks that the ocean is warming up quite a bit too, enough to drive many fish species into new areas, farther north. Maybe ocean temperatures are also somewhat to blame for Australia's "big dry" which is currently challenging farm survival there. People in Australia are angry over what they percieve to be a case of "drought confusion" among their elected leaders.
And so ends another chapter in the ongoing melodrama...As The World Warms....
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| Ben & Jerry's and WWF launch climate change college |
| 05.26.05 (11:29 am) |
London, UK – Ice cream makers Ben & Jerry’s are seeking young people to stop the melt and help lick global warming.
Together with WWF and polar explorer Marc Cornelissen, the internationally-recognize d brand is launching the Ben & Jerry’s Climate Change College in support of WWF’s international PowerSwitch! campaign.
The three-year initiative will see six young people – aged 18-25 – each year become Climate Change Ambassadors after graduating from the Ben & Jerry’s Climate College. Successful applicants to the college will be fully trained through internships, workshops, and a visit to the polar region to witness the issue for themselves and support ongoing research into climate change.
"Just like ice cream, if it’s melted it’s ruined," said Jerry Greenfield, one of the co-founder's of Ben & Jerry's ice cream, who attended the launch of the Climate Change College.
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| Sparks fly |
| 05.26.05 (11:18 am) |
Alternative energy guru Amory Lovins fires back at James Howard Kunstler for calling his Hypercar a "stupid distraction."
- - - - - - - - - - - -
By James Howard Kunstler and Amory Lovins
May 26, 2005 | In his recent interview with Salon, "After the Oil Is Gone" author James Howard Kunstler, doomsayer of the oil age, disses alternative energy guru Amory Lovins, CEO of the Rocky Mountain Institute, for promoting the institute's ultralight Hypercar as a panacea for the coming oil crunch. After reading the interview, Lovins e-mailed Salon his response. We then gave both energy experts another chance to zap one another. The following exchange begins with Kunstler's comments from the interview.
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| Fact Sheet: Developing Clean and Secure Energy Through Hydrogen Fuel |
| 05.26.05 (11:01 am) |
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
May 25, 2005
Fact Sheet: Developing Clean and Secure Energy Through Hydrogen Fuel
Today's Presidential Action
Today In Washington, D.C., President Bush Visited The First North American Retail Hydrogen And Gasoline Fueling Station. The President has promoted greater energy security through the development of new, clean, and domestically available fuels like hydrogen.
Background: Greater Energy Security Through Clean Hydrogen Technologies
Hydrogen Can Provide Long-Term Energy Security Through Use Of Diverse Domestic Resources. The President's Hydrogen Fuel Initiative and the FreedomCAR partnership will reduce America's need for imported oil and help clean the air by aiding the development of hydrogen fuel cells and affordable hydrogen-powered cars. Together, these two initiatives constitute a commitment of $1.7 billion over five years.
A New Infrastructure Is Needed To Support Hydrogen-Powered Cars. Two years ago, the President launched his Hydrogen Fuel Initiative to help develop the technology necessary for infrastructure to produce, store, and distribute hydrogen for use in fuel-cell vehicles. Hydrogen can be produced from domestic fossil, nuclear, or renewable resources.
With Hydrogen Fuel, A Zero-Emission Car Is Possible. The President's hydrogen initiatives promote development of technologies that will lead to safe and affordable hydrogen-powered fuel-cell vehicles that would emit water vapor instead of exhaust fumes.
Turning Hydrogen Fuel Into A Reality. Over the past two years, the Department of Energy and its partners in the FreedomCAR and Hydrogen Fuel Initiatives have made tremendous progress toward the President's goal of enabling today's children to take their future driver's tests in completely pollution-free cars.
The President's Initiative Has Helped Lower The Cost Of Fuel Cells. Federal funding for research has helped develop new technologies that have reduced the cost of automotive fuel cells purchased in high-volume by more than 25 percent over just the past three years. Though more work is needed, this brings America closer to its goal of making fuel cells cost-competitive.
Hydrogen Fuel Has Become More Affordable. New technology has contributed to a reduction in the cost of natural gas-based hydrogen production from $5.00 per gallon in 2003 to $3.60 today.
More Than $440 Million In Federal Funding Has Been Awarded For Research. To bring hydrogen fuel-cell technology from the laboratory to the showroom, the government is funding research and development projects designed to overcome critical technology barriers in the production, transportation, storage, and use of hydrogen.
New Projects Totaling $64 Million In Federal Funding Announced Today. Over 70 projects at universities and federal laboratories have been selected to conduct basic research in support of the hydrogen economy.
New Partners Have Joined The President's Hydrogen Fuel Initiatives. Five major energy companies have joined as partners in the FreedomCAR and Hydrogen Fuel Initiatives, which will help identify and prioritize the research needed to overcome the technical and economic barriers of developing hydrogen fuel infrastructure and fuel-cell vehicle technologies.
The United States Has Organized Support From Around The World For Hydrogen Technology. Sixteen nations and the European Commission have joined the U.S.-initiated International Partnership for The Hydrogen Economy, an international effort to collaborate on hydrogen research and establish global codes and standards necessary for all countries to realize competitively priced hydrogen vehicles and fueling infrastructure by 2020.
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| A New Twist in Home Heating? |
| 05.25.05 (4:06 pm) |
By Michael Johnston
Copyright 2005
Imagine yourself snuggled up next to your significant other on a cold, snowy winter's night. You are sitting on the living room floor sipping wine, warm and cozy in front of your new fireplace, watching the flames crackle and dance. Every so often you get up to add more water to the fire......
That's right, according to Vince Bossany, press liaison at Heat & Glo (the world's leading producer and installer of hearth products), the company's new Aquelon fireplace will let you do just that; burn water. Or at least burn the Hydrogen and Oxygen that are the components of water and are continuously being produced from the distilled, or purified tap water in the on board electrolysis unit that is included as part of the fireplace.
The company refers to the design of the fireplace as “stylish” and “sculpture-esque”. It brings to my mind an image of the olympic flame. But with a price tag of $49,999.00 and the fact that the company only anticipates producing perhaps five of them this year (strictly on a “made to order” basis) this fireplace probably won't be flying off the shelves at your local Home Depot anytime soon. It seems to be more a high priced novelty/toy for the Larry Ellison set. Or perhaps, with its avant-garde design, it could serve as a decorative but functional piece of sculpture for resort hotels or for companies who are involved in hydrogen research.
The company “has a tradition of successful innovation (beginning in 1987 when Heat & Glo introduced the first direct vent gas fireplace) and we wanted to be the first to develop and market an indoor device to make use of the new fuel source (hydrogen)”,
said Bossany. While he admitted that the price tag is a little salty for the average American he did point out that new technologies often start out at a prohibitive price level which then lowers over time as demand increases.
Of course with an average fireplace costing only two thousand dollars or less there will have to be quite a drop in price before this technology comes into popular use. After all, given the choice between buying this fireplace and a new Shelby Mustang most Americans (including myself) would probably pick the Shelby.
The fireplace itself measures 60” high by 28” wide produces 31,000 BTU's of heat energy. Compare this energy output to a traditionally fueled fireplace which can produce between 10,000 and 70,000 BTU's. The Aquelon uses a 240 volt electrical connection to power it's electrolyzer. Since, according to Faraday's Law of Electrolysis, it is the amount of current that is flowing through the electrolyzer that determines how much hydrogen is produced it seems as though the price tag for the electricity used to run the electrolyzer in this fireplace could be comparable to an electric stove or clothes dryer.
The company claims that the Aqueon is actually safer to operate than traditionally fueled fireplaces. This is because the hydrogen fuel that the fireplace uses is stored safely and conveniently as liquid water until it is needed and then it is separated into hydrogen and oxygen only as fast as it is burned in the fireplace. This eliminates the expense and potential safety issues that would arise if the hydrogen was stored as a compressed gas.
When the water is separated into hydrogen and oxygen the result is a perfect Stoichiometric mixture. In other words, all of the Oxygen needed to burn the hydrogen is being produced from the water by the electrolysis unit at the same time as the hydrogen. So, unlike fireplaces that use traditional fuels, no oxygen is consumed from the air and therefore no outside exhaust or ventilation is needed. The only by-product of burning hydrogen and oxygen together is water vapor. There are no greenhouse gases such as Carbon Dioxide or potentially lethal poisons such as Carbon Monoxide produced by this fireplace as there are in any hydrocarbon burning fireplace.
I talked to Jason Burch, Vice President at Fuelcellstore.com and he said that, without taking cost into consideration, he thought the design of the fireplace was “really nice looking” and added that “the fact that it incorporates an electrolyzer within it makes it extremely user friendly. Most devices that use hydrogen fuel tend to leave it up to the buyer to find a place to buy their hydrogen. So this (fireplace) has a definite advantage in that respect”.
While the Aqueon may not be for everyone at this time, the overall concept behind it seems to be a glimpse into a possible future in which at least some of our energy needs are being provided for by hydrogen produced from water. After all, water is the single largest potential source of stored hydrogen fuel on this planet, and when hydrogen and oxygen are produced from water using solar or wind energy and then burned together they turn back into water making it a totally clean and endlessly renewable energy resource.
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| HELP REVERSE ASSAULT ON RENEWABLE ENERGY! |
| 05.25.05 (3:16 pm) |
The following appeal is being forwarded by me from an email sent to me by the webmaster at gracelinks.org
MJ
On Friday, May 13th, Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) launched a direct assault on
renewable energy. Senator Alexander introduced legislation (Senate Bill 1034) that
would create strict new regulatory limits to wind power - the fastest growing source
of energy in the world. In addition, Senator Alexander is opposing federal
incentives to support wind power and renewable energy by opposing a federal
production tax credit and a Renewable Portfolio Standard, a law that would require
utilities to produce a growing percentage of their energy from renewable sources by
a predetermined year.
TAKE ACTION!
SHOW SENATOR ALEXANDER THAT WE WANT SUPPORT FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY NOW!
Call Senator Lamar Alexander and tell him his latest attack on wind energy, a clean
domestic responsible source of energy production, has gone TOO FAR! This is his most
threatening move in a series of comments against wind power.
Call Today!! (202) 224-4944 to express your concern and disappointment in SB 1034!!!
Or send him an email from his web site at:
http://alexander.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home" title="http://alexander.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home" target="_blank"http://alexander.senate.gov/i...
In his Senate Bill 1034, the "Environmentally Responsible Wind Power Actof 2005,"
Lamar Alexander proposes to eliminate any federal tax incentives for the
development of wind power, yet in other bills he supports the federal funding for
nuclear power and coal. In addition, he proposes federal tax incentives for other
fossil fuels and supports fossil fuel exploration both off shore and in our federal
lands. This includes the majestic coast of Florida and the Outer Banks of North
Carolina.
In his proposed legislation against wind power development, Alexander wants to
outlaw wind development off-shore, one of the most promising sources of innovative
and independent energy in the nation. Instead, Alexander is FOR the development of
off-shore drilling, a non-renewable source of energy, in his proposed fossil fuel
handout.
The contradiction continues.....
In October 2004, Alexander stated, "Many people don't like the idea of drilling for
gas (or oil) in these federal lands. These same people often also object to nuclear
power, another source of power that does not pollute the air. They suggest instead
massive windmills, as tall as football fields are long and as noisy as freight
trains, which to my way of thinking scar the landscape in the name of saving it -
without producing much energy." During Senator Alexander's May 13th comments, while
introducing the proposed legislation, he refers to wind power as that of the
"destruction of the American landscape" four (4) times! However, he makes no mention
of the impact that the coal industry has to scenic vistas such as mountain top
removal and strip mining that defacethe land for centuries to come or the damaging
effects of air pollution such as acid rain deposition, which harms the diverse and
fragile ecosystems of our American landscapes.
It appears that the Senator Alexander is for the expansion of coal, nuclear and gas,
but against supporting renewable energy technologies, in particular wind power - the
most promising source of renewable energy to date. Does Senator Alexander understand
the importance of supporting innovative and responsible technologies? The recent
expansion of the Buffalo Mountain Wind Farm in his home state of Tennessee is proof
that this industry is growing, creating jobs in Tennessee.
In his statement of May 13th, 2005, Lamar Alexander states many factual
inaccuracies, and SACE will be publishing responses to these inaccuracies on our web
site ( www.cleanenergy.org).
To see Senator Alexander's statements on the floor May 13th:
http://alexander.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Speeches.Detail&Speech_Id=72" title="http://alexander.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Speeches.Detail&Speech_Id=72" target="_blank"http://alexander.senate.gov/i...
To read the SB 1034:
http://alexander.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=SponsoredB ills.Detail&SponsoredBillID=42 &Congress=109" title="http://alexander.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=SponsoredB ills.Detail&SponsoredBillID=42 &Congress=109" target="_blank"http://alexander.senate.gov/i...
Senate Bill 1034 illustrates how Lamar Alexander, chair of the Senate's Natural
Resources Energy Subcommittee, has lost focus on responsible energy policy and is
preventing the growth of clean, renewable energy resources. America needs leaders
who will stand for innovative solutions and pragmatic policies that will build a
safe and secure renewable energy future, not leaders who support dangerous and
destructive practices that harm the health of our society and undermine the future
of our natural world.
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| Carbon Nanotubes, the Evolution of Hydrocarbons? |
| 05.24.05 (1:06 pm) |
By Michael Johnston
2005
For the last 160 odd years we have been using carbon as a medium to store our hydrogen fuel. We called this method of H2 storage "fossil fuels". So using carbon as a device on/in which to store hydrogen is nothing new. Some other examples of "natural" hydrogen on carbon storage are alcohols, vegetable oils and sugar.
The only problem with this method of hydrogen storage has been that, when the hydrogen atom is transferred from the carbon atom on which it is stored to an oxygen atom the carbon storage atom also binds to an oxygen atom creating the greenhouse gasses carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide as byproducts. It is these gasses which are currently contributing greatly to global warming/climate change and this is the main motivation for our push to implement cleaner energy sources.
Could carbon play a role in the new energy paradigm? Many people think so and researchers are constantly working to improve one such carbon based hydrogen storage device. Carbon Nanotubes were developed as an outgrowth of the Fullerene research conducted by Nobel Laureates; Robert F. Curl, Harold W. Kroto, and Richard E. Smalley.
Nanotubes can be describes as "Conceptually, single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) can be considered to be formed by the rolling of a single layer of graphite (called a graphene layer) into a seamless cylinder. A multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) can similarly be considered to be a coaxial assembly of cylinders of SWCNTs, like a Russian doll, one within another; the separation between tubes is about equal to that between the layers in natural graphite. Hence, nanotubes are one-dimensional objects with a well-defined direction along the nanotube axis that is analogous to the in-plane directions of graphite." This according to M. S. Dresselhaus, Department of Physics and the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Above description and image are from.
Unlike traditional hydrocarbon chains where hydrogen atoms are bound to specific carbon atoms:
Image from CUNY.
In nanotubes the hydrogen atoms are drawn to the carbon atoms which make up the tubes but do not seem to actually bond to them. This makes it much easier to both fill the nanotube assembley with hydrogen and conversely to remove the hydrogen from the nanotubes. In the image below you see hydrogen atoms (red) in a matyrix of carbon nanotubes (blue).
Image fromPitt.
Nanotubes are available commercially from such sources as the Thomas-Swan Company and many others. One problem with nanotube hydrogen storage has been that there hasn't been the capacity to store enough hydrogen in a given quantity of nanotube material. Researchers have recently devised a theoretical model that may solve that problem. They have discovered that by "decorating" (see image below) the outside walls of nanotubes (light blue) with metals like titanium (dark blue) the storage capacity of the tubes for hydrogen(red) could be greatly increased.
Image from physorg.com
The advantage of using carbon nanotubes as a hydrogen storage medium is that the hydrogen can be put into and removed from the nanotubes without the carbon of the tubes reacting with oxygen to form the previously mentioned CO and CO2 gasses. This will allow the hydrogen fuel to be produced from a clean, renewable source such as water.
Using water as a source the energy to produce the hydrogen can come from such nearly unlimited resources as solar and wind energy. The hydrogen so produced could be loaded into carbon nanotube storage and distribution tanks for transportation to customers either locally or over a significant distance with a degree of safety that is roughly equal to that of transporting gasoline today. So then carbon nanotubes may one day open the door to the widespread use of clean, non-polluting hydrogen fuel for all of the things that we use fossil fuels for today.
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| Is BMW Building a Hydrogen Bombshell? |
| 05.24.05 (11:52 am) |
At a BMW workshop in Munich, engineer Wolfgang Strobl takes off his glasses and holds them a few inches from the exhaust pipe of a seven-series sedan. The engine's running, but all that's coming out is warm, odorless steam. ''See, I can even clean my lenses,'' Strobl says, wiping them with a felt cloth. The car, one of BMW's 15-strong fleet of hydrogen-powered 750hL sedans, emits water vapor and nothing else. BMW believes its system, developed over more than two decades at a cost of nearly $1 billion, is the answer to car pollution. ''Hydrogen's the right way to go,'' says Burkhard Goschel, BMW's director of vehicle development. ''You're solving the problem once and for all.''
BMW's hydrogen hopes will be a big topic of discussion in Munich come mid-September at a huge hydrogen technology conference that will draw scientists and auto engineers from around the world. But they won't be there to proclaim BMW's hydrogen engine as the universal blueprint for the 21st century car. Instead, while other auto makers are also looking to hydrogen as the fuel of the future, BMW is emerging as a loner. From DaimlerChrysler to General Motors Corp., most are working on fuel cells that use hydrogen to produce electricity to run electric motors. But BMW's entry burns hydrogen in an only slightly modified version of the internal combustion engine that has powered cars for more than a century. BMW expects to put a model on the market in 2003.
So why go against the flow? Fuel-cell backers say their system offers quiet electric motors, superior acceleration at lower speeds, lower maintenance costs, and twice the energy efficiency of a combustion engine. Sounds good, but BMW figures its customers won't accept the performance of an electric car, with its sluggish acceleration at high speeds. Nor will they want a fuel-cell car that, in the words of one BMW official, sometimes ''sounds like a vacuum cleaner.'' Indeed, the sleek BMW 750hL, expected to cost upward of $100,000, looks and feels like a high-performance luxury car. It has a top speed of 140 mph, 50 mph more than DaimlerChrysler's latest fuel-cell demonstrator, the NECAR 4. ''History will decide, but my opinion is that customers will like combustion engines more than fuel cells,'' says BMW Chairman Joachim Milberg.
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| After 150 Years Of Research, Discovery Of How Flames Burn Is Finally Made By Cornell Scientist ... |
| 05.22.05 (6:15 pm) |
A compound discovered to be ubiquitous in fire has amazingly eluded detection in spite of 150 years of research on how flames burn, according to a recent paper appearing in the journal Science on its Science Express Web site (May 12, 2005), co-authored by Cornell University Professor Terrill A. Cool.
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| Running out of juice? |
| 05.22.05 (6:03 pm) |
Despite the hype, there's no sign that the Congress will produce an energy bill worthy of the formidable energy-policy challenges faced by the United States.
SOURCE Subscription required.
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| Deeply held values fuel debate over offshore wind power |
| 05.22.05 (5:45 pm) |
Wind farms are nothing new to some parts of the United States, where tall, white wind turbines with their giant propellers tower over the landscape, generating electricity with every sweep of their blades. Now these windmills may be coming to an ocean near you -- but not without significant public debate and navigation of a "hodgepodge" of regulations, according to recent University of Delaware research
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| CEO interview: Power for free |
| 05.22.05 (3:34 pm) |
by Ed Sperling at Electronic News
Friday 20 May 2005
CEO interview: Power for free
Alex Lidow, chairman and CEO of International Rectifier, sat down with Electronic News to discuss the growing importance of global energy conservation and how his company is benefiting from it. What follows are excerpts of that conversation.
Electronic News: How’s your business versus where you were two years ago?
Lidow: This is a completely different company. We’ve done several acquisitions and developed some incredible technologies. But the markets have also changed, and that’s what’s really exciting. An emerging need in society is energy conservation. That’s something we’ve been working on for a very long time as a company. I’ve been working on it for 29 years, and it’s now a third of our business. It’s also a part of our business that seems to be growing much faster. The high cost of energy does that. Developing nations with constrained power grids help, too.
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| "Cars and Fuels of the Future -- Are We There Yet? Making Hydrogen Vehicles and Fuels Available for |
| 05.22.05 (3:24 pm) |
Kicking off World Environment Day, leading academics and industry experts will present "Cars and Fuels of the Future -- Are We There Yet? Making hydrogen vehicles and fuels available for the rest of us." Long before the recent spike in fuel prices, leaders in both the public and private sector have been researching sustainable vehicles and fuels. This event will highlight the progress and projected time frame for the implementation of future technology. Current concept cars, alternative fuel technologies, as well as their timeline and challenges for availability to the public will be discussed. The event is open to the public and the media. Who: Chris Onder (ETH), lead architect of the ETH "Pac Car" will present this concept vehicle that gets 1700 km on 1-liter of gas, which was a front-runner in the 2004 Shell Eco-Marathon in Nogaro, France.
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| Valence Technology and EnergyCS Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle Wins Awards at Tour de Sol |
| 05.22.05 (3:18 pm) |
A concept plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) developed by EnergyCS and Valence Technology, Inc. has won the hybrid category in the Tour de Sol's Monte Carlo-style Rally, which ended May 14. Valence is a leader in the development and commercialization of Saphion® technology, the only safe, large-format Lithium-ion rechargeable battery technology. Powered by Valence Technology's U-Charge(TM) Power System, the PHEV is a fully functional concept car based on a 2004 Toyota Prius. Modifications made by EnergyCS included incorporation of Valence's Saphion Lithium-ion battery technology in order to allow more zero-emission driving and better gas mileage. In the Tour de Sol Monte Carlo-style Rally, in which there were 41 entrants, the vehicle won first place in the modified hybrid-vehicle category for fuel-efficiency and performance.
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| Volkswagen New Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle Uses Modine's Fuel Cell Products Group |
| 05.22.05 (3:13 pm) |
Modine Manufacturing Company , a leader in the design and development of critical heat and mass transfer technology for fuel cell systems, announced today it is now supplying humidification and water management components to Volkswagen for their fuel cell hybrid vehicle - the Touran HyMotion. Modine has been working on developing this fuel cell technology for the past year. Over the next year, the Company will continue working with Europe's biggest carmaker to optimize these and other critical components for its fuel cell systems. "This opportunity allows Modine and Volkswagen to combine their years of expertise toward making fuel cell vehicle systems commercially viable," said Mark Baffa, Director of Modine's Fuel Cell Products Group. This is Volkswagen's latest endeavor into the fuel cell hybrid automobile market, and part of the car company's global effort to reduce vehicle emissions and lessen the world's dependence on oil.
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| The New Power Generation |
| 05.22.05 (2:57 pm) |
In the old days, being green meant being hardcore. Earnest enviros plugged their poky electric cars into the wall like four-wheeled toaster ovens. They bought organic food at dusty co-ops staffed by vegan clerks in hemp ponchos. And if they were really serious, they disconnected from planet-ravaging modernity altogether and lived in a creaky cabin off the grid.
Today, hardcore has given way to hybrid. Soccer moms tool around in the Toyota Prius, with its nifty gas-electric engine that saves both fossil fuel and family funds. The suburbs are stuffed with flexitarians - mostly-veggies who pick up their staples from the gleaming organic produce section at the local Whole Foods but also opt for an occasional free-range-chicken breast.
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| Global Winds Sufficient To Meet Total Energy Needs of The World |
| 05.21.05 (7:15 pm) |
WASHINGTON, DC, MAY 21 - The planet's winds, even if only partially
harnessed, can generate more than enough electric energy to satisfy
the world's total energy demands, a new Stanford University study
suggests.
The report by Cristina L. Archer and Mark Z. Jacobson, of Stanford's
Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, analyzed more than
8,000 wind speed measurements in an effort to identify the world's
wind power potential - the first time that such an evaluation has been
attempted.
The paper was scheduled to be published this month in the "Journal of
Geophysical Research-Atmospheres," a publication of the American
Geophysical Union (AGU).
"We found that the available wind power worldwide from land and
near-shore locations is over 30 times larger than the current global
demand for electricity," Archer told H&FCL in an e-mail. "This is the
power theoretically available from the wind, but we did not
investigate what fraction of it could realistically be captured."
The main implication of this study is that "wind, for low-cost wind
energy, is more widely available than was previously recognized,"
Archer was quoted in an AGU release. Archer and Jacobson report that
nearly 13% of the stations reviewed experience winds with an average
annual speed strong enough for power generation. They also note that,
based on their expectations of other global areas, an even greater
percentage of locations would likely reach the 6.9 meters/second (15
miles/hour) wind speed considered strong enough to be economically
feasible.
The researchers also found that some of the strongest winds were
observed in Europe's northeastern coasts, at the southern tip of South
America, as well as in Tasmania. In North America, the most promising
areas are in the central belt, the Great Lakes area and both coasts of
Canada.
Estimating the total amount of global wind power that could be
harvested, the authors said that locations with suitable Class 3 winds
could produce approximately 72 terawatts, and that capturing even a
fraction only of that total would provide the 1.6-1.8 terawatts of
global electricity use in the year 2000.
(The full story will appear in the upcoming June online and print
issues of "The Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Letter.")
Copyright (c) 2005 Peter Hoffmann.
The Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Letter
69 Grinnell Street
Post Office Box 14
Rhinecliff, NY 12574-0014
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| Business and Environmental Groups Outline Principles for an Environmentally Responsible Senate Energ |
| 05.20.05 (2:26 pm) |
WASHINGTON -- May 17 -- As the U.S. Senate once again takes up consideration of national energy policy, it must do more than merely produce legislation that is better than the bills approved by U.S. House of Representatives which - overall - have grown progressively worse for sustainable energy technologies.
Instead, the Senate should seize this once-in-a-decade opportunity and craft an energy bill to accomplish three primary goals:
substantially reducing the level of energy imports;
slashing the emission of greenhouse gases; and
making the transition from polluting energy sources like nuclear power and fossil fuels, which threaten national security and the environment, towards domestically-available renewable energy resources, energy efficient technologies, and a sustainable hydrogen economy.
To realize those goals, national energy legislation should incorporate strong renewable energy and energy efficiency provisions including the following:
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| Firm claims fuel cell breakthrough |
| 05.20.05 (1:55 pm) |
A small British technology company on Thursday claimed to be on the verge of unlocking the vast potential of fuel cells as a commercially viable source of green energy. Cambridge-based CMR Fuel Cells said it had made a breakthrough with a new design of fuel cell that is a tenth of the size of existing models and small enough to replace conventional batteries in laptop computers. "We firmly believe CMR technology is the equivalent of the jump from transistors to integrated circuits," said John Halfpenny, the company's chief executive. Fuel cells have for years been touted as the next big green power source.
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| Vietnam builds its first wind power plant |
| 05.19.05 (3:00 pm) |
HANOI (AFP) - Vietnam this month started building its first wind power plant, a Danish-financed project worth 52 million dollars, an official said.
The project will generate up to 170 million kilowatt hours (kWh) a year when finished in 2008, said Nguyen Kim Phuong, director of the central Binh Dinh province's industry department.
The wind power turbines would be supplied by Denmark's Vestas Company, using a loan from the Danish development agency.
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| Gamble in the Desert -- 'Green' Diesel from Natural Gas Could Cut City Smog |
| 05.19.05 (2:52 pm) |
May 11, 2005 — By Jim Krane, Associated Press
RAS LAFFAN INDUSTRIAL CITY, Qatar — The rat's nest of pipes and columns snaking across the desert harbors a secret process that will use cobalt to turn natural gas into a powerful, clean-burning diesel fuel.
By next year, rulers of this tiny desert sheikdom hope, these gas-to-liquids (GTL) reactors under construction will bring in billions of dollars while clearing big city smog belched by trucks and buses.
Petroleum experts who have sniffed vials of gin-clear GTL diesel speak of it with reverence.
"It's a beautiful product," says Jim Jensen, a Massachusetts-based energy economist. "The kerosene smells like perfume."
In all, some US$20 billion (euro15 billion) has been committed to build an unprecedented array of clean diesel plants in this Gulf shore industrial park.
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| Can hybrids save US from foreign oil? |
| 05.19.05 (2:43 pm) |
The growing enthusiasm for hybrids is rattling the faith of America's automakers, who have long believed that consumers don't care about fuel efficiency. And it has opened the door to a new theory that hybrid cars - long predicted to be a niche market and a way station to future hydrogen autos - are themselves the answer to revolutionize the fleet and trim the nation's surging dependence on foreign oil.
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| Wind Power Update |
| 05.19.05 (1:28 pm) |
By Michael Johnston
2005
There is very little in the world that is as simple to understand or as easy to build as a wind powered electrical generator. All it really is is an electrical generator which is very similar to or even could be the alternator in your car. You simply put that generator on top of a pole and attach a propeller to it's driveshaft and away you go, free energy for as long as the wind blows and/or the generator lasts. Perhaps that is why wind energy is the fastest growing form of alternative energy worldwide. And why wind power is said to be essential to the future of the planet.
Since wind energy systems are comparatively cheap to produce and easy to install it makes them perfect for cash poor parts of the world such as Ghana which has a 2,000 megawat wind power potential.
Of course wind power isn't just for poor countries, Sicily has recently inaugurated a new wind farm. China, the world's new industrial powerhouse, is also actively developing wind power such as what is being done on this this tiny island.
Even a group of Benedictine Nuns in South Dakota are betting on wind energy to power their future. But nothing is perfect of course and already the Millionaires are feuding over who gets to inherit profits from the wind
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| News From The Alternative Energy Auto World |
| 05.18.05 (1:32 pm) |
By Michael Johnston
2005
In the ongoing technological evolution of America the automobile has always been one of the first things that you could point to if you wanted to demonstrate this evolution. Every year at auto shows the manufacturers eagerly trotted out ther newest and best designs for public inspection.
Today that development has taken on a new direction, it is said by some that the U.S. auto industry is not dying, but being reborn, new fuels and cleaner powersources have become all the rage. Even though you can only buy a few such vehicles and (except for the hybrids) their prices are still not usually competitive with traditionally powered vehicles they are carving out a growing niche for themselves in the automotive world.
This story will highlight some of the new developments in automotive technology that have been released as news stories in the last week or so. The idea is to keep my readers informed of new developments in various scientific arena's and to try to present that information in a somewhat entertaining fashion. I always welcome comments from readers (even if I don't always agree with them).
A good place to start your exploration of the future of automobiles would probably be at The Car Connection where they have a new report titled "Future Cars" which is intended to introduce readers to an Insider's view of developments in the auto industry.
Another site you might want to bookmark is from Edmunds.com (THE auto information source). They have just launched a new section of their website called the Fuel Economy Guide Fuel Economy Guide. In this section you can learn abot ways to improve your mileage on your current car qand shop and compare new models including diesela and hybrids.
At a recent event President Bush said that America needs to support the use of alternative fuels such as biodiesel. That is commendable asn indeed diesel and biodiesel are in the news this week. One interesting development is the intent to manufacture cleaner burning diesel fuel from natural gas. How this is done is worth a story of its own and so all I will say about it here is that it is nothing new. These new forms of diesel and even cleaner forms of traditional diesel produced from fossil hydrocarbons does have many supporters today such as the Chrysler Group.
Cleaner diesel is cleaqrly gaining a foothold in America like no other alternative fuel ever did before, even ethanol never quite caught on in the same way. It started with government and municipal fleets of trucks and busses and is now moving into the private sector. The future of clean diesel was recently the topic at a DOE display in Washington. New biodiesel refineries and fueling stations selling biodiesel are cropping up all over the place. Especially in the grain rich midwest and the environmentally conscious west coast of the United States.
Up till now hybrids have been fairly innocuous in appearance and performance with the grnera being dominated by vehicles such as utility bucket trucks or these cool city busses and the Toyota Prius. BUt now other companies are rushing to bring their own version of the hybrid to market. Some of them like the new Lexus
RX 400h will attempt to break into the luxury car market. Others, like the 300hp convertable developed by a team of High School kids in Philadelphia are stretching the stereotype of the hybrid to it's limits. And what better way to get publicity for your company than to start an emission free lease program for members of Congress?
And finally, Zipcar has been making some news of late by giving shoppers rides home from the store in their fleet of environmentally friendly Toyota Priuses.
In other interesting news Toyota has developed a new and better hydrogen storage tank. This is a good thing as long as you want to try to store hydrogen as a gas. For those who want to totally dispense with fuel a team of engineering students from the University of Michigan had designed and built a solar powered car which they will race in the American Solar Challenge this summer. In other electric car news the REVA Electric Car company has announced the debut of it's new concept car, the REVA-NXG. A company called ZAP is also promoting next generation vehicles and was on hand in Santa Anna, CA May 19 to demonstrate their technology and give the Mayor a ride.
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| Toyota To Make a Hybrid Camry in Kentucky |
| 05.17.05 (8:17 pm) |
WASHINGTON- Toyota Motor Corp., Japan's top automaker, said on Tuesday it would produce a gasoline-electric hybrid version of its popular Camry sedan at its assembly plant in Georgetown, Kentucky, starting late next year.
It will be the first North American production of a hybrid vehicle for Toyota, a world leader in the fuel-saving technology along with Honda Motor Co. Ltd., which sells the Insight and hybrid versions of its Civic and Accord cars.
Toyota currently imports its hybrid vehicles, such as the Prius car and the Lexus RX 400h luxury sport utility vehicle, from Japan.
Company officials provided no pricing or technical details for the new Camry, the fifth hybrid for Toyota and Lexus, its more expensive line of vehicles.
The Kentucky plant is the company's largest in North America with the capacity to build 500,000 vehicles annually.
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| China Warns of Danger of Melting Everest Glaciers |
| 05.17.05 (8:14 pm) |
BEIJING- Global warming is shrinking glaciers on the Tibet side of Mount Everest faster than ever, putting world water supplies at risk, Xinhua news agency said on Tuesday.
Chinese scientists researching the world's tallest peak, which China refers to by its Tibetan name, "Qomolangma", had found clear evidence of increasing glacial melting, Xinhua said.
"Global warming has resulted in glaciers melting fast in the Mount Qomolangma area ... threatening the balance of global water resources," it said.
Around 75 percent of the world's fresh water is stored in glacial ice, much of it in mountain areas, allowing for heavy winter rain and snowfall to be released gradually into river networks throughout the summer or dry months.
"The growing melting area means less fresh water reserves for the world in the future," Xinhua said.
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| US Should Help China Improve Energy Efficiency- Bush |
| 05.17.05 (4:14 pm) |
The United States must help fast-growing China and India become more energy efficient, and reduce its own dependence on foreign oil by finding alternative energy sources, President Bush said Monday
(Seriously, he really said that. I am not making it up. Whty should they reduce their oil dependence? So there is more or us! hehehe ED.)
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| Science Threatened by Political Interference |
| 05.17.05 (2:20 pm) |
From: The Union of Concerned Scientists
On issues from childhood lead poisoning to toxic mercury emissions, federal government scientific information is being censored, manipulated, and distorted on an unprecedented scale. Knowing that these actions have serious consequences for our health, our environment, and national security, members of Congress have introduced the Restore Scientific Integrity to Federal Research and Policy Making Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. Urge your representative to prevent political interference in science and protect our nation's scientific capacity by co-sponsoring this legislation.
To take action on this issue click HERE
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| Climate Change Update |
| 05.17.05 (1:34 pm) |
By Michael Johnston
2005
Hello Climate Change fans, here we are with another week of global climate mayhem to report on. :-) If this report seems somewhat disjointed and lacking in a definite direction or purpose then you are reading it correctly. I have some news feeds and from them I try to cobble together a common thread to tie all the individual stories together. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't. In either case though you get to scan all the relevant stories from the last week or so and read the ones that catch your interest.
It would seem that the British Royal Society (a decent bunch)has decided that the Crown isn't doing enough to combat Global Warming. Fortunately, in their great wisdom, the rulers of the UK have decided to combat the nasty effects of global warming by increasing their reliance on nuclear energy (see Chernobyl).
Of course their climate
change policy is in tatters. But the Prime Minister does have a goal of cutting
greenhouse gas emissions by 60%.All the while the UK readies to find a successor to the Kyoto Protocol. Part of this “solution” might involve storing
CO2 under the Earth or under the ocean. The picture that comes to mind is using a broom to sweep all the dirt on a floor into a neat little pile and then, when no one is looking, sweeping the dirt under a nearby rug.... This tactic is the cornerstone of the “Zero
Emissions” plans of the big money interests who want to keep using fossil fuels no matter what the cost.
Of course Industry is rising to the call for change and Bosses
are seeing the need to make a difference. They are starting to realize that the much reported death of environmentalism may have been somewhat exaggerated. One sign of this is that investors in general as well as investors
of specific companies such as EXXON are demanding more responsibility from corporate management. Companies like GE are seeing which way the wind blows and are making efforts to put on a “green” face.
Part of the motivation behind efforts in the UK to address Climate Change may be the news that Europe
will be the first to go . Scientists modeling the coming changes say that within 20 years the European weather may be cycling
between flood and drought on an annual basis. So much for the British Empire, eh? In Australia, yet another British outpost, the
Great Barrier Reef will probably be dead within 45 years. Of course other countries like China
and Nepal will have their economies destroyed by Earth changes as well. Even the west
coast of the United States may turn into a barren wasteland. South Africa has already
been warned to prepare for “grave” changes.
Sigh, what to do? Maybe if we look at the global picture we can find some encouraging developments. If you live in a low lying area (like New York City, San Diego, LA or similar locations) you may want to consider selling out while the real estate values are still good. At least according to a study
which predicts massive flooding of low lying areas as the ocean rises. This will probably create
millions of refugees who will themselves flood into geographically higher areas.
The natural world is seeing it's share of change too. In the North Sea fish are moving to the cooler waters farther north as the oceans heat up. A new study shows that increased CO2 and Ozone levels in the atmosphere may
devastate agriculture. At the same time another study has found that greenhouses gases (such as CO2 and Ozone)have reached a new high concentration and their buildup
may be accelerating. At the same time the
upper atmosphere of our planet is thinning... All this change will of course threaten the existence of millions
of species of plants and animals. Climate change is already affecting plants and animals. Brazil, for example, has just had it's worst
drop ever in agricultural production. The fact that rivers
are predicted to either dry up or grow in size is another factor which will have to be considered.
Recently NASA released the news that the world
is actually cooling which is a good thing considering that the
Arctic
has been found to be warming at twice the global rate and the Greenland ice cap is “doomed
to meltdown”. Not to mention what is happening at the South Pole where the Antarctic ice cap has been called an “awakened
giant”. Perhaps at least some of the more obvious effects of climate change will be obscured by the fact that dust
storms are increasing globally as well. Even folks who regularly take the
temperature of dirt are joining the global warming parade.
While all this warming is going on something is going to have to
generate
the electricity to power our air conditioners, isn't it? Poor South Africa is screwed again as they
have no plan. Solutions can be simple, the US Virgin Islands can just switch to using their abundantly available solar energy. President Bush feels that the US as a whole needs
“smarter” ways of producing electricity. Now they
want to make diesel from natural gas, syngas, syndiesel, same thing, synthetic fossil fuels made from carbon and water or from natural gas in this example. Remember though that natural gas can be made from coal and water. Luckily the atmosphere
may be cleaning itself faster than was once thought possible.
So there you have it, another week of facts which can be interpreted and/or altered any which way you want to so that they fit into your own personal belief system. In the end I suppose it won't matter what you believe, either something happens or it
doesn't, and this time all we may be able to do is stand on the sidelines and watch (for a while anyway).
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| Argentinean Scientists Get Pure Hydrogen Through Ethanol |
| 05.16.05 (4:31 pm) |
Recently hydrogen as source of energy was deeply discussed in the very commented The Hydrogen Economy isn't Coming Soon. Well, from Argentina a new element arrives to the discussion, as members of the Catalytic Processes Laboratory (LPC) of University...
(As I said, any hydrocarbon can be a hydrogen fuel source for fuel cells in the future. Alcohol, sugar water, etc. ED.)
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| Mitsubishi to start selling electric cars |
| 05.16.05 (3:58 pm) |
Scandal-plagued Mitsubishi Motors Corp. said Wednesday it will start selling electric cars in 2010, an attempt to showcase its technological prowess and fix its battered brand image. The Tokyo-based automaker, struggling to regain customer trust after repeated cover-ups of auto defects, showed off a small test vehicle equipped with motors embedded in the rear wheels that run on a lithium-ion batteries. "For a company with small sales like ours, this is a way we can assert a meaningful presence," Tetsuro Aikawa, who oversees product development and environmental research, told reporters at the company's headquarters.
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| Mobile Army Requires Solar Soldiers |
| 05.16.05 (2:14 pm) |
Today's soldiers are more power hungry than ever, and the army believes flexible solar cells can provide the extra juice. The military is testing lightweight materials that harness the sun's rays and feed electronic devices wherever mobile warriors travel.
Keeping the power on for soldiers -- who rely on night vision goggles, laptops, communications devices, and GPS units -- requires 150 tons of batteries per year, according to Lynn Samuelson, a research chemist at the U.S. Army Soldier Systems Center, in Natick, Massachusetts.
Batteries are frequently airlifted to remote troops and distributed to soldiers, who carry two dozen spares and must also make sure they are not discarded so that their movements can be tracked. The Army is transitioning to rechargeable batteries that can gain new life from solar-powered chargers, according to Samuelson.
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| Bicycles of the Rich and Famous |
| 05.16.05 (11:40 am) |
By Michael Johnston
2005
If someone asked you what the one thing might be that you would never in a million years dream that you could ever want or need what might you say? A Cadillac bicycle perhaps?
Aparrently Cadillac thinks that some of use do need and will want bicycles sporting the famous automotive logo. There will be six models of luxury bike and I am not sure if they range from luxury (Limosuine) bikes to off road (SUV) models or not but they are supposed to be the bike to have for those with a need to be flashy.
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| Fuel Cell Runs on Blood! |
| 05.15.05 (6:32 pm) |
By Michael Johnston
2005
A new micro fuel cell has been developed a team of researchers at Tohoku University, in Japan. The cell is designed to be implanted in the human body and serve as a power source for various types of medical devices.
What is interesting to note is that the cell runs on the glucose (sugar) in blood. Sugar is a hydrocarbon just like gasoline or alcohol. I have noted for some time that, under the right conditions, sugar could serve as a source of hydrogen fuel for fuel cells and could probably be extracted by a steam refoemer. We have to look at hydrocarbons in general as hydrogen storage mechanisms.
SOURCE (with illustration)
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| Cortez sophmore builds model hydrogen car |
| 05.12.05 (1:54 pm) |
While Micah Hinton aspires to be a heavy metal drummer, his real talent may be for engineering.
The sophomore at Southwest Open School in Cortez demonstrated this recently when he built a model car powered by hydrogen and placed it on display in a gallery at the school.
Hinton first suggested the idea while studying renewable energy in a class combining science and math taught by Colin Biard.
The notion baffled the teacher. "I never knew they existed," Biard said.
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| Ethanol Grows as Gas Alternative |
| 05.12.05 (1:43 pm) |
Workers are clearing Iowa fields, hoping that if they build it, cars will come. The "it" is a processing plant that turns corn into ethanol, a fuel that is increasingly replacing gasoline today and may help to power the fuel-cell vehicles of tomorrow.
Iowa is home to 16 of the nation's 87 ethanol processing plants, and another seven are under construction, according to the Renewable Fuels Association. Ethanol production increased 21 percent in 2003, to 3.4 billion gallons, the association said.
Demand could skyrocket if the technology for converting ethanol into hydrogen is commercialized and the federal government mandates increased use of the fuel in automobiles.
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| Shanghai teams with Italy to develop eco-energy |
| 05.12.05 (12:53 pm) |
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