Berlin’s Historic Show Palace Welcomes SunPower Solar Power System

July 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment

BERLIN, July 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — SunPower Corp. (Nasdaq: SPWRA, SPWRB) and MBG, a SunPower authorized partner, announced today that MBG completed the installation of a 29.7-kilowatt high-efficiency SunPower system on the roof of the FriedrichstadtPalast, Berlin’s historic landmark theater building, which features the largest performance stage in the world.

On the building, MBG installed SunPower’s E18 Series solar panels, which offer an efficiency of 18 percent or greater and produce up to 50 percent more power than conventional solar panels. The panels are mounted on the SunPower T10 Solar Roof Tile system, which is non-roof penetrating and tilted at a 10 degree angle to increase energy capture.

“SunPower’s T10 Solar Roof Tile system is a lightweight, flat-roof solution that was the best option for this roof, due to the engineering and planning requirements for historic buildings,” explained Sebastien Ninnig from MBG. “The monocrystalline, high-performance solar panels from SunPower allowed us to offer the highest possible power output and consequently the highest carbon dioxide offset for our customers. Previously, we had very positive experiences installing a T10 system for the Berliner Stadtreinigung (Berlin Waste Management Authority), one of Berlin’s largest photovoltaic installations. Here again, it was important for us to use a lightweight, high-efficiency system.”

“It is an honor for SunPower technology to be installed on such a wonderful cultural building with a celebrated, long-standing history of more than 100 years,” said Jorn Jurgens, senior director, SunPower. “World-class theatres require the highest levels of technology with regard to sound and lighting, and it makes sense that the solar system used at the FriedrichstadtPalast is from SunPower, the planet’s most powerful solar technology. Together, we are sure to present the best show.”

SunPower works with a network of more than 1,000 independent dealers globally, including almost 200 in Germany, who install SunPower solar power systems for residential and commercial customers.

The FriedrichstadtPalast has been Berlin’s premier address for theatrical entertainment. It is renowned for both its show programming as well as its sheer size, accommodating 1,895 seats. The theatre hosts over 600,000 visitors annually.

About MBG

MBG has over 25 years of success in the market. Since 2007 they have complemented their expertise in the energy sector. With their powerful and technical specialist teams they develop and implement this forward-looking solution for using renewable energy: from planning and installation of turnkey PV systems to the development of special solutions for off-grid power supplies.

About SunPower

Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, SunPower Corp. (Nasdaq: SPWRA, SPWRB) designs, manufactures and delivers the planet’s most powerful solar technology broadly available today. Residential, business, government and utility customers rely on the company’s experience and proven results to maximize return on investment. With headquarters in San Jose, Calif., SunPower has offices in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia. For more information, visit www.sunpowercorp.com.

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

SOURCE SunPower Corp.

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Evergreen Solar Introduces its New Panels with BOOST Cell Technology for the French Market at Salon des Energies Renouvelables in Paris

June 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment

New ES-D and ES-E series panels ideally suited to the growing building
integrated PV market in France with some of the most appealing aesthetics in the
industry
MARLBORO, Mass.–(Business Wire)–
Evergreen Solar, Inc. (Nasdaq: ESLR), a manufacturer of String Ribbon solar
panels with its proprietary silicon wafer technology, will unveil its upcoming
line of higher efficiency solar panels featuring its newly developed BOOST Cell
Technology, at Salon des Energies Renouvelables in Paris, France, June 16-18,
2010.

The new ES-D and ES-E series of panels for residential and commercial markets
feature Evergreen`s new Boost Cell Technology that uses micro wires instead of
conventional bus-bars to reduce cell shading, improve current collection and
ultimately increase the overall panel efficiency. This innovative new cell
technology gives our new panels a superior aesthetic, positioning them well in
the French building integrated market where aesthetics are of primary concern.
The new panels will begin to be available commercially from Q4 2010 onwards and
are on display for viewing throughout the Salon des Energies Renouvelables at
the company`s booth located in Hall 1, Stand H68.

The ES-D series panels, designed primarily for residential roofs, are lighter
weight for ease of installation and smaller in size to ensure a better fit of
the panels to any shape or size of roof. The ES-D series will be produced with
two sets of specifications:

* ES-D Aesthetic series: This product features an all-black panel with an
attractive uniform appearance for when aesthetics and the look on the roof is a
priority. They will be available in 195, 200 and 205W power grades.
* ES-D Performance series: This product is designed for optimizing performance.
They will be available in 200, 205 and 210W power grades.

The ES-E series panels will be the most powerful Evergreen Solar panels ever
made, with a larger panel design to meet the needs of commercial applications
where the larger size helps to minimize installation costs. The ES-E series
panels will be available in 220, 225 and 230W power grades.

Both the ES-D and ES-E series panels with BOOST Cell Technology will continue to
deliver the exceptional performance and industry-leading environmental
credentials that Evergreen panels have become known for. All the new panels will
feature an industry leading -0 / +5W power tolerance and anti-reflective treated
glass as standard.

“The new ES-D and ES-E series solar panels with our innovative BOOST Cell
Technology are a major advance for Evergreen Solar,” said Scott Gish, Evergreen
Solar`s Vice President, Sales and Marketing. “These panels are the highest
efficiency product we have ever made which enables us to deliver our customers
even more electricity while continuing to have less impact on the environment.
And the ability to offer product options tailored specifically for either the
residential or commercial end-user – whether their priority is aesthetics or
performance – allows us to meet our customers specific needs much better.”

The new ES-D and ES-E series panels will continue to be manufactured using
Evergreen Solar`s proprietary wafer manufacturing technology which is the most
environmentally-friendly process in the industry with virtually no wasted
silicon. The carbon footprint of these panels is up to 30% smaller than that of
its competitors and they also have the quickest energy payback in the industry,
now less than 12 months.

About Evergreen Solar, Inc.

Evergreen Solar, Inc. develops, manufactures and markets String Ribbon solar
power products using its proprietary, low-cost silicon wafer technology. The
Company’s patented wafer manufacturing technology uses significantly less
polysilicon than conventional processes. Evergreen Solar’s products provide
reliable and environmentally clean electric power for residential and commercial
applications globally. For more information about the Company, please visit
www.evergreensolar.com. Evergreen Solar, String Ribbon and BOOST are trademarks
of Evergreen Solar, Inc.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe
harbor provisions of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
including those that discuss expectations, beliefs, strategies, goals, outlook
or other non-historical matters. The company uses the word “will” to identify
forward-looking statements in this press release, including forward-looking
statements regarding commercial availability of the new ES-D and ES-E Series
product lines. Such forward-looking statements are based on information
available as of the date of this press release. Those statements are neither
promises nor guarantees and involve a number of factors that could cause actual
results to differ materially. Those factors include risks and uncertainties
associated with Evergreen Solar’s ability and the ability of its third party
manufacturing partners to (a) obtain and maintain an adequate supply of raw
materials and components on commercially reasonable terms, (b) expand existing
production lines and ramp new production lines; (c) implement Evergreen Solar`s
new BOOST Cell Technology and (d) successfully manage manufacturing difficulties
that may arise. Other important risks and uncertainties that may affect the
launch of Evergreen Solar`s new products are identified in Evergreen Solar’s
periodic filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Forward-looking statements speak as to the company`s expectations only as of the
date they are made.

Evergreen Solar, Inc.
Chris Lawson, 508-251-3214
Director Marketing Communications
clawson@evergreensolar.com
or
Media:
Elevate Communications
Jim Connelly, 617-861-3654
Account Supervisor
jconnelly@elevatecom.com

Copyright Business Wire 2010

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Vote for your favourite Teachers TV green school

June 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, Jun 07 (MARKET WIRE) —
Editors Note: There is a photo and four videos associated with this press
release.

Four schools described by Teachers TV judges as ‘incredible, impressive
and enthusiastic about sustainability’ are finalists in a national green
competition.

Each of the green schools received a visit from a Teachers TV film crew
to capture some of the best projects taking place in their school. Today,
a video from each school is available to view and the voting begins on
Facebook. So get online now and make your vote count.

The schools were selected for their intrinsic approach to sustainability:

– At Ringmer Community College, Lewes, they are always looking for new
ways to save the planet and have a wind turbine, a biomass boiler, an
energy bike and solar panels to name but a few!

– At Dorothy Stringer School, Brighton, they make the most of the great
outdoors with pupils involved in biodiversity butterfly counts, bee
awareness programmes, woodland working days and energy surveys

– At St. John’s Catholic Primary School, Rotherhithe, they are passionate
about reusing materials and have recycling banks, compost bins, as well
as organising recycled hat parades and fashion shows

– At St Edmund Campion Catholic Primary School, Maidenhead, they have
green projects taking place throughout the year such as eco-buttons to
monitor energy use, carbon free Friday’s and eco-doorways, where every
Year group gets to learn about one of eight green subject areas such as
recycling

Andrew Bethell, Chief Executive of Teachers TV said: “There are
so many fantastic green projects that are taking place in our schools
across the country. This competition has given schools a platform to
showcase their work, to ensure it continues.”

The finalists were chosen by: the School Gate Editor for the Times
Online, Sarah Ebner; Chief Executive of Teachers TV, Andrew Bethell; and
Education Projects Manager from Keep Britain Tidy; Andrew Suter.

The winning school will receive GBP 1,000 worth of vouchers to spend on a
sustainability project of their choice. Voting closes at 23:59 on Friday
18 June 2010.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

– How Green is Your School? competition is run and organised by Teachers
TV

– The finalists were selected from 94 entries

– All videos can be viewed by going to the Teachers TV Facebook page. The
video titles are: St Edmund Campion Primary School – Green throughout
the year, Dorothy Stringer School- Making the most of outdoors, Ringmer
Community College – Saving the planet and the purse and St. John’s
Catholic Primary School – Green in the city.

– The winning entry will win GBP 1,000 to put towards green initiatives
for their school, and three runners up will each win GBP 250

– Anyone can vote by logging-on to the Teachers TV Facebook page

– The competition winner will be announced on 22 June 2010

– Teachers TV programmes are available on the TV Channel on Sky 880,
Virgin Media 240, Freesat 650 and Freeview 88 (4-6pm) and through iTunes
U

– Teachers TV is a free online resource

– Through engaging educational videos, practical resources and an active
online community, Teachers TV supports the professional development of
anyone working in school, enabling them to widen their skills, develop
their practice, and connect with others in the field

– The Teachers TV award winning website has over 3,500 educational videos
available to view at anytime and currently has over 370,000 registered
users. In 2009 more than three million people visited the site

– To date, Teachers TV has filmed over 5,400 teachers in 2,500 schools and
over 1,900 educational experts, advisers and academics. Teachers TV is
making a huge difference to schools throughout the country

To view the photo associated with this press release, please visit the
following link:

http://www.marketwire.com/library/20100604-ttvpic800.jpg

To view the videos associated with this press release, please visit the
following links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRk9eyrpUww

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcDofJo712I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjwkAK83338

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XWls-guq3g

Contacts:
For further information,
press notes and images please contact: Teachers TV
Melanie Purkis
020 7182 7488
melanie.purkis@teachers.tv

Copyright 2010, Market Wire, All rights reserved.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

PetersenDean Offers Mentoring and Jobs for Students in Roofing and Solar Energy

June 3, 2010 By Leave a Comment

NEWARK, Calif.–(Business Wire)–
At a time when American students are experiencing the greatest cuts in
educational history, the students of MVROP enjoy a rich and rewarding experience
provided by a local, private sector business. PetersenDean, the nation`s largest
privately held roofing and solar company is providing a free, custom-made
lecture series with 2-3 subject matter experts and roofing/solar materials
needed for hands-on practice by students.

Says Jim Petersen, Founder of PetersenDean, “I know how valuable it is to a
student learning the building trade to handle materials used in today`s industry
and to be mentored by Subject Matter Experts in the proper handling and
application of those materials, this is our way of helping schools provide the
best experience for students.”

About the program

PetersenDean`s 13-week educational program covers Safety, Basic Roofing for
Commercial and Residential buildings, Basic PV Solar including rails/racks,
panel installation, inverters and Basic Solar Connect. Students handle state of
the art product and practice installation techniques under the guidance of
PetersenDean Subject Matter Experts.

“Because PetersenDean is both a roofing and solar company, we are able to
introduce the importance of protecting the integrity of a roof while installing
solar panels. We demonstrate the entire process of roofing to solar
installation. Through extensive lectures and hands-on experience, students know
we demand quality in everything we do,” says Ron Vincent of the PetersenDean
Lecture Team.

The Lecture series is custom made to match the MVROP curriculum in Building
Trades Construction Technology 1&2, a certificate program for high school and
adult students.

PetersenDean Investment

PetersenDean`s donation of personnel and materials for three classes per lecture
day is significant. “From a budget perspective, I believe this to be the biggest
donation of human resources and roofing and solar product by a privately held
company in the history of MVROP,” says Rosemary Petersen, Director of
Educational Outreach for PetersenDean.

Real Opportunities for Real Jobs

After completing the 2-year MVROP course and enhanced hands-on training, all
graduates are job ready. In addition, immediately upon graduation, a select
group of up to 10 students, 18 years and older, will begin on-the-job training
in full time employment with PetersenDean.

Learn more about PetersenDean and Smarter Roofs at http://petersendean.com/

PetersenDean
Rosemary Petersen, 510-284-7170
Director of Educational Outreach
rpetersen@petersendean.com

Copyright Business Wire 2010

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ascent Solar to Exhibit at Intersolar 2010 in Munich Germany

June 2, 2010 By Leave a Comment

THORNTON, Colo.–(Business Wire)–
Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTI), a manufacturer of
state-of-the-art, flexible thin-film photovoltaic modules, announced that it
will be exhibiting at booth number B6-380 during the upcoming Intersolar 2010
trade fair on June 9-11, 2010 in Munich, Germany. Intersolar 2010 is expected to
attract up to 60,000 professional attendees with 50% from abroad. Ascent will
have samples of its WaveSol modules on display including integrated products
that demonstrate the unique capabilities of its technology.

Parties interested in additional information or to meet with the company at this
event should contact Brian Blackman at 720-872-5107 or
bblackman@ascentsolar.com.

About Ascent Solar Technologies:

Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. is a developer of thin-film photovoltaic modules
with substrate materials that can be more flexible and affordable than most
traditional solar panels. Ascent Solar modules can be directly integrated into
standard building materials, space applications, consumer electronics for
portable power or configured as stand-alone modules for large scale terrestrial
deployment. Ascent Solar is headquartered in Thornton, Colorado. For more
information, go to www.AscentSolar.com.

Forward Looking Statements

Statements in this press release that are not statements of historical or
current fact constitute “forward-looking statements.” Such forward-looking
statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other unknown
factors that could cause the Company’s actual operating results to be materially
different from any historical results or from any future results expressed or
implied by such forward-looking statements. In addition to statements that
explicitly describe these risks and uncertainties, readers are urged to consider
statements that contain terms such as “believes,” “belief,” “expects,” “expect,”
“intends,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “plan,” to be
uncertain and forward-looking. The forward-looking statements contained herein
are also subject generally to other risks and uncertainties that are described
from time to time in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.

For Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc.
Brian Blackman, 832-515-0928 (Investor Relations)
bblackman@ascentsolar.com

Copyright Business Wire 2010

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Samsonite Selects Ascent Solar Modules for Integration Into Carrying Case Products

April 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

THORNTON, Colo.–(Business Wire)–
Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTI), a developer of flexible thin-film
solar modules, announced today that Samsonite, the worldwide leader in travel
solutions, has selected flexible light-weight CIGS modules from Ascent Solar to
be integrated into its new line of solar consumer products being initially
rolled out this summer. The two companies have been working together through
product development and today`s development symbolizes the progress and
innovation from both companies to make portable power a part of an everyday
product from a global leader in its industry.

Lynne Berard, Samsonite VP Sales & Marketing stated, “As our lives depend more
and more on mobile electronics and the need to power and carry such devices, we
believe that integrating solar panels into our carrying case solutions will be a
game changer in the industry. By utilizing the unique, flexible, lightweight,
rugged and subtle modules from Ascent Solar, we are able to provide our
customers with power on the go, while not compromising our stringent standards
for quality and style.”

“Samsonite is a name that needs no introduction. They are a global leader in
luggage and consumer travel products through innovation and customer service,”
said Farhad Moghadam, President and CEO of Ascent Solar. “Our selection by
Samsonite gives Ascent Solar a clear path to market with solar integrated
consumer products and establishes Ascent as a solar technology solution provider
that can meet the needs of consumers demanding a rugged and light-weight
portable way to power their electronics. We understand the evolution of the
solar industry and how it can better relate to the consumer. With this in mind
our goal is to enable and lead a new wave of portable solar charging solutions
through Samsonite that will revolutionize the way we power our electronics
anywhere and everywhere under the sun.”

About Samsonite

Samsonite is the worldwide leader in superior travel bags, luggage and
accessories, combining notable style with the latest design technology and the
utmost attention to quality and durability. For 100 years, Samsonite has
leveraged its rich design heritage to create unparalleled products that fulfill
the travel and lifestyle needs of the sophisticated traveler.

About Ascent Solar Technologies

Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. is a developer of thin-film photovoltaic modules
with substrate materials that can be more flexible and affordable than most
traditional solar panels. Ascent Solar modules can be directly integrated into
standard building materials, space applications, consumer electronics for
portable power or configured as stand-alone modules for large scale terrestrial
deployment. Ascent Solar is headquartered in Thornton, Colorado. For more
information, go to www.AscentSolar.com.

Forward Looking Statements

Statements in this press release that are not statements of historical or
current fact constitute “forward-looking statements.” Such forward-looking
statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other unknown
factors that could cause the Company’s actual operating results to be materially
different from any historical results or from any future results expressed or
implied by such forward-looking statements. In addition to statements that
explicitly describe these risks and uncertainties, readers are urged to consider
statements that contain terms such as “believes,” “belief,” “expects,” “expect,”
“intends,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “plan,” to be
uncertain and forward-looking. The forward-looking statements contained herein
are also subject generally to other risks and uncertainties that are described
from time to time in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available:

http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6248586〈=en

For Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc.
Brian Blackman, +1 720-872-5107 (Investor Relations)
bblackman@ascentsolar.com
or
For Samsonite
Stephanie Goldman, 508-851-1480 (Director, Marketing Communications)
Stephanie.goldman@samsonite.com

Copyright Business Wire 2010

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

CBD plug for electric car recharge

April 1, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Adelaide City Council says a city parking station now has spaces where electric cars and powered wheelchairs can recharge.

That parking station was chosen because it has solar roof panels.

The idea was proposed by an electric car enthusiast, Bruce White, who thinks it will be of great benefit.

“For me, I live down at the beach, I normally can come in and out of the city once. If I want to do a bit more running around this gives me more flexibility so it’s a great tool,” he said.

Councillor Stephen Yarwood says more electric cars would change the face of Adelaide.

“You have cleaner air, you have less oil dropping onto the roads, you have quieter streets, you might even hear the birds sing,” he said.

The recharging points are in the Grote Street U-Park and can be used for just the normal cost of city parking.

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Roads made of solar panels may solve energy crisis

September 10, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, September 9 (ANI): The U.S. Department of Transportation is funding a new research project aimed at replacing asphalt with solar panels as the basic material for making roads, in a bid to solve the crisis of electricity.

As part of the scheme, a U.S. firm called Solar Roadways has won a grant of 100,000 dollars from the Government to carry on with its work on a prototype glass solar cell panel that may one day turn motorways into major energy sources.

It is expected that these panels will be capable of generating enough power to support local communities, according to reports.

The panels would also be covered with a mosaic of small lights, which could be illuminated to provide road markings, and warning messages to drivers.

They could also be embedded with heaters to keep the road clear by melting snow and ice.

The company believes that a four-lane, one-mile stretch of road made from the 12 ft by 12 ft panels, each capable of producing 7.6 kilowatt hours of electricity each day, can generate enough power for 500 homes.

Solar Roadways plans to develop its idea to allow the energy produced to be channelled into the national grid, as well as sold to drivers of electric cars on the roadside.

“This feature packed system will become an intelligent highway that will double as a secure, intelligent, decentralised, self-healing power grid which will enable a gradual weaning from fossil fuels,” the Telegraph quoted the company as saying in a statement. (ANI)

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Cairo’s slums get an energy makeover

August 30, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, August 30 (ANI): Reports indicate that the slums of Cairo, Egypt’s largest city, have got an energy makeover, with solar panels sprouting on apartment rooftops, providing residents with clean power and water and a chance to directly improve their lives.

According to a report in National Geographic News, since 2003, the nonprofit Solar CITIES project has installed 34 solar-powered hot water systems and 5 biogas reactors in Cairo’s poor Coptic Christian and Islamic neighborhoods.

“Our program is unique, in that we’re implementing rural-type solutions in an urban environment,” said project leader Thomas Culhane, an urban planner and 2009 National Geographic emerging explorer.
“It’s the kind of stuff you would do in the Peace Corps in an African village, but we’re doing it right smack dab in the slums of a city,” he added.

Solar CITIES’ hot water systems are constructed from recycled materials and are uniquely tailored to the parts of a city where water and electricity availability are often sporadic.
“The problem with professional solar hot water systems is that they’re made for cities with continuous water,” Culhane said.

By contrast, Solar CITIES’s water heaters use a city’s water when it’s available but draw from a backup storage tank when it’s not.
The setup consists of an insulated rectangular box covered in clear glass or plastic on one side. Inside the box are copper tubes wrapped in sheets of aluminum, which are painted black.
Sunlight striking the darkened aluminum is converted to heat, which is then used to warm water flowing through the pipes.
The glass sheet on top of the box prevents the heat from being carried away by wind.
The water, which can reach temperatures of 176 degrees Fahrenheit (80 degrees Celsius), is then pumped into an insulated plastic barrel for storage.

The water, which remains warm long after sunset, can be connected to an apartment’s plumbing system.
Solar CITIES also installs biogas reactors, which are based on designs Culhane saw while working in India.
The reactors use microbes harvested from animal guts to break down food wastes into flammable gas that can be used for cooking and heating.

If necessary, the reactors can draw hot water from the solar water heaters to maintain the warm temperatures the bacteria need to survive.
By attaching a simple plastic tube to the reactors, gas can be piped down several stories for residents to use.
“In 24 hours, you’ve got 2 hours of cooking gas from yesterday’s cooking garbage,” Culhane said. (ANI)

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‘Intelligent’bicycle of the future is theft proof, self-inflates tires

August 13, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Aug 13 (ANI): A design that makes bikes as “intelligent” as computers has been unveiled by British Olympic cyclist Chris Boardman.

Thanks to the revolutionary system, the bike can never be stolen and has puncture-proof tyres, and it could be in everyday use by 2029.

Its system has an “unbreakable” locking device which allows only the owner to open it via fingerprint recognition. Other features include puncture-proof self-inflating tyres, a mini computer that counts calories as the pedals turn, a spokeless, lightweight carbon fibre frame and solar-rechargeable lights, reports The Telegraph.

A battery-assisted motor, which is run by solar panels, takes over the pedalling after a long day and music accompanies the ride.

The bike could be created were a company willing to produce it, insists Boardman, as “everything in it already exists”.

“It’s simply a question of pulling it all together. If there was a budget behind it, it could be ready in two years,” he said.

According to Boardman, it may take up to 20 years for people to become comfortable with the concept.

“People like different, but if it’s too different it’s risky,” he said. (ANI)

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UK primary school creates extra classroom in decommissioned aircraft

July 16, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, July 16 (ANI): An England-based primary school, which asked its pupils to come up with ideas for a new outdoor classroom, now has one in the form of a decommissioned commercial aeroplane.

The winged classroom, a refurbished Short S-360, is believed to be the first of its kind in the world, and students at Kingsland Primary School in Bucknall, Stoke-on-Trent, checked in for class in the aircraft for the first time on July 15.

Since its arrival at the school in March, the airliner has been transformed into a flexible teaching space, fitted with interactive whiteboards and laptops and complete with pull-down numbered seats and desks.

Headteacher David Lawrence said that staff at the school had invited pupils to offer ideas for a new outdoor classroom, and an aircraft was one of many quirky suggestions, with a tree house and a castle amongst other structures mooted.

Pupils were also involved in the interior design of the aircraft, in a project dubbed “The King’s Wings” by the school.

“When we realised we needed an extra classroom we asked the children what they wanted and one little boy said an aeroplane so we went and found one and have effectively recycled it to create the world’s first flying classroom,” the Telegraph quoted Lawrence a saying.

The 72ft (22m) long aircraft was lowered into position in the school grounds by a crane.

“What you’re seeing today is the end of 15 months worth of work,” Lawrence said.

“It would have been scrapped so we’ve rescued the aeroplane, which is also what the children thought was important because of the agenda for conservation and things like that.

“The children were talking about powering some of the inside of it with solar panels, and that could be something we develop later,” he revealed.

The headteacher said he was not worried that pupils might be distracted by the novelty of sitting down to lessons in an aeroplane.

“The day it came were really really excited and today they’re really excited because they’ve seen it for the first time and they really want to do lessons in there,” he said.

He said it was “such a buzz” for the children, and much more interesting than lessons in a portable cabin.

“In a couple of weeks it will just be part and parcel of what we do in school. So it’ll be, instead of having a lesson in the hall or the ICT room, it will be lessons in the aeroplane,” he said.

“The children’s imagination has been fired up by the idea and they are enthused and motivated, we are sure that this will lead to improved attendance, give us better and more opportunities for our creative curriculum and raise attainment,” he added. (ANI)

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Shipping Container Homes – SG Blocks – Container Homes – Container House – SG Block Container Homes – Cargo Container Homes

June 14, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Shipping Container Homes – SG Blocks – Container Homes – Container House – SG Block Container Homes – Cargo Container Homes

SG Blocks Shipping Container Homes – Though ugly on the docks, shipping containers can be turned into something beautiful. The SG Blocks Harbinger Prefab is constructed of five containers. That means the steel frame can withstand hurricanes and earthquakes. Its also eco-friendly with FSC-certified woods, solar panels, rainwater recycling and a resource monitoring system from Agilewaves. Best of all, this funky home took under five hours to assemble after a month of fabrication, and it doesn’t look too much like the raw materials. To call one of these your home, it would take a day and a crane to install up to 12 containers, and the Lawrence Group, who designed the SG Blocks home, says it costs 15 percent less than a typical home constructed of wood. Time to get stacking.

Source – http://designcrave.com/2009-06-12/sg-blocks-shipping-container-homes/

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Soft soil puts NASA’s Spirit in danger on Mars

May 12, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, May 12 (ANI): Reports indicate that the five wheels that still rotate on NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Spirit have been slipping severely in soft soil during recent attempts to drive, sinking the wheels about halfway into the ground on the Red Planet.

The rover team of engineers and scientists has suspended driving Spirit temporarily while studying the ground around the rover and planning simulation tests of driving options with a test rover at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California.

“Spirit is in a very difficult situation,” said JPL’s John Callas, project manager for Spirit and its twin rover, Opportunity.

“We are proceeding methodically and cautiously. It may be weeks before we try moving Spirit again. Meanwhile, we are using Spirit’s scientific instruments to learn more about the physical properties of the soil that is giving us trouble,” he added.

Both Spirit and Opportunity have operated more than five years longer than their originally planned missions of three months on Mars and have driven much farther than designed.

The rover team has so far developed ways to cope with various symptoms of aging on both rovers.

Spirit has been driving counterclockwise from north to south around a low plateau called “Home Plate” for two months.

The rover progressed 122 meters (400 feet) on that route before reaching its current position.

In the past week, the digging-in of Spirit’s wheels has raised concerns that the rover’s belly pan could now be low enough to contact rocks underneath the chassis, which would make getting out of the situation more difficult.

The right-front wheel on Spirit stopped working three years ago. Driving with just five powered wheels while dragging or pushing an immobile wheel adds to the challenge of the situation.

Favorably, three times in the past month, wind has removed some of the dust accumulated on Spirit’s solar panels.

This increases the rover’s capability for generating electricity.

“The improved power situation buys us time,” Callas said. “We will use that time to plan the next steps carefully. We know that dust storms could return at any time, although the skies are currently clear,” he added. (ANI)

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‘Green’ Leah Remini refuses to shower with hubby!

May 4, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, May 3 (ANI): American actress Leah Remini has revealed that she would do anything with her husband actor Angelo Pagan except share a shower with him.

Remini, 38, is passionate about conserving water and helping the environment, but adamantly draws the line at showering with her husband of almost six years.

“I would do something else like change a light bulb or put in solar panels on my roof before I ever will shower with my husband,” Fox News quoted her as saying at the Natural Resources Defence Council’s 20th Anniversary Celebration in Beverly Hills on April 25.

“That is my time and I don’t know what they do in the shower and I don’t want to know what they do in the shower,” she added. (ANI)

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Charles meets Pope, warns of a ‘new Dark Age’because of climate change

May 2, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Apr.28 (ANI): Heir to the British throne, Prince Charles, has warned that the world risks the possibility of plunging into a “new Dark Age” unless urgent action is taken on climate change.

During his first meeting with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican, Charles said the global economic crisis was “nothing” compared with the “horror” of global warming.

Flanked by Swiss Guards in ceremonial uniforms, the Prince of Wales met Benedict for a 15 minute reception in the Pontiff’s private apartments – his first Papal audience since his divorce from Princess Diana and subsequent remarriage.

His wife Camilla, who wore a black dress and a black lace veil, in keeping with Vatican protocol, and appeared nervous in the presence of the Pope, accompanied him.

The Pontiff, who recently turned 82, has made concern for the environment one of the keynotes of his papacy, regularly calling for more action on global warming and installing solar panels on the roof of the Vatican, reports The Telegraph.

The Prince of Wales gave Pope Benedict 12 ceramic dessert plates decorated with hand-painted flowers from his estate at Highgrove. In return he received a copy of a 500-year-old etching of St. Peter’s.

Earlier the Prince addressed the Italian parliament, telling deputies in a mix of English and Italian that time is running out in the fight against climate change and calling for a “Renaissance” of sustainable living. (ANI)

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World’s largest solar boat under construction in Germany

April 12, 2009 By 1 Comment

Washington, April 12 (ANI): A team of scientists, engineers, and yachtsmen are making what they say will be the largest solar boat ever built, with a view to making a trip around the world.

Planet Solar is being built at the Knierim Yacht Club in Kiel, Germany.

The 13-million-dollar revolutionary vessel will be 98 feet long and 50 feet wide. That climbs to 114 feet and 82 feet when the solar panels are fully unfurled.

It will feature 5,059 square feet of photovoltaic cells.

Rivendell Holding AG, a Swiss firm that invests in renewable energy, is funding the project.

The objective behind this project is to prove that the shipping industry can reduce its dependence on fossil fuel.

The team plans to circumnavigate the globe at the equator in 120 days at an average speed of 10 knots.

Should they succeed, Planet Solar will set a maritime milestone because no one has circumnavigated the globe in a solar electric boat thus far.

“Solar boats are a viable form of transportation for the future. Our society is too dependent on fossil fuels, which are in limited supply and which are causing measurable negative effects on the earth’s atmosphere.

It’s now time to demonstrate the potential that renewable energies have to offer in the area of mobility,” Wired.com quoted Delia Collardi, a spokeswoman for the project, as saying.

Work on the solar cat’s hulls is almost complete, but the project still has a long way to go.

A press kit says the boat will weigh 60 tons and feature 470 square meters – 5,059 square feet – of photovoltaic cells that offer 22 percent efficiency.

Collardi says that the vessel will have enough power to carry skipper Raphael Domjan, the 37-year-old founder of Planet Solar, and navigator Gerard d’Aboville, both of whom are accomplished sailors and adventurers.

The route is still being worked out, but Planet Solar will set sail from Marseilles, France, sometime next year and cross the Atlantic, then cut through the Panama Canal to cross the Pacific.

From there she’ll head south through the South China Sea to the Indian Ocean before crossing the Indian Ocean and Red Sea. Then it’s through the Suez Canal and across the Mediterranean Sea and back home.

Stops in New York, Shanghai, Singapore, Abu Dhabi and Monaco are among those being considered.

Collardi has revealed that supporters and well-wishers will be welcomed aboard, and that 50 people can fit inside the catamaran for short jaunts.

Immo Stroher, founder and president of Rivendell Holding, has dibs on Solar Planet at the end of the journey. (ANI)

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1-New Japan stimulus good for car sales -Nissan COO

April 12, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Japan’s latest stimulus good for car sales

* China sales to grow faster than previous target

* To supply electric cars to Chinese market (Adds details, quotes)

BEIJING, April 10 (Reuters) – Japan’s latest stimulus package should give a prompt boost to the car market, a senior executive at Nissan Motor Co (7201.T), Japan’s No.3 automaker, said on Friday.

Japan’s ruling party unveiled a $154 billion stimulus plan on Thursday, equal to around 3 percent of GDP.

In the 15.4 trillion yen package, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) pledged more loans for hard-pressed small businesses, support for the jobless and subsidies for solar panels and environmentally friendly cars.

“It’s very good. I’ve been expecting this,” Toshiyuki Shiga, Nissan’s chief operating officer, told reporters in Beijing.

In the latest stimulus package, a total of 370 billion yen will be used to subsidise consumers trading their old cars in for more fuel-efficient ones.

“Customers have to rush to buy,” he said, whereas an existing tax incentive scheme, which runs for three years, lacks that immediacy.

Japan’s auto industry body forecast in March the lowest domestic vehicle sales in 32 years for the coming business year, saying it would seek government help to stimulate demand.

The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) said it expected sales of new cars, trucks and buses to fall 8 percent to 4,297,600 units for the year starting on April 1.

Nissan and its partner France’s Renault (RENA.PA) said earlier on Friday they would supply electric cars to China, the world’s largest auto market.

The Franco-Japanese alliance will provide the Chinese government with a comprehensive plan for marketing and for a battery-charging network, with the aim of selling electric vehicles to China in early 2011.

Nissan said in February it aimed to expand its Chinese vehicle sales by 4.6 percent in 2009 in a market that has become one of the few remaining hopes for the embattled industry.

The firm is expecting to sell 570,000 cars and light commercial vehicles in 2009 in China, which accounted for about 15 percent of its global sales last year.

Shiga expects China, the world’s largest auto market and the only country where Nissan is growing, to grow faster than target.

Passenger vehicle sales in China grew 36 percent in March from a year earlier, said Yasuaki Hashimoto, president of Nissan (China) Investment Co. He said it was too early to change yearly sales target now.

Vehicle sales in China climbed to a record in March, helped by government measures to boost demand in both urban and rural areas, official data show.

A total of 1.1 million vehicles was sold last month, up from 1.06 million units in March 2008, data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) showed on Thursday. (Reporting by Jason Subler and Michael Wei, editing by Will Waterman)

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Kalavati’s village in Himachal Pradesh adopts solar power

March 30, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Jalka (himachal Pradesh), Mar.30 (ANI): Greenpeace and the villagers of Jalka today celebrated the arrival of clean and reliable energy in two schools which set up solar panels to power 10 fans and a computer.

“Now my children have a future” said Kalavati, Jalka’s most well known resident whose two daughters and two sons are among the 100 children who experienced accessible and reliable solar power.

“Our village was made famous in Parliament by Rahul Gandhi and still nothing had changed. Electricity when we need it has remained just a promise. I have witnessed how easily this solar panel was set up in just 3 days. We heard that Rahul Gandhi will be in Wardha from tomorrow. I would like to invite him to our village to witness and take this vision forward.” said Sarpanch Anusuabai Kumbhre

“We are here to challenge the political class to think beyond the tested and failed attempts, at rural electrifications. The time has come to unleash an energy revolution and look at every citizen as an empowered producer of electricity and not just a passive beneficiary,” said Maitree Dasgupta, Greenpeace Climate and Energy campaigner.

Twelve hundred residents of Jalka village enthused by the reliable energy option in their village, voted for this energy by signing up on the poster prepared by the school children demanding complete solar energy in the village. The 1.7 kWh and 280W panels in the Zilla Parishad school and the secondary school can power 10 fans and 2 computers respectively. “We put the fans on even when there was no electricity in the rest of the village” said a beaming Akshay, a 7th grader from the junior school.

“Technology made no sense in our schools earlier since there was no electricity to power them. Today, I am glad that our school can showcase a power cut free future”, said Padmini, headmistress of Jalka Junior Zilla Parishad School.

“There are a million Kalavati’s waiting for power. This is an opportunity to provide them reliable and clean power by building a new and pro poor energy infrastructure. We need to devolve policy making in the power sector by giving people in India a chance to choose their own destinies. This requires a bold political vision to usher in an energy revolution.” said Siddharth Pathak, activist from Greenpeace. (ANI)

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Modern manufacturing methods inefficient in use of energy and materials

March 29, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, March 29 (ANI): A detailed MIT analysis of the energy use of 20 major manufacturing processes has determined that modern manufacturing methods are spectacularly inefficient in their use of energy and materials.

The analysis indicated that new manufacturing systems are anywhere from 1,000 to one million times bigger consumers of energy, per pound of output, than more traditional industries.

For example, making microchips uses up orders of magnitude more energy than making manhole covers.

According to Professor Timothy Gutowski of MIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, who led the analysis, such a broad comparison of energy efficiency is an essential first step toward optimizing new manufacturing methods as they gear up for ever-larger production.

“The seemingly extravagant use of materials and energy resources by many newer manufacturing processes is alarming and needs to be addressed alongside claims of improved sustainability from products manufactured by these means,” said Gutowksi and his colleagues.

Gutowksi notes that manufacturers have traditionally been more concerned about factors like price, quality, or cycle time, and not as concerned over how much energy their manufacturing processes use.

“This latter issue will become more important, however, as the new industries scale up, especially if energy prices rise again or if a carbon tax is adopted,” he said.

Solar panels are a good example. Their production, which uses some of the same manufacturing processes as microchips but on a large scale, is escalating dramatically.

The inherent inefficiency of current solar panel manufacturing methods could drastically reduce the technology’s lifecycle energy balance – that is, the ratio of the energy the panel would produce over its useful lifetime to the energy required to manufacture it.

According to Gutowksi, the new study is just the first step in doing something about it – understanding which processes are most inefficient and need further research to develop less energy-intensive alternatives.

“The bottom line is that new processes are huge users of materials and energy. Because some of these processes are so new, they will be optimized and improved over time,” he said.

But as things stand now, over the last several decades as traditional processes such as machining and casting have increasingly given way to newer ones for the production of semiconductors, MEMS and nano-materials and devices, for a given quantity of output “we have increased our energy and materials consumption by three to six orders of magnitude,” he added. (ANI)

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Discovery to undock from space station; TV comedian gets name vote

March 25, 2009 By 1 Comment

Washington – Discovery astronauts were preparing to undock from the space station later Wednesday to head back to Earth after completing a milestone mission that has doubled the station’s capacity.

The mission astronauts installed the fourth and final set of solar panels needed to double power capacity at the station so it can hold six instead of the current three long-term residents – possibly as early as May.

But controversy has emerged over the naming of a new room at the International Space Station that will provide extra space for the expanded long-term crew.

The name contest applied to Node 3, a cupola to be delivered in February 2010 that will offer astronauts an “unrivaled” panoramic view of Earth and space. The cupola will also house the control station for the station’s giant robotic arm.

Thinking to engage the public in the naming process, NASA invited people to vote on names for the room on its website. It had an epic identity in mind, such as Serenity or Legacy.

But the US space agency also invited write-ins, and was surprised to find the top vote-getter was none other than TV comedian and political satirist Stephen Colbert.

Colbert, star of The Colbert Report on the cable channel Comedy Central, suggested to his fans that they rush to the website and cast their votes.

The Colbert name won, according to the Houston Chronicle, but it wasn’t yet known whether NASA would honour the write-in campaign.

In the contest rules, NASA says it will consider the voting results, but would not be bound by them. “NASA reserves the right to ultimately select a name in accordance with the best interests” of the programme, it said.

In fact, the website indicates that one of its preferred names, Serenity, was in the running to win the contest.

Other popular names in the write-in were Gaia, the earth goddess; Xenu, a character in Scientology mythology who was dictator of a “Galactic Confederacy” who brought human beings to Earth 75 million years ago; and Ubuntu, the spirit of reconciliation anchored in the Bantu languages of southern Africa.

When Discovery departs, it will leave behind Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata, the first astronaut from his country to take up long- term residence in the orbiting station.

His predecessor on the ISS crew, US astronaut Sandra Magnus, will return home with the Discovery, which is set to land in Florida on Saturday. (dpa)

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