SalvaEco

The flexible solar roll by Brunton has been around for a little bit; but it's simply too cool not to mention for those who have never seen it.

The beauty of this product is that it's waterproof, light, and rugged enough to take with you anywhere. It has assisted climbers on summit expeditions, kayakers on remote islands, and people (like me) who have a flat tire, no spare, and a dead cell phone. You can even use their $500 model to charge your car battery. That my friends is a benefit that in the worst of times is priceless. This large roll will also power you laptop or satellite phone in the Outback.

Solar Rolls come in two other sizes for smaller appliances, The Solar Roll 9 (12" x 40", 9 watts output, $349) for smaller items, such as digital and video cameras, and the Solar Roll 4.5 (12" x 22", 4.5 watts output, $199) for charging the smallest electronic devices, cell phones. All Solar Rolls have built-in reverse current protection.

So, the application possibilities are pretty endless. I'm a big fan of the thin-film revolution, simply because light-weight accessories for camping or circling the world are in hot demand, and I appreciate backup solutions that do not slow me down. I also like that you can lay this product out and attach it to most anything. As investment and research drives the efficiency of these panels up, we can expect even smaller backup energy sources to accompany us on nature's largest challenges.

Hit Brunton's site for more information.
via Keetsa!

A Return to the Land, for Fuel
Clinton Climate Initiative Offers $5B to Green Cities’ Buildings
Project Aims to Extract Dam Methane
Boosting Solar eEergy Plants Efficiency
Growing Food and Flowers in Air

(more)

(Posted by David Zaks in News and Views at 8:43 PM)

Filed under: Etc., MPG

While AAA says that Memorial Day motor vehicle travel won’t be affected by high gas prices, KBB has found that the “meh” attitude doesn’t transfer to consumer shopping behaviors. The main changes are that Americans are shopping less, eating in more and altering new vehicle-buying decisions. Actually, put all that in the future tense. KBB says that, “a majority of consumers plan to take steps to combat the hit to their wallets. According to the latest Kelley Blue Book Marketing Research study on gas price effects, half of new vehicle shoppers plan to purchase less retail items such as clothes and shoes, more than a third plan to eat out less often, and another third plan to buy less media entertainment items as long as gas prices continue to squeeze their wallets. Luxuries like a night out on the town, music sales, as well as movie ticket sales could all experience declines through the summer when gas prices are expected to top $4 a gallon” (emphasis added).

The details can be found in KBB’s press release after the jump, but the trick with all of these studies about consumer behavior is that it’s easy to tell a survey-taker that you’re going to change your ways, but then what happens when it’s Memorial Day and you want to go camping? Apparently, you just go. And shoppers have been more into hybrids for a while now, getting ready for $4 gas. $4, huh? It’s like some sort of alternate reality.

Related:

• How much!? Gas prices shoot past Katrina-level records to new high
• Look out road, here we come. High gas prices won’t stop Memorial Day travel

[Source: Kelley Blue Book]

Latest Study Shows High Gas Prices Affecting Consumer Shopping Behavior

Consumers Alter New Vehicle-Buying Decisions, Shop and Eat Out Less Often Due to High Gas Prices

IRVINE, Calif., May 18 /PRNewswire/ — With gas prices reaching their highest level in recent history, $3.10 a gallon for regular unleaded, a majority of consumers plan to take steps to combat the hit to their wallets. According to the latest Kelley Blue Book Marketing Research study on gas price effects, half of new vehicle shoppers plan to purchase less retail items such as clothes and shoes, more than a third plan to eat out less often, and another third plan to buy less media entertainment items as long as gas prices continue to squeeze their wallets. Luxuries like a night out on the town, music sales, as well as movie ticket sales could all experience declines through the summer when gas prices are expected to top $4 a gallon.

When it comes to shopping for their next new vehicle, nearly six out of 10 new-vehicle shoppers (59 percent) say that the upward trend in gas prices has either changed their mind about the vehicle they are considering buying or are strongly considering the purchase of a vehicle they normally would not have considered

With the quick rise in gas prices and expectations for even higher prices heading into the summer, only a small few are not yet fazed, while others plan to do more research before they buy a new vehicle. Twenty-seven percent of in-market new-vehicle shoppers said that current gas prices are having little or no effect on the vehicle they are planning to purchase. Fourteen percent of vehicle shoppers say higher prices did not have an effect on their decisions because they were already planning to buy a fuel-efficient vehicle. Forty-one percent of those participating in the survey say that if gas prices rise an additional 25 cents above current levels, they too will start researching vehicles they would not normally have considered.

“These results make it clear that American consumers are more than willing to make changes in their buying decisions due to rising gas prices,” said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst at Kelley Blue Book. “This will have negative implications for the domestic manufacturers as they are perceived as building low mileage vehicles and will therefore be an issue the new ownership of Chrysler will have to deal with immediately to assist in the turn-around of that company.”

About Kelley Blue Book (kbb.com)

Since 1926, Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted Resource(R), has provided vehicle buyers and sellers with the new and used vehicle information they need to accomplish their goals with confidence. The company’s top-rated Web site, kbb.com, provides the most up-to-date pricing and values, including the New Car Blue Book(R) Value, which reveals what people actually are paying for new cars. The company also reports vehicle pricing and values via products and services, including software products and the famous Blue Book(R) Official Guide. Kbb.com is rated the No. 1 automotive information site by Nielsen//NetRatings and the most visited auto site by J.D. Power and Associates eight years in a row. No other medium reaches more in-market vehicle shoppers than kbb.com; nearly one in every three American car buyers performs their research on kbb.com.

 

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

by Worldchanging local editor, Matt Waxman: How might energy-efficiency be integrated into architectural design concerned with intriguing human experience? What opportunities and challenges do alternative materials such as straw bale provide the architect? Is straw bale construction appropriate for the earthquake-prone Bay Area? Daniel Smith & Associates is a green architecture firm in Berkeley, California. A leader in experimental, sustainable design research and development, DSA Architects explores a range of energy-efficient, ecologically-focused building systems and natural materials, most prominently straw bale. With many projects in the Bay Area, DSA’s experience includes homes, churches, monasteries, camps, and business complexes. I met Daniel Smith, principal of Daniel Smith & Associates, at the recent Moraga Energy Faire in Moraga, California, a community event that showcased energy-efficient solutions for homeowners. Smith came to share his experience with energy-efficient, green architecture with the small, east bay town’s residents. In our conversation, Smith delved into his expertise in straw bale construction, his philosophy and approach to design, and discussed how green architectural systems can solve problems connected to different global contexts. Smith also described the fascinating energy-efficient architectural elements of his recently completed Presentation Retreat Center, a LEED Gold-rated straw bale building in Los Gatos… (more)

(Posted by WorldChanging Team in Green Building at 2:29 PM)

by Worldchanging local blogger, Brian Smith: On May 5, 2007, PR Week (a national trade journal) held an ambitious event “Target Green: Making Sustainability Work.” The stated goal of the conference was to highlight how corporations are “making meaningful changes that benefit the company, and the planet, and how PR and marketing play a crucial role.” Spokespeople at the conference came from some of the largest corporations on Earth: GE, Dow Chemical, Dell, Sun Microsystems, Siemens, UTC, Phillips, and even, ExxonMobil. Up on stage left and right, jumbotron screens flashed the names of the sponsors: big media, food companies, and international marketing firms. Next, single words flash in Orwellian repetition in white letters on green background: “Authenticity,” “Credibility,” “Responsibility,” “Sustainability.” The timing of such an event was clear. Green marketing has become the 21st century’s version of “Customer Knows Best.” And without a working knowledge of Green marketing, corporate PR teams would fall hopelessly behind the curve. Massive piles of investor cash are headed in the direction of Green products and companies. To catch the wave, every company must find a way to describe what they do as environmental. And to a certain extent, we did that. How? By… (more)

(Posted by WorldChanging Team in Branding and Marketing at 12:33 PM)

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid

The hybrid battery test lab at the GM Technical Center

Earlier this week Long Beach was host to the Advanced Automotive Battery and Ultracapacitor Conference (AABC) which featured a panel discussion on what it will take to bring lithium ion battery technology to the mass market. Included on the panel were GM’s Joe LoGrasso and Mark Verbrugge and Ford’s Ted Miller. All acknowledged that lithium batteries are inevitable, and that it’s just a matter of ironing out the details over the next couple of years. Of course many of those details aren’t exactly trivial, but they can be overcome.

Nickel metal hydride batteries are known quantity and thermal and charging management are fairly straightforward. The biggest problem is limited energy/power density when compared to lithium batteries. There is also a decent amount production capacity for large scale NiMH batteries although nickel prices have been on the rise of late. To date no one has produced large quantities of automotive-sized lithium cells. Tesla is building their battery packs up from 6,800+ laptop cells which means each pack will have almost 14,000 interconnects any of which could be defective or fail. The big manufacturers want to use larger cells to cut the number of interconnects and reduce the number of potential failure points.

Anther area that battery manufacturers and car companies are addressing is standardizing interfaces between the vehicles and battery controls as well as the way battery life and charge history is calculated for warranty coverage. Improved models of the battery behavior are important to ensuring that the management software extracts the maximum output and life out of the battery. There’s more at GreenCarCongress.

Related:

• General Motors invites us behind the curtain: battery development details revealed

[Source: GreenCarCongress]

 

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

It’s design week in New York City and thousands of people have flocked into town for the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) at the Javits Center and many other events showcasing the latest design work from around the world. A number of shows and sessions have been created this year around green design, including the 2nd annual Haute Green and the Design Entrepreneurs: Rethinking Energy Conference, which will include topics such as “how interior designers are working with clients to encourage cost-effective, energy-efficient solutions; how a 1920’s factory is being transformed into an energy-efficient educational institution; and how energy-conscious materials and technologies, including locally sourced materials, are being developed and incorporated in today’s buildings.”

Our own Dawn Danby will be speaking at the conference on May 21, representing her own design consultancy as well as her entry to the Metropolis Next Generation Design Competition, the winners of which will be showcased at the end of the conference. If you’re in New York, go check it out.
(more)

(Posted by WorldChanging Team in Team at 12:17 PM)

Filed under: Diesel, Hybrid

Click image for high-res gallery

This week in Australia, Hino unveiled its very first hybrid truck to the masses at the Queensland truck and machinery Show. The Hino Hybrid uses a parallel setup that combines a 4.0-liter 110kW (150 hp) four-cylinder common-rail turbodiesel with a 23kW electric motor. According to Hino, the setup is good for a 20 percent reduction in fuel use compared to a conventionally-powered truck, a 25 percent cut in CO² emissions, and that NOx emissions can be slashed by up to 50 percent thanks to the engine’s stop-start system.

The truck has already completed a 24-hour marathon drive through the streets of Brisbane while hauling 500kg of cargo. It achieved 21.5 mpg (10.9 liters/100km) during the trial, and was ultimately named Truck of the Show. The first customer for the Hino Hybrid is Australia Post, which has taken delivery of two of the trucks.

Press release after the jump.

[Source: Hino Australia]

PRESS RELEASE:
HINO HYBRID EXCELS IN 24-HOUR TRIAL

The world’s first hybrid truck has set a fuel economy standard of 10.9 litres/100km in a 24-hour endurance trial in Brisbane. The Hino Hybrid covered 512 kilometres of inner-city driving as part of the Hino Hybrid Marathon, passing through 2349 traffic lights in an epic of stop-start motoring. It carried a 500kg payload, similar to that which would be utilised by many users, especially in the rental market.

The Hino Hybrid Marathon finished at the Brisbane Truck Show when the vehicle was driven onto Hino’s display by rally champion Greg Carr, accompanied by Hino Australia chairman John Conomos AO. Hino launched the hybrid truck at the show and has already made its first delivery of two vehicles to Australia Post.

The Hino Hybrid combines a 110kW common-rail, direct-injection diesel engine with a 23kW electric motor. The electric motor supplements the engine by providing additional power and, most importantly, in conjunction with the battery, storing and using excess energy from the engine and from heat generated during braking.

Hino claims a fuel saving of 20 per cent over conventional vehicles and a reduction in CO2 emissions of better than 25 per cent. A new exhaust catchment and filtration system reduces particulate emissions by 85 per cent.

“The hybrid system was designed to work to its maximum in stop-start urban conditions, and the marathon has proved its effectiveness,” Hino Australia chief operating officer Steve Lotter said.

“The Marathon drive team encountered approximately 15 per cent red lights, and each time the hybrid system shut down and restarted the motor, saving valuable fuel and reducing emissions.

“On average, the vehicle was stationary 15 times each hour, but instead of idling and therefore wasting diesel it was able to neutralise fuel use and emissions.”

 

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

William H. Kemp, The Renewable Energy Handbook (2005) and $mart Power (2004): Aztext Press

Wiliam Kemp has written two books on renewable power and off-grid systems for homes, $mart Power (2004) and The Renewable Energy Handbook (2005). (Smart Power actually uses a dollar sign for the S in the title.) These two books are largely a first and second edition of the same text, with the second edition being expanded with several new chapters and additional information.

Both of Kemp's books are comprehensive volumes. He addresses a range of alternate power generating options. There are chapters on photovoltaic (PV), wind, biomass, and micro hydro. More than just discussing the technical aspects of the generating systems, he also covers efficiency, interconection, "Heating and Cooling with Renewable Energy," "Living with Renewable Energy," and the other issues surrounding having a home with renewable systems. He also has a section about making biodiesel and another section about eco-pools (naturally-, rather than chemically-filtered swimming pool systems) and solar heated pools and hot tubs.

The Renewable Energy Handbook and $mart Power both go into some depth about renewable energy systems. Kemp shows all aspects of the various systems, dealing with hardware installation, electrical connection, and the range of what is necessary to install any of the systems he discusses. While I would not rely solely on these books for direction about installing a PV system or a wind turbine, it does provide a greater depth of information. A homeowner can get a better sense of the scope of work required for installing a renewable system, and have a better idea about what is involved, and whether or not it is something they want to take on.

The book is copiously illustrated with many black and white photographs. The systems are more clearly understood when there are pictures to show the components, which people may not be familiar with. And seeing how large a battery bank is, or seeing what an inverter panel looks like helps give some potential owners an idea of what they will need to deal with if they install these units in their own homes. There are also many diagrams and tables with useful information for an owner of a renewable energy system.

Kemp provides case studies in The Renewable Energy Handbook. Five homes where various combinations of renewable systems were installed are shown, including the author's own 3,300 square foot home. Kemp is a Canadian, and at least three of the examples are located in Canada. Though the other two are not explicitly identified, I suspect that all five of them are in Canada. These are good examples to show that renewable energy systems need not be restricted to only choice locations. Renewable systems can be installed anywhere.

A considerable portion of the book is devoted to battery storage, as well as the chargers, inverters, and other components of a power system for a completely off-grid application. With contemporary inverters, grid-tied power systems only supply power when the grid is active. In most cases, grid-tied houses will use net-metering with the grid as the "backup battery." That way, the issues of battery cost and maintenance can be avoided altogether. However, some kind of backup power (whether that be with batteries or with a backup generator) will be needed. The battery information may not be pertinent to everyone, but Kemp provides enough information for a potential owner to consider whether or not to choose a battery system.

Kemp is an electrical engineer, and he has lived in his own off-grid house for a number of years. He writes from his own experience in much of what he writes about, and many of the photographs illustrating different systems are taken in and around his own home. While he promotes efficiency, he repeatedly points out that a renewable lifestyle does not need to be a spartan one. There are choices and tradeoffs to be made, but the stereo, the big screen television, and the cappucino machine are not prohibited, they just need to be carefully considered and the best available selection needs to be chosen.

The only issue I would like to see these books address more thoroughly is the question of evaluating which systems are appropriate for a particular location. There are a lot of factors to be considered, and every system is not necessarily appropriate for every location. A chapter that discussed how to decide whether to install a wind turbine or photovoltaics would be a valuable addition to a very comprehensive book that packs in a lot of information.

I am going to lend my copy of The Renewable Energy Handbook to my in-laws. They are beginning to plan for building their retirement home, and they have discussed some ideas for renewable energy that they would like to incorporate there. They are very interested in wind power (since they will be building in a windy location close to the Lake Michigan shore). I've discussed some of these system with them, but I think this book will give them good information about the scope of what they will need to do if they build their house this way. And I would recommend the book to anyone else in similar circumstances, or who is thinking about adding a renewable energy system to their existing home.

William H. Kemp, The Renewable Energy Handbook (2005) and $mart Power (2004): Aztext Press

Wiliam Kemp has written two books on renewable power and off-grid systems for homes, $mart Power (2004) and The Renewable Energy Handbook (2005). (Smart Power actually uses a dollar sign for the S in the title.) These two books are largely a first and second edition of the same text, with the second edition being expanded with several new chapters and additional information.

Both of Kemp's books are comprehensive volumes. He addresses a range of alternate power generating options. There are chapters on photovoltaic (PV), wind, biomass, and micro hydro. More than just discussing the technical aspects of the generating systems, he also covers efficiency, interconection, "Heating and Cooling with Renewable Energy," "Living with Renewable Energy," and the other issues surrounding having a home with renewable systems. He also has a section about making biodiesel and another section about eco-pools (naturally-, rather than chemically-filtered swimming pool systems) and solar heated pools and hot tubs.

The Renewable Energy Handbook and $mart Power both go into some depth about renewable energy systems. Kemp shows all aspects of the various systems, dealing with hardware installation, electrical connection, and the range of what is necessary to install any of the systems he discusses. While I would not rely solely on these books for direction about installing a PV system or a wind turbine, it does provide a greater depth of information. A homeowner can get a better sense of the scope of work required for installing a renewable system, and have a better idea about what is involved, and whether or not it is something they want to take on.

The book is copiously illustrated with many black and white photographs. The systems are more clearly understood when there are pictures to show the components, which people may not be familiar with. And seeing how large a battery bank is, or seeing what an inverter panel looks like helps give some potential owners an idea of what they will need to deal with if they install these units in their own homes. There are also many diagrams and tables with useful information for an owner of a renewable energy system.

Kemp provides case studies in The Renewable Energy Handbook. Five homes where various combinations of renewable systems were installed are shown, including the author's own 3,300 square foot home. Kemp is a Canadian, and at least three of the examples are located in Canada. Though the other two are not explicitly identified, I suspect that all five of them are in Canada. These are good examples to show that renewable energy systems need not be restricted to only choice locations. Renewable systems can be installed anywhere.

A considerable portion of the book is devoted to battery storage, as well as the chargers, inverters, and other components of a power system for a completely off-grid application. With contemporary inverters, grid-tied power systems only supply power when the grid is active. In most cases, grid-tied houses will use net-metering with the grid as the "backup battery." That way, the issues of battery cost and maintenance can be avoided altogether. However, some kind of backup power (whether that be with batteries or with a backup generator) will be needed. The battery information may not be pertinent to everyone, but Kemp provides enough information for a potential owner to consider whether or not to choose a battery system.

Kemp is an electrical engineer, and he has lived in his own off-grid house for a number of years. He writes from his own experience in much of what he writes about, and many of the photographs illustrating different systems are taken in and around his own home. While he promotes efficiency, he repeatedly points out that a renewable lifestyle does not need to be a spartan one. There are choices and tradeoffs to be made, but the stereo, the big screen television, and the cappucino machine are not prohibited, they just need to be carefully considered and the best available selection needs to be chosen.

The only issue I would like to see these books address more thoroughly is the question of evaluating which systems are appropriate for a particular location. There are a lot of factors to be considered, and every system is not necessarily appropriate for every location. A chapter that discussed how to decide whether to install a wind turbine or photovoltaics would be a valuable addition to a very comprehensive book that packs in a lot of information.

I am going to lend my copy of The Renewable Energy Handbook to my in-laws. They are beginning to plan for building their retirement home, and they have discussed some ideas for renewable energy that they would like to incorporate there. They are very interested in wind power (since they will be building in a windy location close to the Lake Michigan shore). I've discussed some of these system with them, but I think this book will give them good information about the scope of what they will need to do if they build their house this way. And I would recommend the book to anyone else in similar circumstances, or who is thinking about adding a renewable energy system to their existing home.