Green Options » fuel http://greenoptions.com/tag/fuel Posts tagged 'fuel' Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:04:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 en Eco-Artist Creates ‘Puff’ Device to Monitor Car Emissions http://cleantechnica.com/2009/11/23/eco-artist-creates-puff-device-to-monitor-car-emissions/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/11/23/eco-artist-creates-puff-device-to-monitor-car-emissions/#comments Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:04:38 +0000 Michael Ricciardi http://cleantechnica.com/2009/11/23/eco-artist-creates-puff-device-to-monitor-car-emissions/ The \'Puff\' car emission monitoring device, designed by Karolina Sobecka

Puff is attached near the exhaust pipe of your vehicle. Its color changes dynamically, visualizing the amount of pollution your car is producing. Green indicates the lowest rate of pollution, red the highest.

Modern artists have often tackled environmental and ecological issues head on, such as through incorporating litter and refuse into sculptures, while other artists (such as photo, video and film artists) have sought to document industrial waste and/or have taken strong oppositional/advocacy stances in their works.

In recent years, many artists have sought to move beyond these “reactive”, commentary, and  documentary approaches and create objects and devices that serve practical purposes (if still a bit fanciful in appearance). One such artist/designer is Karolina Sobecka, whose car emissions monitoring device, ‘Puff’ , provides colorful feedback to the car owner on how “cleanly” (or efficiently) he/she is using/burning gasoline.

This author recently contacted Ms. Sobecka and asked her about this device (’Puff’) as well as her other designs, and her artistic/social/environmental goals.

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]]> http://cleantechnica.com/2009/11/23/eco-artist-creates-puff-device-to-monitor-car-emissions/feed/ Copenhagen Opens First Hydrogen Fueling Station, Unveils Fleet of Fuel Cell Cars http://gas2.org/2009/11/16/copenhagen-opens-first-hydrogen-fueling-station-unveils-fleet-of-fuel-cell-cars/ http://gas2.org/2009/11/16/copenhagen-opens-first-hydrogen-fueling-station-unveils-fleet-of-fuel-cell-cars/#comments Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:51:27 +0000 Andrew Williams http://gas2.org/2009/11/16/copenhagen-opens-first-hydrogen-fueling-station-unveils-fleet-of-fuel-cell-cars/

The City of Copenhagen has announced the establishment of its first hydrogen fueling station, alongside a mini-fleet of fuel cell vehicles, and hopes that the move will help it towards the ambitious goal of becoming the first carbon-neutral capital city in the world by 2025.

Following the recent news of a growing hydrogen fueling system in Germany, the new facility also opens up the intriguing proposition of a cross-border European hydrogen infrastructure.

According to grandly titled Technology and Environment Mayor Klaus Bondam, “Today we are putting Copenhagen on the map as a champion of clean transport. Together with [fuel cell vehicle integrator] H2 Logic, Copenhagen is setting in motion the development of hydrogen transport in Denmark and in northern Europe, because the hydrogen filling station in Copenhagen will help provide future hydrogen-powered vehicles from Scandinavia and Germany with hydrogen.”

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]]> http://gas2.org/2009/11/16/copenhagen-opens-first-hydrogen-fueling-station-unveils-fleet-of-fuel-cell-cars/feed/ Tractor Trailers with Tails Improve Fuel Efficiency by 7.5% http://gas2.org/2009/11/11/tractor-trailers-with-tails-improve-fuel-efficiency-by-7-and-a-half-percent/ http://gas2.org/2009/11/11/tractor-trailers-with-tails-improve-fuel-efficiency-by-7-and-a-half-percent/#comments Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:41:19 +0000 Christopher DeMorro http://gas2.org/2009/11/11/tractor-trailers-with-tails-improve-fuel-efficiency-by-7-and-a-half-percent/

The tapering tail is no secret among scientists for improving stability and fuel efficiency. Many high-mileage concept cars feature just such a design to smooth the aerodynamics of the vehicle. Now imagine applying the same concept to container trucks that log more miles in a year than most of us travel in five.

A Dutch public-private enterprise did just that, adding a 6 foot long tail to the end of a tractor trailer truck. The results from two years of testing were a 7.5% increase in fuel efficiency, and thus a similar decrease in emissions.

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]]> http://gas2.org/2009/11/11/tractor-trailers-with-tails-improve-fuel-efficiency-by-7-and-a-half-percent/feed/ U.S. Senate Reinstates Funding for Hydrogen Car Research http://gas2.org/2009/10/19/us-senate-reinstates-funding-for-hydrogen-car-research/ http://gas2.org/2009/10/19/us-senate-reinstates-funding-for-hydrogen-car-research/#comments Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:49:30 +0000 Andrew Williams http://gas2.org/2009/10/19/us-senate-reinstates-funding-for-hydrogen-car-research/

In an unexpected U-turn, the U.S. Senate has agreed to continue to back research for the next generation of hydrogen cars - funding that the Obama administration had earlier proposed to cut.

The move came last Thursday as Senate members voted to commit $187 million to hydrogen research, almost as much as was promised before the indecision.

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]]> http://gas2.org/2009/10/19/us-senate-reinstates-funding-for-hydrogen-car-research/feed/ Should the US Tax Mileage or Fuel? Guest Analysis http://gas2.org/2009/10/01/should-the-us-tax-mileage-or-fuel-guest-analysis/ http://gas2.org/2009/10/01/should-the-us-tax-mileage-or-fuel-guest-analysis/#comments Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:30:33 +0000 Popular Mechanics http://gas2.org/2009/10/01/should-the-us-tax-mileage-or-fuel-guest-analysis/

This is an excerpt of a guest column Nick Chambers, editor of Gas 2.0, wrote for Popular Mechanics. You can read the whole column on the Popular Mechanics website.

The road trip—driving cross-country for days on end, crammed into a vehicle with your family—is virtually a required rite of passage for most Americans. The lure of the open road is as ingrained in our psyche and culture as the hamburger, football or fishing. So it’s no surprise that proposals for new types of taxes on these seemingly free highways—traditionally paid for by gas taxes and tolls—are causing an uproar.

Back in July of this year, Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon) proposed a bill that allocates funds to research the effectiveness of taxing highway usage by the mile. On the surface, the bill seems to be laying the groundwork for big government to track our driving habits while simultaneously discouraging the driving of more fuel-efficient vehicles. It doesn’t have to be this way.

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]]> http://gas2.org/2009/10/01/should-the-us-tax-mileage-or-fuel-guest-analysis/feed/ Biofuel to be Made from Tuberculosis Bacteria http://cleantechnica.com/2009/09/28/biofuel-to-be-made-from-tuberculosis-bacteria/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/09/28/biofuel-to-be-made-from-tuberculosis-bacteria/#comments Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:01:23 +0000 Bryan Nelson http://cleantechnica.com/2009/09/28/biofuel-to-be-made-from-tuberculosis-bacteria/ researcher examines biofuel-producing microbes

A team of researchers at MIT are engineering a strain of bacteria, which is similar to the type that causes tuberculosis, to produce biofuel.

The researchers say that the bacteria are useful because they are hungry for a number of sugars and toxic compounds and produce lipids that can be converted to biodiesel.

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]]> http://cleantechnica.com/2009/09/28/biofuel-to-be-made-from-tuberculosis-bacteria/feed/ Another Eco-Supercar: The Steenstra Styletto http://gas2.org/2009/09/17/another-eco-supercar-the-streenstra-styletto/ http://gas2.org/2009/09/17/another-eco-supercar-the-streenstra-styletto/#comments Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:50:06 +0000 Christopher DeMorro http://gas2.org/2009/09/17/another-eco-supercar-the-streenstra-styletto/

Alternative-fuel supercars really seem to be picking up steam. Hybrid Lamborghinis? Electric Gullwings? All very cool stuff, but the field is quickly becoming crowded by competitors to the eco-supercar crown. A new California-based company called Steenstra GCM has announced the Styletto, “the first 200-mph-plus super sports car to be built in California” according to the press release.

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]]> http://gas2.org/2009/09/17/another-eco-supercar-the-streenstra-styletto/feed/ Germany to Launch Nationwide Hydrogen Fuel Network by 2015 http://gas2.org/2009/09/14/germany-to-launch-nationwide-hydrogen-fuel-network-by-2015/ http://gas2.org/2009/09/14/germany-to-launch-nationwide-hydrogen-fuel-network-by-2015/#comments Mon, 14 Sep 2009 09:43:46 +0000 Andrew Williams http://gas2.org/2009/09/14/germany-to-launch-nationwide-hydrogen-fuel-network-by-2015/

Germany has launched an exciting new plan to establish a national hydrogen fuel network, which could be fully operational as early as 2015.

On behalf of the German government, the transport minister Wolfgang Tiefensee has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with eight industrial partners to set up the H2 mobility scheme. High profile participants include Daimler, EnBW, Linde, OMV, Shell, Total, Vattenfall and the NOW GmbH National Organisation Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology.

Speaking about the groundbreaking plan, the first of its kind anywhere in the world, Tiefensee said, “Our aim is to continue consistent and systematic promotion of electromobility based on batteries and fuel cells. Today we can see that Germany is setting the pace when it comes to hydrogen and fuel cell technology. We are aiming at establishing the nationwide supply with hydrogen in Germany at around 2015 in order to support the serial-production of fuel cell vehicles.”

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]]> http://gas2.org/2009/09/14/germany-to-launch-nationwide-hydrogen-fuel-network-by-2015/feed/ New Biofuel Could Lead to 100% Clean Flights http://gas2.org/2009/07/23/new-biofuel-could-lead-to-100-clean-flights/ http://gas2.org/2009/07/23/new-biofuel-could-lead-to-100-clean-flights/#comments Thu, 23 Jul 2009 08:53:00 +0000 Andrew Williams http://gas2.org/2009/07/23/new-biofuel-could-lead-to-100-clean-flights/

Earlier this month, a team of scientists at the University of North Dakota’s Energy and Environmental Research Center (EERC) successfully tested a new biofuel based on a mixture of canola and soybean oils, and claim it may be the key to zero emission aviation [video].

The new super-biofuel, known as Jet Propellant-8 (JP-8) was used to launch a rocket above the Mojave Desert, where it approached the speed of sound and reached an altitude of 20,000 feet - a major leap forward in biofuel-powered flight.

Speaking about the launch Carsten Heide, associate director for the EERC said, “We demonstrated that this fuel is a flying fuel, and is 100% renewable and burns clean. It would open up the possibility to run 100% renewable, clean planes. You can see in the picture how clean it burns.”

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]]> http://gas2.org/2009/07/23/new-biofuel-could-lead-to-100-clean-flights/feed/ Steven Chu Gives Me Hope http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/07/22/steven-chu-gives-me-hope/ http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/07/22/steven-chu-gives-me-hope/#comments Wed, 22 Jul 2009 02:38:26 +0000 Rhonda Winter http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/07/22/steven-chu-gives-me-hope/ United States Secretary of Energy Steven Chu is by far my favorite member of the Obama Administration; I am even one of his many facebook fans. It is so exciting that science is no longer a dirty word, as it was during the dark ages of Bush. To me, the Nobel Laueate Chu comes across as a no nonsense incredibly competent visionary, and his practical genius shines though every time he speaks. This is a short clip of him explaining the tremendous potential to make ethanol from agricultural wastes, yeast and drought tolerant miscanthus grass.

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PRESS RELEASE:

FIRST AMERICAN 200 MPH PLUS ZERO EMISSION SUPER SPORTS CAR TO BE BUILT IN CALIFORNIA

MISSION VIEJO, CA Sep 7, 2009: Renowned international car designer Cornelis Steenstra has just released the first images of his latest project, a zero emission super sports car called STYLETTO. This first American zero-emission super car offers a low slung, extremely aerodynamic body, gull-wing type doors and ample seating to properly accommodate 2 occupants in a space not normally found in these types of exotics.

Steenstra earned his stripes as designer at Volvo, Mercedes-Benz, and Mazda’s European Studios, and was Strategic Design Manager Europe for Hyundai/Kia in Germany, before starting his independent consultancy Foresee Car Design, Inc., in California. Aside from his normal consultancy work for Porsche in Germany, Steenstra also executed a myriad of projects for OEM companies like Nissan, Hyundai/Kia, MG-Rover, Peugeot and Fisker, and was involved with several start-up companies, including several “clean vehicle technology” companies.

Combining all this experience, Steenstra teamed up with a group of very experienced automotive industry professionals, and set out to develop a new range of vehicles that would represent the best in American automotive engineering and technology. This range of vehicles, of which the STYLETTO is the first, are targeting the exclusive sports car market currently dominated by Ferrari, Lamborghini and Porsche, with passionate offerings that excel in design, engineering, build quality and are environmentally responsible, producing zero emissions.

“I grew up with a passion for transportation and motor racing, and have always felt that people should and could enjoy driving passionate performance automobiles while still retaining their responsibility toward the environment. These are desires that can very well be enjoyed together” says Steenstra.

Steenstra and his team are currently in negotiations with several investment firms for this ambitious venture, and are aiming to have drivable prototypes of the STYLETTO ready in time for the 2010 Pebble Beach Concourse d’ Elegance. Limited series production of this first offering is scheduled to start in March 2013.

Steenstra GCM, founded in 2009 by Foresee Ltd, is a privately owned American company producing high-end zero mission performance automobiles. Situated in Mission Viejo, California, Steenstra GCM is headed by Cornelis Steenstra as Chief Executive Officer, Robert Bruns as Chief Financial Officer, Hans-Peter Hemmer as Vice President of Engineering and Mario Greco as Vice President of Chassis Development.

Foresee Car Design, Inc., Founded in 2001, is a privately owned American independent design consultancy based in Mission Viejo, California. Founded by Cornelis Steenstra, Foresee Car Design, Inc. has executed projects for Porsche, Nissan, Hyundai/Kia, Subaru, MG Rover, Peugeot, Icon Aircraft, DAF Trucks, Scania, Terex, Honda, Suzuki, Beijing Auto and many more.

]]> http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/07/22/steven-chu-gives-me-hope/feed/ Study: Cars Have Grown Bigger and Faster But Not As Efficient http://gas2.org/2009/07/21/study-cars-have-grown-bigger-and-faster-but-not-as-efficient/ http://gas2.org/2009/07/21/study-cars-have-grown-bigger-and-faster-but-not-as-efficient/#comments Tue, 21 Jul 2009 19:00:16 +0000 Christopher DeMorro http://gas2.org/2009/07/21/study-cars-have-grown-bigger-and-faster-but-not-as-efficient/ The first car my best friend ever drove was a early 80’s Honda Accord hatchback. It was little more than an oversized rollarskate with a tiny, 80 horsepower engine, but it beat the hell out of walking. The car itself was cramped and lacked all the amenities one would find standard on today’s cars, even cupholders. Today, the car serves as an immobile flower bed for a maple tree and wildflowers, but the memories will remain.

Flash forward to today, and a new study finds that since the early ’80’s the Honda Accord has packed on over 1,000 lbs, doubled its standard horsepower, and fuel economy has steadily dipped. The study seems to suggest that if vehicle weight, horsepower, and torque were held at their 1980’s levels, then fuel efficiency could have increased by at least 50%, rather than the 15% increase that actually occured. But is it really that simple?

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]]> http://gas2.org/2009/07/21/study-cars-have-grown-bigger-and-faster-but-not-as-efficient/feed/ Renewable Energy Accounts for 13% of U.S. Electricity by April 2009 http://cleantechnica.com/2009/07/17/renewable-energy-accounts-for-13-of-electricity-by-april-2009/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/07/17/renewable-energy-accounts-for-13-of-electricity-by-april-2009/#comments Fri, 17 Jul 2009 13:34:19 +0000 Susan Kraemer http://cleantechnica.com/2009/07/17/renewable-energy-accounts-for-13-of-electricity-by-april-2009/

Renewable sources of energy are beginning to replace coal power in the U.S.:

Every year the percentage of U.S. electricity generated from renewables has been increasing, according to the latest figures released by the Energy Information Administration in its Electric Power Monthly report.

As a result, by April of 2009, the total was 12.97 percent, with hydropower accounting for 8.73 percent and other renewables like solar and wind 4.24 percent of all U.S. electricity on average among all the states.  Higher wind generation totals in just 4 states accounted for 62.2 percent of the national increase in wind powered generation: Texas, Iowa, New York, and Indiana.

By contrast the percentage of electricity from fossil power is now actually decreasing.

Comparing April 2008 to April 2009, coal-fired generation fell by 20,551 thousand megawatt-hours, or 13.9 percent. Declines in 7 states accounted for 52.3 percent of the national decrease in coal-fired generation: they were Alabama, Georgia, Ohio, North Carolina, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Texas.

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]]> http://cleantechnica.com/2009/07/17/renewable-energy-accounts-for-13-of-electricity-by-april-2009/feed/ Cap and Trade Climate Bill Is “A Pig in a Poke” http://planetsave.com/blog/2009/07/15/cap-and-trade-climate-bill-is-a-pig-in-a-poke/ http://planetsave.com/blog/2009/07/15/cap-and-trade-climate-bill-is-a-pig-in-a-poke/#comments Wed, 15 Jul 2009 23:04:35 +0000 Ruedigar Matthes http://planetsave.com/blog/2009/07/15/cap-and-trade-climate-bill-is-a-pig-in-a-poke/

According to Missouri Senator Kit Bond (R) the cap and trade Waxman-Markey Bill “is really a pig in a poke.” That’s what he told the committee on Tuesday, anyway. Given the opportunity to speak in front of a committee on the financial impacts that the climate bill would have on farmers, Senator Bond wasted no time calling the bill a hoax.

Senator Bond told committee members on Tuesday that the proposed bill would end up costing farmers up to $30,000 per year with the increase in energy costs. These costs work into every detail of a farmers life, from diesel fuel to power their tractors and combines to natural gas in order to make fertilizer. Farm equipment uses energy for irrigation pumps and drying grain before storage.

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]]> http://planetsave.com/blog/2009/07/15/cap-and-trade-climate-bill-is-a-pig-in-a-poke/feed/ Bi-Partisan Legislation Looks to Ignite the Natural Gas Engine http://gas2.org/2009/07/09/bi-partisan-legislation-looks-to-ignite-the-natural-gas-engine/ http://gas2.org/2009/07/09/bi-partisan-legislation-looks-to-ignite-the-natural-gas-engine/#comments Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:01:50 +0000 Ruedigar Matthes http://gas2.org/2009/07/09/bi-partisan-legislation-looks-to-ignite-the-natural-gas-engine/

Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) have sponsored the NAT GAS Act. This bill is aimed at giving natural gas the push it needs to become part of the cure for America’s oil addiction. Senator Reid (D-Nevada) is also an original co-sponsor.

“Each day, our nation consumes about 21 million barrels of oil- more than 25 percent of the world’s oil supply,” Reid said. And most of that oil comes from foreign soil. “With only 3 percent of the world’s oil reserves, we cannot produce our way to a safe and secure energy future,” Reid continued.

The new legislation would promote the use of natural gas over traditional oil by using tax credits. This legislation would, in effect, be an extension of the CLEAR Act - encouraging the growth of natural-gas infrastructures to go along with the current boom in hybrid-electric vehicles.

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]]> http://gas2.org/2009/07/09/bi-partisan-legislation-looks-to-ignite-the-natural-gas-engine/feed/ Urine: The Hydrogen Fuel of the Future? http://gas2.org/2009/07/06/urine-the-hydrogen-fuel-of-the-future/ http://gas2.org/2009/07/06/urine-the-hydrogen-fuel-of-the-future/#comments Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:05:37 +0000 Nick Chambers http://gas2.org/2009/07/06/urine-the-hydrogen-fuel-of-the-future/

Could this be what the future of fuel looks like?

Pee. What can’t it do? From its reputable use as a fertilizer to questionable use as a hangover cure, urine has way more uses than you might imagine (or even want to know in the first place). Seriously. Some people even claim drinking it makes you healthier. Sounds completely quack to me, but what do I know?

Actually. Scratch that. This I know: drinking your own pee is universally questionable behavior.

But in the realm of interesting uses for your own bodily fluids, using urine as a source of hydrogen to power the cars of the future is a serious undertaking and based on completely sound science.

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]]> http://gas2.org/2009/07/06/urine-the-hydrogen-fuel-of-the-future/feed/ EPA Proposes New Stringent Standards For Large Ships http://planetsave.com/blog/2009/07/02/epa-proposes-new-stringent-standards-for-large-ships/ http://planetsave.com/blog/2009/07/02/epa-proposes-new-stringent-standards-for-large-ships/#comments Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:46:28 +0000 Ruedigar Matthes http://planetsave.com/blog/2009/07/02/epa-proposes-new-stringent-standards-for-large-ships/

In order to cut harmful emissions from maritime vessels, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the next steps of its coordinated effort on Wednesday. The steps include creating a rule under the Clean Air Act that would establish tough engine and fuel standards for U.S. flagged ships. The proposed rule would harmonize with international standards and lead to improved air quality throughout the country.

The new proposal follows a proposal made between the United States and Canada in March that would set aside thousands of miles of coast between the two countries as an Emission Control Area (ECA). The International Maritime Organization (IMO), a United Nations agency, will begin review of the ECA plan this month. The passage of the ECA plan would result in the enforcement of stringent standards placed on large ships that operate within 200 nautical miles of U.S. or Canadian coasts.

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]]> http://planetsave.com/blog/2009/07/02/epa-proposes-new-stringent-standards-for-large-ships/feed/ More Money for the Auto Industry http://inspiredeconomist.com/2009/06/24/more-money-for-the-auto-industry/ http://inspiredeconomist.com/2009/06/24/more-money-for-the-auto-industry/#comments Wed, 24 Jun 2009 23:43:09 +0000 Lisa Wojnovich http://inspiredeconomist.com/2009/06/24/more-money-for-the-auto-industry/ The new Tesla Model SThree more car companies received sizeable loans from the federal government yesterday, but don’t worry; it’s not another bailout. In fact, the$8 billion is just the start of a larger $25 billion project called the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program (ATVM for short) that was thought up back in 2007 and funded by Congress in late 2008 during the Bush administration. The project, overseen by the Department of Energy, is a federal grant and loan initiative bent on providing low interest capital to automobile manufacturers — as well as the makers of their component parts — to promote the development of new automobile technologies that guzzle less gas — and in some cases, no gas at all.

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]]> http://inspiredeconomist.com/2009/06/24/more-money-for-the-auto-industry/feed/ Nevada Casino Becomes First of Its Kind to Install EV Charge Station http://gas2.org/2009/06/09/nevada-casino-becomes-first-of-its-kind-to-install-ev-charge-station/ http://gas2.org/2009/06/09/nevada-casino-becomes-first-of-its-kind-to-install-ev-charge-station/#comments Tue, 09 Jun 2009 21:28:23 +0000 Ruedigar Matthes http://gas2.org/2009/06/09/nevada-casino-becomes-first-of-its-kind-to-install-ev-charge-station/ Bob Rosinski, chief executive officer of EV-Charge America, right, hands off the keys to his electric-powered Porsche to valet Chris Charlton at the Rampart Casin

The Rampart Casino in Summerlin, Nevada, has taken the first steps toward a more Electric Vehicle (EV) friendly community. With the installation of an EV charging station, the Rampart became the first casino property to accommodate EVs, whose charge station was acquired in a business deal with Coulomb Technolgies.

If you build it, they will come…or not.  Since the addition of the EV charge station, the Rampart Casino has seen limited numbers of Electric Vehicles. Very limited.

“We only have one patron with an electric car, that I know of,” said John Shaughnessy, a casino security guard. “Actually, I’ve never seen it.”

David Garth, a valet for the casino since 1999, confirmed Shaughnessy’s statement, saying that he’s never seen an EV pull up. “But,” he said, “we get plenty of hybrids.”

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]]> http://gas2.org/2009/06/09/nevada-casino-becomes-first-of-its-kind-to-install-ev-charge-station/feed/ Amsterdam Goes Electric: Pilot-Program Makes Amsterdam a Pioneer of the EV Frontier http://gas2.org/2009/06/01/amsterdam-goes-electric-pilot-program-makes-amsterdam-a-pioneer-of-the-ev-frontier/ http://gas2.org/2009/06/01/amsterdam-goes-electric-pilot-program-makes-amsterdam-a-pioneer-of-the-ev-frontier/#comments Mon, 01 Jun 2009 22:12:27 +0000 Ruedigar Matthes http://gas2.org/2009/06/01/amsterdam-goes-electric-pilot-program-makes-amsterdam-a-pioneer-of-the-ev-frontier/

Amsterdam - On May 27, 2009, 365-Energy Group announced a pilot-program that could make Amsterdam the leader an Electric Vehicle (EV) infrastructure in Europe.

By 2012, the city of Amsterdam plans to be home to 200 electric vehicle charging stations. These 200 stations, courtesy of US-based Coulomb Technologies, are expected to serve 10,000 cars by the year 2015. 

Excitement is high over the two-year public demonstration program, which will use 45 Coulomb Technologies‘ ChargePoint(TM) Networked Charging Stations as their source of fuel. Richard Lowenthall, CEO of the California-based company, announced that “the city of Amsterdam will have the largest network of smart charging stations in Europe for fleet and consumer charging.” He went on to say that, “Coulomb is providing an inclusive open architecture so that all electric vehicle owners in Amsterdam can easily make the switch from gasoline to electricity as a fuel.”

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]]> http://gas2.org/2009/06/01/amsterdam-goes-electric-pilot-program-makes-amsterdam-a-pioneer-of-the-ev-frontier/feed/ NASA’s BioFuel Proposal: Off-shore Algae Harvesting in Plastic Bags http://ecoworldly.com/2009/05/07/nasas-biofuel-proposal-off-shore-algae-harvesting-in-plastic-bags/ http://ecoworldly.com/2009/05/07/nasas-biofuel-proposal-off-shore-algae-harvesting-in-plastic-bags/#comments Thu, 07 May 2009 10:10:31 +0000 Dr Vandana Prakash http://ecoworldly.com/2009/05/07/nasas-biofuel-proposal-off-shore-algae-harvesting-in-plastic-bags/ Semi Permeable Plastic Bags for Algae Harvesting in Ocean

Picture: Offshore Algae Harvesting in Semi-permeable bags

NASA’s design calls for using large plastic bags, made of forward-osmosis membranes, and filled with sewage for offshore harvesting of algae for bio-fuel.

My earlier post about leveraging nanotechnology for increasing the commercial viability of Algal bio-fuel opened me up a fantastic world of realizations. The wonderful technologies being developed by NASA have been time and again used to improve the quality of life for the people who inhabit this world and not just the journeys and stays of astronauts in the space. And particularly, because I felt that my hope for algae as commercially viable source of alternate energy had an even greater chance of being realized because NASA researchers too are pitching their effots in the same direction.

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