Arnold Schwarzenegger launches virtual 'sustainable world' project‎

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Europe's climate chief, Connie Hedegaard, are spearheading a new push to help people envisage a sustainable future using low-carbon resources.

The Sustainia initiative, launched on Wednesday with the support of the United Nations global compact, aims to take dozens of new and developing technologies from renewable energy to hydrogen-powered buses, and use designers to create visual representations and recreations that will allow people to imagine what a more environmentally friendly world would be like.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/mar/07/arnold-schwarzenegger-sustainable-world

Richard Branson Wants To Power The Caribbean With Clean Energy

Hurricanes Irma and Maria have severely affected islands throughout the Caribbean, where many people are still without much needed electricity. Much of the problem lies in the failed power grids. In response to the widespread damage from these storms, Sir Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin Group, is working with leaders to create a plan that would implement renewable energy throughout the Caribbean.

http://www.greenmatters.com/renewables/2017/11/17/1wTog3/branson-energy-caribbean

Ford Exec Plans for Post-Lithium-Ion World…

Hau Thai-Tang is executive vice president of product development and purchasing for Ford Motor Company said, “We know the technology landscape is going to change,” Hua says. “You’ve seen predictions around cost per kilowatt-hour. Everyone believes that for us to really have a crossover between cost versus an ICE, you have to go post-lithium-ion. So, we don’t want to get into a situation where we invest billions of dollars of capital, have inefficient scale, be over-capacitized, and then have the technology landscape change on us. And then you’re stuck with that asset.”

http://www.feedspot.com/?dadi=1#feed/fof_fo_898906__f_4552455/article/4423400992?dd=431151784377958

California Wants 5 Million Zero Emissions Cars on Its Roads By 2030

California seeks to preserve its place as the greenest state in America with more cleantech leadership. On January 26, governor Jerry Brown signed an executive order that commits the state to a goal of having 5 million zero-emissions cars on its roads by 2030.

The previous goal was 1.5 million ZEVs by 2025. Battery electric cars and hydrogen fuel cell cars are zero emissions by the definition. The latter will irritate some EV fans, who see hydrogen vehicles as a big #fail.

“The goal is to make our neighborhoods and farms healthier, our vehicles cleaner — zero emission the sooner the better — and all of our technologies increasingly lowering their carbon output,” Brown said in his annual State of the State address last week. As reported by the San Jose Mercury, he told the state legislature, “We’ve all got a lot of work. And think of all the jobs, and how much cleaner our air will be then.”

To reach the goal, California will spend $2.5 billion between now and 2025 to install more charging stations and hydrogen fueling stations throughout the state. It will also beef up its incentives and rebate programs for people who buy zero emissions cars. Right now, there are about 350,000 zero-emissions vehicles on the road in California. Increasing the number 15 fold in 12 years will be a daunting task.

The plan calls for expanding the number of EV charging stations in the state from 14,000 today to 250,000. Fast charging stations will increase from 1,500 to 10,000 and hydrogen refueling stations will jump from 31 today to 200. Some of the cost of expanding the charging infrastructure will be paid for money Volkswagen has agreed to pay to settle claims connected to its diesel cheating scandal. Proceeds from California’s cap & trade carbon emissions will also pay part of the cost.

The state’s utility companies will be part of the push for more electric chargers as well. This week, San Diego Gas & Electric announced it is adding charging equipment for heavy-duty vehicles at the Port of San Diego, San Diego International Airport, and freight handling hubs. Those new facilities will meet the charging needs of electric tractor trailers, forklifts, and other medium- to heavy-duty equipment. It will also add public chargers at four Park & Ride commuter lots in the area. The expansion program was approved January 11 by the California Public Utilities Commission, according to Electric Cars Report.

https://cleantechnica.com/2018/01/30/california-wants-5-million-zero-emissions-cars-roads-2030/

Nikola Motor Company Unveils Plans For $1 Billion Manufacturing Hub

Building on its earlier announcements relating to the release of a hydrogen fuel cell powered Class 8 semi truck, and also 8,000 pre-orders, Nikola Motor Company has now unveiled plans relating to the development of a $1 billion manufacturing facility near Phoenix, Arizona.

The plan is reportedly for a 500-acre (202-hectare) facility to build the company’s planned hydrogen-fueled semi trucks and associated tech. If completed, the facility will represent one of the largest semi-truck manufacturing plants in the world, according to the company.

“Aer 12 months, nine states and 30 site locations, Arizona, Governor Ducey, Sandra Watson and Chris Camacho were the clear front runners. Arizona has the workforce to support our growth and a governor that was an entrepreneur himself. They understood what 2,000 jobs would mean to their cities and state,” said Trevor Milton, CEO and founder, Nikola Motor Company. “We will begin transferring our R&D and headquarters to Arizona immediately and hope to have the transition completed by October 2018. We have already begun planning the construction for our new zero emission manufacturing facility in Buckeye, which we expect to have underway by the end of 2019.”

The company remains as hard to pin down as ever. In other words: How much of what’s been announced is meant to draw investors? And how much is serious? — but the same could perhaps be said of Tesla. It’ll be interesting to see if either firm manages to achieve their timelines for their semi truck offerings?

The timing of the announcement is notable, as it seems to be at least somewhat a response to all of the PR surrounding the unveiling of the Tesla Semi Truck a few months ago — in others words, a way of reigniting investor interest in the company. Or maybe that’s just a sign of the industry shifting at the same time.

https://cleantechnica.com/2018/02/01/nikola-motor-company-unveils-plans-1-billion-manufacturing-hub/

City of Four Million People Running Out of Water

This image shows the extent of the unfolding water crisis in Capetown, South Africa.

This is an excellent example of what, tragically, is about to take place in one form or another in places all around the globe. It’s a direct result of the disinformation campaigns the fossil fuels companies have launched and perpetuated, sewing doubt as to the validity of the theory of human-caused climate change and the importance of mitigating it.

Here we have four million people whose water rations are now 13 gallons/day.  Next: poor sanitation, then disease, then suffering and death.

We either take this seriously, or we sentence millions of people to levels of misery never before seen on Earth.

http://www.feedspot.com/?dadi=1#feed/fof_fo_898906__f_4553726/article/4427347692?dd=431151785118307

The Future of Ocean Energy

Ocean Energy
A barrage (dam) is typically used to convert tidal energy into electricity by forcing the water through turbines, activating a generator. For wave energy conversion, there are three basic systems: channel systems that funnel the waves into reservoirs; float systems that drive hydraulic pumps; and oscillating water column systems that use the waves to compress air within a container. The mechanical power created from these systems either directly activates a generator or transfers to a working fluid, water, or air, which then drives a turbine/generator.

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/ocean-energy/tech.html

Renewable Energy Has Many Benefits for People, The Economy, & The Environment

As CNN, CleanTechnica, and others have reported, solar employment grew 17x faster than the whole US economy in 2016. Together, solar and wind energy jobs grew 12x faster than the economy as a whole.Approximately 260,000 people are employed in solar jobs in the US as of 2017, while over 100,000 work in the wind industry……..Jake Richardson Cleantechnica (1/11/18).

 https://cleantechnica.com/2018/01/11/renewable-energy-benefits-people-environment/