Month: February 2011

John Adams Receives Presidential Medal of Freedom

John Adams Receives Presidential Medal of Freedom

President Obama today presented John Adams, the founding director of the Natural Resources Defense Council, with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America's highest civilian honor. Adams is the first founder of an American environmental advocacy organization to receive the award since 1991. Besides the fact that it is an honor to get a Metal of Freedom, several years ago I did have the honor to stay overnight at his home. He makes a great cup of coffee and boy does he love the environment. Congratulations John!

Who Would’ve Thought? THINK Electric Car Becomes European Van!

Source: THINK Mobility THINK electric cars recently announced today its entry into the electric delivery van!, These vehicles are starting to meet a niche market for small deliveries in major cities. The THINK Compact van follows later this year. With an increased capacity of 900-litres and designed as part of a large tender for fleet sales to the French Government’s UGAP program, this is an interesting product to many other markets, with several enquiries from potential Spanish customers and others already.

Solar Thermal Energy: A Major Breakthrough in Renewable Power

The generated image powerfully illustrates the contrasting fates of solar thermal projects discussed in the article. The split-screen composition effectively conveys the "tale of two projects" narrative. On the left side, we see the impressive Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System in California's Mojave Desert. Three towering solar power towers dominate the landscape, surrounded by a vast field of heliostats (mirrors) reflecting sunlight. The towers emit a bright glow, symbolizing their active power generation. This side of the image uses a vibrant, sunny palette, emphasizing the project's success and the optimism surrounding it. The right side presents a stark contrast, depicting a partially constructed or abandoned solar thermal project in Europe. We see unfinished structures, scaffolding, and fewer heliostats. A group of concerned-looking businesspeople in the foreground represents the regulatory and funding challenges faced by European projects. The muted, overcast tones on this side effectively convey the uncertainties and difficulties plaguing these initiatives. A dividing line runs down the center of the image, with the title "Solar Thermal: A Tale of Two Projects" written across the top. This design element reinforces the article's theme of contrasting fortunes within the solar thermal industry. The image captures several key points from the article: The success and scale of the Ivanpah project, showcasing its potential as the world's largest solar thermal power plant. The challenges faced by European projects, including regulatory uncertainty and funding issues. The impressive technology behind solar thermal power, as illustrated by the heliostat fields and power towers. This visual representation serves as a powerful complement to the article, helping viewers quickly grasp the current state of solar thermal energy projects worldwide. It effectively communicates both the promise and the challenges of this renewable energy technology, aligning perfectly with the article's narrative of contrasting fortunes in the solar thermal industry.

As shown in the updated GTM Research U.S. CSP (Concentrating Solar Power) project tracker, there have been some changes afoot in the utility-scale solar thermal pipeline. On a sour note, on January 25th, Solar Millennium withdrew its application for the 250 MW Ridgecrest project. For the full details, see page 2 of the filing with the California Energy Commission. The letter states that "a review of the record strongly suggests the California agency's staff is unlikely to be open to a recommendation of approval." It continues: "The DRECP (Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan) has identified Ridgecrest as a site to protect from development." Effectively, they don't think it will be approved because the DRECP opposed it.

When People Say A Wind Power Project Can’t Be Done, Wind Capital Group Says “Yes We Can!”

Source: Greentech Media In another stunning chain of events regarding the ability to develop wind power plants in the United States, the Wind Capital Group wants to create an onshore wind power plant in West Palm Beach County in Florida. This is expected to generate 150 megawayys of power which would be the first utility sized project for the Southeast Region. “At Wind Capital, we like to prove folks wrong when they say you can’t do something,” Carnahan said. “The stars are in alignment for a project in Florida.”

Green Valentine’s Cuddle: Love Without Waste

A young couple sits on a cozy sofa wrapped in a cable-knit blanket, cuddling under the warm glow of a table lamp in a softly lit living room.

Source: Do The Green Thing Hooray it’s Valentines Day. The day you can buy your partner the kind of underwear you wish they would wear - and call it a gift. Or today is the day you can Do The Green Thing and just have a cuddle. No expense, no pretence, no need to consume, no energy to waste, no one looking and nothing to say. Just time together, close and warm, showing love and sharing Human Heat. by Mira Loew and David Altweger Cuddle from Green Thing on Vimeo. One way we can stop our planet from overheating is by underheating our homes. Heating uses more energy and creates more CO2 than anything else we do indoors so if you’re cold, leave the radiators off and wrap up in a jumper - or better still, with another person. Created by Mira Loew and David Altweger and starring Jasmin and Fenella, Franziska and Jakob, Yael and Claus, Svila and Ninon, Susi and Markus, Hiedi and Günta and Candy and Sandy.

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