May 31, 2012

New Blink® Charging Stations Provide Local Portland Shoppers Added Amenity

May 31, 2012 No Comments

ECOtality, Inc. (NASDAQ:ECTY), a leader in clean electric transportation and storage technologies, and Lloyd Center today announced the completion of four Blink® Wall Mount electric vehicle (EV) charging stations located at the northwest corner of the mall.
“Our partnership with Glimcher’s Lloyd Center will go a long way in providing an alternative to fossil fuels for EV drivers in Portland,” stated Colin Read, VP of Corporate Development at ECOtality, Inc. “Building a sustainable infrastructure means offering EV drivers the opportunity to integrate the responsibilities of daily life, with the ability to charge their vehicles along the way.”
Lloyd Center is one of the city’s retail landmarks and features tenants like Nordstrom, Forever 21 and LOFT. The addition of the new charging stations is part of Glimcher’s overall sustainability efforts, which include a robust recycling program, environmentally friendly cleaning supplies and renewable energy.

Electric and hybrid vehicles charging at a busy public station in South San Francisco Bay Area (circa 2012–2013).

Charge EV ACE Parking: Supporting Electric Vehicles

May 31, 2012 No Comments

EV charging services now available in workplace and retail locations in San Francisco, Oakland, and Walnut Creek
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. and SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., May 30, 2012
Car Charging Group, Inc. (OTCBB: CCGI) today announced the inauguration of electric vehicle (EV) charging services at six properties managed by Ace Parking in San Francisco, Oakland, and Walnut Creek, California. CarCharging is currently accelerating its deployment of workplace charging services in visible, convenient and accessible locations for EV drivers. These new EV charging services are also located near popular high traffic retail sites, including Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco.
“The locations we selected for new EV charging stations are frequented by customers who are environmentally aware and seek out Ace Parking locations while at work, shopping, and entertainment locales in the Bay Area,” said Jonathan Wicks, Ace Parking director of operations in Northern California. “We pride ourselves on our green initiatives and we’re pleased to work with Car Charging Group as we continue to push the envelope as a very environmentally-friendly company.”

Sustainable Numbers Equals 2013 Ford Fusion

May 31, 2012 No Comments

DEARBORN, Mich., May 29, 2012 – Ford’s new Fusion will be available this fall. It features materials that are lighter and also improve fuel efficiency

Innovative Hydroponics Automation System Improves Urban Gardening

May 31, 2012 No Comments

May 30, 2012 – BROOKLYN, NEW YORK – Plug in and logon to Bitponics, the first ever integrated cloud based hydroponic automation system. Designed to be an add-on to any existing hydroponics system, Bitponics will simplify and automate the urban home garden by managing the plants’ needs, incorporating a crowdsourced online database for best practices and sending the user friendly and convenient reminders.
“Bitponics is a path into the future of urban home gardening. Through the development of open source technologies, we are making it possible for urban gardeners to care for their plants while they’re away,” said Michael Zick Doherty, co-founder and lead hardware engineer of Bitponics. “Growing hydroponically is more than just about providing free food to your home-it is also about the educational experience that allows us to reconnect with what we eat, empowering us to eat healthy and protect our environment. It is also a great way for students in the classroom to use hydroponics as an applied method of understanding sciences such as biology and chemistry. They can see in real time the changes in the plants environment and how this correlates to plant growth.”

Short-Term Politics Stifles Pentagon’s Green Energy Ambitions

May 31, 2012 No Comments

The US Defense Department consumes more energy than any other department or sector in the country, spending around $20 billion annually by some estimates; but ambitious plans to make it the nation’s green leader have been swept under the rug over budgetary concerns that smack of campaign politics.
It is an inauspicious development for US energy independence, and indeed a contradictory one. The Defense Department is reeling under higher fuel costs already, which have left it short some $3 billion. A stronger focus on alternative fuels will cost more in the immediate and near-term, but in the longer-term, it is a smarter strategy.
Last week, the Senate Armed Services Committee in a vote dampened the military’s green ambitions, refusing to allow a major shift to alternative fuels if they end up costing more than fossil fuels. They have also nixed the idea of the Pentagon building its own biofuels refinery or other biofuels facilities.