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Around the World Races, Cruises Powered by Clean Energy

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The first boat to attempt a transatlantic voyage solely on solar power launched from the Spanish port of Chipiona on December 3. Sun21 is a solar-powered catamaran developed and sponsored by the Swiss Transatlantic21 Association. The boat, with a crew of five, ship is following the route to the New World sailed by Columbus in 1492, stopping at the Canary and Cape Verde Islands before embarking on a three-week non-stop effort to cross the Atlantic. The boat will port in the Caribbean island of St. Martin before continuing to the Bahamas, then Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and finally ending the voyage in New York City in May 2007. The boat uses 10 kilowatts of solar modules to power a battery bank and two 8-kilowatt electric motors, allowing a constant speed of 5 to 6 knots. According to the Sun21 website, solar energy could be used to power a large proportion of the increasing number of ocean-going commercial vessels, as well as many leisure boats. The objective of transatlantic21 is to increase publicity and acceptance among the public for solar technology on boats. “May transatlantic21 use renewable energy not only to defy wind and waves, storms and tides but also […]

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Green Tips for the New Year

I’m probably preaching to the converted – most of you reading this are among the world’s most conscientious people when it comes to appreciating and caring for our planet’s resources and wildlife. It’s far from comprehensive, but here are some New Year’s tips for lightening our footprint on our precious planet:* eat low on the food chain. Eating feedlot animals contributes to a cruel system, is unhealthy and extremely damaging environmentally. Improve your health by focusing on organic, locally-grown plant-based foods. This is the greatest impact you can make on the environment. A vegetarian requires 1/4 acre of land/ year, while a carnivore requires over an acre. * ditch your SUV and get an efficient vehicle. This is your 2nd greatest impact on the planet. Take public transportation, and bike and walk more.* make your home/ business energy efficient – get an energy audit and add insulation, new windows and other measures that will lower your energy usage and bills. Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents; wash clothes in cold water, buy efficient appliances, put a blanket around your water. [sorry this link is no longer available]* once your home or business is efficient, consider adding renewable energy. Put up […]

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SunOpta, GreenField Ethanol Create Cellulosic Ethanol JV

SunOpta Inc. (NASDAQ:STKL; TSX:SOY) has signed a joint venture agreement with GreenField Ethanol Inc., formerly known as Commercial Alcohols Inc., a leading Canadian ethanol producer, to develop and implement commercial scale processes for the production of cellulosic ethanol from wood chips, including the planned establishment of one or more commercial scale plants. The first plant is planned to produce 40 million liters (10 million gallons) of cellulosic ethanol per year – it would be the first commercial scale cellulosic ethanol plant built and operational in the world using wood chips. Greenfield Ethanol and SunOpta are actively looking for a site for the first plant in Ontario or Quebec. Subsequent plants will be in the range of 200 to 400 million liters (50 to 100 million gallons) per year capacity. The venture will be owned 50% by GreenField and 50% by SunOpta’s BioProcess Group and will use the SunOpta BioProcess Group’s patented process solutions for the production of cellulosic ethanol. Steve Bromley, President and COO of SunOpta commented, “As previously announced, the SunOpta BioProcess Group is raising $30 million to fund growth projects in cellulosic ethanol. This joint venture is an exciting first step in the use of these funds and […]

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United Solar Ovonic Receives $15 Million Order

United Solar Ovonic, a subsidiary of Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (ECD Ovonics) (Nasdaq: ENER), has received a $15 million order from BIOHAUS PV Handels GmbH (BIOHAUS) for the delivery of UNI-SOLAR® photovoltaic (PV) products in 2007. BIOHAUS, a well-known PV distributor and system integrator located in Paderborn, Germany, has successfully commissioned many installations using PV laminates manufactured by United Solar Ovonic. “We have chosen UNI-SOLAR® laminates as this product offers the ideal solution for building integration. Unlike traditional crystalline technology, which typically uses heavy, glass panels, UNI-SOLAR® products are flexible, durable, lightweight, and easy to install. Independent studies in Europe and elsewhere show that UNI-SOLAR® triple-junction products deliver more energy per rated power than conventional crystalline products,” said Manuela Schaefers, BIOHAUS spokeswoman. United Solar Ovonic currently has 28MW of annual production capacity at its Auburn Hills 1 location. The company’s new 30MW Auburn Hills 2 facility, which is a duplicate of its Auburn Hills 1 facility, began commercial production in December 2006. United Solar Ovonic’s expansion plan increases its manufacturing capacity to 118MW, 178MW and over 300MW per annum by the end of calendar years 2007, 2008 and 2010, respectively. About United Solar Ovonic United Solar Ovonic LLC, building on […]

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