Top Stories
E-Yikes! Electric Bikes Terrorize the
Streets of China.—reliability high.
"Officials were caught off guard when that environmentally appealing
solution turned out to be deadly on the streets. In 2007, there were
2,469 deaths from electric-bicycle accidents nationwide, up from just
34 in 2001, according to government statistics. That's roughly 3% of
China's annual 90,000 traffic accident deaths. Still technically
bicycles, they're operating in a legal gray zone. Drivers of electric
bikes don't need to pass stringent driving tests to get licensed, and
courts are struggling to sort out lawsuits. Pedestrians complain that
e-bike riders pay little heed to the rules of the road." More on pros
and cons of electric scooters and the government's efforts to control
their features and use. From
The Wall Street Journal. If WSJ item is not available (may require
subscription) here
is the story from Autoblog Green.
Taiwan Working on Carbon Footprint Labeling
for CPGs.—reliability high.
"Taiwan is the latest nation to float a plan to label the carbon
footprint of common consumer packaged goods, following in the footsteps
of the UK and Sweden. The new labeling program, from Taiwan’s
Environmental Protection Administration, will at first apply to
PET-bottled beverages, candles, CDs and cookies, reports Taiwan News.
The program may help speed the acceptance of carbon labels worldwide,
as many Taiwanese products are also exported." See
Environmental Leader.
Companies,
Industries, Markets and Supply Chains
Intel, too, eyes home energy management.—reliability
high.
"Intel has designs on the nascent home energy management business,
following Google, Microsoft, Apple, Panasonic, and dozens of smaller
tech companies. Intel last week launched a Web site dedicated to its
Home Dashboard Concept, a touch-screen display designed to help
families control and reduce energy use." "'Computing in the home is
going to be a lot more than just the PC,' Intel CEO Paul Otellini said
during a brief demo of the energy dashboard at CES." From
CNET News.
Ski property faces meltdown as global
warming chills the market.—reliability high.
"There may be a global freeze on at the moment but Britons who own and
let flats and chalets at ski resorts could face a threat to their
investments – thanks to a long-term shortage of snow." More on trends
in investment in ski-related properties. See
The Guardian.
AutoPort to roll out first cars equipped
with UD's V2G technology.—reliability high.
University of Delaware has licensed its vehicle-to-grid technology to
a local firm that will convert commercial vehicles so they can sell
energy to the grid. "The system is designed to generate cash for the
driver, while strengthening the nation's power supply and reducing
dependence on fossil fuels." "AutoPort will work with major companies
in the area to demonstrate the V2G concept. A minimum of 60 vehicles is
needed to produce one megawatt of power when the vehicles are plugged
into the grid." "In September 2009, Delaware Gov. Jack Markell signed
Senate Bill 153, which rewards owners of V2G technology for plugging
into the grid, compensating them for electricity sent back to the grid
at the same rate they pay for electricity to charge their car battery."
From
EurekAlert. [It
is not clear to us how this makes economic sense unless the vehicle
owner can sell the stored power for much more than it cost--probably
about twice as much since there is power lost in the round trip through
the battery.]
Science
Urban 'green' spaces may contribute to
global warming, UCI study finds.—reliability high.
Rolling lawns look nice, but they aren't "green", research in
Riverside, CA, finds. Lawn maintenance activities like mowing emit four
times as much greenhouse gases as the lawn absorbs. Further findings of
study. From
EurekAlert. [Not
all that looks green is green. Life cycle analysis matters. Do the
math.]
[Crossposted from HaraBara.com courtesy of HaraBara, Inc. Copyright © 2010 HaraBara, Inc.]
