Category: alternative energy (Page 1 of 3)

BMW i, Malibu (Solar Carport Demo)

Solar carport charging BMW i8 PHEV sports car with World Team Now’s Founder Suzanne Maxx

BMW chose Malibu to be their backdrop venue to showcase the BMW i series replete with solar carport, charging hardware and software for their press day’s ride and drive; see full photo story through album here. I happened upon the festivities yesterday at Nikita Restaurant’s parking lot and met up with lead BMW team members. The new BMW i8 PHEV sports cars and the all-electric BMW i3 are vehicles being marketed with the big picture in mind of climate action with support for the gestalt of a completely green conscientious lifestyle.

Representatives from BMW Corporate: Wieland Bruch, Corporate Communications Manager BMWGroup Nadine Alice Carl, Product Management Automobiles and Aftersales Project e-Mobility

BMW manufactured with a supply chain consideration of a “cradle to cradle” intent to reduce carbon emissions, and ideally, optimize the choice to source “the charge” from all renewable energy.


Simultaneously creating carport shade and electricity from the solar glass roof supported by a steel frame, DesignWorks’ savvy approach to BMW’s solar carport uses sustainable bamboo-sourced carbon fiber, and the placement of SolarWatts’ high yielding solar panels in a grid with space between the panels allowing some light to shine through, while the rest of the light is captured by the solar panels.

BMW has put a lot of thought to handle many of the obstacles like range anxiety in the all-electric vehicle, which comes with options such as a trade-in for other BMW’s on long trips and a charging infrastructure tapping into all charger locations, with software that organizes and allows for a universal payment scheme through BMW.

The hardware and software connected to the charger allow for intelligent communication with one’s home as soon as the vehicle is plugged in to charge.  Programs to support these initiatives showcase the BMW’s service package 360° ELECTRIC electrically integrated concept and BMW’s various opportunities that came from partnerships with Schneider Electric and the Mobility House MyGekko provides the home automation platform that makes it all seamless. This integration supports what World Team Now refers to this as, “consciousness of energy usage systemically”— which is more than just the vehicle sales. BMW’s programs include i Wallbox Charging, maintenance, and other services, with the customizable intelligence to potentially turn on lights and other electrical devices, as soon as the vehicle plugs in the charge at your home or office.

There are many pluses, beside the vehicles themselves in the BMW i series, that could take advantage of the vehicle to grid connection with battery energy storage where the battery could be a back up for home/office energy. Ideally, based on time of day and peak load, you might have the option to charge entirely from solar or a mix with the energy (ideally renewable) coming from the grid.  In CA there is the option to arbitrage energy and sell energy back to the grid from the vehicle’s storage during peak hours, gaining the charge off-peak, and saving money by making energy from sunshine.

 

 
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IPCC Study Results Call for Urgent Global Action

Photo courtesy of Tcktcktck partner ©Greenpeace/Jeremie Souteyrat

Photo courtesy of Tcktcktck partner ©Greenpeace/Jeremie Souteyrat

World Team Now welcomes the launch of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) latest report in Berlin today which shows that avoiding catastrophic climate change is still possible, but only with rapid and sustained cuts to carbon emissions.

The report points to the benefits of increasing the use of alternative and renewable energy for power and phasing out fossil fuel in the long run. In addition to highlighting the need to transform the energy system globally, the IPCC says other solutions to the climate crisis include using energy more efficiently, with a focus on: the transportation, and building sectors, with renewable energy and technology.  Investing in the retrofits and transformation of these industries sectors will be a key.

The IPCC makes it clear that climate action is needed now, and that it is time for us to take responsibility using the wisdom to choose what is needed, affordable, and beneficial for us all. This report validates what many of us realize – that we have the solutions to the climate crisis, and it’s our job, and thus our leaders’ jobs, to be stewards of our collective environment, and use this wisdom from science, so humanity can live in better balance with our resources.

Solar facilityTo keep temperature rise below 2 degrees C by 2100, substantial shifts in annual investment flows between 2010 and 2029 will be required. Specifically, investment in fossil fuels, both power plants and extraction, would need to decline by 30 billion USD per year between 2010 and 2029. At the same time, investment in renewable energy supply would need to rise by 147 billion USD.

The third installment of the IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report (AR5 WG#3) involves over 800 scientists synthesizing the latest findings in the field which raises pressure on government leaders to act as it has outlined how cutting pollution now will be cheaper and more effective.

The challenge is levels of climate change-causing carbon emissions will rise across the globe, so it’s clear that more needs to be done and faster, to accelerate the transition  to alternative and renewable energy, ideally 100% renewable energy systems, along with owning the responsibility to protect the lungs of our planet, the rain forests, and the seas from acidification.

All around the world people are facing the real impacts of climate change.

All around the world people are facing the real impacts of climate change.

The transition to renewable energy will provide massive benefits ranging from energy security, new jobs, good business and improved public health. Climate change is a global problem. Addressing it requires international cooperation together with effective local, national, and regional policies.

We, at World Team Now, will be looking to President Obama, and Secretary of State John Kerry, along with the rest of the world leaders, to commit to increasing climate action at the United Nations’ Secretary-General’s Climate Summit in September.  Ideally, this will lay the groundwork for a strong global treaty that we visualize being signed at the  2015 Paris Climate Conference (UNFCCC COP 21).

 © World Team Now (WTN) 2014. All rights reserved.

Act Locally, Act Globally – Think of Us All As Part of One

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Join us next week and use this  20% Off Discount Code “SPT20WTN”

Change seems to be accelerating. Change, not just with our climate, but also with the “systems” humanity has created, spurred by Globalization.  Whether that be the legal system, political system, financial system, health care system, or educational system— the systems in place to provide the world’s basic needs.  Have we learned to scale our systems to meet Globalization’s challenges? Humanity can learn  from how nature scales to support the whole—  Biomimicry of man-made systems seems key to the stewardship of our earth and for an organically sustainable future.   

Global transformation is in the works, and is needed within all systems including those within our one global governing body – the United Nations. Friday ended the two week climate talks in Bonn, Germany. The disappointment was all too familiar as it seemed like yesterday, but it was a year ago when World Team Now produced the event as part of the UNFCC’s Rio+20, and also an event at The People’s Summit.  We went down to Rio once again with great expectations for more progress than what was able to be achieved inside the United Nations’ RIO+20 conference’s time. So now, it is distressing that there was a huge snag caused by foot dragging by Russia in a key entity, the Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI). At least there was some progress in the overarching 2015 international climate action agreement. Why wait until disaster? We clearly need more projects that influence public perception. “To see is to believe” for most, so we need more examples to inspire the masses to embrace change.

At World Team Now, we are growing, and eager to see the change that happens once our non-profit World Team Now can be supported by our World Team multi-media platform, and broadcast.  Our World Team project too needs to be demonstrated to be fully understood, and to that end our development of our pilot project continues.  While we are working to have this World Team model up in full scale, we have been occupied with events.  In California, for example what we did in Malibu with Earth Day (photo album here), with our “Ride & Drive”, and “The Circle-Up  Around Renewable Energy”.  We owe a shout-out to all of those who showed up to participate or volunteer, and for the support of Nissan of Thousand Oaks, and Edwards/Wildman.  We hope to be sharing some of the edited footage soon at WTN’s upcoming event September 26 and 27.   Another example is what World Team Now is doing in NY to support ACORE’s Renewable Energy Financing Forum (REFF)-Wall Street. Join us and get 20% off registration by using this code “SPT20WTN”. REFF is the perfect activity, included with more than 20 Energy Industry Events for New York City’s Energy Week, June 24th-28th.

Please save the dates for World Team Now’s upcoming annual event in Malibu September 27th & 28th, 2013. Watch World Team Now’s Event’s page for more details about the timing.

Speaking of timing, two great renewable energy demonstration projects born in Switzerland also have “New York” as a destination.  PlanetSolar, is the world’s largest solar boat, and it includes an interesting research component with the project it just arrived in New York.  The soaring approach to change done state by state has value. The Solar Impulse is a renewable energy demonstration project with great potential. You can take flight and  follow in real time on their final segment of the “Across America” trip, and join the history in the making as they land in New York early July.

Planet Solar is in New York

PlanetSolar reaches New York, the second american stopover of its 2013 campaign

The two states where World Team Now is based are proudly taking leadership positions in the environmental transformation needed to address climate change— let’s hear it for California and New York, especially Mayor Bloomberg’s action plan to address the affects of climate change .  The water situation and the issue of drought is rapidly becoming more serious, due to climate change.  Often, to execute solutions at a scale needed to address the affects of climate change, bonds are created.  California is taking the lead with creating a Water Bond.  World Team Now was present when Senator Fran Pavley, Chair of the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee, hosted the Hearing; “Encouraging Regional Water Solutions: Implications for a Statewide Water Bond” at Pepperdine University.  Californians are set to vote on the $11.1 billion water bond in November, 2014.

More action needs to be able to take place on a state level and even city level, which gives more weight to the “Think globally, act locally” mantra—  but not to preclude think global act global actions which are needed as well— the local can catalyze the global.    It is a huge victory to finally permanently close the troubled San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant in California, not just for the immediate risk of radiation, but also in respect of the long term issue of what to do with the radioactive rods which are byproducts of nuclear reactors. With no safe disposal protocol for these rods, even closed plants will continue to pose risks to the public and our planet forever The pressure is on for Southern California Edison to strive towards truly renewable energy— the kind with no radioactive byproducts to threaten public safety. It is time for us citizens to spearhead energy independence, be active in supplying a diversity of local renewable energy resources (supporting grid stability as a benefit), and to learn how to responsibly use energy.

But it is time for the whole of us in society to consider “Act locally, Act globally- Think of us all as part of ONE”.

 

Renewable Energy Financing Forum-NYC

REFF-Wall-Street-960x157-banner-3Join us in New York City for ACORE’s Renewable Energy Finance Forum.  World Team Now is a supporting organization of  American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) and we team-up on renewable energy events. The Renewable Energy Finance Forum REFF-Wall Street will address the rapidly changing state of renewable energy finance, and give insights about the path ahead.  Renewable energy projects are the solutions for transforming the present energy models that are based on the past. The past is no longer prologue to the future of this market, and a new path is emergent, evidence from the presentations and discussions at REFF-Wall Street.   Often the scale of renewable energy projects can seem daunting to approach. The Renewable Energy Finance Forum is an opportunity to gain the valuable resources to undertake your plan, or simply understand the tremendous long-term growth potential, the renewable energy markets hold.    Use 20% Off Discount Code “SPT20WTN” and Register now.

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