Tag: tidal energy (Page 1 of 2)

Feet in the Sand, to Transform Life on an Island in Fiji ©

By Suzanne Maxx 

While Fiji is leading the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) @COP23 in Bonn, GermanyWorld Team Now has our feet in the sand on an outer island in Fiji.

This island is a strong candidate to begin our World Team pilot project.   We are creating life systems that renew an island, build a resilient village that will be a small-scale experiment of an idealistic utopian island, putting the interconnected global goals into action.  This island will be designed to organically be a place that optimizes systems of life that show what is best for human innovation and includes an eco-resort that will do more than using tidal energy.

For those who want to dive into the knowledge of ocean energy, The International Tidal Energy Summit is happening in London tomorrow.

With the USA being the only country to withdraw from the global Paris Agreement,  and as the rest of the world comes together,  our non-profit World Team Now decided it is best to start and be in action on an island, to “be the change you wish to see in the world,” as  Gandhi exclaimed.  We are pleased that our two home states California and New York were represented by true leaders in action, with Governor Jerry Brown, Michael Bloomberg, Arnold Schwartzenegger and a  team of others in Germany at COP23.

This is the first time Fiji, a small island nation (Republic) leads the UNFCCC, and we hope with the innovation on entrepreneurial mechanisms Fiji will lead not just the UN, but actually the people of the world for a more balanced future.  We at World Team Now are starting small hereon an island in Fiji, now.

Here is a little video of our journey to meet with the villagers, made by Ramanu,  from Koro Sun Resort.

President’s Day – “Move Into Action”

© Copyright World Team Now

From the last three day weekend Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday, and the Inauguration, the Green Movement is gaining momentum in the USA. On Wednesday, February 13th, 48 of our friends and allies made international news by risking arrest at the White House gates protesting the Keystone XL pipeline. The next day, two Senators introduced a powerful new climate bill with a path forward on climate. Now tomorrow, during President’s day weekend, the momentum continues with a historical march. It was great to jump-start this New Year and Presidential term by the Clean Energy and Environmental Ball in Washington, D.C.!  Here’s a souvenir album.

Congressman Ed Markey, World Team Now’s Suzanne Maxx, Chip Cummings of AREDAY at the Clean Energy and Environment Inaugural Ball, Washington, DC

The highlight was time with Congressman Ed Markey who we deeply respect as World Team Now stands in alignment with him on several energy, environment, and social issues.

It’s time for action.  To use our inherent wisdom to change the things we can, and we have a choice about our energy sources. President Obama said in his State of the Union Address:

“But for the sake of our children and our future, we must do more to combat climate change”. Yes, it’s true that no single event makes a trend. But the fact is, the 12 hottest years on record have all come in the last 15. Heatwaves, droughts, wildfires, and floods – all are now more frequent and intense. We can choose to believe that Superstorm Sandy, and the most severe drought in decades, and the worst wildfires some states have ever seen were all just a freak coincidence. Or we can choose to believe in the overwhelming judgment of science – and act before it’s too late.

The good news is, we can make meaningful progress on this issue while driving strong economic growth. I urge this Congress to pursue a bipartisan, market-based solution to climate change, like the one John McCain and Joe Lieberman worked on together a few years ago. But if Congress won’t act soon to protect future generations, I will. I will direct my Cabinet to come up with executive actions we can take, now and in the future, to reduce pollution, prepare our communities for the consequences of climate change, and speed the transition to more sustainable sources of energy.

Four years ago, other countries dominated the clean energy market and the jobs that came with it. We’ve begun to change that. Last year, wind energy added nearly half of all new power capacity in America. So let’s generate even more. Solar energy gets cheaper by the year – so let’s drive costs down even further. As long as countries like China keep going all-in on clean energy, so must we.”

To read the whole State of the Union Address, click here.

This President’s Day is the opportunity for action.    We are hoping that President Obama will leave an environmental legacy of true change. For him to do that, we have to do our part:  prove there is a large constituency of people who are demanding this change.  Then he will be able to answer with action. He has said numerous times, “push me”.  He is our leader and in a true Democracy, a leader will serve the needs of the people.  Not just some people, but all of the people.  We, the people, have to communicate and demonstrate our needs.  Especially in this grid-locked bi-partisan congress, where corporate lobbyists control the action or rather block action.  Let’s give President Obama a chance in this term where he can take action to leave a legacy of a leader, and do his job.  In the best interest of public welfare and safety, he can exercise his executive power.  It is President Obama’s job to answer the needs demonstrated by the people.  This is why we need you…

 

Tomorrow the environmental movement will rally to show its strength in numbers for the support of change, we haven’t seen organizing of this scale since Martin Luther King led the Civil Right March, and shared “I Have a Dream”.  Many of us have a dream now too:   a dream where energy is sourced from wind, solar and tidal and other renewable energy.

Calling all ROLLER SKATERS to join the movement

Calling all ROLLER SKATERS to join the movement

If you don’t know about the demand to stop the Keystone XL Pipeline, click here. To understand the implications, and risks to our water, air, and earth read on here.  The Keystone XL Pipeline which has started construction needs to be stopped, for our collective future and the safety of our public at large.  If you still want to go down to Washington, D.C.,  here are the details.  Our friends at the Sierra Club, 350.org, and the Hip Hop Caucus got some great sponsors and have teamed up with many other non-profit organizations as well.  They have over 130 buses coming from 28 states, and tens of thousands of people signed up for Sunday’s rally with the goal to make history.

World Team Now is calling all skaters to join the LA March tomorrow skaters join the LA March tomorrow February 17th — here are the details. Bring your wheels, we need to stand tall to show our movement and be counted. Here are some ideas for signs, click here for a sign kit.  Make your own, here are some suggestions for wording: “Rolling Forward  Go Solar!”, “Rolling Forward  Go Wind!” and “Rolling Forward  Go, Tidal Energy!”.

The political system needs the voices of the people to truly affect policy.  We need to demonstrate the change, we all know it is a fragile time in our world, and the choices we make will create our future home for our children.  So how do we leave a legacy to inherit an earth with clean water, air, and clean energy sources?  Take action, do your part, as Gandhi once declared, “Be the change we want to see in the world”.  Want to be part of the team?

Forward on Climate

If you can’t be there now for this one, in LA or Washington,  D.C., please at least schedule a post to Twitter or Facebook with Thunderclap: www.thunderclap.it/projects/1189-move-america-forwardonclimate

Electric Vehicles’ Karma

"Karma" photo courtesy of Fisker Automotive

There are small solutions to environmental challenges that may have a big impact with electric vehicles, renewable energy, and the smart grid. Large environmental problems like the ongoing Fukushima nuclear catastrophe and the effects of the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico still loom, but one of the solutions to the planet’s environmental woes is rapidly approaching.  Vehicle electrification can ease dependence on polluting petroleum that contributes to climate change, yet many people are not fully informed on how electric vehicles will fit into their lives. One information gap is public understanding of the important fit between electric vehicles (EVs) and the smart grid.

There is a game changing research paper that shows we can transform the energy equation – “Vehicle Electrification: Status and Issues,” it was just published in the special Smart Grid issue of The Proceedings of The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). It shows we can change the energy equation, serving as a reference source to understand electric vehicles from a whole systems perspective.

Many people do not realize there are many electric vehicles available, and the size of this EV wave now breaking.  Here is an original chart of new grid enabled vehicles (GEV) to use as resource.  Choose the new electric vehicle you want to see from small tabs at the bottom of the page where vehicles are divided into categories; Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV), Plug in Electric Vehicles (PEV), Plug in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV).

This EV paper is timely and important since the case for electric vehicles needs to be more clearly understood, from the point of view of public perception and long term evaluation.  The research and statistics presented will gain value over time when people need to cite sources to accelerate the transition to a renewable energy global economy.

EV’s and the Smart Grid are two topics that present solutions at a time the planet is challenged to live in balance with our natural resources regarding energy generation. A key functionality of a smart grid is the intelligent management of distributed sources of power derived from renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, tidal, etc. It is important that renewable energy can be paired with energy storage for a more adaptable power grid; this is one of the key features of the smart grid article.

To adapt to the moving electrical loads that are EVs is one of the major design goals for the smart grid. EVs also potentially offer valuable energy storage capabilities for smart grids (Vehicle to Grid).

IEEE's Published Paper "Vehicle Electrification: Status and Issues"(Click on the image to read)

World Team Now (WTN) board members Albert Boulanger and Suzanne Maxx teamed up with Andy Chu of A123 Systems Inc. and Dave Waltz of Columbia University’s Computational Learning Systems (CCLS) for the IEEE  paper Vehicle Electrification: Status and Issues—a topic that offers solutions to our environmental challenges. World Team Now, our California and New York based non-profit organization, raises public awareness about renewable energy solutions, like the EVs.   We recently worked with The City of Malibu (Click Here for EV Campaign) to secure a grant to get their electric vehicle chargers working and upgraded too.

To make the transition to vehicle electrification, the public needs to understand how their transportation choices play into the big picture.  Each individual has the opportunity to carve out his or her own role in this change by making educated choices with what we drive and how we live.

Here is a new original chart of grid enabled vehicles (GEV) to use as resource in making these choices.At the bottom of the image you an click on the tab to view vehicles in each of these categories;

“Karma,” (the vehicle) from Fisker Automotive made its production debut this past weekend at the Monaco Grand Prix.  Back in 2005, World Team Now worked to build an alternative vehicle parade to premiere at Monaco’s Grand Prix.  The Sovereign Prince of Monaco, Albert the 2nd, was behind the wheel and founder Henrik Fisker rode shot gun—fulfilling a long anticipated coming of a high end electric sports car with the innovation to also take gasoline, if necessary.

Loving "Karma's" Solar Roof, photo courtesy of Fisker Automotive

Fisker’s Karma lives up to its name. Its good Karma resides in its solar roof, LED lights, and use of recycled and reclaimed components.  It is a more than a transition vehicle while the full-on vehicle infrastructure is being built to support EV charging. The Karma is one of the greenest cars on the market—cradle to grave—when it is charged every 100 miles via solar, or other renewable energy source.   Marketing Director Roger Ormisher said, “We should have the car rolled out with dealers and customers in August at the latest.”  Fisker also plans to have its own charge points, according to Ormisher.

In Baden-Baden Germany, June 9 is the last day of the IEEE conference on Intelligent Vehicles. Vehicle intelligence, the ability of vehicles to talk to other vehicles, can enhance safety and ease traffic flow.  Intelligent vehicles with driver assist features can act like remote sensors to following vehicles and even eventually drive the following vehicle in emergency situations.

A considerable obstacle to EV adoption is public perception.  The IEEE Paper goes into this in-depth.  The newly released film the Revenge of the Electric Car has a commercial appeal with an important story to help engage the public.

Auto executives understand that gap is a challenge for EV adoption and each manufacturer has different approaches to meet it.

GM believes that range anxiety is a key challenge. In an interview, Tony Posawatz, Chevy Volt Line Director, called the Chevy Volt a “connected electric vehicle” with the rollout standard OnStar for a period of time.   The OnStar tracking system and technology is why Posawatz said, “We believe that the Chevy Volt will be the smartest device on the Smart Grid.” That confidence is based on a “special relationship” managed through the Electric Power Research Institute where General Motors has engaged a about 50 of EPRI’s utilities to work together on everything from standards to rollout to communication plans to interfaces, to smart grid solutions.

Nissan is using vertical integration and making a significant investment in EVs to bring costs down faster than its competitors.  In a private interview, Mark Perry, director of planning, Nissan North America explained their first mover’s advantage in the United States, with the reasonably priced, “All Electric Zero Emissions Vehicle, the Nissan Leaf and mass media internet campaign.”  Nissan is also a supporter of Level 3 DC fast charging, unlike most other automakers.  Their strategy is to deploy infrastructure across six states with multiple DC fast-charging stations.

The Chinese battery and automaker BYD has less experience, but more to gain, and is pursuing EVs partly due to their simpler engineering.  Paul Lin, spokesman for BYD, said in a private interview that the company also takes advantage of vertical integration but is not bound by legal and liability constraints that other manufacturers face. The lower requirements of the domestic Chinese market, and less danger of hurting their brand, allow BYD to be more aggressive than traditional automakers.

Findings from the recent IPCCC Special Report Renewable Energy Sources are based on science that proves renewable energy can provide for 80% of our total global energy consumption.

The IEEE paper explains, “Grid-enabled vehicles (GEV), such as electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in (PHEVs) can help address environmental and energy issues by using electricity rather than petroleum. Overall, from well to wheels, GEVs reduce the energy consumption and emissions in the transportation sector.”

This paper offers a resource for making personal choices for sustainable transportation that impact the overriding issue of our time – global climate change. T0 read a different version of the article published in Environment News Service (Click Here). 

Spotlight on Renewable Energy U.N.’s IPCC Report

The spotlight is on renewable energy as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) releases a new breakthrough report that moves us closer to World Team’s vision for our future.  This report supports this unprecedented era with our earth and energy for transformation. The report on renewable energy announced in Abu Dhabi by the UN supported IPCC shows that a rapid transition is already underway as renewable energy technologies grow quickly.  It solidifies that renewable energy has enormous potential and still remains largely untapped.

World Team Now is about renewable energy demonstration projects around the world by global teams.  We plan to demonstrate how renewable energy can meet 100% of the world’s energy needs.  Our goal is to demonstrate the rapid transition from unsustainable sources of energy such as; coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear to these ideal renewable energy sources gifted to us:

World Team Now focuses on how these specific renewable energies sources can “team up” together to supply 100% of our energy needs with projects like solar desalinization, electric vehicle charging from renewable energy sources and net metering.

–       According to the IPCC report, renewable energy capacity grew in 2009 despite global financial challenges: wind by over 30%, hydropower by 3%; grid-connected photovoltaics by over 50%, geothermal by 4%, solar water/heating by over 20%, and ethanol and biodiesel by 10% and 9% respectively.

The electricity produced from these renewable energy sources combined with the transformation of building and transportation sectors, the storage and transmission of energy, and the emergent smart grid hold the key.

Click here to read the full story…

We want to rally to encourage all leaders in a position of influence to support renewable energy policy, and to read the IPCC member countries report’s Summary for Policymakers that shows what can be done and how to do it effectively, and inspires immediate action for the low-carbon transition. The report includes over 160 scenarios on six renewable energy technologies reviewed by global team of technological experts and scientists who underline the significant future role in cutting greenhouse gas emissions and powering sustainable development.

We can solve the climate change crisis and have our economies grow simultaneously. Reminder of the “eco” or ecology and economy, Germany, Denmark, China, Brazil are the new leaders with thriving, vibrant economies geared up for the future. Projected investments in renewables are expected to create at least 20 million jobs in the sector – more than today’s fossil fuel industry.

The volume of newly installed renewable energy capacity in 2010 was almost the same as old-energy – the tipping point is predicted within a couple of years. 2010 was also the second year in a row where investment in renewables outstripped those going to new fossil fuel plants. This is not a specialist niche market – renewables are where the future lies, and the opportunities for growth and innovation are there now.

Private investors and businesses are going green. Major fund managers are diverting vast amounts of capital to projects in countries where governments are showing clean energy and climate leadership. The leaders in the clean energy race all have one thing in common: strong national policies. There is huge opportunity at this time, and with global policy frameworks, we do have the changes to transform our world.

We especially want to acknowledge the work of World Wildlife Foundation with their report that also reaches for 100% renewables like World Team Now, and the Energy [R]evolution campaign from Green Peace with their video and their work with the IPCC.  Our mission at World Team Now is to use teamwork to help build the environmental movement and each of the partners in the Tck, Tck, Tck campaign hold a key to our future.  We honor how each organization from different parts of the world can make the concept of a “World Team” work. The IPCC report confirms the fact that with infrastructure, technology, and policy we can re-invent our world.

Non-sense: the nuclear path

It’s impossible to engineer for  “Black Swans” *  from Fukushima we are reminded that the risk of nuclear energy is too great whether analyzed from a public health, safety, or security perspective. Obama’s budget proposal for 2011 would add $36 billion in new federal loan guarantees to $18.5 billion already budgeted but not spent – for a total of $54.5 billion. The new $8.3 billion in federal loan guarantees will go toward the construction and operation of a pair of reactors in Burke County, Ga., by the Southern Co. Federal loan guarantees are needed to spur construction of new reactors because of the huge expense. This puts the US taxpayer at risk given the industry’s record of cost overruns and loan defaults. The argument about the cost causes bi-partisan combustion, but regardless the cost conversation is mute and overridden by the underlying risk. World Team Now ‘s stand is that is time to pause to reflect upon and consider giving this kind of funding/subsidies and loan guarantees to the renewable energy sector instead. This could jump start tidal energy, and geothermal energy or build out an infrastructure for new transmission sources. Keep in mind the fission spectrum from radiation released in a nuclear power plant has a longer life than the radiation release from a nuclear bomb.  It would be wise to re-examine the action of the Health Ministry that raised the legal limit of radiation on March 15 to 250 millisieverts, when 100 millisieverts per year was the maxim prior to the Fukushima crisis – and that amount was already controversial.  There is much to consider now, regarding the nuclear situation: Our children & Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant’s effect on people:

Sellafield Nuclear Power Plant threatened:

USA Hanford Nuclear Power Plant (photos):

USA PA. PPL Susquehanna nuclear power plant shut down:

USA MA. Plymouth Rock Rally this week end:

Controversy about radiation in Fukushima units 1-4:

In the South of France, nuclear catastrophe reviewed:

Suggestion by MIT is being taken seriously:

Mass extinction, US west coast contamination, and other perspectives:

Bird shuts down Ukraine reactor:

Elementary Commercial video on the basics of the beginning of the melt down:

Radiation bioaccumulation:

This requires a sense of humor:

USA to bring back building of nuclear power plants:

*”Black Swans” are perfect storm disasters that engineers  can’t reasonably design to cost-wise and can occur at rates that take engineers by surprise (“fat tails”) .

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