Tesla has a strong and growing presence in Germany, with 5 existing dealerships and 5 more coming soon, which is why the German safety regulator’s review of the company’s recent fire incidents is so important. “Tesla received a recent inquiry from the German Federal Motor Transport Authority, Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA), regarding the Model S post-crash fire… Keep reading →
Quick Take: An excellent article in the Atlantic provides a valuable summary of solar’s existential threat to utilities. Team up rooftop solar with a Tesla battery unit and you can (theoretically) do away with your electric power utility. In reality of course, few homeowners will really want grid divorce. First, they will want to sell… Keep reading →
What could someday be one of the world’s largest public electric vehicle sharing systems has begun to quietly unfold in the large eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou. If all goes according to plan, residents in that metropolitan region could, within five years, have access to up to 100,000 self-serving EV rentals and related supporting infrastructure.… Keep reading →
From insomnia to an off-grid power system; Hurricane Sandy relief; modern art; doctoral degrees and community clean energy projects; these engineers are tackling some of today’s pressing energy challenges. Rob van Haaren and his friend Garrett Fitzgerald, Columbia University engineering students, became unexpected heroes in post-Sandy Far Rockaway, Queens, NY when they brought solar-generated electricity… Keep reading →
Sustainable infrastructure designer and developer Envision Solar International began a two-week trail of its EV ARC solar electric vehicle charging station yesterday at San Diego International Airport. The charging station is mobile, fully autonomous, and available for use free of charge for plug-in hybrids and EVs. There is a one-hour time limit during the trial… Keep reading →
Argentina is estimated to hold the world’s 3rd largest shale gas reserves and during a recent visit there, Pope Francis was photographed holding anti-fracking T-shirts. The Pope is reportedly working on an encyclical letter to all Catholic Bishops that will address environmental issues, and perhaps controversial shale gas development technology. The short piece in Grist… Keep reading →
Itching to drive a Tesla Model S but don’t have an arm and leg to pay for one directly from the manufacturer? You can now rent one from Hertz as part of the company’s “Dream Cars” collection if you so desire. It still won’t be cheap, starting at $400 per day and costing you $.49 cents per… Keep reading →
Local chambers of commerce have shaped the economic vitality of cities and towns for more than a century. Every day, businesses large and small turn to local chambers for guidance and support. Economic development organizations collaborate and sometimes merge with their local chambers, tapping into their unique knowledge of their communities’ strengths, challenges and needs.… Keep reading →
In a new white paper on EVs, SoCal Edison reports that it encountered fewer grid problems than expected, though certain challenges remain. For years, we’ve heard the warnings that plug-in electric vehicles could overload power grids, disrupt utility business models, and leave their owners stranded at the side of the road with no charging… Keep reading →
One thing about the smart grid sector: you can always count on seeing how technologies, services and products are progressing – and how and where they are being implemented. This week’s smart grid wins highlights some notable examples. PROJECT WINS Ambient Corporation announced that Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. has contracted the communications… Keep reading →
