Guy Wolfensberger, managing director of Swiss-based Grove Boats, said on Thursday that he would meet RTA officials during the Dubai Boat Show in March and discuss the proposal.

“We have a plan for the RTA to provide solar power technology for the abras. We can provide the technology to replace the diesel engines with the solar power. With the technology, the traditional image and looks of these boats will not be affected. The solar-powered boats will also help protect the Creek’s environment as there will be no diesel discharge and no engine sound,” he told Khaleej Times at the fifth World Future Energy Summit (WFES 2012), which ended on Thursday.

The solar boat is making waves in Dubai.  Next place for this solution may be Vancouver.  Read more here about the Swiss solar company in Dubai Swiss offers solar technology for Dubai

“Surrey will have a refuse and recycling fleet by 2014 powered … by a renewable form of natural gas [biomethane] made from the city’s own wastes.”

It is great to see that Surrey’s vision of going green is now being realized also in the waste handling and fuel generation area.  Read more about it here.

Surrey’s Move Toward Sustainable Future

Some highlights from this weeks News Scan:

• Tourism relies on jet setters, but travel is destroying attractions
• NASA says Canada highly vulnerable to environmental change due to global warming
• EU cap on aviation emissions could boost airline profits

The PICS News Scan is produced by ISIS at the Sauder School of Business in partnership with the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS). To be added to the News Scan distribution list or to provide content feedback and/or suggestions about interesting news items, please email: isis@sauder.ubc.ca

Authors: Neil Thomson, Calyn Shaw, Neil Salmond, Kristina Welch

Editors: James Tansey (ISIS), Tom Pedersen (PICS), Jessica Worsley (PICS)

(more…)

Some highlights from this weeks News Scan:

• US snow drought could have serious water implications
• Cornell scientists can’t agree on fracking impact
• Nature editorial urges scientists to speak out

The PICS News Scan is produced by ISIS at the Sauder School of Business in partnership with the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS). To be added to the News Scan distribution list or to provide content feedback and/or suggestions about interesting news items, please email: isis@sauder.ubc.ca.

Authors: Neil Thomson, Calyn Shaw, Neil Salmond,

Editors: James Tansey (ISIS), Tom Pedersen (PICS), Jessica Worsley (PICS)

(more…)

Here is a great story on Antarctica and how a visit there, can inspire change in behaviour, that will lead us to becoming cleaner and greener.

The young woman explained the sensation on a satellite phone hours later, in the midst of a recent two-week journey exploring the Antarctic Peninsula with 58 other students and 30 adults as part of the Students on Ice annual expedition. It’s an experience designed to instill deep-seated connections among youth and the environment, while chewing over global warming on the continent that is home to 90 per cent of the world’s ice.

This young women is my daughter who recently went on an amazing trip to Antarctica with Students on Ice. It is wonderful to follow her journey and observe how her interest in the environment and climate change is growing every year.

via Little penguins inspire teen activist

Excellent Year for Canadian Wind in 2011, Looking to Move Forward in 2012

Source: Clean Technica (http://s.tt/15fBR)

Wind energy in Canada had a very solid year in 2011, with gains seen in total production and investment, advancing the potential of Canadian wind energy. With 2012 under way, how will Canada’s wind energy players do in a challenging business and economic environment, given that fossil fuels continued to be favoured over renewable energy? Let’s take a look at last year in a little more detail and gander through the crystal ball at what 2012 will possibly hold for Canadian wind.

Read the Full Article: Clean Technica (http://s.tt/15fBR)

The battery uses a semi-solid flow cell design and stores electric energy as a liquid called Cambridge Crude a very thick electrolyte solution that contains a very large suspension of tiny lithium-ion particles. When the energy in the liquid is exhausted, all users have to do is head to a charging station to pump out the old liquid and pump in a new batch of fully charged liquid. This process is said to take as long as it would be to refill a car with gas, which eliminates the slow charging speed disadvantage of EVs.

via Cambridge Crude: liquid electricity | Ubergizmo.

Some highlights from this weeks News Scan:

• Forest management programs may increase forest carbon emissions
• 2011 is UK’s second warmest year, Met Office confirms
• Smart meter usage increasing worldwide

The PICS News Scan is produced by ISIS at the Sauder School of Business in partnership with the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS). To be added to the News Scan distribution list or to provide content feedback and/or suggestions about interesting news items, please email: isis@sauder.ubc.ca.

Authors: Neil Thomson, Calyn Shaw, Neil Salmond, Kristina Welch

Editors: James Tansey, Tom Pedersen, Jessica Worsley

(more…)

Here is an interesting and very large natural gas project that Shell is developing.  A floating facility to generate LNG from a under water gas well.

The floating facility will chill natural gas produced at the field to –162°C, shrinking its volume by 600 times so it can be shipped to customers in other parts of the world. Ocean-going carriers will load the LNG as well as other liquid by-products (condensate and LPG) for delivery to market.

The Prelude FLNG facility will be 488m long, 74m wide and will displace around 600,000 tonnes of water. It will be the largest floating offshore facility in the world.

via Prelude FLNG – an overview.