Clean Energy Investing, Sustainable Architecture, Music Art Culture



Popular Posts

Search Alternative Energy Info; Green Power Investments Mutual Funds

Find ecologically sustainable green energy, clean power funds, alternative energy technology stocks, green investing news, manufacturers of photovoltaic solar electricity panels, renewable energy products, solar power investments, thin-film solar, green technology ETFs, wind turbine companies, geothermal stocks and much more!!!

Custom Search

Solar-Intelligence Blog; Conscious Living, Smart Investing

Best Green Stocks Investing Blog

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Tar Sands Oil Project compromises Canada's climate goals

By a measure of resources per capita, Canada is the richest nation earth, therefore we are duty-bound to promote clean renewable energy and phase out use of coal, oil and uranium as fuel sources.

The following article by top Canadian lawyer Clayton Ruby illustrates the danger of relying on 20th century style megaprojects. To paraphrase the story, "The Alberta oil sands alone emit more global warming pollutants than 145 of the 207 countries that track emissions!"

Peace 2 All,

Yuya Joe


Tar-sands development overwhelms climate goals


by Clayton Ruby, TheStar.com 16AUG08

Our Canadian "contribution" to global warming is the single largest and most destructive fossil fuel development in the world – the Alberta tar sands.

Shell Canada wants to build a new refinery in Sarnia to process oil from its share of the oil-sands mines in Alberta for use in gas tanks in Southern Ontario.

The industry says it knows how to capture and store its carbon, but despite earning record profits it's stalling by asking taxpayers to pick up the tab.

From the giant oil-sands tailings ponds you can now see from space, to the pollution from its refineries, the industry knows how to clean up its own toxic mess. But it doesn't. Nor are governments requiring big oil to clean up.

The Harper "intensity target" system, which reduces emissions per unit of production while letting overall emissions rise freely on greater volume, was tailor-made to permit rapid expansion of the oil-sands development: reduce pollution per barrel of oil by 20 per cent, increase the number of barrels by 2,000 per cent. This is the mathematics of no hope whatsoever.

Why does this development have such a huge impact?

First, its sheer size. There are 207 countries that annually keep track of the amount of total global warming emissions they emit. The Alberta oil sands alone emit more of these pollutants than 145 of the 207 countries!

In large part that's because the oil is fixed in the tarry soil rather than pooled conveniently beneath the surface. To get at the tar, and turn it into oil, requires the most polluting and carbon-intensive oil process on Earth: draining wetlands, diverting rivers and stripping all trees and vegetation from the surface.

Onsite development – strip mining is another ugly alternative – uses an enormous amount of energy and water. Each day, more than 300 million cubic feet of natural gas is used in the oil sands to produce more oil; that's enough to heat 3 million Canadian homes.

Producing a barrel of oil from the oil sands produces three times the greenhouse gas emissions of a conventional barrel of oil. Yet $50 billion per year is being cheerfully plunked into the oil sands instead of non-destructive alternatives.

T. Boone Pickens, the Texas oilman, is investing in a more interesting scheme. He pays farmers $20,000 to put a single windmill on their farms, and is placing them across the U.S. midwest. He thinks he can replace automobile gasoline with natural gas powered vehicles, and free up 22 per cent of gasoline consumption by replacing that much natural gas now used in heating homes with electrically sourced, non-polluting wind power. And he expects to make a profit.

No matter what gains we make in minimizing pollution, the size and environmental cost of oil-sands exploitation wipes out all our efforts. At the current rate of development, the greenhouse gas emissions from the tar sands simply negates all that Canadians are doing as individuals, and our national emissions will continue to rise.



Full Toronto star article from: TheStar.com story on pollution from tar-sands oil project

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Can the Chevrolet Volt electric car power GMC into the future?

GM's coming 2010 Chevrolet Volt prototype









Electric vehicle Chevrolet Volt automobile is driven on the streets of Washington in this 2007 file image.






With apologies to Professor Pickens and the natural gassies, a myriad of vehicle fuel solutions are available for the North American economy. Biodiesel works great in the north, while ethanol may be more suited to the southwest. Natural gas is fine for urban fleets but will face competition from fuel cell vehicles and electricity powered cars.

GM aims to launch it's electric car, the Chevrolet Volt, 2010, and as of late August 2008 they already had 35,000 advance orders for the new GMC electric car. The following story is from the Toronto Star.

Peace 2 all,

Yuya








Can the Volt recharge GM?

TheStar.com - Business

Chief engineer Andrew Farah knows he and his team are designing GM's future


August 17, 2008
by Tom Krisher, The Associated Press

TRAVERSE CITY, MiCH.–Early versions of the Chevrolet Volt's battery packs are powerful enough to run the high-stakes rechargeable car, but dozens of issues remain before General Motors Corp. can start selling the revolutionary vehicle in 2010 as planned.

The Volt's chief engineer is on a tight schedule to figure out how the car will handle the batteries' weight, dissipate their heat and mechanically transfer their power to the wheels. That's not to mention the list of issues that have nothing to do with the fact that the car plugs into the wall for recharging.

But the 47-year-old veteran GM engineer who was recruited from a GM post in Germany to run the high-profile project is driven by knowing the entire company's future could rest with it.

"At this point, there's nothing standing in our way of continuing to do what we said we're going to do," Andrew Farah, the Volt's chief engineer, said.








Work on the Volt, introduced as a concept car at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show, has taken on a more urgent pace with gasoline hovering near $4 per gallon (U.S.) and the American auto market dramatically shifting from trucks to small cars.

The car is designed to run on an electric motor powered by a battery pack. Drivers will recharge the vehicle from a standard home wall outlet.

The Volt will be able to travel about 60 kilometres on a full charge, and a small gasoline engine will recharge the batteries to keep it rolling on longer trips. GM says the vehicle will get the equivalent of 150 miles per gallon.

But for now, as a new commercial airing during the Beijing Olympics touts the Volt as the pinnacle of GM's fuel economy improvements and hybrid lineup, Farah and hundreds of other engineers are working quickly to deal with the inevitable glitches from new technology.

They must figure out how to keep the battery cool and adjust the car's suspension so it performs well while carrying a 181-kilogram battery pack.

"All those things result in lots of other mechanical parts and bits and pieces that have nothing to do with electrical energy," Farah said. "So we've had some issues there."

Simultaneously, other GM workers are testing batteries to make sure they last at least 10 years. It would cost more than $10,000 to replace them.

Other workers are making the Volt more functional, giving it the room and feel of a regular car "such that the vehicle is not just a battery on wheels," Farah said.

The early concept, a low-riding, sleek silver hatchback, was uncomfortable to sit in and not very functional, Farah said. The new five-door hatchback version more resembles a normal car, a little larger than a Honda Civic.

"It'll have a similar set of visual cues and some of the features that were on the concept car," Farah said.

Late last year, it looked like the Volt's schedule would be derailed by battery delays. Two competing battery makers – Compact Power Inc. of Troy, Mich., which is working with parent LG Chem of Korea, and Frankfurt, Germany-based Continental Automotive Systems, which is working with GM and A123 Systems Inc. of Watertown, Mass. – fell 10 weeks behind on delivering the power packs.

GM engineers used the time to work on the mechanical connections. Batteries arrived in January at GM's sprawling Warren, Mich., technical centre, and the team has nearly erased the 10-week deficit, Farah said.

The Volt is also going through the same design issues as a new car powered by a conventional engine, Farah said.

"The program has all of those same things built in. We're just doing them faster because we have to," he said.

Although GM has promised to begin selling the Volt in a little more than two years, experts wonder if it will be ready in time, whether enough batteries will be available to sell the cars in significant numbers, and whether the cost can be reduced to make the car affordable to the masses.










GM has said the Volt will cost $30,000 to $40,000, and that it expects to sell 100,000 per year, starting in 2012. While ambitious, that's still 81,000 fewer than the number of Prius gas-electric hybrids sold by Toyota last year.

Brett Smith, assistant director for manufacturing and technology at the Center for Automotive Research, said even in small volumes, the Volt is a game-changer.

"It's an entirely different technology. It's an entirely different powertrain layout. It's a huge step forward," he said last week at an industry conference in Traverse City.

Smith said despite uncertainties, GM has given every indication that the technology will be ready.

Full article at: Toronto Star story on GM Volt electric car

Clean Energy investing links:



Windpower and Renewable Energy stocks



Solar Power Stocks, Green Energy investing



Geothermal Power Stocks, Geothermal Energy Investing

Toronto Citizen Uprising demands access to roads for clean cars

Camera Opp Walk-in / Sit-in scheduled for Jim Bradley's office August 27th, 12.24 PM!!!

CAMERA PARTY!!! AUG. 27th - 77 Wellesly St. West - 12:24PM

Once again Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty is asleep at the wheel, unable to manage Minister Jim Bradley and letting him repeatedly embarrass himself by hiding from the media and legitimate enquiries.

The Ontario Liberals are losing support fast! In recent months we have seen them:

A) Cancel hundreds of millions of dollars of windfarm developments by retroctively changing grant eligibility rules to disqualify larger projects. This one move alone set Ontario energy policy back 5 years.

B) Announced a $23.4 billion nuclear power project expansion at darlington nuclear generating station. This will likely cost $40-50 billion if actually built, and for that kinda money Ontario could create tens of thousands of new jobs and make us a world-leader in wind energy, solar power, geothermal, biofuels including ethanol and biodiesel, fuel cells / hydrogen / electric cars and more.

C) Repeatedly deny legitimate requests for info on alternative vehicles and clean cars, and have refused to offer any explanation of why an Ontario-designed car that is road-worthy in 46 states and many provinces is not allowed on our roads.


Phone or email your MPP at Queen's Park and support Barry Taylor and Edge102.1 in their efforts to move Ontario into the 21st century and start to clean up our air and get off our oil addiction.

Peace 2 All,

Yuya


More fun links:


Toronto radio station Edge102.1 challenges Ontario government to allow clean vehicles


Barry Taylor's Camera Party at Jim Bradley's office - 27aug08


Also check:


WindIntell.com windpower and Renewable Energy Stocks

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Publicly-listed water purification companies, water desalination stocks, water technology investing

Water Technology Investing, Publicly-listed Stocks

Please Add to Favorites or Bookmarks on your toolbar for one-click conscious investing strategies:

View more water technology stocks at:

WaterIntell.com


Water purification, water desalination; water technology stocks

We need more names, particularly in the water desalination systems area, so please post as comments for all readers to share, thanks.


Amiad Filtration Systems Ltd. (LSE:AFS.L) water filter supplier.



Asia Environment Holdings Ltd (SIN:A58)
is an investment holding company, providing integrated water and wastewater treatment in China.



Asia Water Technology Ltd. (SIN:5GB) waste water purification.
An investment holding company offering engineering solutions for water purification and wastewater treatment systems.



Badger Meter, Inc. (AMEX: BMI) water meter manufacturer.



Basin Water, Inc. (BWTR:NASDAQ)groundwater treatment company
, designs and builds groundwater treatment systems in the United States. Proprietary ion-exchange wellhead treatment system reduces groundwater contaminant levels. The system treats a range of contaminants, including arsenic, nitrate, and perchlorate.



BioShaft (OTCBB:BSHF)
- wastewater treatment technology based on Bio-Filtration utilizing sludge carriers. These plants are made using the Hans BioShaft Turbine that is at the heart of the wastewater technology.



Bioteq Environmental Technologi (BQE.V)
BioteQ builds and operates water treatment plants providing profitable metal recovery and sustainable environmental solutions.



Calgon Carbon Corp (NYSE: CCC)
offers products, services, and solutions for purification of water and air in the United States.



CDS Technologies Limited (CDX.AX) storm water treatment products
. Engaged in the development, manufacture and sale of water and wastewater solutions.



China Evergreen Environmental Corporation (OTCBB: CEEC.OB)
is a leading designer, engineer and developer of waste water treatment facilities in China.



Christ Water Technology AG water purification and water desalination(WBAG:CWT)
, Austria-based company provides technologies, components and services in the field of pure and ultra pure water production, drinking water production and the treatment of wastewater and sewage.



Dakshidin Corp water pumping windmills (OTCPK:DKSC)
and subsidiary RESTEC International, manufacturers of water pumping windmills. The developments of RESTEC provide significant contributions to the solution of problems in obtaining safe, reliable clean water inexpensively.



Darco Water Technologies Limited (SIN:5CB)
is a Singapore-based company; Designs, fabricates, assembles, installs and commission engineered water systems for industrial applications. Proveds services and maintains product water and wastewater systems. Trades and supplies chemicals, electrical controls and related instruments used in water treatment systems.



EAU Technologies, Inc (OTCBB: EAUI ) non-toxic water purification
. Supplier of Electrolyzed Water Technology (EOW Technology marketed as Empowered Water(TM)) and other complementary technologies with applications in diverse industries.



Ebara Corporation (6361: Tokyo)water technology company
is one of the world's principal manufacturers of fluid transfer machinery, with particularly strong positions in pumps, compressors, fans, and chillers.



Ecosphere Technologies, Inc., (OTCBB: ESPH)
through its subsidiaries, provides patented and engineered solutions for the defense, homeland security, automotive, and global ship repair markets primarily in the United States. It offers water filtration system, which produces clean drinking water using various natural water sources, as well as heavily polluted water. Landed several important contracts in the summer of 2008.


Flexible Solutions International, Inc. (AMEX: FSI) water evaporation reduction technology. Engages in the development, manufacture, and marketing of patented water technologies worldwide.


GE Osmonics (GEWT) Water & Process Technologies, unit of GE Infrastructure. Leading global supplier of water, wastewater and process systems solutions.


Kurita Water Industries Ltd. (Tokyo:6370)english language webpage is a leading manufacturer of water treatment equipment, chemicals and plant equipment.


Mueller Water Products Inc. (NYSE: MWA) flow control company Manufacturer of water infrastructure and flow control products for use in water distribution networks, water and wastewater treatment facilities, gas distribution systems, and piping systems in North America.



Pall Corp (NYSE: PLL) major water filtration company
through its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and marketing of filtration and separation products and systems worldwide. The company operates in five segments: Medical, BioPharmaceuticals, General Industrial, Aerospace, and Microelectronics.



Seprotech (CDNX:SET.V) wastewater treatment and water purification systems
, including membrane-based water treatment systems and the ROTORDISK® biological wastewater treatment systems.



TROJAN Technologies (TSE: TUV) water purification leader
, offers advanced treatment solutions to safeguard the world's water.



Wataire International, Inc. (OTCBB: WTAR) generates water from air, atmospheric water generator ditributor
, Has exclusive worldwide distribution rights to sell Wataire Industries, Inc.’s branded home/office and commercial large volume water generator machines.



WaterPure International (OTCBB:WPUR)water generation and purification
Markets water production and treatment products in the USA and abroad. The Company's principal line of products includes several models of Atmospheric Water Generators, devices that produce water from the humidity present in the air.



Watts Water Technologies (WTS) water quality company
, leading manufacturer of innovative products to control the efficiency, safety, and quality of water within residential, commercial, and institutional applications.



WorldWater and Power Corp. (OTCBB: WWAT) solar engineering and management
Provides solar electric technology and expertise with water and power solutions, offering the AquaMax system.


Clean Green Power links:



SolarIntell.com alternative energy investing links, solar power stocks



Wind Energy Investing, windpower company links



Geothermal Power Investments, Geothermal Energy stocks



Water Purification stocks, Desalination, Wavepower, Tidal Energy

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Are renewable energy stocks testing their 2008 lows?

The following article by Sam Jones is from Green Chip Review and explores how alternative energy stocks and renewable power funds are re-testing their March lows and he believes many are ready to rally from here.

My own view is different. On May 12th 2008 I predicted that oil would be toppy at around 140 and that a new downtrend in oil prices would begin. I continue to see downward pressure on oil prices as the world begins to contemplate an Obama-Livni alliance and the end of the Calgary-Houston-Riyadh axis of conflict.

Look for oil to test $92 before year-end, then rally to about $105 before crashing to $70 barrel in 2009. My feeling is that it could average as low as $83 in 2009 and $74 in 2010, but we'll see ...

So, my feeling is that for most clean energy stocks, there is volatility ahead and buying opportunities will abound. One way to smooth out some of the volatility in this sector would be to diversify a future technology portfolio by including water purification stocks and other green companies like Honda. Still, if you can ride out the volatility, Sam's advice to follow the industry leaders is golden.

Peace 2 all,

Yuya Joseph

The Other Shoe is Falling in Renewables
By Sam Jones, manager of the New Power Fund
Tuesday, August 12th, 2008
from Green Chip Review

There are plenty of times when investors have that eerie feeling about "the other shoe" needing to fall (a catch phrase meaning that the likely or inevitable consequence of an earlier occurrence has, at last, taken place.). I admit to having that same feeling about the renewable energy stocks in general since the first dramatic low was established in mid March this year.

I said in many of my regular updates that after such a massive rout of selling, it was unlikely that this group of stocks would simply rise sustainably from the ashes without a serious and scary test of the lows.

Well, it looks like the other shoe has indeed fallen (and is falling) now. Investors in the renewable energy sector have a clear task ahead but it won't be easy.

The Renewable Energy Sector: At Support and Ready to Run

Once again, the few indices and mutual funds that effectively represent the renewable energy sector have worked their way back to the very same levels we saw in late March (or even slightly lower).

Powershares Wilderhill Energy (AMEX: PBW), the Powershares ETF that serves as my own benchmark, now sits down on the year by -31% after falling as low as -38% in late June. Pretty ugly, really, but that is the state of affairs so let's digest the situation.

When a sector as volatile as clean tech and renewable energy retests a previous low, we need to remain alert to a potential new rally, heavy emphasis on the word potential. This does not mean we load up recklessly but we remain ready to act once we get some confirmation that this level is going to hold at least according to the likes of PBW.

I see a similar picture when reviewing the major clean tech mutual funds like

Winslow Green Growth fund (WGGFX),



Guinness Atkinson Alternative Energy fund (GAAEX)
and



New Alternatives fund (NALFX)


While all are in clear downtrends, I see all trading at their own support levels and showing reasonably good evidence those prices may indeed attempt another rebound from here.

Take a look at the chart of PBW which has worked its way down to a pretty obvious support level on a 2 year level. The longer term support line is marked in red.


Now if you are the type of investor that doesn't have the time or inclination to buy individual stocks and you still want early exposure to THE GREATEST CYCLE OF INNOVATION THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN (oops I tipped my hand a bit), then you will be attuned to this developing opportunity in the broad sector ETFs and highly correlated mutual funds.

While it appears the other shoe is indeed falling, it can fall further and investors in this camp must remain committed to a wait and see strategy at this point to confirm that a good low is in the works. Investors in individual stocks have a few more options regardless of whether our benchmarks find support at these levels or not.

Follow the Renewable Energy Leaders

It often takes a strong uptrend and a strong downtrend in any specific sector to discover the really strong companies - those that are less cyclical and more driven by good fundamental strength.

While 2007 served as a clearly defined strong period for renewable energy, 2008 is not surprisingly a weak period so far, and our list of keepers is becoming more obvious.

This is my list based on my assessments of my own universe of options. I will warn any and all of these names should only be considered for new purchases after healthy corrections develop and one can use any number of longer term 50-70-90 day moving averages to identify potential entry points.

I would also warn against building a heavily invested portfolio of just a few winners lest we fall victim to dropping the proverbial basket of precious eggs. Anyway, here are a few of my favorite renewable energy stocks that have had positive returns in both 2007 and thus far in 2008 with favorable long term price patterns relative to the sector indices:

First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR)



Xide Technology (NASDAQ: XIDE), Exide Tech



Companhia Energetica de Minas Gerais (NYSE: CIG)



Metalico Inc. (AMEX: MEA)



Badger Meter (NYSE: BMI)



Enersys (NYSE: ENS)



American Superconductor (NASDAQ: AMSC)

Brave investors in any of these stocks during 2007 would have had to tolerate no less than 10% losses in any given name and as much as 26% losses thus far in 2008 just to stay with the trend. Those may be intolerable for some but those are the emotional costs of owning any of these names.

And the returns have been superior to put it modestly. So the message is pretty clear; Leadership in the renewable energy sector is becoming more apparent and we need to stay "plugged in" to those names while accepting whatever volatility comes our way during these long up trends.

For the rest of your money, there are short term trends to play but not a lot else to get excited about.

Therapy

While the renewable energy sector is working to raise your blood pressure at support, I'll do my best to offer these words of encouragement.

Renewable energy and clean tech is a very quickly developing mega trend and new innovative cycle. It will last for decades and is far from over as some would suggest (Mostly the old guard from the Oil and Gas worlds who are looking at a possible end to their reign).

Our job as investors is to stay with the trend. Fortunes will be made in this sector like all of the new mega trends of the past so keep the faith, your diligence and patience will be rewarded many times over.

Think about the changes happening now. We are turning waste into power, developing organic food and environmentally friendly products. We are harnessing the sun, wind, waves to power our homes, creating designs with lighter weight materials and improved efficiency reducing our load on natural resources.

Bringing it all together with technology, transmission, and service completes the package. This is big and comprehensive. So fear not because these types of companies are the future as obviously as they are the right solution to a more sustainable life.

In less than a year, I'm confident that we'll look back at this time and marvel at the incredible opportunity as investors.



Sam Jones

President, All Season Financial Advisors, Inc.

Registered Investment Advisors

Senior Portfolio Manager - New Power Fund

www.newpowerfund.com



More fun links:

Best Wind Energy Investing Website

Geothermal Power Stocks, Water technology investing

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Recent Alternative Energy Stock News, Renewable Power Investing Info

Clean Energy stocks in the news, recent articles on solar power, wind energy investing, geothermal power stocks and water technology investing opportunities.



Best List of Wind Energy Stock links, windpower association websites




News articles on The Pickens Plan for USA Energy Independence




The T. Boone Pickens Plan, Commentary and Analysis




Canada has massive potential for geothermal energy development




Geothermal energy stock list, cogeneration companies




Solar Energy stock list, article and analysis from the globe and mail




Palestinian swimmer provides glimmer of hope with his Olympic dream



T. Boone Pickens Interview in New York Times




Complete List of Alternative Energy, Water Technology and Renewable Power Stocks




Water Purification stocks, water desalination companies



Upcoming Clean Energy IPOs:

* First Wind Holdings Inc company website. $450 Million IPO Filing (Thu, 31 Jul 2008 06:00:00 PDT) Green IPO Watch at Renewableenergystocks.com

* GT Solar International Inc official website. Prices Initial Public Offering (Mon, 28 Jul 2008 06:00:00 PDT) GT Solar International, Inc. (NASDAQ: SOLR) today announced that the initial public offering of 30.3 million shares of its common stock has been priced at $16.50 per share.

* Western Wind Energy Corp. announces filing of final short form prospectus and conversion of special warrants (Fri, 25 Jul 2008 06:00:00 PDT) Western Wind Energy Corp. (" Western Wind" or the "Company") announces that it has filed its final short form prospectus dated July 24, 2008

Complete Master List of Alternative Energy Stocks, Water Technology Companies, Renewable Power Investing

Complete List of Alternative Energy Investing
and Water Technology Stocks

Please click Add Favorites on your toolbar for easy future access:


Water purification / Desalination and Atmospheric Water Generation stocks

These water technology investments are mostly from www.water-stocks.com, a technology investing website run by InvestorIdeas.com:


Aalberts Industries N.V. (Amsterdam:AALB.AS)
is an international industrial group with two core activities, Industrial Services and Flow Control, and occupies top positions in the market in each of these activities. Aalberts Industries operates on the basis of a decentralized structure with significant operational management responsibilities.




American Water Corp (NYSE: AWK)
Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest investor-owned U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs nearly 7,000 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to approximately 15.6 million people in 32 states and Ontario, Canada




Ameron International Corporation (NYSE: AMN)
Ameron International Corporation is a multinational manufacturer of highly-engineered products and materials for the chemical, industrial, energy, transportation and infrastructure markets. Ameron is a leading producer of water transmission lines



Amiad Filtration Systems Ltd. (LSE:AFS.L) water filter supplier.
Producer and global supplier of water filters and filtration systems. The Company's key markets are the industrial and municipal market and the irrigation market





Asia Environment Holdings Ltd (SIN:A58)
is an investment holding company. Through its subsidiaries, it provides integrated water and wastewater treatment solutions in the People's Republic of China. It has three segments. The turnkey projects and services segment is engaged in the provision of turnkey services involving the entire process from consultancy design, production, construction and engineering, installation and commissioning of water and wastewater treatment systems, and research and development work on water and wastewater treatment equipment and techniques. The manufacturing segment is involved in the manufacture, fabrication, sales and installation of generic or custom-manufactured specialized equipment for water and wastewater treatment systems. The build-operate-transfer projects segment is engaged in the construction and operation of water treatment facilities. In January 2008, the Company established a wholly owned subsidiary, Anqing Penyao Wastewater Treatment Pte. Ltd.


Asia Water Technology Ltd. (SIN:5GB) wastewater purification.
An investment holding company that specializes in offering total engineering solutions for water purification and wastewater treatment systems. It operates in three business segments. The water purification treatment segment is engaged in the design, assembly, installation and commissioning of water purification treatment systems, as well as technology development of such water purification systems, and treatment of raw water drawn from underground and treatment of tap water. The wastewater treatment segment is involved in the supply and installation of equipment used in industrial and municipal wastewater treatment systems. The others segment is engaged in the trading of water treatment equipment and miscellaneous peripheral contracts, which includes coal conveying control system and chemical cleaning.


AWG Plc (AWG.L)
, One of the country's largest water utilities, AWG provides regulated water, wastewater, and environmental services to some 6 million residential, commercial, and industrial customers through its Anglian Water unit.



Badger Meter, Inc. (AMEX: BMI) water meter manufacturer.
Marketer and manufacturer of products using flow measurement and control technologies developed both internally and with other technology companies. The Company's products are used to measure and control the flow of liquids in a variety of applications. Its product lines fall into two general categories: utility and industrial. Two product lines, residential and commercial water meters (with various meter reading technology systems) are generally sold to water utilities. Industrial sales consist of the remainder of the sales and include automotive fluid meters and systems, small precision valves, electromagnetic meters, impeller flow meters and industrial process meters (all with related accessories and instrumentation). Residential and commercial water meters and related systems provide the majority of the Company's sales.


Basin Water, Inc. (BWTR:NASDAQ)
engages in the design, building, and implementation of groundwater treatment systems in the United States. It offers a proprietary ion-exchange wellhead treatment system that reduces groundwater contaminant levels. The system could be used to treat a range of contaminants, including arsenic, nitrate, and perchlorate.



Beijing Capital Co., Ltd. (SHA:600008)
. is engaged in various businesses, such as the toll collection of Jingtong expressway, the operation of hotels, the leasing of assets, the treatment of wastewater, as well as the manufacture and distribution of tap water. The Company operates its businesses primarily in Beijing, Jiangsu Province, Shaanxi Province, Zhejiang Province, Anhui Province, Hebei Province and Shandong Province, the People's Republic of China. During the year ended December 31, 2006, approximately 39%, 36% and 17% of its total revenue came from its tap water business, treatment of wastewater and toll collection business, respectively. As of December 31, 2006, the Company had 14 major subsidiaries and three major associates



BioShaft (OTCBB:BSHF)
- wastewater treatment technology based on Bio-Filtration utilizing sludge carriers. These plants are made using the Hans BioShaft Turbine that is at the heart of the wastewater technology. It was developed in the Netherlands in 1994 and was improved upon by Dr. Hans Badreddine and implemented as Hans BioShaft®. It is patented in the United Kingdom and the patent is pending in the United States.



Bioteq Environmental Technologi (BQE.V)
BioteQ builds and operates water treatment plants providing profitable metal recovery and sustainable environmental solutions.



Calgon Carbon Corp (NYSE: CCC)
offers products, services, and solutions for purification of water and air in the United States. It operates in three segments: Activated Carbon and Service, Equipment, and Consumer. Activated Carbon and Service segment manufactures granular activated carbon for use in applications to remove organic compounds from water, air and other liquids and gases. Activated carbon is a porous material that removes organic compounds from liquids and gases through adsorption process. Equipment segment designs and sells equipment which employs activated carbon and ion exchange resins for purification, separation, and concentration, as well as offers ISEP (ionic separator) continuous ion exchange units for the purification various products in the food, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology industries. Consumer segment primarily offers carbon cloth, which include PreZerve storage products line and AllGone odor elimination system. It offers its products primarily to potable water, industrial process, environmental water and air, food, and specialty markets.



CDS Technologies Limited (CDX.AX) storm water treatment products
. Engaged in the development, manufacture and sale of water and wastewater solutions, primarily continuous deflective separation technology, which is a non-blocking screening technology that removes solids from liquids. It has three geographic segments: Australia, USA and UK. These segments are engaged in design, construction and delivery functions with sales offices servicing all states and territories in their respective countries. The USA segment offers media filtration product. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2006, under the UK segment, CDS' subsidiary, Copa Limited, offered traditional wastewater products, and established process technologies, including hybrid biological nutrient removal, CDS storm water solutions for sustainable urban drainage systems market, and the membrane bio reactors that provide near-tap water effluent quality. In October 2006, Groupe Laperriere & Verreault Inc. acquired Copa Limited and Copa Water Pty Limited from CDS



China Evergreen Environmental Corporation (OTCBB: CEEC.OB)
is a leading designer, engineer and developer of waste water treatment facilities in China. With its proprietary technology resources and project management experience, the Company provides both turn-key and BOT (build-operate-transfer) services to a range of industrial companies and municipalities throughout China. The Company also makes sales of its proprietary GM Bio-carriers, a natural, chemical-free process that improves the efficiency of the waste water treatment process



Christ Water Technology AG purification desalination(WBAG:CWT)
is an Austria-based company active in the provision of technologies, components and services in the field of pure and ultra pure water production, drinking water production and the treatment of wastewater and sewage. The Company is divided into four business segments.



Dakshidin Corp water pumping windmills (OTCPK:DKSC)
and its wholly owned subsidiary RESTEC International Inc, manufacturers of water pumping windmills. The developments of RESTEC International Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Dakshidin Corporation, provide significant contributions to the solution of problems in obtaining safe, reliable water faster and cheaper than ever before.



Darco Water Technologies Limited (SIN:5CB)
is a Singapore-based investment holding company. The Company is organized into three segments: EW Systems, WM Services and trading. EW Systems designs, fabricates, assembles, installs and commission engineered water systems for industrial applications. WM Services is engaged in services and maintains product water and wastewater systems. Trading is engaged in trades and supplies chemicals, electrical controls and related instruments used in water treatment systems.



EAU Technologies, Inc (OTCBB: EAUI ) non-toxic water purification
. Supplier of Electrolyzed Water Technology (EOW Technology marketed as Empowered Water(TM)) and other complementary technologies with applications in diverse industries. EAU's water-based and non-toxic (at application concentration, the solutions are non-toxic to humans and live animals) EOW Technology may replace many of the traditional methods now used to clean, disinfect, protect and nourish in large industries such as agriculture and food processing. EAU has solutions for existing bacteria, virus and mold proliferation threats. EAU continues to add innovative and efficacious products that offer a systemic approach to pathogen elimination in food processing plants and related industries, thereby producing safer foods and protecting the environment through "Green Chemistry."



Ebara Corporation (6361: Tokyo)
is one of the world's principal manufacturers of fluid transfer machinery, with particularly strong positions in pumps, compressors, fans, and chillers. The Company is also a prominent contractor of environmental engineering systems, focusing on the realization of the "sustainable society." Ebara is a leading supplier of precision machinery to the semiconductor device manufacturing industry. Key products in this sector include chemical mechanical polishing systems, dry vacuum pumps, and other equipment, such as wafer plating systems, that assist the industry in meeting the demands of manufacturing the next generation of semiconductor devices. Ebara is actively engaged in developing and commercializing new energy technologies, including wind power generators, fuel cell cogeneration systems, and photovoltaic power generators.



Ecosphere Technologies, Inc., (OTCBB: ESPH)
through its subsidiaries, provides patented and engineered solutions for the defense, homeland security, automotive, and global ship repair markets primarily in the United States. It offers water filtration system, which produces clean drinking water using various natural water sources, as well as heavily polluted water. The company provides an alternative method of removing coatings using an ultra-high pressure robotic water-jetting system, called the M3500 that produces minimal waste. The M3500 uses a titanium and aluminum robot that attaches to the surface of a ship using a patented air gap magnetic array, and is controlled and monitored via a remote operator.



Flexible Solutions International, Inc. (AMEX: FSI) water evaporation reduction technology. Engages in the development, manufacture, and marketing of patented water technologies worldwide. It offers specialty chemicals that slow down the evaporation of water. The company’s products include WaterSavr, a water evaporation retardant that reduces evaporation in reservoirs, lakes, aqueducts, irrigation canals, ponds, and slow moving rivers; Heatsavr, a liquid blanket evaporation retardant for the commercial swimming pool and spa markets that reduces humidity and lowers water heating costs; and Ecosavr for residential swimming pools. In addition, the company’s subsidiary, NanoChem Solutions, Inc., specializes in the manufacture of water-soluble products that utilize thermal polyaspartate biopolymers. Its water evaporation control products are used to reduce water loss in arid climates, reduce energy loss from public and private swimming pools, and cause spreading of desired particles across water surfaces. The company’s bio-polymers are utilized in agricultural nutrient uptake, oil industry scale prevention, and as suspension agents in the detergent industry.



GE Osmonics (GEWT) Water & Process Technologies, a unit of GE Infrastructure, is a leading global supplier of water, wastewater and process systems solutions. Water & Process Technologies delivers customer value by improving performance and product quality and by reducing operating costs and extending equipment life in a broad range of products and services. These products and services are used to optimize total water/process system performance, safeguard customer assets from corrosion, fouling and scaling, and protect the environment through water and energy conservation.



Kurita Water Industries Ltd. (Tokyo:6370)english website is a leading manufacturer of water treatment equipment, chemicals and plant equipment.


Mueller Water Products Inc. (NYSE: MWA) Mueller Water Products, LLC engages in the manufacture and sale of water infrastructure and flow control products for use in water distribution networks, water and wastewater treatment facilities, gas distribution systems, and piping systems in North America. It produces and sells hydrants, valves, and related products to the water and gas infrastructure markets. The company also engages in the production, sourcing, and sale of pipe fittings, pipe hangers, and pipe nipples, as well as a range of related products to the piping systems market. Mueller sells its products to municipalities, publicly and privately-owned water and wastewater utilities, gas utilities, and construction contractors. Mueller Water Products, LLC is a subsidiary of Walter Industries, Inc



Pall Corp (NYSE: PLL) leading water filtration company
through its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and marketing of filtration and separation products and systems worldwide. The company operates in five segments: Medical, BioPharmaceuticals, General Industrial, Aerospace, and Microelectronics. The Medical segment sells disposable blood filtration and cardiovascular filtration products primarily to blood centers and hospitals. The BioPharmaceuticals segment sells separation systems and disposable filters primarily to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. The General Industrial segment sells filters, coalescers, and separation systems for hydraulic, fuel, and lubrication systems on mechanical equipment, as well as to producers of oil, gas, electricity, chemicals, food and beverages, municipal, and industrial water and paper. The Aerospace segment offers filtration and fluid monitoring equipment to the aerospace industry for use in commercial and military aircraft. The Microelectronics segment offers disposable filtration products to producers of semiconductors, computer terminals, fiber optics, disk drives, displays, and photographic film.



Seprotech (CDNX:SET.V) water treatment systems
. Provider of pre-engineered water and wastewater treatment plants to the land development, industrial and military market place, including membrane-based water treatment systems and the ROTORDISK® biological wastewater treatment systems.



TROJAN Technologies (TSE: TUV) water purification
: A leader in advanced treatment solutions to safeguard the world's water. At Trojan, we are committed to reducing water stress and maximizing this invaluable resource for current and future generations. Our continued development of innovative, technology-based solutions will provide municipalities, industrial enterprises, and consumers with practical ways to solve their water-related and process problems in an environmentally responsible way.



www.wataireinternational.com/ and www.waterpureinternational.com water generation from the atmosphere!!!



Wataire International, Inc. (OTCBB: WTAR) generates water from air
, distributes atmospheric water generators worldwide. It has exclusive worldwide distribution rights to sell Wataire Industries, Inc.’s branded home/office and commercial large volume water generator machines. The company was formerly known as Cimbix Corp. and changed its name to Wataire International, Inc. in October 2006.


WaterPure International (OTCBB:WPUR)water generation and purification.
WaterPure International, Inc. markets water production and treatment products in the USA and abroad. The Company's principal line of products includes several models of Atmospheric Water Generators, devices that produce water from the humidity present in the air.



WorldWater and Power Corp. (OTCBB: WWAT)
operates as a solar engineering and project management company. It provides solar electric technology and expertise with water and power solutions. The company offers AquaMax system, which is capable of operating pumps and motors up to 600 horse power for irrigation, refrigeration and cooling, and water utilities, consists of an electronic board that reads and translates the output of solar electric direct current from solar panels, converting the flow into alternate current (AC) for delivery to the electric grid, water pumps, and various 3-phase AC motors. Its other products include AquaDrive Controller and AquaMeter water meter. The company’s photovoltaic system generates electricity from the sun.


More fun links:


Wind Energy Investments, wind power stock links



Geothermal Power Investments, Geothermal company website links



Atmospheric Water Generation Technology links from DMOZ Open Directory project:

* Air to H2O - Western Australia manufacturer of atmospheric water generators. Product information, FAQs, purchase and rental information, and description of the technology.
* Airwater Corporation - Manufacturer of mobile and stationary units. Product profiles, description of the process, and press releases.
* Air2Water LLC - Manufacturer of machines that extract drinking water from the air. Product information, support and contact.
* Aquair - California manufacturer. Offers product descriptions, FAQs, demographics of world consumption, water usage calculator, tips, and company profile.
* AquaMaker - Texas manufacturer of atmospheric water generator units. Company profile, product description, and searchable dealer database.
* Wataire Industries Inc. - Canadian manufacturer of atmospheric water generators. Includes company profile, product descriptions, description of the process, news and press releases.
* Water Master International - Manufactures machinery that generates pure drinking water from the air. Company profile and product information.
* WaterMaker India - Mumbai manufacturer. Offers product comparison chart and descriptions, downloadable brochure, description of technology, and FAQs.
* White Buffalo Nation Inc - A science cooperative with custom industrial air-to-water bottling solutions and pure water manufacturing systems for the home and office.
* Wikipedia web page on Atmospheric Water Generators - Online encyclopedia article about this technology.
* Wired News article Making Water From Thin Air - Audrey Hudson describes the process and profiles the company contracted to provide water to the troops in Iraq using this process. (October 6, 2006)







Best Renewable Power Websites 2008; Links to Clean Energy Companies

Alphabetical master list of renewable power and clean energy websites, valuable resources for researching alternative power technology and renewable energy stock funds. Great resources for green energy company website links and information, clean power investment funds and green stock investing worldwide!!!


5N Plus Inc. official english website



American Solar Energy Society




Directory of Solar Power Info Online




DOE Energy-Efficiency and Renewable Power Website




EcoWorld.com - Nature and Technology In Harmony




Energy Conversion Devices page at Yahoo Finance




Environmental Realty and Ecological Property Website




Evergreen Solar company website ESLR




First Solar company information, FSLR




Geothermal.info Geothermal Power website



Green-Energy-News.com



Hawaii Green Homes Land




Home Power Magazine - Official Website




OyNot.com Solar Energy and Batteries


PanTerra Clean Energy Business Parks




PBD - Info on PowerShares Global Clean Energy Fund




Renewable Energy Access Website



Renewable Energy Focus



RenewableEnergyStocks.com Global Stock List




Science Daily Solar Energy Information




SolarBuzz.com Best Solar Energy Website




Solar Energy Investment Blog


Spire Solar company info at Yahoo Finance; SPIR




SunPoweredDreams.com Green Energy Blog


Wind Energy Company websites; Windpower Info online



Best Renewable Energy Websites 2008; Links to Green Energy Companies

Here is an alphabetical list of renewable power and clean energy websites that I find can be valuable resources for those researching alternative power technologies and renewable energy stocks. Great resources for green energy company info, clean power mutual funds and green investing worldwide!!!


5N Plus Inc. official english website



American Solar Energy Society




Directory of Solar Power Info Online




DOE Energy-Efficiency and Renewable Power Website




EcoWorld.com - Nature and Technology In Harmony




Energy Conversion Devices page at Yahoo Finance




Environmental Realty and Ecological Property Website




Evergreen Solar company website ESLR




First Solar company information, FSLR




Geothermal.info Geothermal Power website



Green-Energy-News.com



Hawaii Green Homes Land




Home Power Magazine - Official Website




OyNot.com Solar Energy and Batteries


PanTerra Clean Energy Business Parks




PBD - Info on PowerShares Global Clean Energy Fund




Renewable Energy Access Website



Renewable Energy Focus



RenewableEnergyStocks.com Global Stock List




Science Daily Solar Energy Information




SolarBuzz.com Best Solar Energy Website




Solar Energy Investment Blog


Spire Solar company info at Yahoo Finance; SPIR




SunPoweredDreams.com Green Energy Blog


Wind Energy Company websites; Windpower Info online




Wind Energy Company Stocks Websites:

Complete list of Wind Energy Stocks Company websites


America is addicted to foreign oil.


It's an addiction that threatens our economy, our environment and our national security. It touches every part of our daily lives and ties our hands as a nation and a people.

The addiction has worsened for decades and now it's reached a point of crisis.
In 1970, we imported 24% of our oil.

Today it's nearly 70% and growing.

As imports grow and world prices rise, the amount of money we send to foreign nations every year is soaring. At current oil prices, we will send $700 billion dollars out of the country this year alone — that's four times the annual cost of the Iraq war.
Loading...

Projected over the next 10 years the cost will be $10 trillion — it will be the greatest transfer of wealth in the history of mankind.

America uses a lot of oil. Every day 85 million barrels of oil are produced around the world. And 21 million of those are used here in the United States.

That's 25% of the world's oil demand. Used by just 4% of the world's population.

Can't we just produce more oil?

World oil production peaked in 2005. Despite growing demand and an unprecedented increase in prices, oil production has fallen over the last three years. Oil is getting more expensive to produce, harder to find and there just isn't enough of it to keep up with demand.

The simple truth is that cheap and easy oil is gone.

What's the good news?

The United States is the Saudi Arabia of wind power.

Studies from around the world show that the Great Plains States are home to the greatest wind energy potential in the world — by far.



The Department of Energy reports that 20% of America's electricity can come from wind. North Dakota alone has the potential to provide power for more than a quarter of the country.

Today's wind turbines stand up to 410 feet tall, with blades that stretch 148 feet in length. The blades collect the wind's kinetic energy. In one year, a 3-megawatt wind turbine produces as much energy as 12,000 barrels of imported oil.

Wind power currently accounts for 48 billion kWh of electricity a year in the United States — enough to serve more than 4.5 million households. That is still only about 1% of current demand, but the potential of wind is much greater.

A 2005 Stanford University study found that there is enough wind power worldwide to satisfy global demand 7 times over — even if only 20% of wind power could be captured.

Building wind facilities in the corridor that stretches from the Texas panhandle to North Dakota could produce 20% of the electricity for the United States at a cost of $1 trillion. It would take another $200 billion to build the capacity to transmit that energy to cities and towns.

That's a lot of money, but it's a one-time cost. And compared to the $700 billion we spend on foreign oil every year, it's a bargain.
An economic revival for rural America.

Developing wind power is an investment in rural America.

To witness the economic promise of wind energy, look no further than Sweetwater, Texas.

Sweetwater was typical of many small towns in middle-America. With a shortage of good jobs, the youth of Sweetwater were leaving in search of greater opportunities. And the town's population dropped from 12,000 to under 10,000.

When a large wind power facility was built outside of town, Sweetwater experienced a revival. New economic opportunity brought the town back to life and the population has grown back up to 12,000.

In the Texas panhandle, just north of Sweetwater, is the town of Pampa, where T. Boone Pickens' Mesa Power is currently building the largest wind farm in the world.

At 4,000 megawatts — the equivalent combined output of four large coal-fire plants — the production of the completed Pampa facility will double the wind energy output of the United States.

In addition to creating new construction and maintenance jobs, thousands of Americans will be employed to manufacture the turbines and blades. These are high skill jobs that pay on a scale comparable to aerospace jobs.

Plus, wind turbines don't interfere with farming and grazing, so they don't threaten food production or existing local economies.
A cheap new replacement for foreign oil.

The Honda Civic GX Natural Gas Vehicle is the cleanest internal-combustion vehicle in the world according to the EPA.

Natural gas and bio-fuels are the only domestic energy sources used for transportation.


Cleaner

Natural gas is the cleanest transportation fuel available today.

According to the California Energy Commission, critical greenhouse gas emissions from natural gas are 23% lower than diesel and 30% lower than gasoline.

Natural gas vehicles (NGV) are already available and combine top performance with low emissions. The natural gas Honda Civic GX is rated as the cleanest production vehicle in the world.

According to NGVAmerica, there are more than 7 million NGVs in use worldwide, but only 150,000 of those are in the United States.

The EPA estimates that vehicles on the road account for 60% of carbon monoxide pollution and around one-third of hydrocarbon and nitrogen oxide emissions in the United States. As federal and state emissions laws become more stringent, many requirements will be unattainable with conventionally fueled vehicles.

Since natural gas is significantly cleaner than petroleum, NGVs are increasing in popularity. The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach recently announced that 16,800 old diesel trucks will be replaced, and half of the new vehicles will run on alternatives such as natural gas.

Cheaper

Natural gas is significantly less expensive than gasoline or diesel. In places like Utah and Oklahoma, prices are less than $1 a gallon. To see fueling stations and costs in your area, check out cngprices.com natural gas prices at pump.


Domestic

Natural gas is our country's second largest energy resource and a vital component of our energy supply. 98% of the natural gas used in the United States is from North America. But 70% of our oil is purchased from foreign nations.

Natural gas is one of the cleanest, safest and most useful forms of energy — residentially, commercially and industrially. The natural gas industry has existed in the United States for over 100 years and continues to grow.

Domestic natural gas reserves are twice that of petroleum. And new discoveries of natural gas and ongoing development of renewable biogas are continually adding to existing reserves.

While it is a cheap, effective and versatile fuel, less than 1% of natural gas is currently used for transportation.

Full article continues at: The Pickens Plan online text


Alternative Energy Links:


Windpower Stocks Investing

Geothermal Energy Companies

The Pickens Plan Analysis and Commentary

Renewable Energy Investments Funds


Recent News articles on The Pickens Plan



The Pickens Plan News, Commentary, Analysis and Links


Renewable Power Info Search Engine

Search alternative energy websites online, find renewable power investing info, green energy mutual funds, clean power stocks, wind energy companies, publicly-listed renewable energy firms, solar energy company links:












Custom Search






The Pickens Plan full text online


America is addicted to foreign oil.


It's an addiction that threatens our economy, our environment and our national security. It touches every part of our daily lives and ties our hands as a nation and a people.

The addiction has worsened for decades and now it's reached a point of crisis.
In 1970, we imported 24% of our oil.

Today it's nearly 70% and growing.

As imports grow and world prices rise, the amount of money we send to foreign nations every year is soaring. At current oil prices, we will send $700 billion dollars out of the country this year alone — that's four times the annual cost of the Iraq war.
Loading...

Projected over the next 10 years the cost will be $10 trillion — it will be the greatest transfer of wealth in the history of mankind.

America uses a lot of oil. Every day 85 million barrels of oil are produced around the world. And 21 million of those are used here in the United States.

That's 25% of the world's oil demand. Used by just 4% of the world's population.

Can't we just produce more oil?

World oil production peaked in 2005. Despite growing demand and an unprecedented increase in prices, oil production has fallen over the last three years. Oil is getting more expensive to produce, harder to find and there just isn't enough of it to keep up with demand.

The simple truth is that cheap and easy oil is gone.

What's the good news?

The United States is the Saudi Arabia of wind power.

Studies from around the world show that the Great Plains States are home to the greatest wind energy potential in the world — by far.



The Department of Energy reports that 20% of America's electricity can come from wind. North Dakota alone has the potential to provide power for more than a quarter of the country.

Today's wind turbines stand up to 410 feet tall, with blades that stretch 148 feet in length. The blades collect the wind's kinetic energy. In one year, a 3-megawatt wind turbine produces as much energy as 12,000 barrels of imported oil.

Wind power currently accounts for 48 billion kWh of electricity a year in the United States — enough to serve more than 4.5 million households. That is still only about 1% of current demand, but the potential of wind is much greater.

A 2005 Stanford University study found that there is enough wind power worldwide to satisfy global demand 7 times over — even if only 20% of wind power could be captured.

Building wind facilities in the corridor that stretches from the Texas panhandle to North Dakota could produce 20% of the electricity for the United States at a cost of $1 trillion. It would take another $200 billion to build the capacity to transmit that energy to cities and towns.

That's a lot of money, but it's a one-time cost. And compared to the $700 billion we spend on foreign oil every year, it's a bargain.
An economic revival for rural America.

Developing wind power is an investment in rural America.

To witness the economic promise of wind energy, look no further than Sweetwater, Texas.

Sweetwater was typical of many small towns in middle-America. With a shortage of good jobs, the youth of Sweetwater were leaving in search of greater opportunities. And the town's population dropped from 12,000 to under 10,000.

When a large wind power facility was built outside of town, Sweetwater experienced a revival. New economic opportunity brought the town back to life and the population has grown back up to 12,000.

In the Texas panhandle, just north of Sweetwater, is the town of Pampa, where T. Boone Pickens' Mesa Power is currently building the largest wind farm in the world.

At 4,000 megawatts — the equivalent combined output of four large coal-fire plants — the production of the completed Pampa facility will double the wind energy output of the United States.

In addition to creating new construction and maintenance jobs, thousands of Americans will be employed to manufacture the turbines and blades. These are high skill jobs that pay on a scale comparable to aerospace jobs.

Plus, wind turbines don't interfere with farming and grazing, so they don't threaten food production or existing local economies.
A cheap new replacement for foreign oil.

The Honda Civic GX Natural Gas Vehicle is the cleanest internal-combustion vehicle in the world according to the EPA.

Natural gas and bio-fuels are the only domestic energy sources used for transportation.


Cleaner

Natural gas is the cleanest transportation fuel available today.

According to the California Energy Commission, critical greenhouse gas emissions from natural gas are 23% lower than diesel and 30% lower than gasoline.

Natural gas vehicles (NGV) are already available and combine top performance with low emissions. The natural gas Honda Civic GX is rated as the cleanest production vehicle in the world.

According to NGVAmerica, there are more than 7 million NGVs in use worldwide, but only 150,000 of those are in the United States.

The EPA estimates that vehicles on the road account for 60% of carbon monoxide pollution and around one-third of hydrocarbon and nitrogen oxide emissions in the United States. As federal and state emissions laws become more stringent, many requirements will be unattainable with conventionally fueled vehicles.

Since natural gas is significantly cleaner than petroleum, NGVs are increasing in popularity. The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach recently announced that 16,800 old diesel trucks will be replaced, and half of the new vehicles will run on alternatives such as natural gas.

Cheaper

Natural gas is significantly less expensive than gasoline or diesel. In places like Utah and Oklahoma, prices are less than $1 a gallon. To see fueling stations and costs in your area, check out cngprices.com natural gas prices at pump.


Domestic

Natural gas is our country's second largest energy resource and a vital component of our energy supply. 98% of the natural gas used in the United States is from North America. But 70% of our oil is purchased from foreign nations.

Natural gas is one of the cleanest, safest and most useful forms of energy — residentially, commercially and industrially. The natural gas industry has existed in the United States for over 100 years and continues to grow.

Domestic natural gas reserves are twice that of petroleum. And new discoveries of natural gas and ongoing development of renewable biogas are continually adding to existing reserves.

While it is a cheap, effective and versatile fuel, less than 1% of natural gas is currently used for transportation.

Full article continues at: The Pickens Plan online text


Alternative Energy Links:


Windpower Stocks Investing

Geothermal Energy Companies

The Pickens Plan Analysis and Commentary

Renewable Energy Investments Funds


Recent News articles on The Pickens Plan




Renewable Power Info Search Engine

Search alternative energy websites online, find renewable power investing info, green energy mutual funds, clean power stocks, wind energy companies, publicly-listed renewable energy firms, solar energy company links:












Custom Search

Friday, August 08, 2008

Intense Vehicle Congestion snarls Nairobi traffic

Can mass transit and clean fuels solve Kenya's crisis in the capitol?

Hordes of cars, trucks plague Kenya capital

Once-gleaming city 'will come to a standstill in a decade,' warns Nairobi traffic official

Aug 04, 2008 04:30 AM
Comments on this story (1)
Malkhadir M. Muhumed
Associated Press

NAIROBI, KENYA–Vitalis Odhiambo walks 10 kilometres to work every day, wearing away the soles of his shoes along Nairobi's potholed, crumbling streets.

He doesn't do it to save the bus fare, or even the environment. He does it to save time. "If you look at the traffic jams in Nairobi, you have no option but to walk," Odhiambo said as a mass of gridlocked cars and trucks inched forward, spewing black exhaust while drivers pounded their horns. "Walking to work is faster and less stressful."

Once known as East Africa's gleaming "City in the Sun," Nairobi has become so snarled with traffic that the government estimates Kenya forfeits $460 million a year to lost productivity, fuel consumption and pollution. The congestion is threatening the economy, scaring away investors and preventing Nairobi from becoming a world-class African capital, experts say.

"We can't pretend that things are okay here," said Mutula Kilonzo, head of the Nairobi Metropolitan Ministry, an office created this year to solve the city's growing traffic and infrastructure problems. "If we don't do anything to decongest Nairobi soon, I have no doubt it will come to a standstill in a decade."

Big cities across Africa suffer maddening congestion, in most cases because they failed to update road networks built decades ago to serve colonial administrations. Lagos, Nigeria was built in the 1950s to accommodate about 60,000 people. Its current population is 14 million.

In Nairobi, the population has reached 4.7 million, up from 350,000 at independence in 1963. Private cars in Kenya have ballooned to nearly 935,000, with more than half of them in Nairobi alone, said Simon Ole Kirgotty, registrar of motor vehicles.

The roads have not grown with the times, however. A combination of bad drivers, overloaded trucks and corrupt traffic police exacerbate the problem, transforming one of Africa's biggest cities into a smoggy, gridlocked sea of cars.

There are no subways, elevated trains or bus lanes to help speed commuters to work. The roads are generally two lanes – although aggressive drivers often squeeze four lanes of cars into the narrow roads.

Minibuses known as "matatus," the main form of public transport in Nairobi, are notorious for their drivers' disregard for the law. They regularly career down the wrong side of the street to overtake cars idling in traffic, zip through red lights and screech to a stop – often in the middle of the road – to let passengers on and off. Fatal crashes are common. The punishment for such lawlessness is usually just the ire of other drivers – the poorly paid police are easily paid off.

Full article continues at TheStar.com:


Urban traffic nightmare in Kenya's capital city Nairobi



Life-changing links:


Windpower Investing, Alternative Energy Stocks



Domain Of Man - Historical Identities of Biblical Personas



Cool new search engine www.cuil.com



Clean Energy Investment Funds, Solar Power Stocks

Solar Energy stock analysis from globeandmail.com

Solar stocks you might take a shine to

But analysts warn sector is dangerous road, with much hype, stock correction, possible product oversupply






By Conor McCreery
Globeinvestor Magazine Online
July 28, 2008

Solar energy has long been heralded as the next big thing. This year UBS expects Germany, the world’s biggest market, to install 30 per cent more solar cells than it did a year ago. It also forecasts an 80-per-cent pop in the United States, and it says Spain’s capacity to capture solar energy will double. UBS expects Italy to install four times as much capacity as it did a year ago.

But the solar sector is still a dangerous road for investors. It’s a sector vulnerable to hype, and many stocks have fallen precipitously in the correction this year.

There is some worry that falling prices for raw materials could lead to oversupply (at least at current prices). Related to the price is the fact the industry is still dependent on major subsidies and feed-in tariffs or incentives for users to buy solar cells to make solar power competitive. So far, solar cells are still far less efficient at generating energy than conventional alternatives.

Industry watchers such as Tim Arcuri, an analyst with Citigroup, and Adam Krop, vice-president of equity research at Ardour Capital Investments LLC who also helps oversee the Market Vector Solar Energy exchange-traded fund, say grid-parity – the point at which solar is as efficient as conventional power – is still between four and six years away for most producers.

But here are five solar stocks you could possibly make money on now.



Fluor Corp.
$79.81 (U.S.): FLR/NYSE

Polysilicon is the material used to build most solar cells, and so polysilicon makers need factories – lots of them. One of the world’s largest engineering and construction companies, Irving, Tex.-based Fluor is poised to grab a huge chunk of that business.

"Fluor will be the "biggest beneficiary of the polysilicon opportunity" says UBS analyst Stephen Fisher. "It’s a move-the-needle type of opportunity."

He calculates that between $15-billion and $20-billion will be spent on polysilicon factories by 2012, and that Fluor’s track-record in building the first generation of these facilities should let them grab as much as $6-billion of that. He expects polysilicon construction pacts could boost Fluor’s 2009 share profit by between 9 and 11 per cent. His 12-month target price for Fluor stock is $215 (U.S.).

Suntech Power Holdings Co.
$33.29 (U.S.): STP/NYSE

Because a potential glut of supply of polysilicon could hammer margins, Mr. Krop has started to look to companies making cells and modules, and Chinese solar-scene giant Suntech is one of his favourites. "Suntech has a couple of key advantages – cheaper labour and scale," he says. It spends only about 5 to 7 per cent of revenue on labour, compared with an industry average of between 9 and 12 per cent, and is one of the world’s three largest producers of solar cells.

Citigroup analyst Jim Liang also favours Suntech in his latest report, noting it is likely to pre-sell all of 2009’s production by year-end 2008. And with some analysts worried that cheaper polysilicon could lead to an excess of solar cells by the end of the decade, Mr. Liang likes Suntech’s focus on profit margin preservation over expansion. Mr. Krop thinks that potential oversupply of polysilicon is good for Suntech for another reason. "Their one weakness has been their silicon costs have been higher than some of their peers" so falling spot prices should help the company mitigate some of its higher-cost silicon contracts. Mr. Krop has a 12-month stock-price target of $58, while Mr. Liang’s is $55.

First Solar Inc.
$262.46: FSLR/Nasdaq

Analysts sing First Solar’s praises. "People don’t fully appreciate how [it] is going to change the entire business model," Citigroup’s’ Mr. Arcuri says. The company’s thin-film modules could achieve "grid parity" as early as 2010 – two full years ahead of its nearest rival. Thin-film technology is a less bulkier product than traditional silicon cells. The technology uses cheaper cadmium telluride instead of polysilicon. While it is often less efficient than silicon cells, Mr. Krop says the cheaper thin-film is better for large commercial operations, where there is more roof space than on houses, to install the required amount of thin-film. He predicts the gap in price between thin-film and silicon cells will ultimately make thin-film the choice for business.

Mr. Arcuri believes Tempe, Ariz.-based First Solar is so far ahead of rivals as both a low-cost and high-volume producer that it may be almost impossible for them to catch up.

Mr. Arcuri’s 12-month price target for First Solar stock is $450, while Mr. Krop’s is $360.

Day4 Energy Inc.
$3.19: DFE/TSX

Trevor Johnson of Blackmont Capital calls Day4 Energy of Vancouver a solar module maker with a twist. "They put solar cells together in a cheaper way." Day4 installs cells into a flexible plastic sheet that boosts connectivity. Mr. Johnson says this proprietary technology makes the company’s modules between 7- and 10-per-cent more efficient than most competitors’ products. With Day4 expanding production capacity eight-fold, Mr. Johnson believes the company is closing in on the scale needed to push efficiency gains even further. Once the expansion is complete, Day4 plans to license its superior technology to other makers. Rating the stock a "speculative buy," with a 12-month $8 (Canadian) stock price target, Mr. Johnson says now is the time to get in. "They had an awful IPO, and in this industry momentum is everything. People lose confidence very quickly," he said. Blackmont has an investment banking relationship with Day4, and was one of the firms that took the stock public at $7.25 a share back in December, 2007.

Ascent Solar Technologies
$8.53 (U.S.): ASTI/Nasdaq

Ascent is another speculative name. It’s developing a technology called copper indium gallium selenide. (CIGS), which early tests have shown to be more efficient at converting solar energy into electricity than either polysilicon cells or cadmium telluride. Thus, it has potential to be an industry-changing technology.

Mr. Krop likes Littleton, Colo.-based Ascent because of how it plans to use CIGS. Ascent is working on putting the cells right into building materials - such as roofing membranes and aluminum siding, saving builders the cost of installing solar modules at a later date, and allowing modules to move beyond their traditional roof-top locale. While a competitor is looking to affix the CIGS to glass, Mr. Krop believes the plastic film lends itself to more diverse applications and therefore a much larger target market. He says that gives Ascent an "excellent opportunity" to partner with construction companies.

He expects Ascent to start shipping the new modules by the middle of 2010.

He rates the stock a "buy," with a 12-month stock price target of $15.

Conor McCreery is a producer at Business News Network

Full article at:

Solar Energy Stock Analysis in Globe Investor


Suggested Browsing:


Solar Power, Renewable Energy Investing Links



Wind Energy Stocks, Renewable Power Investing



Geothermal Company Links, Geothermal Power Stocks

Palestine sees glimmer of hope in Olympic team




Even a hardened cynic would have to see the value in Palestine joining the Olympic spirit. Four athletes now, and if peace prevails, maybe fourteen in 2012 and even more by 2016.

Here is story about the Palestine Olympic Team at the 2008 Beijing Olmpics in China.

Peace 2 All,

Yuya


Palestinian makes small splash


By Rosie DiManno, TheStar.com

BEIJING

Hamza Abdo is an athlete with a country but no passport.

The uniform on his back is donated. His ticket to Beijing was provided by a charitable arm of the International Olympic Committee. His competitive Games experience here will last – if a personal best – all of 25 seconds, one heat in the 50-metre men's freestyle swim.

The 17-year-old is Palestinian.

What decades of wrangling and disaccord have not been able to secure, the IOC has tacitly provided: sovereignty and statehood.

On Friday, a team of four athletes will march into the Bird's Nest Stadium behind the Palestinian flag. There is a national anthem, though it won't be heard at these Games because no Palestinian participant will be on top of the podium, or anywhere close to it.

And yet, Abdo says of his sojourn thus far as an Olympian, "This period has been the best time of my life."

He is a handsome, quick-witted youth, exhibiting all the fine qualities the Games are supposed to personify: hunger to excel, eagerness to challenge self and others, purity of purpose.

He is adamantly non-political.

But he is also an Arab boy from East Jerusalem, raised under the shadow of occupation, if not in the occupied territory that calls itself Palestine.

"The main target here is to prove that Palestine exists, to have a flag among all the other flags of the world," he said.

To some, it may seem offensive that Palestinians have been embraced as members of the Olympic family – their first delegation invited to Atlanta in 1996, athletes actually competing only since 2000 in Sydney. It was a radical faction of the PLO, Black September, that desecrated the Olympics in Munich in 1972, taking members of Israel's team hostage, 11 of them ultimately killed in what many recall as the first incident of international terrorism.

Abdo knows none of that. "What happened in Munich?" he asks, the genuine ignorance writ large on his face.

"We don't speak of Munich to our athletes," said Abdo's coach, Ibrahim Tawil, who is old enough to remember. "If the Israelis have a bad memory, I will say only that we have many more of them, from 1948."

There is no point in arguing the relativism of his statement. Tawil is of a generation that could not raise the Palestinian flag without fear of imprisonment.

Better simply to acknowledge and applaud the effort it took for Abdo and his teammates to get here, under the auspices of the Olympic Solidarity Committee. At least one member of the squad, 5,000-metre track entrant Nader Masri, is not even sure yet whether Israeli authorities will allow him to return, since he will have to cross back into occupied territory. Masri left six months ago to train. His wife has since given birth to their first child, a baby he's yet to see.

"At least, living in Jerusalem, we know we can get back in through Jordan," said Tawil. "How Nader's story will end, I cannot tell. It is a very miserable situation."

Abdo's story begins as a 4-year-old splashing in a small neighbourhood pool. He took to swimming like the proverbial fish to water. But he has remained a small fish in a small pond – a 17-metre pool, actually. That's the length of one lap in the YMCA facility where Abdo has trained for years.

There are no Olympic-sized pools in East Jerusalem. And funding is insufficient to rent the 50-metre pool in West Jerusalem more than a few times a week.

In Beijing for the last 35 days, Abdo has thrived under the tutelage of expert Chinese coaches, physiotherapists and nutritionists. But it's all that chlorinated water that most delights.

"It's like the difference between being in a pond and being in the sea."

Full article from:


17 year old Palestinian Hamza Abdo, swimmer in Beijing Olympics



more links:


Wikipedia Page on Palestine at the Olympics since 1996


Palestine at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing



Israel sends 43 athletes to Beijing, largest team ever



Palestinian refugees homeless 60 years late; Elon challenges UNWRA methodology



Jewish International group advises against Iran attack in Monthly Review magazine


Windpower Investing, Alternative Energy Stocks

Yuya Joe Blog

Lake Ontario Waterkeeper

The Daily Beast -Politics Blog

21stArch.com - 21st Century Architecture

Original Joe College Blog

WikiLeaks Foreign Policy Analysis

AGreenRealtor.com Real Estate Blog - Ecology Energy Efficiency

Best Green Stocks Investing Blog

JOIN Betfair through link below, you "Choose Your Bonus!"

PV Intell Photovoltaic Solar Stocks Investing

SEARCH Leading Alternative Energy and Ethical Investing websites

Custom Search

Daily Kos

Rare Earth Stocks Research

Patrick MacManus's Blog Peace and Collaborative Development

BeesTreesFrogsElephants.com - Nature and Ecology Blog

Research Green Energy stocks, Clean Energy investing information

Find wind power investing info online, clean energy mutual funds, geothermal stocks, solar energy investments.

Custom Search


Green Energy Investing Network:

Green Stocks Investing Clean Power Blog

SolarIntell.com Renewable Power Investing Website

Wind Intell.com Wind Energy Stocks Company Links

Geothermal Power Investing Public Companies

PV Intell.com Leading Photovoltaic Solar Energy Stocks