REEEP-Catalyst for Change

January 19th, 2009

A few innovative people are motivated by ideas that will improve their communities, but the one thing that usually stands in their way is funding. Everything costs money.

Tomorrow’s sustainable future
is REEEP’s challenge today
(Photo: REEEP)

This is where REEEP comes in. This unique organization is backed by governments, banks, NGO’s and businesses that all have an interest in the sustainable energy market.

REEEP has distributed millions of dollars to fund various projects focusing on renewable energy and energy efficiency: In 2005, REEEP disbursed a modest 1.1 million euro throughout the world, but with their constant success and the addition of interested parties, available funding has continued to grow and in 2008 they had over 4 million Euro to hand out to worthy projects.

Some examples of recently funded projects include the following:

-Amazonia Energy Initiative to increase energy access for isolated communities

-Developing a vehicle for mass Implementation of solar water heating in South Africa

-Development of a business plan for rural electricity generation (DG) system based on biomass

-Financing Small Hydro Projects in the Sugar and Tea Industry in East and Southern Africa

-The Implementation of the Brazil grid-connected solar photovoltaic roofs program

-Compiling Renewable energy Legislation for Kazakhstan

-Promoting low energy building programs in China

These and other projects sponsored by REEEP display impressive variety, but a characteristic shared by all these projects is that they can be mirrored by interested countries and replicated on a larger scale.

Besides funding hundreds of unique projects, REEEP is proud to have initiated other activities as well: One of their major claims to fame is Reegle - “the information gateway for renewable energy and energy efficiency.” Launched in 2006, Reegle is a unique search engine that shows only the highest quality websites dedicated to green technology and energy efficiency. Reegle.info is definitely a better option than sifting through the thousands of sites that come up when using more general search engines.

Another core activity is the “Twinning Cities” idea. REEEP explains that “City Mayors have an important role to play in becoming leaders of sustainable energy systems at the local level. REEEP, in listening to its local partners, determined that cities in the Southern Hemisphere were requesting assistance and models for replication from OECD countries. For this reason, REEEP has established the City Twinning program as a mechanism to exchange experiences between cities.”

REEEP calls itself a catalyst for change. The organization has definitely proven its point by improving the global market for alternative energies while helping dozens of communities in the process.

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Posted in Investment, Organizations, Politics | No Comments »

Putting Pressure On Pests

January 12th, 2009

We aren’t alone when it comes to enjoying the occasional fruit or vegetable: thousands of insect species scuttle, buzz and dig their way onto farmland to make their homes in a delicious apple or ripening grape. Unfortunately, produce isn’t as appealing with these pests nestled inside of it, even if the occasional fruit fly is just another harmless source of protein.

After growing in the sun for a few weeks, fruits-and the insects that come with them-are plucked from trees and piled high into trucks. While rifling through the colorful produce section, it doesn’t occur to most people that there are a few more steps involved before the year’s harvest rolls into the grocery store:

A common way to destroy any stowaways is to place harvested fruits and vegetables in a chamber that is filled with methyl bromide (aka Bromomethane) gas for eight hours. This poison kills any bugs it comes into contact with. Bromomethane was widely used as a pesticide on open crops and in soils until a few years ago, when agriculturalists came to realize how harmful the substance actually was.

Mexican fruit fly (Anastrepha ludens)

To put things into perspective; Bromine is 60 times more harmful to the ozone than chlorine, and like many pesticides, exposure to the gas causes a variety of ailments in people-from dizziness and nausea to kidney failure, convulsions and death.

Nobody wants a dose of pesticides with their salad. Unfortunately, many pesticides are still used to gas harvested produce before it reaches the grocery store. The solution comes in the form of a cost-effective, non-toxic pressurizing method called the metabolic stress disinfection and disinfection (MSDD) system. The name is a mouthful, but the concept is quite simple:

Developed by UCDavis Physical Chemist, Manuel Lagunas-Solar, the MSDD device exposes pests to cycles of vacuum and pressurized carbon dioxide. First, air pressure is reduced by 90%. Then, after a few minutes, carbon dioxide fills the chamber. Ethanol vapor seeps into the chamber once in a while as well. (Ethanol, also known as pure alcohol, is harmless to humans in these small quantities. There is more ethanol in a shot glass of beer than there would be on the exposed fruits). Any bugs, eggs and microbes trapped inside these chambers with the food can’t survive the pressure changes coupled with the ethanol mist.

Making a chamber big enough for the large-scale farmer is not out of the question either. It is nice to see yet another innovative idea to cut back on our pesticide use.

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Posted in Climate | 1 Comment »

‘Energy Tower’ Combines the Old with the New

January 7th, 2009

When innovative buildings pop up in the news, no one is ever surprised to hear that the next architectural wonder will be built in the UAE. Dubai, Bahrain, and Abu Dhabi all seem to be competing in the green building department.

The eventual goal is for buildings to generate much of their own energy. Burj-al-Taqa (translated to mean energy tower), which will hopefully break ground in Dubai soon, follows this principle and will supposedly be completely self-sufficient.

Plans for its creation began in 2007 when the German architect Eckhard Gerber, dreamt up the design. Virtual images of the building popped up in hundreds of articles and we all wondered if this candle-shaped building would revolutionize the green building industry.
post resumes below image

The proposed Burj-al-Taqa zero-energy skyscraper.

A couple of interesting differences between this burj and all the rest, is its cyclindrical shape and the building materials used-both meant to help dissipate the heat. The tubular design is meant to minimize the surface area exposed to the sun while the special vacuum glazing used on the glass covering the entire structure will also help keep the heat out. This type of glass was only recently made available.

Burj-al-Taqa’s architects are also learning from history: Ancient Arabian houses used energy efficient technologies at a time when there were no other alternatives. (It is ironic how many buildings are reverting back to older technologies these days.) These old homes used a natural air conditioning system that sucked cold air into the living space via lateral vents which in turn forced the hot air out into the 120 degree summer heat.

The Spiegel describes how Burj al-Taqa hopes to use a similar process with their in-depth article: “The negative pressure created by winds breaking along the tower will suck the spent air from the rooms out of the building via air slits in the façade. The plan is for fresh air to be pumped into the interior of the building by means of a duct system at the same time.”

It doesn’t stop there. Seawater running through the cellar and under each floor will cool the air, while a large wind turbine on the roof of the 322 meter building will help generate enough electricity to power the skyscraper. Massive photovoltaic facilities will help charge the rest of the power grid.

After construction, burj-al-Taqa will be the 22nd tallest building in the world, but if all goes well, it will tower above the rest when it comes to energy efficiency.

Editor’s Note: For more on buildings like the burj-al-Taqa, a very interesting website we have uncovered is the skyscraper category of “Jetson Green,” dedicated reporting on innovative green building design.

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Posted in Buildings | 3 Comments »

Sea Shepherds Use Any Measures to Protect Their Flock

December 31st, 2008

Almost ten years ago, Time Magazine proclaimed Paul Watson as one of the major environmental heroes of the 20th century. During the 1970s Watson was part of numerous Greenpeace campaigns against whaling, but he always felt that these placid confrontations had little result against saving whales. Some of these graceful animals even died from attacks with Greenpeace Zodiacs swarming around whaling vessels.

According to Watson’s biography, everything came to light in 1975, as he was forced to watch a sperm whale die a few feet from his boat after it had been harpooned by Russian hunters. This was just not acceptable.

Watson didn’t mesh well with Greenpeace and felt that more extreme measures were necessary for actual results, but his strong opinions didn’t win him any favors: He ended up expelled from the board of directors when he was 27, with only a single vote opposing the decision - his own.

Watson used this opportunity to found the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society which, unlike Greenpeace, uses more aggressive tactics to stop whaling. This doesn’t come without a price, though, and Watson has found himself in jail a few times on charges ranging from attempted murder to intentionally sinking a ship. Sea Shepherd does admit to having sunk at least ten ‘pirate’ whaling ships since 1979 and it is no surprise that a few nations look at this group as a kind of terrorist organization.

The newest ship, named after famed
Australian conservationist Steve Irwin.
(Photo: Sea Shepherd Conservation Society)

If nothing else, the current exploits of the Sea Shepherd is excellent television and it is now part of a more controversial reality TV show airing on Animal Planet. This show, adequately titled ‘Whale Wars’, aired a few months ago and already has millions of devoted fans.

Laws have been set into place to ban whaling, but it remains an issue in countries where whale meat has been a staple for centuries. Japan is one of the major players in the Whale Wars game. Every part of the whale is valued in one form or another by the Japanese, and it is hard for an entire nation to accept a law that interferes with ancient traditions. Japan has tried to find loopholes to allow whaling, such as painting ‘Research Vessel’ on the side of obvious whaling ships, but even these boats seem to turn around when confronted with Watson’s ‘terrorist’ ship.

It will be interesting to see how much of an influence organizations like Sea Shepherd have on the environment where politics have failed. Many people feel that they give environmentalists a bad rap, however it is hard not to respect a man who has given up everything to save a species he cares for deeply.

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Posted in Animals, Politics | 8 Comments »

BioVigilant-Always Know What You’re Breathing

December 29th, 2008

When it comes to testing for contaminants-whether in your lab, production facility, or even in your own body-nothing is more excruciating than the wait. Current testing methods are painfully slow: It takes about a full week to get results from most labs, and there is nothing you can do but gnaw at your fingernails and plan for the worst.

BioVigilant has developed a unique tool that automatically detects a variety of contaminants such as mold, bacteria, dust and smog almost immediately. This is incredible news, since lab testing for the same contaminants is typically time consuming, costly and labor intensive (often requiring the growth of a substance on petri-dishes and identifying contaminants by squinting through a microscope).

While waiting for lab results, companies lose incredible amounts of money since they need to halt production. Not only that, but items such as medicines or water are wasted, since even the slight chance of exposing people to contaminants like bacteria, mold or a biohazard (like anthrax) is not a risk worth taking.

The IMD-A 220-4 can sample
28.4 liters per minute.
(Photo: BioVigilant Systems)

BioVigilant explains that their “systems detect-instantaneously and in real time-particulate count, size, and biological status. Unlike other rapid microbial methods, BioVigilant’s optically-based systems require no staining, no reagents, no waiting period, and little human intervention.”

The instruments developed by BioVigilant work non-stop (hence the name). They continuously sample the air in a specific area and screen for particles as small as 0.5 microns. Real time data is then presented on a computer screen for easy viewing. The fact that data can be analyzed and viewed over real time is important: This way, it is easy to determine the precise time an area became contaminated or to analyze how air quality has changed over time.

The Biovigilant systems come in two varieties: The portable version weighs only 30 pounds and draws in around 1 liter of volume per minute, while the larger version can sample around 30 liters per minute and is specifically designed for larger testing areas.

The technology was originally developed for the U.S military who used the systems for the sole purpose of testing the air for bio-agents like anthrax. This is definitely an important cause, but the technology can now be used for other purposes as well. For one thing, they ensure that production is taking place in the cleanest of environments. Not only that, but the technology is also essential in keeping surrounding environments stable by ensuring that no contaminants escape.

At this point, waiting for results is no harder than turning on a monitor, and hopefully what you see is good news.

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Posted in CleanTech, Water | 1 Comment »

Outdoor Air Conditioning

December 19th, 2008

Sitting on a beach is the last thing most of us think about in the cold month of December, but it is an appealing escape. Beaches are the most popular destination spot and who could blame the millions of tourists whose tension is washed away by warm waves, exotic drinks and sunny skies. Nothing is ever perfect, though. The ocean may be too cold, and the sand is often scalding hot. It is just the nature of the beast and humans have to accept the fact that we cannot control everything. Yet, designers in Dubai may disagree.

The Palazzo Versace Hotel, breaking ground on Dubai’s coastline, is planning on creating its very own climate. The hotel’s sand will never burn sensitive soles thanks to a network of heat absorbing pipes under the beach and 820sq foot refrigerated pool will always refresh guests trying to escape the rising temperature. Not only that, but whenever temperatures become uncomfortably hot, fans may be placed around the hotel’s beach to force a cool breeze towards lounging guests.

Making outdoors indoors…

In addition to the one-of-a-kind beach, the 10-story hotel will incorporate indoor pools in some of the 213 rooms. For a more detailed list of the hotel’s guest features click HERE.

It comes as no surprise that environmentalists are not happy with the situation. It is also a slap in the face to countries facing the current economic crisis. A climate controlled beach seems like a waste of money, and the energy required to control an outside environment is immense. Not only that, but it is not even necessary: certain variables may be unappealing but they add to the charm of visiting a natural area.

Soheil Abedian, founder and president of Palazzo Versace, argues that luxuries like this can also be sustainable. Rather than forcing cool air onto the sand which requires more energy, for example, the heat will get sucked out. Unfortunately, the exact plans for the project are still unknown.

Dubai is already home of the world’s top resorts and countless luxury hotels, the most famous of which is Burj al’Arab-the first hotel ever to boast a 5 star rating. Abedian is simply following UAE tradition and attempting to compete with countless other hotels that have offer such amenities as private butlers in gold plated rooms that can cost up to $40,000 a night. He hopes that the climate controlled beaches will provide the edge to lure high class tourists through his hotel’s doors which are planned to open in 2010.

via The Australian News

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Posted in Buildings | 2 Comments »

Moses Project Planned to Part Venice Floods

December 15th, 2008

Venice floods more than one hundred times a year. At the beginning of this month, Venice was caught in another onslaught, as the sea level around the city rose higher than most people can remember. The last time locals and countless visitors had to wade through water this deep was over thirty years ago. It is floods like the most recent one that make it clear how important a flood barrier really is.

Things were different a century ago when floods occurred at an average of ten times a year, but Venice has always been sensitive to changes in water levels because the city itself is built on hundreds of small islands. It doesn’t help that Venice is sinking a few centimeters every year, as well.

One proposed solution comes in the form of a barrier that would use hydraulic pressure to raise steel plates that cut off the rising water flow. This controversial Moses Project-named after the religious figure who parted the red sea-was originally shelved because of the 4.2 billion dollar price tag and the millions (if not billions) of dollars it would take to maintain the structure annually. The hefty price tag isn’t the only cause for concern,  environmentalists worry that the artificial barriers will harm protected ecosystems. They claim that closing off the tide flow will cause water to stagnate and kill off marine life.

In an in-depth article by the Times, journalist Richard Owen explains that  the project “involves 79,300-tonne hinged steel panels or “buoyancy flap gates”, which most of the time will lie beneath the water but will fill with compressed air when the high-tide alarm sounds, closing off the three inlets. There are 700 workers at the three construction sites, a workforce due to double as completion approaches in 2012. A €1.5 million simulator at Malamocco shows how the locks will allow shipping to pass when the lagoon is blocked off.”

Any barrier that affects the natural flow of floods and tides will obviously have an impact on the underwater ecosystems. The question is how much of an effect? Not only that, but shouldn’t the ancient historical architecture be protected as well? Either way, Moses is currently scheduled for completion in 2012.

Overall land subsidence in the region surrounding Venice has
been 1.5 to 2.0 meters during the past 70 years, making high
tides far more problematic (ref. Wessex Institute).
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Posted in Buildings | No Comments »

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