Conservation News

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Ikaros solar sail is propelled by the photons that hit its super-reflective panels. The 700-pound spacecraft is en route to Venus’ orbit. The space agency also has preliminary plans to collect solar power from space and beam the energy back down to Earth.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2010/07/sunrider-japanese-solar-sail-propelled-by-suns-photons.html

NASA researchers are utilizing satellite and ground-base observations of precipitation to formulate data that will better water quality. Currently data is based strictly on meteorological statistics of precipitation from weather stations. This new method was tested and is shown to be more effective in enhancing the nature of water. NASA is looking to expand this model to areas of the world without adequate weather observation.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100726084743.htm

Chicago’s I-GO to Expand Fleet with All-Electric Vehicles by 2011
The car-sharing company that has offered Chicago commuters a low-emission and cost-effective alternative to owning a car with its squadron of hybrids has announced that it will soon be adding zero-emission vehicles to its city-wide parking lots. To promote the upcoming additions, the company has invited its customers to preview the Mitsubishi’s new I MiEV, which is only available in Japan, at a special event in Wicker Park. The I MiEV is one of many electric vehicles the company seems to be considering for its expansion. To become a member or learn more about the program, visit
http://www.igocars.org/

Dubbed Exelon City Solar, the 41-acre former brownfield site on the Southside of Chicago is now home to 32,292 photovoltaic panels. The plant is expected to yield more than 14,000 megawatt-hours of electricity per year, roughly enough electricity to power 1,500 medium-sized homes. It will also save 31.2 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions from being released into the atmosphere.

http://www.exeloncorp.com/PowerPlants/exeloncitysolar/Pages/Profile.aspx

The Oregon-based motorcycle company Brammo has just released a new electric sportbike that can top 100 mph. It plugs into a regular 110 outlet and can run for more than 100 miles without a recharge.  The bikes will be available for shipment in 2011.

http://www.brammo.com/home/

The non-profit U.S. Green Building Council is committed to fueling the green building market through its LEED Green Building Rating System. With experts predicting an 18.1 percent annual growth for commercial green building over the next five years, it seems to be working. LEED-certified buildings save energy and reduce costs for owners and families. To learn more about LEED credentials, visit

http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=64.

The Department of Energy’s new 222,000-square-foot Research Support Facility in Golden, Colorado, will generate as much energy as it uses. The building requires only half of the energy of a standard building up to current commercial code. The Stantec design uses a combination of natural lighting, onsite solar panels and radiant heating and cooling systems.

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/06/for-a-premier-lab-a-zero-energy-showcase/#more-59853
http://www.stantec.com/default.htm

An experimental solar-powered plane landed successfully near Bern, Switzerland, after its first 24-hour test flight. The aircraft’s solar cells had accumulated enough energy during the day to power it through the night. The flight was a culmination of seven years of research, and the team hopes that it will soon be flying around the world.
http://www.solarimpulse.com

The energy company GreatPoint has figured out a way to transform coal into a clean natural gas, and the operation is less costly than drilling for it. The company’s researchers refined a catalytic process developed in the 1970s that also captures the harmful carbon dioxide emissions. The resulting product, called “bluegas,” can flow through pipelines and can be used for all the same applications as the drilled form. The Chicago-based firm plans to expand within the United States and in China.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-07-05/business/ct-biz-0705-small-biz-minding-20100705_1_natural-gas-bluegas-peabody-energy
http://www.greatpointenergy.com/

The pioneering green car company Tesla Motors recently went public with its stock priced higher than expected. This indicates investors’ increasing interest in the company’s sleek, cost-efficient electric cars. Powering up the Tesla Roadster costs only $0.02 per mile, while the average gasoline-powered vehicle costs about $0.15 per mile. Tesla drivers can reduce their carbon footprint while also saving about $1,300 annually on fuel.
http://www.teslamotors.com/goelectric