There’s often a complaint that solar panels are space consuming and accommodating them anywhere requires ample surface area. So why not use the roads? Those ever-expanding patches of open land that are exposed to the sun more often than other areas. Last October, Krommenie, a Dutch town, installed a bike lane that covered a 238-foot bike path. The inserted solar cells into tempered glass to turn the road into an energy generator. As astonishing as it sounds, this solar lane has generated 9800 kilowatt hours of electricity! This makes it an ideal solution to replicate in other towns, not just in the Netherlands, but across the world. This amazing source of renewable energy could then power up homes, light up streets and if optimized, even charge electric cars!
The World Meteorological Organization have stated that the global average surface temperature in 2015 is likely to make the year the warmest ever. The cause of the same could be a combination of human-induced global warming and a strong El-Nino. The scientists believe that we will be crossing a crucial 1 degree Celsius mark, higher than the pre-industrial era. The last five years have consistently proven to be warm and collectively and the five-year temperature surge is likely to cause extreme weather events. The global average surface temperature was over 0.73 degrees Celsius, as compared to the 1961-1990 average of 14 degrees.
The 21st annual Conference of Parties (COP21) global summit on climate change will be inspiring a truly exemplary action across Paris. Thanks to the Renaul-Nissan alliance, we will be seeing an installation of up to 90 new EV chargers in Paris. French energy providers EDF, Schneider Electric, Aéroports de Paris, Paris City Council and national railway company SNCF will all be joining hands to make this a possibility. The stations will serve in charging VIP shuttles for dignitaries and media personalities attending the event. The summit will host 20,000 UN participants from across 195 countries between November 30th and December 11th.
Imagine the creation of a national park that is 22 times the size of Chicago! Yes, that’s what just happened with the establishment of a 3.3 million acre national park in Peru’s Sierra del Divisor mountain range. This makes the Amazonian rainforest completely protected from any efforts to exploit the goodness of the riches it has to offer in terms of natural resources. The effort has been led by Chicago’s Field Museum and the Peruvian Government. The Field Museum invested the last fifteen years, studying the area and also discovered 20 species of formerly unknown flora and fauna. In addition to the various animal and plant life that is housed there, it also houses the Iskonawa group of people who have inhabited the lands for ages.
In the Indian automobile market there is good demand for the entry level and mid-range luxury cars. The A4 is a mid-range premium sedan from the Audi AG. The Audi India has launched this car in India in 2012 in a segment where there is a tough competition between the German auto giants. The recent emissions controversies at the Volkswagen have affected the Audi A4 also which have been sorted out consequently.
A million trees could be an aspirational number to live up to for most cities who pledge to add a tinge of green to their respective portfolios. However, New York City, a city that many would envision as a concrete jungle has managed to surpass all expectations and plant their millionth tree. Mayor Bill de Blasio and former Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg in the company of NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver and NY Restoration Project founder Bette Midler planted this hallmark tree. It is technically the 1,017,634th tree to be planted. The endeavor has already reached success a couple of years ahead of schedule and with more than a million trees already planted.
Apple Store makes its entry into the South East Asia region with quite a credential in tow. The store will be located in Singapore and will be powered by 100 percent renewable energy. This is a promising entry point for the brand’s retail outlet that offers a more experiential treat for its patrons. In addition to this, all of Apple’s operations in the Singapore store will also be powered by renewable energy. The model isn’t novel. It has already been reflected and implemented in the US, Europe and China. Head after the jump for a statement by Apple.
By integrating the chemistry between the cyclist and the rider and the environment and the latter, an experience on pedal and wheels can truly be enriching. This is the kind of experience that Piaggio want to deliver to riders of their all new electric bicycle. It serves as more than just an assisted pedal bike. In addition to a highly convenient speed-affecting gear changing pattern, the bicycle also leverages the advantage of geo location and capabilities to understand who the rider is as well as the latter’s preferences, thanks to the integration with a smart platform. Thanks to this you can also enable advanced data sharing so that your experiences are shared with your digitally connected ecosystem.
Scotland have exemplified how possible it is for the world to cut down on the usage of plastic bags. Their endeavor took wings when shoppers were compelled to pay 5 pence per bag at stores. It goes without saying that there was not only a drop in the usage of plastic bags but a sharp one. Over 650 million fewer plastic bags were used across Scotland. The money earned from the 5 pence charges amounted to $10 million. This was given away to charitable institutions. Whoever would have thought that plastic brought so much good with it?
The London Taxi Company is a legacy in itself with the hallmark black cabs that have effortlessly topped the world’s most popular public transport charts for decades. However, with the world moving towards an eco-friendlier legion of cars, the cab will be seeing a transition into its all new electric avatar. The four-cylinder taxis will run on emission-free electric power and will also manage to do so for longer durations. The new cabs will match up to the performance requirements for London Cabs. The best part is that the electric renditions do not shed away the classic distinguishing characteristics that mark them in everyone’s memory.
