Achieved connection Future Energies http://futureenergies.com/ Future Energies en-gb Future Energies http://futureenergies.com/images/logo.gif http://futureenergies.com/ info@futureenergies.com. Berlin: Introduction to Renewable Energy Technologies http://futureenergies.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1026 Run by the Renewables Academy in Berlin, this course is aimed at those in the business, non-profit, public and academic sectors who wish to get a comprehensive introduction to renewable energy technologies, as well as those wishing to installing renewable energy systems in both urban or rural settings. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss their own projects. Ideal for newcomers to the industry. The course is aimed at an international audience and will be in English. UK: FIRST GLIMPSE OF REAL-TIME METERING DATA http://futureenergies.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1025 t-mac Technologies Ltd has joined forces with the Environmental Technology Centre (ETC) at the University of Nottingham to create a first by showcasing energy reducing technology via its interactive website. The ETC, which offers energy advice to businesses, is one of the first companies in the UK to incorporate a custom-made t-mac Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) dashboard to its website. The device will meter geothermal energy generated from their water-source heat pump room at its Demonstration Centre and will be available for everyone to see. UK: FIRST GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANT GIVEN GO-AHEAD http://futureenergies.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1024 Cornwall Council has today granted planning permission for the development of the UK’s first commercial deep geothermal power plant, near Redruth in Cornwall. Developed by British company Geothermal Engineering Ltd, the plant will provide both renewable heat for the local area, and renewable electricity, which will be fed into the National Grid. The plant is expected to be fully operational in 2013. The announcement marks a major milestone in the development of geothermal energy in the UK. UK: Electric Vehicles Charged With Potential! http://futureenergies.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1023 The Royal Academy of Engineering (RAE) has published a report entitled Electric Vehicles Charged With Potential. This indicates that a significant proportion of road vehicles will have to be electric powered in order to meet the UK target to reduce C02 emissions by 80% by 2050. The RAE considers that there will probably be a mixture of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) and pure Electric Vehicles (EVs). Cambridge, UK: Electric cars - learning from the past http://futureenergies.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1022 In 1880, they said that the future of the car was electric. In April 2010, Bill Ford of Ford Motor Company said "It appears that the biggest game-changer will be electric vehicles. UK: 3 years of Future Energies progress http://futureenergies.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1021 Future Energies and our sister company, Alan Montague Limited, have just finished a major low carbon home project in Denstone, Staffordshire. Environmentally sound materials were utilised in the construction and several energy efficiency features and innovative technologies are incorporated into this new build, in order to reduce C02 emissions. Four superior four bedroom executive detached residences, offering spacious family sized accommodation, have the benefit of Heat Pump technology, double glazing and high thermal insulation qualities, with water reclamation and heat recovery ventilation. The project is situated in the prestigious Denstone village, which has easy access to comprehensive facilities, the A50 Derby/Stoke link road linking to the motorway network of the M6. JCB headquarters are approximately two miles away. The exciting Alton Towers is only a stone’s throw away for the younger generation. See the full newsletter here. UK: Electric vehicle partnerships push progress http://futureenergies.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1020 Global giants like Microsoft and Ford have recently confirmed strategic partnerships on electricity management for electric cars. With large corporations like this, the electric car can't fail to become a reality for everyone. The plan is to allow consumers to closely monitor their electricity usage and recharge their vehicles in the most practical and cost-effective way, and is likely to produce significant boosts to the home energy monitoring side and the rollout of the electric charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. It's now a foregone conclusion that we will indeed have millions of electric cars on our roads in the future. The predicted boom in electric vehicles and associated impact on the electricity grid is one of the challenges to developing an all-electric vehicle infrastructure that reduces GHG emissions and the reliance on fossil fuels. For the full article see Green MotorSport News Sustainability of the global solar power industry? http://futureenergies.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1019 Solar energy installation greed could destroy the long-term sustainability of the industry. Solar energy expert warns more responsive regulation of feed-in tariffs is needed to protect against extremes seen in Germany spreading across Europe. A solar energy industry expert at the global metals, manufacturing and technology group Luvata, a major solar panel component manufacturer, has called for a new regulatory structure for the solar industry to protect it against the boom that has forced the German government into a drastic reduction in feed-in tariffs. Low Carbon World website http://futureenergies.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1018 The internet is successfully facilitating a transition from traditional so called "brown" business models to new green growth strategies. www.LowCarbonEconomy.com - was officially launched (Thursday 25th Feb 2010) in Bali, Indonesia at the United Nations Environment Programme's annual Governing Council. The new website, a joint project between Low Carbon Economy.com and the United Nation's Climate Neutral Network (CN NET) aims to facilitate the move to global low carbon economies, a necessary imperative if we are to combat dangerous and escalating climate change. The new website will assist knowledge transfer and simplify access to information and tools that can be difficult to trace. Read the full release. Solar Electricity Installation Course http://futureenergies.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1017 Solar Electricity Installation Course - Off-grid Applications, Berlin This five-day intensive course on the design and installation stand-alone / off-grid solar electric systems (not grid-connected) is run by RENAC, the Renewables Academy in Berlin. The course is ideal for anyone who wants to install their own solar electric system, start a solar business or seek employment in the solar industry. The course will include numerous practical sessions. Participants will have the opportunity to develop their own projects. The course is aimed at an international audience and will be in English. Read more for details. Climate Change in Copenhagen http://futureenergies.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1016 The negotiations taking place in Copenhagen will lead to the growing use of low carbon vehicles, powered by electricity or biofuels. At the meeting, the UK Met Office announced that the last 10 years have been “by far” the warmest decade the world has experienced since records began. They said that emissions would have to peak within the next 8 to 10 years if we are to avoid the global temperature rising by more than 2C. President Obama’s negotiating position at the talks will be strengthened, as the US Government has classified carbon dioxide as a toxic gas that endangers public health. This is a prerequisite for strong new emissions standards for cars and trucks. Green MotorSport and our partners have been working for the past decade to develop low carbon vehicles, together with the innovatative energy technologies which will power them. UK: Project to help unlock potential of marine energy http://futureenergies.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1015 £8 million project to help unlock potential of marine energy launched by The Energy Technologies Institute. An £8 million project that will produce tools capable of accurately estimating the energy yield of major wave and tidal stream energy has been approved by the Energy Technologies Institute. Performance Assessment of Wave and Tidal Array Systems (PerAWaT), a project led by Garrad Hassan, and including EDF Energy, EON, the University of Edinburgh, the University of Oxford, Queen’s University Belfast and the University of Manchester will develop a series of models to predict the performance of wave and tidal stream generator arrays. Future World Champions! http://futureenergies.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1014 The aim of Green MotorSport is to enable future world champions to drive zero emission electric cars powered by renewable energy. Green MotorSport continues to draw on Motor sport innovations to assist with the development of our products. We believe the experience and know-how gained in racing gives our products the edge commercially. Racing is not just fun but essential to gaining solid results that filter down to viable technologies suitable for the mass automotive market. Accelerating the development of drive train technologies is essential, as time is running out for the switch to sustainable development. Green MotorSport’s technology can contribute to meeting global carbon reduction targets, which will be agreed upon at COP15 in Copenhagen this December. Read more at Green MotorSport news UK: Commercial hot rock energy power plant http://futureenergies.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1013 Geothermal Engineering Ltd is outlining its plans today to pioneer hot rock energy in the UK. The project, near Redruth in Cornwall, will be the UK’s first commercial scale geothermal power plant, supplying 10 MW of base load electricity to the National Grid and up to 55 MW of renewable heat for local use. Subject to planning permission, the start date for drilling is mid 2010, with the plant commercially operational by 2013. UK: ELECTRIC VEHICLES CAN REDUCE THREAT OF DANGEROUS CLIMATE CHANGE! http://futureenergies.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1012 As the world’s Governments prepare for the COP15 Climate meeting in Copenhagen to find ways to avoid the threat of climate change, Green MotorSport shows how vehicles powered by renewable energy could contribute. For the past ten years we and our partners have been working to develop technologies which will reduce the impact of transport emissions on the environment. Read more at Green MotorSport News Explore the role of renewable energy http://futureenergies.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1011 The following courses on renewable energy and solar energy have now been scheduled. Renewable Energy in the Urban Environment, Berlin. This 5-day seminar in Berlin will explore the role of renewable energy in the urban and semi-urban environment. Includes numerous visits to renewable energy installations in Berlin - PV systems, solar thermal systems, heat pumps, bioenergy plants, low-energy and passive solar buildings. The seminar is designed for those who wish to get a comprehensive introduction to renewable energy technologies, especially those which can be used in urban and semi-urban environments. The seminar language is English. WORLD CHANGING OVER TO GREEN VEHICLES! http://futureenergies.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1010 The New Automotive Innovation Growth Team (NAIGT) which is sponsored by the UK Government, has made proposals for reducing carbon dioxide emissions, which will help to meet European targets for new passenger cars. There will be increasing penalties for emitting carbon dioxide but low-carbon vehicles will gain ‘super credits’ which will favour electric vehicles. NAIGT recommends that a joint industry/UK Government Automotive Council should be set up to provide cash based as well as tax based incentives to encourage the introduction of low carbon vehicles. Although the UK Government has announced £100m to support the introduction of electric vehicles, the green recovery won’t happen by itself said George Osborne, the Shadow Chancellor. We all want to see more electric cars on the road, but the Government is doing too little to create a national network of car charging points, so that motorists can actually drive their new electric car around the country. See the full article at Green MotorSport News World's highest output lithium-ion battery http://futureenergies.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1009 Hitachi, Ltd. (NYSE:HIT / TSE:6501, hereafter Hitachi) today announced that Hitachi, Ltd. and Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd. which develops and manufactures lithium-ion batteries for automotive applications such as hybrid electric vehicles, have developed a lithium-ion battery having the world's highest power density of 4,500W/kg, 1.7 times the output of the company's mass-produced, automotive lithium-ion batteries. Sampling of the new battery by domestic and overseas car manufacturers will start in autumn. UK Government’s 2009 Budget http://futureenergies.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1008 Future Energies welcomes the UK Government’s 2009 Budget, which has set the world’s first legally binding targets to reduce C02 emissions. These must be reduced by 34% by 2020, or 42% if international agreement can be reached, perhaps at Copenhagen in December. Support for the mass production of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles is an important part of the Government’s strategy, but comprehensive action will be needed, involving the existing electric vehicle industry as well as developers of micro renewable energies. The Future of Motoring http://futureenergies.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1007 As the UK Prime Minister promises support for the electric vehicle industry, Green MotorSport asks whether he is backing the right people. The British electric vehicle industry has traditionally led the world and already has the finest electric drive trains, but we have to wait another two years for the automotive industry to get its act together before grants are available for people wanting to buy electric vehicles. Competition from innovative energy industries could conserve the UK’s diminishing fuel resources, create new jobs and make Britain a leading exporting country again! The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has challenged the Government to back his ambitious plans to make London the electric car capital of Europe, helping to create jobs, cut carbon emissions and improve air quality. The Mayor has outlined a series of major initiatives to achieve at least 100,000 electric vehicles on the capital’s streets as soon as possible, equating to five per cent of total vehicles. Read the full article at Green MotorSport News Obama Announces $2.4 Billion for Electric Vehicles! http://futureenergies.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1006 President Barack Obama announced today the launch of two major programs that will support the development of electric vehicles in the United States. As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the U.S. Department of Energy announced the release of two competitive solicitations for up to $2 billion in federal funding for competitively awarded cost-shared agreements for manufacturing of batteries and related electric powertrains as well as up to $400 million for transportation electrification demonstration and deployment projects. See full info at EERE NEWS Lithium-ion batteries that charge in seconds ! http://futureenergies.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1005 It has been recently reported that a new manufacturing method for lithium-ion batteries may lead to smaller and lighter batteries that could be charged in just seconds. Batteries that can safely discharge rapidly would be useful for electric cars. The technology approach only requires simple changes to the production process. Gerbrand Ceder, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), US, and his colleagues used computer simulations to model the movements of lithium iron phosphate ions and electrons. Read the full article at BBC News or Reuters or MIT news USA LEADING GLOBAL SHIFT TO GREEN ECONOMY http://futureenergies.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1004 President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden have put forward their vision for a cleaner and safer world. The United States is confronted by two major energy challenges, dependence on foreign oil and global climate change, both of which stem from its current dependence on oil for energy. They are initiating a move away from dependence on oil to investment in diverse sources of clean, secure energy, which will have repercussions throughout the rest of the world. UK: Future Energies Now! http://futureenergies.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1003 Last week, the UK Government introduced the world’s first long term legally binding framework to tackle the dangers of climate change. The Climate Change Act 2008 sets a legally binding target for the UK to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by at least 80% by 2050, compared with 1990 levels. There is also a commitment to reduce emissions by 26% by 2020, but this may be increased. There is still a problem with the inclusion of international aviation and shipping emissions, because if UK companies have higher costs, it could favour countries with lower standards. A carbon budgeting system will set caps on emissions over five year periods. BRITAIN’S BIGGEST EVER ENERGY SAVING GIVEAWAY http://futureenergies.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1002 Southern Electric, Gala Bingo and their charity partner Sue Ryder Care are offering consumers the chance to ‘go green and save money’ by giving away 3 million energy saving light bulbs at all Gala clubs and Sue Ryder Care stores across the UK. If all the bulbs given away are fitted, over £11 million can be saved from people’s energy bills each year across the UK and this in turn will save 39,200 tonnes of CO2 per year. The free energy saving light bulbs are just the start. By simply plugging in the light bulbs, consumers will find out if they have a winning green bulb, which could win them an eco friendly Toyota Prius car or £1,000 to spend at the Southern Electric online store.