Environ News

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Toyota Motor, Nissan Motor, Mitsubishi Motors, Fuji Heavy Industries and the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) have formally established the CHAdeMO Association, with these five companies as its executive members. The association aims to increase quick-charger installations worldwide to encourage the spread of electric vehicles and to standardize how to charge these vehicles. Electric vehicles (including Plug In Hybrid electric vehicles) can contribute enormously to reduction of CO2 emissions in the transportation sector. “CHAdeMO” is an abbreviation of “CHArge de MOve”, equivalent to “charge for moving”, and is a pun for “O cha demo ikaga desuka” in Japanese, meaning “Let’s have a tea while charging” in English. Source: CNET News

At the opening of its new Media Lab, MIT showed off its Smart Cities project, which comprises green urban transportation work. The project vehicles include an urban car and a compact powered wheel for existing bicycles. Source: IDG

Mexico City launches a new cycle rental scheme as an antidote to clogged streets and high levels of air pollution. City leaders are also introducing dedicated bike paths to encourage cycling. Source: Reuters

RETECH 2010 is “one of the largest concentrations of clean energy technology under one roof.” The event is put on by the American Council on Renewable Energy, whose goal is to influence lawmakers and get financing for clean energy companies and projects. Clean Skies News takes an early tour around the show, reviewing a portable wind turbine, a solar panel… and a hybrid Diesel Big Rig. Source: Clean Skies News

Brent Baker, a New York entrepreneur and environmental activist collects millions of liters of used cooking oil from local restaurants to make clean-burning biodiesel fuel. Source: Reuters

Adam Monroe of Novozymes North America talks about the biofuels his company is presenting at this year’s Washington Auto Show. The company uses enzymes to convert paper-based waste into sugar that can be turned into biofuel. Source: Clean Skies News

Clean Skies News’ Lee Patrick Sullivan reports on the latest trends in energy efficient vehicles and the big competition in green transportation at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Source: Clean Skies News

The traditional electricity grid comprises disparate systems that lack efficiency, introduce risk, and increase costs. Cisco’s Laura Ipsen describes how their Smart Grid solution takes advantage of secure, standards-based IP infrastructure to provide an information overlay for both energy providers and consumers. She also mentions the increasing importance of balancing demand for PHEV charging, with an increasing percentage of new vehicle purchases being electric vehicles. Source: Greentech Media

It accelerates as fast as a Ferrari, but has zero emissions – that’s what the American makers of the new Tesla Roadster are promising. The 240+ mile range of the electric sports car puts it in a new league for pure electric vehicles and a family sedan is now planned. Source: AFP

The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) has decided to delay a decision to increase the ethanol blend in gasoline. The ethanol industry is hoping for a favorable decision that will enable them to re-open idled plants. Source: Clean Skies News