Solar-Powered Plane Flies Off!

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An invention. I always tell my kids that there has been many inventions, and coming up with an invention is NO BIG DEAL.

I would have to explain to them that inventing is not what matters. What matters is that your invention is something that will help mankind, without having to destroy the earth that we live in. Look at plastic. its invention was most definitely heralded as one of the greatest in mankind's history, but nowadays, it is also one, if not THE, most abhorred product, and is considered the worst pollutant to the planet that we live in.

Not to deal on plastics or any other inventions, let me present to you the news on one inventions - this one really flies!

Read on:

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"The Solar Impulse, a solar-powered plane covered in 12,000 solar cells, took its maiden flight today in Switzerland. The plane stayed aloft for 87 minutes, performing test maneuvers as well as completing a successful takeoff and landing. With the first test flight behind them, the developers can focus on gearing up for their around-the-world solar powered flight set for 2012."
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What's your say? Have you got yours? Anything in your mind to consider as a new invention?
Whatever, do leave your comments.

Care to see what others are saying on this also? Check it out from the source here.

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CARBON TAX A 'MORE PRACTICAL' SYSTEM

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SINGAPORE - It would be "more practical" to reduce carbon emissions in Singapore through a tax system, rather than a cap-and-trade system, said the Ministry of Finance (MOF) in the FY2010 Revenue and Expenditure Estimates it released yesterday.

This is because Singapore is a small domestic market with only "a few large energy consumers".

A tax system - where the Government fixes the price per unit of carbon - can also "provide greater price certainty and stability that will incentivise investments in energy efficiency and low carbon solutions", MOF said.

Conversely, a cap-and-trade system - which allows firms to buy and sell their emissions permits - could pose "substantial" transaction and monitoring costs on both the Government and firms because a new carbon trading infrastructure would have to be set up.

Carbon trading also allows the price of carbon to vary, and may deter or delay carbon reduction investments, the ministry added.

MOF said a combination of price signals, fiscal measures and other policy interventions will be needed to curb carbon emissions.

It is studying all the options, and will announce specific measures after working out the details and the outcome of climate change negotiations is clearer.

From TODAY, Tuesday, 23-Feb-2010

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INCREASING THE NUMBER OF 'GREEN' CARS

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SINGAPORE - To encourage test-bedding of clean technologies, green vehicles brought in here can enjoy the waiver of Additional Registration Fees, Certificate of Entitlement and custom duties for six years - an extension from the current two years.

The Transport Technology Innovation Development Scheme will also be enhanced to allow up to 1,300 vehicles, up from the current quota of 300. The total amount of tax waived is estimated to be about $75 million.

Imported used green vehicles will also get to enjoy the Green Vehicle Rebate, which grants a 40-per-cent cut in the main car tax. Currently, only brand new green vehicles qualify for the rebate, but the scope will be extended from July.

However, the extension of the rebate will not be applicable to imported used Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles and vehicles which are required to be brand new at the point of registration, such as taxis.

More details will be released by the National Environment Agency and the Land Transport Authority next month.

Singapore Environment Council executive director Howard Shaw welcomed the move to allow imported used green vehicles here as returning Singaporeans and expatriates could bring their green vehicles for use here. "Overall, it is a small development in the scheme of greening private cars but it will increase the number of green cars on the roads," he said. Leong Wee Keat

From TODAY, Tuesday, 23-Feb-2010

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Human ‘poo power’ to heat homes in Britain

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Talk about recyclable energy source, reusable energy source… Would the smell tell you what kind of energy you are using?

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05:55 AM Jun 18, 2009

MANCHESTER - In a revolutionary project, human sewage will be used to power thousands of homes in Manchester. The £4.3 million ($10.2 million) trial will see enough methane gas extracted from human waste to provide fuel for heating and cooking for up to 5,000 homes by 2011.

The project is the first of its kind in Britain and the biomethane is being hailed as a "fuel for the future" because of its green credentials.

Further plants are expected to be built in the future, bringing the renewable fuel to hundreds of thousands of British homes.

"This funding will give the project a huge boost. The people of Manchester will soon be using 'poo power' to heat their homes," said Ms Caroline Ashton, biofuels manager of United Utilities, the firm behind the project.

Biogas is produced when wastewater sludge is broken down by the action of microbes in a process known as "anaerobic digestion". The biogas is then upgraded to biomethane, which is a renewable fuel with similar properties to natural gas. Biomethane can be safely compressed for use in vehicles or injected into the gas grid. THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

From TODAY, World – Thursday, 18-Jun-2009; see the source article here.

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Human ‘poo power’ to heat homes in Britain

Image via Wikipedia

Talk about recyclable energy source, reusable energy source… Would the smell tell you what kind of energy you are using?

----------

05:55 AM Jun 18, 2009

MANCHESTER - In a revolutionary project, human sewage will be used to power thousands of homes in Manchester. The £4.3 million ($10.2 million) trial will see enough methane gas extracted from human waste to provide fuel for heating and cooking for up to 5,000 homes by 2011.

The project is the first of its kind in Britain and the biomethane is being hailed as a "fuel for the future" because of its green credentials.

Further plants are expected to be built in the future, bringing the renewable fuel to hundreds of thousands of British homes.

"This funding will give the project a huge boost. The people of Manchester will soon be using 'poo power' to heat their homes," said Ms Caroline Ashton, biofuels manager of United Utilities, the firm behind the project.

Biogas is produced when wastewater sludge is broken down by the action of microbes in a process known as "anaerobic digestion". The biogas is then upgraded to biomethane, which is a renewable fuel with similar properties to natural gas. Biomethane can be safely compressed for use in vehicles or injected into the gas grid. THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

From TODAY, World – Thursday, 18-Jun-2009; see the source article here.

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New 'Urban Car' claims to slash CO2 emissions by two thirds

June 16, 2009 -- Updated 1727 GMT (0127 HKT)

Story Highlights

• Riversimple launches car prototype with lowest level of carbon emissions
  
• Car is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell and four electric motors over the wheels
  
• Company's looking for $33 million dollars to build ten cars for trials
  
• Designer Spowers used expertise he gained in motor racing to build prototype
  

By Hilary Whiteman, CNN

The Riversimple Urban Car has been nine years in the making and needs further funding for city trials.

LONDON, England (CNN) -- A former motor-racing engineer has unveiled a prototype of a new hydrogen-powered city car which claims to emit less than one third of the carbon emissions produced by its nearest rival.

The creators of the 'Urban Car,' UK-based company Riversimple, say the vehicle emits less than 30 grams per kilometer of carbon dioxide, less than one third of the carbon produced by the Polo Bluemotion.

Riversimple founder Hugo Spowers has spent nine years researching and developing the prototype car.

"I think that the auto industry is focusing a lot of money on research and development at a basic science level on hydrogen storage and fuel cell technology. We don't think it's necessary to do that," Spowers told CNN.

"We can use existing technology and integrate it into a whole system design approach -- that is where the breakthrough has come."

Spowers is searching for extra funding to put the 'Urban Car' on the streets, but he says at this stage they won't be for sale. Riversimple plans to lease the car to customers for a monthly fee of £200 ($330). Hydrogen fuel for the cars will cost just 15 pence (25 cents) per mile.

It's a long way from the fuel-guzzling world Spowers used to inhabit as a designer and developer of high-powered racing cars. It was the industry's appalling environmental record that encouraged him to leave to try to find a way to make driving greener.

"Certainly the first five or six years were hard work because I did have an awful lot of people telling me I was mad," Spowers told CNN, at the launch of the Riversimple Urban Car in London.

"Gradually it all sort of gathered steam," he said, adding "I'm absolutely convinced that we're offering a better solution for a segment of the transport problem and we'd be crazy not to pursue it."

The Urban Car's power comes from hydrogen fuel cells which are linked to four electric motors situated over each of the car's wheels. Almost all of the braking is done by the electric motors, which then capture the energy of the car in motion and store it in a bank of ultracapacitors. In conventional cars, the energy generated through braking is lost as heat.

The energy stored in the Urban Car's electric motors is enough to power 80 percent of the car's acceleration. That reduces the energy demands on the hydrogen fuel cell, meaning it can be one fifth of the size of one used in a normal car. The lighter fuel cell also makes it more energy efficient.

A large part of the funding for the car's development came from the family of Ernst Piëch, the eldest grandson of Ferdinand Porsche who founded the motor company of the same name in 1931.

Ferdinand Porsche's great-grandson Sebastien Piëch is a partner in Riversimple. He says the company's nimble size has given it an advantage over larger car manufacturers whose future he says concerns him.

"It concerns me massively, because I don't see that the model they have now is very relevant to where consumers are going. Consumers are looking for a different solution. I'm not sure if what they're producing is working," he said.

Riversimple plans to share the designs for its car through open-source licence agreements, a system more commonly used in the software industry. Designers and manufacturers will be invited to make improvements so the car evolves into the most efficient vehicle it can be.

"We don't believe that making money on IP (intellectual property) is really what's actually happening even now. We believe that service and providing the solution for customers will be where we make money," Piëch told CNN.

The next step now is to find further financing, another £20 million ($33 million), to build and test ten cars. Fifty prototypes will then be built for a pilot project in a small city. The location is still to be confirmed, but Riversimple has narrowed down its options to small towns in the United Kingdom, perhaps Oxford or Peterborough.

"I'm very confident we'll get it to market," Spowers said. "I couldn't say hand on heart that I'm confident that we'll achieve what I think technically can be done. That's a bit in the lap of the gods and it's all to do with people, politics and business -- all a bit more unpredictable."

From CNN.com; see the source article and related items here.

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New 'Urban Car' claims to slash CO2 emissions by two thirds

June 16, 2009 -- Updated 1727 GMT (0127 HKT)

Story Highlights

• Riversimple launches car prototype with lowest level of carbon emissions
  
• Car is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell and four electric motors over the wheels
  
• Company's looking for $33 million dollars to build ten cars for trials
  
• Designer Spowers used expertise he gained in motor racing to build prototype
  

By Hilary Whiteman, CNN

The Riversimple Urban Car has been nine years in the making and needs further funding for city trials.

LONDON, England (CNN) -- A former motor-racing engineer has unveiled a prototype of a new hydrogen-powered city car which claims to emit less than one third of the carbon emissions produced by its nearest rival.

The creators of the 'Urban Car,' UK-based company Riversimple, say the vehicle emits less than 30 grams per kilometer of carbon dioxide, less than one third of the carbon produced by the Polo Bluemotion.

Riversimple founder Hugo Spowers has spent nine years researching and developing the prototype car.

"I think that the auto industry is focusing a lot of money on research and development at a basic science level on hydrogen storage and fuel cell technology. We don't think it's necessary to do that," Spowers told CNN.

"We can use existing technology and integrate it into a whole system design approach -- that is where the breakthrough has come."

Spowers is searching for extra funding to put the 'Urban Car' on the streets, but he says at this stage they won't be for sale. Riversimple plans to lease the car to customers for a monthly fee of £200 ($330). Hydrogen fuel for the cars will cost just 15 pence (25 cents) per mile.

It's a long way from the fuel-guzzling world Spowers used to inhabit as a designer and developer of high-powered racing cars. It was the industry's appalling environmental record that encouraged him to leave to try to find a way to make driving greener.

"Certainly the first five or six years were hard work because I did have an awful lot of people telling me I was mad," Spowers told CNN, at the launch of the Riversimple Urban Car in London.

"Gradually it all sort of gathered steam," he said, adding "I'm absolutely convinced that we're offering a better solution for a segment of the transport problem and we'd be crazy not to pursue it."

The Urban Car's power comes from hydrogen fuel cells which are linked to four electric motors situated over each of the car's wheels. Almost all of the braking is done by the electric motors, which then capture the energy of the car in motion and store it in a bank of ultracapacitors. In conventional cars, the energy generated through braking is lost as heat.

The energy stored in the Urban Car's electric motors is enough to power 80 percent of the car's acceleration. That reduces the energy demands on the hydrogen fuel cell, meaning it can be one fifth of the size of one used in a normal car. The lighter fuel cell also makes it more energy efficient.

A large part of the funding for the car's development came from the family of Ernst Piëch, the eldest grandson of Ferdinand Porsche who founded the motor company of the same name in 1931.

Ferdinand Porsche's great-grandson Sebastien Piëch is a partner in Riversimple. He says the company's nimble size has given it an advantage over larger car manufacturers whose future he says concerns him.

"It concerns me massively, because I don't see that the model they have now is very relevant to where consumers are going. Consumers are looking for a different solution. I'm not sure if what they're producing is working," he said.

Riversimple plans to share the designs for its car through open-source licence agreements, a system more commonly used in the software industry. Designers and manufacturers will be invited to make improvements so the car evolves into the most efficient vehicle it can be.

"We don't believe that making money on IP (intellectual property) is really what's actually happening even now. We believe that service and providing the solution for customers will be where we make money," Piëch told CNN.

The next step now is to find further financing, another £20 million ($33 million), to build and test ten cars. Fifty prototypes will then be built for a pilot project in a small city. The location is still to be confirmed, but Riversimple has narrowed down its options to small towns in the United Kingdom, perhaps Oxford or Peterborough.

"I'm very confident we'll get it to market," Spowers said. "I couldn't say hand on heart that I'm confident that we'll achieve what I think technically can be done. That's a bit in the lap of the gods and it's all to do with people, politics and business -- all a bit more unpredictable."

From CNN.com; see the source article and related items here.

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China to go solar

ENERGY POLICY

BEIJING — China is to throw its economic might behind a national solar power plan that could result in it becoming one of the world's biggest harvesters of the sun's energy.

The government body responsible for overseeing energy policy has finalised a proposal for billions of dollars of incentives for solar farms and rooftop panels. Once approved, it is expected to give a boost to the domestic solar power market, which has lagged behind China's wind, nuclear and hydroelectric power investments.

China is the world's leading manufacturer of photovoltaic (PV) panels, which turn sunlight into electricity. But 95 per cent of these are exported. However, the increasing concerns about climate change and energy security have changed attitudes.

Since last year, a glut in supply of PV panels has pushed prices down by more than 30 per cent. To widen China's energy base, the plan is expected to include the biggest boost for solar power ever, along with extra spending and policy support for nuclear, wind and biomass power.

By 2020, the government is committed to raising the share of renewable energy (excluding hydroelectric power) in the mix to 6 per cent, from the current 1.5 per cent.

Mr Julian Wong, a Washington-based energy analyst, said 2009 was shaping up to be the year of solar power in China. "The unique confluence of lower productions costs and decreased overseas demand means the cost of going solar is lower than ever and makes it an opportune time to make a policy push for domestic solar deployment," he noted.

China is still expected to remain dependent on coal for about 70 per cent of its energy needs for at least the next two decades, meaning it will remain the world's biggest emitter of carbon dioxide. The Guardian

From TODAYOnline.com, World News – Thursday, 28-May-2009; see the source article here.

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China to go solar

ENERGY POLICY

BEIJING — China is to throw its economic might behind a national solar power plan that could result in it becoming one of the world's biggest harvesters of the sun's energy.

The government body responsible for overseeing energy policy has finalised a proposal for billions of dollars of incentives for solar farms and rooftop panels. Once approved, it is expected to give a boost to the domestic solar power market, which has lagged behind China's wind, nuclear and hydroelectric power investments.

China is the world's leading manufacturer of photovoltaic (PV) panels, which turn sunlight into electricity. But 95 per cent of these are exported. However, the increasing concerns about climate change and energy security have changed attitudes.

Since last year, a glut in supply of PV panels has pushed prices down by more than 30 per cent. To widen China's energy base, the plan is expected to include the biggest boost for solar power ever, along with extra spending and policy support for nuclear, wind and biomass power.

By 2020, the government is committed to raising the share of renewable energy (excluding hydroelectric power) in the mix to 6 per cent, from the current 1.5 per cent.

Mr Julian Wong, a Washington-based energy analyst, said 2009 was shaping up to be the year of solar power in China. "The unique confluence of lower productions costs and decreased overseas demand means the cost of going solar is lower than ever and makes it an opportune time to make a policy push for domestic solar deployment," he noted.

China is still expected to remain dependent on coal for about 70 per cent of its energy needs for at least the next two decades, meaning it will remain the world's biggest emitter of carbon dioxide. The Guardian

From TODAYOnline.com, World News – Thursday, 28-May-2009; see the source article here.

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A bright future

SOLAR TEST-BEDDING

ESTHER NG, estherng@mediacorp.com.sg

A personnel surveying the solar photovoltaic and solar thermal system on top of the newly-completed Tampines Grande. TREVOR TAN

GRID parity — when solar power prices cost the same as retail electricity — may still be far away, but Singapore is already positioning itself as a solar test-bedding hub for when that day arrives.

Yesterday, five private sector projects were given the Solar Pioneer Award — under the $20-million Solar Capability Scheme (SCS) — for investing and integrating solar energy solutions in building design and test-bedding.

The awards were given out by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) to City Developments Limited’s Tampines Grande, Lend Lease Retail’s 313 at Somerset, Robert Bosch’s regional headquarters building at Bishan, Lonza Biologics’ manufacturing facility at Tuas, and Applied Materials’ manufacturing facility at Upper Changi.

These were chosen for their innovative design and effectiveness. For instance, Tampines Grande combined building materials with solar photo voltaic cells and is the first commercial property in Singapore to use solar thermal panels to power its air-conditioning system. Though not enough to generate electricity for the entire building, it is enough to cool the atrium and two lobbies.

Four public sector projects have also been added to the existing five in the $17-million Clean Energy Research and Test-bedding (Cert) programme. These are Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Changi Airport Budget Terminal, National Environment Agency’s Meteorological Station and Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.

Out of the $37-million fund from Cert and SCS, $8 million has been given out to 14 projects — nine from Cert and five from SCS. These projects complement the Housing Development Board’s $31-million solar test-bedding project which aims to fit solar panels in 30 HDB precincts by 2015. With these new projects, Singapore’s installed base of solar systems will increase five-fold from 200 kilowatts last year to about 5 megawatts.

The performance and climatic impact data from these test-bed sites will be captured by the newly-launched National Solar Data Repository — jointly set up by the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore and Singapore Polytechnic.

The cleantech industry is expected to generate $3.4 billion in value-added and create 18,000 jobs by 2015.

From TODAYOnline.com, News – Friday, 22-May-2009; see the source article here.

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A bright future

SOLAR TEST-BEDDING

ESTHER NG, estherng@mediacorp.com.sg

A personnel surveying the solar photovoltaic and solar thermal system on top of the newly-completed Tampines Grande. TREVOR TAN

GRID parity — when solar power prices cost the same as retail electricity — may still be far away, but Singapore is already positioning itself as a solar test-bedding hub for when that day arrives.

Yesterday, five private sector projects were given the Solar Pioneer Award — under the $20-million Solar Capability Scheme (SCS) — for investing and integrating solar energy solutions in building design and test-bedding.

The awards were given out by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) to City Developments Limited’s Tampines Grande, Lend Lease Retail’s 313 at Somerset, Robert Bosch’s regional headquarters building at Bishan, Lonza Biologics’ manufacturing facility at Tuas, and Applied Materials’ manufacturing facility at Upper Changi.

These were chosen for their innovative design and effectiveness. For instance, Tampines Grande combined building materials with solar photo voltaic cells and is the first commercial property in Singapore to use solar thermal panels to power its air-conditioning system. Though not enough to generate electricity for the entire building, it is enough to cool the atrium and two lobbies.

Four public sector projects have also been added to the existing five in the $17-million Clean Energy Research and Test-bedding (Cert) programme. These are Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Changi Airport Budget Terminal, National Environment Agency’s Meteorological Station and Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.

Out of the $37-million fund from Cert and SCS, $8 million has been given out to 14 projects — nine from Cert and five from SCS. These projects complement the Housing Development Board’s $31-million solar test-bedding project which aims to fit solar panels in 30 HDB precincts by 2015. With these new projects, Singapore’s installed base of solar systems will increase five-fold from 200 kilowatts last year to about 5 megawatts.

The performance and climatic impact data from these test-bed sites will be captured by the newly-launched National Solar Data Repository — jointly set up by the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore and Singapore Polytechnic.

The cleantech industry is expected to generate $3.4 billion in value-added and create 18,000 jobs by 2015.

From TODAYOnline.com, News – Friday, 22-May-2009; see the source article here.

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A $20m jolt for electric cars

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

New taskforce to look at introducing them in Singapore

A MULTI-AGENCY taskforce has been set up to lead tests and research into the introduction of electric vehicles (EVs) in Singapore from next year.

Some $20 million has been set aside to get the Republic plugged into such vehicles. The programme is expected to last until 2012 and based on the results gathered, the taskforce will evaluate the scope for large-scale adoption of EVs in future.

The taskforce, to be chaired by the Energy Market Authority (EMA) and Land Transport Authority (LTA), will see the involvement of different ministries and statutory boards, including the Agency for Science, Technology and Research, the Economic Development Board, and the National Environment Agency.

Also involved will be key industry players such as auto manufacturers and technology companies, who will be able to help examine infrastructure requirements and new business models arising from EVs, as well as to identify industry and research and development (R&D) opportunities.

Mr Lawrence Wong, chief executive of EMA said Singapore is well-positioned for the deployment of EVs because of its compact urban environment and robust electrical grid and IT infrastructure.

He added that the EV test bed will also provide a platform for companies to gauge different vehicle prototypes and charging technologies, allowing EV owners to sell unused power back to the Republic's electricity grid.

"In particular, if EVs are able to provide power to the grid during peak periods, and draw power from the grid during off-peak periods, they will help to level the demand (load) on the grid, thereby enabling our power system to operate more efficiently," said the EMA head.

The EV test-bed offers potential economic benefits for manufacturing and R&D in areas such as battery technology, power electronics and electric drive systems, which could generate new and high-value investments.

So far, two groups — Renault-Nissan and Keppel Energy — have signed a memorandum of understanding with the EV taskforce. Renault-Nissan will supply EVs to the Singapore market and share its knowledge of such vehicles to develop common standards, while Keppel Energy will focus on developing charging stations and other infrastructure to support the test-bedding of EVs.

In January, the LTA gave approval for a new electric scooter to be brought to Singapore by local company Zeco Scooters.

CHANNEL NEWSASIA

One of Renault-Nissan's Electric vehicles.

RENAULT-NISSAN

-----

From TODAY, News – Thursday, 07-May-2009

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A $20m jolt for electric cars

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

New taskforce to look at introducing them in Singapore

A MULTI-AGENCY taskforce has been set up to lead tests and research into the introduction of electric vehicles (EVs) in Singapore from next year.

Some $20 million has been set aside to get the Republic plugged into such vehicles. The programme is expected to last until 2012 and based on the results gathered, the taskforce will evaluate the scope for large-scale adoption of EVs in future.

The taskforce, to be chaired by the Energy Market Authority (EMA) and Land Transport Authority (LTA), will see the involvement of different ministries and statutory boards, including the Agency for Science, Technology and Research, the Economic Development Board, and the National Environment Agency.

Also involved will be key industry players such as auto manufacturers and technology companies, who will be able to help examine infrastructure requirements and new business models arising from EVs, as well as to identify industry and research and development (R&D) opportunities.

Mr Lawrence Wong, chief executive of EMA said Singapore is well-positioned for the deployment of EVs because of its compact urban environment and robust electrical grid and IT infrastructure.

He added that the EV test bed will also provide a platform for companies to gauge different vehicle prototypes and charging technologies, allowing EV owners to sell unused power back to the Republic's electricity grid.

"In particular, if EVs are able to provide power to the grid during peak periods, and draw power from the grid during off-peak periods, they will help to level the demand (load) on the grid, thereby enabling our power system to operate more efficiently," said the EMA head.

The EV test-bed offers potential economic benefits for manufacturing and R&D in areas such as battery technology, power electronics and electric drive systems, which could generate new and high-value investments.

So far, two groups — Renault-Nissan and Keppel Energy — have signed a memorandum of understanding with the EV taskforce. Renault-Nissan will supply EVs to the Singapore market and share its knowledge of such vehicles to develop common standards, while Keppel Energy will focus on developing charging stations and other infrastructure to support the test-bedding of EVs.

In January, the LTA gave approval for a new electric scooter to be brought to Singapore by local company Zeco Scooters.

CHANNEL NEWSASIA

One of Renault-Nissan's Electric vehicles.

RENAULT-NISSAN

-----

From TODAY, News – Thursday, 07-May-2009

Related articles by Zemanta

• Rumor mill: Nissan to launch hybrid Z (reviews.cnet.com)
• Zippy electric motorcycle comes at a price (news.cnet.com)
• UK's national grid 'ready' for e-car expansion (reghardware.co.uk)
• Scientists say device charges cars smarter (msnbc.msn.com)
• Washington scientists say their device recharges cars smarter (thenewstribune.com)
• PNNL researchers develop standard smart charger for plug-in vehicles (engadget.com)
• Project aims to make communities plug-in ready (news.cnet.com)
• 'Green News Report' - May 5, 2009 (bradblog.com)
• How a "smart charger" could ease transition to electric cars (scientificamerican.com)