We recently told you about a General Motors assembly plant in Spain that was getting its roof covered in solar panels. For those that are interested in learning more about the project the GMNext site will be holding another in their ongoing series of live chats with GM leaders. On Thursday July 17 from 3-4pm EDT you can log on to the GMNext site and pose your questions about the project to Rob Threlkeld. Threlkeld is the Supply Contract & Green Power Initiatives Manager at GM. If you want to participate, you need to register at the site and then you can learn more about GM's factory level renewable energy plans.

[Source: GMNext.com]

Newsweek's Fareed Zakaria recently got some face-to-face time with Elon Musk, who, as you surely know by now, is one of the "product architects" at Tesla Motors. There were plenty of interesting quotes to come from the interview, but a few truly stood out from the rest. For instance, Musk slams plug-in hybrids pretty mercilessly while also claiming that the "a majority of all new cars produced in the United States, perhaps worldwide, will be electric. And I don't mean hybrid. I mean pure electric," within just thirty years. What's more, Musk adds that one of his other start-up companies, SolarCity, has the solution to what he refers to as the "'long tailpipe' criticism," where EV opponents point to the fact that much of the electricity in the U.S. comes from dirty sources such as coal. A small solar-panel setup of about 10 by 15 feet [is enough] to generate 200 to 400 miles a week of electricity for your car," according to Musk. We can get behind the idea of charging our own electric cars for the week with our own solar array mounted atop the roof our our garage. Maybe in thirty years that won't sound so far-fetched.

[Source: Newsweek]

After going through a somewhat tumultuous time with a change of leadership at HQ, Altairnano now has a solid success it can point to. A two-megawatt, 500 kWh battery system of its making has been put through some serious testing by its strategic partner, power company AES, along with independent contractor, KEMA, and has emerged successful. The battery came with HVAC, a DC to AC converter and control systems, and was hooked up to an Indianapolis Power & Light (IPL) sub-station where the series of tests were conducted.

Technicians were able to charge and discharge each 1-megawatt component of the energy storage system on their own as well as in parallel many times over a 15-minute period. They also did "frequency regulation", which involves switching the batteries from charge to discharge modes every four seconds for four hours. These capabilities are very handy when it comes to performing grid "load leveling". The use of the battery to help store intermittent energy sources, such as solar and wind, were noted by Chris Shelton, Director of Energy Storage Development at AES. "Fast-responding, high-efficiency energy storage systems such as these will create a more resilient grid and allow for increased use of variable generating sources such as wind and solar." To get a more detailed look at the testing and results, check the validation report summary (PDF) by KEMA as well as the Altairnano press release after the break.

[Source: Altairnano via Green Car Congress]

Updated with new gallery

While it could be argued that Lotus already builds the greenest sportscars on the planet, the British automaker seems keenly aware that the world's gas-burning ways are quickly being swept under the carpet. What started with the dual-fuel capable Lotus Exige 265E - which got a bit more power out of ethanol - moved on to the tri-fuel capable Exige 270E. The 270E rumbled with a bit more power from either ethanol or methanol. Now, the classically-British automaker is dabbling in solar power, among other green trickery on its upcoming Eco Elise. Specifically, a few roof-mounted solar cells will help efficiency by keeping the electrics charged up while some innovative and lightweight components have been added to the already lightweight chassis structure.

Interesting tidbits include a new hand-painted water-based finish which "saves energy and reduces emissions of solvents from the paint shop." The hardtop and rear spoiler have been made from a hemp composite, as have various interior pieces like the seats and some fabrics. The fabric used on the seats themselves is a certified eco-friendly wool and the carpets are sewn from sisal. Overall weight has been reduced by over seventy pounds. If you happen to be in London later this month, the car will be debuted at the Motor Show. There are plenty more eco-facts floating in the press release, which we've pasted after the break. Enjoy!


[Source: Lotus]

The General Motors factory in Zaragoza, Spain is set to get a roof tiled in solar panels as part of a larger initiative throughout GM's European operations. 183,000 square meters of photovoltaic cells will be capable of providing up to a quarter of the factory's peak demand. Zaragoza is GM's biggest European factory, and the project will cost €50m, though its benefit will be significant reduction in energy bills for the automaker. GM has 19 other plants in Europe, and the Saint Petersburg factory is next on the list for the solar treatment. Other locations may follow, though some are likely better suited than others due to a variety of environmental and business factors.

[Source: Automotive News – Sub Req]

Although some aftermarket operations have tried installing rooftop solar panels on the Toyota Prius, none of the pioneering hybrids have ever come so equipped from the factory. This will reportedly change next year when the third-generation model hits the streets. Top trim levels of the new Prius and likely the Lexus-badged version will be equipped with photovoltaic cells on the roof. The solar cells won't generate enough power to do any significant charging of the battery pack but will be able to power accessory drives like the air conditioning. That should reduce the parasitic loads on the power-train, helping to improve the mileage slightly. The solar panels could also be used to keep the ventilation system running on hot days while the car is parked. That would reduce interior temperatures, cutting the load on the air conditioning when the driver gets in. The new Prius and the Lexus hybrid will debut in January 2009 at the Detroit Auto Show. Thanks to Mike, Max and Kevin for the tips!

[Sources: CNet, the Gaurdian]

When imagining the future of carbon-free air travel it seems strange that so many of us overlook the obvious; super speedy solar-powered flying turtles. No, not like that famous flying turtle from Japanese cinema (Gamera doesn't sport solar panels, silly), but rather an airship with a rigid hull that derives power from the sun by day and burns biodiesel by night. Think this is just some flight of fancy? Maybe so, but Darrell Campbell, the man behind the concept, says the Turtle Airships company is building a prototype right now and may soon be flying in a sky near you. In fact, he says it will make an "around-the-world flight" sometime next year.

Mr. Campbell has an ambitious list of duties he believes his airship is well suited for. In addition to carrying travelers to and fro, he envisions a flying hospital version that travels to where its needed. It could also be used as a military troop carrier, and, of course, an effective means of combating the scourge of "pirates in the waters off of Somalia, Indonesia, and Nigeria." Sounds nifty to us. You can keep up with the advancement of the flying turtle by bookmarking their blog. Read the entire press release after the break.

[Source: Turtle Airships via Environmental Graffiti]

This being the 4th of July, we would like to bring you a story about the power of the people (and possibly their elected representatives) in a democracy. You may remember a story we did a few days ago about the gov'ment, specifically the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), putting the big freeze on solar power projects on land it controls in six Western states until a programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS) was completed. We told you they wanted input from the public and apparently they got an earful and because of the "concerns expressed", they have announced a sudden reversal of the moratorium policy.

In researching this story we learned it wasn't just outraged citizenry that took action on the issue. According to KVBC in Las Vegas, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, who had just attended the opening of a solar manufacturing plant in that city, had vowed to have the moratorium reversed this year upon hearing about it. Other reports have the senator saying it was wrong, "especially when you consider that, as we speak, tens of millions of acres are leased to oil companies for drilling."

So now that we're back to "game on" is everybody happy? Not quite. A politician in San Bernardino County, 1st District Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt, has announced his displeasure (PDF). In a news release he stated, "At a time when we are trying to protect habitat, provide for recreation, maintain the expansive beauty of the desert while providing for responsible growth, not to mention the expansion of desert military bases, we cannot afford to surrender vast areas of public land to solar energy projects." We don't know the local politics of this district where 50 applications for solar installations have already been filed with the local BLM office, but think it interesting to note that commentors of an article discussing Mitzelfelt's position were under the impression that he didn't have as much concern for halting housing developments on desert land that were erected by a company they claimed was a campaign contributor to the politician. As always, we wonder what our own commentors have to make of all this.

[Source: UPI / Daily Press]

With the cost of fuels and the environmental toll of traditional carbon-based sources of electricity generation quickly climbing, solar power in America has become so popular that the government has placed a moratorium on the building of any such projects on Western public land. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), has decided to initiate a programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) in conjunction with the Department of Energy (DOE) to assess the "environmental, social, and economic impacts" that solar installations could have on some of the 119 million acres that it manages in six Western states. While the PEIS is being conducted, no new applications for solar plants will be accepted and the 125 applications already received - which could generate up to 70 billion watts or enough power for 20 million homes - will be the object of their scrutiny. All this effort is being undertaken to, ahem, "increase domestic energy production and ensure greater energy security." According to the New York Times, the PEIS could take two years.

Those folks hoping that the electricity they feed into their Chevy Volts and Apteras in the coming years would be supplied by increasingly carbon-free energy sources may take heart that their voices have not been left out of this process. Comments from the public are encouraged at the Solar Energy Development Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (Solar Energy Development PEIS) website. Of course, we also appreciate your comments as well.

[Source: New York Times]

You've very likely seen the commercials. The ones with the Englishman talking about all the thousands of design iterations he went through to come up with a vacuum cleaner with a big yellow plastic ball in the middle of the base. Well, he's at it again. This time around James Dyson has his crew going down the EV path. The engineers at Dyson's disposal are apparently working on an electric motor derived from the one used in the vacuum cleaners that could be used to drive an electric car. Apparently not satisfied with the performance of the G-Wiz (who would be?) Dyson wants to do better and even plans to outfit an EV with solar panels. Dyson doesn't want to build the whole car, just the powertrain, so he's looking for an automaker to collaborate with. Maybe he should give Chrysler a call. They could surely use the help. Just leave the bright yellow ball in the workshop.

[Source: Daily Mail]

With so many auto-makers throwing their hats into the electric car ring, cleanly producing electricity cheaply becomes even more important. While the oft-touted nuclear solution seems to be getting a lot more expensive, solar is set to get a lot cheaper. Days after IBM announced it is moving into the thin-film solar power arena, Nanosolar CEO, Martin Roscheisen, remembered his own CIGS solar power company had achieved a remarkable milestone recently and shared some impressive video of the worlds first 1 GW production tool on his blog.

The 1GW CIGS coating machine cost $1.65 million and currently spits out solar goodness at a rate of 100 feet-per-minute. That's about 20 times faster than the high-vacuum process with a machine about 10 times cheaper. Roscheisen claims that, in principle, they could speed it up to 2000 feet-per-minute and says the coating should be even better. Since the target price point for Nanosolar panels has often been mentioned as $1 per watt., we say, "Crank those puppies out!". Check out the video after the jump.

SolarBug models old (right) and new.

It's been a bit over a half year since we last checked in with the pride of Bozeman, Montana - Steve Titus and his SolarBug electric car. A quick refresher: this homemade electric vehicle takes and ATV, encloses it and slaps on some solar panels. OK, it's not nearly that simple, and Titus has been hard at work for a long time on this project and hopes to one day sell a lot of these vehicles as people learn new ways of driving (i.e., in smaller cars). For now, the SolarBug is taking a toll on his family, but this "hobby gone awry" is not yet finished. Luckily, Titus is still energetic about the SolarBug, as a new video called A Crazy Dream shows. Produced by students at Montana State University there in Bozeman, the video is an uplifting two-and-a-half-minutes about Titus' vision. Interest in the SolarBug is not limited to one person. As fellow Bozeman resident Gary R. wrote in to AutoblogGreen, "We are very proud of Steve's effort here in Bozeman!!" Watch the video after the break and, if you're interested in getting one of these critters when they go on sale, download the brochure (PDF) or check out the SolarBug website.

FYI: We'd have used "going green on the green" if Uncrate hadn't already beaten us to it. Clever tagline aside, what we have here is a solar-powered golf cart which uses 48 volts worth of batteries to power its 5.5 horsepower electric motor. According to the specifications, the roof-mounted solar panels increase its range by about sixty percent over regular electric golf carts. That solar installation offers three amps per hour and can completely charge the batteries in fifteen hours. Otherwise, a regular outlet can charge the vehicle overnight.

Top speed is said to be twenty-four miles per hour. That seems plenty fast enough for the golf course, if you ask us. We also think that its 755 pound capacity should be more than enough for a couple of golfers and their assorted gear. Two cup holders are available for when the ever-important beer cart makes it over to your area, so all the bases appear to be covered.

[Source: Hammacher Schlemmer via Uncrate]

Vern Buchanan (R), the Congressman representing the Sarasota, FL area, is one politician who sees the "green" light. While visiting with solar and electric car maker, Cruise Car Inc, whose manufacturing and sales operation is in his district, the lawmaker made a plea for a national bipartisan effort to make the switch from fossil fuels to more environmentally-friendly energy sources. Speaking to the company's employees and assembled media, Buchanan said, "My sense is we've been misled as Americans in many ways for the last 25 years in terms of our energy and where we're going to get it. Solar, alternate energy, all that stuff is possible; it'll create jobs, it'll make a difference."

Proof of that difference was all around him. While obviously not the transportation solution for everybody, Cruise Car is doing a booming business. There's a 60 to 90 day waiting list for some of their vehicles, which can go up to 62 miles on a charge and are powered by the sun, though they can be plugged in for extra charging if necessary. The company is doubling its 10 employees this year and will be moving to a new facility (and doing more hiring) to keep up with an exponential increase in demand. Hopefully, more of our representatives will open their eyes to the many benefits of a greener economy and make the changes needed to speed things along.

[Source: Bradenton Herald]

Europe's largest Solar Rally departed from Barcelona, Spain, yesterday and is expected to arrive in Toulouse, France, on June 7th. That's about 250 miles over the course of a week. This is the seventh edition of the Rally, organized by non-profit organizations Volt-Tour and Phebus Ariège. Any vehicles can participate, as long as they satisfy a single condition: all of their energy must be obtained from sunlight, either with on-board or auxiliary photovoltaic panels.

The Rally defines itself as a forum for solar car developers to communicate instead of simply a race. And don't miss the scoring system: Cars don't get points depending on their speed and how much time it takes for them to make a certain lap, but on how little energy they need.

The Rally also takes in consideration additional measures to produce as little carbon as possible. First of all, the Rally produces all of the hot water it needs using solar energy, and the safety car is a Toyota Prius. Any energy that they need to produce that doesn't come from solar radiation gets offset via the purchase of carbon rights.

[Source: Rallyesolaire (h/t to Imma)]