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Inhabitat » The Mini-E Hits the Streets of New York!
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently announced that BMW’s hotly anticipated Mini-E will soon be hitting the streets of NYC! This April BMW will loan the city ten fully-electric Mini Coopers to participate in New York’s “Street Condition Observation Unit” (SCOUT), which scours city streets for road damage, graffiti, and other instances where infrastructure repair is needed. The zippy zero-emission vehicles will lend the program their lightweight carbon footprint in exchange for an extensive round of road testing.
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City of Boston Joins EnerNOC’s Demand Response Network | Xconomy
EnerNOC (NASDAQ: ENOC), the Boston-based company that pays factory operators, store owners, and local governments for the right to dial back their electricity usage during times of peak demand, announced today that the City of Boston is finally diving into the local “demand response” pool. Under a new agreement negotiated with the office of Mayor Thomas Menino, Boston City Hall, the Boston Public Library, and Boston Police Headquarters will be equipped with remote-controlled meters that allow EnerNOC to reduce non-essential electricity usage whenever local utilities need a buffer. In return, the city will get periodic payments—whether or not it’s ever called upon to cut usage—plus additional money for every actual demand response event.
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‘Silicon Energy’ Fuel Cell Could Revolutionize Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Technology
SiEnergy Systems, LLC has developed a breakthrough solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) by placing a micro fuel cell directly on a silicon chip, an advance that will revolutionize the way people use power.
These “Silicon Energy” fuel cells address the problems that limit standard SOFCs: Leveraging the power of silicon, they operate at lower temperatures and use normal industrial materials. This key breakthrough brings real-world applications within reach. SiEnergy’s radical new approach promises to deliver SOFCs with small carbon footprints and unprecedented efficiency. -
Survey: Scientists agree human-induced global warming is real
While the harsh winter pounding many areas of North America and Europe seemingly contradicts the fact that global warming continues unabated, a new survey finds consensus among scientists about the reality of climate change and its likely cause.
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Heavy rains alter Peru’s famed Nazca Lines
Heavy rains in recent days in Peru have affected the famed Nazca Lines, the two-millennia-old giant outlines that are one of the country’s top tourist attractions, officials said Tuesday.
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Environmental Capital: Green Ink: Waiting for Obama – WSJ.com
February crude oil futures sunk below $33 Tuesday ahead of the contract’s expiration, and thanks to a strengthening dollar, Bloomberg reports. Economist-turned-prophet Nouriel Roubini calls oil between $30 and $40 for the rest of the year, also in Bloomberg.
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Chrysler-Fiat Deal Needs U.S. Loans – WSJ.com
Chrysler LLC has found an international partner in Fiat SpA but the auto maker isn’t out of the woods, mainly because the deal is contingent on Chrysler getting $3 billion in additional government loans, said people familiar with the pact.
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