Ten of China’s Ongoing Investment Efforts in Renewable Energy!

DID YOU KNOW THAT …..?

1- It is official: China is now the world’s largest consumer of energy, surpassing the US in 2009, according to the International Energy Agency. It is now poised to spend $473.1 billion on clean energy investments in the next five years. China also wants 20 per cent of its total energy demand to be met by wind and solar by 2021.

2- In terms of solar power, China is projected to surpass Germany in 2013 as the world’s largest market for solar energy. As of 2011, China produced three-fifths of all the solar panels in the world and exported 95% of these panels much of them going to the United States.

3- Located in the northwestern province of Gansu, in the ancient garrison town of Jiuquan on the old Silk Road, wind turbines now stretch into the desert landscape with the capacity to generate 6GW of wind energy – roughly equivalent to that of the whole UK. The plan is to more than triple that number by 2015, when this area could become the biggest wind farm in the world.

4- China is now in the midst of constructing the largest offshore wind farm in the world in its northern Hebei province. With an investment of 913 million, the wind farm will consist of 100 units of 3 megawatts offshore turbines. It will be located near Puti Island in Bohai Sea and completed in 2015. When it goes into operation, the wind farm will generate 752 million kilowatt-hours of electric power annually.

5- Since 2009, China has embarked on the largest Green Hotel Plan in the world – building 10,000 green hotels over a four year period – 1000 green hotels in 2009, 2000 green hotels in 2010, 3000 green hotels in 2011, and 4000 green hotels in 2012.

6- China, the world’s largest automotive market is planning to become the electric vehicle mecca of the world – producing one million electric cars by 2020. To meet the challenge of sustainable mobility, both Iranian investors and Chinese industrial units announced just this month a joint venture to manufacture electric cars in Shanghai in an attempt to reduce air pollution in Iran. Meanwhile, Germany’s automaker, Daimler AG, and China’s battery and car producer, BYD Co., will be launching a new electric car brand next year called the “DENZA”.

7- Since 1978, China has been planting a series of forest strips called “The Green Wall of China” designed to hold back the expansion of the Gobi Desert. This green program is scheduled to be completed by 2050 and 2,800 miles in length.

8- The world’s largest sustainable city or eco-city, Tianjin, is now being developed with the hottest energy-saving technologies. Located 93 miles southeast from Beijing, it will extend 30 square kilometers, equal to half the size of Manhattan Island in the USA, and be home for 350,000 residents.

9- Beginning this year, China’s government is set to invest $25.2 million to explore and evaluate shallow-lying geothermal energy spots in 29 provincial capital cities across the country. In addition, water investments are set to double in the 12th Five Year Plan (2011-2015) with more than $4.54 billion being allocated for water and wastewater treatments.

10- Last October, Air China and American-based aerospace company, Boeing, conducted China’s first sustainable biofuel flight on a Boeing 747 – a two hour overland flight from Beijing Capital International Airport using jatropha-based aviation biofuel developed in southwest China by PetroChina blended together with Honeywell’s UOP Green Jet Fuel. Air China and Boeing are now working on plans for a trans-Pacific flight between China and the USA with biofuel sourced from both countries. In addition America’s Boeing has signed a collaboration agreement with China’s National Energy Administration for further study of regional biofuel development.

But China isn’t the only country undergoing a green revolution – we shall now look to Monaco, Morocco, and the Mideast in our next posting and the efforts being made there by the ruling families of each region – known today as the “Green Royals”.

Ten of the Most Fascinating Forces Pushing the Computer Industry Towards Going Green!!

If you are like me, my laptop -and my desktop computer and printer -are integral pieces of my middle class way of living here in the USA. I use these appurtenances of electronic–based hardware daily for business and personal communication and for purchasing transactions. Moreover, I am conscious of my monitor’s automatic screensaver that activates a virus scan when it’s not in use. What I was not aware of though – are the social, economic, and environmental changes that are pushing the computer industry towards “green computing”. Summarized below then, are ten of some of the most interesting forces behind this push to revolutionize the technological designs, manufacturing processes, and general use and disposal of our nifty computer systems and components.

1- World Population Growth – Today’s world population is 7 billion. Projected World population is expected to be 9.2 billion by 2050. Thus the demand for computer products is expected to grow
dramatically.
2- Hazardous Landfill Growth – Computers are difficult to recycle. Much of what’s inside computers is toxic such as non-degradable amounts of lead, cadmium, brominated fired retardants, PVC’s, and other plastics made of crude oil products.
3- Precious Metals Scarcity – Rare earth metals are crucial in advanced manufacturing of computer disk drives. Right now, China produces some 97% of the world’s supply of rare earth metals.
4- Electrical-Powered Inefficiencies – $250 billion is spent globally each year powering computers – 85% of that energy is wasted idling. Also, newer computers are more “electricity-hungry” – The electricity consumption for high-performance desktop computers with gaming processors and graphic cards are the most energy-guzzling appliances in homes.
5- Shorter Computer Life Cycle – The sophistication of today’s marketing for the newest, latest models affects consumer behavior – people are now changing their computers more often than they did a few years ago making the life expectancy of the average computer much shorter.
6- Government Legislation – European Union Legislation was passed in 2005 nicknamed the ‘Ecodesign Directive’ – for establishing a framework of ecodesign requirements – the main objective of which is “to bring about improvements in the environmental performance of energy-related products throughout their life cycle from mining of the raw material through to recycling at end-of-life.”
7- Int’l Standards Growth – The internationally recognized ‘Energy Star’ Logo for rating energy efficient consumer products was originally conceived as a voluntary labeling program in the early 1990’s by the United States Environmental Protection Agency – but now, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Taiwan and the European Union have also adopted this standard and Sweden has expanded the standard to include ergonomics.
8- Alternative-Energy Sources Growth – VIA Technologies, a Taiwanese company, is aiming to offer the world’s first certified carbon free personal computer products. In partnership with Motech – a solar cell manufacturing industry leader located in China – part of VIA’s Green Computing Initiative is developing alternative solar panel-powered computers for multiple applications from remote locations to urban centers.
9- Global Warming – (Known also as Anthropogenic Climate Change) – Average temperatures have climbed 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit around the world since 1880 according to NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies. And the rate of warming is increasing. The 20th century’s last two decades were the hottest in 400 years. The Arctic ice is rapidly disappearing and the region may have its first completely ice-free summer by 2040. Glaciers and mountain snows are rapidly melting. Glacier National Park has 27 glaciers compared to 150 in 1910. Coral reefs are dying off in record numbers with some areas seeing bleach rates of 70%. Lastly, there is an upsurge in the amount of extreme weather events – wildfires, heat waves and strong tropical storms. Causes – greater concentrations of water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide are pouring into the atmosphere – commonly referred to as greenhouse gases. These gases help to trap heat near the Earth’s surface due in part to industrialization, deforestation, and pollution.
10- Green News Growth – The overwhelming majority of Americans (92%) use multiple platforms (online and offline sources) to get news on a typical day – including national TV, local TV, the internet, local newspapers, national newspapers, their cell phones, and the radio. Most use four to six platforms daily. But nowhere is the expansiveness of the green news landscape more evident than on the internet where one can find hundreds of eco-friendly websites, blogs, and businesses including industry news leaders, Huffington Post, Treehugger.com, Greenbiz.com and Green.alltop.com which highlights the top green news and headlines across the web.

Perhaps because of all these factors, there has been a tremendous growth in awareness by personal computer users like myself to use recycling centers for their old computers and ink cartridges. So next time you are on the web, check out earth911.com and ecosquid.com to decide whether you want to resell, recycle, or donate your old computer products. Welcome to the world of ecycling!

The ‘Greening’ of Today’s American Restaurant Chains: Green Is Not Just the Bottom Line Anymore!

America’s restaurant chains are beginning to see in the second decade of the 2000’s, a new kind of genesis in practically all of their operational approaches and customer relationships.  This environmentally friendly genesis or ‘Green Movement’ is being adopted as an integral part of their current business practices – not just as some slick hype or marketing ploy –  but as a multi-disciplinary shift in corporate policy with which to meet accelerating operating costs and complex supply chain challenges. No longer are the old paradigms of ” business as usual”, the norm.  Instead, from coast to coast corporate teams are now embracing green energy technologies, expanding ‘organic’ food menus and recycling their waste products.  “Good Eats” now includes “Good Stewardship”.  Herein is a brief overview of how America’s restaurant chains are reshaping themselves.

One of the most closely watched trends is in their switch from standard type incandescent light bulbs to fluorescent light bulbs to ultra modern energy efficient light-emitting diodes.  The Rose Group, the 34th largest restaurant franchise company in the USA and managerial owners of the restaurant chain, “Applebee’s”, is amongst the real pioneers in adopting LED lighting systems.   These LED systems last 2-3 times longer than fluorescents and are mercury free.  And they are not alone. Kentucky-based Yum! Brands, Inc., parent company of “Taco Bell”, “Pizza Hut”, “Kentucky Fried Chicken”, and “Long John Silver’s” has opened its first green restaurant in Northampton, Massachusetts to include not only a LED lighting system but energy-efficient kitchen equipment, a low-flow water system, solar energy, and new rainwater-based irrigation technology. In addition, this same restaurant also cleverly recycles its waste to eco-friendly fertilizer and converts its frying oil into biofuel!

And then there is Georgia-based fast food chain, “Chick-fil-A”, which is now in the process of replacing all of its lighting and water fixtures at hundreds of restaurants and planning new green building techniques for all of its future restaurants. Not far behind is South Carolina-based “Denny’s”, a family-friendly restaurant chain which is currently installing ‘Cree LED lights’ in all the dining areas and restrooms of its newest restaurants.  Meanwhile, ‘Subway’, the largest franchise chain in the USA, has just opened FIVE new “eco–restaurants” – two in North Carolina, one in Indiana, and two in Connecticut with many soon-to-open including one at the newly renovated “Green” Student Center on the campus of the University of California Los Angeles campus which will feature “a walkable rooftop terrace and garden”.  Some of the more interesting ‘eco-elements’ incorporated into these new “eco-restaurants” are a  “light harvesting system through solar panels”, a “large monitor that display real time energy usage of the restaurant”, automatic shut-off faucets in the restrooms, and sensors that flip on the lights when people use the facilities.

Another environmentally responsible franchise is Ohio-based “White Castle”, a fast food hamburger restaurant chain founded in 1921.  In addition to using LED lighting at 55 of its restaurant locations, it owns and operates three of its own bakeries, and employs its own fleet of refrigerated trucks to distribute frozen buns to restaurants in 12 states. In addition to using new energy efficient roofing construction, all of its brown corrugated packaging and paper are made of 100 percent recycled material.   Water stewardship is another big trend in the ‘Green Movement’ sweeping across America’s restaurant chain landscape and in the forefront is Tennessee-based “Ruby Tuesday”, a casual dining restaurant chain that uses water-efficient dishwashers exclusively and an innovative stackable glassware rack that consumes less water and soap than standard ones.  And at both its Pensacola, Florida restaurant and its Westland, Michigan’s restaurant, “McDonald’s” has tapped into underground geothermal sources of energy whereby water is used to transfer heat from the earth to their buildings when it’s cold, and to move heat from the buildings to the earth when it’s hot. Their geothermal systems have been shown to cut energy costs by half already and are projected to work well for more than 50 years. (Note: McDonald’s is the world’s largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants.

Finally there is a growing trend for ethically sourced food products. “Starbucks Corporation”, the Seattle-based coffeehouse chain, the largest in the world, is perhaps the best representative of “ethical purchasing” – securing organically grown tea, coffee beans, and cocoa beans by supporting farmer’s rights and living conditions within their eco-sensitive communities whilst reducing their use of toxic pesticides and fertilizers.  On the other hand, Starbucks is criticized by many environmentalists for using disposable cups that require enormous amounts of natural resources and energy.  But this is a conundrum that all of America’s restaurant chains face – ground-breaking efforts in one area – are usually offset by environmental costs in another area.  The good news is that two-thirds of America’s restaurant chains are actively pursuing sustainability solutions – and they are now being helped by new sustainability software in today’s ever expanding sustainability marketplace.