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Leaked Lotus doc hints at e-Evora

Another Lotus-made electric speedster, anyone?

Leccy Tech The evidence that Lotus may launch a leccy version of its Evora sports car is mounting, following a leaked company presentation highlighting how the model could be used as the basis for a sporty e-car.

Lotus’ Evora: is a leccy model be in the works?

Lotus’ engineering document outlines the Evora’s suitability as an electric vehicle (EV), revealing how an Evora EV could be powered by a 200kW (269bhp) electric motor connected to a 71kWh battery.

This set-up would see the leccy Evora good for a range of around 230 miles, according to the document.

Potential performance figures haven’t been given, but let’s face it, an electric Lotus isn’t going to be slow.

Evora’s li-ion power pack can be removed from below the car

Although the presentation is aimed at third-party car makers after quick and easy access to a versatile car platform, instead of it being a direct indication of Lotus’ own plans, the document shows that the Norfolk-based car firm has clearly put serious thought into the putative e-car.

The plans also dovetail with a comment made by Lotus’ Chairman, Michael Kimberley, back in January.

An Evora EV wouldn’t really be Lotus’ first outing with an electric car, though.

Vauxhall could be a potential customer for an Evora-based leccy coupé

Lotus did much of the development work on Tesla’s Roadster using a modified Elise chassis, and – to this day – still undertakes initial assembly of the Roadster at its Hethel-based factory. Chrysler’s Dodge Circuit is also based on the Lotus Europa chassis.

This would be so cool! I got to see, but sadly not drive, a Tesla which has a much shorter range. The challenge of electric vehicles is range. 230 miles should be enough to satisfy anyone.

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Perhaps money really does grow on trees after all! Solar Trees are sprouting up in the parking lot of Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) corporate headquarters located in Round Rock, Texas.

It is estimated Dell’s “Solar Grove” project will provide 131,000 kW/h of clean solar power to the building, avoiding greenhouse gas emissions by about 145,000 pounds per year. But wait, there’s more. More than 500 individual solar panels will provide shade to some 50-plus parking spaces in the employee parking lot. Plus, the trees include two Coulomb ChargPoints for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids.

According to M. White, project manager for general contractor McBride Electric, an open area of the parking lot was chosen for the Solar Grove installation – no trees were cut down or removed for the project. The charging stations are free for employees and will also work at night.

The project was a collaborative effort by numerous companies. Coulomb Technologies provided the charging points, solar panels were manufactured by BP Solar and the solar trees were planted by Envision Solar International Inc.

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Spanish Solar Company SOLARIG Building 8 PV Parks in Italy

SOLARIG, a company based in Spain that incorporated about four years ago, just began construction of eight photovoltaic parks in Italy this month. The parks will provide 8 MW of energy in total. Over the next few months, it plans to construct photovoltaic projects producing 30 MW throughout different regions of Italy.

But this is just the beginning. SOLARIG has a more global vision.

SOLARIG is essentially launching its “international development plan” with these Italian projects. It intends to continue by further penetrating the world’s major solar markets — in Italy, the United States, Korea, China, Greece, and Bulgaria. The company already has an international presence, but is looking to greatly expand on that.

SOLARIG has subsidiary companies in California, Malta, Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, and South Korea (and offices in France and China). It also manages international PV projects with a capacity of about 750 MW in total in the United States, France, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Korea, Italy, Greece, and some emerging markets. However, these Italian projects are the first it is constructing outside of Spain.

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2nd Annual U.S.-China Green Tech Summit Catalyst for Project-to-Project Partnerships to Reduce C02

BP Solar, Suntech, McKinsey among Speakers at November 16-17, 2009 Event in Beijing, China

SAN FRANCISCO–(Business Wire)–

At the US-China Green Tech Summit, leading green technology CEOs, venture capitalists and academics will engage in dialogue on how U.S.-China project-to-project partnerships can reduce CO2, generate green jobs and ensure energy independence.

Speakers and participants will tackle key issues, form lasting partnerships and promote U.S.-China collaboration on green tech development, investment and implementation.

“In what is increasingly a global renewable energy market, the interchange between China and the U.S.-the world’s largest energy consuming nations-is the most exciting. The Green Tech Summit sits at the heart of the dialogue,” said Summit speaker Reyad Fezzani, CEO of BP Solar and Marley Association board member.

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Solar panels on your roof? New law makes leasing possible

Parking garages typically serve one obvious function.

But drive to the top of the parking garage on First and Sierra Streets in downtown Reno, and you’ll realize that this is one facility that also can take the heat.

Solar panels have turned the garage from a one-trick pony to a building that harnesses renewable energy. And thanks to a new Nevada law, proponents of green energy are predicting that similar projects will become more common across the Silver State.

The new law, Assembly Bill 186, makes it easier for companies to lease renewable systems such as solar panels to public and private entities. The law came into effect Oct. 1 and should be officially finalized by December.

On the surface, the law is a “pretty simple piece of legislation” that’s more akin to a tweaking of the rules, said renewable energy lobbyist Tom Clark. But that simple tweak has potentially big implications and could especially provide a boost to Nevada’s solar industry.

“There are huge benefits from an economic perspective and a jobs perspective,” Clark said. “Nevada is in a footrace with other Western states in trying to invite renewable companies. This law, along with other laws that provide incentives for renewable energy, sends a message that Nevada is the place to be when it comes to doing things related to renewable energy.”

Renewable Funding, a company that makes it easier for homeowners to finance solar or other renewable funding projects with friendly terms, has raised $12.2 million in a first round of funding.

The Oakland, Calif., based company’s model is noteworthy because it lets you attach your financing to your property tax bill.

So if you sell your house after investing in an expensive solar paneled roof, the financing stays on your home’s property tax bill, even if you sell the house.

The instrument is a bond called Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE). The company pioneered its offering in Berkeley, Calif., which issued $1 million in bonds in a publicized pilot project and saw people snap up the credit within an hour, according to Josh Becker, a partner at New Cycle Ventures, one of the investors in the round.

Other competitors are coming up with more simple financing schemes than the traditional home equity loan, which is unsecured and remains your responsibility after you sell the home. Sunrun, another company, for example, is offering a simple flat rate and lower overall financing via group-negotiated rates.

Financing for your green upgrades.

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Incredibly cool Green Cities Concept from Behance

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This is a cool concept – it looks like a cross between a trike and a Segway. Perfect for urban environments with friendly drivers. Might find yourself out of luck in NYC.

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Warren Easton High – New Orleans Solar

New Orleans Schools Go Solar With Entergy, Nike, Winrock International, U.S. Green Building Council Partnership, City of New Orleans

New Orleans Schools Go Solar With Entergy, Nike, Winrock International, U.S.  Green Building Council Partnership, City of New Orleans    NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Work on an advanced,  hurricane-resistant solar roof wrapped up this week at Warren Easton Senior  High School, the first project of a partnership between Entergy Corporation,  Nike Corporation, Winrock International, the Louisiana Chapter of the U.S.  Green Building Council and the city of New Orleans.      The New Orleans public school is now equipped with a 28-kilowatt solar array  that will produce approximately 37,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually  - enough to power three typical residential homes.       The partners committed almost $1.7 million to the project with $1.5 million  coming from Entergy Corp. The installation at Warren Easton, which becomes the  largest solar array in the city, cost approximately $500,000, including  equipment, materials and installation.   

Warren Easton High is producing enough solar power to power 3 homes according to the article.

I wonder how much power is being generated relative to the needs of a large high school.

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