At The Ocean Cleanup, we’re developing the first feasible method to clean up world’s ocean garbage patches. Five vast areas of Open Ocean, known as the subtropical gyres, act as a trap for ocean plastic. We specifically focus on the North Pacific accumulation zone – also known as ‘the Great Pacific Garbage Patch’ – since about 1/3 of all oceanic plastic is concentrated in that one area between Hawaii and California 1.
When I founded The Ocean Cleanup almost three years ago, there was no realistic way to clean up these accumulation zones, each several million square kilometres in size. I realised that coastlines are evidently very effective in catching plastic. Unfortunately, there is no landmass in the middle of these gyres, so I then proposed to deploy a very long array of floating barriers attached to the seabed. This would act as an artificial coastline, allowing the ocean to clean itself. We aim to deploy our first pilot system in 2016, and hope to be able to start cleaning the North Pacific by 2020.
Yet a common argument against our efforts is that focus should instead be on preventing more plastic from entering the oceans. I fully agree prevention is top priority. Having to clean up the gyres again a few decades after cleaning up would be nothing short of annoying. But in my opinion, one does not exclude the other – they complement each other.
First of all, the ocean garbage patches do not go away by themselves and hence need to be cleaned up at some point in time.
This information comes from the website of The Ocean Clean up.
Nikola Motor Company Announces U.S. and Canadian Class 8 Trucks Will Be Hydrogen Fuel Cell Powered and 100% Emission Free.
Nikola is announcing that the electric drivetrain used in the U.S. and Canadian markets will be powered by a custom-built hydrogen-electric 800V fuel cell. Nikola’s hydrogen class 8 trucks will be more powerful than any other production diesel truck on the road and have a range of over 1,200 miles between fill-ups. It will achieve nearly 20 MPG with zero emissions under full load, surpassing all the government mandates set forth for the next 10 years , including the EPA’s recently announced Phase 2 GHG standards.
“The desire to be 100% emission free in the U.S. and Canada is a critical piece of our long-term engineering and environmental efforts, not just in vehicle energy consumption, but also in how energy is produced. Nikola will produce hydrogen via zero emission solar farms built by Nikola Motor Company. These solar farms will produce over 100 megawatts each and will use electrolysis to create hydrogen from water. Even our manufacturing facilities will be run off of zero emission hydrogen energy,” said Trevor Milton, CEO, Nikola Motor Company.
“Nikola plans to have a nationwide network (USA) of over 50 hydrogen stations for customers to begin fueling by 2020. This will make Nikola Motor Company the first company in the world to be 100% emission-free from energy production to transportation to consumption. Say goodbye to the days of dirty diesels and after treatment in the heavy duty class 8 market,” added Milton.
This information comes from Nikola Motor Company press release August 30, 2016.
A landmark building in Bergen, and a world class hub for innovation and science for the media industry and the University of Bergen.
In September 2017 TV2, NRK, Vizrt, The University of Bergen (Dept. of Information Science and Media Studies), Bergens Tidende and Bergensavisen will co-locate under the same roof in Lars Hillesgt in the city centre of Bergen. Media City Bergen™, encompassing more than 45,000 square meters, will be the workplace for 1200 people within the media industry.
MCB will launch the world’s most exciting media lab for cutting edge innovation and research, with a special focus on media technology. MCB will host as well a greenhouse for entrepreneurship and business development. Also several other media technology companies working in a variety of fields – from 3D, animation, games, film and music, to mobile, app development, drones and sensor technology – will call MCB home. The effect? A hub for launching new worldclass media companies and driving job creation throughout the region.
Media City Bergen™ will not be a traditional office building. With a massive digital screen on the wall outside, and the open and welcoming atrium inside, this will be a vibrant meeting place – not only for the industry but for the people of Bergen. A variety of events will be held here – from live broadcasts, debates and interviews to student pitches. The building will also house restaurants and coffee bars, also open to all visitors.
Entra, one of Norway’s leading real estate companies and an Industry leader in developing and managing energy efficient buildings, is building Media City Bergen™. The architects are MAD arkitekter. Together they are creating a landmark building that stands out as an icon in the city as well as in the global media landscape.
Media City Bergen™ will be a resource not just for those who work inside its walls but MCB will also serve as a science park for the media cluster at large – at last count, consisting of over 80 members. Together MCB and the cluster will serve as a leading international hub for media and technology innovation.
This information comes from the website of Bergen Media City.
In 2008, Masdar City broke ground and embarked on a daring journey to develop the world’s most sustainable eco-city.
Through smart investments, Masdar City is successfully pioneering a “greenprint” for how cities can accommodate rapid urbanisation and dramatically reduce energy, water and waste.
The city, which combines ancient Arabic architectural techniques with modern technology and captures prevailing winds is naturally cooler and more comfortable during the high summer temperatures.
But the sun is also a blessing. Harnessing the sun’s rays, Masdar uses clean energy generated on site from rooftop solar technology and one of the largest photovoltaic installations in the Middle East.
At the city’s core is an innovation engine. The city is growing its neighbourhoods around the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, a research university dedicated to cutting-edge solutions in the fields of energy and sustainability. The institute is Masdar City’s nucleus, which extends a spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship throughout the city. Companies can foster close ties with the university and partner to spark economic growth and accelerate breakthrough technologies to market.
With a few thousand people living and working in Masdar City, it is on its way to realising its vision. But this is only the beginning. Masdar City continues to add new businesses, schools, restaurants, apartments and much more, creating the diversity of any major, modern city. When complete, 40,000 people will live in Masdar City, with an additional 50,000 commuting every day to work and study.
This information comes from the website of Masdar.
The Wavestar machine draws energy from wave power with floats that rise and fall with the up and down motion of waves. The floats are attached by arms to a platform that stands on legs secured to the sea floor. The motion of the floats is transferred via hydraulics into the rotation of a generator, producing electricity.
Waves run the length of the machine, lifting 20 floats in turn. Powering the motor and generator in this way enables continuous energy production and a smooth output. This is a radical new standard and a unique concept in wave energy; it’s one of the few ways to convert fluctuating wave power into the high-speed rotation necessary to generate electricity.
Environmental and climate issues, as well as uncertainty about energy supply, demand that we diversify our energy supply to multiple renewable and clean sources. With enough space for wave energy machines but little exploitation thus far, Wavestar is not just developing a wave power device, but energizing a whole movement.
Energy production with wave energy is more predictable than wind because waves come and go slowly and can be forecast 24 hours ahead. The Wavestar machine could also be installed together with a wind turbine which would further increase efficiency and reduce set-up costs. Wavestar understand that we need many renewable energy solutions, not just one, so it makes sense to harness the power of waves.
This information comes from the website of Wavestar.
Burning fossil fuels and creating nuclear reactions to generate electricity comes at a high cost – politically and environmentally. Alternative methods are limited and come with tradeoffs. The answer to these problems is right under our feet.
Not too far below the surface of the Earth, it’s hot. That heat can create enough clean energy to power the world, and help keep things cool above. Using cables made from graphene, a form of pure carbon 100 times stronger that steel, that heat can be conducted to the surface of the Earth to run turbines and generate electricity – without burning anything.
The village features energy-positive homes, mixed renewable energy sources, energy storage, organic food production, vertical farming, and aquaponics, water management and waste-to-resource systems.
Vision:
Engineering and facilitating the development of integrated and resilient neighborhoods that power and feed self reliant families around the world.
IoT-integrated infrastructure enable thriving communities with surplus energy, water and organic food in the aggregate become asset classes that can amortize and reduce mortgage payments.
Partnering with regional land developers, architects, construction, universities and brand manufacturing firms to maximize cost-benefit efficiency that enable global scaling of development Projects.
This information comes from the website of ReGen Villages.
SeaOrbiter is the only vessel in the world allowing a 24/7 exploration on long-term missions of the open sea and the abyss.
An exploration vessel and a universal scientific laboratory dedicated to the discovery of the underwater world and the education around sustainable development applied to the ocean.
Multiple scientific missions and a large education plan. SeaOrbiter is the only one- of- its- kind scientific and educative platform, complementary to existing observation and analytical tools of the oceanic world.
The missions conducted from the vessel will enable to better understand the links between ocean and atmosphere, the planktonic balance, the decrease of marine biodiversity or the impact of climate change upon the marine world and its wealth of life.
SeaOrbiter will allow discovering and valorizing new marine richness which will, tomorrow, enable the development of major innovations in various fields such as nutrition, health, biotechnologies or renewable marine energies. SeaOrbiter is also a powerful education tool dedicated to the marine world and engaging all generations.
This information comes from the website of SeaOrbiter.
