More good news

Three great stories from EcoGeek.  We'll give you the highlights, and follow up with more on future shows:

1.http://www.ecogeek.org/solar-power/3518  "Researchers at Empa (the Swiss national research laboratory) have achieved a new record in thin-film solar cell efficiency. The flexible solar cells are made from copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS), and these cells have achieved an energy conversion efficiency of 18.7 percent.


The previous record of 17.6 percent was achieved only a year previously (and by the same research group, too). This represents more than 6% improvement in the course of only a year. While that's not indicative of a larger trend, it is still a positive development."

2.   http://www.ecogeek.org/efficiency/3519:  "San Francisco Water, Power and Sewer is beginning a city-wide project late this year to replace 18,500 high-pressure sodium street light fixtures with LED fixtures.  The new fixtures will use 50 percent less energy than the existing street lights and will cost far less to maintain since they only have to be replaced every 15 - 20 years compared to the current bulbs that have to be replaced every four years.

The swapping out of the lighting fixtures is expected to take 30 minutes per street light with the whole project being completed in about 14 months.

The new lights have more benefits than just the energy and cost savings.  The lights will have smart controllers that let the city remotely monitor and adjust their light level and alert maintenance crews when the lights fail or are about to fail."
3. http://www.ecogeek.org/automobiles/3521: "As part of the Green Highway project where California, Oregon and Washington are partnering to turn Interstate 5 into the first alternative-fuel-friendly freeway in the U.S., AeroVironment is installing Level 3 EV quick chargers along the route in Southern Oregon.

For this first phase of the project, from the California state line to the Willamette Valley, 150 miles of the highway will have convenient access to EV chargers that can fully charge a battery in 30 minutes.  Eight interchanges will be picked based on common destinations, vehicle range and driving distances.  The chargers will be installed by the end of the fall.

The Green Highway will ultimately run from San Diego to Vancouver, B.C. and will feature not only EV charging and battery swap stations, but alternative fuel filling stations for bio diesel, compressed natural gas and hydrogen.  The project is being funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act."

This new, industrial revolution, as we've been chronicling, has to multi-faceted and build a realistic infrastructure of change...such as I 5 adorned with car charging stations.  How quickly will the EVs follow?  Very. I think this kind of commitment on the part of the Western states will sway many people living in CA, OR and WA to go electric.

Cool way to travel up into Canada, too, hey?

All good news.  Let's see if we can quickly get reps on the show from all 3 states to talk in more detail about how quickly we will see the transformation of I 5.  Which, by the way, is a very busy, congested, snarled highway.