Articles by Adam Browning

Israel to build national electric car infrastructure

Project Better Place, in partnership with Renault/Nissan and the Israeli government, will build a national electric car infrastructure.

A major manufacturer developing new electric vehicles with swappable batteries, and a plan to develop 500,000 battery recharging sites across the country? It's still January, and I'm ready to call this the most important environmental news story of 2008.

I'm going to write more about this later, but do yourself a favor and read all about it here.

This, friends, is the road to Middle-East peace. And it was announced on MLK day. How appropriate.

Growing solar industry depends on key tax credit that will expire this year

Advocates talk a lot about how renewable energy is not just good for the environment, but good for the economy as well. And here is some real-world proof: New Mexico, with strong leadership by Gov. Richardson, PRC Commissioners Lujan and Marks, and many others, has done more than most to establish the full suite of policies necessary to build a solar market. And the reward? Schott AG is investing $100 million in a new manufacturing facility outside of Albuquerque. It will initially employ 350 people, which could grow to 1,500. Good stuff, and congrats to New Mexico.

But lookie here at what Schott has to say about what it will take to get to the higher end of the projected jobs numbers:

Floatovoltaics

Land is -- and will always be -- expensive. Which is why someone should take this, and combine it with this. They could even sell the electricity back to DWR, whic uses an incredible amount of it to pump LA's drinking water up and over the Tehachapis. And if DWR would allow project developers to monetize the water savings from avoided evaporative loss, project economics would be even better.

Make a video on how to improve the world

Davos. You know, the big important event to which you and I aren't invited? Well, if you have a suggestion for the world's leaders on how to make the world a better place, YouTube is sponsoring a contest and the winner gets a free, all-expense-paid trip. The winning video, that is. Not you. You still aren't invited.

Hat tip to Project Better Place, who submitted this spot-on if treacly video: