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  • Solar panels become chic

    "We’ve been selling solar power systems since 2001," said Barry Cinnamon, CEO of Akeena Solar, Inc. "We know what consumers want: great aesthetics and superior reliability, and we’ve designed a system that meets these requirements. We’re calling this new system Andalay – and it’s the best looking system available on the market. Gone are the days when solar panels had to have a somewhat industrial look on a home."

    Andalay is the latest, state-of-the-art solar panel technology, combining built-in reliability with outstanding aesthetics. Unlike ordinary solar panels, Andalay panels are all-black and when installed actually look like a skylight on a home. Andalay features built-in wiring, built-in grounding and built-in racking so the panels attach directly to the roof offering a smooth, flush appearance. And the installation has been so streamlined – using 70 percent fewer parts and 25 percent fewer attachment points – a system for a small house can now be installed in under an hour on the roof.

    Unparalleled Reliability

    "Andalay is truly revolutionary. The panels look better, are more reliable, offer superior performance and bring solar to its rightful place at the forefront of alternative energy technologies," said Cinnamon. "We are excited to bring a product that answers the concerns of consumers with an efficient – and sexy – solution. It is simple, consumers feel good, homes look great and the environment gets better."

    Additionally, the economics make sense. With states offering rebates and tax credits, payback on a system is getting shorter and shorter. In California, a system would ordinarily cost $25,000, but with the state’s rebates and tax credit the cost would be reduced to about $17,000. A solar power system can save about $100 of electricity every month, payback is in about eight years, and customers get a locked-in electric rate of 12 cents per kwh for the 30+ year life of the system.

    Andalay solar panels were launched and showcased at a reception prior to Solar Power 2007, the premier solar event in the United States on September 24, 2007 in Long Beach, CA. The panels will be available to consumers in major U.S. solar markets (including California, New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Hawaii).

    Andalay offers the following features:

    • Mounts closer to roof with less space between panels
    • All black appearance with no unsightly racks underneath or besides panels
    • Built-in wiring connections – no dangling wires to damage over time
    • 70% fewer roof-assembled parts and 50% less labor
    • 25% fewer roof attachment points (fewer roof penetrations), fewer points of failure, flashed roof attachments (no leaks), less rooftop weight, sturdy against heating/cooling cycles
    • Full compliance with National Electric Code and UL 1703 wiring and grounding requirements

     

    Specifications and pictures of the Andalay system are available at www.andalay.net.

    For Further Information

  • World’s survival at risk: UN report

    Achim Steiner, the program’s executive director, said the international community’s response to environmental issues was at times "courageous and inspiring", but all too often inadequate.

    "The systematic destruction of the Earth’s natural and nature-based resources has reached a point where the economic viability of economies is being challenged and where the bill we hand to our children may prove impossible to pay," he said.

    The report was critical of the lack of action by governments across the world in protecting the environment from being degraded.

    The response to climate change was described as "woefully inadequate" but it was only one of several major problems that needed to be addressed effectively. "We appear to be living in an era in which the severity of environmental problems is increasing faster than our policy responses," the report said.

    "To avoid the threat of catastrophic consequences, we need new policy approaches to change the direction and magnitude of drivers of environmental change."

    The report was drafted and researched by almost 400 scientists, all experts in their fields, whose findings were subjected to review by another 1000 of their peers.

    Scientists conducting the review, 157 of whom were nominated by 48 governments, were split into groups of expertise for each of the 10 chapters of the report. Other experts were selected from more than 50 research centres in 47 countries.

    Marion Cheatle, of the program, said damage sustained to the environment was of fundamental economic concern, and if unchecked would affect growth.

    The report assessed the impact on the environment since 1987. Climate change was identified as one of the most pressing problems but the condition of fresh water supplies, agricultural land and biodiversity were considered to be of equal concern.

  • Antarctic melt blows climate models

    Antarctica already contributing to rising sea levels: Recent accurate satellite measurements of gravity fields over Antarctica showed that Antarctica was already contributing to sea-level rise, which was not thought to be the case at the time of the 2001 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report and was not included in the sea-level projections in the latest IPCC report in 2007. The upshot was that the WAIS, and indeed the whole Antarctic Ice Sheet, might be contributing to sea-level rise earlier than expected. At what point this process became irreversible due to the accelerated disintegration effects already mentioned for the WAIS was uncertain, but a 3-4°C global warming might well take it beyond the tipping point.

    Many major cities would be flooded: The disintegration of the WAIS would mean a sea-level rise of 5-6 metres with huge impacts on Australia. The combined effect of the melting of Greenland and rapid disintegration of part, or all of, the Antarctic ice sheet would result in unprecedented damage and disruption to civilisation. Most of the major and historic coastal cities of the world would be almost totally destroyed, or, given huge expenditure over centuries, turned into walled cities not unlike New Orleans before hurricane Katrina. We would no longer be concerned about the sinking of Venice, but of London, Lisbon, New York, Shanghai, Bangkok, Calcutta, Lagos and dozens of other major cities that lay at the roots of our civilisation. Extensive low-lying areas of several major Australian cities such as Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane would be affected.

    Reference: "Dangerous Aspiration: Beyond 3ºC Warming in Australia". A report commissioned by WWF-Australia, published September 2007; written and researched by Dr A. Barrie Pittock, PSM, former leader of the CSIRO Climate Impacts Group and author of "Climate change: Turning up the Heat". Copyright WWF – Australia, all rights reserved. Contact: WWF – Australia Head Office, Level 13, 235 Jones St, Ultimo, NSW 2007. Phone: +612 9281 5515 Fax: +612 8281 1060 Website: http://www.wwf.org.au

    Erisk Net, 25/10/2007, p. 18

  • Companies calculate cost of carbon tax

    Compensation available: However, the net cost of emissions trading for these companies was likely to be far less. Not only would they be able to pass some costs to customers, but also these companies would all be likely to be able to claim compensation. Under the federal government’s proposed emissions trading scheme, companies operating in trade-exposed industries would be allowed to claim free permits to offset the cost of carbon price. But the details of these arrangements were still being discussed with industry, wrote Breusch.

    Many companies listed by CDP: While the Carbon Disclosure Project listed only those companies that responded to its requests, that included 74 per cent of the S&P/ASX 50 and all but one company in the S&P/ASX 20. Responding to the CDP, BlueScope had said it was too early to estimate the likely cost of emissions trading.

    The Australian Financial Review, 24/10/2007, p. 7

  • Western Australia plans for water efficiency

    Plumbing designed to keep options open: "Stage 2, the next phase to be introduced next year, will require the plumbing of new homes be done to ensure that they can be connected to an approved alternative water supply at a later date. An alternative water supply might be a water tank, a bore, or pipes for recycled water.

    Garden lovers need alternative supply…: "New homes with a high water demand for landscaping will need an approved alternative water supply for appropriate non-potable use.

    …big water users too: "New homes with a high water demand for internal use will also need an approved alternative water supply for appropriate non-potable use.

    Good guide for existing homes: "While codes will be mandatory for all new homes approved from September 2007, owners of existing homes can also use the ratings tools under 5 Star Plus to find out how to make savings around their existing homes.

    Easy retrofitting: "The great part about the initiatives in this phase of the building codes is that they are things that, in many cases, can be retrofitted into our homes. People can change their taps, update their hot water systems and look to the new standards as a way of improving the energy efficiency in their home.

    Building costs to go up: "Will it cost more to build a house? This is one of the questions that has been floating around in this debate. It is viable to introduce these as universal standards because best change comes slowly. When we look at how we want to change things, we must inspire a little bit of new momentum and thinking on an issue that builds up over a number of years.

    Aim to challenge status quo: "From there, in this case, we can inspire builders and providers to begin implementing it, who then begin to build up a culture in the industry until a critical mass is reached, at which stage we can make everyone comply and try to force those who have not been self-motivated to introduce those standards.

    Little red tape: "The great thing also about 5 Star Plus is that it has not resulted in more red tape. The benefits to the consumer of 5 Star Plus are considerable because they will result in lower water and energy bills.

    75pc reduction of hot water bill: "For example, by changing from an electric hot water system to a solar hot water system and using an efficiently controlled booster, the hot water bill in Perth will reduce by about 75 per cent. That will add up to thousands of dollars over the lifetime of the system and offset the initial extra expense considerably.

    Reference: Legislative Council of Western Australia, Thursday 6 September 2007 – Clerk of the Legislative Council and Clerk of the Parliaments – Building Sustainability Index – 5 Star Plus Scheme.

    Erisk Net, 22/10/2007

  • Land clearing caused drought says Uni

    Dr McAlpine headed the research with Queensland Natural Resources and Water Department (DNRW) principal scientist Jozef Syktus.

    "Our work shows that the 2002-03 El Nino drought in eastern Australia was on average two degrees hotter because of vegetation clearing," Dr McAlpine said.

    "Based on this research, it would be fair to say that the current drought has been made worse by past clearing of native vegetation."

    The research’s co-authors are the UQ’s Dr Hamish McGowan, Associate Professor Stuart Phinn and Dr Ravinesh Deo as well as Dr Peter Lawrence of the University of Colorado and Dr Ian Watterson of CSIRO.

    Dr McAlpine said their research showed average summer rainfall decreased by between four and 12 per cent in eastern Australia, and four and eight per cent in southwest Western Australia – regions that have had the most extensive clearing over the years.

    He said eastern Australia was between 0.4 and two degrees warmer, and southwest WA was between 0.4 and 0.8 degrees warmer.

    "Native vegetation moderates climate fluctuations and this has important, largely unrecognised consequences for agriculture and stressed land and water resources," Dr McAlpine said.

    "Australian native vegetation holds more moisture that subsequently evaporates and recycles back as rainfall.

    "It also reflects into space less short-wave solar radiation… and this process keeps the surface temperature cooler and aids cloud formation."

    The study titled "Modelling Impacts of Vegetation Cover Change on Regional Climate" will be published later this year in Geophysical Research Letters, the journal of the American Geophysical Union.