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1. T. Boone's Got A Case of Green Financing Anxiety
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2. Bob Lutz Shanks GM's Apologetic Stance
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3. GREEN GIFT GUIDE: Cheap Gifts Under $20
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4. Grasshopper Folding Bike Generates Pedal Power
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5. Daily Sprout
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6. Better Place Goes to Japan
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7. Save Money with Great Discount Codes for Green Gifts
T. Boone's Got A Case of Green Financing Anxiety
Katie Fehrenbacher - Energy
During an interview with hedge fund manager and wannabe-wind-developer T. Boone Pickens last month in New York, we got the impression that Pickens was hopefully optimistic that his massive wind project would be able to meet its previous construction timeline. Despite repeated questioning from a group of reporters on the feasibility of his timeline and plan, Pickens remained positive and insisted that, despite any potential delays, the wind farm would be built.
It now sounds like the inability to raise either debt or equity for his plan is making him downright nervous, and he has shaken that initial positivity. Pickens told a group of reporters in New York yesterday that he is “anxious” over the financing.
“Where’s the money is the question. I don’t know how we’ll do it. I’m anxious to see what Obama comes up with. There is no money to finance a wind project now . . . I’m a little anxious.”
I mean, what’s there to be worried about? Just that $2 billion his firm already spent on the wind farm, the $58 million spent on promoting the Pickens Plan, the fact that his hedge fund is down $2 billion this year, and the massive global recession.
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Bob Lutz Shanks GM's Apologetic Stance
Katie Fehrenbacher - Automotive
GM sure sounded apologetic in its full-page ad in the trade journal Automotive News, this week, in which the beleaguered auto maker acknowledged its shortcomings and admitted mistakes like not paying attention to a changing market. But that was before GM’s Vice Chairman Bob Lutz gave a video interview with CNBC where Lutz appeared to shift the blame to the overall poor market conditions for the global auto industry.
When the interviewer asked Lutz what he thought of all the fingers being pointed at GM’s CEO Rick Wagoner, Lutz said:
That’s like blaming the mayor of a city that’s been hit by an earthquake. . . . That’s in the category of a sacrificial lamb.
Throughout the interview Lutz said GM’s failings were largely due to the overall collapse of the auto market globally, citing the weak economy and credit crisis, and he insisted that GM matched the productivity and quality of the Japanese automakers. He also said the situation has been severely misrepresented by the media. Well, that’s going to win them a lot of points this week as the details of the bailout are laid out. (Oh, and another thing: He actually argued with the term bailout, saying they are better categorized as “short term loans”).
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GREEN GIFT GUIDE: Cheap Gifts Under $20
Alexandra Kain - 2008 Holiday Gift Guide
We’re all feeling the pinch of the economic downturn these days, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t still enjoy a little green holiday shopping without spending too much green. Despite what some people think, ‘Eco’ can still be ECOnomical. For many of us here at Inhabitat, this is our first holiday season in a recession and boy do we love a challenge. If you liked last year’s $50 and Under Gift Guide, you’ll be delighted to see we’ve lowered the ante. At less than $20, these gifts are designed for maximum usability and minimal impact on both the environment and your wallet.
Grasshopper Folding Bike Generates Pedal Power
Jorge Chapa - Kinetic Energy
There’s nothing that we love more than a well-designed bike, so we get excited when designers take a long hard look at one and give us a vision of things to come. David Gonçalves’ Grasshopper is a folding electric bicycle that not only serves as a means of transportation, but can also become a stationary exercise bike and can even generate and store kinetic energy.
Daily Sprout
Josie Garthwaite - Misc
UN Climate Chief Calls Progress in Poznan Too Slow for Comprehensive Treaty in ‘09: Delegates from 190 countries at the UN’s climate talks in Poznan, Poland this week planned to sign a treaty at a conference in Copenhagen next year, finalizing an agreement to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. The UN’s top climate change official told reporters this week he thinks negotiations are not moving quickly enough for delegates to reach a “fully elaborate and comprehensive agreement” by then. — Bloomberg
One $15B Automaker Bailout, Coming Right Up: Congressional Democrats delivered a draft of a $15 billion bailout plan for the auto industry to the White House yesterday afternoon. Officials there said work remains to ensure financing goes only to automakers with credible plans for long-term viability. Negotiations are drawing to a close, however, and Congress will most likely vote on the package this week. — New York Times
Honda, Nissan, Toyota Execs Call Car Tech Game Wide Open: If you think the future of the auto industry belongs to the makers of today’s fuel-sippers, think again, say executives from Japan’s top three car companies. From Honda: “Sure, there’s all kinds of hype about electric vehicles and hybrids and fuel-cell cars, but no one has the breakthrough technology to bring them into the mainstream.” — Reuters
How Carbon-Footprint Reduction Services Really Work: Carbopposites, self-organized worldwide concert events, and Amazon tree-plantings based on your lifestyle data are all part of the carbon-offset process recently illuminated by “America’s Finest News Source.” — The Onion
Picture This — Floating Offshore Wind Power Platforms: Researchers at MIT and elsewhere are investigating oil-rig-inspired “tension-leg” platforms for wind turbines. Norway-based SWAY has a prototype for a spar buoy platform that requires less anchoring than the tension-leg option. Can’t picture it? No problem: This post is peppered with informative illustrations. — The Oil Drum
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Better Place Goes to Japan
David Ehrlich - Automotive
Electric car charging network developer Better Place made another step toward global domination, announcing late yesterday that it’s joining a government pilot project in Japan to test electric vehicle infrastructure in the country. This is the fourth project that the California startup has announced since October.
Over in Israel, where Better Place has its main research and development center, the company also unveiled its first charging station, plugging in an electric car at a movie theater parking lot (see photo). The charging stations are expected to be deployed throughout Israel, as well as in Denmark, Australia, California and Hawaii.
The Japan project isn’t focusing on charging stations from Better Place — it’ll be the first country in the world to test out the company’s battery exchange station. Yokohama, in Kanagawa prefecture, will be the first location to demonstrate the company’s ability to exchange a depleted electric vehicle battery for a fully charged one.
And there could be more on the way from Better Place in the Asia Pacific region. Better Place founder and CEO Shai Agassi, who used to head up the products and technology group at software firm SAP, named a former colleague to head up Better Place’s operations in Japan and the Asia Pacific region overall. Better Place Japan will be led by Kiyotaka Fujii, former president and CEO of Louis Vuitton’s Japanese subsidiary and former head of SAP Japan.
Better Place announced its last deal just seven days ago, unveiling plans to set up a car charging network in Hawaii, it’s second project in the U.S. In November, Better Place moved in on California, saying it would start with the Bay Area for its first U.S. network.
The project in Japan is scheduled to begin in January and last only 3-6 months, covering areas in Kanagawa, Aichi, Osaka, and Hyogo prefectures. Better Place said it’s the only foreign company participating in the Ministry of Environment pilot project, teaming up with Fuji Heavy Industries, which makes Subaru vehicles, as well as other Japanese automakers in the project.
Missing from the Japan project (as well as both U.S. deals) is any mention of Better Place’s vehicle partner, the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Renault-Nissan is working with Better Place in Israel, Denmark and Australia, but it also has a deal, separate from Better Place, to work on an electric vehicle project in Kanagawa prefecture in Japan. It’s not clear if the alliance, which includes Tokyo-based Nissan Motor, is included in this latest Ministry of Environment pilot project. Renault-Nissan has also made deals separate from Better Place to offer electric vehicles in Portugal, France and the state of Tennessee in the United States.
Last month, New York’s Ener1, a developer of batteries, fuel cells and nanomaterials, made its own move on Japan, signing a deal with Japan’s Kyushu Electric Power to develop electric car charging stations on Kyushu, the country’s southernmost island. The first charging station from Ener1 and Kyushu Electric is expected to be available by March.
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Save Money with Great Discount Codes for Green Gifts
jchait - Home & Garden
I found some nice discount codes for green gift items this month. I’ve posted them just about everywhere, but then thought, HEY, Best Green Home Tip readers might like these too.
Save on Dwell goodies:
Not all Dwell items are eco-friendly. Many are though, and this is a nice sale. Just check materials before buying if you’re looking for all perfectly green items.
Save on Night Owl Paper Goods items such as, eco-cards, reusable bags, sustainable calendars and more! (see items below code - click on the product image to learn more)
:: Night Owl Paper Goods Owliday Discount :: www.nightowlpapergoods.com
:: Receive 25% off ALL ORDERS now thru Dec. 31st! :: Coupon Code friend08
:: Share with friends! :: Use over & over!
Green Christmas Shopping - 3RLiving Exclusive Discount to Unplugged Living - 3R Living has the coolest green gear, and now, you can score it for less.
Easy, less expensive, green holiday shopping! Gotta love it.
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