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We won the Good Chip Award!

Thank you to the Chesapeake Regional Technology Council, the Chesapeake Innovation Center, and all of our friends in the region for your continued support, motivation and encouragement!  We're growing so rapidly and we could not have achieve this without all of you!

Say "YES" to Electric Vehicles and Electric Vehicle Charging Stations!

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New York City's Underground Eco Park

By Philip Blum

An underground trolley terminal is being reconstructed in the heart of New York City’s Lower East Side.  The revitalize project could bring a new park to the city’s underground and an innovative solar lighting technology to the forefront of sustainability. 

Located at the entrance to the Williamsburg Bridge, the park covers approximately 1.5 acres of NYC’s underground.  Roughly a football field in size, the location is well-known to architects and city planners in the metropolitan area.  Robert Moses, the famed twentieth century builder, helped to demolish the sprawling tenement buildings that were located in the area, making room for a more modern example of public housing.  The Lower East Side housed many first generation immigrant families until the turn of the century.

As the former site of Williamsburg Trolley Terminal, the park construction will also make an impact on many of the pedestrians in the area as well.  The intersection at Delancey and the Williamsburg Bridge is one of the most dangerous in Manhattan.  As one of the busiest and widest streets in the city, the underground terminal may steer pedestrians away from the commotion and traffic above. 

Similar to the recently constructed High Line Park, which transformed an abandoned elevated rail track in the Upper West Side, the new Eco Park will also bring foliage to an abandoned Industrial Age structure.

As the brain child of James Ramsey, of RAAD Studios (NYC architectural firm), and Dan Barasch, Vice President of the social innovation network at PopTech,  the Low Line Eco Park will harvest light from the streets above.  The new solar lighting technology was invented by Ramsey after working for NASA before transitioning to design.  The lighting system captures concentrated sunlight and transfers it underground through a network of fiber optic cables.  The solar lighting will not only filter light to the space but allow the subterranean park to house 60,000 feet of flowers, trees and ponds.  The process will also block harmful UV rays, propagating a healthy, natural light throughout the underground space.

Rather than demolish historic spaces like this, a new generation of architects are attempting to shine a greener light on urban renewal.  Utilizing existing structures and features, architects can cut on costs and save valuable materials in exchange for existing ones.  Installing green technologies can make the urban renewal process not only conservationist, but sustainable for a period of time.

The project has come a long way since its start and is finally gaining the attention of the transit authority, who currently owns the space.  Thanks to its popularity kickstarter.com, the project has raised a feasible amount of support and money.  Visit the project’s home website at Delancey Underground.

Philip Blum is a recent graduate from Pratt Institue in Brooklyn New York.  He is the Multimedia Intern at SemaConnect.

Sustaining the change in Charlotte

Charlotte, North Carolina, isn't the first place you would think of, when asked for the most sustainable city in the US. Best known, perhaps, as the nerve-center of octane-fueled motor-sports (thanks to NASCAR being headquartered here) Charlotte is home to the second-largest financial district outside of Wall Street. It is also one of the least walkable of America's 50 biggest cities, according to a recent survey of 'walkability'.

But Charlotte is changing. As one the fastest-growing cities in the US, its increasingly young and tech-savvy residents are keen to grasp at future potential. And in the last decade, the Queen City has seen the future potential for 'clean energy' writ large indeed. Branding itself as the 'The New Energy Capital', there is a real buzz of sustainability about town these days. Many Charlotteans see their city as an incubator for the urban future of America – a practical example of how any city can become a sustainable community.

The vision thing

That vision has seen a host of initiatives looking to turn good-intentions into real-world results. Foremost among these is Envision Charlotte, an project to transform the uptown financial district into a low-energy, smart-grid-enabled hub. ′This is an unprecedented plan to align business interests with smart grid technology in a way that can propel Charlotte to the forefront of energy efficiency in commercial and government buildings,′ said Michael Regan of the local Environmental Defense Fund.

It's not just Charlotte's home-towners with the green vision. President Obama chose Charlotte recently to make his major speech on the clean economy, announcing a $1b stimulus package to get alternative energy transport moving faster. "We can't just keep on relying on the old ways of doing business. We can't just rely on fossil fuels from the last century. We've got to continually develop new sources of energy," he said.

Charlotte sweet for sun and wind

And it is just such new sources of energy that form the foundation North Carolina's transformation. The south-east state is that rare thing on the eastern sea-board– a real sweet spot for both solar and wind power. The solar resource won't be a surprise, to those familiar with Charlotte's long hot summers; but the wind potential is something else.

The broad shallows fringing the Atlantic coast, to the east, are ideal for offshore wind development – with enough wind to power the whole state. Even better, the wind is strongest in the summer and afternoons, making it the perfect renewable to tap, to keep the state cool in those sweltering months. Plans were revealed at the recent Southeastern Coastal Wind Conference – held in Charlotte – to open three coastal areas to bids from offshore wind developers.

"We are talking about something really gigantic, right next door, that's not been tapped into at all," Ned Farquhar, from the state's Interior Department, told the Charlotte Observer recently. To match that gigantic potential, one the titans of Charlotte's energy scene – Duke Energy – plans to get its wind turbines wet. It is taking part in a study of what effect offshore wind power will have on the state. Duke Energy are a recurring partner for Charlotte's burgeoning sustainability efforts, being involved in Envision Charlotte, and several other initiatives, recently.

'Research Triangle Region' spearheading sustainability

Away from the windy Carolina coastline, the intellectual powerhouse of Charlotte's drive to 21^st century sustainability lies in smart-energy tech companies of the 'Research Triangle Region'. Charlotte already has a deep expertise locally in the energy sector – with 240-plus energy-slanted firms calling Charlotte home. Traditionally these firms have focused on big engineering – nuclear, coal and grid infrastructure.

But the Research Triangle Region, spearheaded by the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC), has different energy ace up is sleeve – the 'smart grid'. This new way of distributing electricity, with intelligence built-in to the grid, is going to be vital the sustainable transition. The count of 'smart grid' companies in the Triangle has surpassed 60, according to a report from Duke University, and is already employing at least 3,000 people.

Death of dumb power

The need to add some 'sass' to the electrical grid is being driven by two factors. On the one hand, sustainable power means a a heavy reliance on renewables – but also an increased variability in power. On the other, the division between energy producer and consumer is blurring – households can now produce excess power from their solar panels, for example. The electrification of personal transport – with the rise of the EV – is also expected to rework electricity demand.

These all add to the urgency for the binning of the current centralized, one-way distribution of power. That's where the Future Renewable Electric Energy Delivery and Management (FREEDM) System Center comes in. A $18 million project from North Carolina State University, it is hoping to make the smart grid real, using a combination of fast EV charging infrastructure, new storage technology, and digital grid management systems.

EVs shaping the evolving 'smart grid'

The need for ramping-up the EV charging infrastructure has been recognized, too, by Power2Charlotte, a program set-up by the City of Charlotte to promote spending under the DoE's  Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Fund. $275,000 has already gone towards an EV  pilot, setting up 28 charging stations around the city, and kitting the City's fleet with another 8 EVs.

In fact EVs lie at the heart of efforts to make dispersed urban centers, such as Charlotte, sustainable. Firstly, they remove the load of local pollutants from the tailpipe, cutting problems, such as particulate pollution and ozone smogs, in one fell swoop. Secondly they provide a spur to the greening of the back-end power generation. Those choosing EVs will want to see their electricity supply with as low a carbon-footprint as possible – which can be fed by developing solar and wind resources.

Electric cars can also become an integral part of the smart grid, where plugged-in EVs may act as energy storage buffers, to the benefit of utility companies and EV owners alike. All told, Charlotte may be one of those cities where the pieces of the sustainability puzzle are finally coming together. And if Charlotte can make the transition, the rest of urban America can't be far behind.

Martin is a freelance writer from the UK, who specializes in writing on the strategic impact of environmental issues. After a 10-year sojourn as an analyst at Brady plc –  a Cambridge-based provider of services to commodity investment banking professionals – Martin set himself up as self-employed writer at the beginning of 2010. Since then he has written for a number of environmental websites and companies, and has been one of the principle journalists for green news website, The Earth Times

EV's and M2M Technology

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The “smart” wave is coming, and it’s only a matter of time before machine-to-machine (M2M) communication is incorporated in nearly every major electrical device on the market. Although the wide-reaching repercussions of M2M technology are not fully understand, one thing is for sure: M2M will drastically alter how individuals “connect” with their technology, and offer innovative new solutions for environmental sustainability.

And in no way are these changes more apparent, than with the emerging EV market.

About M2M Communication

M2M technology basically allows two or more devices to connect and communicate with each other wirelessly. For instance, the installation of smart grids has begun in earnest in many cities across the U.S., and allows device in your home to communicate with your utility. You can set your appliances to turn on during off-peak hours for energy savings, and get a more detailed report of your electricity consumption at the end of the month.

Mobile (smart) phones, tablet computers, and other mobile devices have all been pivotal in the M2M transformation, as these devices serve as “gateways” or “access-points” for users to access and interact with this new information.

Ultimately, M2M technology provides consumers with the ability to achieve easy, cost-effective, and immediate “smart living”, and it will be a defining feature of the impending technological transformation.

Electric Vehicle and M2M Technology

People are often intimately connected with their means of transportation, so it would make sense to incorporate smart technology in vehicles. So far, the small yet burgeoning EV market has been incorporating M2M in a big way.

Take the new Ford Focus Electric, for instance. The MyFord Interface allows you to connect with your car remotely via your smart phone, thus allowing you to view and interact with your driving data, car charging information, and a range of other datasets.

The Ford Focus Electric therefore becomes more than a means of transportation: it becomes an EV ownership lifestyle.

EV Charging Stations

EV charging stations also offer innovative new ways to incorporate M2M and smart grid technology.

For instance, many developers of charging stations offer software and applications to connect EV owners with their network of stations. Often times charging data, charging station location, and billing can all be accessed from an individual’s smart phone.

Charging stations that are connected to a smart grid can also communicate with the utility to take advantage of favorable electricity pricing, and slow down or stop car charging when electricity is most expensive.

The Way Forward

Although M2M technology is still in its early days, it shows great promise in revolutionizing how individuals interact with their homes, their electrical devices, and their means of transportation. So far the EV market has taken advantage of these new technological advances and incorporated them in both EVs and EV charging stations.

But as the EV market is still in its early stages, who knows what revolutionary ideas the future may bring.

 Joseph Tohill is a freelance writer and online communications specialist for organizations in the sustainability sector. He has a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of British Columbia and spent most of his academic career studying sustainable urban development; namely the interdisciplinary relationship between built form and natural environment.

Portland’s “Electric Avenue” as an Alternative Transportation Hub

Portland State University realizes that electric vehicles currently represent only a small percentage of Oregon’s automobile fleet. But like other research campuses across the United States, they realize that it’s only a matter of time before EVs become mainstream, and it wants to establish itself as leading green transportation researcher long before then.

Recently, PSU has directed its attention towards the relationship between EV charging stations and urban form. It has transformed a whole block of downtown Portland into a one-way corridor for EVs, decked out with special parking spaces and 6 brand new EV charging stations. Dubbed Electric Avenue by the university, it is what you might call an EV-owner’s “oasis” in the middle of the city.

Now 6 months after the public launch of Electric Avenue, it’s time to take a step back and determine what we can learn about the new development.

A recent article in Forbes has already detailed the 10 biggest lessons learned from Electric Avenue. But I want to take a step even further back and look at how the strategic placement of charging stations such as Electric Avenue represents a wider societal shift towards fluid or intermodal methods of transportation. More specifically, the Electric Avenue demonstrates how EV charging stations are a key entry-point into fluid transportation networks of the future.

Fluid Transportation Networks

As urban environments densify and consumers increasingly embrace sustainability, more people are turning towards alternative forms of transportation such as electric vehicle, bicycles, street-cars, and walking. Frequently, individuals will take more than one form of transportation over the course of their journey.

For instance, vehicle sharing programs have opened up convenient, sustainable transportation to urban dwellers in cities across the country (Car2Go has a new EV fleet in San Francisco). Sometimes to get to one of these vehicles, an individual might take a bike, walk, or utilize public transit.

Or on the other side of the coin, a person might use a Zipcar to arrive at a public transit hub (such as a subway or bus depot). Either way, these alternative forms of transportation form an intermodal network that increasing numbers of urban dwellers are embracing.

Electric Avenue: Location Analysis

One of the key things PSU observed about Electric Avenue, was that it was situated in an ideal location to tap into Portland’s intermodal transportation network. It not only provided a place for EV owners to charge their cars, it also served as an entryway into Portland’s fluid network of alternative transportation.

Electric Avenue is bordered by bike paths and pedestrian boulevards. Portland’s streetcar system can be accessed from neighboring PSU Urban Plaza, which can take one either North to downtown, or South to South Waterfront. Bus and light rail options are located at nearby Portland Transit Mall.

This plethora of transportation options means that EV owners who charge their cars at Electric Avenue are not isolated in this one area while their EVs charge.

For instance, PSU noticed that many EV owners would leave Electric Avenue while their car was charging and take nearby streetcars into the city’s commercial core. Since EVs require time to charge anyways, they could fulfill other tasks in their daily journey without remaining solely dependent on their vehicle.

Furthermore, the close proximity of hospitality services and stores near Electric Avenue provides EV drivers with convenient shopping options while going for a quick charge. (And on a side note, many retailers have realized the benefits of locating charging stations on their properties for their EV-owing clientele.)

Concluding Points

Portland’s Electric Avenue is more than a place to charge an EV; it serves as an important node in Portland’s alternative transportation network and a significant hub for Oregon’s EV owners. These EV hubs will play an increasingly important role in cities as people turn towards sustainability and alternative transportation.

It will be interesting to see how Electric Avenue will develop over the years as EVs become a more prevalent form of transportation.

Joseph Tohill is a freelance writer and online communications specialist for organizations in the sustainability sector. He has a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of British Columbia and spent most of his academic career studying sustainable urban development; namely the interdisciplinary relationship between built form and natural environment.

Don't let LEED proposal stall the drive to EVs

LEED is more than just an environmental 'stamp of approval' for buildings, that gives owners and occupants a warm green glow. A whole raft of state mandates, incentives and low-interest loans are tied to getting LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certification. With commercial, industrial and residential buildings accounting for 40% of carbon emissions – not to mention a substantial slice of material resources, renewable and otherwise – it's no exaggeration to say that where LEED goes, so goes the direction of the budding green economy.

So when the LEED certification process throws up the prospect of pulling the rug out from one of the cornerstones of the clean energy transformation – the electric car (or EV) – it's time to sit up and take note. That's what's on the agenda of the LEED 2012 process, which seeks to withdraw the LEED points allocated to buildings hosting Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (EVCS). LEED Certificates are issued to buildings using a point-scoring scheme, with credits for positive environmental features. Currently, alternative fueling stations – such as EV chargers – earn extra points to for that all-important LEED certificate.

Restricted vision?

But in the Location and Transportation section of LEED 2012, the credit's scope has been severely restricted, applying only schools and warehouses. If the revision gets through the upcoming vote on the LEED 2012 standard, it would throw a major spanner into the process of rolling out a robust EV charging network. And that matters hugely. A fast-switch to electrical transport is an absolute prerequisite for the cleaning and greening of the US transport sector.

The timing is also worrying. The last year-and-a-half have seen a real shift in the EV equation. With gas prices high, and auto-makers piling into EVs, there is a gathering momentum behind electric-car adoption. But for it to gain a critical mass, the network must be built quickly. And building owners are in a prime position to supply such a network.

They can leverage up on their building stock, turning parking lots into electric-refueling points. But without the incentive provided by the LEED accreditation process, there is every chance that EVCS may slip right off their priority lists.

Backward-looking view of EV's potential

So why have the LEED 2012 drafters plumped for such a self-defeating measure? A clue lies in the reply to public comments by Chris Marshall, a LEED Technical Development Associate. It seems the environmental credentials of EVs are being seriously critiqued by some members of the TAG (Technical Advisory Group) advising on the LEED 2012 document:

′The Location and Planning TAG currently has concerns about the life cycle-impact of plug-in electric vehicles versus that of hybrid or low-emitting vehicles,′ said Marshall. According to him, the TAG's research ′indicated that the "jury's out" on whether an electric vehicle plugging into a dirty energy source has better overall environmental performance′

So influential members in the USGBC are concerned enough about the EV's environmental credentials to remove LEED support from them. While keeping road transport gas-guzzling seems counter-intuitive, for an organization promoting environmental sustainability, do they have a point? Are electric cars only as clean as the electricity supplying them?

Green energy catalyst

Superficially the argument seems plausible – but there are three factors that reveal it to be damagingly short-sighted. First, even with the current US energy mix, which is still 'carbon heavy', studies show EVs winning out on total life-cycle emissions. And the carbon emissions of the US electricity grid are lowering year-by-year, a process that's set to continue. Secondly, emissions from the tailpipe really are zero for EVs. A host of locally-damaging pollutants, that cause serious health issues in cities – from particulate pollution to ozone-formation – are not an issue with EVs.

And thirdly, those critical of EV adoption miss a vital point. By making transport electric, the Gordian knot of how to handle moderns society's kinetic needs, sustainably, can be sliced through. Alternatives, such as hydrogen and biofuels, are hedged with serious technological and environmental hurdles. EVs are not. Let's hope the LEED membership can see beyond a gross simplification of the issue, and avoid shooting out the tires of the EV revolution, before it really gets spinning.

Martin is a freelance writer from the UK, who specializes in writing on the strategic impact of environmental issues. After a 10-year sojourn as an analyst at Brady plc –  a Cambridge-based provider of services to commodity investment banking professionals – Martin set himself up as self-employed writer at the beginning of 2010. Since then he has written for a number of environmental websites and companies, and has been one of the principle journalists for green news website, The Earth Times