International Media Studies Vol 1
Published by International Institute for Journalism / InWent & Deutsche Welle
April 2010
Dossier: The Climate Challenge – Good Ideas from Berlin Interview with Green Party climate expert Page 2 nEWS World
Bio-shoes & eco-tortillas: visit to a green shop Page 2
Solar energy as a beauty business Page 3
Test-driving a hydro car in Berlin Page 4
Nightmare or paradise?
Enough global wind power – for Italy Wind power grew by around 30 per cent in 2009, the highest rate since 2001. All wind turbines installed by the end of 2009 worldwide are generating 340 TWh per annum, equivalent to the total electricity demand of Italy, equalling two per cent of global electricity consumption. Moreover, the wind sector in 2009 employed 550,000 persons worldwide. In the year 2012, the wind industry is expected to offer 1 million jobs for the fi rst time, the World Wind Energy Association (WWEA) said. Europe
The greenest and cleanest cities in Europe are all in the north. Winner is Copenhagen, followed by Stockholm and Oslo. Vienna and Amsterdam are next. The German capital Berlin takes the eighth place in the ranking of the European Green city index . Measured were among others CO2 emissions, air quality, water and waste.
Key facts on climate Emission explosion: Since 1990 emissions from fossil fuels alone have risen from 21 to 30 billion tons per year. China has tripled its output to 6 billion tons.
Foto: fl ickr
Clean Copenhagen
A highway with eight lanes full of polluting cars, framed by a - deforested - hill with a wind park: This Californian scenario offers a glimpse into the future – and it is not yet clear where humanity is heading. This dossier explores eco-friendly initiatives and ideas from Berlin to confront the climate challenge
“Man is causing climate change – there is no doubt” Institute in Potsdam is a constant warning voice on climate change
Key culprits of CO2 emissions, % Energy 7.9
2.8
Industry 25.9
By AnA CristinA Wegelin
Forestry (incl. deforestation) Agriculture
13.5
Transport 19.4 17.4
Residential and commercial buildings Waste and wastewater
Warmest decade: The last decade starting in 2010 was the warmest in 150 years. 2009 was the fi fth warmest year ever on record. Fatal consequences: Only 1oC warming-up leads to 30% more hurricanes. Africa’s rain-fed agriculture could be reduced by as much as 50% by a temperature rise. Impact on people: 20 million people were displaced by climate related disasters in 2008. By 2050 this could rise to 200 million people. Ocean rise: Ocean levels currently rise 3mm per year. 1961 to 1993 they rose at an average rate of 1.8mm per year. Sources: UNFCCC, PIK, UN, IPCC Report 2007, World Meteorological Organization
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n the surroundings of Berlin, the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), one of the most acknowledged climate research centers in the world, is a reference on alerting society about the consequences of global warming. We visited the centre. The calm voice of Prof. Dr. Anders Levermann contrasts the serious messages he’s been bringing across for the past years. The 37-year-old specialist in climate dynamics at PIK is very precise when explaining about the possible disastrous consequences of global warming such as the melting of the ice glaciers that cover the soil in Greenland and Antarctic. For Levermann it is very clear, and no battering about scientific conduct has afflicted the message: Human action is the cause of global warming. And yes, there is scientific proof of an increase of average global temperature of 0.8 degree Celsius since the pre-industrial period.
Levermann is one of 270 employees at PIK who have become a distinguished source for decisionmaking all over the world. PIK was founded in 1992 and is financed by the Federal Republic of Germany and the Federal State of Brandenburg. Prof. Levermann elaborated mainly on three findings: The warning: The limit of 2oC
Foto: PIK
13.1
Green visionary: Prof. Anders levermann of the Potsdam institute
pensive than other estimates say. The studies point to improving energy efficiency and boosting the use of renewable energy sources, such as energy efficient buildings, to stimulate the use of biomass. and to capture and store industrial emissions of carbon dioxide, for instance in underground geological formations and in the deep oceans. The worry: If nobody listens
Climate experts emphasize the importance of reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases - carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and other harmful gases - by at least fifty per cent by 2050. “That’s a number that is easy to remember, 50 per cent by 2050”, he says, “but it also means that we have only a fifty per cent chance to stay below two degrees of warming-up.” Europe has to reduce its emissions by even 80 and the United States by 90 per cent. But what exactly does the 2oClimit mean? If the increase in global temperature happens to go beyond this limit, achieving 4oC for instance, systems such as the thermohaline circulation in Atlantic Ocean
or the monsoon system, which are important players in climatic conditions in Europe and Asia respectively, may collapse, and both local society and ecosystems may be “damaged in a way that can not be predicted”, the PIK states. The hope: Climate protection less expensive? Providing some light at the end of the tunnel is also a concern of PIK. A group of scientists is constantly evaluating sustainable solutions. They recently published that the cost of achieving and maintaining the 2oC limit can stay under 2.5 percent of the gross world product until 2100, thereby being less ex-
When questioned about his biggest worry, Prof. Levermann expresses what he calls his personal belief: “Society cannot adapt to a 4oC or 5oC warmer world. We don’t know where the break is occurring, but if you have a severe climate catastrophe, and that might be a drought, a flooding, a heat wave, the planet will collapse.” The extreme scenario is: An increase of only 3oC leads to loss of the ice sheet in Greenland causing long-term rise of the sea level by seven meters: Calcutta, Shanghai, Florida and other coastal regions in the world sink. . www.pik-potsdam.de
Dossier: The Climate Challenge – Good Ideas from Berlin
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April 2010
“It‘s normal to be green in Germany” Michael Schaefer, climate expert of Green Party, about eco-mentality and export chances By Amalia Oganjanyan
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Michael Schaefer, 38, is climate expert of Buendnis90/ Die Gruenen. The German Green party was founded in 1980, and merged in 1993 with the civil rights movement Bündnis 90 of the former German Democratic Republic (GDR). From 1998 to 2005 the party was governing together with the Social Democratic Party (SPD). Since autumn 2009 they are in opposition. Today’s parliamentary group is made up of 68 members.
Foto: DIE GRUENE PARTEI
he green culture has changed German society. A “green mentality” is widely spread among the population - and it shows: Germany has the highest reduction of CO2 emissions, ten per cent of the population relies on eco-power. There are 70 million bicycles in private households in a population of 80 million. In this winterview Michael Schaefer, member of the Berlin parliament and speaker of the German Green Party for climate protection, resources and consumers’ rights, talks about the new German lifestyle. What does it mean to be green? A person with a green mentality tries to avoid taking a plane, switches computer and TV off if not in use, closes the door to retain heat inside a room, uses ecopower, tries to buy ecofriendly products, buys expensive shoes that last for a long time rather than cheap ones only for a season. So, one has to be rich to be an evironmentalist? You may need to invest in new refrigerator that saves energy but
mate change become more visible and there is no other choice but to be green. There is only one question: are we fast enough. The faster we are, the more profit a country will make. How did the green movement start in Germany? It started more than 30 years ago with water protection of the river Rhine and the fight against forest pollution. Afterwards it touched more invisible topics like ozone layer. The movement was radical at the beginning, became mainstream in the 80s, however it was not so much an issue during the process of the European unification. In 1998, atomic and nuclear power became a big issue, we adopted a renewable energy law. Today it is normal in Germany to be green. A politician who doesn’t share ecological values has no chance in German politics. The green ideology flourishes in Germany because it has political support?
German Green party
it will pay back later. Green mentality is conservative, in a way. We call it post materialism. Our motto: don’t use more than you really need. Do you consider yourself a radical? No. I depend a lot on technology and modern infrastructure in my life. I produce more CO2 emissions than probably 15 people in Africa. On the other hand, I try to
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I think it was more a bottomup process. We did not have much ecological consciousness in politics until green political movement in the Green Party appeared. Nowadays each German party speaks about environmental issues and they have become economic. The first countries who develop new technologies will have big markets and profits in the next decades. How can Germany export its green ideology ? Since we are highly industrialized and have a high standard of living we do still have a very negative ecological footprint – even though we try to be green. Therefore, I would not consider Germany a role model. My advice to other countries: Make it an economical issue. It has worked for us.
I take my children by bike to kinder garten
take my children to kindergarten by bike four times a week. We do not own a private car, and right now I have switched off my computer since I do not need it. I understand people who criticise us if we do not follow the rules we promote. How green will the future of all of us be? As oil, gas and coal prices get higher and higher, effects of cli-
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. www.gruene.de . www.schaefer.gr
Bio-shoes, eco-tortillas and organic wine How I went shopping in a German green supermarket
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Foto: LPG
and hair shampoos from natural aloe vera. There is a mini children’s playground at the market and children’s clothes are on sale, too, made of natural wool and natural color. For 99 Euro I could walk away with bio shoes, made of pure leather and wooden soles which I will probably come back for. LPG was formed by German business man Werner Schauerte, 51, and his colleague in 1994. Today, they own five markets with a high turnover – and an unusual system. A membership scheme sets different prices for membercustomers and others. A kilo of bananas for example, would cost 1.29 Euro for members and 1.49 Euro for non- members. The bio food chain has 14 000 registered members in Berlin who pay a small deposit fee
do with awareness of food production as one of the causes of climate change? The relationship between agriculture and climate change is twofold: climate change in general adversely affects agriculture and agriculture in turn negatively contributes to climate change (see sidebar). According to environmentalists, carrots for example are better than tomatoes because the latter are grown in
Give us our daily bread – but whole wheat please: Bio bakeries are booming
greenhouses using a lot of heating energy. Beef is bad because cattle emit a lot of greenhouse gases. The customers at LPG Berlin today, however, don’t seem to have the climate change at heart while doing their green shopping. “I don’t think of that”, a mother said. “I mainly shop here because of my young children. I want them to eat healthy.” Another customer, a smartly dressed lady in her Fourties, said: “I like the shop because they have a huge variety of goods, and I do not have to study too many labels since everything is organic here.”- “I had an operation last week and the doctors advised me to eat healthy,” registered a young man. Equipped with warm wooden shelves and plants the LPG bio market offers an atmosphere uncommon in other markets. A fully stocked bio bakery offers dozens of varieties of whole wheat bread. The wine sector boasts of an assortment made of organically grown grapes. Bio tortillas look very tempting as I make my way by escalator to the first floor presenting rows and rows of neatly arranged organic products like juices from fresh fruits
Foto: private
Wooden shelves, cosy athmosphere: green supermarket in Berlin
Foto: LPG
hristine Wandolo, our reporter from Kenya, explored the shelves of Europe’s largest bio shop in Berlin – and even discovered organic shoes at 99 Euro. Next stop, Senefelderplatz. As I get out of the tube I glance at my watch. 9:30 a.m. It is a beautiful, sunny Tuesday morning in April and I am on my way to the ‘Lecker. Preiswert. Gesund. (LPG) Bio Paradise’ at Prenzlauerplatz, Berlin. As I stride into the market I cannot help but wonder: Why bio? A supermarket like this would not be of much significance in my country, at least not by this name. I come from Kenya. An agricultural country where most products are organic. Bio markets in Europe are on the increase. In Germany alone the market share of ecological products among food products have doubled from two per cent in 2000 to more than five per cent in 2007.Does it have anything to
Fruity choices: The reporter and shop owner Werner Schauerte
and a monthly contribution. The location of this branch was purely strategic: Prenzlauerberg is a region in Berlin that is host to affluent young families who want to simultaneously enjoy both natural and city life. The area is rich with wide alleys, many trees and bio markets.
The food-climate link ? An estimated 13–25 per cent of emissions (depending on source) can be traced to the food people eat in industrialized nations ? Raising cattle is the worst accounting for up to 18 per cent of greenhouse gases ? Other culprits: the heating of greenhouses (tomatoes, cucumbers), transport of non-regional food by cars, planes, trains and ships: energy intensive manufacture and distribution of synthetic fertilizers
Sources: UNFCCC, FAO
Contrary to popular belief, bio products here seem not to be necessarily more expensive. A kiwi for example costs 15 cent at the market, pears 80 cent per kilo, apples less than a euro per kilo - the same price as in an ordinary, non-organic shop in Berlin. LPG gets its supplies from Mecklenburg Vorpommern, the rich agricultural hinterland of Berlin. It does import tropical products like coffee and pineapples from countries like my own, Kenya, but ensures that the products are fair-trade. “The fresh product we sell is usually bought within two to three days as no preservatives are used”, says Werner Schauerte. For non-believers he has a ‘licking test’ to offer: “The skin of a bio lemon tastes just pure but nonorganic fruits are either waxed or soaked in chemicals leaving a bitter taste.” . www.fao.org . www.lpg-naturkost.de
Dossier: The Climate Challenge – Good Ideas from Berlin
April 2010
Solar energy gone pretty Sulfurcell betting on sophisticated technology – One of 800 companies at Adlershof research center heading towards a green future By Natalia Karbasova
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By Maryna Grytsai
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3.430 Zeichen
In the future, thin-film solar panels might become one of the basic sources of energy for industrial buildings and households
make sure the line works around tion with solar energy only, it has to the clock. The task of the operators be a mix of different sorts of eneris to observe and check that evegies”, says Axel Neisse, the head of rything runs smoothly. Their work Research and Development Departis accompanied by a steady buzz ment of Sulfurcell. He is sure thincoming from the equipment. film technology is more promising Today, only one per cent of the than conventional solar technoloenergy generated in Germany is gies. “The cost reduction potential produced by solar, or photovoltaic of thin-film technologies is bigger. panels. With solar energy market Their market share is growing degrowing at the spite the criSources of energy in Germany pace of fifteensis“, says the Not green yet: Sources of energy in Germany twenty per specialist. 9% Fossil fuels cent, the situaIt is pre5% Atomic power tion is likely to 4% dicted that by Water change in the 2075 all the Wind Other (incl. solar) nearest future. energy in the 56% “Of course you 26% world will be can’t power renewable. Source: German electricity association (VDEW) the entire naAxel Neisse
Eco-capital Berlin? Chamber of commerce turning a green leaf The IHK promotes environmental companies by intensifying dialogue and cooperation among them – despite their competitive edge. “Dialogue has helped to activate the entire sector”, says Henrik Vagt, director of the department of innovation and environment of the IHK. In the last four years the environmental sector of Berlin’s econo-
Foto: flickr.com
he once-divided German capital might be on its way to becoming the capital of Green. More than five per cent of the country’s green economy market is based in Berlin. Five hundred companies are focusing on environmental technologies and services. Even the – often conservative – Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Industrie- und Handelskammer (IHK) of Berlin, is turning its attention to the green economy.
Feature 4: Foto: Progress Energy
he thinner, the better. This goes not only for models. The Berlinbased company Sulfurcell produces thin-film solar modules and wants this technology to rule the world. Despite the aftermath of the global economic crisis, solar energy production sector in Germany seems to be booming. Thus, Sulfurcell Solartechnik GmbH, one of the leading companies in the German solar energy production market, invested 85 million euros into a new thin-film production line in the Adlershof scientific and technological park in Berlin in October 2010. Technology is called thin-film because layers of a solar cell are extremely thin. Each layer is about half a micron which is about 100 times thinner than a human hair. The end product is 6 mm thick. That means that these solar batteries can be used instead of tiles in building construction and create an aesthetic effect. The line is still at the pilot stage, with the capacity of 2,5 megawatt . In July the capacity of the factory which occupies 1 600 square meters will be increased to 18 megawatt . Later on, the production capacity will rise to 75 megawatt . This energy would be enough to supply 10 000 households with power. When you get into the production facility, the first thing you look for is people. You expect the place to be teeming with staff but in fact there are only twenty operators per shift, with the production being fully automated. Four shifts
Green activities in Berlin: Bicycle rallye starting at the Brandenburg gate
my showed an astounding growth rate of twenty per cent whereas the overall economic growth rate of Germany stands at only 0,8 percent. “Greening” the Berlin economy are especially industry heavyweights which have already won worldwide recognition, among them Solon, one of the largest solar module manufacturers in Europe. More than half of its revenue of over 800 million euros annually is generated outside Germany. Still, Vagt believes that Berlin’s potential as a city of green economy has not yet been fully realized and has therefore made “ecological activities an important part” of the IHK mandate. The chamber organizes conferences, competitions, forums, projects, for instance, the reputed “Dialogforum Green Economy”, a public forum to exchange ideas which takes place several times a year in Berlin Adlershof, in itself one of the largest green technology parks in Germany. According to Mr Vagt the chamber’s environmental activities are twofold: First, promoting the industry’s pioneers which develop, implement and produce climate-friendly technologies and provide services. Secondly, “to
says this has to be faced as a reality rather than a utopia: “The fossil sources of energy will eventually run out. It’s the question of survival, if not for us, then for the next generation”. Despite the rapid market growth, renewable sources of energy are still quite expensive. But it is the question of only several years until they will be able to compete with traditional energy sources. “We expect renewable energies to become competitive between 2012 and 2015, at least for photovoltaic technologies. Thin-film technology can be 30 – 40% cheaper than traditional solar technology in the long run“, says Neisse. After Japan, Germany is the second largest market for photovoltaics in the world and the
About Sulfurcell Sulfurcell was founded in 2003 as a spin-off of HahnMeier-Institut Berlin. Today, the company employs 220 people. Its revenues in 2008 accounted for four million euros. Among the shareholders are Intel Capital, Climate Change Capital, Vattenfall, Gaz de France. most dynamic market in Europe. According to the European Commission report of 2009, there are more than 80 companies involved in production of thin-layer technology in Germany. . www.sulfurcell.de . www.solarwirtschaft.de
also help others to become greener”, as he emphasized. An annual prize award “KlimaSchutzPartner des Jahres” (Climate partner of the year) is given to those employing advanced technology at the workplace. In 2009 among the winners were: ? Energiewohnen, a company specialized on climate-friendly restauration of old buildings, reduced the energy consumption of an apartment building by seventy per cent by implementing energy saving technologies ? Knorr Bremse, the world’s leading manufacturer of cle braking systems, installed an air device in its 17 500 m2 production hall reducing annual CO2 emissions by 103 tons Environment critics say all this is not enough. “Berlin has a huge problem of dilapidation, it is dirtier than New York”, criticized no other than the former president of the Industrialists association (BDI), Hans-Olaf Henkel, who lives in the center of the capital. Henrik Vagt says that Berlin companies are not only motivated to implement green technologies because they are obliged to by law. For him and them it’s also a matter of image: “Otherwise they will lose reputation and customers”, stresses Vagt. . www.green-economy.de . www.berlin.ihk24.de
3 world news France
New kind of power walk Toulouse officials recently announced that they’ll be installing power-generating tiles in the sidewalks in the city center. For two weeks, the test run shall create electricity for street lights through the stamping feet of passers-by. The move is one of the latest in attempts by municipalities and companies to turn the basic elements of daily life into energy-generating activities, from revolving doors to workout equipment. /GreenBiz.com/ Middle East
Transparent waters People in the Arab world need fuller and freer information about shrinking water supplies but their governments are withholding it for fear of fuelling unrest, a United Nations expert said.People in the Middle East and North Africa have access to an an average of just 1,000 cubic metres of water a year, seven times lower than the worldwide rate, according to the U.N. Development Programme (UNDP)’s Arab Human Development Report. As climate change takes its toll and the region’s populations grow at nearly twice the global average, that figure is projected to shrink to just 460 cubic metres by 2025. /Times of India/
South Africa
Kicking for the environment The Football Association of England will pay out around £5,000 to offset the carbon footprint of flying 48 footballers and officials from London to Johannesburg in June to the South Africa World Cup. This will be a part of a new United Nations scheme to cut the environmental impact of major sporting events. The money will go towards solar panels for poor people in Africa so that they cut down fewer trees for firewood. The World Cup in South Africa in 2010 will produce nine times as much carbon dioxide as the last one in Germany, mostly because of hundreds of thousands of fans flying in from around the world. /Daily Telegraph/ Vietnam
Saving Vietnam’s coasts with shrimps The Mekong Delta in Vietnam is threatened by rising sea levels. Mangrove forests offer some protection but they’re being cleared for large shrimp farms. Organic shrimps and tree-planting could be a way out of the dilemma. In some areas, the mangrove saplings are nothing more than a few brittle stalks facing the mighty ocean. But they symbolize hope that perhaps things won’t become so bad and in a few years people will still be able to live in the Mekong Delta even when the sea waters rise. With its vast network of channels, the Mekong Delta is one of Vietnam’s most fertile regions. It’s also one of the most densely populated areas of the world. /Deutsche Welle/
Dossier: The Climate Challenge – Good Ideas from Berlin
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UK
Consumers lose interest in organic food
UK organic sales figures dropped by 13 per cent in 2009 after more than 15 years of continuous yearon-year growth, according to the Soil Association’s annual Organic Market Report published in 2010. The biggest falls were in sales of bread (-39 per cent), chilled foods (-21 per cent) and poultry (-28 per cent). Organic egg sales also fell by 20 per cent but free-range sales continued to increase indicating consumer demand for higherwelfare eggs. However, organic milk sales did show a one per cent growth despite an overall decline in the value of dairy sales. /Ecologist/ Kenya
Polar ice satellite to control melting Kenya played a role in a recent launch of a satellite to determine how fast the earth’s polar icesheets are melting. Scientists at the Italian-run space centre in Malindi, a coastal town in Kenya, were the first to pick a signal from the satellite showing the flight was successful. / AllAfrica Global Media/
On the road to zero emissions Test driving a hydrogen car in Berlin – Opel initiative tests 100 hydrogen cars in US, Asia and Europe to hit the market in 2015 By Cheng-Cheng Zhu
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riving without emissions sounds very enticing, but is it feasible? Heading from West Berlin to the eastern part, we took a city tour with Opel’s first version of a car powered by hydrogen. Even before driving the HydroGen4, an impressive SUV-model Chevrolet Equinox, its appearance and the capacious inside dimension attracted our attention. It’s a very a big car by German standards, looking more like a climate killer, really, than a climate saviour. And would it not certainly need more energy and parking space than a small car? “This is a complex argument”, answers Gerard Planche, the Opel/ General Motors (GM) market test manager, trying to dispel our doubts: “Comfort plays an important role. There are still lots of people who are interested in big size cars. Plus, the emissions of carbon dioxide from bigger models
In spite of his marketing strategy, there is still criticism that the automobile industry is moving far too slow and too late to produce alternative cars. “As an outsider”, the car expert admits, “you may say so but the market was not ready for it earlier.” Opel had developed an e-car in the 60s but took it off the market. Today, climate challenge and global development dictate more efforts: “There are around 900 million vehicles worldwide, 96 percent of them run on fossil fuel. By 2020, the number of vehicles will increase to 1.1 billion needing 70 per cent more energy than today – an
more affordable hydrogen vehicles are to be produced. “When HydroGen4 vehicles are commercialized in 2015, they should cost only a few thousand more than the conventional vehicles”, adds Planche. The mini testing trip has ended. Passers-by did stare at us in our visibly different car. In the not-toodistant future, fuel cell cars could become a common sight on Berlin roads. Before that, however, the developers are still working on one particular feature.
vehicles is that HydroGen4’s fuel cell stack uses 440 single cells which combine hydrogen and oxygen from the air to produce electricity with the only by-product being the water vapour, and therefore zero emissions during driving. The HydroGen4 holds 4.2kg of hydrogen, sufficient for an operating range of up to 320 kilometers. It is fueled with hydrogen in gas form at special gas stations, costs are equal to those of fuel. The refuelling takes only
Foto: © GM
News
April 2010
India
Solar cooking in India
Brazil
Hollywood stars against Amazon dam Director James Cameron is applauding a Brazilian judge’s decision to temporarily halt on huge hydroelectric dam in Belo Monte in Amazon, yet he warns the flight is not over in what he calls a “reallife Avatar” battle in the Amazon. The decision can be appealed by the administrations of President Luiz Lula da Silva, who strongly supports construction of the Belo Monte dam, arguing it will help Brazil meet its evrer-growing energy needs. Environmentalists are sharply opposed. They say it will devastate wildlife and the livelihood of 40,000 people who live in the area to be flooded. /AP/
Tanks Power distribution unit
are several times more harmful to the environment than the emissions of smaller cars”, he argues. In other words, replacing the big polluters by more climate-friendly alternatives might make sense. Off we go. Starting the HydroGen4 vehicle takes a bit longer than starting a fuel engine, but once the green light is on, the car runs almost noiseless and accelerates very fast and smoothly. It’s easy to navigate. 1,7 million kilometres test driving Opel is one of the big German car manufacturers and has recently been in dire economic waters. The hydrogen project is a joint venture with its former mother company (GM) in the US. “It was never abandoned despite all financial problems”, says manager Gerard Planche. 650 engineers are working on the hydrogen and an Emodel (Ampera) to be launched within the next years. 1,7 million kilometres test drives have so far been mastered. “Everybody is enthusiastic” says the 54-year-old. He is convinced: “Tomorrow’s vehicles will be hydrogen and electric power vehicles.”
The inner life of HydroGen4
2 or 3 minutes, but at the moment there are only 2 refuelling stations in Berlin, and some in other big cities in Germany. No wonder then, that the main challenges of the new car model are infrastructures (gas stations), range – and, most of all, costs.
impossible option”, Planche says. Passing the Siegessäule With no more than the slightly audible noise of a sewing machine outside and inside the car, we have passed through the roundabout at the Siegessäule smoothly, and now speed up easily to the next Berlin symbol, the Brandenburg Gate. The main difference between the HydroGen4 and other fuel-driven
The x–ray illustration of HydroGen4 shows the mechanics of the new car. Under the rear seat are three hydrogen tanks.
“We might need an engineer to produce a more noisy engine,” says Planche laughling. Because this is another challenge: The first generation of green cars runs so silently that pedestrians don’t even hear it coming.
The biggest challenge: costs “The biggest challenge certainly is the cost”, admits Planche. Several hundred thousand euros for a HydroGen4 – which has been the cost of developing it – may be far too daunting for regular consumers. But as the technology improves
. www.opel.de/meetopel/umwelt/ index.act . w ww.wisegeek.com/what-is-ahydrogen-car.htm
Green cars in the making Three types of alternative cars are presently being developed: 1 Hybrid vehicles equip two motors – an electric motor and a gasoline powered motor. Compared to gasoline vehicles, hybrids vehicles can reduce emissions roughly by 50%. 2 Electric-power vehicles use electric motors. Main problem: They have a relatively poor range between charges, and recharging can take lengths of time
3 Hydrogen vehicles adopt hydrogen as its onboard fuel, and once in the car do not contribute to carbon dioxide emissions. The global production of hydrogen, however, should for eco-reasons rely also on alternative energy such as solar power Foto: © GM
A new project harnesses the power of the sun for the school canteen in Muni Seva Ashram, a school in the Western Indian state of Gujarat. Their school meals used to be prepared over wood fires. 500 students are engaged in solar cooking project which helps to save CO2 emissions. 2 million rupees (30,000 euros) were invested in the project. Solar cooking technology has come a long way in developing countries. There are almost 200 different models ranging from large parabolic cookers that use reflectors to concentrate sunlight to a simple solar cooker called a Kyoto Box. /Deutsche Welle/
Refuelling with hydrogen gas takes only 2–3 minutes
The test car GM Hydrogen 4 Power: 73 kw Top speed: 160 km/h Fuel: 4.2Kg CGH2 (700 bar)
Credits / Impressum: Produced by International Media Studies in collaboration with IIJ/InWent and Deutsche Welle. Editorial team: Maryna Grytsai, Natalia Karbasova, Amalia Oganjanyan, Christine Wandolo, Ana Cristina Wegelin, Chengcheng Zhu. Trainers: Andrea Tapper, Olaf Herling. Berlin, April 2010.