Louis Palmer’s comeback to Switzerland on December 18, 2008 from his round the world tour with a Solar-Taxi
The first time I heard about Louis Palmer, the Swiss solar energy pioneer, was at the European Sustainability Forum in Lucerne on July 3, 2007. It was also the day that he started on his Solar-Taxi trip around the world. It was practically impossible to take a decent photograph of his solar vehicle. It was surrounded by people even then from all over the world. I exchanged cards with Chinese, Korean, Japanese and Mexican reporters ! Yesterday, though, at Palmer’s comeback event, there were mostly Swiss and Germans, judging from the language they were speaking. After Louis Palmer’s departure, I diligently followed his blog (www.solartaxi.com, German and English language versions). From the beginning I decided to be there at the finish line when he came back to Switzerland. And, to take a decent photo for my photostream (www.flickr.com/photos/angehalle).
The odds were against me. The day before the welcome back event, there was a snow storm and even heavy trucks were stuck for hours on the autobahn around Lucerne. Would he be able to manouever his light vehicle under these circumstances. And how would I get to Lucerne in time, a two hour train ride from my home ? Even in Switzerland trains get (a little) late when it snows a lot. My family told me to think positive. So, early in the morning of the 18th I took the train from Wil to Lucerne, taking the Voralpine Express Route. Although I came later than planned, so did Louis Palmer and his convoy of Electric Vehicles and Twikes. The photos did not come out very well this time either, because the crowd was big again. But it was wonderful to be there and witness his welcome back. I was reminded of the fictional arrival of Phileas Fogg in London after his round the world in eighty days voyage. But, Louis Palmer is for real.
Practically all over the world, the media reported on Louis Palmer’s Solar-Taxi feat. After all, now he has proven that a solar powered electric vehicle can go around the world without any major problems. The battery and the motor survived the wear and tear of bumpy roads all the way. The only non-press coverage was in Australia. Not one media representative went to the press conference at the New South Wales Parliament. Nevertheless, Palmer still admires the country, nature and its people. The most irritating part of the trip was the occasional burocracy. Time and again the trip had to be rescheduled waiting for visas. But after that, in these countries, the lecture halls were full and people who were interested in his message. Which is simple: carbon emissions have to decrease 100% (yes that much !). And one of the measures where this is possible is with solar run vehicles. Some unexpected things happened on the way. After waiting for a Chinese visa and organizing everything around that date, inside the country, Palmer discovered that he was not allowed on the freeway (electric and light vehicles are not allowed). But he was able to see more of the country, and the Swiss made car was well prepared for the ups and downs of chinese hills. The chinese enthusiasm in solar energy impressed him very much. He considers China the present leading country in solar technic. The biggest surprise, however, was not being able to travel through Japan, because the Swiss number plates (in contrast to those of almost all other countries) are not recognized there.
From school children, general public, movie stars, maharajas, UN secretaries to princes and princesses, he was able to reach out to an enourmous number of people of all walks of life on this trip. (Here a shortlist of people who were passengers in his Solar-Taxi: the maharaja of Jaipur (India), Prince Albert (Monaco), Princess Somaya (Jordan), Rajendra Pachouri (director of UNEP and nobel prize winner), Micheline Calmy Rey, Bertrand Piccard (Switzerland), the environment minister of France, Bianca Jagger, Larry Hagman, Jay Leno, Michael Bloomberg and the mayor of Sofia (Bulgaria). Palmer was very proud of the fact the even Ban Ki Moon, the UN General Secretary, took a taxi ride with his solarmobile.
On the road most other people made positive signs when they passed his electric taxi. The only exception was a small crash in India, where the other car suffered more damage when it crashed into the photovoltaic part of the Solar-Taxi.
The whole endeavour lasted 18 months. It was impossible to make an exact plan. After all it was a taxi ! Palmer was often invited to speak at schools and press conferences. He also took passengers, including at the Climate Conference in Bali, Indonesia. Here is a list of most of the countries he travelled through with the Solar-Taxi: Switzerland, Germany, Chech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, India, Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Laos, China, South Korea, USA, Canada, France, UK, Poland, Germany and back to Switzerland. He travelled around 8 hours every second day, which makes an average of 100 kilometers per day. In reality he sometimes had the solar mobile taken per ship and often took a day off his travels for the press conferences and lectures, visit to UN offices in Vienna, in New York, Climate Conference in Poland. All in all the Solar-Taxi travelled around 53 451 kilomers. One battery charge lasted 300 kilometers. The battery and the motor “survived” the whole trip. 50% of the electricity was produced by the photovoltaic panels and the other 50% was solar energy produced on a roof top in Köniz in Switzerland. Of course, when in another country this was virtual energy, but really produced. (Palmer is convinced that solar powered electric mobiles are better than bioethanol).
More than 200 people in Switzerland produced the Solar-Taxi, mostly near Lucerne. The photovoltaic cells are from Germany. Another 50 people were part of the technical and support team (not all of them at the same time). Without the technical help during the trip, Palmer thinks the trip would not have been such smooth sailing.
I already knew many of these details, which Louis Palmer spoke about during his lecture yesterday, but it was worth it, to see his enormous enthusiasm and energy, his clearly defined concepts, optimism and communication skills. There was an euphoric atmosphere at Palmer’comeback. He and his team deserved the standing ovation.
Louis Palmer has a new idea: „around the world in eighty days“ in a race between different types of Electric / Solar vehicles. I hope the Start is in Switzerland, because I’ll be there !
Ange Halle, Switzerland
Friday, December 19, 2008
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Your "sustainability" is not necessarily my "sustainability"
Dear Blog,
I don't really want to start defining the word sustainability, but maybe I have to.
The last two weeks I've heard Doris Fialla and Richard Quest talking about sustainability.
But Richard sounded like he was talking about "a permanent, long standing Solution". Doris Fialla comes from the other side of the fence (well, almost), and I think I heard behind her statement "corporate sustainability". Well, I think about "ecological sustainability", about "social sustainability". Longevity of solutions is, of course, only one aspect of this paradigm. But, for me sustainability is a state to be attained, taking into consideration ecological, climatic, social factors, and THEN the solution, be it economical, informal, social, or biological.
So, are we really speaking about different things ?
I then remind myself of Alvin Tofflers book, which my father insisted I read (this was a long time ago). I don't recall the name of the book, but it was a critique of technological commerce.
In a nutshell, light bulbs at that time, according to Toffler, were engineered to have a limited life time. Now, everyone would agree, nowadays, that this is NOT a sustainable solution. (Twenty years later, came the scandalous printers for P.C.'s, which were intentionally programmed to
only work for what, one year, two maybe. Some computer magazine I read uncovered this practise. Also, not sustainable.
Now, what is it ? The idea of longevity was negated. But, the ecological and climate consequences are apparent to anyone who's listened to Al Gore. Wasting resources is now a no-no. Especially if the material is burned. (In Switzerland there are recycling projects where the toxic materials are taken out, but that's another story.) Sustainable development is something which integrates all aspects of our socio-biosphere aiming for acceptable solutions. That's how I see it.
Doris Fialla talking about sustainability mentioned the energy saving architecture. I happen to know that the CEO of this sector is a Swiss Liberal, like Ms. Fialla. His association, organizes the energy saving, solar passive, Minergie building construction. These buildings can be so well isolated and constructed, that a minimum of energy is necessary to maintain the building climate (that is, almost no extra heating is necessary, depending on the degree of energy saving). Who can be against this concept ?
Some people still use oil or natural gas others use solar energy for this rest energy for heating. After all, even in times of global warming, some days are really cold here in Switzerland. Nowadays, it is not considered wise to install solar energy panels or collectors, if the house loses energy (through the windows, for example).
My friends at the Swiss Solar Energy Society have been a great inspiration for me. I've learned so much there. It's funny. We started as a pure solar energy association, and slowly, slowly other concepts have been integrated in our way of seeing things. Last years we even contributed to the Swiss Climate Charta, but that's another story. I guess "sustainable development" sums up this conglomerate of solar, renewable, alternative solutions, climate, impact on society.
Definitions always bore me, as you probably think too. But it has to be said once. Before I start with more subjects on this blog. Uff !
I don't really want to start defining the word sustainability, but maybe I have to.
The last two weeks I've heard Doris Fialla and Richard Quest talking about sustainability.
But Richard sounded like he was talking about "a permanent, long standing Solution". Doris Fialla comes from the other side of the fence (well, almost), and I think I heard behind her statement "corporate sustainability". Well, I think about "ecological sustainability", about "social sustainability". Longevity of solutions is, of course, only one aspect of this paradigm. But, for me sustainability is a state to be attained, taking into consideration ecological, climatic, social factors, and THEN the solution, be it economical, informal, social, or biological.
So, are we really speaking about different things ?
I then remind myself of Alvin Tofflers book, which my father insisted I read (this was a long time ago). I don't recall the name of the book, but it was a critique of technological commerce.
In a nutshell, light bulbs at that time, according to Toffler, were engineered to have a limited life time. Now, everyone would agree, nowadays, that this is NOT a sustainable solution. (Twenty years later, came the scandalous printers for P.C.'s, which were intentionally programmed to
only work for what, one year, two maybe. Some computer magazine I read uncovered this practise. Also, not sustainable.
Now, what is it ? The idea of longevity was negated. But, the ecological and climate consequences are apparent to anyone who's listened to Al Gore. Wasting resources is now a no-no. Especially if the material is burned. (In Switzerland there are recycling projects where the toxic materials are taken out, but that's another story.) Sustainable development is something which integrates all aspects of our socio-biosphere aiming for acceptable solutions. That's how I see it.
Doris Fialla talking about sustainability mentioned the energy saving architecture. I happen to know that the CEO of this sector is a Swiss Liberal, like Ms. Fialla. His association, organizes the energy saving, solar passive, Minergie building construction. These buildings can be so well isolated and constructed, that a minimum of energy is necessary to maintain the building climate (that is, almost no extra heating is necessary, depending on the degree of energy saving). Who can be against this concept ?
Some people still use oil or natural gas others use solar energy for this rest energy for heating. After all, even in times of global warming, some days are really cold here in Switzerland. Nowadays, it is not considered wise to install solar energy panels or collectors, if the house loses energy (through the windows, for example).
My friends at the Swiss Solar Energy Society have been a great inspiration for me. I've learned so much there. It's funny. We started as a pure solar energy association, and slowly, slowly other concepts have been integrated in our way of seeing things. Last years we even contributed to the Swiss Climate Charta, but that's another story. I guess "sustainable development" sums up this conglomerate of solar, renewable, alternative solutions, climate, impact on society.
Definitions always bore me, as you probably think too. But it has to be said once. Before I start with more subjects on this blog. Uff !
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Is it impossible to change to sustainable infrastructures ? The example of the evolution of the recycling system in Switzerland and some limitations
Dear blog
I haven't written for a long time. As one of my colleagues at the Swiss Solar Energy Society said, everyone knows what's up (reffering to what Al Gore, the IPCC reports, and many newspaper and television articles have been describing about the climate change crisis). I don't agree with him exactly on this. It's true that more and more people have heard about "the situation", and I have the feeling that more people are speaking more frankly about what they are doing.
However, if everyone knew what to do, then, (one example) there would be less automobiles on the road, the trains couldn't cope with the demand of all those ex-automobile drivers, and many environmentally friendlier vehicles would be produced, bought and used. I myself, see Switzerland as an experimental place. We have the possibility to implement changes and these could be seen as models for other countries.
One example of sustainability (although there are limits) is the widespread possibility of recycling practically every consumer good in use here.
Ten years ago the sustainability lobby was arguing for the stores to take back old, rejected, broken electronic and electric appliances. At first some of the stores and companies only took back old appliances which the consumer brought back for free if he or she bought a new one at that outlet. The next step, they took back appliances without the condition of the customer having to buy a new one at their premises, but some companies only took back appliances sold at their store or of a brand sold there. Yet, this evolved even more, now all electronic outlets are obliged (and I think they do comply) to take back all appliances and gadgets independent of its origin and future consumer behaviour. O.K., this was made easier, because Swiss appliances have an added "tax" (if you can call it this), when new articles are bought, that is a "recycling tax". This is organized very well for that sector (electronics).
I don't know the details in all European countries, but I do know that it is not the case all over the continent. A Bulgarian blogger which I have discovered on the internet, photographs a garbage depot almost every day and apparently, at least where she lives, things are simply dumped and burned. I hope that there will be a recycling solution for that community which will diminish the sort of material and avoid that which could be recycled.
One example of an evolution (after a long, long time of simple dumping) (which I recently saw on German television) in waste use is in Sao Paulo in Brazil. There are I think around 11 million people living in that city and one garbage disposal area was becoming more and more ecologically precarious. The area was then covered in earth and grass was planted. The weight of the material is so great, that the production of methanol is facilitated . I would have to get the details of this process, but the idea seems interesting. Now the waste disposal, produces fuel for energy. A short term solution, you may counter. But, at least something is now being done.
But, it would have been better to sort out as much material as possible FIRST through recycling and avoid the gigantic dumps. That would have been better. And if more and more material is still being produced, what happens then ? Yes, the sequel to this story is still missing, or I did not get it ?
Another idea which the television documentary spoke about in Sao Paulo, is for material to be recycled and put to use for arts and crafts. Again, I have come upon this in the internet, art out of
... For people who do not have a great economical buying power, access to materials seems to empower them.
When I visited Brazil the last time, I talked about the German and Swiss recycling perfectionist mentality. As my discussion partners were socially aware, and wary of shutting out people who are already occupied in that area (many using wooden carts to collect material). My conversation partners were sceptical. But, my counter argument, that people already collecting paper, aluminium cans, plastic, whatever, especially in big cities, could be integrated in an even more organized recycling campaign, and that is exactly what I have recenlty seen in the internet.
Then we come to one of the limits in the system. Raw materials, including those collected from used consumer goods, have a market value. In Switzerland, some recycling steps are very expensive (for people with little money, and these people exist here too !). So the consumer often has to pay for the goods to be collected (depending on the area they live in and on the material). On the other hand, the people who collect these, earn doubly, because some metal prices have soared in the last couple of years. So, illegal dumping, still persists in Switzerland because of people who cannot afford the recycling taxes, or the transport to the collections places. And then the beaurocratic excesses can be totally bereft of social understanding.
If someone is visiting or travelling and produces wastes (lunch, packaging for their presents back home, etc) they cannot buy the taxable plastic bags, because these are only available in the specific counties. But if you are travelling, you cannot do this. Or you use the wrong taxed plastic bag and can be liable for a fine. The last I heard, the use of a wrong plastic bag was one hundred Swiss francs in Zurich.
Or, if your job is one on a construction site or in a restaurant or hotel and you work long, long hours away from home, what do you do ? A restaurant cook wanted to recycle a metal pan
in Winterthur once (which is highly commendable). He had long, long working hours in Winterthur, so he went to the recycling centre in that city. In his home, let's say Schaffhausen, he is only home at very early or very late hours. You still don't understand ? The recycling containers, although in the open, have stringent opening hours. (To protect the people living in the neighbourhood from excessive noise of aluminium cans being put in a container !) Which the cook could not possibly comply to at home. Well, as he parked his car, the video camera caught his picture and the license plate of his car, illegally recycling the metal as it was out of his resident county and he was caught and had to pay one hundred francs for illegal recycling. Note, the material was correct, the recycling container was correct (metal recycling). This case shown on local television - but criticizing the poor bloke who just wanted to recycle something. How reality blind can people get ? I mean the ones who think that eveyone has a nine to five job near their home...
But... independent of these beaurocratic limitations, the system seems to work.
Last year I went with a group on a visit to the only metal recycling factory in Switzerland that was very impressive, but I might tell you about this another time.
I haven't written for a long time. As one of my colleagues at the Swiss Solar Energy Society said, everyone knows what's up (reffering to what Al Gore, the IPCC reports, and many newspaper and television articles have been describing about the climate change crisis). I don't agree with him exactly on this. It's true that more and more people have heard about "the situation", and I have the feeling that more people are speaking more frankly about what they are doing.
However, if everyone knew what to do, then, (one example) there would be less automobiles on the road, the trains couldn't cope with the demand of all those ex-automobile drivers, and many environmentally friendlier vehicles would be produced, bought and used. I myself, see Switzerland as an experimental place. We have the possibility to implement changes and these could be seen as models for other countries.
One example of sustainability (although there are limits) is the widespread possibility of recycling practically every consumer good in use here.
Ten years ago the sustainability lobby was arguing for the stores to take back old, rejected, broken electronic and electric appliances. At first some of the stores and companies only took back old appliances which the consumer brought back for free if he or she bought a new one at that outlet. The next step, they took back appliances without the condition of the customer having to buy a new one at their premises, but some companies only took back appliances sold at their store or of a brand sold there. Yet, this evolved even more, now all electronic outlets are obliged (and I think they do comply) to take back all appliances and gadgets independent of its origin and future consumer behaviour. O.K., this was made easier, because Swiss appliances have an added "tax" (if you can call it this), when new articles are bought, that is a "recycling tax". This is organized very well for that sector (electronics).
I don't know the details in all European countries, but I do know that it is not the case all over the continent. A Bulgarian blogger which I have discovered on the internet, photographs a garbage depot almost every day and apparently, at least where she lives, things are simply dumped and burned. I hope that there will be a recycling solution for that community which will diminish the sort of material and avoid that which could be recycled.
One example of an evolution (after a long, long time of simple dumping) (which I recently saw on German television) in waste use is in Sao Paulo in Brazil. There are I think around 11 million people living in that city and one garbage disposal area was becoming more and more ecologically precarious. The area was then covered in earth and grass was planted. The weight of the material is so great, that the production of methanol is facilitated . I would have to get the details of this process, but the idea seems interesting. Now the waste disposal, produces fuel for energy. A short term solution, you may counter. But, at least something is now being done.
But, it would have been better to sort out as much material as possible FIRST through recycling and avoid the gigantic dumps. That would have been better. And if more and more material is still being produced, what happens then ? Yes, the sequel to this story is still missing, or I did not get it ?
Another idea which the television documentary spoke about in Sao Paulo, is for material to be recycled and put to use for arts and crafts. Again, I have come upon this in the internet, art out of
... For people who do not have a great economical buying power, access to materials seems to empower them.
When I visited Brazil the last time, I talked about the German and Swiss recycling perfectionist mentality. As my discussion partners were socially aware, and wary of shutting out people who are already occupied in that area (many using wooden carts to collect material). My conversation partners were sceptical. But, my counter argument, that people already collecting paper, aluminium cans, plastic, whatever, especially in big cities, could be integrated in an even more organized recycling campaign, and that is exactly what I have recenlty seen in the internet.
Then we come to one of the limits in the system. Raw materials, including those collected from used consumer goods, have a market value. In Switzerland, some recycling steps are very expensive (for people with little money, and these people exist here too !). So the consumer often has to pay for the goods to be collected (depending on the area they live in and on the material). On the other hand, the people who collect these, earn doubly, because some metal prices have soared in the last couple of years. So, illegal dumping, still persists in Switzerland because of people who cannot afford the recycling taxes, or the transport to the collections places. And then the beaurocratic excesses can be totally bereft of social understanding.
If someone is visiting or travelling and produces wastes (lunch, packaging for their presents back home, etc) they cannot buy the taxable plastic bags, because these are only available in the specific counties. But if you are travelling, you cannot do this. Or you use the wrong taxed plastic bag and can be liable for a fine. The last I heard, the use of a wrong plastic bag was one hundred Swiss francs in Zurich.
Or, if your job is one on a construction site or in a restaurant or hotel and you work long, long hours away from home, what do you do ? A restaurant cook wanted to recycle a metal pan
in Winterthur once (which is highly commendable). He had long, long working hours in Winterthur, so he went to the recycling centre in that city. In his home, let's say Schaffhausen, he is only home at very early or very late hours. You still don't understand ? The recycling containers, although in the open, have stringent opening hours. (To protect the people living in the neighbourhood from excessive noise of aluminium cans being put in a container !) Which the cook could not possibly comply to at home. Well, as he parked his car, the video camera caught his picture and the license plate of his car, illegally recycling the metal as it was out of his resident county and he was caught and had to pay one hundred francs for illegal recycling. Note, the material was correct, the recycling container was correct (metal recycling). This case shown on local television - but criticizing the poor bloke who just wanted to recycle something. How reality blind can people get ? I mean the ones who think that eveyone has a nine to five job near their home...
But... independent of these beaurocratic limitations, the system seems to work.
Last year I went with a group on a visit to the only metal recycling factory in Switzerland that was very impressive, but I might tell you about this another time.
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