Iceland’s Glitnir Bank released a report today on the booming geothermal market in the U.S., and it intends to be a part of it.
The bank, which opened its first U.S. office in New York today, said it plans to invest $1 billion in U.S. geothermal energy projects over the next five years.
“The challenges are numerous, but the potential is huge,” Arni Magnusson, managing director of sustainable energy for Glitnir, told a press conference today.
[…]
In its report, Glitnir predicts a more than six-fold increase in the annual sales of electricity from geothermal sources in the United States to $11 billion in 2025, up from $1.8 billion now.
The report said geothermal energy could fill up to 20 percent of California’s electricity needs, 60 percent of Nevada’s and 30 percent of Hawaii’s.
Glitnir is no stranger to geothermal, with 90 percent of all houses in Iceland being heated geothermally.
But it says the U.S. is a global leader in geothermal, with a current installed capacity of 2,800 megawatts and annual electricity generation of 16,000 gigawatt hours. Current projects, when completed, could bring that installed capacity up by another 2,800 megawatts, according to Glitnir.
09.05.07 |Permalink|Comments Off on China’s lead-gate
Recalled Barbie Playset
Mattel has just announced another toy recall related to unsafe lead levels. Where will this end? I’m guessing that this is just the beginning of a whole slate of products produced in China being tested and recalled – we haven’t even seen the start on the non-toy consumer side.
I’m guessing that quality control processes for offshore manufacturing will be modified to look for lead and other harmful contaminents soon…but for now, beware of all products produced in China because it’s clear that they’ve not been testing for lead to date. Might there be an opportunity for a third-party testing company to certify products as lead-free? I’m thinking yes…
REYKJANESBAER, ICELAND–(Marketwire – Aug. 31, 2007) – To comply with securities laws in Canada, Geysir Green Energy ehf. (“Geysir”) wishes to announce that today it acquired ownership of 25,000,000 common shares of Western GeoPower Corp. (TSX VENTURE:WGP – News; FRANKFURT:WE6 – News; “WGP”), representing approximately 13.7% of WGP’s outstanding common shares, pursuant to a private placement subscription agreement at $0.25 per share. Following this transaction, Geysir owns 34,333,334 common shares of WGP, representing approximately 18.8% of WGP’s outstanding common shares, and 9,333,334 warrants exercisable to purchase one common share of WGP at $0.35 per share. Geysir’s acquisition of WGP shares in this transaction was for investment purposes only. Geysir may, depending on market and other conditions, acquire additional common shares of WGP through market transactions, private agreements or otherwise. Geysir may, depending on market conditions, sell any or all of its common shares of WGP.
What are the most likely ways to die here in the US? The answer might surprise you. For a person born in the year 2003, the list below represents the 10 most likely death methods…
Notes: These odds do not include mortality by disease or natural causes – these odds are related to external factors and self-determined factors. The data was catalogued by the National Safety Council and the source is available here. The data in the table represents the highest risk at the “leaf level” from the charts. There are higher risks across aggregations of factors.
It’s pretty clear from the table above that one should steer clear of firearms, drugs, falling, and driving! When you look at the aggregated categories, it’s even more clear. The items above are discrete leaf level causes of death. For example, the lifetime odds of dying from an accident are 1 in 34. Getting more specific, the lifetime odds of dying from a transport accident are 1 in 78, getting even more specific, the lifetime odds of dying in a motor vehicle related accident are 1 in 84. The highest leaf level risk is listed above in the chart, occupant in a car accident at 1 in 237.
There are also some odd ways to die that are recorded. A couple of interesting ones are:
Three people were killed by ignition or melting of nightware. Lifetime odds of death in this manner? 1 in 1,249,356.
Forty eight people were killed by overexertion, travel and privation. Lifetime odds of death in this manner? 1 in 78,085
Five hundred and ninety-seven people were killed by slipping, tripping, and stumbling. Lifetime odds of death in this manner? 1 in 6,278
Data like this is very interesting. I think it shows us where we, as a society, should be investing in our own safety. Curiously, in 2003 in the US there were no deaths due to terrorism. If we wind back the clock to the year 2001 and look at the 3,000 deaths due to terror and run these numbers, we come up with a single year number of 1 in 95,075 and a lifetime number of 1,225. However, if we do this calculation for the year 2003, the odds are astronomical because there were no recorded fatalities due to terrorism in that year on US soil. The risk isn’t zero, but it’s not particularly high either, it doesn’t crack the top 10 even with 2001 data.
The numbers are clear – our priorities are wrong with regard to dealing with the real risks of death in our society.
09.04.07 |Permalink|Comments Off on Darwin Award in the making
For those of you unfamiliar with the Darwin Awards, they are bestowed annually to the human who manages to kill themselves in the most spectacularly stupid way possible. Watch the video above. Fuel, heat, old parts spinning at speeds that would create impressive shrapnel…it’s got all the ingredients. Setting that aside, it is amazing what one can do with an old turbocharger…
A recent Darwin nominee…
(24 June 2007, Colorado) If you get “Footloose” and cut the rug on on an oil tank, be sure not to light a cigarette (or bong of weed) else you may soon be walking up the proverbial “Stairway to Heaven”.
News reports say a crude oil storage tank exploded as two teens were jumping on it, hurling the youths to their deaths. The tank, owned by Pinnacle Oil Company, exploded during a party in Routt National Forest. The victims were identified as Samuel and Christopher, 17 and 19.
After smoking marijuana and liquoring themselves up at this “popular party spot,” the “Footloose” teens decided that it would be fun to leap and cavort upon a mostly-empty oil tank. Their energetic “Saturday Night Fever” gyrations caused fumes to leak from the relief valve…
“There were several ignitions sources,” according to Rio Blanco County Undersheriff Michael Joos. One teenager was smoking, and there was a bonfire nearby. One or another of these “ignition sources” sparked a flashdance that sent the two teens hurtling 150 yards away from the explosion.
So let’s go over the Check Points, aka The Rules:
1. Reproduction: at 17 and 19, they weren’t married, nor had they reproduced, nor can they now reproduce. Check!
2. Excellence: They thought it was wise to jump up and down on an oil tank containing 160 barrels of crude oil, while stoned out of their gourds. Check!
3. Self Selection: These two were stoned insensible, and drunker then the town drunk, while dancing on a oil tank exuding flammable vapors. And there’s a campfire nearby. Check!
4. Maturity: At 17 and 19, both are over the minimum age of 16. Check!
5. Veracity: MSNBC.com and AP. Big check.
In the end, this was definitely a “Footloose” dance that turned into a “Flash*BOOM*Dance!
