VW Golf GTI Concept

Paris is now the city of the VW Golf GTI. Four years ago, the sixth generation of the best-seller made its debut here - still as a concept car. In doing so, Volkswagen is opening another window to the immediate future of the most successful European car model series, because another car being shown to a global audience in the French capital at the same time as the GTI is the near-production concept of the new Golf BlueMotion.

Like all six Golf GTI generations before it, the seventh generation concept car being shown in Paris is distinguished from other Golf models by numerous additional equipment features and classic GTI insignia. On the exterior, these include the red painted brake callipers, a GTI-typical honeycomb structure for the air inlet screens, smoked LED rear lights including LED licence plate lighting as well as chrome 80 mm diameter tailpipes on the left and right.

Some features have been characteristic since the days of the first Volkswagen Golf GTI, for example the production colours Red ("Tornado Red") and "Black" and an optional white exterior ("Pure White" as special colour). Volkswagen has further developed the classic GTI wheels "Denver", "Detroit" and "Glendale" whose styling characteristics from the previous model have flowed into the design of the new machine-polished 17-inch "Brooklyn" alloy wheels; they have a lighter visual look and are in fact lighter in weight. The wheels are fitted with 225/45 size tyres. 18-inch wheels will also be available on the GTI as an option.

Overall, the seventh generation Golf is also visually more dynamic than the previous one. The objective of the designers was to develop an even more striking and sporty character into the new Golf GTI - the goal was to give the GTI a lower, wider image with a more challenging character. Volkswagen Design developed numerous individual, detailed solutions for the new Golf GTI and integrated them harmoniously into the overall visual concept. Important here is the fact that the GTI-specific design elements are not simply "add-on" solutions, but are integrated into the overall design of the car.

At the front end, with its LED fog lights specially customised for the GTI, a powerful and significant GTI element attracts attention, which has now been fully reinterpreted: the red stripe. In the first generation of the car it surrounded the rectangular radiator grille completely. On the sixth generation GTI there were two red stripes, which framed the grille at the top and bottom. Now, on the seventh generation car, the red stripe marks the lower edge of the radiator grille, but for the first time it extends further to the left and right, up to the housings of the bi-xenon headlights. So, the red line now runs completely across the front end.

In the far lower section of the bumper, beneath the crossbar painted in body colour, the black air inlet is no longer framed by a black area, rather by surfaces painted in body colour, which makes the air inlet stand out more powerfully. At the same time, the three lateral black aerodynamic fins beneath the headlights play a more prominent role in the front end styling. Another detail fitting in with the precisely contoured styling is the black splitter, which is familiar from motorsport.

Another example of the harmonious integration of GTI-specific elements is the new roof spoiler design, which is considerably larger than its counterpart on Golf versions with less powerful engines and which is integrated to be flush with the bootlid and the body. For the first time, the sporty Volkswagen also has - in addition to the GTI badges at the front and rear - red plates on the front wings at the height of the character line with the same typographic interpretation of the GTI logo that has been used for decades.

Anderson Thermal Recognized for Optimum Handling of Infrared Lamps

Anderson Thermal Devices, Inc. (ATD) is constantly being thanked by customers, for their quick response to their need for replacement quartz halogen infrared lamps. ATD not only sells to OEMs serving the glass, photovoltaic, semiconductor and finishing industries, they also provide replacement infrared lamps for most industrial infrared dryers, infrared predryers and ovens.

Not only will Anderson Thermal Devices supply replacement lamps, they assist customers in determining why their IR lamps have been failing prematurely.

There are many common factors that lead to premature lamp failure in an infrared dryer. For example:

1. Improper storage of stocked lamps: Lamps should be stored in their shipping containers to prevent breakage and contamination. There is nothing more frustrating than going to the shelf for an emergency replacement lamp only to find that the stocked lamps are broken. Quartz lamps are glass lamps. They are very fragile.

2. Devitrification due to contamination: Oils, salts and other contaminates cause devitrification of the quartz. Devitrification is a transformation back to crystalline that causes minute fissures allowing the halogen gas to escape causing lamp failure. The oils and salts from handling with bare hands, shop oils, and dust will cause devitrification. Before being installed and powered up, all quartz halogen lamps should be visually inspected and wiped clean using denatured alcohol.

3. Improper powering up: A Silicon Controlled Rectifier (SCR) should be used. Minimizing temperature extremes results in less expansion and contraction of the filament and extends lamp life. An SCR ramps up the lamp voltage in predetermined steps bringing the filament temperature up incrementally.

4. Improper power connections: IR lamps like all electrical products must be properly connected to the power. Loose connections and undersized wires are common reasons for a quartz halogen lamps shortened life.

Anderson Thermal Devices focuses on customer service and satisfaction, offering quick and efficient technological expertise in combination with efficient customer service, great pricing and quick delivery.

According to a Johnson County Sheriff's Office complaint, law-enforcement officials were called to a location because a witness stated several subjects fired numerous shots. The witness gave a description of the car that Hathaway was driving.

Officials chased Hathaway's vehicle with their emergency lights and sirens activated. Hathaway allegedly threw a loaded hand gun from the vehicle that was later recovered, the complaint said.

Officials reportedly noticed he smelled of ingested alcohol, and Hathaway provided a breath test of 0.134 blood-alcohol level. Officers also allegedly found a small plastic baggy with a green, leafy substance believed to be marijuana in his wallet, the complaint said.

As long as the sun rises in the morning, solar remains a viable investment

“Feed-in tariff cuts 'will kill solar industry stone dead’ ” shouted the headline in the Guardian way back in October when the Government announced its solar subsidies strategy. Fast forward nine months and the solar energy market, although battered and bruised, still offers one of the most viable investments around today.

There is no doubt that the solar industry has seen a dramatic slow down since the April 1 changes in feed-in tariffs (FiT). Deployment has fallen from over 100MW installed per week at its peak, between February 3 and March 3 2012, compared to 6MW average weekly installations since April 2012 (Source STA statistics). But these much lower deployment figures need further analysis and understanding as they are clearly influenced by customer perception of what Solar PV now offers than the actual investment returns available.

We unquestionably saw a massive increase in demand for all things solar PV pre April which led to ‘gold rushes’ of weekly deployment levels that were never sustainable.

Post April, when the incentive dropped, inevitably deployment also dropped. Yet it really isn’t as simple as equating this reduction of customer demand to a reduction in the FiTs. Firstly, there is the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) to consider. Properties now need to obtain an EPC Grade D or above to qualify for the feed-in tariffs, adding a new obstacle for those wanting to be energy efficient. Yet still, even with this additional hurdle, I believe the main reason that deployment figures have dropped so dramatically is the simple fact that customers have been confused by all the media coverage and no longer appreciate the financial as well as environmental benefits of solar PV.

Whilst consumers may currently be unclear about exactly what the FiTs scheme now offers, the good news is that the reality is much clearer. The revised scheme now gives us transparency and stability for the PV market going forward. Both industry and consumers alike will have at least two months notice of any tariff change. Future tariff reductions will be based on deployment levels within specified bands of system size - 0-10kW; 10kW-50kW and above 50kW, with higher level of deployment bringing a faster reduction in tariff.

As all of us in the industry know, as the FiTs tariff fell, so did the costs associated with solar PV bringing the return on investment (ROI) back to similar levels to six, if not 12, months ago. Those looking to install solar energy today should still be able to generate eight to ten percent returns on their investment.

Let’s put this into context. We have all seen the UK economy crash and burn over the last 24 months, and although there sometimes seems a glint of light for the future, many remain sceptical whether we will recover from this financial crisis for a fair while yet. For those with their eye on Europe, more nervousness remains with everyone from Iceland to Ireland having sunk to financial depths they never thought they would ever experience.

So to the financial savvy, the investment landscape has changed. Where stocks and shares were the 80s nirvana, bricks and mortar a preferred investment in the 90s, today’s financial safe bets are few and far between. Banks have gone bust, high street stalwarts such as Woolworths, Habitat, Borders, MFI all gone so the question is, where does the smart money go now?

I believe that Solar PV is still one of the few viable investments around today. 8-10 percent ROI (tax free for domestic installations) with a guaranteed revenue stream for the next two decades assuming the sun shines – surely even those not interested in the environmental impact of the renewable energy market, can see the financial sense?

Florida lags behind other states on generating solar energy

Ask state lawmakers why Florida doesn't focus more on solar energy and they'll complain about too many clouds.

So with little political will to aggressively tap the sun, Florida now lags behind other not-as-sunny places such as Massachusetts, Ohio, New York and New Jersey in developing more solar capacity.

New Jersey installed the most new solar in the first quarter of 2012, according to a report released Wednesday by the Solar Energy Industries Association. Florida ranked 14th.

The difference was huge. New Jersey added almost 174 megawatts from January to March. At that rate, the state would add the equivalent of a mid-sized nuclear reactor to its electrical capacity by the end of the year.

California still led in overall solar generation (1,662 megawatts). Florida ranked a distant 10th with less than 6 percent of California's total, according to the solar industry report.

Why is the Sunshine State falling behind in development of solar electricity? Several reasons.

The primary one, experts say, is a lack of a state requirement or even a goal for increasing the amount of solar electricity. Florida is one of just 14 states ― almost all in the southeast United States ― without a renewable energy policy standard or goal.

"Fundamentally it's a policy issue," said Tom Kimbis, a vice president at Solar Energy Industries Association, during a conference call about the report. "If you look at where solar gets installed, it's the states that have the right policies in place."

James Fenton, director of the Florida Solar Energy Center at the University of Central Florida, put it this way: "Florida itself does not have a vision for its future. That's true on everything in Florida, but particularly in regard to energy."

Rep. Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel and the incoming speaker of the House, said that renewable energy standards require subsidies to corporations to entice them to generate more electricity from sources like solar or wind. He said he believes solar will play "a larger part of energy production in Florida and across the world," but he would rather the falling price of solar dictate whether to invest in it rather than government mandates.

"Subsidies mean people have to pay more," Weatherford said. "It's essentially a tax. I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing that we don't have a standard."

In 2006, former Gov. Charlie Crist pushed for a policy that would have required 20 percent of the state's energy to come from renewable energy sources by 2020, but that effort died.

State lawmakers scuttled the idea, saying Florida's "intermittent cloud cover," or essentially clouds that come and go, would disrupt solar power generation and make it unreliable. It's a claim lawmakers echo today.

"I heard that for 10 years ... intermittent cloud cover," said Susan Glickman, a lobbyist for the environmental group Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. "A good number of states have set targets for renewable energy and that helps to create a market where renewable energy can thrive and Florida policy makers have not done that."

Progress Solar Solutions

Progress Solar Solutions, LCC has developed a mobile solar light tower that illuminates large outdoor areas with no loud generator or use of diesel fuel. The portable light plant provides bright light powered by clean and free energy from the sun. Each mobile light tower can be positioned as close to the area in need of light as necessary, without the concern of fumes from burning fuel. The light plants are manufactured here in the US and operate independently of diesel fuel, gas or electric grid. Using solar energy will decrease the carbon footprint of any event and cut down on operating costs.

Progress Solar offers a complete product line for varying uses including solar or a hybrid units that utilize a wind turbine. For use at outdoor events such as carnivals, fairs, sporting events, concerts or festivals, the Progress Solar SLT800 offers bright and portable on-demand lighting. This particular model boasts four custom solid state LED flood lights with high lumen output. The light tower is adjustable from 12-30 feet. Its mast rotates 358 degrees and the lights tilt up and down to maintain the perfect lit area. Each of the Progress Solar mobile light towers are portable by trailer hitch and are easily operated. The Progress Solar light plant allows access to lighting at any location no matter how urban or rural.

The light towers emit incredible lighting with very little power required. Solar Modules, located on automated wings on each side of the unit, collect energy from the sun. Each wing is positioned at an angle to absorb optimal solar energy. Deep-cycle batteries located inside the body of the tower absorb and store the energy to power the lights when needed. The control panel allows users to customize lighting time cycles and further energy savings. LED lighting is more efficient then other types of lighting, as well as, more durable and long lasting. These lights in particular are strong and resistant to shock, vibration, and temperature extremes.

Materials accepted include automotive fluids, batteries, paint and paint-related products, lawn and garden chemicals, house cleaners, glues, and compact florescent light bulbs. These are items that cannot be thrown out with the regular trash. Electronic waste and business waste will not be accepted.

Residents of Grain Valley, Lake Lotawana, Lone Jack, Greenwood, unincorporated Jackson County and other communities in the Mid-America Regional Council's collection program can dispose of household hazardous waste at this special collection event at no charge. Oak Grove is not a participating member.

Event hosts can utilize this quiet and clean light source for any application. The traditional diesel light towers are loud, emit strong toxic vapors, consume fossil fuels and require constant refueling. There really is no comparison. Dan Robertson, a partner for Progress Solar Solutions, commented, “We are excited about the continued growth of this unique portable solar powered outdoor lighting plant and the reception and repeat orders. It is a perfect fit foe any evening or night, outdoor recreation or event. Everyone benefits when we all take positive steps to reduce eliminate environmental issues like noise, fumes, carbon emissions and light pollution while also virtually eliminating routine operating costs!”