Tel Aviv is about to ride down Electric Avenue. The city which has ironically doubled its taxes to local businesses during a Covid-19 shutdown, aims to take some progressive measures to make its city smart at least in the transportation sense. 

Also years ago there were talks about an electric hover-rail Skytrans which didn’t come to pass and Electroad in 2016. But that idea didn’t come to pass either. Its website is down. And there is the billion dollar failure of Better Place. We test drove one of their electric cars years ago. While the city chugs along building its light rail train by laying down tracks it announces its plan to pilot an e-road or electric road system to power vehicles travelling on it.

Like streetcars in Toronto or San Francisco, common implementations are overhead power lines above the road. But ground-level power supply through conductive rails or inductive coils embedded in the road could be more forward thinking as we pave the way to zero emissions in cities everywhere. 

The Tel Aviv-Jaffa Municipality, in partnership with the company ElectReon and Dan Bus Company, plans to install wireless electric roads for charging public transportation in the city.

ElectReon develops wireless electrification systems to charge electric vehicles in full motion on smart roads. Founded in 2013 the EV company aims to reduce the need for charging stations (see some abandoned ones in the the video below), and to reduce the need for large car batteries.

The system uses copper coils developed in-house that are placed under the middle lane of the road, which are then covered in asphalt, and powered by an underground system. Charging is performed via a receiver, or multiple receivers depending on the size of the vehicle, which are installed under the car.

The pilot, the first of its kind in Israel, will be carried out between Tel Aviv University Railway Station and a station at the suburb of Ramat Aviv: all in all it will be a 1.5 mile route including half a mile of electric road.

The pilot project if it proves to work will make it easier for specially-equipped electric buses to be charged directly from under the road. If the tests work well, the Dan Bus Company’s electric bus will start regular journeys on the route going to Tel Aviv University.

Tel Aviv wants to support all sorts of forward-thinking ideas such as culture, and electric vehicles to reduce pollution. Electric roads might be the solution along with EV charging stations in public spaces; and adopting innovative initiatives and technologies in various fields, including transportation.

The commercial partners is the Israeli company ElectReon, which develops and installs electric road systems for charging electric vehicles while traveling. The company has also started projects in Germany. 

If it works, Tel Aviv and its brother city Jaffa will be the first city worldwide to roll out the technology for charging buses on a wide scale. Private cars and delivery trucks which run in the system could be in the mix as well. 

Not that long ago Better Place had a huge plan to electrify the country using quick swap battery stations and they blew about a billion USD making a plan that failed. The plan included home and business charge stations and my kids investigate one at their dentist office in the Green Village just outside Tel Aviv.

The lights are still on but the dusty contraption doesn’t look like it’s given a charge in months, or years. 

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These days, there are more eco-friendly ways to move around, thanks to the launched eco-friendly initiatives. The world is turning to eco-friendly ways of doing things, and traveling is part of these initiatives. Whatever you are using to roam around the city, make sure it’s eco-friendly. What are these ways? This article will discuss some of the eco-friendly ways you can use within the town. Here is the list.

Bicycles

Other than not emitting carbon monoxide, cycling is one of the best methods for exercising. When was the last time you were on a bike? The good thing about any type of bicycles is that they don’t use fuel and are low in maintenance. They can also move in narrow places and lousy terrain, where vehicles can’t maneuver. Also, some states have constructed cycling paths within the main road to accommodate cyclists. Other than keeping you healthy, riding a bike is fun. Get one today and use it within your city. 

Scooters

Very few people own scooters but believe me, they are the best when it comes to moving in town. Scooters give zero emissions and can be used daily, especially when exercising and moving from one point to another over short distances and flat surfaces. The good thing about electric scooters is that they are easy to learn, assemble, and maintain. You can check out the best electric scooter for adults and make your choice. Other than adults, you can get scooters for your kids and enjoy the fun together.

Hoverboards

Not everyone can ride hoverboards, but they are the best eco-friendly modes of movement within the town. You only need to stand on them, balance yourself, and off you go. For starters, you might need some training. They don’t use costly gas nor give out fumes, making them the best in towns where greener regulations are in place. Hoverboards come in handy in areas where there is so much traffic, especially during rush hours. 

Walking

Walking is the cheapest mode of movement and eco-friendly because it doesn’t use any device or equipment. It’s just your legs. Besides moving from one place to another, walking is also the best way of exercising your body and keeping fit. Besides caring for the environment, you are also managing yourself and have better benefits than vehicles since you get to enjoy vast scenery while walking.

Trains

Do you live in an urban settlement? If so, you have come across commuter trains. These are the best eco-friendly modes of movement that carry masses. Nowadays, trains are becoming greener, since there is an introduction of electric trains that are swift and do not emit carbon monoxide. One added advantage of a train is that it’s safe and doesn’t get caught in traffic jams. 

Skates

Skates have been used over time as modes of movement in flat terrains. They can pass in areas where cars and motorcycles can’t pass and do not use any fuel, thus producing no gases. With skates, you get to exercise while having fun at the same time.

Other means you can check out include using buses, taxis, and also conducting carpooling with your neighbors. With the effects of climate change, we need to be swift in coming up with eco-friendly living ways. Get the best mode of travel above and help keep our environment green. 

The post Eco-Friendly Ways to Get Around the City appeared first on Green Prophet.

Perfect for Muskoka or Tahoe in the summer: the city of Tel Aviv has started a boat-in theatre this summer. Those with boats or dinghies can sail in within safe distance to other boaters to enjoy movies on the boat lake of Tel Aviv.

The coronavirus outbreak has proved particularly challenging for the cultural sector worldwide, with outdoor initiatives representing almost the sole solution for cultural events.The Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality will now launch a “sail-in” floating cinema under the clear night sky from August 22 to 28, in partnership with Tel Aviv Cinematheque. 

A total of 70 socially distanced boats will be available to moviegoers seeking to enjoy a night of cinematic entertainment under the stars, the city writes in an announcement it sent Green Prophet. Boats will be distanced two meters apart (or 6 feet) at all times opposite a large screen allowing all ticketholders to float away and unwind from the daily grind for at least a few hours.

“The coronavirus crisis poses new challenges for Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality, including bringing cultural life to a halt in the city. During recent months, we have been constantly examining ways of providing assistance. The initiative to screen movies at HaYarkon Park’s boating lake is another creative way to spend the hot August days,” says Ron Huldai, Mayor of Tel Aviv-Yafo.

The launch of the floating cinema joins a long list of municipal initiatives launched in recent months to support cultural activity in the city. Meanwhile people who own decades-old cultural centers in the city such as the East West House in Jaffa are drowning in a labyrinth of paperwork, with no one to speak with at the City Hall.

Yisrael Borochov, the founder of the East West House, one of the main cultural centers of Jaffa, runs the non-profit organization which supports local and ethnic music from the Arab and Jewish cultures. Borochov is very confused about the current situation and decisions of Ron Huldai.

He tells Green Prophet: “I got a letter from the government, from the Ministry of Culture who sees our cultural center as foundational to the city of Jaffa and they said they earmarked money for our organization. We just have to apply to get it. We haven’t been operating normally since March and are used to sold out shows every week. Now we have zero income. The Culture Ministry told us to apply for the money coming to us from the city.

“I filled out the forms and called the City and no one is answering or acknowledging our requests,” Borochov tells Green Prophet. He continues: “The government is telling me to go to the city to start performances, an activity that the government is also forbidding us to do, while on the other hand the city is allowing new venues such as museums and bars to host the same musicians that used to come to my center to perform. Instead of addressing the problem they are creating a new flawed system that will devastate the cultural heritage of the city.

“While I think it’s important to social distance, and we could do this at outdoor performances at the East West House in Jaffa, the city is creating new projects that only put a colorful bandaid on the bigger problem: the collapse of real cultural activities in the city, for the centers, the artists and the supporting teams like the sound crew,” Borochov relates.”

Most of the demonstrations as of late have been related to the collapse of the cultural sectors and those demonstrating are artists and supporting professions who are now without work. Instead of operating like Berlin or London, cities that support existing artists Tel Aviv is operating to the beat of its own drum.

The city has started musical performances on the roof of the Eretz Israel Museum as a new activity while those at existing centers collect dust and foot the bill for their many years of cultural service to the community.

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Get stuck in an Israeli gridlock and you feel like you are better off in LA. The fast lane doesn’t really work. Traffic in the Mediterranean sun makes people nervous, especially when it can take you an hour to drive 3 miles. There is no wonder the dangerous but fast electric mopeds and bikes have taken the city by storm. With little oversight and supervision, kids bones are getting broken and grannies overturned as the merciless young cyclists overtake the citizens of Jaffa and Tel Aviv, day by day by day.

The idea of an Israeli subway system always seemed perilous in the height of terror attacks in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. A bus with 20 or 50 people blowing up isn’t tolerable, but a mass transit system with an expected 2 million passengers per day, about 1/4 of the country’s population? That’s what’s being planned for Israel. We imagine the terrorist threat is either under control, or we’ve got bigger fish to fry.

The Greater Tel Aviv Metro M2 line was presented earlier this spring in Israel amidst the corona crisis. This line will be about 15 miles long and will connect the suburban cities of Petah Tikva to Holon, with Tel Aviv and Jaffa in the middle.

The overdue project is being implemented by government company NTA – Metropolitan Mass Transit Ltd. About 90 miles of subway is being planned for the country. Consider the size of Israel – about the same size as New Jersey. A nation-wide subway system wouldn’t be thought impossible.

The central M2 line will have 22 stations and among other locations will serve Bar-Ilan University, Bloomfield Stadium in Jaffa, the Carmel Market in Tel Aviv, Habimah Theater and Wolfson Hospital.

Like Elon Musk touted in California with the announcement of his Boring Company if you can’t go over traffic, you might as well tunnel below it. The Israeli system won’t be tunnels for your cars, but rather an underground train system like in New York City. Tunnel boring machines are expected to dig as much as 10 meters per day (about 11 yards) which will be about  25-40 meters or yards underground, with a diameter of 7 yards. This new subway or underground train will complement the light rail train currently being built throughout Tel Aviv and Jaffa.

Avoid a transport system collapse

With the income levels of people rising and the need to commute to work to cities like Herzliya, citizens demand a better way to get around, especially from inside the city. We also expect tourism, post covid-19 will want to enjoy a good public system.

To get to another city like Jerusalem from inside Tel Aviv, expect your journey to last at least a few hours or more once there. While major transport hubs exist and are okay (actually rather loathsome and confusing), getting there is a challenge and getting to your destination – the last mile – is impossible especially in cities like Jerusalem where the bus system is complex and hard to navigate.

I used to take the train from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem years ago to get dropped off in a far away suburb that buses don’t pass through. You needed a car to take the train! Things have been improved since the creation of a new Tel Aviv to Jerusalem line.

The point of the subway system, the project builders argue, is to make cars extraneous, explained Gilad Zwebner, VP Planning and Design of NTA – Metropolitan Mass Transit Ltd., the government company implementing the metro system. Zwebner has said that 90% of traffic in the Tel Aviv Metropolitan area is from private vehicles.

“A system based on a metro could bring us to 40% usage of vehicular traffic. According to all the scenarios that were considered, without a metro, there would be a complete collapse of the transport system,” said Sharav.

One more question: will it run on solar or renewable energy? Please say yes. Israel needs to increase its commitment to solar energy. Read here.

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Switching energy suppliers is one of the smartest ways to save money on your gas and electricity bills. It’s a lot simpler than most consumers think and takes very little effort on your part as the supplier will manage the whole switching process for you.

We have created this step by step guide which shows you how to switch energy supplier and start benefiting from cheaper gas and electricity.

What information do I need to switch energy company?

To switch your energy company, you will need the following: your postcode, a copy of your most recent energy bill or annual statement and an estimated 10-15 minutes of your time. For those that want to pay for their bills via Direct Debit, your bank account details will be required to set up this payment method. It’s useful to know that this is the cheapest way to pay for your gas and electricity supply.

Don’t panic if you can’t find your latest energy bill or annual statement. You will be able to see an estimate of how much energy you consume by answering a few basic questions about your household.

You should now have the above details ready. The next step is to head on over to one of the many price comparison sites that can be found online. Here are the four steps you will need to follow once you’re on one of these sites.

Step 1: Enter your home postcode

Enter your postcode and select your home address from the drop-down menu. Prices for gas and electricity are set on a regional basis. This means that not all suppliers and tariffs will be available to you. By entering your home address, you will only be shown deals that are relevant to you.

Step 2: Enter your current energy usage

Next, the online comparison site will want to know how much energy you currently consume. This will allow it to determine how much you could be saving when you switch energy company. Your usage details can be found on your latest bill or annual energy statement. If you don’t have this information to hand, an estimate can be provided by answering a few basic questions about your household.

Step 3: Choose your new energy tariff

Did you know that there are currently more than 55 energy suppliers in the UK? This competition helps drive down the price of gas and electricity but has the drawback of making your decision a little more difficult. Fear not as the comparison site can filter deals based on what you are searching for. It will be able to sort tariffs by lowest price first; a great way to quickly see how much you could save by switching energy companies.

Those that want to narrow down their results even further can do so. Other factors that may be important to you in addition to price may include the following:

• Green tariffs that use sustainable energy
• A tariff without an exit fee
• Various contract lengths (12, 18 or 24 months)

Step 4: Confirm your energy switch

The final step when switching energy suppliers is to confirm your switch. To complete this, you will need to provide your contact details and payment information.

That’s it! You have now completed the process. Your new supplier will contact your previous supplier to arrange a switchover date.

Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions after making the switch.

Will my gas and electricity supply be interrupted?

No matter what energy company you choose, your gas and electricity supply will not be interrupted whatsoever. In fact, it will continue to run as normal. The only real change you will notice is that a new energy supplier will now send you a bill and your unit rate will be altered to reflect the tariff you have chosen.

How long will the switch take?

Comparing energy prices and confirming the switch online can take up to 15 minutes. The actual switch normally takes around three weeks. During this period, your new energy supplier will manage the transition for you behind the scenes. If you do change your mind, there is a 14-day cooling off period.

Will I hear from my new energy provider?

The energy company that you have switched to will send you a letter and welcome pack in the post within a few days of the switch. This highlights the terms and conditions that you have agreed to, it includes information about your new tariff.

They will request that you take a meter reading. This will be forwarded to your old supplier to allow them to calculate your final bill.

In summary, comparing and switching energy companies is easy and simple with the help of an online comparison site. The new energy supplier will manage the whole process for you.

The post How to save money by switching energy supplier appeared first on Green Prophet.

There are numerous reasons to start a greenhouse business, and nearly all those reasons have environmental benefits. A greenhouse allows a gardener to turn their hobby into a full-time job. Whether you’re growing large or small crops, live in a tiny house with a small garden or a commercial greenhouse can be an excellent money-making opportunity for anyone with a green thumb. Here are a few reasons to start an eco-friendly greenhouse business in your home or commercial garden.

Multi-Purpose Sustainability

If you own a greenhouse it can be used to grow a range of crops. For instance, you can grow organic flowers, bulb plants, vegetables, exotic plants, and seedlings. For a sustainable approach, consider changing the crop every year so the soil’s nutrients don’t get depleted. No matter what you’re planning to grow, a commercial greenhouse is a safe, environmentally friendly option.

Consistency and Quality

When you’re running a commercial greenhouse, it’s easy to grow plants regardless of seasonal changes and climate fluctuations. Extreme temperatures, excessive rainfall, and long droughts won’t cause serious issues for plants grown in a greenhouse. In this line of work, you won’t just be helping the environment; you will also have the flexibility to run your business as you wish.

Providing the Right Environment for Your Plants

Whether you’re growing vegetables, flowers, or herbs, those plants will likely do best in a moist, warm environment. In a commercial greenhouse, plants are in an environment that’s conducive to growth. After all, the purpose of a greenhouse is to trap water vapor and heat, so humidity and warmth are maintained.

Great Design

Like pergolas and gazebos, it’s possible to design a commercial greenhouse that suits any landscape. There are numerous designs available, and with the right choice, you can create a space that has visual appeal and a commercial purpose.

Saving Money

It’s easy to spend hundreds of dollars on seedlings at the start of the planting season, but in many cases, growers are still left lacking. With a greenhouse business, though, you can grow enough plants to sell and to share. You’ll be helping the environment by spreading the love!

Endless Customization Options

If you’d rather build a greenhouse that’s different from everyone else’s, or your plants have certain requirements, it’s easy to customize your setup. Even in the commercial setting, it’s easier to put up a greenhouse than it is to build a pond or patio. For greater environmental impact, you can customize the position of plants, storage areas, doors, and more.

Better Health

Running a greenhouse business isn’t just good for the environment, it’s good for your health. Being out in nature is a great way to escape from the daily stresses of being a business owner. In fact, a greenhouse with diffused lighting may help to minimize SAD, or seasonal affective disorder. When you’re a commercial greenhouse owner, you can help the environment while lifting your own spirits.

In Closing

Though starting a greenhouse business requires a substantial initial investment, the money spent on such an endeavor is worthwhile in the long term. With so many environmental benefits, it’s easy to see why running an agricultural business is such a great idea. For more information on getting into the business of cultivating plants, visit our blog today.

The post How a Greenhouse Business helps the environment appeared first on Green Prophet.

Many conventional buildings that were built these days were designed with that modern and futuristic look. But, behind these looks is also the increased demand for energy production. Not to mention the adverse impacts on the environment that these modern yet poorly designed buildings have created. Unfortunately, a lot of skyscrapers that modern cities boast of have substantial impacts on the environment. Many of these buildings use resources, emit greenhouse gases, and degenerate waste that harms the environment. This is the same environment where people and other living things also live.

The damage that these modern buildings cause can be too profound that one may not have the exact idea of how it wreaks havoc to the environment. Thus, the need to create buildings that are focused on the concepts of green architecture.

Understanding Green Architecture

Green architecture refers to the concept of constructing and designing buildings while taking into consideration sustainable sources of energy. All aspects of the building must be created to become environmentally efficient. These are the kinds of buildings that require less energy to operate and use for many years to come.

Reasons to Go Green with Architectural Plans

Improvement in Energy Efficiency

Foreign investors who are planning to expand their businesses overseas will surely be impressed by the ecological awareness that your company building manifests. This is one way of showing that your establishment stands out from its competitors who are still in conventional buildings. The professionals from Architectural Cladding Suppliers believe that green architectural designs are brand differentiators. It is one of the best ways to show to your prospective investors that your company is among the leaders in terms of environmental awareness. Nowadays, leading lenders, along with the investors market have come to recognize the economic benefits of having a green building. Many of these investors are also looking to invest in companies that operate in green buildings that have earned certifications from environmental organizations. These certifications can also attract outstanding talents that are also just as environmentally conscious.

Makes Water Efficiency Possible

Buildings that adhere to eco-friendly architectural designs are built with water resource systems that make water efficiency possible. Many green buildings have alternative water sources in place which greatly reduce the strain that people may experience with shared water resources. These alternative water resources allow the purification of water while also enabling the process of recycling. These things are made possible because green buildings have sustainable plumbing systems. It gives all the building occupants the chance to use water responsibly. Water catchment systems may vary depending on what’s most suitable for your building design. An environment-friendly water catchment system makes it possible for a building to store and capture rainwater that can be used for different applications.

Reduction of Operational and Maintenance Cost

Green buildings are designed to lower the costs of energy usage. These buildings maximize the use of daylight, one lighting strategy that paves the way for lowered electricity costs. This feature alone of a green building already has a huge impact on the environment. Energy use accounts for 80 percent of the lifetime costs of maintaining a building. This also translates to more earnings and more money saved for building owners. Buildings that adhere to green architectural plans may entail higher costs during construction compared to conventional buildings. But, with the reduced costs spent on maintenance and operational costs, these green buildings are still considered cheaper over a while.

There are a plethora of benefits to green architectural plans. Businesses will be able to save on energy costs, with these in place. Not to mention the potential to attract more jobs and make significant contributions to the economy.

The post Why Businesses Should Go Green With Their Architectural Plans appeared first on Green Prophet.

Every time I find more news about the solar-power generating windows made by Pythagoras Solar, I am inspired – for my own house. We are currently selling our own house – which somehow grew too big for us since our kids grew up and left – and switching from reading books to reading on an electronic device seems to make a lot of space redundant, too.  Hopefully we will be designing and building again, much smaller.

So when I wrote about their latest – turning Chicago’ Sears Tower into a tower of power – I also started to dream…

…about solar powering our next house too with the see-through glass solar power that Pythagoras has created. We have solar on this house, and I love seeing my tiny electricity bill now. But Pythagoras makes solar that is the next generation- it looks like part of the architecture – glass.

Optics on the surface filter light to let daylight through, while mirrors reflect light onto solar cells laid in thin strips that generate power.

Their powerful glass can be used as windows, but also, and this is my favorite – as skylights. The skylight solar panel makes just as much power as a regular solar panel of the same size – 13 watts a sq foot. It will cost about $125 per square foot – at least in the US – about comparable with solar panels.

One big 200 square foot skylight would be a 2.6 KW solar system, which on average could produce around 400-500 kilowatt hours a month – depending on variables like the region’s insolation and shading of course – and would cost about $25,000,  about what equivalent square footage of solar panels cost. (So essentially, the energy saving glass skylight itself – is free!)

Their solar glass is not yet at the commercial stage, but my dream house would be an open space glass house with a transparent Pythagoras skylight-cum-power station in the middle of the roof! As you’d drive up past it, you’d see the sky right through the center of the roof, and never suspect that the gorgeous view of the sky was also supplying all the power!

(Oh! I forgot: then shouldn’t we do the rest of the roof in this glass tile that harvests solar heating? – what do you think?)

::Pythagoras Solar

Related stories:
Pythagoras Solves Solar Energy Equation at Sears Tower
People Who Live in Glass Houses Should Harvest Solar
Gonen Fink’s Pythagorean Theorem: a Skylight that Makes Electricity

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