Stackable Electric Paris City Cars Save Energy and Space

Small electric cars could transform the world’s big cities from pollution factories to clean, green, efficient metropolises. But one electric vehicle idea takes that concept even further, making a fleet of rental EVs stackable to eliminate the need for vast parking lots, increasing the availability of green space for urban residents.

Designer Taylor Manuilow created the City Car with Paris in mind, imagining an all-electric vehicle that would be available to rent in at all metro stations and other areas around the city.

From Ecofriend:

The cars will be stacked along with a kiosk, which will be used by the commuter to enter the details of his or her commute. New users will have to sign up for using the service initially after which all their commutes will be charged on their credit cards.

Once the details are entered in the kiosk, the system will allow the user to drive one car. On entering the car the user will have the option to change the colors of the interiors or the position of the seats according to his or her requirements. At the end of the commute the user will have to leave the car at the closest kiosk, where the car’s onboard batteries will automatically be recharged, gearing it up for the next user.

For most urban residents and visitors, this sort of transportation – in addition to walking, bicycling and public transportation – is all that is needed to get around. Imagine how much more pleasant cities would be if personal vehicles were limited and almost everyone used a system like this.  It would be like breathing in crisp, clean country air in comparison to the gritty, polluted air that we deal with now.

Link [Ecofriend]

Wind Turbines to Become Part of Paris’ Picturesque Skyline

The historic skyline of Paris will soon look a bit different after the addition of a few small wind turbines, which will be installed to take advantage of strong winds that pass through such high points as Montmartre.

From Reuters:

“We are not talking of big models like those we see in the countryside. We are in Paris and we musn’t disfigure the landscape,” Denis Baupin, a deputy mayor in charge of sustainable development, told Le Parisien newspaper.

The turbines in Paris will produce electricity which will be sold to the state-owned utility EDF or directly used in the buildings where they will be installed, Baupin said.

Baupin said the city’s authorities were also studying setting up water turbines under the capital’s bridges of the Seine river.

“The first tests will start in 2011 or 2012,” he said.

With Parisians so eager to preserve the beauty of their city, you can bet that this will end up a great example of how wind power can be implemented in a subtle way. If it works in Paris, it can work in virtually any other city in the world that gets a reasonable amount of wind – and that will be a great way to put a sock in the mouths of NIMBY complainers.

Link [Reuters]
Photo credit: Flickr user Rahims

Paris Helium Balloon Shows Air Pollution Levels

A giant helium balloon in the skies of Paris gives city residents a very clear idea of how polluted the air is at any given time. The tethered balloon gives real-time reports of atmospheric pollution using a lighting system that can be seen from more than 12 miles away.

From Physorg.com:

A company called Aérophile announced its recent launch of the gas balloon, known as the AERO30NG Aérophile 5500 model, which is located in the Parc Andre Citroën in Paris. Aérophile manufactures tethered gas balloons as tourist and cultural attractions for places including Disney Village in Paris and the Great Park Balloon in Irvine, California.

The newest balloon, which is filled with 6,000 cubic meters of helium, will serve as both an eco-diagnostic public awareness tool as well as a tourist attraction.

Around the city, air pollution data will be collected by several sensors set up by Airparif, an organization that measures air quality in France. Based on this data, the Aérophile balloon will display two measurements: ambient air quality and air pollution produced by auto emissions, which is measured at major traffic junctions.

The balloon’s color signifies the ambient air quality using three projectors that are located in the middle of the balloon. For example, red signifies highly polluted air, orange for polluted, yellow for moderate, light green for clean, and green for very clean.

There’s a second display at the bottom of the balloon that shows traffic pollution levels. Both displays can be seen both day and night.

This is brilliant. What better way to get people to notice the city’s air pollution levels? It’s as simple as looking up at the sky. It couldn’t be more visible. Brilliant!

Link [Physorg.com]