Archive for 2009

This month, ecoShuttle is combining two of my favorite things, art and sustainability. We are partnering with Portland Open Studios to bring you a tour of professional art studios in Portland. If you’ve never done the tour before, you should and if you have, you should do it again. I had a blast last fall touring artists’ workspaces. It’s so interesting to see how people work, especially with different types of media and subject.

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North Bergen, New Jersey 9/23/2009 04:05 PM GMT (TransWorldNews)

Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P. (NYSE: KMP) had announced the beginning of commercial transportation of blended 2% biodiesel (B2) through its 115 mile Oregon Pipeline which run from Portland to Eugene. A test of moving B2 through the pipeline was successfully completed. The pipeline will help diesel fuel suppliers through Oregon meet the states mandate on biodiesel.

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The first batch of 100,000 barrels of B2 was created using a blending system to inject B99 into ultra low sulfur diesel. Kinder Morgan has recently begun several renewable fuel projects in its Pacific Northwest facilities. In the Southeast the company’s, Plantation Pipe Line Company, became the first in the U.S. to transport biodiesel for commercial purposes.

About Kinder Morgan

Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P. (NYSE:KMP) is a leading pipeline transportation and energy storage company in North America. KMP owns an interest in or operates more than 28,000 miles of pipelines and 170 terminals. Its pipelines transport natural gas, gasoline, crude oil, CO₂ and other products, and its terminals store petroleum products and chemicals and handle bulk materials like coal and petroleum coke. KMP is also the leading provider of CO₂ for enhanced oil recovery projects in North America. One of the largest publicly traded pipeline limited partnerships in America, KMP has an enterprise value of approximately $25 billion.

September 18, 2009

Being that I’m an Oregon local and being that Autumn is my favorite season, I thought we’d take an insiders look at what’s green and fun in my neck of the woods during the fall. Portland Oregon is an amazing place to visit anytime of the year, but in the Fall it’s spectacular; trees galore and they’re all on fire with colors. Not only that but we’ve got it all – urban space, rural places, and we’ve been named one of the greenest cities in America again and again. You’ve got nothing to lose, and only awesome eco-experiences to gain by traveling to Portland.

1) EXPERIENCE RECYCLED FASHION:

On November 14, 2009 the Junk To Funk Recycled Fashion Show is happening. This is a super cool showcase for wearable art made by artists who creatively use ‘trash’ in an eclectic, inspiring and humorous production. PLUS this event is at the Crystal Ballroom – a must see historic registry music and arts venue in Portland.

2) EXPERIENCE A GREEN PUB CRAWL:

Travel Portland put together an amazing eco-pub crawl for visitors that will introduce you to local eco-brew and local and fresh minded pub grub. This pub crawl winds through two southeast Portland neighborhoods and ends just across the Hawthorne Bridge from downtown. It’s totally manageable by bus too – and no worries, buses here run late.

START at Hopworks Urban Brewery (one of my absolute favorite pdx eco-brew pubs) and have some amazing food to kick off the night like locally harvested salads, cage free chicken wings and organic celery, pizza with homemade organic roma tomato sauce, and more! Of course have some organic beer to accompany your dinner.

Then make your way round to the Night Light Lounge, Imbibe, Lucky Labrador Brew Pub, and end the night at Roots Organic Brewing. For a full rundown of this eco-friendly pub crawl see the latest Portland Travel Magazine.

3) EXPERIENCE A CAR-LESS VACATION:

Sign on for a “Car-less Vacation” package at the eco-friendly Hotel Monaco. Why bring the car? The “Car-less Vacation” package offers you discounts and special perks just for leaving your car at home, and honestly, you won’t need it. You can save gas and money because Portland Oregon has some of the best public transportation around. We’ve got buses a plenty, the MAX which goes all over the place now, and plenty of places that rent bikes. Plus PDX is a totally walking friendly city.

4) EXPERIENCE WALKING THERE:

Portland is known for its amazing public transportation system and for being a walkable city. The new guide book; Walk There! 50 treks in and around Portland and Vancouver, helps you take advantage of these facts. Save money, save gas, save your waistline. Every Walk There! route begins and ends near a bus or MAX stop and will lead you on 50 explorations of newly acquired urban natural areas, scenic parks, historic neighborhoods and fascinating main streets. The pocket sized book contains detailed maps and route descriptions too. This is the real way to see Portland.

NOTE: Fall weather in pdx is temperamental – it may be beautiful and clear, it may be raining. Real locals rarely carry umbrellas, so bring a rain jacket and water proof shoes if you want to walk the city like a local.

5) EXPERIENCE NATURE IN THE CITY:

Portland has many outdoor nature adventures to experience, right in the city. Such as…

• Washington Park (shown above) which comes complete with breathtaking views of the city, a play area for the kids, the famous International Rose Test Garden, home to 10,000 rosebushes, and nearby is the Portland Japanese Garden and the Hoyt Arboretum, a diverse collection of trees and other plants from around the world.
• Forest Park, a 5,100-acre urban forest that includes 70 miles of tree lined trails.

For more ideas visit Portland public parks.

6) EXPERIENCE GREEN COFFEE:

You can’t come to Portland and not experience coffee – we consider that a crime here. Make sure to get some sustainable brew, in a reusable mug from…

• Ladybug Organic Coffee
• Stumptown Coffee
• Twin Paradox
• K&F BellaSelva Coffeehouse
• Coffeehouse Northwest

Organic and Fair Trade coffee is served up all over pdx in all sorts of places though – trust me, even without a long list you’ll find some brew.

7) EXPERIENCE A NATURE DAY TRIP:

Portland is within a day’s reach (or less) of tons of amazing nature spots to explore. Rent an eco-friendly car or check out Zipcar – in pdx they offer free state park passes with some cars. Some day trip ideas…

• Multnomah Falls – just a half hour outside of pdx, this 611 foot waterfall is a must see and a beautiful drive too.
• Columbia River Gorge & Mount Hood drive – Amazing scenery and awesome places to get out and explore.
• Take a fun and delicious eco-wine tour of the Willamette Valley.
• Visit the Oregon Coast – the coast residing along Highway 101, depending on where you’d like to go (there are 363 miles of rugged Oregon coastlines) is about 1.5 hours away, but a beautiful drive and well worth it especially in the Fall.

For other amazing Portland day (and some longer trips) check out the Oregon American Byways site.

EXPERIENCE GREEN SHOPPING:

Portland is a green shopping mecca, and while it’s not very green to shop til you drop, a little window shopping and a few key green purchases won’t kill you (or the planet). Some ideas…

• Portland is home to the famed Greenloop – everyone’s fave green fashion place. There are also plenty of smaller shops carrying green clothing (think hemp and organics) that can be found in the general Hawthorn and Belmont neighborhood areas.
• Powell’s Books is the largest used and new bookstore in the world. Right downtown and within easy walking distance of everything cool, this book store takes up an entire city block and houses over 3,500 different sections and the largest array of used books you’ve ever seen. A must see for folks looking to keep books out of landfills by buying used.
• Other notable green or used shops include Jackpot Records, Red Light Clothing Exchange, Lizard Lounge, Ecohaus, Global Exchange, Mirador Community Store, and so much more – see the pdx ReDirect Guide for more green shops.

9) EXPERIENCE PRESERVATION:

Heathman Hotel’s Volunteer-Vacation, is a hotel stay and preservation experience in one. The Heathman’s Volunteer-Vacation connects you with the Forest Park Conservancy, a group dedicated to maintaining the trails and natural habitat of Forest Park. Volunteers do things like remove invasive species, clean-up, National Trails Day events, “Discovery Hikes” and more. You’ll get hands-on volunteer experience that focuses on the environment, educational forest tours, and get to help green up an important Portland area. They also offer a Go Green hotel package.

How to book

1. Book any rate at the Heathman Hotel
2. After you have reserved your room, call the Heathman at 503.241.4100, provide your confirmation number and ask to add on the Forest Park Volunteer-Vacation. The cost of the volunteer experience is $100/reservation, 100 percent of which will be donated to the Forest Park Conservancy.

10) EXPERIENCE GREEN FAMILY FUN:

Fall is great for kiddos in Oregon – there’s plenty to do and see that combines eco-friendly and / or nature activities, but in a package kids will enjoy. Such as…

The Oregon Zoo – different than many zoos with tons of walking trails, a conservation focus, an immense amount of trees, and of course animals. Plus if you’re here for Halloween, the zoo offers spooky kid fun galore. That’s my son at the zoo above – I assure you he was having a good time; no matter how “thrilled” he looks (not a camera fan).

The MAiZE at the Pumpkin Patch -kids will enjoy the huge mazes plus…

• Field of Screams
• Hayrides
• Cow Trains Ride
• Kids Giant Slide
• Hay Climbing Pyramid
• The Pumpkin Patch
• The Big Red Animal Barn

IF you’ll be here asap check out the Green Sprouts festival happening on September 26th! It’ll be totally fun and green for your kids.

Of course we’ve got toys a plenty, but two of the coolest green toy shops are…

• Spielwerk Toys
• Polliwog – I LOVE this shop – everything green for the younger set; clothing, toys, books, carriers, and more.

[images via Travel Portland, stock.xchng, The MAiZE, & Jennifer Chait]

By ANDREW DeMILLO (AP) – 6 hours ago

Fiddling with your iPhone behind the wheel can get you fined across much of the nation. But many states are more than happy to tweet you with up-to-the-minute directions on how to steer clear of a traffic jam.

It is a mixed signal that some safety experts and politicians say could be dangerous.

At least 22 states that ban texting while driving offer some type of service that allows motorists to get information about traffic tie-ups, road conditions or emergencies via Twitter.

“You shouldn’t be fiddling around with any kind of electronic gadget in your car while driving,” said Minnesota state Rep. Frank Hornstein, who helped write his state’s no-texting-while-driving law.

Nineteen states and the District of Columbia have banned all texting while driving, and eight others prohibit texting by younger drivers only, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association.

Many of these laws essentially bar people from fooling with their smart phones in any way behind the wheel; in some cases, just reading from a mobile device is against the law.

Some supporters of text-messaging bans say that states that provide traffic information via Twitter are undermining these laws.

“I would guess that the states wouldn’t intend to be sending a mixed message, but it sounds like it could be a mixed message,” said Judie Stone, president of the Washington-based Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety.

State transportation officials say they are not encouraging people to get online behind the wheel. They say drivers should read their tweets before hitting the road.

In Washington state, for example, where citizens and transportation officials can exchange messages about the latest traffic, the feed includes regular reminders not to use the service while driving. “Know before you go,” said one feed this week.

Drivers should “check our Web site before leaving. If you’re at your office, before you leave and there’s an issue on the roadway, it might alter your travel plans home,” said Randy Ort, spokesman for the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department.

The Arkansas ban on texting while driving goes into effect Oct. 1; this week, the state became the latest to provide road conditions via Twitter, the microblogging service that lets people read and send messages of 140 characters or fewer.

Other places offering traffic information via Twitter include: California, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Virginia.

The apparent conflict results from two arms of government with seemingly good intentions: transportation departments that want to help motorists cope with traffic, and legislatures that are worried about the deadly consequences of distracted driving.

While Washington state lets motorists tweet about traffic conditions, in most states the flow of information is one-way — from state officials to drivers. Some states, such as New York and Indiana, send lots of up-to-the-minute information. Others just tweet intermittently, or reserve Twitter for emergencies. Mississippi, for example, intends to use its service during hurricane evacuations.

Maine has employed Twitter only to update drivers on an interstate highway project in the Portland area. Nebraska plans to use Twitter during winter weather emergencies. Oregon officials notify drivers about emergency road closings only.

“We don’t want people reading their tweets while they’re driving,” said Sally Ridenour, spokeswoman for the Oregon Department of Transportation.

In Washington state, the 6,200 users can also request estimated travel times, mountain pass reports and waiting times at the Canadian border. Some users apparently just want to chat.

“Got home, got changed, now heading back to seattle for the Mariners game. Keep the roads clear for me on I90 (at)WSDOT ,” one user posted in late August. The reply from transit officials? “No promises, but we will do our best Enjoy the game!”

Others want to know why traffic isn’t moving. “wsdot any idea what’s going on westbound on 520? it’s worse than rush hour..,” a user posted. Within a few minutes, officials responded: “Yes! There is a disabled vehicle just east of Lk Wash Blvd blocking right lane.”

That kind of exchange, if conducted by drivers behind the wheel, troubles some safety experts.

“If you’re sitting there and trying to update the world on the congestion you’re in, you could be part of a collision,” said Fairley Mahlum, spokeswoman for the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. “Did it really matter that you needed to tell everyone and their brother what the situation is? It’s just not really not worth it.”

The dangers of texting and driving are well documented. The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found in July that when truck drivers texted, their risk of a collision was 23 times greater. Dialing a cell phone and using or reaching for an electronic device raised the risk of collision about six times in cars and trucks.

A 17-year-old Eureka, Ill., high school student was killed in June when she drove off the road while sending a message to friends. A train wreck in California last year left 25 people dead, including the train operator, who was texting at the time.

Seattle resident Aaron Woo often checks traffic conditions on his phone using the Twitter feed from the state’s transportation department — sometimes, he said, while driving.

“I try not to use my phone at certain miles per hour,” the 25-year-old said. “I try to be smart when I’m using my phone when I’m driving.”

Washington resident Eric Zinn said he, too, checks the Twitter traffic updates on his phone, though usually not when he is driving.

Does he worry other people will be doing it behind the wheel?

“They’re too busy eating doughnuts and shaving their eyebrows and screaming at their kids,” he said. “There’s plenty of things to keep you distracted.”

Associated Press writers Brian Bakst in St. Paul, Minn., David Lieb in Jefferson City, Mo., Emily Wagster Pettus in Jackson, Miss., and Curtis Woodward in Olympia, Wash., and Manuel Valdes in Seattle contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Eco-friendly weddings, ethical weddings, green weddings or socially conscious weddings

, whatever terminology one uses, studies show that more and more bridal couples are planning weddings that respect the preservation and sustainability of the earth.

For many engaged couples and their families, the idea of a green wedding, however, is a little altruistic. Many people believe that doing their part is so infinitely minute in the total scheme of the universe that holding an eco-friendly wedding would be a severe burden for little foreseeable results. And it might be agreed that carrying out a successful green wedding is an enormous task fraught with much determination and endless concessions. But this article will present very simple ways in which all couples can contribute to the safe longevity of the planet.

One of the biggest challenges in planning a green wedding is the choice of wedding specialist. If the budget allows and the couple has decided to hire a wedding consultant, the first question that must be asked is “Do you use eco-friendly vendors and suppliers?” Regardless of whether the consultant comes highly recommended, if she is not willing or not able to participate in your green bridal wishes, then simply move on.

Having found the appropriate wedding planning expert, the couple and the consultant next discuss to what extent the wedding should be considered eco-friendly. For example:

• Will the apparel be of sustainable and natural resources?
• What supplies will be replaced by environmentally friendly items?
• Will the meal be vegetarian or will meat be allowed?
• What criteria will be used to determine whether a vendor is eco-friendly acceptable

All of the hashed-out details and budget should be stated in a contract and decided upon in the beginning to avoid confusion and ill will as the planning process advances. Here are a few details that might be part of the eco-friendly wedding planning package.

Wedding Tosses – Instead of throwing confetti, which is not only ecologically dangerous, but also dangerous to people when tread upon, look for vendors who offer fresh petals in paper sleeves or fabric pouches.

Serving Ware – Stay away from plastic plates, forks, spoons and knives. Instead purchase biodegradable utensils that have been made with corn or potato starch.

Wedding Favors – Look for wedding favors that respect the environment and do not encourage guests to contribute to huge landfills. Choose items that the guests will use or that will not be thrown away. For example, a hand-made picture frame with the happy couple’s engagement photo or a tree that can be planted in the guest’s backyard. Disposable cameras, on the other hand, are a no-no when it comes to eco-friendly weddings as very few end up in recycling facilities.

Personalized Stationery – Customarily, all wedding reception tables showcased beautifully printed personalized napkins, matchbooks and wedding favor gift tags. Not only is the process expensive leading to a higher budget, but also the printing itself is in most cases harmful. Nowadays, since most people do not appreciate matchbooks and since the napkins are thrown away, a suggestion would be to forego the personal messages and use plain white recycled napkins. Going one step further, one may order linen napkins with the tablecloths. And for the tag on the wedding favors, look for rice paper or some type of recyclable material.

Transportation – While it is very difficult to get away from the use of cars in today’s society, there are a couple ways to conserve energy and avoid polluting the air on one’s wedding day. If the budget permits, hire a horse and carriage or order a larger limousine so that everyone fits in one vehicle rather than using several vehicles. Another idea, which would be appreciated by the guests for convenience, is hiring a shuttle bus to carry the out-of-town guests from the hotel to the church to the reception hall and back to the hotel. The guests will not be required to rent vehicles and there will be fewer vehicles on the road.

Indeed, there are many ways in which a couple might contribute to the preservation of the earth. Whether it is done in a small way or a big all-out effort, there is one last point that should guide the wedding decision making process. In order to produce successfully, a green wedding, one must review a couple questions:

• Does the specific item provide a useful purpose in the wedding ceremony or reception?
• Is the purpose of the item purely for show?
• Can the item be replaced with a more appropriate eco-friendly item or can it be removed from the wedding outright?
• Are the relevant family members and bridal party on board with the concept?

Suggested wedding planning information:

One of the most important parts of planning a wedding is the bride’s ensemble. Her bridal jewelry selections are extremely important and this stunning collection of stylish pearls would make her bridal jewelry selection perfect.

For more on Eco Wedding Trends, you might like to take a look at these Hot Wedding Trends.

Mayor Richard M. Daley famously wants to make Chicago the greenest city in America. By one measure, he’s done it.

Chicago now has more certified green buildings than any other city in the country, according to figures I received yesterday from the U.S. Green Building Council.

The council reports that 88 projects in Chicago have earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.

Portland, Or. was next with 73 LEED buildings and Seattle third with 63.

New York was 7th with 46 and Los Angeles 9th with 40.

The only small city in the top ten was Grand Rapids, Mich., which ranked 8th with 44.

Projects gain LEED certification by scoring points in a system devised by the council. Points are awarded for a variety of features, including enegy-saving building systems, water conservation and proximity to public transportation. Architects and others have criticized the system, however, and a recent New York Times story detailed how some LEED buildings do not live up to their green billing.

In late 2007, Chicago had 27 LEED-certified buildings, ranking behind Portland and Seattle.

The rankings are current through the end of August, according to Ashley Katz, a spokeswoman for the council. Through mid-September, Chicago has 92 LEED-certified buildings, she said.

Among Chicago’s LEED-rated buildings are the McCormick Place West Building and the city’s new FBI Building.

Daley has been a vocal advocate of green architecture. Years ago, Chicago’s City Hall was outfitted with a lushly-planted green roof (above). The city requires new public buildings to achieve LEED certification. In addition, public and private projects receiving city assistance must either have a green roof or pursue green building certification.

Daley has also been criticized for his environmental record, however, most notably over the failed blue bag recycling program.

Chicago also ranked high in the category of projects registered for LEED certification. Registered projects are not completed but are either in a conceptual phase or under construction. Their developers register with the council with the intent of gaining certification upon completion, Katz explained.

In the registered ranking, New York City was first with 550 and Chicago second with 499.

The council also ranks states by registered projects. California easily leads with 3449, followed by New York with 1546. Illinois was sixth with 936.

Following are the top 10 U.S. cities, ranked by LEED certified buildings:

1. Chicago–88.

2. Portland, Or.–73.

3. Seattle–63.

4. Washington, D.C.–57.

5. Atlanta–53.

6. San Francisco–50.

7. New York City–46.

8. Grand Rapids, Mich.–44.

9. Los Angeles–40.

10. Boston–38.

Written by Nick Chambers, Editor

Published on September 17th, 2009

Posted in Algae, Carbon Emissions

Arizona Public Service, the state’s largest electricity provider, has secured $70.5 million in stimulus funds to expand an innovative project that turns carbon dioxide emissions from a coal power plant into biofuel using algae. While part of the funds will be used to scale up the algae processing portion, some of the funds will also be used to investigate the potential benefits of turning the coal into a gas prior to burning it for power.

The concept of creating two products — electricity and fuel — from the same process is known as cogeneration. In this case, the cogeneration also helps to reduce environmental pollution. It’s an idea that has been gathering support as a way to make coal less polluting while finding an additional revenue source to pay for the pollution control itself. In fact, a while back I reported on a similar pilot project in Oregon.

Apparently, Arizona Public Service was able to convince the government that by combining the pollution-to-algae-fuel and coal-gasification research into one project, it was worthy of receiving such a large grant. It’s only the second stimulus research grant that has gone towards a carbon capture project, with the first being a project that compresses carbon dioxide for storage underground.

The project is being hosted at the 995-megawatt Cholla Power Plant in northeastern Arizona. Early results indicate that the algae are able to capture 70 metric tons of carbon dioxide per pond acre per year.

Personally I think we should wean ourselves off coal completely, but given that the US has huge reserves of the stuff and the political heirarchy is probably unwilling to go that route, we’re likely stuck with using coal for quite some time. So, if you can’t beat ‘em, make ‘em pollute less, right? While projects like this ultimately represent a crutch and a band-aid, they are still necessary to fix the climate crisis if we refuse to get off fossil fuels entirely.

Check out ecoShuttle as the Business Spotlight for September on Sustainable Today

07 September 2009 Green technologies are central to most modern gantry crane systems. David Pittman reports.

Customers are placing demands for environmental best practice on companies across the business spectrum, and the issue of emissions in the changing global climate is a continuing political hot potato.

World leaders are expected to settle on a framework agreement for combating climate change post-2012 at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December, which will follow-on from the end of the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol that passes at the end of 2012. In addition, new engine emissions standards around the world are coming to the fore and focusing operators’ and customers’ thoughts on the impact their equipment is having on the environment. This includes Stage III/IV in Europe and Tier 4 in the US.

As a result, supply chains are coming under increased scrutiny to make sure they are doing their part, and supply chain partners, such as port operators, are having to look more closely at the technologies they employ and the emissions their operations produce.

The global economic slump has also placed an impetus on using these technologies to reduce costs, with a heavy focus on reducing the use of fuel, which has seen its price rise over the last few years, and other exhaustible energy resources.

In response to this, the port equipment industry has developed a variety of technologies and systems, and many have now been fully road tested at the dockside. This includes zero emission models, all-electric models, regenerative breaking and engine efficiencies.

For instance, Konecranes says its range of fuel-saving RTGs can yield fuel savings of up to 30% by optimising the diesel generator to increase efficiency and reduce fuel consumption. This is done by adjusting the equipment’s RPMs according to the variable actual power requirement; meaning the engine is driven efficiently and high-speed idling is eliminated. Konecranes’ figures show the savings using fuel-saving rubber-tyred gantry cranes (RTGs), based on 5,000 operating hours a year involving 25t containers, can vary from over EUR25,000 to more than EUR30,000, depending on the number of containers handled per hour.

At the port

DP World is a leading international marine terminal operator with operations in the EMEA region, Asia Pacific, Australia and the Americas. As such, environmental best practice is never far from its thoughts. It states that it is “engaged in activities to limit the environmental impact of its business operations, particularly by employing industry-leading techniques to reduce the consumption of resources such as electricity and diesel oil, and reusing and recycling where possible”.

DP World’s director of global engineering, John Arnup, says the company has had “real success” in reducing fuel costs by focusing on its machines. “We only buy eco RTGs”, he says. “We haven’t bought a normal RTG for many years.

“This is focusing on the engine. We are seeing real success here and seeing significant savings in fuel. The engine is where so called intelligences can be found.”

Arnup says one of the key elements in the specification of environmentally friendly cranes by DP World is the ability for the cranes to be able to carry out lifts at speeds that were being achieved before but cutting out idling while working.

The removal of oil from machines is another key consideration for DP World. “It is possible that oil can become a thing of the past,” says Arnup, “for example with electric wheel turns eliminating hydraulics.

“All-electric specification can mean easier maintenance, cheaper operating and the removal of oil issues.”

Arnup says DP World is also undertaking initiatives to make its older equipment more environmentally friendly, including experimenting with additives in its fuel supplies. This, Arnup says, is aimed at altering the additive-chemical balance to provide “a cleaner burn that results in a small fuel saving as well as reducing our NOx (nitrogen oxide) and SOx (sulphur oxide) emissions. Dealing with legacy equipment is a challenge,” he says.

Rail-mounted gantry cranes (RMGs) are another area that DP World is looking at to make fuel and emissions reductions. However, this is “not such a focus” says Arnup, as the performance of RMGs is reliant on how the crane is specified.

“Compromise is what it comes down to. How you operate the crane determines the size of the transformer and if it can be equipped with a smaller installed power. It’s more about management.

“There is a lot going on in terms of the environment and safety,” says Arnup. “The eco side has changed drastically in the last two years, maybe even over the last year, and it has been extremely positive.”

The Port of Houston Authority (PHA) in the US is also looking to fuel-saving RTGs to bolster its operations, having recently placed an order for nine Konecranes fuel-saving models. PHA already has 40 Konecranes RTGs in operation across its eight cargo terminals in the Gulf of Mexico, but this order represents its first experience of fuel-saving RTGs. These nine all-electric, 50t capacity cranes will be delivered to Bayport Container Terminal in July 2010, as part of the terminal’s second phase of expansion and increasing its Konecranes RTG fleet to 27.

“The customer appreciates not only the fuel-saving features and reduced fuel costs, but also the higher fleet availability that the RTGs’ all-electric systems offer,” says Jussi Sarpio, director for RTG cranes at Konecranes.

“Another important feature is the crane’s anti-sway design which increases productivity in the terminal.”

Electrical evolution

Within this drive to reduce direct fuel costs and emissions, the use of electricity has a more prominent place.

As pointed out by Arnup, hydraulics maybe a thing of the past as electric components take their place in modern machinery. Konecranes has not used hydraulics in its RTGs since 1995, and its cRTG is electrically-fed to take advantage of low-cost economies of scale.

cRTG utilises a cable reel, a feeding cable and a transformer station to power the crane from the national grid. The crane is able to work on one stack from a single feed point, which can be located at the end or the middle of the stack. This position affects how far the crane can travel, with an operating area of 150m to 730m achievable if the feed point is located at the end of the stack, or 300m to 1,460m if it is sited in the middle. An auxiliary diesel generator unit is fitted to power the crane as it moves from stack to stack, where it is then reconnected to another feed point using a plug and receptacle.

cRTG models are also able to generate their own power by taking advantage of regenerative braking. The energy generated during braking actions is fed back to the grid and means the terminal draws on less power from the power station.

Kalmar has offered its E-One² RTG since 2005, which couples a low emission diesel engine with an all-electric trolley. It is designed as an all-electric concept with no hydraulic parts. Kalmar is also developing a new electric shuttle carrier as part of its seventh generation of straddle and shuttle carriers. The ESH W offers a power package that includes a variable speed generator (VSG), a Stage IIIA engine with specific catalytic reduction technology, and an electrically controlled viscous fan. The drive system and winch hoist are both electric, and in the hybrid version, electric brake control optimises energy recovery during braking. There is also the option of stop-and-go, which shuts down the engine when the unit is not moving.

Kalmar says it developed the ESH W as its customers are developing sustainable operations as well as working to improve terminal productivity. “With the electrical shuttle carrier, we combine the possibilities of the latest green technologies with high productivity,” says Ilkka Annala, vice president of Kalmar straddle carriers at Cargotec.

“With this technology we have reduced fuel consumption and lowered CO2 emissions.”

Germany’s Gottwald is currently testing the first battery-driven automated guided vehicle (AGV) for handling containers. Working with HHLA Container Terminals GmbH, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG, it is hoping to introduce container handling equipment that produces zero exhaust emissions into ports and terminals. Gottwald has retrofitted one of HHLA’s modified diesel-electric AGVs for battery power and the vehicle is undergoing testing at HHLA’s Altenwerder container terminal.

Gottwald and HHLA said the move to battery power is driven by the need “to make a sustainable contribution to environmental protection in maritime ports near urban areas”. Captain Heinrich Goller, managing director of HHLA Container Terminals, says, “Against a backdrop of growing concern about environmental issues in society, politics, households and industry, we, as terminal operators, are expected to take a more responsible stance in regard to the environment. We need to design our facilities to meet these obligations long-term and increase our investment in zero exhaust emissions technology. For cost efficiency reasons, we also need to employ highly efficient and economical technology in view of the overall difficult economic situation and increasing fuel costs predicted long-term.”

Dr Mathias Dobner, chief operating officer and chief technical officer of Gottwald, adds: “The battery AGV is an important module in the handling equipment being developed as part of Gottwald’s green range. By implementing zero emission, low consumption and thus environmentally aware technologies, we aim to meet the requirements of our customers.”

Concept cranes

Konecranes has a low emission concept in place that advocates less as more, and covers fleets, equipment, energy sources and emissions with a variety of technologies and solutions proffered.

Konecranes says the easiest way to cut emissions is to match fleet size to operations, which means the minimum number of most effective machines are mobilised. This, it says, reduces fuel burn and the volume of non value-added activities undertaken by lifting equipment. To ensure this practice is effectively followed, Konecranes uses a dual antenna-based differential global positioning system (DGPS) on yard cranes and RAAS technology with reachstackers and straddle carriers.

DGPS is an enhancement to standard GPS that uses a network of fixed, ground-based reference stations to broadcast the difference between the positions indicated by the satellite systems and known fixed positions. RAAS is a similar technology that accurately locates the equipment in the yard.

Konecranes says this positioning system, which can also be retrofitted to existing equipment, is able to minimise unnecessary driving and maximise efficiency and productivity in the fleet. This, Konecranes says, leads to a direct cut in emissions. “It’s not only about doing the tasks right, but doing the right tasks.”

For equipment, Konecranes highlights load positioning, weight of the machinery, design and the drive system as factors that affect energy use and emissions. As such, it has introduced active load control featuring a horizontal fine-positioning system, which allows the container to be caught by moving the spreader to within a 30cm radius of the target. It is using an intelligent trolley that does not require additional machinery, meaning it is lighter. It has designed out shafts, chains and belts, with all motors in yard cranes connected directly to the gantry or trolley traverse gearboxes. And, it is fitting drives that recognise the torque pattern of lifting operations and optimise power use.

Konecranes adds the use of purification technologies “is a top priority for us”, with catalytic converters already in use for a number of years. This, Konecranes says, positions it to respond to new international standards and manufacture low emission equipment.

Kalmar’s E-One² was followed on to the market by the E-One+, which offered improved quality and safety features. However, Kalmar says “this was not enough”, and the E-One² has now been improved to meet market demands.

“Our customers recognise safety as one of the key issues for improving their operational efficiency,” says Raimo Ukkonen, vice president of Kalmar RTGs at Cargotec. “Staff should be able to perform at maximum efficiency whilst enjoying a safe working environment. As a result of our thorough hazard analysis and intense product development, we raised our market-leading RTG to a whole new level of safety.”

Improvements to the E-One² model include safer access to the cabin, left main girder and trolley via a stairway, coupled with improved stairway lighting. The crane’s EE-House has also been redesigned, with extended safety distances that exceed requirements. The new safety features comply with EN 954-1, category 3.

Kalmar says the E-One²’s new fail-safe programmable logic control platform is integral to semi-automation and brings enhanced functional safety improvements. The noise level is lower due to its re-engineered power unit enclosure and a variable speed engine, which idles at a lower speed, Kalmar says.

Further enhancements include options for a VSG and zero emission with mains supply. Marko Rasinen, marketing and product manager of Kalmar’s RTG product line, says the zero emission option means “no noise, no emissions”, as “the most efficient way to decrease RTG energy consumption is to eliminate the diesel engine and provide the crane with an electrical supply”. This can see energy costs reduced by 20% compared to diesel-electric RTGs and fuel savings of up to 60% compared to conventional RTGs through the use of a VSG, an optional hybrid package and a viscous fan system. Rasinen says this equates to a reduction in CO2 emissions by as much as 100t, depending on working hours.

Kalmar’s VSG automatically optimises the engine’s RPM according to the power needed, thus resulting in lower fuel consumption. An energy optimised VSG engine equipped with super capasitors to provide energy storage powers the hybrid package.

Ports and their operators around the world have taken advantage of these options, including Gateway Terminals India operating at the Nhava Sheva port, India; LCMT at the Port of Laem Chabang in Thailand; Kumport port in Turkey; and container terminal Port Nou at the Port of Barcelona in Spain.

While eliminating emissions maybe the key target for port equipment manufacturers, three German firms are working on the technology to treat emissions from working machinery. Diesel engine manufacturer Deutz AG, automotive technology specialist Robert Bosch GmbH and exhaust technology specialist J Eberspächer GmbH have recently signed a memorandum of understanding to develop new exhaust gas treatment technologies for non-road vehicles to help meet the requirements of the Stage III/IV and Tier 4 emissions standards.

The planned joint venture will supply complete diesel exhaust systems to all engine and machinery manufacturers worldwide. The system would be based on standardised modules with customised tubing.

Deutz said each business will contribute its own specialty to the development of this technology, with Bosch contributing electronic control unit experience and its SCR metering system, Eberspächer adding its knowledge of exhaust gas after-treatment and Deutz providing experience of reducing diesel engine emissions.

With fuel costs only likely to rise for decades to come, green technologies will remain a key selling point for port cranes. And with the world’s next step in tackling climate change due to be announced in the coming months, it’s likely businesses will find themselves looking even harder at their operations and equipment to ensure they are ticking the right boxes.

By Jesse Yun

Certainly, we’ve had the busiest summer of our existence. From wine tours to weddings to conferences, our amount of bookings has more than doubled from a year ago. I’d like to take the time to appreciate the business opportunities given to us in this recovering economy. The local dollars invested in ecoShuttle has not only helped us grow to a small business success, it’s given you an earth-friendly transportation option, created new green jobs and is playing a small but significant part to aid in the recovery. At ecoShuttle, we believe the key to any economic recovery is innovation. Entrepreneurs of the now believe sustainability leads to innovation, which leads to survivability and eventually growth.

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