Eco Factor: Plans to build 4000MW geothermal power plants in Indonesia. Indonesia has launched an ambitious plan to use the vast power of its volcanoes that spread from the Indian to the Pacific Oceans to generate about 4000MW of clean energy. The 17,000 islands contain hundreds of volcanoes that are estimated to hold about 40 percent of the world’s geothermal potential. The country has set the goal to generate 4GW of power by 2014, which will almost quadruple the current capacity of 1189MW. The project will cost about $12 billion, for which the country is looking forward to the World Bank, private investors and developed countries like Japan and the US. This plan will also help the country reach its goal of cutting emissions by 26 percent by 2020. Via: EcoGeek / Physorg

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Indonesia plans to tap volcano power for 4000MW of clean electricity

Eco Factor: Fabric made from germanium nanowires to harness solar energy. A tissue paper-like fabric created from germanium and silicon could prove to be as strong as Kevlar and as an added advantage it can harvest solar energy as well. Unlike bulk germanium, which isn’t flexible and is highly brittle, the fabric created from nanowires is flexible and is as strong as Kevlar. However, these credentials won’t make germanium the next material in bulletproof clothing, as the bonds between aren’t actually as strong as they are in case of Kevlar. Scientists at the University of Texas at Austin are now planning to use the fabric’s semiconducting properties for another use – harvesting renewable energy. Germanium can absorb both visible and invisible spectrum of light to generate electricity. This germanium-based photovoltaic isn’t as efficient as that made from silicon. To solve the issue, these scientists are developing similar tissue-like fabric made from silicon nanowires. Besides turning more sunlight into electricity, individual silicon nanowires are about 35 percent stronger than the germanium nanowires. They are also more resistant to corrosion. Via: Discovery

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Bulletproof fabric made from germanium nanowires could harness solar energy as well

Electric vehicle infrastructure company Better Place says it has reached a deal to work with China’s Chery Automobile on new technology for the Chinese auto market.

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Better Place to work with Chery on electric cars

From China’s leading auto group to rising stars, indigenous players will show off a host of new green vehicles at the Beijing auto show this week.

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China investing heavily in green auto tech

Kleiner Perkins and Goldman Sachs both show interest in veteran CPV systems manufacturer.

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Concentrated solar attracts big-name investors

Photo via dicktay2000 We’ve been watching the drama unfold around the Chinese coal-carrying ship that grounded on the Great Barrier Reef, causing damage to the fragile ecosystem that could take decades to heal. Two of the crew members have been arrested by the Australian government and we’re waiting to find out if a fine and/or jail sentence will be issued. However, the incident sparked more than arrest. Australia is now tightening up its shipping re… Read the full story on TreeHugger

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After Chinese Coal Carrier Disaster, Australia Toughening Up Shipping Laws

While PPG has been able to reduce its absolute global energy used 18 percent since 2006, the company fell short of its 2009 goal to reduce energy intensity, or the amount of energy used per ton of product manufactured, according to its 2009 CSR Update (PDF). According to the company’s progressive, year-by-year goal for energy intensity, PPG had aimed for 8.61 million BTUs per ton of product produced. However, the manufacturer of coatings and other specialty products used 8.86 million BTUs per ton of product in 2009 (see image). PPG was able to surpass its goal of generating 5.96 million metric tons of emissions or less. The company generated 5.56 million metric tons of CO2 in 2009, representing a 12.3 percent decrease since 2006. PPG says some of the reduction in emissions is due to a cutback in production. Regarding spills and environmental releases, PPG has a five-year target of reducing spills per 1,000 employees by 10 percent each year. In 2008, that ratio stood at 3.2 spills per 1,000 employees. In 2009, PPG had 2.6 spills per 1,000 employees, which was below its target. By 2013, the firm aims for 1.9 spills per 1,000 employees. As for wastewater treatment, PPG designed and installed a wasterwater treatment plant at its Santiago, Chile, facility. A similar effort was launched at a Zibo, China, fiberglass plant. Last year , the global supplier of paints, coatings, chemicals, optical products, specialty materials, glass and fiber glass reduced nitrogen dioxide emissions by 5 percent and particulate emissions by 6 percent. To view the firm’s 2008 CSR report, click here (PDF).

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PPG Falling Short of Global Energy Intensity Reduction Goal

Image: autohome China SAIC-GM sponsors the award-winning pavilion at the Expo 2010 in Shanghai with the theme Take a drive to 2030 . The concept car Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. plans to show at the Expo (more images in the extended) betrays tremendous pressure to set the highest standard. Combining all of the wildest dreams of electric vehicle buffs into one co… Read the full story on TreeHugger

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World’s First "Carbon Negative" Car Concept at Expo 2010 in Shanghai

An educational poster for distribution in Pakistan, depicting earthquake-safe construction techniques. Image via Dot Earth . Growing up in California, I was never really scared of earthquakes — they happened frequently and most caused little, if any, damage. It wasn’t until I moved to Istanbul , where many of the buildings are illegally built or modified, that I became… Read the full story on TreeHugger

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Bright Ideas in Earthquake-Safe, Ecofriendly Building

I tried my hand at ziplining last week. Thanks to a PR-stunt by the British Columbia tourism board, I got the chance to zip for free right on over San Francisco’s Embarcadero. Hurtling down that 680-foot metal cable, comfortably nestled into my harness with my backpack clipped in above me, I finally understood the appeal of ziplining. It’s fast, fresh and fun. As a tourist activity, ziplining has definitely made a name for itself and is all the rage in eco-tourism hot spots. While feeding your adrenaline need, it’s pretty much carbon free (minus the traveling it took to get to your preferred ziplining destination) and you can see some pretty cool things from a whole new perspective. Preparing for a zip line tour is far from complicated and mostly entails listening to the instructions of your guide. Plan on wearing comfortable clothes and stashing your valuables in a zippered bag or purse. So what’s out there? Canopy tours are the most popular, but you might be surprised to know that flying over the jungle isn’t the only place a zip line can take you. Check out the Great Wall In China you can even experience the Great Wall from a bird’s eye view, where $4 in Simatai scores you a classic Chinese zip line tour. Okay, so you’re not ziplining directly over the Great Wall, but it does give you some great views of the wall as well as a ride over a river. Cruise over a historic center If your travel style is more focused on culture than adventure, you might want to take a look at Flyingfox in India. Boasting India’s first ever zip line, Flyingfox organizes tours over the historic landscape of Rajasthan. Go Superman Style French operation Fantasticable takes ziplining to the next level by letting you hang face down in your harness, the ultimate for a green adventure seeker. You can fly through the Alps, over a French village or 4,650 feet across the mountains of north-east Portugal. Fly at night Sure zipping in daylight is all well and good, but what are night owls to do? At Sky Adventures in Costa Rica you can opt for the Night Tour , with the promise of possibilities to view erupting volcanoes and nocturnal wildlife. Images: Anna Brones, Anna Brones, Ryan McFarland , and Flyingfox

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Green Travel Tip: Ziplining the World Round