James Ayre James Ayre's background is predominantly in geopolitics and history, but he has an obsessive interest in pretty much everything. After an early life spent in the Imperial Free City of Dortmund, James followed the river Ruhr to Cofbuokheim, where he attended the University of Astnide. And where he also briefly considered entering the coal mining business. He currently writes for a living, on a broad variety of subjects, ranging from science, to politics, to military history, to renewable energy.
May 15th, 2018 | by James Ayre
If the human population continues to grow for numerous decades more, then what does it matter if a slowly increasing portion of the world's energy mix is comprised of renewable energy capacity?
May 5th, 2018 | by James Ayre
The plug-in electric drivetrain solutions firm Efficient Drivetrains Inc (EDI) has announced the production release of its new PowerDrive 7000ev series — drivetrain systems for converting heavy-duty vehicles to electric and/or hybrid operation
May 4th, 2018 | by James Ayre
The corporate venture capital arm of the Bosch group, Robert Bosch Venture Capital, has announced that it has increased its financial stake in the Israel-based startup Allegro.AI, a firm focused on AI deep learning in relation and as applied to computer vision tech
May 4th, 2018 | by James Ayre
Former Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn has now been charged by the US Justice Department with conspiracy in relation to the coverup at Volkswagen relating to the diesel vehicle emissions cheating scandal
May 4th, 2018 | by James Ayre
The US-based commercial electric bus supplier Advanced Vehicle Manufacturing (AVM) has secured a memorandum of understanding for the sale of 58 commercial electric vehicles with the Israel-based transportation and tourism firm Afifi Group
May 4th, 2018 | by James Ayre
The Hamburg (Germany) based bus operator Hamburger Hochbahn AG has placed an order for 20 units of the new all-electric [&hellip
May 3rd, 2018 | by James Ayre
The plug-in electric vehicle battery manufacturing startup Northvolt has now begun construction work on its "Northvolt Labs" facility in Västerås (Sweden), according to the company
May 3rd, 2018 | by James Ayre
FedEx Express has now taken delivery of its first hydrogen fuel cell electric delivery van for public road use, as supplied by Plug Power and Workhorse Group
May 3rd, 2018 | by James Ayre
The prominent mining firm Savannah Resources has announced that its latest estimates place northern Portugal's Mina do Barroso lithium ore reserves at around 14 million tonnes of hard rock lithium -- a figure around 52% larger than that provided by earlier estimates of the reserves located there
May 3rd, 2018 | by James Ayre
One of the Volkswagen Group's primary brands, Spain's SEAT, has launched a new all-electric carsharing service in the city of Barcelona (Spain)
May 2nd, 2018 | by James Ayre
In a sign that the company is perhaps not all that happy about Tesla releasing an all-electric semi truck, the Nikola Motor Company has filed a lawsuit against Tesla alleging design patent infringements relating to that product
May 2nd, 2018 | by James Ayre
Toyota Connected has announced the launch of a new startup division, dubbed Toyota Connected Europe (TCEU). The division will be focused on the launch and support of new shared mobility services and fleet management solutions in the region
April 30th, 2018 | by James Ayre
Talks are reportedly now underway between Volkswagen AG and China-based Didi Chuxing relating to the possible formation of a new joint venture focused on the provision, development, and management of "purpose built" vehicles, Reuters has reported
April 30th, 2018 | by James Ayre
Following from the recent decision by the government of China to ban the import of most foreign waste materials (recycling, etc.), Australia's environment minister has now announced that the company will be investing a significant amount of money into the creation of new trash incineration facilities, and also aiming for all packaging materials to be 100% recycled by 2025.
April 30th, 2018 | by James Ayre
Next week's UN meeting in Bonn, Germany, which will see the island nation of Fiji preside, will include work on the creation of a so-called rule book for the Paris Climate Accord.
April 30th, 2018 | by James Ayre
Gove was quoted as saying that people can be "remarkably, suicidally careless" with the planet and that it was "impossible" for plastic usage to remain as high as it is now
April 30th, 2018 | by James Ayre
As some of those reading this may have heard by now, Volkswagen will apparently be ceasing the sale of all-electric versions of the Golf (the e-Golf) — already a model which the company throttles the production and deliveries of in order to keep numbers low — starting with the coming model year
April 29th, 2018 | by James Ayre
Solar ponds are a type of passive solar energy technology whereby pools of saltwater are used to collect and store solar thermal energy — making use of the natural formation of a salinity gradient in such bodies of water, whereby heat isn't easily transferred between a high-salinity layer at the bottom of the body of water in question and a low-salinity layer on top
April 29th, 2018 | by James Ayre
Many of the talking points used by those short selling Tesla's stock revolve around the idea that the company's stock is largely held by individual investors who don't understand that the company: is (permanently apparently) on the verge of collapse; is actually in need of funding that it says it doesn't need; and/or doesn't make the margins on the cars it sells that it reports it does
April 28th, 2018 | by James Ayre
Solar walls, glazed solar collectors, and so-called Trombe walls are all different types of passive solar heating technologies based around the use of materials meant to absorb solar radiation (generally, dark-colored materials since dark colors absorb the heat better) and thermal mass. The end goal is to provide space heating, and often ventilation as well
April 28th, 2018 | by James Ayre
As the ice sheets of the world melt, an enormous amount of pressure will be lifted off of the continental crusts that play host to them, as well as the surrounding oceanic basins. Something similar is broadly true, but to a much lesser degree, of the world's remaining large glaciers (think of the Himalayas)
April 28th, 2018 | by James Ayre
Heat recovery ventilation is a type of mechanical, or sometimes passive, ventilation system that aims to recover as much of the heat or coolness (depending upon needs) of the air being vented as possible before release to the external environment
April 28th, 2018 | by James Ayre
If you were indoctrinated into the western public education system anytime over the last few centuries, then you likely learned all about all of the amazing "inventions" that originated in Europe over the last half-millennia. If you later went on to give yourself an actual education, then you learned that much of what you were taught was bunk or propaganda
April 28th, 2018 | by James Ayre
Double glazing. Triple glazing. Insulated windows. Double-glazed windows. Triple-glazed windows. You've probably heard those terms before, but if you aren't or haven't been involved in construction and design work, or in the retrofitting of your own house, then you may not know exactly what they mean
April 28th, 2018 | by James Ayre
With increased global trade, the spread of so-called invasive pest species has increased greatly over the last few hundred years. While long-distance trade has long been a feature of civilizations and cultures the world over, something that has changed somewhat in recent times has been the cheapness and speed at which it can occur -- a situation that is almost entirely due the exploitation of fossil fuel reserves (and before that unsustainable deforestation of very old-growth tree stands)
April 28th, 2018 | by James Ayre
While LED lighting is arguably far "greener" than incandescent lighting is, both lighting modalities are easily trumped by daylighting solutions, where and when that is applicable
April 27th, 2018 | by James Ayre
As a means of further promoting the approaching launch of the model, Audi has released new press images of the all-electric e-Tron prototype that were taken during a "simulated electrical storm" at the high voltage test bay at Siemens’ Berlin switchgear plant
April 26th, 2018 | by James Ayre
Presumably following a lucrative offer, Tesla exec Jim Keller — in charge of the company's Autopilot software, low-voltage hardware, and infotainment teams — is reportedly leaving the company and now headed to Intel
April 26th, 2018 | by James Ayre
The Chairman and Global President for the INFINITI brand, Roland Krueger, has announced that the company is now in the process of developing a new all-electric vehicle platform based around the Q Inspiration concept car design
April 26th, 2018 | by James Ayre
Company officials at Lockheed Martin have revealed that they are now aiming to release a new flow battery made of nothing but (or nearly so) inexpensive, nontoxic materials -- one intended to boost usage of renewable energy, among other things -- in "little more than a year."
