As our nation continues to debate the issue of climate change in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, today U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell joined Rep. Frank LoBiondo in introducing the Incentivizing Offshore Wind Power Act to provide critical financial incentives for investment in offshore wind energy. U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Susan Collins introduced companion legislation in the Senate.
These bills provide the offshore wind industry with enhanced stability by extending investment tax credits for the first 3,000 Megawatts of offshore wind facilities placed into service, which is an estimate of 600 wind turbines. These tax credits are vital for this new clean energy technology because of the longer lead time for the permitting and construction of offshore wind turbines, compared to onshore wind energy. Once awarded a tax credit, companies would have five years to install the offshore wind facility. Companies would not be able to receive other production or investment tax credits in addition to the offshore wind investment tax credit.
"In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, we must do everything we can to encourage investment in new and exciting clean energy technologies, like offshore wind, that will reduce our dependence on the carbon based fuels that cause climate change," stated Rep. Pascrell. "Offshore wind offers an enormous potential for producing domestic, clean energy close to the large population centers of the northeast. The Incentivizing Offshore Wind Power Act will give tax certainty to the seed investors this industry needs to jumpstart installations, encourage the development of manufacturing facilities, create good paying jobs, and reduce costs for future projects and consumers."
"Developing wind energy off our nation's shores, especially in places like my home state of Delaware, is a critical part of boosting American energy independence and jumpstarting our clean energy economy," said Sen. Carper. "Offshore wind is a true 'win-win-win' – it is cleaner for our environment, reduces our dependence on fossil fuels and foreign energy, and helps create jobs. If we want to harness this untapped, domestic energy source, providing investment tax incentives for our country's first offshore wind projects is essential. Our bill would do just that. Additionally, it would help spur an industry that can be an engine for new, good-paying jobs in manufacturing, construction, maintenance and production. I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this legislation and encouraging the growth of the American offshore wind industry."
"There is enormous potential in offshore wind, which is why I am delighted that Maine is actively working to develop deepwater offshore wind technology," said Sen. Collins. "America must become a leader in offshore wind energy. This bill would create rewarding incentives for the first offshore wind projects, which could help diversify our energy supply, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and create thousands of new American jobs."
The legislation defines offshore facilities as any facility located in the inland navigable waters of the United States, including the Great Lakes, or in the coastal waters of the United States, including the territorial seas of the United States, the exclusive economic zone of United States, and the outer Continental Shelf of the United States.
"America has been standing on the sidelines watching the rest of the world develop over 4,000 megawatts of installed offshore wind capacity, while we have yet to begin construction on our first offshore turbine," said Conathan. "Enactment of the offshore wind bills introduced today in the House and Senate would ensure that we can take advantage of the promise and opportunity of offshore wind, to diversify our energy mix, while ensuring development will not burden rate payers."
2013年2月28日 星期四
2013年2月27日 星期三
Losail MX Track ready to host a historical MXGP
MX1 defending Champion Antonio Cairoli has recently admitted that he is really excited to race in Qatar under the floodlights and he is also looking forward to visiting the country and getting involved with a different culture. The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider, who has six FIM Motocross World Titles under his belt, took part in the Italian National Championship some weeks ago and he proved that he is fully fit to the defend the Title already in the first Grand Prix.
Rockstar Energy Suzuki World’s Clement Desalle, who finished second last year, is determined to start the 2013 season fighting for the top of the podium. The Belgian rider was the only one who led the MX1 standings last year apart from Cairoli, so he is one of the clear favourites to stop the Italian to claim another MX1 Title. Desalle took also part in some international off-season races and he also obtained excellent results. This year Desalle will have his compatriot Kevin Strijbos in the team, so the Rockstar Energy Suzuki World squad expects to be fighting for a double podium position in several Grand Prix.
Another candidate to be fighting for the top three positions is the Monster Energy Yamaha rider Steven Frossard, who is coming back to the FIM Motocross World Championship fully fit again after having missed almost the whole 2012 season due to a knee injury. The French rider finished second in 2011 in his rookie year in the FIM MX1 World Championship, so he is for sure another rider to be looking at not only for this Grand Prix, but also during the whole season. Joel Roelants will be the new MX1 teammate of Frossard and the Belgian is looking forward to starting his rookie season in the FIM MX1 World Championship.
For Gautier Paulin it will be the second year in the FIM MX1 World Championship and he has recently admitted that he feels much more comfortable with his bike this season and he is ready to be more often on the rostrum. The Kawasaki Racing Team rider finished third last year and he managed to win the second Grand Prix of 2012, which took place in Sevlievo, Bulgaria. Belgian rider Jeremy Van Horebeek, who finished third last year in the FIM MX2 World Championship, has joined the Kawasaki Racing Team this season on his debut in the MX1 class.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Ken De Dycker was the big surprise last year finishing fifth in the FIM MX1 World Championship and fighting for the top three positions at every Grand Prix. It will be the second season for the Belgian rider in the KTM factory team, so his main goal is to be more consistent and try to be as close as possible to his teammate’s level.
The Honda World Motocross team is also very excited to starting the new season with Evgeny Bobryshev and their new rider Max Nagl, who had an extraordinary end of 2012 season after his comeback from a serious back injury. Bobryshev had a difficult season last seasn, but he wants to prove that he is able to be fighting for the top three positions, and his teammate Nagl will do his best to join the Russian at every Grand Prix, even if he is still recovering from a hand injury he suffered a month ago in the Starcross of Mantova.
CLS MX1 Monster Energy Kawasaki Pro Circuit’s Tommy Searle will take part in his first Grand Prix in the FIM MX1 World Championship after having finished second in the FIM MX2 World Championship in 2012. Last year the British rider had already the opportunity to test the 450cc bike, as he represented Great Britain in the MX1 class in the Motocross of Nations. Searle has always said that he feels very comfortable in the 450cc bike, so he will have to prove already this weekend if he is able to be fighting for the top positions in his rookie year.
2008 FIM MX1 World Champion David Philippaerts, who is fully recovered from the wrist injury he suffered last year in the Grand Prix of Sweden, will be back this weekend fully motivated wearing the colours of Honda Gariboldi. Another rider who changed team for this 2013 season is Shaun Simpson who is looking forward to race with his brand new TM Factory Racing machine.
Rockstar Energy Suzuki World’s Clement Desalle, who finished second last year, is determined to start the 2013 season fighting for the top of the podium. The Belgian rider was the only one who led the MX1 standings last year apart from Cairoli, so he is one of the clear favourites to stop the Italian to claim another MX1 Title. Desalle took also part in some international off-season races and he also obtained excellent results. This year Desalle will have his compatriot Kevin Strijbos in the team, so the Rockstar Energy Suzuki World squad expects to be fighting for a double podium position in several Grand Prix.
Another candidate to be fighting for the top three positions is the Monster Energy Yamaha rider Steven Frossard, who is coming back to the FIM Motocross World Championship fully fit again after having missed almost the whole 2012 season due to a knee injury. The French rider finished second in 2011 in his rookie year in the FIM MX1 World Championship, so he is for sure another rider to be looking at not only for this Grand Prix, but also during the whole season. Joel Roelants will be the new MX1 teammate of Frossard and the Belgian is looking forward to starting his rookie season in the FIM MX1 World Championship.
For Gautier Paulin it will be the second year in the FIM MX1 World Championship and he has recently admitted that he feels much more comfortable with his bike this season and he is ready to be more often on the rostrum. The Kawasaki Racing Team rider finished third last year and he managed to win the second Grand Prix of 2012, which took place in Sevlievo, Bulgaria. Belgian rider Jeremy Van Horebeek, who finished third last year in the FIM MX2 World Championship, has joined the Kawasaki Racing Team this season on his debut in the MX1 class.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Ken De Dycker was the big surprise last year finishing fifth in the FIM MX1 World Championship and fighting for the top three positions at every Grand Prix. It will be the second season for the Belgian rider in the KTM factory team, so his main goal is to be more consistent and try to be as close as possible to his teammate’s level.
The Honda World Motocross team is also very excited to starting the new season with Evgeny Bobryshev and their new rider Max Nagl, who had an extraordinary end of 2012 season after his comeback from a serious back injury. Bobryshev had a difficult season last seasn, but he wants to prove that he is able to be fighting for the top three positions, and his teammate Nagl will do his best to join the Russian at every Grand Prix, even if he is still recovering from a hand injury he suffered a month ago in the Starcross of Mantova.
CLS MX1 Monster Energy Kawasaki Pro Circuit’s Tommy Searle will take part in his first Grand Prix in the FIM MX1 World Championship after having finished second in the FIM MX2 World Championship in 2012. Last year the British rider had already the opportunity to test the 450cc bike, as he represented Great Britain in the MX1 class in the Motocross of Nations. Searle has always said that he feels very comfortable in the 450cc bike, so he will have to prove already this weekend if he is able to be fighting for the top positions in his rookie year.
2008 FIM MX1 World Champion David Philippaerts, who is fully recovered from the wrist injury he suffered last year in the Grand Prix of Sweden, will be back this weekend fully motivated wearing the colours of Honda Gariboldi. Another rider who changed team for this 2013 season is Shaun Simpson who is looking forward to race with his brand new TM Factory Racing machine.
2013年2月26日 星期二
Offshore Wind Energy Development
The progress that offshore wind energy has made thus far in the U.S. could be stymied by cuts made under sequestration, U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) Secretary Ken Salazar said at the Offshore Wind Power USA conference, which is being held in Boston this week.
"We have made impressive gains - approving dozens of utility-scale solar, wind and geothermal projects in the West, and transitioning from planning to commercial leasing for offshore wind," Salazar said during his keynote address. “The potentially devastating impact of budget reductions under sequestration could slow our economy and hurt energy sector workers and businesses."
Mandatory budget cuts under sequestration could delay the DOI's ability to issue permits for new development, plan for new projects, conduct environmental reviews and lease new federal lands for future development - both for renewable and conventional energy, Salazar said.
The cuts would mean fewer studies, fewer opportunities to obtain meaningful stakeholder input, and delays in identification of potential use conflicts, Salazar continued, adding that the result could be a slower pace in identifying and leasing wind energy areas in federal waters, thus adversely impacting the DOI's ability to address offshore renewable energy management in a timely manner.
The DOI has already issued two non-competitive commercial wind energy leases - one off Massachusetts and another off Delaware - and is moving forward with the first-ever competitive lease sales for wind energy areas off Virginia and Rhode Island/Massachusetts, which will offer nearly 278,000 acres for development.
The areas proposed could support more than 4 GW of wind energy generation. Salazar also signed a lease and approved a construction and operations plan for the 130-turbine Cape Wind project.
Salazar said the DOI's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will propose additional commercial lease sales this year for wind energy areas offshore New Jersey, Maryland and Massachusetts, and is working to determine industry interest in three areas off North Carolina. BOEM also is processing a lease request from Statoil to develop floating wind turbines in federal waters off Maine. Other demonstration projects are proposed off Virginia and Oregon.
In addition, BOEM is considering a mid-Atlantic wind energy transmission line that would 7 GW of wind turbine capacity to the grid. The Atlantic Wind Connection would run from southern Virginia to northern New Jersey, collecting power produced by wind facilities off New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia and bringing it ashore.
"We have made impressive gains - approving dozens of utility-scale solar, wind and geothermal projects in the West, and transitioning from planning to commercial leasing for offshore wind," Salazar said during his keynote address. “The potentially devastating impact of budget reductions under sequestration could slow our economy and hurt energy sector workers and businesses."
Mandatory budget cuts under sequestration could delay the DOI's ability to issue permits for new development, plan for new projects, conduct environmental reviews and lease new federal lands for future development - both for renewable and conventional energy, Salazar said.
The cuts would mean fewer studies, fewer opportunities to obtain meaningful stakeholder input, and delays in identification of potential use conflicts, Salazar continued, adding that the result could be a slower pace in identifying and leasing wind energy areas in federal waters, thus adversely impacting the DOI's ability to address offshore renewable energy management in a timely manner.
The DOI has already issued two non-competitive commercial wind energy leases - one off Massachusetts and another off Delaware - and is moving forward with the first-ever competitive lease sales for wind energy areas off Virginia and Rhode Island/Massachusetts, which will offer nearly 278,000 acres for development.
The areas proposed could support more than 4 GW of wind energy generation. Salazar also signed a lease and approved a construction and operations plan for the 130-turbine Cape Wind project.
Salazar said the DOI's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will propose additional commercial lease sales this year for wind energy areas offshore New Jersey, Maryland and Massachusetts, and is working to determine industry interest in three areas off North Carolina. BOEM also is processing a lease request from Statoil to develop floating wind turbines in federal waters off Maine. Other demonstration projects are proposed off Virginia and Oregon.
In addition, BOEM is considering a mid-Atlantic wind energy transmission line that would 7 GW of wind turbine capacity to the grid. The Atlantic Wind Connection would run from southern Virginia to northern New Jersey, collecting power produced by wind facilities off New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia and bringing it ashore.
2013年2月25日 星期一
Design picks from Stockholm Furniture & Light
When Scandinavian sensibilities triggered a tectonic shift in multiple design spheres, we have never seen the world quite the same way again. Demigods, like Arne Jacobsen and Verner Panton, presented an alluring vision where everyday objects transcended the mundane—a chair was no longer just a chair, but a compelling piece of modern art that served a function supremely well. It’s no wonder their works endure beyond their time, their distinct aesthetic traits expressed in the genetic codes of many designs we see today.
Every year, that design philosophy is reaffirmed at the largest gathering of Scandinavian designs from established and emerging talents—the Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair. The recently concluded 62nd edition brought in 729 exhibitors from 31 countries, led by major participants Sweden and Denmark. Oki Sato, founder of the acclaimed Japanese design studio Nendo, astounded crowds at the main entrance with his all-white ethereal installation of geometrically precise hills and valleys made from laser-cut plastic foam boards and interspersed with some of Nendo’s best works, including the Zabuton chair, which was featured in this column recently. Walking through the aptly named “Snow-Capped Mountains” evoked the illusion of one floating in the clouds.
One of Nendo’s newest designs, the Cape chair, is a collaboration with the Swedish powerhouse Offecct, known for furnishing several office and public spaces around the world, from the Museum of Modern Art in New York, to the Schiphol Airport in Holland, and the BMW showroom in Belgium. The company does not disappoint with their latest product, the Carry On portable seat fashioned for flexible work solutions in public areas. Fitted with a wooden handle, the stackable barrel-shaped stool is clad in a well-tailored fabric with finely stitched seams. The Netframe sofa and armchair collection, on the other hand, reiterates Offecct’s sustainable stance. Working with design duo Cate and Nelson, the goal was to create a comfortable piece of furniture with minimal time and material usage, and extremely low environmental impact.
Shedding light on a different social issue, the charming Bake Me a Cake lamp is one Nordic company’s noble attempt to keep idle hands and minds occupied. Northern Lighting’s tabletop keeper, made with oak wood and smoke-tinted glass, will be manufactured by the inmates of a Norwegian prison. It also comes with a fascinating tidbit: the name arose from a cartoon storyline where the mother of a prisoner bakes a cake that hides a steel file to aid his escape. As one of the maxims of Scandinavian design goes, “Dough shall not take oneself too seriously.”
Denmark’s Global Zero 4 delivers their own brand of indulgence with another visual stunner from top Danish design studio busk + hertzog. Hannah, a sculptural lounge chair with a swivel base, is a strong follow-up to the Didi chair, a 2012 iF Product Design Award recipient. In eye-popping colors, the moulded foam seat’s smooth elegant shell back, interrupted by an intriguing loophole, gently cocoons the human form. I wouldn’t be surprised if this one sweeps up a few awards of its own.
Other notable designs at the event include Finnish firm Piiroinen’s newest collection, the stackable Amina chairs; and Wilkhahn’s 2012 Red Dot winner, the Graph chair, an ideal companion for the desk-bound executive. Echoing the fluid lines of a sleek automobile and just as luxuriously padded and upholstered, Graph is a German creation engineered to provide a three-dimensional range of motion without any mechanical operation. Look Ma, no hands.
Every year, that design philosophy is reaffirmed at the largest gathering of Scandinavian designs from established and emerging talents—the Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair. The recently concluded 62nd edition brought in 729 exhibitors from 31 countries, led by major participants Sweden and Denmark. Oki Sato, founder of the acclaimed Japanese design studio Nendo, astounded crowds at the main entrance with his all-white ethereal installation of geometrically precise hills and valleys made from laser-cut plastic foam boards and interspersed with some of Nendo’s best works, including the Zabuton chair, which was featured in this column recently. Walking through the aptly named “Snow-Capped Mountains” evoked the illusion of one floating in the clouds.
One of Nendo’s newest designs, the Cape chair, is a collaboration with the Swedish powerhouse Offecct, known for furnishing several office and public spaces around the world, from the Museum of Modern Art in New York, to the Schiphol Airport in Holland, and the BMW showroom in Belgium. The company does not disappoint with their latest product, the Carry On portable seat fashioned for flexible work solutions in public areas. Fitted with a wooden handle, the stackable barrel-shaped stool is clad in a well-tailored fabric with finely stitched seams. The Netframe sofa and armchair collection, on the other hand, reiterates Offecct’s sustainable stance. Working with design duo Cate and Nelson, the goal was to create a comfortable piece of furniture with minimal time and material usage, and extremely low environmental impact.
Shedding light on a different social issue, the charming Bake Me a Cake lamp is one Nordic company’s noble attempt to keep idle hands and minds occupied. Northern Lighting’s tabletop keeper, made with oak wood and smoke-tinted glass, will be manufactured by the inmates of a Norwegian prison. It also comes with a fascinating tidbit: the name arose from a cartoon storyline where the mother of a prisoner bakes a cake that hides a steel file to aid his escape. As one of the maxims of Scandinavian design goes, “Dough shall not take oneself too seriously.”
Denmark’s Global Zero 4 delivers their own brand of indulgence with another visual stunner from top Danish design studio busk + hertzog. Hannah, a sculptural lounge chair with a swivel base, is a strong follow-up to the Didi chair, a 2012 iF Product Design Award recipient. In eye-popping colors, the moulded foam seat’s smooth elegant shell back, interrupted by an intriguing loophole, gently cocoons the human form. I wouldn’t be surprised if this one sweeps up a few awards of its own.
Other notable designs at the event include Finnish firm Piiroinen’s newest collection, the stackable Amina chairs; and Wilkhahn’s 2012 Red Dot winner, the Graph chair, an ideal companion for the desk-bound executive. Echoing the fluid lines of a sleek automobile and just as luxuriously padded and upholstered, Graph is a German creation engineered to provide a three-dimensional range of motion without any mechanical operation. Look Ma, no hands.
2013年2月24日 星期日
Wind farm battle is won by villagers
VILLAGERS who have fought against plans for a four-turbine wind farm on land in south Warwickshire wept out of happiness after councillors voted to refuse to give their consent to the scheme.
In a battle that has lasted for more than four years, Broadview Energy’s application for the farm, on land close to Bishops Itchington and Knightcote, was rejected by Stratford District Council’s planning committee last Tuesday.
Having received around 1,500 letters of objection, including from Coventry Airport, the Ramblers Association and Warwickshire County Council’s archaeology department, council officials had encouraged councillors to vote against the plans.
Their unanimous decision, at the end of a two-hour meeting, centred around the view that the turbines would have been a blight on the landscape - in particular to the Burton Dassett beacon tower, that three homes would have suffered an “unpleasantly overwhelming and unavoidable presence” and that the farm would have had a “significant negative impact” on archaeological finds at the site that date back to the Roman period.
There was also concern over unresolved safety issues on how the turbines would impact on air traffic at Coventry Airport and the fact that the wind farm could have potentially interfered with a telecommunications microwave link.
Around 200 people attended the meeting - while many more were able to watch it live online. Among those at the meeting was John Bolton, a member of campaign group Feldon Residents and Wind farm Turbines (Frawt), who said: “There were tears of joy at the end of the meeting. You can see the enormous amount of local feeling there is here.
“The biggest issue was that people did not want the Burton Dassett hills to be spoilt. This is an important Warwickshire resource.”
Olly Buck, Broadview’s development manager, said: “Obviously we are disappointed. We have worked closely with the council’s planning officers over a number of years to achieve a suitable design and we had hoped that this would lead to a recommendation for approval.
“We believe the site has the potential to make an important contribution towards Government targets for renewable energy generation and the transition towards a low carbon economy, so we will seek to immediately lodge an appeal.”
Students and teachers of Kalindi College, Delhi University, have come up with an innovative way to harness wind energy produced by Metro trains.
The project, a part of the university’s Innovation Projects Scheme, aims to use the high speed winds produced by trains, as they move, for electricity.
The team, which consists of 10 students and two teachers, has proposed using small turbines that are placed strategically to tap the energy.
A turbine has a rotator with blades attached to it. When the wind strikes the blades, they start moving and mechanical energy is produced. This mechanical energy is then converted into electrical energy which can be stored in batteries.
In a battle that has lasted for more than four years, Broadview Energy’s application for the farm, on land close to Bishops Itchington and Knightcote, was rejected by Stratford District Council’s planning committee last Tuesday.
Having received around 1,500 letters of objection, including from Coventry Airport, the Ramblers Association and Warwickshire County Council’s archaeology department, council officials had encouraged councillors to vote against the plans.
Their unanimous decision, at the end of a two-hour meeting, centred around the view that the turbines would have been a blight on the landscape - in particular to the Burton Dassett beacon tower, that three homes would have suffered an “unpleasantly overwhelming and unavoidable presence” and that the farm would have had a “significant negative impact” on archaeological finds at the site that date back to the Roman period.
There was also concern over unresolved safety issues on how the turbines would impact on air traffic at Coventry Airport and the fact that the wind farm could have potentially interfered with a telecommunications microwave link.
Around 200 people attended the meeting - while many more were able to watch it live online. Among those at the meeting was John Bolton, a member of campaign group Feldon Residents and Wind farm Turbines (Frawt), who said: “There were tears of joy at the end of the meeting. You can see the enormous amount of local feeling there is here.
“The biggest issue was that people did not want the Burton Dassett hills to be spoilt. This is an important Warwickshire resource.”
Olly Buck, Broadview’s development manager, said: “Obviously we are disappointed. We have worked closely with the council’s planning officers over a number of years to achieve a suitable design and we had hoped that this would lead to a recommendation for approval.
“We believe the site has the potential to make an important contribution towards Government targets for renewable energy generation and the transition towards a low carbon economy, so we will seek to immediately lodge an appeal.”
Students and teachers of Kalindi College, Delhi University, have come up with an innovative way to harness wind energy produced by Metro trains.
The project, a part of the university’s Innovation Projects Scheme, aims to use the high speed winds produced by trains, as they move, for electricity.
The team, which consists of 10 students and two teachers, has proposed using small turbines that are placed strategically to tap the energy.
A turbine has a rotator with blades attached to it. When the wind strikes the blades, they start moving and mechanical energy is produced. This mechanical energy is then converted into electrical energy which can be stored in batteries.
2013年2月21日 星期四
Where to get your 3D mini statues
It is now time for your handcrafted miniature statues or 3-D characters to be moulded. And you don’t have to be a celebrity or movie star to get one – and it won’t break your bank to get one either.
This Is Me (TIM) is the latest category of mini statues being culled out for you by a Dubai-based 3D modelling company, Precise Middle East.
In the first six months after introducing the product, there has been a tremendous response from not only image-conscious celebrities and the rich and famous, but even from the common folk who place orders for their mini statues.
The company that introduced laser engraved 2D and 3D crystal imaging in the UAE market has now introduced MiniYou. The company says that each mini statue is hand-painted, paying attention to minute details and that there is a growing demand for the MiniYous.
Your hair, facial expression and colouring will be exactly replicated in the mini statue, which will be one tenth of your original size.
Even a tattoo on your body can be replicated in the MinYou Statues, said company officials.
Several members of a sports team like hockey, cricket, football or baseball can have their mini statues made or the same individual’s multiple statues can be mass produced for special occasions.
The statue heads are normally between 7and 8 inches, all but larger miniatures ranging from a foot all the way up to a life size can be made, depending on the requirement.
Many tourists and passengers passing through the Dubai Duty Free have had their miniatures made through Precise Middle East. Visitors to the Atlantis Hotel are also enthused by the MiniYou statues.
Lothar Hoffman, Managing Director of the Dubai Investment Park-based Precise Middle East Company, said: “We have introduced TIM as an entirely new and unique product in the market. TIM, this is me, is just a replica of an individual in a proportionately smaller size and the three dimensional statue with the real life features of the person, will be a nice piece of architecture to preserve.
“We are getting a number of orders from individuals who want to have their mini statues made for special occasions like birthdays, weddings, wedding anniversary, graduation ceremony or an engagement.
Earlier, people used to take their photographs and preserve it. Now they can make a mini statue, which will be one-tenth of their actual size and keep it for life,” said Lothar.
“Before making a mini statue of an individual, he or she is photographed in three different poses, so that the artist who makes the statue gets a clear three dimensional view. After placing an order, a preview of the mini statue is provided to the customer through the net. Once he is satisfied with it, the final statue is made and delivered.”
The price for a normal MiniYou is Dh500 and for bigger sizes or statues of couples are charged correspondingly. “Many companies have placed orders for mini statues on special occasions like giving special awards. Sports teams are also placing orders for mini statues to get their miniature structures to celebrate special occasions,” he said.
This Is Me (TIM) is the latest category of mini statues being culled out for you by a Dubai-based 3D modelling company, Precise Middle East.
In the first six months after introducing the product, there has been a tremendous response from not only image-conscious celebrities and the rich and famous, but even from the common folk who place orders for their mini statues.
The company that introduced laser engraved 2D and 3D crystal imaging in the UAE market has now introduced MiniYou. The company says that each mini statue is hand-painted, paying attention to minute details and that there is a growing demand for the MiniYous.
Your hair, facial expression and colouring will be exactly replicated in the mini statue, which will be one tenth of your original size.
Even a tattoo on your body can be replicated in the MinYou Statues, said company officials.
Several members of a sports team like hockey, cricket, football or baseball can have their mini statues made or the same individual’s multiple statues can be mass produced for special occasions.
The statue heads are normally between 7and 8 inches, all but larger miniatures ranging from a foot all the way up to a life size can be made, depending on the requirement.
Many tourists and passengers passing through the Dubai Duty Free have had their miniatures made through Precise Middle East. Visitors to the Atlantis Hotel are also enthused by the MiniYou statues.
Lothar Hoffman, Managing Director of the Dubai Investment Park-based Precise Middle East Company, said: “We have introduced TIM as an entirely new and unique product in the market. TIM, this is me, is just a replica of an individual in a proportionately smaller size and the three dimensional statue with the real life features of the person, will be a nice piece of architecture to preserve.
“We are getting a number of orders from individuals who want to have their mini statues made for special occasions like birthdays, weddings, wedding anniversary, graduation ceremony or an engagement.
Earlier, people used to take their photographs and preserve it. Now they can make a mini statue, which will be one-tenth of their actual size and keep it for life,” said Lothar.
“Before making a mini statue of an individual, he or she is photographed in three different poses, so that the artist who makes the statue gets a clear three dimensional view. After placing an order, a preview of the mini statue is provided to the customer through the net. Once he is satisfied with it, the final statue is made and delivered.”
The price for a normal MiniYou is Dh500 and for bigger sizes or statues of couples are charged correspondingly. “Many companies have placed orders for mini statues on special occasions like giving special awards. Sports teams are also placing orders for mini statues to get their miniature structures to celebrate special occasions,” he said.
2013年2月20日 星期三
BT and RES join forces on wind farm project
BT's long-standing plans to develop a wind farm took a major step forward yesterday, after the company inked a joint venture deal with renewable energy developer RES that will see the firms co-operate on the development of a new wind farm in Northumberland.
Both companies had previously identified a site 10km north west of Morpeth as a suitable location for a wind farm, but plans for two independent developments totalling 13 turbines faced local opposition and were rejected at the planning stage.
Now the firms have inked a deal to work together on a new combined proposal for a smaller five-turbine project at the site totalling 10MW of capacity.
Under the terms of the agreement, RES will take responsibility for progressing the project and producing a full planning application following the submission of a scoping request to Northumberland County Council.
BT's contribution to the partnership remains unclear at this stage and a spokeswoman for RES said the company would not be disclosing investment details and commercial terms for the agreement.
However, with the telco giant having previously signalled its interest in sourcing renewable energy direct, it could yet provide some investment for the proposed project or take up a power purchase agreement for the energy produced by the wind farm.
"RES has more than 30 years experience to bring to this project and we are very excited to be working with BT," said Daniel Leahy, RES project manager, in a statement. "We look forward to developing a successful wind farm scheme that will generate a considerable amount of clean, green electricity."
He also urged other blue chip firms to follow BT's lead and seek "innovative ways to work with the renewable energy sector to ensure that together we can secure the energy generation capacity this country needs to maintain growth and prosperity in the future".
A spokesman for BT said the alliance would allow it to accelerate efforts to reduce its carbon footprint. "Having reviewed its strategic priorities in terms of sourcing renewable energy, BT believes it can reduce its carbon footprint more swiftly by sourcing a wider variety of renewable assets," he said. "This partnership will see RES take responsibility for progressing wind-turbine projects and managing full planning applications."
BT first announced back in 2007 that it was looking to build its own wind farm, but planning barriers and changes to the renewable energy policy regime have meant the plans have been subject to years of delays.
However, the company has said it remains committed to directly sourcing growing levels of renewable energy as a means of both enhancing its energy security and reducing its long-term costs. It is now part of an expanding trend that has seen growing numbers of blue chip firms commit to generating their own power. Most notably, IKEA recently announced it would invest up to 1.5bn in becoming energy independent by the end of the decade.
Both companies had previously identified a site 10km north west of Morpeth as a suitable location for a wind farm, but plans for two independent developments totalling 13 turbines faced local opposition and were rejected at the planning stage.
Now the firms have inked a deal to work together on a new combined proposal for a smaller five-turbine project at the site totalling 10MW of capacity.
Under the terms of the agreement, RES will take responsibility for progressing the project and producing a full planning application following the submission of a scoping request to Northumberland County Council.
BT's contribution to the partnership remains unclear at this stage and a spokeswoman for RES said the company would not be disclosing investment details and commercial terms for the agreement.
However, with the telco giant having previously signalled its interest in sourcing renewable energy direct, it could yet provide some investment for the proposed project or take up a power purchase agreement for the energy produced by the wind farm.
"RES has more than 30 years experience to bring to this project and we are very excited to be working with BT," said Daniel Leahy, RES project manager, in a statement. "We look forward to developing a successful wind farm scheme that will generate a considerable amount of clean, green electricity."
He also urged other blue chip firms to follow BT's lead and seek "innovative ways to work with the renewable energy sector to ensure that together we can secure the energy generation capacity this country needs to maintain growth and prosperity in the future".
A spokesman for BT said the alliance would allow it to accelerate efforts to reduce its carbon footprint. "Having reviewed its strategic priorities in terms of sourcing renewable energy, BT believes it can reduce its carbon footprint more swiftly by sourcing a wider variety of renewable assets," he said. "This partnership will see RES take responsibility for progressing wind-turbine projects and managing full planning applications."
BT first announced back in 2007 that it was looking to build its own wind farm, but planning barriers and changes to the renewable energy policy regime have meant the plans have been subject to years of delays.
However, the company has said it remains committed to directly sourcing growing levels of renewable energy as a means of both enhancing its energy security and reducing its long-term costs. It is now part of an expanding trend that has seen growing numbers of blue chip firms commit to generating their own power. Most notably, IKEA recently announced it would invest up to 1.5bn in becoming energy independent by the end of the decade.
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