129 hybrids registered in Singapore

It's perhaps the clearest sign yet that the sluggish green car market here is on the upswing. As of June this year, 129 petrol electric hybrid vehicles have been registered in Singapore, compared to fewer than 10 in June last year.

The significant increase can be attributed to various reasons, such as the increasing awareness of the importance of being environmentally friendly, said Dr Amy Khor, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment and Water Resources. One other key factor, she said, was the increased green vehicle rebates for the consumer. The tax rebate for green cars, which was doubled in January, is now equivalent to 40% of a car's open market value.

Speaking to reporters after launching the annual Green Transport Week on Sunday morning, Dr Khor, who is also mayor of the South West district, test drove two popular hybrid cars - the Toyota Prius and the new Honda Civic Hybrid.

Honda and London Metropolian Police in biggest UK hybrid deal

peakoil.com -> theautochannel.com :

Honda (UK) has secured Britain's biggest ever fleet deal for hybrid cars. The Metropolitan Police has ordered 117 Honda Civic Hybrids for its Community Support Officers to use as part of a Safer Neighbourhoods scheme. Officers will use the cars to travel from their operational bases to the start of their foot patrols.

Honda's petrol-electric Civic Hybrid was selected by the Metropolitan Police for its ease of use and strong environmental credentials. Leased through the Lex 'Emergency Services VT fleet', the cars are contracted for a two year, 24,000-mile period. The Civic Hybrid went on sale in the UK in April 2006.

(2006-08-22 17:25:31 SGT) [Tech] Permalink

Silicon hike hits solar energy

peakoil.com -> news.independent.co.uk :

The price of silicon has soared by 50% over the past year, curbing the growth of the solar industry and driving up costs. Silicon, made from sand, is a raw material used in semi-conductor devices such as computer chips and the cells that generate electricity in solar panels. Production of solar panels now accounts for about half the global consumption of silicon, compared with one-fifth in 2000. The rest comes from the electronics industry. Between 30,000 and 33,000 tons of silicon were produced last year.

Jenny Chase, a senior analyst at the information provider New Energy Finance, said that long-term silicon contracts this year were likely to cost around 45,000 euros per ton, compared with 30,000 euros per ton last year. Spot prices are even higher, with some analysts putting them at 190,000 euros per ton. Prices are estimated because there is no open market in silicon; deals are struck in private between suppliers and customers.

(2006-08-22 13:05:52 SGT) [Energy] Permalink

Asean keen on European-style single market

business-times.asia1.com.sg :

South-east Asian ministers hope to fast-track plans to create the Asean Economic Community (AEC), a European-style single market by 2015 in talks in Malaysia this week, as the region struggles to strengthen its economic muscle to counter competition from China and India. The AEC does not include a single currency system. Barriers in Asean to the flow of goods and services and restrictive business practices still hinder growth in the region, which has a market of over 530 million people, but accounts for only 6% of world exports.

Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Toshihiro Nikai will call for a massive 16-nation pan-Asian free trade area involving Asean, Australia, China, South Korea, India, Japan and New Zealand at the meeting this week. He is expected to offer a US$100 million fund to promote the proposed zone, which has a combined population of 3.1 billion people and a gross domestic product of almost US$10 trillion. The goal, however, is difficult to achieve due to the region's many rivalries.

(2006-08-22 12:58:58 SGT) [Biz] Permalink

Boeing to shut down production of C-17 cargo plane

business-times.asia1.com.sg :

Boeing said it would start shutting down production of its cavernous C-17 military cargo plane, unless US lawmakers authorise new orders. The decision could trigger a ripple of job cuts nationwide, including more than 7,000 Boeing employees and an additional 25,000 workers in 42 states that provide parts for planes still moving everything from tanks to troops around Iraq and Afghanistan.

Lay-offs would not likely be immediate - Boeing has several dozen pending orders, enough to keep production into 2009. But the Chicago-based company said it would no longer spend tens of millions of its own dollars making planes that may never be sold just to keep the supply lines open in hopes of new business. Boeing said it could keep the programme if Congress funds at least 10 more planes, though a delay would increase costs above the current price tag of about US$200 million each.

(2006-08-22 12:49:21 SGT) [Biz] Permalink

Gas pipeline explodes in Turkey

upi.com :

Terrorism is being blamed for an explosion on a natural gas pipeline from Iran to Turkey in the eastern Turkish province of Agri. The fire damaged power lines around the region, causing a blackout in the city of Agri. Agri Gov. Halil Ibrahim Akpinar said terrorist activity was the likely cause.

edition.cnn.com :

An explosion Saturday caused a huge fire on a natural gas pipeline in eastern Turkey, the Energy Ministry said. Agri's governor, Halil Ibrahim Akpinar, told the Anatolia news agency that sabotage was suspected. Autonomy-seeking Kurdish rebels in the region have attacked pipelines in the past. Turkey has been importing natural gas from Iran through the 2,577-kilometer (1,598-mile) pipeline since 2001. Turkish and Iranian officials reportedly are discussing expanding the pipeline for exports to Europe.

(2006-08-22 12:41:36 SGT) [Energy] Permalink

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