Hurricane Gustav threatens the U.S. Gulf Coast and oil prices; organic photovoltaic power is on the way; and Vestas spends big on windpower advertising.

U.S. Gulf oil companies prepare for Hurricane Gustav: The petroleum roller coaster continues. Oil prices shot up again Tuesday on fears that Hurricane Gustav — now south of Haiti — might strengthen into a major storm and threaten Gulf Coast oil platforms and transit terminals. Royal Dutch Shell intends to begin evacuating offshore facilities Wednesday if the storm continues on a gulfward track. Most computer projections now show Gustav approaching the Louisiana coast sometime late Sunday on a course which resembles that of Hurricane Katrina. Both Katrina and Rita battered petroleum assets in 2005. About 25 percent of the U.S. oil supply passes through Gulf Coast facilities each year. (Reuters)

EnerDel ramping up battery production to supply Th!nk: EnerDel, a manufacturer of lithium ion batteries, is ramping up production capacity to supply the next generation of Th!nk cars. The Norwegian automaker plans a major push in the North American market, They’re planning to build at least one electric car in the United States, bringing it to market in the $25,000 price range. Th!nk has already secured a deal with the City of Indianapolis to expand its facilities there and hire an additional 850 workers. (Autoblog Green)

Converting Sunlight To Cheaper Energy: Researchers at South Dakota State University are working on a less expensive generation of solar power devices. Organic photovoltaics, or OPVs, are based on carbon polymers, rather than the silicon semiconductors in current solar photovoltaic design. SDSU Assistant Professor Qiquan Qiao says the organic designs promise to be less expensive and more flexible than their inorganic counterparts. Similar technologies may also be used to produce cheaper light emitting diodes. (Science Daily)

Vestas Launches $100 Million Consumer Ad Campaign: Are you starting to see ads for windpower on TV? It’s not an accident. Denmark’s Vestas — which claims a 23 percent market share of the world turbine market — has earmarked $100 million to advertise the benefits of windpower over the next two years. The campaign is designed to raise public support for wind technologies, the second largest source of power in the United States. The consumer-targeted ads will run on TV, print, online, and radio. (Environmental Leader)

Solar Verde Zero Energy Green Homes: So-called “zero energy” homes are making their way from the realm of the exotic to the subdivisions. Jetson Green profiles a new development of net-zero energy homes in the Chicago area. The Solar Verde houses feature a 4 kW solar photovoltaic system made with SOLARSAVE roof shingles, along with a host of environmentally friend features such as zero-VOC paints, CFL lighting, and recycled building materials. Prices are expected to be in the $340,000 range. (Jetson Green)

Stories You Might Also Like: