FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Peoples Projects Foundation announces:
BALTIC to BARCELONA
An exciting solar transport demonstration project

Peoples Projects for the environment announces a programme to raise the funding for Baltic to Barcelona - a solar powered voyage and a parallel solar powered road journey across Europe, from the north to the south, from Stockholm in Sweden to Barcelona in Spain.

from the north to the south, from Stockholm in Sweden to Barcelona in Spain.

This is a benchmark setting solar journey involving pure solar boats on inland and coastal waterways and real practical solar vehicles on the public road.

The journey will take place over six months including stops for major solar transport demonstrations and talks and question and answer events in main cities. There will also be almost daily local solar demonstration events in smaller towns and villages along the route.

A professional crew of ten will handle the boats and drive the vehicles and run the solar transport demonstration events. There are seats for up to 18 paying passenger/participants or for sponsors to buy and distribute to guests. Separate back-up teams will look after accommodation and event scheduling and logistics and the making of a television documentary.

Average zero emissions, zero input, daily distance covered by the vehicles over the 6 months of the 3000 kilometre journey will be at least 25 km a day OR the equivalent of 25%, a full quarter, of the average daily use of all conventional motor vehicles over the same period. This will be achieved without loss of average speed or load carrying.

The parallel inland and coastal waters boat journey is longer than the road journey, over 4000 km, and involves more weekly travel than leisure motor boats cover on average or, typically, in a weekend of intensive use.

The boats and the vehicles are expected to establish benchmarks or records for trans-European solar powered journeys by practical solar transport products.

The boats and the vehicles will be totally self-sufficient in photovoltaic generated energy throughout the journey. They have no plug-in facilities and absolutely no back-up motors or fuels on board.

The journey will be the basis for a three hour 3-part television mini-series.
Peoples Projects Foundation is an active fundraising organisation with a mission, and attitude! The first Peoples Projects foundation funded project, The Solar Circumnavigator, is slated for the summer of 2011. Peoples Projects motto can be summed up as:

No need to delay,
no need to wait for new technology.
Get over it! Get on with it! Do it now!
Si-we can.

Lelystad, Netherlands December 7, 2009
Baltic to Barcelona launched.

Dixon van Iersel, 54, IT specialist and founder of Peoples Projects Foundation, said today, in Holland:

à¢â‚¬Å“Direct sun-to-user energy, principally in the form of photovoltaics is one of the best options open to secure the future of our world. I believe that people, ordinary people, may understand this better than do contemporary business and political communities.à¢â‚¬

à¢â‚¬Å“Therefore Peoples Projects Foundation has chosen to fund, and to raise funding for, an exciting and dramatic photovoltaic solar transport demonstration project.
Baltic to Barcelona, as the project is know, involves a trip with unique solar boats and practical solar vehicles from Stockholm, capital of Sweden, to Barcelona in Spain over a 6 month period in the summer of 2010.à¢â‚¬

à¢â‚¬Å“Baltic to Barcelona land and inland waterway journey across Europe will start early in May 2010 and end late in October 2010. Baltic to Barcelona will be an appropriate precursor to the 2011 Solar Circumnavigator voyage, which is also funded through Peoples Projects.
One of the three solar boats undertaking the 4000 km waterways journey will be a scaled down replica of The Solar Circumnavigator adapted for inland (canal and river) waterways and estuary and coastal cruising.à¢â‚¬

The objectives of the journey are to demonstrate that mainstream normal - style solar powered vehicles and boats can perform more than adequately, day after day, to provide up to twenty-five percent of the world‘˜s transport needs without loss of average speed and average load carrying.

The words mainstream or normal are important to the definition and description of the vehicles and boats participating in this project. They will be of normal modest road and canal/river going size. The solar panel wings are well within the footprint of the vehicles and the boats, no impractical and vulnerable overhanging solar collectors. There are no supplementary drive or power elements like pedals or small wind generators or diesel hybrid motors. None of the vehicles need to pull solar panel covered trailers to provide their solar powered performance.

These are simple practical small vehicles and boats with no plug-in facilities and no use of fuels

Vehicles of this type offer a seriously achievable goal of a 25% reduction in transport emissions, averaged across seasons and latitudes, worldwide. Yet, solar vehicles, and even solar hybrids, are not even on the horizon of current alternative transport options.

The route has been chosen because it provides a range of physical and climatic conditions in northern higher latitudes.

The crew will include a multi-lingual musician, a singer, an actor/presenter, a dancer as well as a travel writer/diarist who will document the trip and write the associated book. Additional crew includes two maintenance engineers, a logistics organiser and the team leader.

The vehicles include a 3-seat Quad pulling a 4-5 seat passenger trailer. A 4-seat small car and a 4-seat 4x4 pick-up utility which will pull a mobile fold out sound stage for staging events, both pre-arranged and formalised and impromptu, along the route.

The boats include a 9 metre catamaran replica of the 20 metre Solar Circumnavigator and a 6 metre weekend solar motor boat. To make a point, 20 year old Georgia Blue solar powered tender and life raft designate to the Solar Circumnavigator, will make up the compliment of three boats.

20 years old? Yes, this technology has been around and unused for more than a quarter of a century. Of the vehicles on the trip the Quad is ten years old and the 4-seat car is seven years old, both still going strong. On the other hand the 4x4 utility vehicle and the two main solar boats are right up to date. They sport to the minute solar panel and battery and power management and drive technology.

The whole event will be filmed by a separate award winning documentary crew to make a 3-hour 3-part television mini-series. The series will use the journey (in three parts- Stockholm to Amsterdam, Amsterdam to Paris, Paris to Barcelona) to provide a dramatic structure from which to examine the possible role of photovoltaics in future energy solutions including mains grid applications AND, unusually, normal day to day short range, relatively low speed, passenger and utility transport.

The message of the journey photovoltaics have been too long neglected as a major (even, majority) source of clean energy in the immediate future is a serious one. The solar energy demonstrations and presentations will be serious, thoughtful, thought provoking and backed up by real practical evidence in the form of the achievements of the vehicles and the boats.

To lighten the mood, to provide entertainment and to introduce the events and the speakers, a small group of travelling players will make up part of the permanent crew. The group is modern, stimulating and professional. Included are a musician, a singer, an actor/presenter (really a crier, in the mediaeval sense) and a dancer (tumbler juggler). A trailer with an easy to use fold out sound stage, entirely self-sufficient with power from its photovoltaic roof, will be towed by one of the solar vehicles.

The route passes through seven European countries:
Sweden, Denmark, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, France and Spain.
Some principle towns and capital cities on the route include:
Stockholm, Gothenburg, Helsingborg, Copenhagen, Lubeck, Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Groningen, Lelystad, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Brussels, Lille, Paris, Dijon, Lyon, Avignon, Montpelier, Barcelona

The Baltic to Barcelona solar road and inland water journey across Europe will start early in May 2010 and finish late in October the same year.

###

Contact details

Peoples Projects Foundation
Salland 60
8245 CJ Lelystad (NL)

Phone: +31 (0)87 784 78 19

Email : info@peoplesprojects.net
Web : http://www.peoplesprojects.net/

Email: info@baltictobarcelona.com
Web: http://www.baltictobarcelona.com/

Het bericht Peoples Projects Foundation announces: Baltic to Barcelona verscheen eerst op Emea Persberichten.

Anthony Howarth announced today that he will attempt two voyages with The Solar Circumnavigator solar boat in 2011.

The first voyage will be round the world with assistance (with stops) via the two canals, Panama and Suez. Assuming this solar circumnavigation benchmark is satisfactorily set, he will, in the best tradition of the legendary *Bernard Moitessier, starting in the same year and in the same boat, attempt a round the world voyage, non-stop via the southern ocean, no fuels on board, powered only by photovoltaics.

"It is time to up the stakes and up the pace" Anthony said today in Charente Maritime, SW France.

"Voyages with stops via the canals are cool, but they can never be THE REAL THING. As for pace? I have revised my target for the first voyage: Start to finish, including time lost in stops and the canals, in 100 days.

We are ten years into the twenty-first century and these targets represent engineering problems governed by normal Newtonian mechanics and a bit of nerve and a bit of luck, not exactly rocket science. If there is to be any hope for the planet and the future of the Human race, we have to be able to do substantially better with a solar powered boat in 2011 than my best 1990 solar round the world voyage predictions of 150 days!"

Round the world in 80 days
Anthony Howarth, who identifies himself on his Solar Circumnavigator vlogs as, Tony Solar, added, "For the second voyage to have any useful meaning it must, again, be powered only by photovoltaics. No hybridisation, no hydrogen fuel cells or use of bio-fuel. No net greenhouse gas generating alternatives, just passive photovoltaics of the most efficient and short energy pay-back kind available."
"And, obviously, for the non-stop voyage via the southern ocean we have no option to look at anything more than 80 days. Jules Verne has a lot to answer for, but it is too late, the die is cast. The voyage must take no more than 79 days and change. Or fail in the attempt!"

Anthony Howarth

*For reference.
Bernard Moitessier competed in the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race, the first singlehanded non-stop round the world sailing race, in 1968. He probably would have won the race, but, after rounding Cape Horn well ahead of the eventual winner's time and while starting to head for the finish point, he changed his mind and changed course. Instead of finishing he sailed back to the southern ocean and eventually stopped in Tahiti. The English sailor, Robin Knox-Johnston, won the race and thus established a reputation and a career that eventually lead to his becoming Sir Robin. Moitessier's all steel boat, Joshua, can be seen at the maritime museum in La Rochelle.

Contact details

Peoples Projects Foundation
Salland 60
8245 CJ Lelystad (NL)

Phone: +31 (0)87 784 78 19

Email : info@peoplesprojects.net
Web : www.peoplesprojects.net

Website: http://www.peoplesprojects.net

Het bericht The Solar Circumnavigator ups the stakes verscheen eerst op Emea Persberichten.

Dixon van Iersel, oprichter van Peoples Projects Foundation, maakte vandaag bekent dat:

à¢â‚¬à…“Peoples Projects heeft als eerste project gekozen om fondsen te gaan werven voor THE SOLAR CIRCUMNAVIGATOR, een magnifiek en praktisch voorbeeld van het gebruik van zonne-energie.

à¢â‚¬à…“Het Solar Circumnavigator project is een wereldwijde demonstratie van de potentie van het gebruik van zonnepanelen voor opwekking van electriciteit in de transport sector en de toepassing er van in huishoudens en industrie.

à¢â‚¬à…“Direct gebruik van zonne-energie is à©à©n van de beste opties om de toekomst van onze wereld veilig te stellen. Ik geloof dat mensen, gewone mensen, dit waarschijnlijk nog beter begrijpen dan de zakenwereld en politieke groeperingen. Dit maakt The Solar Circumnavigator een geschikt project voor mensen, gewone mensen, u en ik, om te ondersteunen door middel van donaties aan Peoples Projects Foundation.

Om de doelstellingen van de Stichting en van het project nog duidelijker te kunnen maken dan alleen via onze website(s) en persberichten, zijn we vanaf 7 augustus gestart met de publicatie van wekelijkse gesproken Virtuele logs (Vlogs) van onze activiteiten en doelstellingen. De Vlogs zijn te bekijken via onze eigen websites (www.peoplesprojects.net en www.thesolarcircumnavigator.org) en via DailyMotion (www.dailymotion.com/PeoplesProjects).

Peoples Projects Foundation werft fondsen voor praktisch en economisch haalbare projecten wereldwijd op het gebied van milieu. à¢â‚¬à…“Peoples Projects is ambitieus. De boodschap zal internationaal worden uitgedragen en zichtbaar worden gemaakt. We hebben tenslotte maar à©à©n wereld en die moeten we beschermen.

Dixon van Iersel

Stichting Peoples Projects Foundation
Phone: +31 (0)87 784 78 19
Email: dixon@peoplesprojects.net
Web: www.peoplesprojects.net

Website: http://www.peoplesprojects.net

Het bericht Peoples Projects Foundation maakt vandaag de publicatie bekent van wekelijkse Vlogs voor het Solar Circumnavigator project. verscheen eerst op Emea Persberichten.

Quadsie and OSCAR to go for a voyage

Today, Anthony Howarth confirmed that The Solar Circumnavigator, a 20 metre photovoltaic powered Catamaran, will carry two historic solar vehicles on its epic solar voyage around the world.
These vehicles are lightweight second generation versions of two of Anthony´s remarkable collection of proof-of-concept practical zero-emissions solar vehicles and boats designed, built and tested over the past twenty years.

à¢â‚¬à…“Back in the 1980s and 1990s, when everyone else seemed to be talking about climate change linked to greenhouse gas emissions, it seemed to me to be more useful to get on with it and do something.
I set out to build useful and practical vehicles, not frothy impractical solar racing cars or, worse still, impractical solar concept cars. My idea was for simple, even cute, practical and useful light utility vehicles.

Once I had discovered that, averaged across climate zones, a wide model range of solar light passenger and goods vehicles could fulfil 25% of current transport needs with no loss of average speed, general utility and load carrying, I knew I had found a serious and seriously neglected element for the future transport energy mix.
Quadsie, based on a 10 year old proof-of-concept, is a 3-seat plus pick-up Quad style vehicle.

OSCAR (Original Solar Car), based on a seven year old proof-of-concept platform, can be configured as a two-seat pick-up or a 4-5 seat passenger vehicle.

Averaged across climate zones both vehicles are capable of about 20 miles or about 30 kilometres a day, day after day, from the sun, and, up to 75 miles or 120 kilometres from full batteries.
The Solar Circumnavigator project is being funded by trade sponsors and Peoples Projects Foundation. (www.peoplesprojects.net and www.thesolarcircumnavigator.org)

Gemozac, France June 24, 2009
Anthony Howarth, who hopes to become The Solar Circumnavigator in 2010 or 2011, announces some details of his solar boat.

à¢â‚¬à…“It remains my policy that the main specification of The Solar Circumnavigator boat will not be released until the finished boat is launched and shown to the public.

à¢â‚¬à…“This is a very competitive world. Over fifteen years ago I proposed a solar circumnavigation and published in great detail the technical specification, even the calculations, and the appearance of the boat. This openness secured a great deal of industry sponsorship in goods and services but raised no cash sponsorship. It did, however, result in the launch of, at least, four copycat projects. Most of these have fallen by the wayside in the intervening years.

à¢â‚¬à…“In the interests of satisfying the curiosity of our members and helping them to support us without jeopardising the security of THEIR project, we have released a few very basic facts about The Solar Circumnavigator project:
The boat is a catamaran, it is close to 20 metres long.
The batteries are Lithium ion.
The maximum speed is 25 knots.
The sustainable solar speed, day after day is, on average, about 10 knots.

à¢â‚¬à…“The Solar Circumnavigator is a project which has been in the making for twenty years. It is researched, designed and planned in minute detail. There are a number, at the last count over forty, special or exceptional features associated with the boat design and equipment. Today I want to publicly announce one of the most unusual of these special features.

à¢â‚¬à…“Two practical working solar vehicles will be carried on-board The Solar Circumnavigator. These vehicles are integral to the design of the boat, their excess solar power is automatically routed to the needs of the boat and they can easily be driven off the boat at any port of call by lowering permanently in place gangways.
The idea is to make even our local transport zero-input and zero-emissions before, during and after the voyage.

The vehicles are quite different from each other. Each one has its relevance.

Towards the stern of the starboard hull will be Quadsie, a Quad style vehicle with handlebar steering, but more capable and useful than a typical Quad. There are three seats, driver and two passengers and there is a substantial pick-up box or tray at the back. Four-wheel-drive, better than typical 4x4 ground clearance and exceptional suspension movement and axle articulation make for great mobility.

OSCAR (from The Original Solar Car Company Ltd) is a small 4-5 seater which can be configured as a 2-seater with pick-up. Oscar has a conventional steering wheel and car style controls.

OSCAR and Quadsie have similar load carrying capacity and performance. The maximum load is half a tonne or 500kg. Climbing, fully loaded, is over 30%, or one in three. Both vehicles have an average autonomy of 20 miles or 30 km, day after day, from solar power. Both vehicles have a range of about 75 miles or 120 km from full batteries. Acceleration is brisk enough to bring a smile even to Jeremy Clarkson´s face although the typically legal city maximum speed of 50 kph or 30 mph is not exactly going to turn the old man on. Jeremy Clarkson is the presenter of a controversial BBC car program known as à¢â‚¬à…“Top Gear.

Developed from eleven and seven year old proof-of-concept platforms, Quadsie and OSCAR are unique and, for the moment, highly confidential icons for future of perhaps 25% of world transport.

OSCAR and Quadsie will, when mounted on the boat, automatically contribute their excess charge to the boat´s solar charging photovoltaic array. They will be used before and after the voyage and at stop-overs during the voyage to provide genuine zero-emissions transport around boatyards, ports and towns. Their use is appropriate to the zero-input zero-emissions nature of this solar powered circumnavigation no sails, no wind generators, no fuels of any kind, not even for cooking, on board.

Anthony Howarth

Contact details

Peoples Projects Foundation
Salland 60
8245 CJ Lelystad (NL)

Phone: +31 (0)87 784 78 19

Email : info@peoplesprojects.net
Web : www.peoplesprojects.net

Het bericht Quadsie and OSCAR to go for a voyage verscheen eerst op Emea Persberichten.

à¢â‚¬à…“In 1990 I converted a live-aboard sail boat to be fully solar self-sufficient in energy. In 1992 I made a formal proposal for a solar circumnavigation but found no sponsors. In 1994/5 I made a second proposal with my daughter, Karen Howarth. That project, launched in the House of Commons, attracted full trade sponsorship in equipment, batteries etc. but, once again, no financial sponsorship. By 1997 we had to abandon the project and the full sized prototype boat which we had built in 1995/96.

Twelve years later it gives me great pleasure and satisfaction to confirm that the Dutch foundation, Peoples Projects for the environment, has offered to raise the funding for The Solar Circumnavigator. With à¢â‚¬à…“the Peoples´ help the voyage will be undertaken in 2010.

Lelystad, Netherlands June 4, 2009
Anthony Howarth, 71, joked: à¢â‚¬à…“In case you wonder why old people sit on the park bench in the sun, you can be certain they are just using direct solar power to "recharge their batteries". I intend to do the same on The Solar Circumnavigator for about 120 days as I cruise around the world and discuss, on the internet, the potential for photovoltaics to be a major contributor in the fight against climate change!

à¢â‚¬à…“More seriously, it will be a long hard voyage but no longer and harder than many other difficult journeys I have made in my life.

à¢â‚¬à…“In 1959/60, at the age of 21, I drove round Africa, London-Cairo-Cape Town-Casablanca-London. About 35,000 miles in 9 months, mostly on appalling roads.
à¢â‚¬à…“In 1963 I drove from Nairobi, Kenya, to Cape Town, South Africa, and back taking in all the southern African countries. A six month journey on more bad roads and through rainy seasons.

à¢â‚¬à…“In 1971 and 1972 I crossed the Zagros mountains, of Iran, twice, on foot and by mule, with the Bakhtiari tribe on their annual migration - 500,000 people and about five million animals. Why? To make the classic cinema documentary, People of The Wind. In 1976/77 I was delighted and honoured to be nominated for both Oscar and Golden Globe awards for this film and to receive The Hollywood Film Institute´s Certificate of Excellence.

à¢â‚¬à…“In 1980 I was part of a crew who ferried Five B25 World War II Mitchell bombers via St John´s Newfoundland to The Azores, Portugal and England. The 75 minute film that I made of the two week flight, B25, Mitchells Do Fly in IMC, was transmitted by Channel 4 in the UK.

à¢â‚¬à…“In 1984 I drove with three prototype à¢â‚¬à…“Cars for Africa from the Arctic circle in deepest winter, across the Sahara, through the rain in central Africa, across the Equator in Uganda, to Nairobi and Mombassa in high summer. I had designed and built these vehicles for the five part Channel 4 documentary series A Car For Africa.

à¢â‚¬à…“Between 1988 and 2002 I covered 50,000 nautical miles, touching four continents, in a small sail boat, and I lived aboard, solar self-sufficient, for fourteen years.

à¢â‚¬à…“I never had an unsuccessful continent crossing journey or ocean crossing voyage, I have always succeeded, and have arrived where I intended. I do not intend to break that record in the case of The Solar Circumnavigator.

Anthony Howarth was present in Saudi Arabia in 1972 and 1973 when the oil was first à¢â‚¬à…“turned off to create the first world oil crisis. He was impressed and alarmed by attitudes he had encountered in Aramco and throughout the oil producing Middle East. Attitudes which, he believes, spawned the profligate business and energy structure of the world economy right up to the current economic crisis, and, worse yet, into an irreversible and potentially devastating climate crisis.

à¢â‚¬à…“Anything we can do to mitigate the effects of climate change would seem to be, not just worth doing, but an absolute priority.

Anthony added: à¢â‚¬à…“I believe The Solar Circumnavigator, the solar boat which I have designed, can complete the voyage in an authoritatively fast time, 120 days. For non-sailors, I should explain that this is as fast or faster than really experienced sailors can manage in large, powerful, modern production cruiser/racer.
Asked why he is so passionate about being The Solar Circumnavigator. Anthony replied:
à¢â‚¬à…“I have never been interested in solar car racing, although I have nothing but good wishes for those who choose to play with such cute, amusing and, dare I say, impractical vehicles. I have much the same feeling about Formula 1 motor racing.
On the other hand, I do find 25 kph or 45 kph solar utility vehicles capable of covering 25 kilometres a day, with no input and zero emissions, fascinating, and they are practical.

à¢â‚¬à…“To work with a neglected technology which could, on its own, reduce emissions from vehicle transport by 25% is a privilege, and it is frustrating. Solar vehicles (and solar boats) are still not above the horizon as far as the public and business are concerned and yet I use a ten year old solar vehicle almost every day.

à¢â‚¬à…“On Friday evenings, at my house in the country, I have the slightly bitter satisfaction of being the only person in the world taking the garbage (trash) cans to the pick-up point in a ten year old solar pick-up which was last charged from the mains more than 5 years ago it is all part of the film!

à¢â‚¬à…“These are just some reasons why, at my age, I still aim to become The Solar Circumnavigator, perhaps, even, The First Solar Circumnavigator!

à¢â‚¬à…“I chose this voyage because it is hard enough to be a real challenge, and long enough to allow me to very publicly, over the air waves and the internet, explore and expand the possibilities for photovoltaics in the immediate future as part of the fight against greenhouse gas emissions, as well as other atmospheric pollutants.

At the launch of The Solar Circumnavigator project in Holland, Dixon Van Iersel, founder of Peoples Projects Foundation, said: à¢â‚¬à…“Direct sun-to-user energy is one of the best options open to secure the future of our world. I believe that people, ordinary people, may understand this better than does the business community in its present form.

à¢â‚¬à…“Peoples Projects for the environment is ambitious. Its messages will be highly visible. The Solar Circumnavigator is a magnificent, practical, solar demonstration as well as the inspiration for an associated full length cinema feature film.

Anthony Howarth
Phone: +31 (0)87 784 78 19
Email: info@thesolarcircumnavigator.org
Web: www.thesolarcircumnavigator.org

Het bericht The Solar Circumnavigator project launched verscheen eerst op Emea Persberichten.

à¢â‚¬à…“A world encompassing demonstration of the potential for photovoltaics, solar panels to you and me, in the active field of transport, as well as for the passive generation of household and industrial electricity.

Peoples Projects for the environment is an active new fundraising organisation with a mission, and attitude! A deliberate nod to what will surely become known as à¢â‚¬à…“The Obama Generation or, at least, à¢â‚¬à…“The Obama Decade:

No need to delay,
no need to wait for new technology.
Get over it! Get on with it! Do it now!
Si-we can.

Lelystad, Netherlands June 2, 2009
The Solar Circumnavigator launched.

Dixon van Iersel, founder of Peoples Projects Foundation, announced, today, in Holland:

à¢â‚¬à…“Peoples Projects for the environment has chosen, as its first project, to raise funding for THE SOLAR CIRCUMNAVIGATOR, a magnificent and practical example of the direct use of solar power.

à¢â‚¬à…“This is a world encompassing demonstration of the potential for photovoltaics, solar panels to you and me, in the active field of transport, as well as for the passive generation of household and industrial electricity.

à¢â‚¬à…“Direct sun-to-user energy is one of the best options open to secure the future of our world. I believe that people, ordinary people, may understand this better than do contemporary business and political communities. This makes The Solar Circumnavigator an appropriate project for people, ordinary people, you and me, to support through Peoples Projects Foundation.

The Solar Circumnavigator is a name, a title, really a brand, with many associations and meanings. For example: The Man; The Project; The Boat; The Book; and The Feature film.

The Man, Anthony Howarth, 71 years old. Engineer, communicator, photographer, Oscar nominated filmmaker and sailor - 50,000 blue water nautical miles. He has been promoting the use of photovoltaics in transport since the second oil crisis in 1979.

The Project: To circumnavigate the globe in a purpose built solar powered boat; no fuel of any kind on board; no sails or wind generators; no gas for cooking.
The voyage to take about 120 days, average speed between 8 and 10 knots .

The Boat: A large specially designed solar powered multi-hull capable of speeds over 25 knots and day by day cruising of 10 knots. Many original features specific to a solar boat. Built of renewable materials. Full details only available at launch.

The Book: The Solar Circumnavigator, slated for Autumn 2010, is part of Anthony Howarth´s autobiography series. It covers environmental issues and sustainable living, as well as solar vehicles and solar boats, from 1972 to the present.

The Feature Film: A docu-drama bio-pic. Starts, 1972, Saudi Arabia, the first oil crisis. Early morning, Aramco VP plays golf on a black desert course made by consolidating sand with thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands (over the years) of barrels of Saudi crude. Ends, 2010, hopefully on The Solar Circumnavigator as it re-crosses the line from Lizard Point to Ushant to complete its à¢â‚¬à…“first solar circumnavigation.

Peoples Projects Foundation will seek to fund practical and economic environmental projects worldwide, without limit. à¢â‚¬à…“Peoples Projects for the environment is ambitious. Its messages will be international and highly visible. We have, after all, just one world to secure.

Dixon van Iersel
Stichting Peoples Projects Foundation
Phone: +31 (0)87 784 78 19
Email: dixon@peoplesprojects.net
Web: http://www.peoplesprojects.net/

Het bericht Peoples Projects Foundation announces first project: The Solar Circumnavigator verscheen eerst op Emea Persberichten.

Peoples Projects for the environment is an active new fundraising organization with a mission, and attitude! A deliberate nod to what will surely become known as à¢â‚¬à…“The Obama Generation or, at least, à¢â‚¬à…“The Obama Decade:
No need to delay, no need to wait for new technology.
Get over it! Get on with it! Do it now! Si-we can.

Lelystad, Netherlands May 25, 2009
Today, Peoples Projects Foundation is launched as a non-profit organization by Dixon van Iersel. The Foundation will be active worldwide, without limit.

à¢â‚¬à…“We have, after all, just one world to secure.

Dixon, IT specialist and experienced businessman, brings, organization and management experience, and internet expertise to The Foundation.

At the launch, Dixon summarized:

à¢â‚¬à…“Peoples Projects for the environment, is, must be, an effective fundraising organisation in order to carry out the further ambitions of The Foundation.

à¢â‚¬à…“Peoples Projects Foundation will fund carefully selected practical sustainable energy related projects. It will also organize workshops and seminars, and generally seek to inform people, around the world, of what can be done now (as well as in the future) to help secure our planet.

à¢â‚¬à…“ I intend Peoples Projects´ activities to be part of the antidote to both the conservative and venture investment business models. Models which have, collectively, brought the world to such a sorry state of floundering around in the face of an appalling climate crisis, and in addition, have contributed to the failure of the largest, leading, we-know-how-to-do-it, economies, and by extension, all the world´s smaller economies.

à¢â‚¬à…“To give an example: Since the first oil crisis in 1972/3 and in the face of the growing climate crisis, no significant research, development and commercialisation funding or investment has been available for photovoltaics.
Why? Because photovoltaics are un-sexy as a business model.
A solar panel, photovoltaic or heating, is built. Sold with a 10-25 year guarantee.
End of story. No follow on business. No dependency is created.

à¢â‚¬à…“In the world of business, it is like selling an ink jet printer that doesn´t need cartridges. Or, in the case of a small appropriate solar utility vehicle, selling a car equivalent which needs no oil from Saudi Arabia and no refinery and no shipping and no fuel distribution and no filling station and... Look at the line-up of potential enemies a solar vehicle has, just as a concept. And yet, as a reality, averaged across climate zones, solar vehicles could provide zero emissions (and, effectively, zero input) to most suburban transport chores.

à¢â‚¬à…“Direct sun-to-user energy is one of the best options open to secure the future of our world. I believe that people, ordinary people, may understand this better than does the business community in its present form. After all, people hate ink jet cartridges. Reason enough to contribute to, and become a member of, Peoples Projects Foundation.

à¢â‚¬à…“Peoples Projects for the environment is ambitious. Its messages will be highly visible. With this in mind, and to put our effort and your money to work, our first project, to be announced shortly, will be a magnificent, practical, solar demonstration together with an associated full length, potentially à¢â‚¬à…“major, cinematic film.

Dixon van Iersel
Stichting Peoples Projects Foundation
Phone: +31 (0)87 784 78 19
Email: dixon@peoplesprojects.net
Web: www.peoplesprojects.net

Het bericht Peoples Projects Foundation launched verscheen eerst op Emea Persberichten.