Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts and General Motors Encourage Arts Lovers to Go Green this Summer

For 40th Anniversary Season Wolf Trap Announces New Environmental Initiatives Including Electric Vehicle Charging Stations at the Filene Center and The Barns at Wolf Trap

Vienna, VA (PRWEB) June 22, 2011

The Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts and General Motors want to make it easier and more convenient for motorists to go green. That’s why this summer the two organizations have teamed up to install three 240-v, electric vehicle charging stations—two at The Filene Center at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts and one at The Barns at Wolf Trap. A Chevrolet Volt, or electric vehicle of any kind, can be fully charged in just four hours at these stations, compared to the 10 hours it takes at a standard outlet. These new stations enable Wolf Trap patrons to charge their green vehicles while they enjoy performances, arts education classes or events.

The installation of the charging stations represents the latest initiative in Wolf Trap’s internationally acclaimed Go Green program, which was formally launched in 2006 to reduce the Foundation and Park’s carbon footprint and leverage the power of the arts to inspire others to protect the environment. Since its launch Wolf Trap has cut its carbon output by more than 20 percent and its landfill waste in half.

"Because GM and Wolf Trap have a longstanding partnership, it makes good sense to help back the Park's ongoing green efforts," said Bob Ferguson, GM Vice President for Global Public Policy. "For those patrons who drive a Chevrolet Volt, they can now recharge their cars outside while they recharge with a great show this summer."

GM has served as a Wolf Trap partner for 17 years, and in 2002 signed on as the official vehicle. In the past several years, in line with Wolf Trap’s Go Green program, GM began providing hybrid vehicles; adding the Volt to the line-up this year.

“The installation of the electric vehicle charging stations at the Park and at the Barns at Wolf Trap is a natural extension of our partnership with GM.” said Terrence Jones, president and CEO of Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts. “As we continue to expand the Go Green program at Wolf Trap, we look to partners who share our passion for protecting the environment and can help further our efforts. With these new charging stations, Wolf Trap helps patrons go green while raising awareness about environmentally friendly energy sources and transportation.”

Other environmental initiatives Wolf Trap features this season include a series of Green Spots on the plaza of The Filene Center, in which patrons can learn about the various ways the organization has gone green and how they can get involved as well. http://www.wolftrap.org/green

Additionally, Wolf Trap is a founding member of the Green Music Group (GMG), a coalition of musicians, industry leaders, and music fans working to create widespread environmental change within the music industry and around the globe. As part of its affiliation with this group, Wolf Trap presents green artists each season. In 2011 Guster will perform at the Filene Center on August 15th. Other green artists Wolf Trap has presented in years past include Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, Sheryl Crow, and The Roots among many others.

To learn more about Wolf Trap’s Go Green program please visit: http://www.wolftrap.org/green

About The Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts
The Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded by Catherine Filene Shouse (1896-1994), produces and presents a full range of performance and education programs in the Greater Washington area, as well as nationally and internationally. Wolf Trap features three performance venues, the outdoor Filene Center and Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods, both located at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, and the Barns at Wolf Trap, located down the road from the park and adjacent to the Center for Education at Wolf Trap. In partnership with the National Park Service, The 7,028-seat Filene Center annually showcases an extensive list of diverse artists, ranging from pop, country, folk, and blues to classical music, dance, and theater, as well as multimedia presentations, from May through September. The Barns operates year round, and during the summer months is home to the Grammy-nominated Wolf Trap Opera Company, one of America’s outstanding resident ensemble programs for young opera singers. Wolf Trap’s education programs include the nationally acclaimed Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts, Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods, a diverse array of arts education classes, scholarships, and a nationally recognized internship program that was included in Bloomberg BusinessWeek’s 2009 List of “Best Places to Intern.” As part of its ongoing commitment to protect and preserve the environment, Wolf Trap offers metro access and is a founding member of the Green Music Group. Terrence D. Jones is president and CEO of the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts.

About General Motors - General Motors (NYSE: GM, TSX: GMM), one of the world’s largest automakers, traces its roots back to 1908. With its global headquarters in Detroit, GM employs 202,000 people in every major region of the world and does business in more than 120 countries. GM and its strategic partners produce cars and trucks in 30 countries, and sell and service these vehicles through the following brands: Baojun, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Daewoo, Holden, Isuzu, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall, and Wuling. GM’s largest national market is China, followed by the United States, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, and Italy. GM’s OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services. More information on the new General Motors can be found at http://www.gm.com.

Wolf Trap Foundation Contact: Melissa Chotiner, (703) 255-4096 or melissac(at)wolftrap(dot)org
General Motors Contact: Carolyn Markey, (202) 997-3537 or Carolyn(dot)markey(at)gm(dot)com

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Melissa Chotiner
Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts
(703) 255-4096
Email Information

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Oregon Department of Transportation Selects AeroVironment to Build First Phase of West Coast “Green Highway” Along ...

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MONROVIA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVAV - News) today announced that it has been selected by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODoT) to install its high-power Level 3 electric vehicle (EV) fast charging stations along the I-5 corridor from the California state line to the Willamette Valley. This is the beginning of the “Green Highway,” a vision for safe and consistent charging infrastructure spanning the West Coast, allowing EV drivers to travel with confidence from San Diego to Vancouver, B.C.

AeroVironment, selected to provide charging stations for the Nissan LEAF and BMW ActiveE, and co-developer of the first modern day EV, will install the fast charging stations along a 150-mile span of the I-5. The stations will be placed at convenient locations and will allow drivers to recharge their electric vehicles from a fully-discharged state in less than 30 minutes.

“Fast charging stations along high-traffic transportation corridors will help make driving electric vehicles between communities a viable option for Oregonians,” said Art James, project director with the Oregon Department of Transportation. “The state of Oregon is committed to providing EV drivers with practical, safe and reliable EV recharging infrastructure, which is why we selected AeroVironment as one of our partners. AeroVironment secured this contract for the southern leg of the ‘EV Green Highway’ project by demonstrating its support, customer service, and price and value.”

AeroVironment’s Level 3 fast charging stations deliver high-power, DC charging for EV drivers with very little time to spare, mirroring the way drivers currently use gasoline stations. The fast charging stations are CHAdeMO compliant, meaning that they are compatible with fast-charge capable EV models such as the Nissan LEAF. The company’s proprietary charging system is based on proven technology that has made AeroVironment a leading provider of heavy-duty EV fast chargers, supporting some of the most demanding supply chains in the world.

“Oregon is demonstrating tremendous leadership in advancing the ‘Green Highway,’” said Mike Bissonette, senior vice president and general manager of Efficient Energy Systems for AeroVironment. “We look forward to working with ODoT and other stakeholders in the state to design the optimal corridor to support local and long-distance travelers.”

AeroVironment will analyze driving distances, common destinations, vehicle range and other factors in its selection of the EV fast charging sites at eight interchanges identified by ODOT along a 150-mile segment of the I-5 in Southern Oregon. The company is also experienced in working with utilities and will collaborate with local utilities to prepare for the deployment. The company anticipates installing the fast charging stations along Oregon’s “Green Highway” by the end of this fall. The project is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) awarded through the State Energy Program (SEP). The U.S. Department of Energy administers the funds, approves the projects and reviews the state’s progress.

In addition to 480-volt fast charging stations AeroVironment also provides J-1772 compliant 240-volt Level 2 charging stations, installation and support services and data communications network services. More than 2,000 AeroVironment Level 2 charging stations have been installed in 21 U.S. states since late 2010.

About AeroVironment, Inc.

AeroVironment is a technology solutions provider that designs, develops, produces and supports an advanced portfolio of electric transportation solutions and electric-powered Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). AeroVironment’s comprehensive EV charging solutions include EV home charging, public charging, fast charging, data collection, grid-integrated communications and complete installation, training and support services for consumers, automakers, utilities, government agencies and businesses. AeroVironment’s industrial fast charging systems support thousands of electric materials handling vehicles in mission-critical supply chains for Fortune 500 enterprises. AeroVironment’s power cycling and test systems provide EV developers and EV battery manufacturers with market-leading simulation and cycling capabilities. Agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense and allied military services use the company’s battery-powered, hand-launched unmanned aircraft systems to provide situational awareness to tactical operating units through real-time, airborne reconnaissance, surveillance and communication. More information is available at www.avinc.com and www.evsolutions.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are made on the basis of current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, economic, competitive, governmental and technological factors outside of our control, that may cause our business, strategy or actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, our ability to perform under existing contracts and obtain additional contracts; changes in the regulatory environment; the activities of competitors; failure of the markets in which we operate to grow; failure to expand into new markets; failure to develop new products or integrate new technology with current products; and general economic and business conditions in the United States and elsewhere in the world. For a further list and description of such risks and uncertainties, see the reports we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We do not intend, and undertake no obligation, to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Additional AeroVironment News: http://avinc.com/resources/news/
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Frost & Sullivan: Reuse and Recycling of Electric Vehicle Batteries Will Ensure the Completion of 'Green Car' Tag ...

 

LONDON--(Marketwire - March 23, 2011) - ?Currently, there is little economic sense to recycle lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. Batteries contain only a small fraction of lithium carbonate as a percent of weight and are inexpensive compared to cobalt or nickel. However, if the number of electric vehicles (EVs) and their associated battery packs increase in the long term, recycling and reuse will help validate the tag, 'green car'. Reuse and recycling ensure that the energy source of EVs are in a closed loop and complete a full lifecycle.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (http://www.automotive.frost.com) Global Electric Vehicles Lithium-ion Battery Second Life and Recycling Market Analysis, finds that EV battery recycling will become a significant part of the value chain by 2016, when significant quantities of EV batteries will come through the waste stream for recycling. The EV Li-ion battery recycling market is expected to be worth more than $2 billion by 2022, with more than half a million end-of-life EVs' battery packs becoming available for recycling through the waste stream.

If you are interested in more information on this study, please send an e-mail to Katja Feick, Corporate Communications, at katja.feick@frost.com, with your full name, company name, title, telephone number, company e-mail address, company website, city, state and country.

"Although lithium currently costs less than other raw materials needed for manufacturing a battery, there is an inherent risk due to its availability being dependent on a small geographic area," notes Frost & Sullivan Industry Analyst Aswin Kumar. "Almost 70 per cent of lithium deposits are in South America."

For second life, Li-ion batteries will have to compete with dedicated batteries used for current second-life applications such as stationary grid storage. They will have to compete in terms of cost, power and energy storage, as most of the characteristics of Li-ion batteries with regard to their degradation at reuse are still uncertain.

"The cost of batteries, which is the main hindrance for EV adoption, can be lowered through reuse or second life applications," remarks Kumar. "Furthermore, with the rapid increase in the adoption of portable consumer electronic goods and their associated rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, battery recycling can reduce reliance on import or production of lithium."

Though lithium is 100 per cent recyclable, the battery-grade lithium from the recycling process is costlier than lithium from direct sources. Lack of price incentives and legislation restricts lithium recycling. Furthermore, there are only limited incentives for utilities using energy storage, thus hindering reuse activities.

Apart from cobalt or nickel in existing battery packs, only a few valuable metals with the potential to be used in batteries are under research and development. Low-value elements like iron and phosphorous, currently in research, will pose a greater challenge to creating a profitable recycling program without additional incentives or the addition of more valuable lithium. The lack of valuable materials in batteries often limits the potential for recycling.

The advent of Li-ion batteries is expected to spur automotive and utility industries to sell a common fuel electricity to consumers. Furthermore, with second life applications, Li-ion batteries are poised to contribute to a further net reduction in emission, like that of carbon dioxide, beyond that achieved by using an EV.

"Lithium is a finite resource like coal or oil and the metal alone should not be the future source of power for automotives," cautions Kumar. "Research and development on other sources of power is needed to overcome the dependency on lithium and to meet the future challenges on demands, foreign relations and environment."

Global Electric Vehicles Lithium-ion Battery Second Life and Recycling Market Analysis is part of the Automotive & Transportation Growth Partnership Services program, which also includes research in the following markets: Strategic Analysis of the Chinese Electric Vehicle Market, Electric Vehicles: European Voice of the Customer Study-Private User Passenger Vehicle, Strategic Analysis of North American and European Electric Light, Medium and Heavy Commercial Vehicles and Buses Market and Strategic Analysis of North American and European Hybrid Truck, Bus and Van Market. All research services included in subscriptions provide detailed market opportunities and industry trends that have been evaluated following extensive interviews with market participants.

About Frost & Sullivan
Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, enables clients to accelerate growth and achieve best-in-class positions in growth, innovation and leadership. The company's Growth Partnership Service provides the CEO and the CEO's Growth Team with disciplined research and best-practice models to drive the generation, evaluation, and implementation of powerful growth strategies. Frost & Sullivan leverages 50 years of experience in partnering with Global 1000 companies, emerging businesses and the investment community from more than 40 offices on six continents. To join our Growth Partnership, please visit http://www.frost.com.

Global Electric Vehicles Lithium-ion Battery Second Life and Recycling Market Analysis
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