Solar Panels and Biodiesel Aid in Hurricane Recovery Efforts
According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), a solar lighting company called SOL Inc. has also donated 30 solar-powered lights to the Louisiana State Police. And Carmanah Technologies, Inc., a Canadian company, has received orders for more than 500 of its solar-powered LED lights. Carmanah says most of the orders were for solar-powered marine navigation lights for the U.S. Coast Guard, but solar lights were also used to mark railroad bridges and helicopter landing pads. Carmanah held back other shipments in order to rush the orders to the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. See the SEIA Web site and the September 12th press release from Carmanah.
Biodiesel also played a role in recovery operations, as the Veggie Van Organization, a nonprofit advocacy group, partnered with West Central, a farmer-owned biodiesel company, and the Naples City Council in Florida to transport 13,000 gallons of biodiesel to help victims. The relief effort focused on smaller coastal towns south of New Orleans that were among the areas most severely affected by Hurricane Katrina.
The donated fuel powered a former military ship owned by Sub Sea Research, as well as makeshift medical facilities and emergency generators aboard the vessel. The ship and an accompanying shrimp boat left Florida in mid-September and delivered about 12 tons of food, water, ice, and relief supplies to Louisiana. The volunteers then had to leave to avoid Hurricane Rita. See the September 15th press release from the National Biodiesel Board and the updates on the Veggie Van Web site .
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