Latest news with #Pawlak
Euractiv
11-08-2025
- Politics
- Euractiv
Europe's wind farm army
Twelve nautical miles out to sea from the town of Łeba on Poland's coastline, the first of 76 new wind turbines are beginning to pierce the fog. The Baltic Power project will be one of the country's biggest offshore wind farms, generating enough electricity for 1.5 million homes. But its contribution to Europe's security goes beyond supplying power. The 120-metre towers are set to become sentinels, tirelessly scanning the brackish waters and leaden skies for hostile activity. In this new Cold War, where spying and sabotage threaten Europe's energy and communications infrastructure, and possibly even its territorial integrity, the potential of wind farms for military surveillance is lost on no one. As the Polish state secretary for EU affairs, Ignacy Niemczycki, told Euractiv on a windy boat ride out to the site: "We are looking at infrastructure differently than we were one year ago." Wake-up call When Finland and Sweden joined in 2023 and 2024, defence analysts dubbed the Baltic Sea 'Lake NATO', with members of the military alliance effectively encircling it. But after three years in which the strategically important waters have been plagued by drones, spy ships, aerial stand-offs and blatant sabotage of power and communication cables, the moniker is starting to ring hollow. There are only two strips of coastline on the Baltic that don't belong to NATO; both are Russian, and the area is becoming a geopolitical flashpoint. Now, more than three years after Russian tanks rolled across the border into Ukraine, the military alliance is looking to rally the serried ranks of offshore wind turbines, like the Baltic Power project, to Europe's defence. When the Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines were blown up in 2022, it came as a harsh 'wake-up call' to the European Union, says Julian Pawlak, a research associate at Hamburg military university (HSU). Western nations learned the hard way that they 'do not have a complete awareness of the Baltic Sea maritime domain'. The destruction last Christmas of the Estlink 2 undersea cable linking the Nordic electricity market to the Baltic power grid just before the latter cut ties with Russia was another rude awakening, and prompted NATO to set up a military operation in response. Making more off wind NATO has discussed dotting offshore energy infrastructure with surveillance tools for years. In the past, turning oil rigs into military bases has proven unfeasible for cost, security, and engineering reasons, Pawlak says. That's where wind turbines come in: They are tall, decentralised, and there are hundreds of them off the EU's Baltic coast. Already, wind turbines are equipped with bird sensors and transponders signalling their whereabouts to submarines, says Pawlak. Baltic Power – situated less than 200 kilometres from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad – is equipping its new turbine towers with radars and sensors, following a security checklist drafted by Poland's defence ministry, Marcin Godek, the wind farm's operations and maintenance manager, explained in June. "There is a perfect symbiosis between offshore wind turbines and coastal protection," says Kristof Verlinden, a reserve Belgian coast guard who runs offshore wind farms at the firm, Parkwind. For Verlinden, they are also "sentinels or forward bases looking at the situation 50 kilometres or more from the coast". More eyes Wind farms' growing importance also brings greater risk of attack. 'The threats to offshore energy infrastructure are very real,' says Giles Dickson, CEO of lobby group Wind Europe. 'Assets are being attacked physically, not just cyberattacks," he added, pointing to several cable attacks in the Baltic Sea. The Swedish government recently halted 13 offshore wind farm projects in the Baltic Sea citing 'unacceptable consequences for Sweden's military defence' and interfering with the military. And turbines themselves have previously become the target of surveillance by the Kremlin. Baltic Power mapped potential threats in the region before beginning construction. They quickly fell victim to spoofing, where boats pretend to be someone or somewhere that they are not, and incidents of signals jamming meant plans needed to be overhauled, Godek said. Faced with this new reality, WindEurope has hired ex-military personnel to liaise with NATO. 'You cannot build an offshore wind farm in Belgium now if you do not commit to high levels of data sharing with the military and also commit to host their hardware if they ask you to do so,' said Dickson. Verlinden said Parkwind has the foundations for the coastguard to install multi-use sensors and detection systems. Employees go to the offshore turbines almost daily and report back any irregularities. In Belgium, Parkwind holds joint exercises "to train, verify and demonstrate our readiness towards security threats" with the coast guard, Verlinden said. "And we are ready to share our data such as AIS data, cable DAS, give access to our seaward looking cameras." But the prospect of a web of wind turbines sharing data among themselves, their operators and governments, also raises questions. Pawlak pointed to the need for lawmakers to clarify whether operators should have access to any information they collect. Close collaboration with the military would raise legal questions that are 'not completely clear', he said. Birdwatching Edward Zakrajsek, who handles the European market at radar firm DeTect, said wind turbines have a long history of watching the surrounding area. 'Birds were the first thing, but of course 10 or so years ago private drones hit the market and everyone can fly one now,' he says. Radars are already 'monitoring even individual birds with a 10-kilometre range 24 hours a day', Zakrajsek said, adding that "drones are about the size of a bird'. The more offshore wind farms that can be networked together, the better the surveillance data will be, and Zakrajsek said, 'the further out they are the better'. (rh, vc, jp)
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Toyota stuns with sleek electric SUV packed with luxury features: 'More than just a vehicle'
Toyota just released its newest electric vehicle — the C-HR+ — in Norway, Electrek reported, and the company has been hyping it for its "stunning" appearance and impressive range. While Toyota announced the vehicle in March, Norway is the first market to receive the 373-mile-range SUV. The C-HR+ could also cost less than other electric SUVs, according to Electrek, which projected it to start in the $30,000 range if it hit the U.S. in 2026. Piotr Pawlak, president of Toyota Norway, said the C-HR+ is "more than just a vehicle — it's a statement." Pawlak said the vehicle was "stunning" and that it "embodies Toyota's vision of blending fun-to-drive excitement with eco-conscious innovation." The C-HR+ comes with a 55.7 or 77 kWh battery, featuring the 373-mile range on the larger of the two batteries. The larger battery version is also available with front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive, making it "the perfect electric SUV for Norwegian roads," according to Toyota. Improving upon a gas-powered version of the vehicle, which was discontinued in 2022, the C-HR+ includes a roomier interior with more space for passengers and cargo. The new EV will also be Toyota's most powerful vehicle in Europe, reaching 0 to 62 miles an hour in 5.2 seconds with 343 horsepower. While EVs can cost more than traditional vehicles initially, the C-HR+ could be more affordable and tax credits up to $7,500 can offset the price of EVs. EVs also cost less over their lifetimes, requiring less maintenance and saving 60% on annual fuel costs, according to a 2020 Consumer Reports study. Fueling EVs with electricity produced by solar panels can increase these savings further. Installing solar panels, like EVs, may qualify you for tax credits, and EnergySage provides resources and quotes for installation. Solar panels also improve the environmental impact of EVs, since 79% of electricity comes from dirty energy resources like coal and natural gas. Despite the resources required to charge and manufacture them, EVs are better for the environment. EVs surpass gas-fueled cars as being more environmentally friendly after 13,500 miles, one Reuters study claimed, while another MIT study found gas-fueled cars emit 350 grams of carbon per mile over their lifetimes while EVs emit just 200. Toyota's C-HR+ is the latest EV among an increase in all-electric models across automakers. The vehicle follows Toyota's 25-year EV history and will launch in other European markets later this year. According to Electrek, "For those in the US, we'll have to wait for the official word, but if it does arrive, which would likely be in 2026, the C-HR+ would sit below the bZ4X," which Electrek said would mean a price range between $30,000 and $35,000. If you were going to purchase an EV, which of these factors would be most important to you? Cost Battery range Power and speed The way it looks Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Epoch Times
26-05-2025
- General
- Epoch Times
Maintaining the Shine of Our Lost Soldiers on Memorial Day
Tom Pawlak and Robert Trae Zipperer live 2,200 miles apart, but they share a common belief: that unlike old soldiers, no gravestone or marker of a U.S. military member should ever fade. For Pawlak, 73, from Arizona, restoring the bronze plaques of veterans and those lost in combat to their original pristine condition has become his mission in life. Zipperer, 56, is a Navy veteran from Florida who is equally passionate about restoring gravestones. Pawlak's quest began during a visit to a private cemetery in Phoenix in 2014, where some plaques were badly tarnished and hard to read. As Pawlak scrubbed, buffed, and polished one marker, the name of U.S. Marine Pfc. Oscar Palmer Austin began to emerge. Born on Jan. 15, 1948, Austin died in Vietnam on Feb. 23, 1969. Related Stories 5/21/2025 5/26/2024 Pawlak then realized that Austin, a 21-year-old African American soldier from Texas, was not an ordinary recruit; he had received the Medal of Honor for bravery on the battlefield and the Purple Heart after being wounded. The U.S. Navy later named a guided missile destroyer in his honor—the USS Oscar Austin. Pawlak reached out to the ship's commander to share his discovery and the restoration work he had completed. Two weeks later, he received a package from the Navy that contained a flag, as well as a blue cap with 'USS Oscar Austin' emblazoned on it. He began wearing the cap everywhere he went. 'As soon as I began wearing the cap, people would stop me on the street to talk,' he said. He started going out more often to cemeteries, polishing and sanding the letters on the tarnished bronze plaques, Pawlak said. Robert Trae Zipperer, founder of launched a volunteer effort cleaning gravestones across the nation in 2019. Courtesy Robert Zipperer In 2014, he founded Mission Restore Bronze, a social media movement on Remembering a Friend Originally from Chicago, Pawlak never served in the military. However, he feels a deep connection with veterans and the military—he lost a friend just three weeks after the friend arrived in Vietnam in 1967. He thinks of him every time he visits a cemetery and notices the sad condition of the bronze grave markers. 'I'll walk through a cemetery and see a bad marker. I'll have everything with me and finish it,' Pawlak said. Pawlak recalls his first volunteer: a naval commander who wanted to restore his father's bronze plaque in Tampa Bay, Florida. Other volunteers would ask him how to clean plaques when visiting cemeteries. Pawlak offers free jars of his proprietary wax, along with video instructions on how to apply it correctly for lasting results. The volunteer effort 'just exploded from the start,' he said. 'I couldn't leave the house. I took a shower and had 16 messages when I returned,' he said. His efforts have inspired at least one Eagle Scout project in the Phoenix area. In 2017, 13-year-old Levi Brown assembled a team to clean and restore approximately 250 bronze grave markers at Greenwood Cemetery in Phoenix. Pawlak said he has no idea how many military personnel plaques have been cleaned and restored through his virtual movement. Tom Pawlak of Arizona started Mission Restore Bronze Markers in 2014 as a one-man effort that has grown into thousands of volunteers nationwide. Courtesy of Tom Pawlak Most volunteers are people he doesn't know and has never met in person. Since his project launched, Reserve Officers' Training Corps programs for youths have carried the mantle forward, as well as court diversion programs and other groups. 'I'll just walk around and hand out wax jars to people,' Pawlak said. 'I'll have markers that I take care of regularly—people I've known.' Often, he'll get a call from a potential volunteer and send a jar of wax on request. Each jar contains enough product to clean 12 to 16 markers. However, if Pawlak had to estimate the number of volunteers, it would potentially be well over 75,000, based on the viewership of his YouTube 'We've included first responders and police. I'll supply them with wax,' he said. During another visit to Phoenix, Pawlak felt compelled to take action when he noticed that the bronze plaques commemorating the 622 Arizona soldiers killed in Vietnam needed love and care. With a brush in hand, he and other volunteers scoured, scrubbed, and waxed the bronze plaques and statues of foot soldiers, restoring them to a remarkable shine for Memorial Day. He's also cleaned bronze plaques in Washington and even the statue of Gen. George S. Patton at the museum dedicated to Patton in California. He said that getting down on his knees to clean is easy, but getting back up is hard. He could use more eager, younger volunteers. Keeping Honor Clean While researching his family tree in Lee County, Florida, Zipperer observed that many military gravesites were in poor condition, with some hardly legible due to mold. A veteran's headstone is covered in black mold. Courtesy of Robert Zipperer The once-bright headstones had turned dark gray, making the names hard to read. Zipperer faced frustrating regulatory challenges in Fort Myers before finally obtaining the necessary approval to clean the headstones in time for Memorial Day in 2019. Initially, city officials claimed he needed permission from the families to clean the headstones, warning that he would be trespassing and 'soliciting' otherwise. However, after Zipperer brought his case to the media, the city changed its position. 'I'm just a guy that doesn't take no for an answer. You can't have a veteran's headstone covered in crud. It's just not American,' Zipperer told The Epoch Times. The headstone as it now appears after cleaning. Courtesy of Robert Zipperer Rules for Restoration Zipperer later discovered no standard operating procedures at the local, state, or federal levels concerning cleaning veterans' grave markers. He contacted the National Cemetery Administration in Washington, which advised him to submit a proposal in writing. Eventually, the agency incorporated his ideas into national 'The graves just sit out there covered in nastiness,' Zipperer said. 'I've had to get out hedge clippers and cut bushes to reach a veteran's grave enveloped in vegetation. 'You'll cut it all back, and you'll clean it all up, and then you'll scrub the headstone and get it clean.' The NCA, part of the Department of Veterans Affairs, estimates that it has supplied more than 15 million headstones to national, state, and private cemeteries nationwide since 1973. In fiscal year 2022, the agency provided 347,361 headstones and markers for military personnel buried in the nation's cemeteries. The VA operates 156 national cemeteries and 35 soldiers' lots and monument sites across 42 states and Puerto Rico. Members of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment place flags at the headstones of U.S. military personnel buried at Arlington National Cemetery, in preparation for Memorial Day in Arlington, Va., on May 22, 2025. Nearly 1,500 service members entered the cemetery at pre-dawn hours to begin the process of placing a flag in front of approximately 260,000 than 4 million Americans, including military personnel from every war and conflict, are interred in VA national cemeteries. Approximately 84 percent of veterans are in private cemeteries throughout the country, Zipperer believes the deteriorating condition of veteran headstones signifies a 'lack of caring' and funding. Through his website, , he hopes to recruit more volunteers and financial support for his cause. 'The problem is we don't have the [public] funding,' Zipperer said. 'Nobody creates funding for veterans' headstones. I'm doing what I can do, but I don't have an unlimited budget. 'Every state should be contributing to this. Every American should be contributing to this cause.' Zipperer estimates he's spent more than $500,000 out of pocket to promote his mission on YouTube. 'There are people in Australia who love their veterans as much as Americans love their veterans,' he said. Before and after images of a bronze veteran grave plaque. Courtesy of Tom Pawlak 'I'm just broadcasting it out there to whoever receives the message.' Pawlak said he also had to use his own funds to support Mission Restore Bronze Markers. 'I just dedicated myself to doing it,' he said. Celebrity Appeal In 2021, before Memorial Day, Zipperer appeared on the ABC syndicated talk show 'Live With Kelly and Ryan' to present his case. The response was nothing like he had anticipated. 'I'm naive, I thought this was going to be it,' he said. 'Tom Hanks was going to reach out to me. Clint Eastwood was going to reach out to me. Gary Sinise was going to reach out to me. Steven Spielberg was going to reach out to me.' Patriotic celebrities, one and all, he said. 'And they would provide the help I needed to make this vision a reality. I thought all the senators and governors were going to call. My phone was going to blow up,' he said. 'Do you know how many people called?' No one, he said, except for a nice woman in New Jersey, who saw him on television. 'We love our veterans in our county,' the woman said to him over the phone. 'We're going to take up your cause here.' She asked if Zipperer would attend the county's Memorial Day celebration, and he agreed. An American flag at sunset in Springerville, Ariz., on May 25, 2025. Allan Stein/The Epoch Times Zipperer was struck by the community turnout in Hunterdon County that day. He finally grasped the true purpose of this mission. 'This is an American cause,' Zipperer said. 'We can make this happen.'
CBS News
02-04-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Mayor Ed Gainey touts accomplishments in affordable housing, but the numbers tell another story
In becoming the Mayor of Pittsburgh, Ed Gainey promised to build and grow more affordable housing in the city and had dedicated millions of dollars to the task. While the mayor said his efforts have been a great success, critics have responded, saying he has fallen far short of his goal of making housing more affordable. It's the cornerstone of his administration, to keep and grow the city's working class by creating more affordable housing. On the campaign trail, Mayor Gainey has touted this effort as his crowning achievement. "We built more affordable housing than any administration in the past 20 years," Gainey said. "We've built over 2,000 units, either built or in the pipeline of affordable housing. That's incredible all by itself." However, his critics call that his administration's biggest failure. "They have not lived up to their promise of creating housing affordability," said David Vatz of Pro-Housing Pittsburgh. "Some of the claims that they've made about 2,000 units, we have not been able to validate those claims." Officially, the administration said it has "created or preserved" 1,400 units of affordable housing but conceded that only about 400 of those are actual, new construction. Deputy Mayor Jake Pawlak said the city has reinvested in 968 existing units and extended their affordability protections, which were set to expire. "That's 968 units with people living in them today, which could have disappeared and dramatically increased the affordability change," Pawlak said. The non-profit group, Pro-Housing Pittsburgh, puts the number of newly created units at 300, but said even the administration's own numbers are underwhelming, especially since the city has dedicated so much money to affordable housing. To date, the city has received $36 million from the pandemic-era American Rescue Plan, $34 million in an affordable housing bond issue, and about $30 million in the city's Housing Opportunity Fund, totaling $100 million in all. "You would expect with that amount of investment, you would have seen a significant amount of affordable housing and that's not what we've seen," Vatz said. Instead, according to Vatz, the city has blocked several market-rate housing projects by requiring that 10% of the units be affordable while not providing the developers andy support or incentives to include them. He said the lack of all housing development across the city has jacked up the price of rent. "It's what we've seen over the last three years of his administration," Vatz said. "Housing costs have gone up and up and up, and at the same time, his administration has been hostile to development." "There are thousands more units on the table," Deputy Mayor Pawlak said. Pawlak pointed to several projects on the drawing board and those under construction, like the new Bedford Dwelling and City' Edge in the Hill District, saying that they will dramatically bolster affordability numbers. While developers continue to complain that affordability requirements have stymied several market-rate projects, some, including the conversion of some downtown office buildings to residential, are finally getting off the dime through negotiations with the city to include affordable units. "It's easy to get a cheap, superficial win that doesn't get the job done," Pawlak said. "We haven't taken that approach. We've put the time and effort into getting the job done right and sometimes that takes more time." Still, by any accounting, the administration is still far below its stated goal of adding some 8,000 units of affordable housing, and while the city continues to lose jobs and people, developers complain that there are too many hoops to jump through to put shovels in the ground.
