Shell Wants to Help the World’s Motorists Save - HongKong motorists second worst at saving fuel

Hong Kong Drivers are the Second Worst at Improving Fuel Economy, According to a Report

Shell Hong Kong unveils a new global initiative to help motorists save 10% or more fuel while driving today.

The programme, which will investigate how much fuel drivers can save, will consist of three elements: first, understanding how drivers think and feel about fuel economy; second, equipping drivers with information and skills to drive more efficiently; and third, helping stimulate drivers’ awareness of fuel efficient driving practices by demonstrating the impact of using Shell fuel with fuel economy formula and Shell FuelStretch tips combined can have.

The “understanding” element begins today in Hong Kong, with the publication of a new Shell-sponsored report revealing how motorists in 11 countries might be inspired to modify their driving habits to save fuel. Findings reveal a gulf in knowledge and action, with very few motorists being aware of the range of things they can do to help save fuel. The report highlights are:

• 4 in 10 of us have never checked our mileage
• Over 6 in 10 of us have never tried to improve our fuel economy
• If we knew it would help the environment, over half of us would try new ways to save fuel but saving money beats benefits to the environment as a reason to save fuel
• 75% of drivers in Hong Kong have never tried to improve fuel economy, ranked second worst among all 11 countries and only slightly better than the worst performing country, Singapore
• 6 in 10 of drivers in Hong Kong would be persuaded to be more fuel economy active if there was proof they could save money

Wilson Li, General Manager – Retail of Shell Hong Kong Limited commented, “If collectively the world’s motorists were to save 10% of the fuel we use, we can calculate roughly that 176.5 billion fewer litres could be used each year; that’s about 70,000 standard swimming pools!”

Wilson Li continued, “If every driver were to use 10% less of fuel in Hong Kong, we could save roughly 98.4 million fewer litres of fuel each year - which is approximately the same amount of water contained in 39 standard swimming pools.”

Ringo Lee, Vice Chairman of The Institute of the Motor Industry Hong Kong, supported the findings, and said, “In general, drivers in Hong Kong are not knowledgeable about how to save fuel and how improving fuel economy can save money and help the environment. Education should be a priority.”

The report also found that motorists need proof of the benefits of improving fuel economy. As a result, Shell Hong Kong has begun working with real life drivers to show how savings of 10% or more fuel is achievable using a combination of Shell fuel with fuel economy formula and Shell FuelStretch Tips.

Shell has a long heritage of innovation in fuel economy. In the 1920s demand for motor cars and gasoline increased significantly so Shell introduced Shell Dynamin, a fuel that offered some of the most advanced engine efficiency of its time. In the 1950s Shell fuel included a proven mileage ingredient, Shell ICA.

In 2006 Shell launched “Shell Unleaded with fuel economy formula” and set a Guinness World Record for fuel economy by helping a couple from Australia, John and Helen Taylor, to circumnavigate the globe using only 24 tanks of Shell Unleaded with fuel economy formula, which is now available at 8,752 Shell stations.

Source: shell.com

NAM and Philips help birds migrate safely across North Sea - the birds need SOME respite!

The world’s first offshore platform to be equipped with bird friendly lighting

Amsterdam/Assen, The Netherlands – Royal Philips Electronics and NAM (Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij) have developed a new type of lighting, which radiates only a limited part of the colour spectrum. Due to the resulting unique colour, the lighting on offshore platforms less distracts birds during their migration across the North Sea. The new type of lighting has already been installed as a pilot project on one of NAM’s platforms - L15 in the Dutch part of the North Sea - with very promising results so far.

Every year some 60 million birds migrate across the North Sea. Most make the trip across without any problems. But under a certain combination of weather conditions many migratory birds are attracted and disoriented by traditional lighting on oil and gas platforms. They fly around aimlessly or alight on the platforms and spend a long time there, often becoming too weak to reach the coast. The risk of the birds encountering such specific weather conditions en route is about 10%.

NAM spent many years studying this problem and involved Philips. The studies showed that the key to solving the problem lies mainly in the colour of the lighting currently being used on the offshore platforms. Birds are distracted predominantly by the red part of the spectrum, and much less by blue or green. Blue lighting would however mean less safe conditions for the people working on the platforms, partly because that kind of light impairs the sharpness of one’s sight. Fire extinguishers are also less clearly visible in lighting without the red part of the spectrum. NAM and Philips got round the table with this information and jointly set about developing a new type of light that would not distract birds whilst at the same time and will at the same time not impair safe working conditions.

Platform L15, just off the island of Vlieland along the Dutch coast, is the first platform in the world to be equipped with the new type of lighting developed by Philips. Almost all the floodlights – no fewer than 380 lamps - have been replaced by a mixture of new special TL and HID lamps (36W TLD and 400W HPI lamps). During the present trial period the number of distracted birds is being counted whilst at the same time the welfare of the people working on the platform is also being studied. The trial is being carried out entirely in accordance with the regulations for safe, healthy working conditions. The platform workers are enthusiastic about the project and far fewer disoriented birds have been observed. The first scientific results will become available after the main bird migration season this autumn.

NAM and Philips are delighted about their joint project. “Philips is committed to improving the quality of life and sustainability is part of our heritage. This is a fantastic example of how different industrial organisations can jointly solve an environmental problem,” says Philips’ Marketing Manager Kay Rauwerdink. “The NAM carries out a lot of research into the impact of its activities on the environment with as aim to minimize these. I have high expectations for the new lamps,” adds Joop Marquenie, an environmental specialist working for NAM.

Source: philips.com