Unique and beautiful tree in Kota Belud

On your way up north to Kota Belud (the town of the 'Eastern Cowboys'), look out for a big but not-so-tall rain forest tree by the road side as you approach Kg Kelawat.

The locals have stories to tell about this tree but we couldn't confirm or verify if they are legend, myth or just a bedtime story. The umbrella-shape tree was captured by a niece of mine who stays not far away from this tree and I have the permission to publish the pics.







Looks green; unfortunately those leaves don't belong to the tree. They are parasites.



Sense of size? Maybe she should be standing next to the tree


Happy Labour Day from TheGreenMechanics. That'd be tomorrow.

Champions League semi-final result: Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid

The first leg of this semi-final at Santiago Bernabeu ended 1 - 0 to the advantage of Real Madrid, with Karim Benzema scoring the solitary goal.

In this second leg, Bayern Munich play host to Real Madrid in the mouth watering encounter at Allianz Arena, Germany. Bayern Munich, who must beat Real Madrid if they are to reach the final, have never lost a home match against the Spanish side. But I'm hoping Real would get the result this time around!

Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben will face off against Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale. Image & statistics courtesy of WhoScored

Date: 29th April 2014, Time: 2.45am Hongkong/Malaysia time. Live on Astro Super Sport

Half-time result: 

Bayern Munich ( 0 ) - ( 3 ) Real Madrid

Full-time result: 

Bayern Munich ( 0 ) - ( 4 ) Real Madrid

: :     : :     : :     : :     : :     : :

Aggregate: Real Madrid ( 5 ) - ( 0 ) Bayern Munich

Cristiano Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos both scored twice to destroy Bayern Munich on their way to the final. Real will meet the winner of the other semi-final between Chelsea and Atletico Madrid.

Top 10 U.S. utilities that added most amount of solar capacity in 2013

Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) has come up with its latest utility solar report, which ranks the utility companies in the country that added the most amount of solar capacity in 2013.

In the U.S., California is in front with more than 5.5 GW of solar capacity installed so far. Image: REW

The top 10 utilities accounted for 82% of all integrated solar capacity in that year. Additional report findings show that 4.2 GW of solar capacity was installed in the U.S. in 2013, bringing total cumulative capacity to more than 10.5 GW.

“Large scale installations dominated the landscape and represented well over 50 percent of the capacity installed in 2013. The increase in percentage dominance among the top 10 utilities is not indicative of those beyond the top 10 slowing down, but is instead a sign that top ranking utilities are building more on a large scale."
- Eran Mahrer, SEPA VP of Research and Strategy

Top 10 Utilities by installation (MW)

1. Pacific Gas & Electric (CA) - 1471 MW
2. San Diego Gas & Electric (CA) - 643 MW
3. Arizona Public Service (AZ) - 417 MW
4. Southern California Edison (CA) - 373 MW
5. Duke Energy Progress (NC, SC) - 137 MW
6. National Grid (MA, RI) - 111 MW
7. Public Service Electric & Gas (NJ) - 103 MW
8. Hawaiian Electric (HI) - 98 MW
9. Georgia Power (GA) - 59 MW
10. Duke Energy Carolinas (NC, SC) - 58 MW

Watts per customer

The watts-per-customer rankings calculate the number of customers served in relation to a utility’s installed solar capacity. What this does is that it levels the playing field and enables an across-the-board comparison between utilities.


Top 10 Utilities by Watts-Per-Customer

1. Sterling Municipal Light (MA) 831 W
2. San Diego Gas & Electric (CA) 461 W
3. Silicon Valley Power/City of Santa Clara (CA) 427 W
4. Arizona Public Service (AZ) 368 W
5. Hawaiian Electric Company (HI) 329 W
6. Pacific Gas & Electric (CA) 281 W
7. Hawaii Electric Light Co. (HI) 182 W
8. Maui Electric Company Ltd. (HI) 178 W
9. Kaua’i Island Utility Cooperative (HI) 167 W
10. Imperial Irrigation District (CA) 159 W

You can read further at REW

TheGreenMechanics: In comparison, Malaysia's solar PV cumulative installed capacity so far is only at 109 MW (Source: SEDA portal, April 2014). But we have plan in place and we are optimistic that we will become one of the top Renewable Energy nations in South East Asia in time to come.