A 'Continent Showdown' between Germany and Argentina

Tonight (tomorrow morning), football fans from around the world will witness the unfolding of what seemed to be a nail-biting final match of this year’s World Cup: Germany versus Argentina.

I am an England supporter but with their World Cup campaign cut short, I am now rooting for Germany. But that's my preference, you are absolutely free to support your favourite team. So, let's watch likes of Messi and Muller play in few hour's time.

Meanwhile, here are some facts about both teams:

Their distinctive roads to the final:

May the best team win. I will update this page as soon as the final result is known tomorrow.


Update @5.50am Malaysia time:
Germany won the 2014 World Cup, beating Argentina 1 - 0 with substitute Mario Gotze scoring the winner during extra time (112th minute).

Well done Germany!

Info-graphic source: Astro Awani

Indianapolis Motor Speedway has the world's largest solar PV farm

With installed capacity of 9 MW, no other sporting facility in the world has larger solar farm than Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS).

Brazil's World Cup stadiums such as Mane Garrincha and Estádio Governador Magalhães Pinto have PV arrays installed on their rooftops but theirs are smaller in size - up to 2.5 MW. In Europe, Verona’s Bentegodi football stadium is fitted with 1 MW of solar PV module.



The 9-MW solar PV farm at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The facility was unveiled early July 2014. Image: REW


“In 1909, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was constructed in part to help advance the automotive industry, which at that time was the new technology of the day. Today, the unused land at the IMS property just east of the race track has been transformed into a solar energy production facility that will provide an alternative source of energy to IPL customers.” - J. Douglas Boles, Indianapolis Motor Speedway president.


About the IMS solar farm

Installation size	:	9 MW
PV module used	:	Over 39,300 pcs
Installer	:	Sunwize Technologies
Generated power	:	To be used first by the sporting facility
		Excess power to be fed back to the power grid, through PPA

TheGreenMechanics: That's Cool! Thumbs up.

What the folks at Indiana Motor Speedway did was utilise the dormant space near the backstretch of the racetrack and turn it into energy farm. I guess, for the guys running the sporting facility, it's a straight forward kind of idea and one that is sensible, doable; it's just a matter of what to decide and when.


Source: Renewable Energy World

Thaicom first in Asia to introduce in-flight broadband

I'd love to have this onboard AirAsia's Airbus as I will be travelling frequently in the second half of this year. If correctly priced, in-flight broadband would be a hit among today's connected generation.

I would be one of those passengers who'd subscribe to such services.

How it works. Image from Thaicom's service provider, row44.com

Another first for Thailand

Thailand's leading satellite operator, Thaicom has become the first in the Asia Pacific region to introduce commercial in-flight connectivity services using Ku-band to provide broadband on commercial flights beginning in August 2014.

The nation's premium low cost carrier Nok Air, which clocks about 48,000 flights per year will provide broadband Wi-Fi services on many of its aircraft starting in August - ranging from Internet access to other complimentary services in the future.   

The Thaicom In-Flight Connectivity (IFC) broadband service, with its partner Global Eagle Entertainment/Row44, will be implemented as a value added service for Nok Air passengers. The service is capable of delivering 3G-like speed for a superior in-flight broadband experience.

"Nok Air is adding in-flight Wi-Fi to our existing complimentary services to increase the appeal to passengers, particularly the new generation who insist on connectivity." - Patee Sarasin, Chief Executive Officer of Nok Airlines

The carrier has already offered free broadband connection at airport boarding gates and the introduction of in-flight Wi-Fi is consistent with the airline's drive to be innovative. Cool!

You can read more about this at Computerworld Malaysia