Is Renewable Really Doable? — Short Video
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-9nHzXswwk]I spent yesterday afternoon in the local television studio, shooting a series of videos for a variety of different purposes. I thought I’d send you this short (under one minute) piece that explains the premise of my next book, whose title I later revised to “Is Renewable Really Doable?” which will be available next month. Thanks to 2GreenEnergy co-founder George Alger for his work here; I think these are some cool video effects.
Craig: I really like your work on the current status of the renewable energy industry and it´s possibilities.
I am an inventor, I have invented several renewable energy systems, particularly in Wind and piezoelectric. I can tell you I live the hardships of an inventor and lack of capital and all the rest of the political and economic ups and downs.
I am looking for grants to develop my ideas and would really like to know more of how these subjects are dealt with in the real world. Maybe you could write about that too.
Steven Andrews
Craig, that’s an excellent ‘elevator pitch’ – it neatly summarizes the content and goals, and certainly piques my interest. I look forward to the publishing date.
Naturally, I wish you all the best on this. Quite frankly, unless I start seeing some hard core analysis of the risk or socio-economic variety, I will have minimal tolerance for potential glorious future viewpoints.
Trends in societies are well established at the level that you can place sure bets. A list of high impact processes is itemized. That’s fairly easy. Priorities are assigned. Those are *highly* predictable. With luck, the nations of the world might be able to bite off the two most egregious problems facing us. Climate change / renewables doesn’t even make it in the top 3 in our cultural context.
You know, based on what I’ve done, I am no naysayer of the imperative. However, I don’t think we as a species have it in us to step up, and I mean that in the context of all that science that has taught us in how we always react to such problems.
Sorry for the downer. Barring an unforeseen black swan type event, our future seems to be getting exponentially more troubled, and thus unlikely to be averted.
Craig: Good luck on your book. Keep slugging away.
First, we must understand the socio-economic problem: Mega-capital companies own the mineral resources, the technology, the infrastructure of the fossil fuel industry. With trillions of investment, and billions of profits, these mega-rich, capital-intensive corporations will fight hard to keep us toiling to buy fossil fuel and it derivities.
Second, we must use the best solar technology which is local. The “locavore” technology is widely distributed, free-standing concentrated solar power, combine with “combined heat and power”. Such a system exists on paper: http://solarfurnacechp.wetpaint.com
We need to create a capital funding system which is alternative to the banks and casino stock exchanges: Such a system has been mapped. See: httt://sbic.wetpaint.com
Most folks are asleep on these issues. Craig’s book should be a wakeup call. We need to organize the Small Business Investment Exchange in support of L3C worker cooperatives.
Write me at: jimmiller5417 -at – gmail.com
Jim Miller
Was renewable EVER doable? Why the ‘still’ in the title? Are you suggesting some door or window has (or might have) closed that was previously open?
I am with Arlene to some extent. But taking Arlene’s perspective, what we might do to avert the catastrophe?
Is the tragedy avoidable? I have some trouble seeing how. But at the same time, I wonder if that is because we lack faith in our fellow human beings to change when the time comes. Many of us might think it is well past time, but others think it can be resolved when the going gets bad. And I mean ‘bad’ for the people who are consuming like there is no tomorrow.
I have been surprised by intelligent contemporaries who take the view that when something really happens, they will respond. But not until. They view us folks who think more as needed as nothing more than a flock of ‘Chicken Littles’, convinced that the sky is falling.
So not only ‘are renewables doable?’, but if done, ‘will renewables help?’
Good luck with getting the book on the shelves.
Anything is doable with leadership, positive energy and need. We lack the first, we have the need and many are positive, including myself. I fear we need to fall further, to get the need so large we overcome the lack of leadership. People can come around, even at the last moment, but time will tell. The Sun is powerful, but it cant be owned, so will it become a commodity? Indirectly it can, I say lets party, reach for the sun…
Thanks Craig for what you do.
Greg Chick
I have not participated in many of these articles because so many people talk a good game but never step up to the plate, So called professional Business people are about themselves and full of themselves and not really wanting to do anything but be critical and there vast knowledge of nothing other than how they can screw you over to make a buck. Anything is Doable and it does not take a million letters behind your name to figure this out. Keeping it simple really relates to a higher productive process. Find real people that have the desire and the Money and a big difference can and will be made, If you leave it to the Government we will still be talking about this until you and our children are dead.
Sorry Craig, as a former tv studeo engineer and producer on several cable local shows I was not impressed with just seeing a talking head like public tv in the 1950s. it would have been much more interesting to show video of renewable power sources with your voice over or if you walked around in front of a power plant (From 2 miles awat so we could see the smoke coming out of the chimneys.) or shoot from a helicopter and use the alternative energy producing videos as a back drop for your speaking. producing the mix in your studeo. also get a book to explain basic studeo lighting, I usually use three lights on a seated figure, one from above in front, one from the side at eye level and a little in front and one to light the backdrop and keep the backdrop interesting but not overpowering.
Good Luck. Hey by the way most cable companies must give you studeo and professional equipment to use as part of “Public Access” laws in most states.
Oh boy are renewables mainsream where I am from.
Entire towns,cities & regions organize to become 100% renewable by 2020, 30 or 40.
Most (51%) of the 60 GW is owned by private households & farmers.
They form cooperative societies, get in touch with engineering bueros & project management companies and get financing from credit unions.
It sure required a favourable political climate, but with onshore wind being cheaper than coal/nuclear by now, there is no stoping it now.
The huge multinational corperations loose marketshare (still 80% with conventional powerplants) but customers are fed up with them and their political entanglements.
Thats the situation in Germany at least…still no definate victory for renewables, but the lines of support are growing throughout the buisnessworld.
The US seems a long way behind, despite having so very perfect conditions.
The “experts”, politicans & many scientists will tell you over and over again, that it’s impossible, expensive & take to long.
They are all wrong or lying.
Back in 2000 the German Renewable Energy Act was passed… it’s stated goals were to double renewables from about 6% (most of it hydro) to 12% within 10 years… 20% by 2020.
All the lying thugs said it wouldn’t work, maybe 8% but never 12%… it would destroy the economy,…
In 2011 renewables reached 20.1% of the entire electricity production, Germany is in an economic boom despite the financial&european crises and there are about 400.000 jobs in the renewable energy sector.
Even if the political enviroment is against the same happening in your country, you can do your part.
It’s the 21st Century… build a proper house.
Passive House or Plus Energy House…declare your own energy independence 😉