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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Wind Energy

Offshore wind overview

Offshore wind is a great method to harness energy in an environmental friendly and sustainable way. Rather than building wind farms on land, massive wind turbines are constructed in bodies of water to generate electricity. This resolves the “Not in My Back Yard” issue as offshore wind farms are typically located far away from residential areas.

In Europe, Denmark is leading the way in integrating wind power into the electricity system. About 28 percent of its electricity comes from wind power. As a first-mover in wind power technology, Denmark has already become an industry leader in production, design and installation of wind turbines. To date, Danish companies have installed more than 90 percent of the offshore wind turbines worldwide. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Photovoltaics

CileHere’s another reason I couldn’t last 10 minutes in Washington: I wouldn’t be able to find the words to express why the United States should use its financial resources, a huge percentage of which are tied up in war machinery, to support Chile’s efforts in solar PV.

In my first minute, someone would ask me, “So you’re saying that renewable energy brings jobs to local communities, positions the country for economic success in the 21st Century, and enables the country to take the moral high-ground in international relations — but you’d rather support it in Chile than here at home?” (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

Clean Energy Guest BloggingI’m pleased to see all the activity on the part of a large and growing community of guest bloggers.  All combined, there are over 400 posts here from 175 different authors.  I appreciate the contributions.

If anyone else wants to join these illustrious ranks, please let me know.

 

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Science

Logic Figures Prominently in Our Evaluation of Renewable Energy ConceptsHere’s the guts of an email conversation I had last week with a reader who asked me for my take on a renewable energy concept whose IP its inventor appears ready to give away for free.  I found the discourse kind of funny; perhaps you will too. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

Divesting from Fossil FuelsLast month, Stanford University declared that it would cease using any of its $18.7 billion endowment to invest in coal mining companies, and apparently, a number of other large educational institutions are making similar divestments in the fossil fuels industry.

I doff my hat to the bold and brave administrators of these top universities, while noting that steps like these are more than symbolic.  To whatever degree, they drive up the cost of capital for companies operating in this arena, thus accelerating the process by which renewable energy is perceived for what it really is: the deal of the century.
(more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

The United States Tops the Charts in a Certain Industry, But It’s Not Clean EnergyHere’s a picture I took yesterday of a decommissioned fighter helicopter at a display of old vehicles of various types.  This particular unit was deployed in Vietnam from 1965 through 1968.

One of the veterans responsible for answering questions from the crowd explained that, since the close of World War II, the United States has been involved in over 50 armed conflicts around the world.  Though he didn’t seem to be offering a judgment about that, I have to think most of the audience shared the same feelings I had: wow, we certainly are a warlike nation.    (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Science

Is There Enough Solar Power for the Entire World?It’s been a while since I wrote a post reminding us all exactly how little area is required, in relative terms, to provide enough solar power for the entire world.  Numbers are cool, but graphics are better.  Linked above is a map that shows the swath that we’d need to take out of Northern Africa in order to get the job done.

We all need to keep the truth in mind as we contemplate the appropriate energy policy for Earth in the 21st Century, i.e., our planet receives 6000 times more energy from the sun every day than all seven billion of us can consume here.  We have it within our grasp to transform ourselves into a civilization that pulls itself back from the brink of extinction by migrating to clean energy.  Let’s do it.

 

 

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Corruption in GovernmentIt’s the birthday of social philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a leading figure in the Enlightenment, whose writings contain the basic ideas behind the U.S. Constitution, the French Revolution, and so many other important elements of the way Western civilization has developed over the past 250 years.  To summarize one of his central concepts, Rousseau believed that man is basically good, but becomes corrupted by living in the presence of civil society, which itself is the product of unfortunate historical events.

Remarkably, this is what  (Harvard Law School professor) Lawrence Lessig said in the podcast I cited earlier in the week on campaign finance reform, i.e., (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

Environmental and Financial Consciousness: Five Recycling Projects that Turn a ProfitYou know that you should recycle, the trick is getting yourself to make the effort to sort your trash and visit the recycling center. Here are five projects that offer monetary compensation for responsibly disposing of materials you’d be getting rid of anyway.

1. Scrap Tires

Whether you need to replace the tires on the family vehicle or have a couple sets of old tires taking up space in the garage, turning those tires in to a recycler are a great way to supplement your income. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

Seven Sustainable Energy Practices for Your BusinessThese days, companies can no longer afford to ignore sustainable practices. The public expects it, and the savings a company can achieve by going green are just too great.

Here are seven ways to incorporate sustainable energy practices into your business. Some are easily implemented. Others require a substantial investment. All can help you realize significant energy savings, increased employee engagement and productivity, and a reputation for being a company that cares. (more…)

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