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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

Profound Thanks to 2GreenEnergy Intern Fabio PorcuI thought I’d write a post for the sole purpose of calling readers’ attention to the work of 2GreenEnergy super-intern Fabio Porcu. Another interesting story here: Fabio hails from Sardinia and had just completed his master’s degree in energy and engineering when he decided to spend the entire autumn here working with me; next month he’ll be returning to Europe where he’ll be taking a job in Prague.

Over the years, we’ve had a dozen or so interns from all over the world, but I can’t think of one who’s been a greater joy to interact with than Fabio.  There may be people on this planet who have better attitudes toward life, but I sure haven’t met any.

Here’s a link to Fabio’s work so far; note that it’s covered a wide gamut that ranges from articles on the pros and cons of various battery chemistries to public opinion on climate change mitigation.  I’ll post another photo on Thanksgiving when he is up here having dinner with my family and me, joined by some local companions.

I’m very grateful to have made another life-long friend.

 

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

Citizens United Soon To Be Overturned and the US Republic Returned to the PeopleIt’s so easy to be cynical about the prospects for justice in the world. Even here in the U.S., the land of the free and the home of the brave, our big corporations have taken near-complete control of our law-making process, in large part by virtue of the horrific Supreme Court decision in 2010 “Citizens United,” which grants corporate entities the right of free speech previous reserved for natural persons, and enables them to spend as much as they wish influencing our elections. The result: we now have a democracy in name only; the will of the people is all but irrelevant at this point. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

Being Politically Active Comes at a CostLast Thursday was the birthday of feminist Elizabeth Cady Stanton (pictured), who said: “The moment we begin to fear the opinions of others and hesitate to tell the truth that is in us, and from motives of policy are silent when we should speak, the divine floods of light and life no longer flow into our souls.” (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Climate Change

Conservation of Matter, EnergyThough the concept of the conservation of matter had been around for millennia, it was 18th Century French chemist Antoine-Laurent de Lavoisier who nailed it down tight, while also suggesting that Earth was a closed system with respect to the “stuff” that we have all around us. And, of course, he was correct; with the exception of a few meteorites, the formation of the moon, and a tiny amount of radioactive decay, every atom of matter that was on Earth when it was formed 4.5 billion years ago is still here in one form or another. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Solar Thermal

Solar Energy in the Sahara DesertFrom my feed on Quora.com, where I’ve volunteered to answer questions about renewable energy, a reader asks: Why don’t/can’t we put solar panels in the Sahara Desert as a source of electricity?

This is a strong ideal generally, since the value of that land is low, there’s plenty of sun, and it’s very close to Europe.  But, off the top of my head: (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Biofuels

Be Sustainable this WinterAs winter is rapidly approaching, the need to sink into a comfy sofa in front of a warm, inviting fireplace is rapidly increasing. However, opinions are somewhat divided, when it comes to choosing a type of a fireplace between those employing natural gas and the wood burning ones. From things as simple as physical outlook, to maintenance, convenience and environmental awareness, ideas differ from a homeowner to a homeowner. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Climate Change

Global Warming, a Real IssueThe term “global warming” indicates the average increase in temperature of the Earth’s surface since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution.  This change is attributed largely to the increasing amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere and other forms of human activity. In Earth’s history there have occurred many cyclical changes in the climate that caused several ice ages alternating with warmer periods. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Energy Storage

Nickel-Iron BatteriesLet us analyze now the accumulator (energy storage device) known as nickel-iron; this type of battery was invented by Thomas Edison and is composed of a positive electrode of nickel oxide and a negative electrode of powder iron. Both materials are pressed in a grid of steel, and the electrolyte consists of an aqueous solution of potassium hydroxide. This type of accumulator must be hermetically sealed, otherwise the conductivity of the electrolyte decreases, due to a carbonation reaction between the electrolyte and the surrounding air. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Fossil Fuels

State of New York To Use

As an observer of the justice system here in the United States, I have always wondered about the need for laws that are created to help prosecutors go after certain specific types of criminals. For example, we’re far more indignant about drunk drivers, child molesters, Ponzi schemers, and terrorists now than we were 50 years ago; I get that. But 50 years ago, wasn’t it illegal to defraud people and blow up buildings?  I.e., we already had laws on our books sufficient to prosecute those who committed crimes in these arenas. Did we really need new ones?

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Efficiency

How to Keep Your House Warm this Winter for LessWhen it comes to keeping your house warm this winter, things can get costly if you’re not careful. It’s easy to just turn up the thermostat, load up the fire or switch on the heater to full power, but you won’t see the bill until winter is over and by then it will be too late. In this article we’re going to look at the different types of heating and how they vary in effectiveness as well as talk about a few tips and tricks to keep the draught out and your energy bills low. (more…)

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