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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

Bullish on Renewable EnergyWe occasionally encounter people who are steadfast in their belief that, because solar and wind are variable resources, renewable energy cannot power the world. But these folks miss some important points:

No one with any education in the subject is suggesting that the entire energy needs of the world should be met with solar and wind. Those who study the subject see a transition that includes nuclear, natural gas, the other myriad flavors of renewables, as well as smart-grid, efficiency, energy storage, electric transportation, and all the other peripheral technologies.  (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Climate Change

Republicans on Climate ChangeWhen he left the climate talks in Paris a few days ago, U.S. President Obama said: “I mean, you travel around Europe and you talk to leaders of governments and the opposition, and they are arguing about a whole bunch of things. One thing they’re not arguing about is whether the science of climate change is real and whether or not we’re going to have to do something about it.”

From this article: Proving him right, GOP leaders wasted no time in exposing their idiocy. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Electric Vehicles

Apple Is Looking for a Test Track for Driverless Cars, Report SaysOver the past couple of months, there have been a lot of rumors suggesting that Apple is considering building a driverless car to rival Google, but so far, the company hasn’t released any official information confirming those intentions. But now, a new report claims that there is finally proof that Apple is really developing an autonomous vehicle, and that it’s about to be tested pretty soon. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Climate Change

The Exxon Empire Fights BackIn the American psyche, the theme music from the popular 20th Century TV crime show “Dragnet” (especially the first four notes–take a listen) still evokes the feeling that some huge force has entered the scene, and that something dramatic and probably violent is about to go down. This is the feeling I just had when I read this:

Oil giant ExxonMobil is under criminal investigation in New York over claims it lied to the public and investors about the risks of climate change. Now Exxon is fighting back against the journalists who exposed how it concealed its own findings dating back to the 1970s that fossil fuels cause global warming, alter the climate and melt the Arctic ice. Students at Columbia Journalism School collaborated with The Los Angeles Times on two of the exposés. Exxon accused the students of producing inaccurate and misleading articles. 

I’m sure these people don’t like me very much.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Fossil Fuels

Big Oil’s Role in Our Energy Future

In response to my piece comparing Big Oil to Big Tobacco, Matthew Baxter writes:  Just like big tobacco is around 20 years after people were predicting their imminent demise – big oil is likely to still be around in 20 years. Are container ships and planes going to run on batteries tomorrow/Next year/20 years?

To be clear, I’m aware that the fossil fuel industries will be here for a long time to come, and that’s actually a good thing, as I’ll explain below. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Science

Boyle'sSelfFlowingFlaskAs an example of a strange communication between a reader and me, Mark writes:

Hello Craig:  You may recall we had some discussions earlier this year regarding an emerging new technology which we believed was going to revolutionize the way power could be produced.  Our clients have now finalized an exhibition prototype in which they were able to prove and achieve what was previously thought impossible. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Fossil Fuels

Big Energy Faces Tough ChallengesFrom my feed at Quora.com, a reader asks: What are the biggest obstacles/challenges facing the energy industry?

Do you literally mean “challenges facing the energy industry,” e.g., the oil companies?  If so, you need to understand that this is very different from “energy-related challenges facing the world.”  (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Hydrokinetics

Generate Energy from Ocean Waves: Rough SurfI wish I had a dollar for every time I’ve responded to an inventor: “Will it generate electricity?  Yes.  Will it do so cost-effectively?  Not in a million years.”

Here’s the poster child for this phenomenon.  If anything like this has a chance, it’s the Pelamis.

 

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Fossil Fuels

A Weird Time for the U.S. to Approve the Extraction of Fossil Fuels on Federally-Owned LandUnfortunately, the folks at Greenpeace are best known for their civil disobedience. I say “unfortunately,” not that I have a problem with refusing to comply with harmful laws, but because the vast majority of what these people do is far more mainstream, as exemplified in the piece below, i.e., circulating a petition to U.S. President Obama, suggesting that he take a stand against the extraction of fossil fuels on public land.

They are correct; this is something he can and should do before he leaves office.   (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

For Those Who Hate Big Government….Lots of Americans want a smaller government, based on the notion that the public sector is bloated and corrupt. I get that. But our government runs like a Swiss watch compared to the one described here.

 

 

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