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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Nuclear

Nuclear Energy Still Needs To Deal with Public FearTimothy Maloney writes:  Fear of nuclear radiation is a superstition – a belief maintained in the absence of valid evidence out of deference to perceived authority. Extraction of hydrocarbons cannot be stopped by political or social action. It can be stopped only by a superior energy source, one that beats carbon energy on capitalism’s own terms – reliability and price. Only nuclear fission can do that.

I see your point, but I wouldn’t call it a superstition.  (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Wind Energy

Opportunities in Small Wind?Certain technologies become unfeasible below a certain scale. Concentrated solar power is one. Yes, you can take a solar cooker on a backpacking trip, but you certainly can’t set up a CSP plant on the roof of your house that will compete with PV.

To the chagrin of a great number of investors, this is the lesson the world has learned about small wind, which is defined as anything under 100 kW. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Electric Vehicles

Can Volkswagen Repair the Damage?Gary Tulie (pictured), my brilliant colleague who contributed so greatly to Bullish on Renewable Energy, suggests ways in which corporate criminal Volkswagen can atone for what it’s done to the people of the world and the environment in which they live.  They all seem like decent ideas to me, though I’m still so seething with anger that I may not be capable of evaluating them properly at this point.  –ed

 

Volkswagen looks set to face fines and costs of many billions of dollars for its criminal behaviour in tricking both the public and regulators into thinking that its diesel vehicles comply with NOx emission regulations, and will be required to carry out possibly the largest recall in vehicle history. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Fossil Fuels

Shell Abandons Arctic DrillingAfter encountering crude deposits of disappointing size, Shell has decided to withdraw from oil exploration in the arctic, meaning that, at least for now, the assault on that pristine environment will not go forward.  Obviously, it’s a great moment for people who care about a sustainable course to energy, mitigating climate change, and all those things that are meaningful to folks of conscience. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Smart Grid

Architecture of the Smart GridIn a previous post, we addressed the general characteristics of a smart grid.  Here, we’ll discuss the devices that make up its structure.  Smart grid is a measurement and intelligent communication system that consists of the following components:

• Smart Metering

• HAN: Home Area Network

• Metering Gateway (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Smart Grid

The Future of Power Distribution--“The Smart Grid”A Smart Grid is a network that delivers electricity from sources to consumers by using various forms of information and communication technologies in order to save energy, to reduce production costs, and increase the reliability and transparency of the electrical systems—all while favoring renewable resources over fossil fuels. Smart grid enables capacity analyses, monitoring, control and communication in the electric distribution system in such a way as to optimize the efficiency of the system and reduce overall energy consumption.  All this indirectly contributes  to reduction of global warming and to increasing energy security. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Electric Vehicles

Anyone of Even the Most Feeble Moral Character Is Totally Infuriated at VolkswagenMy colleague Jon LeSage writes: Here’s what you’ll find in this week’s edition of Green Auto Market – Extended Edition……….Snapshot of Volkswagen diesel scandal: What’s next for world’s largest automaker….The scandal at Volkswagen started by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issuing a recall for inaccurate emissions reporting on its diesel cars, appears to be turning into the biggest story to hit the automotive sector since General Motor’s historic massive vehicle recall. Here’s an overview of what’s happened and what’s likely to come up in the near future……….

I bought my 2009 VW Jetta TDI in 2012 from a local dealer (Community VW) on the basis of its 43 MPG fuel consumption and its ostensibly excellent emissions rating. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Energy Storage

Discussion on Energy StorageA reader on Quora.com asks:  When electricity is generated at a plant, is it stored and then distributed to the citizens? Can electricity be stored at such a large scale?  How efficient is the storage process?

A wonderful and comprehensive answer is given here by Ryan Carlyle, but it’s a bit odd that he didn’t address the rapid migration to renewable energy in the calculus.   Clean energy resources make the whole subject even more important–and more complicated.   (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Science

Renewable Energy Can Power the World

Frequent commenter “Breath on the Wind” writes:  This popped up on my alerts. Perhaps you will also find it interesting. The main take-away is that it counters arguments that renewable technology is not capable of replacing more than a small portion of our overall grid-mix.  The more popular version, based on infographics, is here. 

Thanks very much for this. Yes, Stanford University’s Mark Z. Jacobsen is “the man” when it comes to making (and supporting) this assertion. I hope our readers will check this out.

 

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

Placing a Value on EducationSomeone asked on Quora.com just now: How affordable is Trinity College?  As a member of the class of 1977, I thought I’d give it a go:

That’s a good question, though it’s hard to answer.  I’m always amused when I read the articles in the Wall Street Journal that attempt to place a value on a college education; the author normally explores the difference in total lifetime paychecks (or their net present value) that graduates earn vs. those without a diploma.  Not to sound holier than thou, but that’s insanely shallow.  Here are a couple of things to consider: (more…)

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