Frequent commenter MarcoPolo makes two interesting points in his recent post:
1) It’s hypocritical for some Americans to smugly claim a moral victory for less U.S. emissions, while exporting emissions-creating industries overseas, while as customers, re-importing the manufactured products of those high emissions industries, using borrowed money. (more…)
It’s been a while since I reminded readers of the broad capabilities of our “Associates” at 2GreenEnergy, i.e., the folks who fill the (numerous) gaps in my own personal skill-set as a cleantech business consultant, and enable me to make the claim that: “If you have a good idea in the cleantech space, we can categorically help you take it forward.”
This came to mind insofar as we’ve recently added two new gentlemen to the roster: (more…)
I just watched this 90-minute video that provides a good survey of the science behind global warming. The photo here is a bit misleading; the math and science isn’t ridiculously advanced.
From the notes on the website:
Professor Kerry Emanuel has been known for his “Show me the data!” approach to climate science. In this talk, he will present a long term, evidence-driven view of Earth’s climate change, culminating in a discussion of current risks and implications. An extensive audience Q&A will follow the presentation. (more…)
Writing on the significant level of success that our civilization is making in the migration from fossil fuels to clean energy, I noted recently: Btw, renewable energy is not the only progressive cause that is in the process of winning. Check out this article “The Tide of History Flows Left” that includes the following: “In his landmark book, ‘The Better Angels of Our Nature,’ Harvard University psychologist Steven Pinker concludes that all sorts of human evils — war, genocide, murder, rape, torture, dueling, wife-bashing, attacks on minorities, etc. — have faded enormously from the Western world….Pursuit of such humane goals lies at the heart of the liberal agenda.”
Coincidentally, this is the 15th birthday of the Human Rights Act. Here are 15 reasons to celebrate the Act, followed by one more: it’s Friday. I wish you a relaxing weekend, during which to take stock of the progress our civilization is making on all fronts and rest up for a renewed effort on Monday.
The US Navy has made the lucrative and energy-conscious decision to implement LED lighting in all future ships, including those currently under construction. Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Ray Mabus made this announcement as part of an ongoing initiative to streamline the Navy’s productivity, reduce its maintenance costs, improve safety, and help guide the branch to a greener future.
An Energy-Saving Plan Six Years in the Making (more…)
2GreenEnergy mega-supporter Gary Tulie sent me this interesting report on the potential energy savings associated with a complete switch (pardon the pun) to LED lighting.
I’m reminded of a story that ex-governor of Pennsylvania Ed Rendell (pictured) told at a conference a few years ago about the bitter hostility that the Republicans and the Democrats were having on the subject of lighting, where the latter group proposed a bill that would phase out incandescent lights and, after a period of time, make their sale illegal, in favor of CFLs and LEDs. The GOP fought the bill for years on end—fiercely opposing it whenever it arose. Rendell said, “The Republicans hate this with a passion, even though its only real effect is to save energy. Why on Earth would anyone fight to use more energy? Do they have an enormous hidden warehouse of incandescent lights somewhere, waiting to hit the market?”
The analysis and implementation of security systems in the Smart Grid is a challenge, but also an important task and commitment for those who must develop this technology. This is especially true considering the amount of the potential damage that could be caused by cyber attacks. Protection against unauthorized access is a prerequisite for being able to control and use the data flowing through the system. This is because the data, in order to be valid and useable, must be reliable and secure, both when it is sent by the user as well as the energy supplier. (more…)
About half of all the world’s fossil fuel, i.e., the energy in the hydrocarbon bonds that resulted from hundreds of millions of years of life on Earth, has been harvested and burned over the last century or so–and it’s happening at an ever-increasing rate. That’s a scary thought. But here’s another one: What if you’re a major bank, say, the Bank of England, and you’re coming to terms with the fact that harvesting the remaining half may not be possible, given the realities of global climate change? What to do about this enormous quantity of “stranded assets?” As the article linked above suggests, this must make for some intense discussions.
Pictured: Bank of England governor Mark Carney speaking in August 2015. (Photo: flickr/cc)
I recently ran across a rapid-growth Atlanta, GA-based BIPV company whose product approach I particularly favor. As I told the executive team when I first met them, this represents an important find for me, since I spend a significant amount of time each year in researching the best solutions that are available in this swiftly expanding market. Recent cleantech media reports predict that BIPV will be the fastest growing solar industry segment, and I have every reason to believe this is true. (more…)
No one wants to think about emergency preparations. It’s not exactly the most pleasant thought, but it’s certainly one of the most crucial. Preparing your home, business or family for disaster striking is undoubtedly important. Whether it’s a long blackout that leaves you losing money and struggling to make do or survival in a big crisis situation, being prepared for any case is a smart move. (more…)
