Blog – Page 1411 – 2GreenEnergy.com

From 2Green Energy Intern Fabio Porcu: The Future of Power Generation, Transmission, Distribution, and Consumption–“The Smart Grid”

craigshieldsPosted on September 28, 2015 Posted in 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…)

Tagged with: 2Green Energy Intern, Future of Power Distribution, increasing energy security, information and communication technologies, reduction of global warming, smart grid

Anyone of Even the Most Feeble Moral Character Is Totally Infuriated at Volkswagen

craigshieldsPosted on September 28, 2015 Posted in Electric Vehicles

My 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…)

Tagged with: Green Auto Market, Infuriated at Volkswagen, Jon LeSage, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Volkswagen diesel scandal

Discussion on Energy Storage

craigshieldsPosted on September 28, 2015 Posted in Energy Storage

A 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…)

Tagged with: Discussion on Energy Storage, electric transportation, Investment Opportunity: Synthetic Fuels, rapid migration to renewable energy, synthesis of high-octane gasoline high-grade diesel and jet fuel, wind energy represents almost 5% of the US grid-mix, Windfuels

Renewable Energy Can Power the World

craigshieldsPosted on September 28, 2015 Posted in Renewables - Science

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.

Tagged with: Renewable Energy Can Power the World, renewable technology, Stanford University's Mark Z. Jacobsen

Placing a Value on Education

craigshieldsPosted on September 28, 2015 Posted in Renewables - Business

Someone 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…)

Tagged with: Placing a Value on Education, understanding of the way the physical universe behaves

Growing Organic Produce Indoors: An Amazing Use of Space, Water, Nutrients–And Human Capital

craigshieldsPosted on September 27, 2015 Posted in Sustainability

When 2GreenEnergy supporter Brian McGowan sent me this wonderful piece on aeroponics and vertical harvesting, I realized in horror that it’s been over a year since I wrote anything on the subject. I think I’ll let the ladies in the video linked here do most of the talking, but suffice it to say that this is a mode of growing fruits and vegetables that combines several different improvements in horticulture:

• Eliminates all chemical fertilizers and pesticides

• Increases the nutritional content of our food

• Provides food locally, within a few feet (or at most a couple of miles) from where it will be consumed

• Doesn’t rely on soil that is mineral-depleted and drought-stricken (more…)

Tagged with: 2GreenEnergy supporter, aeroponics and vertical harvesting, chemical fertilizers and pesticides, Growing Organic Produce Indoors

How Will Our Civilization Deal with Hundreds of Millions of Climate Refugees?

craigshieldsPosted on September 27, 2015 Posted in Climate Change

It’s amazing that the heartbreaking stories of the Syrian refugees haven’t prompted more discussion of the ultimate tragedy associated with people being forced to flee their homes, which will be playing itself out in spades over the coming decades: climate refugees, driven to distant lands that aren’t flooded or parched and barren with drought. This is a point that is certainly not lost on billionaire Elon Musk (pictured), who claims that the current scene in the Middle East and Europe is just a “a glimpse” of what’s about to occur if we fail to address climate change.

One thing you have to admit about Musk: he hasn’t gotten to many things wrong so far.

Tagged with: climate refugees, fail to address climate change, Hundreds of Millions of Climate Refugees, lands flooded or parched and barren with drought, people forced to flee their homes, Syrian refugees

Big Oil Faces Big Legal Trouble

craigshieldsPosted on September 26, 2015 Posted in Fossil Fuels

As I predicted a few years ago, the oil companies are headed in the direction that the tobacco industry took 50 years ago. They:

• Conducted research that confirms the damage that its product causes

• Aggressively denyied the truth

• Find themselves on the wrong end of a torrent of civil and criminal complaints (more…)

Tagged with: Big Oil Faces Big Legal Trouble, climate hawks, ExxonMobil, oil companies tobacco industry

Alternative Energy Is Making Some Decent Progress

craigshieldsPosted on September 26, 2015 Posted in Renewables - Business

When was the last time you read a blog post that combined data on alternative energy with notes on English grammar? Here’s a discussion on Quora.com in which I’m participating:

Question: Why has alternative energy failed?

First Answer: SolarCity IPOed less than two years ago at $8 a share. Today it closed at $51.11. Wish I could fail like that. (more…)

Tagged with: alternative energy, Alternative Energy Making Progress, renewable energy industry employs 6.5 million people, Solar PV is CAGR, SolarCity IPO, Why has alternative energy failed?

From a Guest Blogger: Seven Simple Ways to Create a More Eco-friendly Home

craigshieldsPosted on September 26, 2015 Posted in Sustainable Building

Transforming your living space to make it more eco-friendly can save you money, as well as help preserve the planet for future generations. In a rented apartment, it makes sense to start small and gradually work your way up to making larger changes. Here are a few ideas which can be attempted without any specialized knowledge or skills.

Create a veggie garden (more…)

Tagged with: conserving water, grow vegetables and herbs, low-flow shower heads, preserve the planet for future generations, sustainable furniture