While readers may have found our recent discussion of the cost of climate change to be interesting, I hope no one believes that humankind has its wits fully wrapped around this.  Here’s an article that points out a cost item I’ve never seen mentioned elsewhere: violence.

Of course, the author, Tim Radford, from the Climate News Network, is completely correct.  What else could possibly result from scarcer resources and a general diminution of comfort?  Radford uses historic data to make his point, but it seems fairly obvious.

Concepts like the one surfaced here should remind all of us of how little we know about the future, and how scary the prospect of the eco-collapse we’re so cavalierly engineering for ourselves actually is.

Tagged with: , ,

Now here’s a guy with the right idea: a concentrated effort, performed on an international scale, to develop solar energy and combat global climate change.  Obviously, this is what I’ve been calling for fairly constantly for years, but this fellow has bigger and better creds than I do (former UK chief scientific adviser), so maybe the world will take note.

Coincidentally, this came out the same day that Deutsche Bank analysts announced that they’re extremely bullish on solar:

“(They) have painted a bullish outlook for the global solar market, noting that solar PV is about to enter a “third growth phase” where it can be deployed without subsidies, and can resist a backlash from utilities.”  

Woot!

Tagged with: , ,

From the 2GreenEnergy Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/2GreenEnergy, Robin Babicek, one of our 3238 “friends,” commented on yesterday’s post on the BMW i3 (electric vehicle):

1. It’s ugly.
2. Battery range puts it alongside other EVs such as the LEAF. While this is not bad in itself, I’d expect more from BMW, and frankly I detect a lot of resentment all over the tubes about BMW trying to tout it as a Model S rival. (more…)

Tagged with: , , , ,

Have you ever wondered how the vegetables at your local grocery store always look picture-perfect, even if the given vegetable is out of season? Well, most commercially grown vegetables are the subject of instance chemical treatment as well as genetic modification to make them grow faster and be more resistant to pest attacks. All this is well and good for the manufacturers and distributors of said vegetables, but the non-organic residues left behind after consumption can pose a great threat to your health and the ramifications of this can be staggering. (more…)

Tagged with: ,

I love virtually everything about BMW’s i3 battery-electric vehicle – except that it won’t be available for another year.  I hate to say it, but I’m mildly resentful  of the fanfare that the company is generating, 12 full months in advance of the car itself.

Having said that, BMW knows how to do things right, and I’m 100% confident that the product will succeed.  At the very least, it will appeal to people who wouldn’t be seen in anything other than a BMW – and trust me, there are plenty of them.  I ought to know; I was one myself until I “went green.”  Yes, I had a 540i, and a 735i before that.  Not no more, as they say.

Tagged with: ,

Frequent commenter Tim Kingston came across this microwind concept in Gizmag and sent it to me.  A man of few words, he writes: “FYI.”

Thanks as always, Tim.  Here’s my take:  The wind conditions in 99% of the places this would be deployed are terrible, the “swept area” is small.  I would bet that the electricity one would generate with it would be horrifically expensive.

As far as I can see, the only people who have a legitimate customer value proposition in this space are our friends at WindStream, which is why we present them in our list of renewable energy investment opportunities.

Tagged with: , , , , ,

A reader asks:

What’s your take on Hydro Nano Gas? I think this could be a game changer if it really works.

This strikes me as a fraud.  The issue is one of chemistry.  The reaction CH4 + O2 -> CO2 +2(H20) produces CO2 (pictured here) as you can see.  To say that something “neutralizes” this doesn’t make sense.  Now if you add more energy and other material, you can synthesize some other compound; in fact, that’s what our friends at Doty Windfuels do; they’re on our list of clean energy investment opportunities.

Tagged with: , , ,

Today, back to back, I experienced two different sides to an important argument that I hope readers will find interesting.  I had a meeting this morning with Richard Stuebi, a gentleman who’s been in and around the game of raising capital for cleantech start-ups long before I had the idea.  (more…)

Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Almost everyone knows that you can recycle aluminum cans and glass bottles, but did you know that you can recycle cars, ink cartridges, and telephones? Here are 10 things you didn’t know you could recycle.

1. 85% of Your Car Is Recyclable

If you have an old car in the garage, take it to a junk yard to be turned into scrap metal to produce recycled steel. Several programs are listed online at the Automotive Recycler’s Association website. If the car is operable, consider donating it to charity or selling it. (more…)

Tagged with: , , ,

Here’s an article on energy from sea waves, to which I have mixed emotions about calling readers’ attention.  The subject is exciting, and very little progress appears to be being made on it, so any news is intriguing.  But man, this guy needs an editor like a baby needs her mother’s milk, and I’m a bit dubious on these claims.  If there are any experts on the subject who would like to weigh in here, I’d appreciate it.

Tagged with: