Josh Velson, a chemical engineer with a self-described “nerd rage problem” writes: Will water desalination be a global solution for water scarcity?
I really don’t understand what a nerd rage problem is, but fortunately, I do have an answer to your question. It’s no, unless our civilization develops clean and extremely inexpensive sources of energy, which is needed in enormous quantities to separate the water from the salt. (more…)
Here’s a quick discussion on my piece Even the Elites Can’t Escape the Global Community, Living As It Does on One Small Planet, in which I made reference to my disappointment in my fellow college alum George Will as follows: (more…)
Diesel vehicle usage is growing in the United States, with 60 diesel model cars and trucks expected to be available to American buyers in 2017. Biofuel use is also on the rise. The U.S. consumed 244 thousand barrels of biodiesel in 2001, by 2011 that figure was over 21 million barrels, and in 2014 the amount surpassed 33 million barrels. The federal Renewable Fuel Standard requires renewable fuel to be blended into transportation fuel in increasing amounts each year with a goal of 36 billion gallons in 2022. (more…)
I noticed in this post from guest blogger Jordan: “Technically, we (at BMW are) ready to put fuel-cell cars on the road, but so far it remains too expensive,” said Axel Ruecker, who works in BMW’s fuel-cell technology development team. “Making fuel-cell technology a reality is a task not just for car makers, but for the whole of society.”
I got news. It isn’t happening. And is it possible that Mr. Ruecker somehow doesn’t know that? (more…)
Over the past four years, BMW has been collaborating with Toyota on different projects that have to do with development of fuel-cell technologies, in an effort to accelerate the commercialization of hydrogen-powered vehicles. Among other things, this collaboration has been focused on the development of a high-performance fuel-cell car, which would be able to compete with the all-electric models offered by Tesla Motors. (more…)
Here’s a wonderful article that summarizes nicely the state of our planet vis-à-vis climate change and the politics that surrounds it. Note: It wasn’t government that abolished slavery and apartheid; it was people like you and I who had simply had enough, and left the governments of the day no choice but to implement the changes that the citizens demanded.
The situation is the same here. If we’re going to survive this crisis, it will happen precisely because we insist upon the cessation of the ever-escalating eco-demolition that defines our world of today.
I just came across an amusing reminder on the subject of market positioning in cleantech. We all remember the notion of positioning from its emergence in the 1970s. In brief, it means communicating a new idea via a comparison to something that is already well-established and much-loved in the customer’s mind.
A good example in today’s world might be the energy beverage “Rockstar.” Its target audience loves rock stars; young people aspire to party like them, travel like them, have sex like them, drive fast cars like them, and just exude a kind of high-frequency “zap.” (more…)
(The language used in the diagram here is Estonian. – ed)
Today we are all aware of the longstanding water shortage in California that threatens crop production and can lead to restrictions on commercial and domestic use of water. What may not be as readily apparent is that it can also reduce the supply of electricity. The turbines in hydroelectric dams are turned by the force of falling water, and too little water directly impacts their ability to produce electricity.
How Drought Impacts Hydroelectric Power Production
Growing concern for the environmental stability of our planet has motivated many conscientious consumers to look for ways to save energy at home. Typical advice includes turning off your electronics when you aren’t using them and taking out the recycling. But we can do a lot more to cut back on the amount of resources we consume and limit the negative impacts we have on the immediate environment—starting with these four environmentally friendly lighting solutions.
Friendly Lighting Solution #1: Achieve Energy Efficiency with LED Lighting (more…)
In the last two decades, residents of planet Earth have increasingly been nudged to answer the call of conservation and environmental awareness. Owing to age old practices having been exposed as being environmentally detrimental, mankind is forced to take a critical look at natural resources and sustainability. One industry that exhibits the ability to create a sizable impact for the cause is the building industry. As one luxury home builder in Texas has proven, constructing an environmentally-friendly home doesn’t mean one must live in a tree-house or sacrifice amenities that enrich quality of life. (more…)
