Blog – Page 1423 – 2GreenEnergy.com

Building-Integrated PV and Other Elements of the Zero Energy House

craigshieldsPosted on August 20, 2015 Posted in Sustainable Building

I’m always happy to forward the thinking of 2GreenEnergy supporter Walter Feuchs. Here’s a recent piece he wrote on sustainable building, in which he urges the U.S. to get on board with the rest of the world in making the “zero energy house” (ZEH) standard as a goal by 2020.

Walter points out that this market is a trillion dollar opportunity, which serves as an important reminder: cleantech is destined to be the defining industry of the 21st Century. The only real question: Will America participate, or will it content itself to sit on the sidelines and bicker about Donald Trump’s antics and other trivial garbage?

Tagged with: building integrated PV, cleantech defining industry of the 21st Century, Donald Trump’s antics, sustainable building, Walter Feuchs, Zero Energy House

News Flash: Devotees of the Environmental Defense Council Favor Renewable Energy

craigshieldsPosted on August 20, 2015 Posted in Renewables - Business

Here’s a pic of my wife Becky and me at a recent “TGIF” event hosted by our local Environmental Defense Council.

And here’s a pic I took of a bumper sticker on a truck in the parking lot.

No huge surprise there, I suppose…. (more…)

Tagged with: Devotees of the Environmental Defense Council, Environmental Defense Council, Favor Renewable Energy

Writing a Bit Every Day: Highly Recommended

craigshieldsPosted on August 20, 2015 Posted in Sustainability

It’s the 125th birthday of American science fiction/fantasy writer H.P. Lovecraft, who said: “I never ask a man what his business is, for it never interests me. What I ask him about are his thoughts and dreams.”

This is noteworthy only because it reminds me of one of the key reasons I write here at least once a day: it’s a diary of my thoughts; it marks the evolution of my thinking and aspirations on the subject of clean energy and a sustainable course for humankind more generally.

Why is that a big deal? It isn’t really, other than that it’s an opportunity for me to recommend blogging to anyone who may happen to read this. Writing forces us to sift through our thoughts and distill out the essence of what we’re processing at any certain moment in time. Not a bad way to spend a few minutes each day.

Tagged with: clean energy, sustainable course for humankind

From Guest Blogger Izzie: Electricity Usage by Country

craigshieldsPosted on August 20, 2015 Posted in Renewables - Business

Energy consumption is a worldwide concern. We as a species are showing no signs of curbing our reckless energy usage, even though we are becoming increasingly aware of how are usage of water fossil fuels, and other natural resources impact the planet. We are now seeking out, developing and implementing more sustainable sources of power, electricity produced by the burning of fossil fuels is still the dominant energy of the planet. (more…)

Tagged with: electrical consumption by country

Electric Vehicles: The Consumer Value Proposition

craigshieldsPosted on August 19, 2015 Posted in Electric Vehicles

A long-time 2GreenEnergy supporter from Mexico City writes:

The change-over from oil fuel to electric vehicles has been slow because EVs and HEVs are expensive, and at present market price, only the rich find how to justify such an investment.

When the price drops and comfort zone shines and money is saved…..then the market for electric vehicles will take off, because the people can make money by saving on gas, and the vehicle is cheap to buy, and run free of service and qualify for long life. (more…)

Tagged with: burning cheap gasoline or diesel, change-over from oil fuel to electric vehicles, electric Vehicles Consumer Value Proposition, EVs and HEVs are expensive, incremental load on the U.S. grid, weirdos and dreamers. Nissan LEAF and BMW i3

From Guest Blogger Izzie: Bad Energy Wasting Habits (Are there any good ones? -ed)

craigshieldsPosted on August 19, 2015 Posted in Efficiency

Finding it difficult to save energy, despite making some changes in appliances? It could be because you haven’t shaken off certain bad habits, like this little minx pictured here, eating out of the refrigerator.

We are usually quite oblivious to our bad habits until they are pointed out to us. People don’t know they eat a lot of junk food until someone notices. You don’t know about your poker face tell until it is exploited by an opponent. The same thing goes for bad energy habits, so we’ve put together a quick list of habits you may still be doing without even realising it. The hope is that, now you think about them, you’ll stop yourself from doing it next time. (more…)

Tagged with: energy efficiency, energy wasting habits

From Guest Blogger Joel Smith: Increase Your Home’s Energy Efficiency

craigshieldsPosted on August 19, 2015 Posted in Efficiency

Have you considered an energy audit on your home lately? You might be wondering if it is worth the trouble of having someone come out to audit your home. What does it do? Why is it necessary? What will they find when they look at my home energy usage?All these questions and more are probably hanging around in your mind. Take a few minutes to find out below why an energy audit is necessary and important to your home. You’ll also find out a few key areas the energy audit can help you locate and make your home more efficient in heating or cooling. (more…)

Tagged with: efficiency, energy efficiency, energy storage

The Renewable Energy Adoption Curve: Comic Relief from Gandhi

craigshieldsPosted on August 18, 2015 Posted in Renewables - Politics

In response to my post Hard To Get Too Ruffled about Renewable Energy Nay-Sayers, a reader notes: Dear Mr. Shields, renewable energy is here to stay, and people are starting to accept it.

Thanks for the note. Yep, Mahatma Gandhi reminds us: “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” We’re getting close to a happy ending here.

Tagged with: Mahatma Gandhi, Renewable Energy Adoption Curve, renewable energy nay-sayers

Predictions: GlobalCitizen.org Will Achieve Its Lofty Goal; You and I Will Help

craigshieldsPosted on August 18, 2015 Posted in Sustainability

The activities of GlobalCitizen.org are so uplifting and inspiring that it’s hard to believe the group will fail in its mission, i.e., ending global poverty by 2030. So exactly what are those activities? In a word: education. They understand that universal access to K-12 education is the gating factor to achieving productivity and affluence, as well as to attaining wisdom in family planning.

Here’s a video in which Stephen Colbert is about to encourage you to tweet the Prime Minister of Norway on the subject, asking her to support education of the world’s people. I challenge you to watch it without breaking into a huge smile; it certainly made my day.

Tagged with: education of the world’s people, ending global poverty by 2030, GlobalCitizen.org, Prime Minister of Norway, Stephen Colbert, universal access to K-12 education

New Role for Decommissioned Coal Plants

craigshieldsPosted on August 18, 2015 Posted in Energy Storage

In the context of grid management, we hear a great deal about “ancillary services,” which normally means adding a bit of power to the electricity grid, specifically generated so as to manage seemingly small but extremely important issues like unwanted fluctuations in voltage and wave-form. Where do these “services” come from? Well, if you read ten articles on the subject, nine of them will tell you that they derive from our modern concepts in utility scale energy like storage—in the form of pumped hydro, batteries, flywheels, etc.—one day perhaps even V2G (vehicle-to-grid).

Would it astound you to think that the turbines in defunct coal plants might have a role here?

Tagged with: ancillary services, batteries, defunct coal plants, energy storage, flywheels, grid management, New Role for Decommissioned Coal Plants, pumped hydro, unwanted fluctuations in voltage and wave-form, utility scale energy, V2G vehicle to grid