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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

Big Oil and Campaign Finance Reform in the U.S.

If I had to name the 10 thinkers on this planet whom I most admired, journalist and activist Chris Hedges would most certainly be among them. He’s been expressing his observations about the environmental and social threats facing humankind in beautifully lucid prose since the 1980s, and, best of all, they normally come along with terrific insights as to what we must do to survive them.

Sometimes, however, as in the case with this breath-taking piece on Western culture vs. the natural world, we’re left wondering where to go. (I know where I went when I got finished reading…outside for a little walk to let it sink in.) (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Science

Ocean Acidification at a GlanceFor those looking for a summary of the issue of ocean acidification, below are two graphs that make the point with shocking clarity. The presence of unprecedented levels of CO2 in our atmosphere have brought about a precipitous drop in the pH of our oceans over a tiny sliver of geological time, and this plunge will accelerate as these atmospheric conditions get worse. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Science

Validity of Solar PV and Wind Energy in the 21st Century EarthFrequent commenter SilentRunning notes:  Dear Craig, you deserve a Star of Peace for allowing Dr. Cannera to pontificate against the two forms of energy, solar and wind as inefficient toys that will not significantly contribute to the global energy challenge in a meaningful way.  My response is simple and straightforward. He should share all his concerns with the global investment community, as all publicized forecasts for total energy investment show by a wide margin that these two renewables garner close to 60 % or more of all the investment in new energy going forward thru 2040. Both technologies will only improve going forward.  Even Shell Oil predicts 60% or more of these two energy forms by 2050. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Fossil Fuels

Note on Carbon Capture and SequestrationA. J. Shaka, professor of Chemistry at the University of California at Irvine writes: I dislike CCS (carbon capture and sequestration) because, to me, it seems like a bait and switch to rationalize continued use of fossil fuels.

I’m with you.  We’re so close to weaning ourselves from our last-millennium energy sources that it seems ludicrous to be even thinking about huge investments just to keep them around a bit longer.  Doesn’t everyone have a sense that this is true?

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Solar Thermal

Amory Lovins and His 40 Year Energy PlanFrequent commenter and renewables DIYer extraordinaire Brian McGowan writes: I know you like CSP (Concentrated Solar Power). Here is an interesting system. If only they would just use the steam to turn turbines instead of getting oil out of the ground.

Yes, it’s a shame that we’re still focused on oil, but EOR (enhanced oil recovery) will be a reality for some time to come, so it’s better done with renewable energy than with fossil fuels.

We’re living through a time of great change.  Here’s one way to look at it: (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Science

Renewable Energy: You’re Looking At It; You Can See It At WorkA pro-nuke colleague writes in response to my piece in which I refute the anti-renewables rant of Alex Cannera:  Craig, my views on renewables are laid out in: Let’s Run the Numbers – Nuclear Energy vs. Wind and Solar | The Energy Reality Project.  Although much more diplomatic than Alex, I also think that wind and solar are Rube Goldberg “solutions” to powering the planet.

Thanks for this.  First, while it’s true that he lacks diplomacy, that’s the least of my issues with Alex and his viewpoints on the subject.  (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Electric Vehicles

Fastest Charging Electric BusGary Tulie writes:  Hi Craig, This piece on “electric buses about to go mainstream in Ningbo, China” is interesting.  

Yes, this is what they’re talking about doing at Stanford University as well.

Keep in mind that providing a 5 KM range in 10 seconds (at 1.2 KW/KM, even assuming 100% efficiency) requires charging with 2 MW of electrical power (!).  Personally, I won’t want to be in the same zip code as that bus when this is taking place.  But maybe that’s just me.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Energy Storage

Advanced Rail Energy StorageRegarding the webinar I did on Advanced Rail Energy Storage (ARES), Matthew Graham writes: This is the best idea for grid level storage I have seen. Why such little publicity? This is so simple and beautiful you would think it would have a much more vocal following.

It’s true that this has received very little attention.  I’m reminded of what Winston Churchill said:  Mr. Attlee is a very modest man. Indeed he has a lot to be modest about.  (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

Bullish on Renewable EnergyGary Tulie, who contributed so greatly to my last book (Bullish on Renewable Energy) writes: Hi Craig. Here is an interesting article – not sure if the title is coincidence or a tribute to the book we worked on together. Bullish on Renewable Energy? So Is the Pope, Walmart, Obama, Google….the List Goes On – The Equation

I doubt it’s a coincidence, and I’m not sure “tribute” is the right word.  As they say: imitation is the sincerest form of theft.  Seriously, that really is a good article, and she’s got all this stuff right on target…

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Efficiency

Five Ways to Make your Home "Green" and Energy Efficient for this FallThe transition from the warmer summer months to the cooler fall months is a great time to start thinking about your home’s energy efficiency. If you are ready to save some extra money and cut down on your family’s carbon footprint, then take a look at these five tips for improving the energy efficiency of your own home.

1. Changing the Thermostat

(more…)

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