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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Photovoltaics

Wearable Solar PV?

Frequent commenter and senior energy analyst Glenn Doty writes about an earlier post on wearable solar PV (see picture on left featuring the obligatory pretty girl).  He notes: (This) is likely a fad that will contribute absolutely nothing to the net emissions problem. 

Oh, you’re 100% right about the emissions issue, but wearable PV can make a huge difference to those in the rural parts of the developing world who have to spend hours per day walking to the nearest city to charge their cell phones. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Photovoltaics

The reader who asked earlier about wearable solar PV clarifies:

I agree with you that the direction for these threads for wearable power generation is a dead end or at least a very low power, niche market.

My thought has to do with using short threads, 3-5 in. in length, in very high volume to construct a “solar tree.” Nature got solar collection right long before humans ever tried.  A tree gathers more light, direct and ambient, per square meter of land space than a flat panel ever will. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

Venture Capital Versus Angel InvestmentA reader with a new idea in the processing of biomass takes solace in a report that shows that venture capital is again embracing cleantech, meaning that the cleantech space is on the upswing.  He notes: This gives hope to those like me who want to see things begin turning around for the world before it’s too late to stop runaway global warming and catastrophe.

Given the state of development of your technology (which we’ve discussed), if I were advising you, I would suggest that you stay away from venture capital in any case.  What you need sounds more like angel investment.  I explained the difference and my reasoning on the subject in the post linked above.

 

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Photovoltaics

Wearable Solar PVA reader asks:  I was looking for a contact with a group currently researching and manufacturing photovoltaic thread as described here.

Most of the research is focusing on textiles for the thread. I think they should look in a different, novel, direction. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Science

Renewable Energy Fraud --- Further DiscussionHere’s a further piece of the conversation that began when a young lady introduced me to an idea for converting compressed air into energy that her boss, the company’s CEO, had invented.  At issue, of course, is: “Where does the energy to compress the air come from?”  Their answer: the machine produces more energy than it consumes; it makes its own energy. Ouch.  We’re off to a bad start.

After I spurned the idea, as it violates the first and second laws of thermodynamics, the company’s rep writes: (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Science

A Short Chat About Renewable Energy FraudHere’s a good example of what I go through in my pursuit of good ideas in renewable energy; it’s the dialog I had with the people I wrote about here.

Cogar Energy Rep:  We appreciate your interest in helping to save our environment by investing in or lending on the world’s most advanced green technology that compresses and accelerates air at rapid speeds to generate electricity!   …..  You may wish to invest in one of a number of possible manufacturing sites to process the orders that are flowing in.  Creative options and flexibility exist.   We arrange a conference call for serious investors and lenders to talk directly with the project head to have all questions answered and to receive documents needed.

Craig: Where does the energy comes from to compress the air? (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Science

Some “Futurists” Have Optimistic ForecastsAbout 25 years ago I came across a professional “futurist,” i.e., a gentleman whose career is based on predicting the future based on the present.  (Actually, I presume that his work is based on the present, though I’m not sure what else could inform it.)

In any case, futurists of today have much more weight on their shoulders than they did at the time; this whole subject has taken on a far more serious tone over the last couple of decades.  (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Science

Renewable Energy and FraudHere’s a website that describes a machine that produces more energy than it consumes.  Really?  Of course not.  Yet that’s what its investors told me on the conference call just now.

Unsurprisingly, they’re trying to raise investment capital.  I asked if they find it hard to convince investors that they are the first and only ones in the universe who have found an exception to the first and second laws of thermodynamics, and they admit that it has, in fact, been a challenge.  LOL.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Uncategorized

How Home Heating Got More EfficientOur modern home heating systems are incredibly effective and efficient, having been modernised and developed over thousands, potentially a million years. The history of home heating is not only fascinating, but understanding it greatly helps us to continue this development to improve upon our heating efficiency going forward. Here you will see a breakdown of the history and an analysis of the efficiency of home heating over time. (more…)

by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainable Building

Have A Green Home on a BudgetFrom grocery stores to gas stations, the urgency to “Go Green” surrounds us. While our nation’s Green Movement has existed for centuries, it continues to evolve in efforts to save our resources, our planet, and ourselves. Unfortunately, going green and staying that way on a daily basis can be a little overwhelming. Initially, going green sounds easy, and with practice it can be, but it does take commitment, some financial investment, and major changes. (more…)

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