A Couple of Bad Ideas in Renewable Energy
My good friend Henry asked me to check out these two companies: SolarWindow and LiquidSolar.
Henry: Thanks for thinking of me.
Companies like Solar Window make me nervous. (more…)
Electric Commuter Vehicle: Cool Design, But Iffy Sales Proposition
John McMillian writes:
At Shockwave Motors, we make electric cars cool by providing a high performance electric roadster (pictured) that’s economical, pollution free, and just plain fun to drive!
Our three-passenger roadster has a range of 80 to 100 miles and then plugs into any standard 120-volt outlet for about 8 or 9 hours for a complete recharge. Then the commuter is ready to drive another 80 to 100 miles home. This gives us an effective range of up to 200 miles per day. The top speed is about 75 MPH. (more…)
Will Solar Eat Its Own Lunch?
Here’s an article that explores what happens when the penetration of solar PV into the grid mix is so large that it begins to create an over-supply, thus driving the price down for incremental amounts of energy generated from this source. Kathryn Alexander, 2GreenEnergy “associate” in the corporate sustainability space and I will be talking about this subject on the phone this week, after which I’ll create a podcast of the conversation for anyone who may be interested.
From Guest Blogger "SustainaFreak": Effective Ways to Live More Sustainably in 2015
With Obama unavailing his Clean Power Plan aiming to reduce emissions from America’s power sector 32% by 2013, it seems that global warming has again become a heavily debated topic. However, sustainable living is not just an issue to be debated by those in positions of authority. There are many methods which if utilised, can help an individual to live in a much greener way and when combined, has the potential to make a huge difference to the environment. (more…)
Innovation in Dealing with Drought
The idea of “shade balls,” i.e., black plastic balls that float on a body of water to minimize evaporation, is all over the news nowadays, especially as California comes up with increasingly innovative solutions to deal with its drought. But why black? I would think we would want the incident sunlight to be reflected rather than absorbed. What am I missing here?
From Guest Blogger Brooke Chaplan: Six Steps to Add More Natural Light in Your Home
When you understand how to enhance your home with as much natural light as possible, you reduce the need for artificial light during daylight hours and a major benefit will be how much it saves on your electric bill. In addition, natural light is softer than what lamps produce, which means it offers its own special ambiance to a room. Giving your home a bit more natural light is great for making your home more sustainable and healthy, and here are some tips for helping you get started. (more…)
Streamlining the Solar PV Permitting Process
As I’ve reported frequently, part of the reason for Germany’s boom in solar PV is that the permitting process for the individual homeowner is trivial. Contrast this with the U.S. where the same action can take months. (more…)
Why Can’t America Lead the World in Clean Energy?
When America leads in technology, things get done on this planet; we’ve proven that over the last century or so, in everything from the electric light bulb to the mass produced automobile to the moon landing to the Internet. What would happen if we could find a way to lead the world in clean energy? That’s a subject explored in this pithy little 30-second video from NextGenClimate.org. Nice job, IMO.
Coming Up Soon: National Clean Energy Summit 8.0
Las Vegas isn’t my favorite spot in the world, but it’s one that’s hard to avoid for people who attend large conferences. In less than two weeks, I’ll be there for the National Clean Energy Summit 8.0: Powering Progress,” which really does sound like a wonderful opportunity to hook up with: Clean energy advocates, business leaders, public officials and bipartisan decision makers (who) will assemble to explore solutions for the advancement of the clean energy economy through innovation, investment and strengthened collaboration. And President Barack Obama will deliver the keynote; it will be a gas to be in the same room with a man in that position who, overall, has done a fine job vis-à-vis environmental stewardship.
It’s a one-day event (for reasons I don’t understand). In any case, I’ll be home late that night, which is fine with me, as every time I go there, I’m always looking forward to Leaving Las Vegas.
From Guest Blogger Izzie: Being as Lighting Efficient as Possible
With most energy saving pushes, people will often be fighting the same enemies – habits and enormity. Habits form over many years, and can be very difficult to recognise, let alone change. And the enormity of the challenge ahead can seem overwhelming, to the point of seeming impossible.
So today, we’re going to be breaking down one of the biggest energy crisis, our need for electrical lighting, in hopes of combating these two problems. Know from the outset that this won’t be an easy process, but it isn’t difficult either – it just requires some commitment. (more…)
