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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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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Climate Change

Macro-Trends in Energy and the Environment

2GreenEnergy supporter Gary Tulie writes: Here is an article on the effects of climate change at various levels of temperature rise. It makes disturbing reading. Some of the research indicates that positive feedback will kick in above 2 centigrade of temperature rise meaning that temperature may continue to rise – eventually by 5 or 6 centigrade before a new equilibrium can be achieved, and that level of temperature rise is not a pretty sight. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

Shell Oil Says Adios to the American Legislative Exchange CouncilThree pieces of good news:

• Shell Oil is distancing itself from the conservative front group American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) whose purpose, among other horrors, is to spread disinformation on climate change.  A Shell spokesperson said, “ALEC’s stance on climate change is clearly inconsistent with our own.”

• Earlier this week, the EPA finalized its Clean Power Plan.

• You, Mr. or Ms. Reader, are part of the reason #1 and #2 happened, and you should take credit for it.  You care about the quality of our planet, and you endeavor to save it.  You live in a world where the actions of its people still matter, and that’s probably the best news of all.

More here.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Hydrokinetics

Helping Hand for HydrokineticsThose keeping track of the development of hydrokinetics (including tidal, ocean current, wave energy, etc.) will be interested to know that the U.S. Department of Energy is shelling out $7.4 million to encourage R&D in this space.

As long as we’re talking about seven figures, it’s hard to imagine that any taxpayer could be too upset; for example, that figure is about 1/100,000th of the military budget. Having said that, this is a good example of a certain consequence of the maturity and scale of solar PV and wind energy, i.e., that is tends to make other clean energy technologies noncompetitive.

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