Home › Blog › Page 1466

by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Fossil Fuels

Chevron Will Not Clean Up Ecuador Anytime SoonOver the past few years, I’ve written several articles calling out Chevron’s nauseating behavior in defiling the rain forests and people of Ecuador. In many such posts, I’ve speculated that they’d still be fighting against the world justice system long after I’ve left this planet, if such is required to nullify the multi-billion-dollar judgments that the international courts have imposed–and consistently upheld on appeal.  (Pictured: Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa)  (more…)

Tagged with: , , , , ,

by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Wind Energy

HAWP - High-Altitude Wind PowerWe don’t hear as much about high-altitude wind as we did a few years ago, though the subject has not completely disappeared.  There is no doubt that the wind resources a thousand feet or so above the Earth’s surface are far superior to those we experience down here, and this can be quite attractive given that the power generated by a moving fluid is proportional to the cube of its velocity.  Doubling the velocity means octupling the power.  But it’s equally clear that harvesting that resource requires specialized/expensive solutions. (more…)

Tagged with: , , , ,

by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Efficiency

Protecting the Environment with Fleet Management SystemsManaging a fleet of vehicles is already a daunting task with all the requirements necessary to make it work. However, another thing that fleet management companies consider when they outfit their vehicles with the latest technology is how they can actually help lower the carbon footprint of their fleet. The environment is a hot-button topic and everyone is doing their bit to make the world a better place for future generations. This is why, apart from taking care of the driver’s safety and the security of the products or items they are carrying, fleet managers are also looking at fuel efficiency and lesser smoke emission. (more…)

Tagged with: , ,

by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Science

In Most Circles, the Concepts of Clean Energy and Sustainability Are Only Somewhat InterestingA friend in England and I were just talking about how easy it is to miss subtle cues in dealing with others, and thus irritate the people around us.

I noted where I frequently screw up with people in general, which is this:  I wrongly believe folks generally want to discuss the many different dimensions of sustainability.  To me, this is the only thing that matters, but most people don’t see it that way, and lose interest in it quickly.  (more…)

Tagged with: , ,

by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

Even When CleanTech Ideas Are Asinine, It’s Sometimes Hard to be BluntI think we’ve all been in the position of being asked for an opinion on something we think is terrible, but hesitating to answer the question truthfully.  Here’s one every man fears: “Does this dress make me look fat?”

In clean energy, I find myself in this position all the time.  Sometimes it’s more awkward than others, like this discussion with a friend:

Friend Asks:  Hi, Craig.  Do you mind providing your opinion on this?

(more…)

Tagged with: , , , ,

by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

Aeroponics, Fabulous Solution for Sustainable Gardening, Could Be Even BetterI ran into a fellow the other day who distributes the “Tower Garden,” a device that uses the principle of aeroponics to enable consumers, restaurateurs, and even grocery stores to grow vegetables quickly, effortlessly, and with far less carbon footprint than traditional methods.  The food that most of us Americans find in our grocery stores was grown with chemical fertilizer and pesticides (that are getting more intense each year as our soils are further depleted and our farming techniques get more aggressive), then trucked an average of 1200 miles to reach us.  Aeroponics replaces all that, making it very easy for anyone to grow vast amounts of organic produce in any sunny spot around his house, or, as shown here, indoors. (more…)

Tagged with: , , , ,

by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Hydrokinetics

Concept in HydrokineticsI awakened this morning to an interesting question in my inbox from frequent commenter and 2GreenEnergy supporter Brain McGowan, who asked: What’s your take on this hydrokinetic device?

Coincidentally, a colleague of mine showed me an extremely similar device about six months ago and wanted my opinion, as a mutual friend was considering a significant investment in the company that was developing the technology.  (more…)

Tagged with: , , ,

by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Climate Change

Climate Change Can Bring Unwelcome PestsWith the climatic conditions of planet earth rapidly changing, changing humidity levels, global warming, extreme weather conditions and many other such events are shaping earth’s current climate. All of these changing factors have influenced all forms of life on earth. Global warming, in particular, has resulted in changing living and reproduction patterns of various life forms. (more…)

Tagged with: , ,

by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

Energy Trends in BrazilHere’s article from one our 2GreenEnergy interns, Marcela Carvalho, an energy engineering student at Saint Francis University in Pennsylvania.  I was flattered to know that “some of her professors” suggested that she contact us, and I eagerly welcomes her to the team.  As Marcela is from Brazil, she had no trouble assembling this piece on the trends in energy that exist in her home country.  

Brazil has become one of the most powerful countries in terms of renewable energy sources, due to its privileged geology compared to other countries; Brazil enjoys an enormous availability of energy sources. (more…)

Tagged with: , , , ,

by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Wind Energy

Inc. Magazine Picks Up on Small Wind Up-and-Comer WindStreamHere’s an article from the online version of Inc. Magazine written by a young man who somehow picked three cleantech companies and heralded them as “the hottest on the planet.”  I came across this because one of them happened to be WindStream, the folks I’ve mentioned several times for their very interesting and reasonably priced product in “small wind” (the name given to wind turbines under 50 KW).  (more…)

Tagged with: , , , ,