I usually try to attend these Renewable Energy Finance Forums, though I’m going to skip this one, as it focuses on the Latin American and the Caribbean – a part of the world in which, sadly, I haven’t historically gotten too involved.
It sure would be good if I could change that, and somehow get a consulting “gig” to explore the migration to renewable energy down there. (more…)
2GreenEnergy supporter Steve Levy asks for my opinion and advice on getting a large number of small investors to back the development of solar energy projects. He sent me his latest paper – one that he presented at this year’s meeting of the American Solar Energy Society, dealing with creating a new kind of ‘investor,’ based on the agglomeration of micro-investments.
He notes: The issue that I am most interested in is, if 95% of the public believes that solar energy is what they want; then, what would be the entry level investment that the public would accept to become an investor in a MLP (master limited partnership)? How does one convince the public that it is a good investment? (more…)
I try to attend the annual University of California at Santa Barbara Summit on Energy Efficiency, now in its 4th year. This year’s meeting will focus on “Materials for a Sustainable Energy Future.” I plan to “join the Institute for Energy Efficiency and leaders from industry, academia, national labs and government to hear insights into the materials challenges, opportunities and latest developments relating to key technologies impacting energy efficiency.”
Outgoing Energy Secretary Steven Chu is speaking at this event, and, since I approve of him generally, I’ll make an extra effort to check out the talk. When we think of the unlovely convergence of energy and politics, it’s hard not to think of what Chu, a person of both passion and intellect, would have done had he not been handcuffed by the will of special interests. In fact, I may simply ask this question and see what happens. (more…)
My talk the other day to the Santa Barbara Savvy Investors’ Club went very well. As I told my wife when I pulled out of the driveway on my way, “It’s a room full of people who read a lot about sustainability. If I can’t do well with this demographic, I’m in trouble.”
If there were to be a problem, it would occur from “preaching to the choir.” After all, 45 minutes of a speaker’s telling you what you already know and believe can get a bit tiresome (more…)
There is so much general ignorance on the basic issues confronting renewable energy and electric transportation that it’s sometimes hard to know how to react to articles like this one on “vehicle to grid,” i.e., the concept that large number of EVs can eventually be used to provide power back to the electrical grid at times of peak load, or at least offer “ancillary services” in the form of wave-form regulation, etc. The average reader could infer that we’re somehow right around the corner from V2G, and this is most certainly not the case. In fact, in the four years that I’ve been attending conferences on the subject, I haven’t seen too much substantive movement in this direction; in particular, the technical standards under which all this will (or could) happen are still under discussion.
The good news is that the concept makes a great deal of sense. I.e., the introduction of significant quantities of battery storage will provide a number of benefits in addition to reducing/eliminating our dependence on gasoline and diesel, with their litany of negative environmental and political consequences. In addition to V2G, electric transportation will enable a large increase in the amount of wind energy we are able to generate and use productively, as the wind blows hardest at night, during off-peak periods.
It’s not news that there’s a growing trend towards building green homes, but what if you live in a home that’s not so green-friendly? Well, for starters, you’re not alone. In the U.S., there are about 125 million single-family homes with the majority being built before energy-efficient developments, according to the National Association of Home Builders. Don’t panic, it’s not too late to come to the greener side, and no you don’t have to demolish your green-less home and re-build a new one. Homeowners that want to make the switch to a greener home should consider a few modest upgrades that will put them on the right path to becoming a green-hero.
Start with an energy audit. An energy audit is exactly what you need when you’re looking to improve your home’s energy efficiency. An energy assessment will give you an evaluation on your home’s green status. It will determine where and how energy is being lost, which systems are operating inefficiently, and what cost effective measures can be taken to better green your home. (more…)
Renewable power is one of the major ways that people will use energy in future. The fossil fuels that were the basis of the vast improvements in living over the past 250 years are declining. Apart from the damage they do to the climate system, they will not be around for ever. So if we are to continue a technological lifestyle we will need to power our world by renewables.
A major issue with renewables is their variability. The sun doesn’t shine at night, which is when we want electricity for lighting, heating, and other needs. Wind is variable: sometimes there is too little, sometimes high winds generate too much power – Denmark has been exporting power to Germany when it has a surplus, but this is not satisfactory. As more renewables are used for power, the problem of storage becomes acute. (more…)
According to a study conducted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), concentrated solar power (CSP, aka solar thermal) can make a “significant contribution” to California’s grid-mix, and play a role in the state’s quest to meet its renewable portfolio standard (RPS), which is 33% by 2025.
I’m not sure why we needed a study to determine this; was that ever in doubt?
In any case, I remain active in my pursuit of an investor for my friends at Ahura Energy, whose cost-related breakthrough in this space will move this entire enterprise along that much faster.
I hope readers enjoyed the webinar I did recently with solar energy hedge fund manager Shawn Kravetz; I certainly learned a great deal in the course of the interview. I wanted to take a moment and introduce another “friend of a friend” who writes extensively on solar energy stocks: Harris Roen. You may want to check out his report – or at least sign up for his free newsletter; I always look forward to it.
Today’s publication includes a graph that depicts the fall of the widely watched Ardour Solar Energy Index (SOLRX) in 2008, and attempts to get at a reasonable production of the future.
Wow, I sure wish I had bought some stock in Tesla when the ultra-sexy Model S came out. The company, though still not profitable, looks very close to turning that corner, and the market knows it.
In terms of the overall issue of the EV adoption curve, it’s hard to know where we are – and the success of a $100K car — of any type – does little to answer that question. Having said that, I would have to think that all the people spending that type of loot on a high-end BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, etc. would be moved to consider the Tesla, not only for its styling, but for its performance. The base 85-kW-hr powertrain delivers 362 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque, while the performance version makes 416 hp and 443 lb-ft.
Trust me: that level of torque gets your attention in a very big way. The first time I nailed the accelerator in a recent test drive I was terrified; it felt as if the car was about to flip over backwards.
