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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Biomass

When I first got into the renewable energy space, Robert Rapier was one of the first people to whom I reached out, as he’s been around this industry quite a while. I recall that he was quite gracious with me; we had a long and interesting chat on the phone.

Here’s Robert’s take on the enterprise of cellulosic ethanol, which, for what it’s worth, aligns 100% with my own: it won’t scale.

If it is to offer real value, a biomass to energy project needs to involve a feedstock that has a negative value to society, like municipal solid waste, manure, waste tires, etc.   (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Electric Vehicles

Here’s an article on emerging battery technologies that will greatly improve the calculus under which electric vehicles will be adopted into the mainstream, focusing on the work IBM is doing in lithium-air. After some level of technical analysis, the author notes:

IBM’s admission that the eventual return on its investment in lithium-air will be at least a decade away is significant for competitors and for governments’ electrification policies alike. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

Here’s an article noting that certain corporations talk out of both sides of their mouths when it comes to climate change. Isn’t that shocking? 🙂

Seriously, I hope I’ll soon be able to muster the resources to begin my “corporate role models” blog, as there are many millions of people doing some very noble things in the corporate work setting; and I’m anxious to start telling those stories.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

I heartily recommend the PBS special: “Civilization: The West and the Rest,” which does a fine job in analyzing the six “killer apps” that resulted in the dominance of the Western culture over the remainder of the world. They are: political and economic competition, development of science, ownership of property, modern medicine, consumerism, and work ethic.

But while the show was brilliantly crafted and extremely thought provoking, I found it lacking in an important way. There is no doubt that these are the ingredients that made Western Civilization what it has become over the last 500 years or so — ingredients that have resulted in our easier, longer, and healthier lives. But are they a prescription for success in the future? The show boldly asserted this, but is it true? (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Biomass

I’m happy to report that it appears I’m making progress in arranging funding for a facility to turn buffalo dung in Southern Pakistan into fertilizer and energy. As you’re reading this, there are 400,000 dairy buffaloes standing in an area of a few square miles. On average, that’s two buffaloes for each area the size of my modest office. Collectively, they’re generating about 8,000 tons of untreated solid and liquid waste per day, causing ridiculous rates of disease and environmental ruin over a huge region. Most of this waste forms a river and flows south into the Arabian Sea, a body of water that is now so polluted that fishermen have to row their boats through five miles of sewage every morning before they encounter anything still alive.

It turns out that I have an indirect “friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend” relationship with one of the country’s ex-presidents. And that’s what it’s going to take to get the job done here, as most people from other lands (like me) have an appreciable level of concern for Pakistan’s lawlessness.

I’ll keep you posted.

 

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

Donating an unwanted car to charity is a fantastic way to benefit the environment. In addition to the environmental benefits of charitable car donation, you are simultaneously helping local charities and receiving a tax write off. The way it works is that a local non-profit car donation center such as Wheels for Wishes will arrange to have your unwanted vehicle (running or not) picked up at no cost to you, recycled, and then donate the proceeds to a local charity. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Science

Summer has arrived and it is time to change how I use energy around the house.

First order of business was to disconnect the solar air heater from the house and remove the interface from the window in the computer room so I could put the standard 20” box fan back in the window. I set this up so it always blows out to suck air through the house. I also add a 4”x10” to 6” diameter right angle duct with a piece of 6” flexible duct which goes up to the ceiling to suck some hot air off the ceiling. Otherwise the top of the fan is at 48” off the floor and there is no reason for any of the hot air above that point to be moved. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

It is with great joy that I announce that this is our 2000th blog post.

My profound thanks to our regular readers, whose enthusiasm for the subject and willingness to tell their friends has caused the site’s traffic to grow steadily over the past three years. Thanks to the thousands of people who have interacted with us in one way or another, and to our clients, who have made all this possible.

Perhaps I’m most grateful for the dozens of fine friends I’ve made all over the world in the process.  It’s been a wonderful association — one that can only improve in the future.  

 

 

 

 

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

Wow, I just noticed that our next post will be our 2000th! That’s the good news. The bad news is that I wrote 1721 of them. Let’s see if we can get a few more guest-bloggers active over the course of writing the next 2000. Fair enough?

I see each day how many readers have incredible insights to share.  Please don’t be shy.

 

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Science

I just read the Garrison Keillor’s Writer’s Almanac and noted that it’s the birthday of May Swenson, an author of the 20th Century who once wrote to a friend, “Not to need illusion—to dare to see and say how things really are, is the emancipation I would like to attain.”

It’s true that we force-fit the facts into our theories. Though we all like to think we’re one of few who doesn’t fall prey to this syndrome, but I sometimes wonder how true that is in my case. My over-arching viewpoint on the world today is that we’ve reached the end of cheap energy and easy credit, and that we’re due for a large-scale correction in terms of our ability to increase our energy consumption, and thus our “standard of living” as we have (erroneously) come to define it. (more…)

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