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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

Wow, I have to credit the right-wing Heartland Institute with a world-class level of chutzpah, though that’s actually too mild a word. The sheer crust, brass, audacity, effrontery – there’s a vulgar term too — required to run this ad on global warming, while promoting an intellectually oriented event to discuss the issue, is unparalleled. Understandably, participants are withdrawing, and sponsors are dropping them like a hot potato.

I wish I could have been in the conference room when they were discussing this. Didn’t someone ask, “It’s bold, but doesn’t it make us look like mean-spirited idiots?”

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

 Next time, when you will dispose off your used batteries and lights, the chances are that you will get reward for disposing them. Yes, you read that right. reVendRecycling Ltd. a UK based reverse vending machine manufacturing is soon launching worldwide an innovative line of recycling machines for the collection of all kind of light bulbs – CFLs, LEDs and incandescents. The machine also contains addon unit to collect used batteries as well.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Science

My mother came across this article in today’s New York Times by climatologist James Hansen, and sent it to me immediately. “I knew you’d like this one,” she laughed when we spoke on the phone later this afternoon.

“Yes, Mom, I liked it,” I replied. “Pretty much everywhere I go to talk on renewable energy, I manage to weave in at least something that  I’ve learned from Dr. Hansen’s talks, and from a few other climatologists I’ve had the honor of interviewing.  You probably recall what I told you about the Canadian tar sands, a subject he’s all over; if we go ahead with this, it will mean near-certain catastrophic global warming.”

What amazes me most is that we Americans live in the only major nation on Earth that doesn’t get this. This is the only developed country in the known universe that has a contingent of people who aggressively promote the idea that global warming is a hoax perpetrated by liberals, and that we need to ignore what our scientists are telling us.  

Let’s ask ourselves: What’s behind this?  Who’s pulling these strings?

 

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Solar Thermal

Here’s an interview with 2GreenEnergy Associate Agostinho Miguel Garcia, who’s working on a very interesting solar thermal (concentrated solar power / CSP) project in Namibia – a country whose conditions are perfect for CSP.  

Agostinho’s headquartered in Lisbon, but works all over the Eastern Hemisphere.  Great guy.   

In response to my congratulatory email, Agostinho writes:  “Thank you! This is very important for Namibia. I hope this brings them on the CSP map.”

I hope so too.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Electric Vehicles

Cameron Atwood writes:

I recall seeing figures indicating the $45k Volt pays off the difference in savings on gas over electric cost over its ICE (internal combustion engine) brethren in six years. That’s not especially dismal.

It depends on how far you drive, and, in the case of a plug-in hybrid like the Volt, how you drive, i.e., how seldom you exceed the battery-only range (about 35 miles) and start to use gasoline. The analysis is easier with a battery electric like the LEAF. Let’s say: (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Science

I recently wrote a post critical of radical environmentalists who take rigid positions and refuse to make the tough choices that confront us all in the real world.  In particular, I stand in disagreement with people’s unwillingness to exile the tortoises from 4613 acres (about five square miles) in the California desert that would have been used for a gigawatt of solar photovoltaics, an almost exact replacement for a full coal-fired power plant. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Biomass

The scientists at Bioinformatics Institute at Virginia have collected the draft genome of a marine algae sequence to support the researchers all over the United States in a project which aspires to find out the best algae species for creating biodiesel fuel. The need to develop an alternative and renewable fuel sources is to avert any energy crisis in the future along with reducing the greenhouse gas production. Researchers want to produce large quality of bio fuel in some small amount of space employing minimal resources. This will therefore to address the world’s fuel requirements.

Algae bio fuels is both promising and unique

Algae are simple microscopic organism which is generally seen in water and grows hydroponically. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Photovoltaics

I just got an email from the Sierra Club, wanting me to get on board for a piece of environmentalism that goes like this:

This year, Assembly member Felipe Fuentes has a bill that would allow the Calico Solar Project, a solar project in California that will cover 4,613 acres—four times the size of the Golden Gate Park- within an area key to the survival of the desert tortoise- to bypass the environmental review process that almost all other projects are subject to.

I see no reason that anyone or anything should be exempt from the standard environmental review processes. Having said that, it’s always struck me as inflexible to refuse to make tough choices. Imagining 4,613 acres as all PV, we’d have about a gigawatt (after using a capacity factor of 0.2) , a replacement for a coal-fired power plant. I hate to sound insensitive, but considering the larger ecological and health-related issues of burning coal, I would think that the savings would justify exiling some desert tortoises.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Electric Vehicles

A quick note from the electric vehicle show in Los Angeles in early May:

It’s true that most of the credible car-makers have EV products scheduled for delivery in the not-too-distant future.  But they’re obviously hedging their bets, delaying their market entrance as long as possible, so as to maximize the penetration of their pipeline of gasoline powered vehicles.

It’s pretty clear that their hearts are not in this.  And why should this be otherwise?  If you’re an auto OEM, you see nothing but an ocean of downside: billions of dollars of R&D, tons of a dozen different kinds of risk including exposure to tort attorneys from hell, diminution of sales revenues, huge costs of customer support and education (that will STILL wind them up with upset customers), the expense of supporting multiple platforms, shotgun weddings with charger suppliers and standards, etc.   (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Electric Vehicles

On my way to the electric vehicle show in downtown Los Angeles this morning I dropped in to see 2GreenEnergy associate Dan Sturges.  I picked him up at his place in nearby Culver City, and chatted with him about the future of transportation while I had my 17-year-old BMW washed.  As I explained to Dan, “I hope you’re not shocked that I would drive a car with 247K miles on it, but, as I’ve said many times, I’m never buying another car that burns gas — and the cost/benefit equation of EVs are just starting to come into line.”

Btw, that statement was borne out by what’s on display here at the show.  Lots of new models, improving range, prices high, but, I believe, poised to come down.  Toyota unveiled their RAV4 Electric.  Nice looking  SUV, but it’s bigger than I need, 100 mile range, and MSRP just under $50,000.  This stuff needs to be less expensive, and I believe will be one day soon.

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