No OTEC for the Philippines Just Now?
Here’s an article by my colleague Emma Websdale, writing for the new website EmpowerTheOcean. Apparently, The Philippines is making magnificent progress in the direction of clean energy, with a recent half-billion dollar investment in solar and biomass.
That’s great, but why not OTEC (ocean thermal energy conversion)? Googling the subject turns up lots of content that’s a few years old, but not much recently. The oceans there (like the one pictured here off the idyllic beach in Balesin) are 84 degrees F today; that’s certainly warm enough; perhaps it’s the availability of cold water near to land?
Recently, I had reason to check out what some of the suppliers of industrial HVAC products in the UK are up to, for example, Heaters Wholesale – England’s largest independent distributor of heating products. I was impressed that the controllers they use maximize fuel savings through what they call “self-learning optimization”; the device varies the heating start-up time to ensure that the building comes up to the required temperature precisely at the beginning of every programmed “on” period. 
The work I’m doing for Ocean Thermal Energy Corporation has had numerous fortunate consequences, among them working with a brilliant and compassionate young writer, Emma Websdale (pictured here). Not a bad name for someone who writes content for websites and e-newsletters, is it?
I note that the 
Colin Brown comments on my recent piece 
Yesterday, I had the good fortune to speak with Brian Nordwall, the proprietor of 
I have a bunch of meetings in and around Los Angeles next Thursday. While I’m in town, I think I’ll try to stop by the 
I just got off a Skype chat with a talented young engineering student who lives near Paris and wishes to perform an internship in which he will conduct research as the basis for articles on a range of clean energy issues. I just compiled a list of potential topics that I had thought I’d email him, but then realized it might make a decent blog post. He can choose those that interest him most, and add others if he would like.
Here’s 
“City” and “cycling” are two words that haven’t always been quite so synonymous. Yet life in a number of European cities is an increasingly two-wheeled affair. A great way to get to know a city, stay fit and reduce your emissions, there’s plenty of motivation to hop on your bike. And with dedicated lanes and cycle-friendly laws, these cities are a pedaler’s paradise. 
