Most individuals and organizations consider electric cars are environment-friendly vehicles. They are viewed as important components in the battle against global warming. It is almost taken for granted that electric cars have a far less toll on the environment than cars which run on fossil fuels.
But to say that for sure, what is the exact data that needs to be looked at? (more…)
Good news from the State of New York. These people appear to be in the process of addressing an issue that’s absolutely crucial to a migration to renewable energy; they’re contemplating a wholesale rethinking of the way they regulate their power utilities. The heavy-weights back in the Empire State recognize that the instructions they provided Con Ed and the others a century ago are no longer valid in a world of distributed generation, energy storage, smart-grid, electric transportation, etc.
If these folks can successfully re-architect the way their utilities work, and if the rest of the U.S. can use this as a template in the other 49 states, this will indeed be cause for celebration.
Many industries all over the world have started to go green and become more environmentally friendly. Thankfully, there has been a palpable surge towards eco-friendly products and services in recent years, and large companies around the globe have been busy “greening” their businesses. One of the most important aspects of this move towards eco-fuelled awareness is to teach children the significance of going green, and how to maintain a love for the world around them. We have to educate on the implications of our collective actions and how what we do will have direct consequences on not only our own futures, but also the futures of our children, grandchildren, and so on. (more…)
As you may already know, flooding damage is a serious threat to homeowners as we see more and more extreme weather events due to climate change. In England, there are approximately 5.2 million properties that are at risk of flooding. Current estimates on the annual expenses incurred by flood damage are set at £1.1 billion. However, the House of Commons anticipates that a rise to upwards of £27 billion annually in flood damage expenses could occur by 2080. (more…)
Electricity is a formidable component of daily life. We use it to heat, cool, and power our homes, offices, airports, and industrial endeavors. Electricity is so prevalent that we often forget where it comes from, much less how it is generated. (The author conflates “energy” and “electricity” and, as a consequence, makes many misstatements here, e.g., that transportation represents 3% of our energy use, since we have such a low implementation of electric transportation; transportation is actually about 30% of our total energy consumption. – Ed)
Only when we dig deeper into statistical data do we begin to realize how much electricity is generated, consumed or wasted. (more…)
I see this solar/wind tower thing about once a week, and I have to presume it’s a hoax, perhaps to see how credulous we green energy folks are, or to test our grasp on sixth-grade math. It costs $1.5 billion and will generate 435 MWhs of electricity per year? That’s about $30,000 per watt, about 2,000 times more expensive than solar PV with a capacity factor of 20%. Or, presuming a lifespan of 20 years and zero operation and maintenance, it’s $150 per KWh — seems a bit steep.
I think I feel someone pulling my leg — or perhaps they really do think we’re all dunces; I’m not sure.
Sadly, progress in smart grid is slow and incredibly painstaking. In particular, there are people who oppose smart meters, largely on the basis of health issues (i.e., the scientifically unfounded claim that the meters emit dangerous levels of radiation), as well as privacy. It’s true, your utility will be able to infer something about your family’s personal habits from the way you consume electricity. Personally, I think that’s a small price (very close to zero, in my mind) to pay for the benefit of reducing the environmental impact of our society’s energy generation and consumption. (more…)
The indigenous people of the part of California in which I reside are the Chumash Indians, who, anthropologists believe, came here about 15,000 years ago in the Bering Strait Migration, across the “Land Bridge” formed when that part of the Earth was frozen over. In the early 1500s, the Chumash began to notice ships in the channel between the beach and the islands that lie about 20 miles off the coast. 100 years later, concerned that the Russians who had claimed the Pacific Northwest could move south, the King of Spain ordered a preemptive settlement to be formed,which would be called “Santa Barbara,” after the 4th Century Christian saint.
Like all Native Americans, the Chumash have a reverence for the land, and for sustainable practices in managing that land and other resources. At their Earth Day celebration, which I attended yesterday, I was impressed to learn how committed they are to the many various aspects of permaculture. More information on the Chumash and permaculture can be found by following the link above.
Just a short note to mention that I’ve recently finished up marketing/PR projects for four or five clients in cleantech, making me (temporarily) available to take on more work. If you have a good idea in renewable energy or sustainability more generally, and need some horsepower to take it forward and tell the world about it, please let me know. Please call my office (01-805-691-9381), or write to me at craig@2GreenEnergy.com.
There is nothing more satisfying than successfully applying the proven principles of positioning, branding, demand generation, business development, online marketing/social media, and public relations to the challenges facing cleantech entrepreneurs. Having a great product is important, but it’s only part of the battle. Now, let’s work together to take your concept and aggressively move it into the marketplace.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Here’s an extremely powerful and well-made five-minute-long video that gets to the very core of the “debate” surrounding climate change; it explains precisely why there is essentially zero legislation that would serve to limit greenhouse gas emissions.
