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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

Although China may be a recent arrival in the “Big Power Club,”  it is a very old, and WISE culture. They have developed their nation to this point on the profound understanding that the average voter in the western world is basically a moron whose main life interest is in next week’s pay-packet.  Why should you let this person have any say in the long-term strategic interests of your country?

So, they don’t.  And unlike our politicians, who have to pretend they listen to highly unqualified opinions, they are free to get on with the job of running their country.

The Chinese, unlike us in the West, are running with a long-term plan, ably enacted by highly intelligent and practical visionaries (in a population of 1.3 billion, there are plenty; contrary to the popular image of China being a country of aggrestic peasants) unencumbered by democracy (read: lowest common denominator).   Therefore,  China knows that there is an absolute shitload of money to be made from the conversion to a sustainable world economy, and they are investing heavily in this technology.  Sooner or later we will be paying big money to buy this technology from them. (We already are, but the snowball has only just got rolling.)

In the meantime, the US government has to bow down to the ossified thinking of the corporations that own it. And those of us who want to change to a sustainable economy have to tread water while the US Government oscillates between (Democrat) Tweedledum, and (Republican) Tweedledumber.

Petra Kelly (Founder of German Greens) had an interesting observation to make in an interview once: she was asked if the Greens had ever made any major mistakes. Her reply was unequivocal: yes, they  had made one very big mistake; that was to waste their time going national. She said that if they had focused their energy at the local and state level, the Greens would have achieved far more, far faster, than they ever did in the national government. And therein lies the answer to the US political dilemna: let Tweedledum and Tweedledumber waste their time in Washington; but let not us Greens do the same.

“Think globallly; act locally” is the perfect mantra for us. GO TO IT GREENS!!!!!!

– Roy

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Electric Vehicles

I’ve driven a few high-performance sports cars in my day.  I never owned anything more powerful than my current (ancient) BMW 540i, but I drove several of the Maseratis of the 1990s, before their regrettable hiatus on importing them to the US.  Trust me, in terms of performance, the Tesla (0-60 in 3.7  seconds) that I test drove this afternoon is absolutely ridiculous. 

I don’t have the chops for writing car reviews, so I won’t even try.  But the quality of the Tesla is impressive, and the torque is downright frightening.  Terry Ribb, 2Greenenergy Associate and lifelong friend who rode along with me, screamed like a schoolgirl with a frog down her back whenever I nailed the accelerator. 

This was never intended to be a car for everyone.  At $109K, how could it be?  But I can imagine that those in the market for a Ferrari would have to give this a long look.  In a word: Exhilarating.

 

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Electric Vehicles

I decided to take the train to Los Angeles this morning, rather than driving.  Even though this takes a bit longer, it has numerous benefits:  I certainly did right by the world by not using the gas, and I was able to work the whole time; it’s really a very pleasant, safe, low-anxiety way to travel.  I probably even saved a few dollars, when you consider all the costs in driving.

I’m here to test drive a Tesla and hang out with 2GreenEnergy Associate Terry Ribb, who’s been a close friend for almost 30 years.  Terry was one of my first clients; she’s brilliant, life-affirming, and infinitely valuable as a sounding board for business ideas. 

More of the test drive soon; I’m looking forward to zipping around the streets here. 

 

 

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

I’ve spent the last couple of days editing the transcripts of the interviews I’ve conducted for my next book. Although this is tedious work, it gives me the opportunity to relive some moments I’ve greatly enjoyed, and re-absorb some of the fantastic thoughts that these incredible people have laid at my feet.

This process has also reminded me that I need a title and a theme that fits the content of the new book, not unlike “Facts and Fantasies” and “Tough Realities” fit the last one.

The book is really a deeper exploration of the so-called “Tough Realities.” If this is something our society has to do, why is it taking so long?  Why is the US lagging the rest of the world in implementation? Are there large, powerful political and economic forces that conspire against it? What does our future look like, and why?

If you wouldn’t mind helping, please let me know which of the titles below you most favor:

  • Renewable Energy — How Do We Get There from Here?
  • Renewable Energy — Versus the Powers That Be
  • Renewable Energy — Can the Good Guys Win One?
  • Renewable Energy and the Big Money We Wish Were Behind It
  • Renewable Energy — The Tough Realities of Technology, Economics, and Politics
  • Renewable Energy — Why the US Is Walking Away from the Challenge of the Century

Also, if you have any original suggestions on the subject, please add them  as well.   Thanks very much.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

I try not to comment on political issues that have no direct bearing on clean energy, or sustainability more generally.  Having said that, I have indeed taken up the mantle of MoveToAmend.org, in its fight to overturn corporations’ recently granted rights to spend as much as they wish to influence our elections.  The tragic US Supreme Court decision granting this right, Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission, is, in my mind, the single most important, and, in this case, disastrous opinion  to come from the High Court in more than 150 years (Dred Scott, 1857).

The relevance of this today  is Mitt Romney’s bold admission at the Iowa State Fair that, in his estimation, “corporations are people,” a statement that lies at the very heart of the controversy.

At least Romney had the decency to tell us where he stood.  As the MoveToAmend people put it, “He’s taking a lot of flak for it, but we want to thank Mitt for being honest about his true loyalties in a time when so many politicians are trying to hide the truth. Americans deserve to know where candidates stand on the illegitimate doctrine of Corporate Personhood.”

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

France has outlawed hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, a technique for extracting natural gas and oil.  French senators voted the measure through on July 2nd, after much hoopla this year. As BusinessWeek reported on April 4th 2011, Jose Bove, a French environmental activist, Green Party deputy and onetime Presidential candidate, brought the idea of fracking in France to a halt first. Energy companies were beginning to prepare for oil & gas search (by use of fracking) in hard rock of southern France, but on January 22nd, Bove started a petition against fracking. Within weeks, the government ordered a moratorium and by March 11th, the Prime Minister extended the bank to June. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

Have you ever been watching a movie and seen an attempt at product placement that was so lame you wanted to toss your popcorn all over the theater, in a rage against the sheer contempt that the director/editor had for your level of intelligence?

A few hours ago, I was speaking with Good Planet Media’s Michael Kaliski at a cocktail party reception in advance of tomorrow’s Clean Business Investment Summit. He patiently explained how he gets product placement exposure in movies and television shows for green products. It really is quite an art.

“I’m not an expert at this,” I explained. “But I have to think the key to your craft is discretion. When people find it obvious, it’s offensive.”  Hey!  Turns out I’m right, for once, according to Michael. Check out his website to learn more.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Electric Vehicles

When I have a few extra minutes, I blog on a range of other energy-related sites.  A reader of one of these, EnergyCollective.com, writes:

Great article (meaning this one).

It’s unfortunate that this piece couldn’t have been written ten years ago. I am one of those people that does not understand why the EV community has not been talking about why we have not been driving more affordable, longer range EVs for the last ten years and why we had to wait for Li-ion technology when there was proven, less expensive, longer-lasting and recycleable NiMH (nickel metal hydride). Every time I see my friend’s 10 year old Toyota RAV4-EV go 100 miles on its original batteries (PEVE 95), I think it’a a crime against humanity; everyone could have been driving an even better NiMH powered car.

For some time now, I have listened to Chevron’s excuses about how they sold Cobasys and how it’s not their hot potato anymore without admitting that they or GM still controls the rights to NiMH for EVs. Their smokescreen is aided and abetted by the press which chooses to play dumb or is afraid to address the issue. The fact is that Chevron and GM still control NiMH use and are responsible for at least ten years of increased consumer transportation costs and more pollution than 10 Gulf Disasters.

Craig, am I preaching to the choir?

Perhaps, but I appreciate what you’ve said there, and you’re 100% on target. I never thought of it as a “crime against humanity,” as you put it, yet it’s  actually quite apt.  Thanks for writing.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Electric Vehicles

I know not everyone studies the well-to-wheels comparisons of fuel sources for transportation, and that there are people who harbor grave misunderstanding in the area.  Here, frequent commenter Glenn Doty writes:

With our current grid, nearly 100% of the energy used to power EV’s will be coal. That means that a Nissan Leaf will cause more than twice the emissions/mile as a Toyota Prius, and that’s only the marginal emissions. Once the initial capital emissions are considered, it will be significantly worse still.

In no way would EV’s be better for the environment than HEV’s – which are far less expensive.

EV’s will universally do far greater harm than ICEV’s if you compare similar size vehicles. So why are they being pushed as “green”?

All I can say in response is to request that he – and others who have similar beliefs – read one of the numerous studies on auto emissions that has been done recently on the subject, like this one by Sherry Boschert showing just the opposite.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

If you haven’t attended one of the Techbrew MegaMixers, I’m afraid words may fail to communicate what they’re like. Let’s just say “cleantech entrepreneurs and investors meet the absolute core of the meaning of the phrase ‘New Age.’”  Musical performace by B4Neptune.  Trippy, but without a doubt, a very worthwhile experience.  At the least, the folks I met at the 2011 incarnation last night made it more than worth the drive.

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