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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Electric Vehicles

Here’s an article that speaks to the vast improvements in fuel-economy standards for our cars and trucks that we’re in the process of achieving.  I’m sure a great more could be said about this graph that maps all this out over the last few decades, but two facts stand out to me:

An obvious one: That our cars in 1987 got better gas mileage than they did in 2007 is absolutely deplorable.

A slightly more subtle one: The rapid improvement in gas mileage occurring today, while something to celebrate, puts a damper on the migration away from fossil fuels – something that we most certainly need to accomplish.  For example, today’s car-buyer who may be considering an alternate fuel vehicle, perhaps an EV, needs to consider the modest savings in fuel given gas consumed at the rate of 50 MPG, vs. the far more onerous cost of gas consumed at 25 MPG — the prevailing average just a few years ago.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Nuclear

Can you handle a little good news?  This article just in from frequent commenter Colin Brown: It appears that nuclear reactors based on thorium (vs. uranium) may be closer than we think.  There is very little not to like about thorium: it’s far safer operationally, and it’s not capable of being turned into weapons – thus any progress is good. 

And check this out: the U.S. Oak Ridge National Lab is teaming up with the Chinese government to make this happen.  That’s really good.  As I always say, any energy solution that doesn’t get China out of the coal-fired power plant business isn’t really a solution at all.  And it sure is good to see international cooperation from two parties that are potential adversaries.

Tonight, I urge you to find someone you like, and offer a toast to a saner, cleaner, safer world.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Climate Change

Here’s a brilliant article that examines the challenges that environmentalists face in our discussions on climate change.  Why exactly is this subject so difficult to broach with the “common man?” On a radio show I did last week with a lady in Atlanta, she told me, “Oh, I never, ever bring it up.  If I want to talk about clean energy, I talk about lung disease, or national security, but I pretend I’ve never heard of global warming.” (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

A fellow from India writes: “We are going to start a solar energy project of 16 MW and are desperately looking for investment. Can we get assistance from your people with respect of funding?”

I thought I’d publish what I wrote him (along with notes in italics I added later) as I think it’s of general interest. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Efficiency

It was 133 years ago today that the first electric street lights were switched on, illuminating New York City’s Broadway (shown in this illustration six years later, in 1886). The lamps of the day delivered just a few lumens per watt, and now we’re measuring our LEDs in hundreds of lumens per watt, making this a fitting reminder of the rapidity with which technology is changing, improving our lives, and perhaps even more important, reducing the footprint of our energy consumption through efficiency and the development of renewable energy.  

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Solar Thermal

As I’ve mentioned, I’ve been working hard to promote my new client PlexiSun, based in New Zealand, whose products I regard as a breakthrough in solar thermal hot water heating. Without my help, they’ve taken care of business relationships that will make this product available in Europe and Asia, but they hired me to find them a few good, solid business partners to service the Americas.  (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

With Christmas right around the corner, it’s a good time to make a note about spirituality generally.  There are quite a few excellent film documentaries that make the point that all life forms are intimately but mysteriously connected to one another, and that Western civilization’s general failure to recognize this important fact is the root cause of our many maladies: (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

Here’s a Ted Talk delivered by a 13-year-old boy that will blow your mind.  The subject matter is an innovative approach to education, and the subject of sustainability doesn’t come up directly at all, though I believe it’s implied.  If you can imagine a world populated by people even a fraction as intelligent and creative as this young man, you are, in fact, envisioning a world that functions without the abusive exploitation of resources – both natural and human. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Wind Energy

A friend in the wind industry sent me this interesting article on wind turbines, blades, birds, and subsidies.

I know the industry is taking the situation with birds and bats very seriously, and that’s good; they certainly need to do that. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Climate Change

Senior energy analyst Glenn Doty commented on my post Explaining Humankind’s Blase’ Response to Climate Change:

“The reason that people aren’t frantic about it: Since 1910, the planet has warmed roughly 1 degree C, and very few people would say that life is worse now than it was 100 years ago. They believe we’ll see technology continue to improve at a greater rate than the change in climate could make things worse.” (more…)

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