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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Energy Storage

As promised, I just did a phone interview for three engineering majors at Vanderbilt University who are studying the target market for our client Eos Energy Storage.  We discussed the various ways in which this breakthrough in zinc-air batteries could impact the world, primarily by:

1) Enabling power utilities (or distributed generation/micro-grids) to store energy inexpensively, thus greatly expanding the amount of renewables they can integrate, and

2) Changing the consumer value proposition for electric transportation, providing attractive range at a greatly reduced price.

When they asked which of the two I thought to be more important, I responded that it’s the first one.  The most important task from the standpoint of a sustainable energy policy is getting rid of coal, and, even if the cost of wind and solar continues to fall, there is no way to really make use of it without a low-cost strategy for energy storage.  Let’s hope this is it.

Once coal is out of the picture, electric transportation will have a great deal more validity as “green” transportation.

I was thrilled to have helped a small team of bright, respectful young people in a school project.  Ah, the halcyon days of college…

 

 

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Electric Vehicles

I’m often asked for my advice about bringing electric transportation to island nations.  Readers may recall that I’ve spent a fair chunk of time investigating this subject on behalf of Bermuda. Here, I write back to a friend who’s working on a proposal for one of the Caribbean countries:

In my opinion, EV solutions for island nations are best delivered by low- or medium-speed electric vehicles, like this one from a company in Michigan, EcoVElectric.   Freeway-speed products like the Nissan Leaf are inappropriate for places that have low speed limits, narrow roads, and short driving distances; they’re unnecessarily expensive, and they waste precious resources. Of course, renewable energy plays a vital role here, as additional load on the grid is met with more diesel, and no one (except the vested interests) wants that.

Note that I make a quick reference to the potential for political in-fighting. Of course, I’m not privy to the discussions that take place surrounding the replacement of diesel with clean energy in these far flung places, but it’s rumored that it makes what’s happening in the U.S. (with the oil companies and their lobbyists) pale in comparison.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

A few weeks ago, the world lost Dr. Barry Commoner, one of the most influential environmentalists of all time.  Here’s an article on the man, his mission, and the incredible extent of his impact.   

In his book The Closing Circle (published in 1971) Commoner laid down his four laws of ecology:

1. Everything Is Connected to Everything Else. There is one ecosphere for all living organisms and what affects one, affects all.

2. Everything Must Go Somewhere. There is no “waste” in nature and there is no “away” to which things can be thrown.

3. Nature Knows Best. Humankind has fashioned technology to improve upon nature, but such change in a natural system is likely to be detrimental to that system.

4. There Is No Such Thing as a Free Lunch. Exploitation of nature will inevitably involve the conversion of resources from useful to useless forms.

The 21st Century bears witness to the opposition to two great forces.  On one hand, we see a level of rapacious greed and exploitation of nature that is ripping through the planet’s remaining resources at a ferocious clip.  On the other, we have a generation of very smart and committed young people, many of whom see through this, and will do what they can to take on the mantle that Dr. Commoner and his peers left for them. 

Which of the two forces will prove dominant? It’s anyone’s guess at this point.

Having said that, if you want to get a lump in your throat, read a few of the comments on the article linked above.  As a friend of mine often reminds me, you and I are but a few of many millions of like-minded people.  

 

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Photovoltaics

Scientists, investors, students, leaders in the solar industry will have a gathering at the Arizona State University’s SkySong this October 10th for the third annual Arizona Solar Summit.

The former Corporation Commissioner of Arizona Kris Mayes agrees with ASU that there needs to be more investment in solar energy since it greatly represents the destiny of the economy specially in Arizona that has long exposure to sunlight. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

Here’s an important white paper that my friend Tim Kingston just sent me, that frankly, I’m unlikely to read.

Say what?

It’s on a financial issue, master limited partnerships (MLPs), that I’ve heard plenty about over the last two meetings of the Renewable Energy Finance Forum, which have both featured numerous speakers on this topic.  (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

A reader sent me this article on the metrics we need to determine how “green” certain of our actions are.  Specifically, how do we measure our success at contributing to the “triple bottom line,” where investments pay returns financially, socially, and environmentally? 

Yes, it would be terrific, for example, if a business had a more precise way to quantify the benefits of what it’s doing when it reduces its carbon footprint or improves the LCA (lifecycle analysis) of the products it builds. 

I think it would be easy to overcomplicate, as well as to oversimplify, however.  Each industry, and each business within it, has its own unique relationship with its stakeholders: supply chain, employees, investors, and customers – as well as with the civilization at large.  As to quantifying social and environmental good, we may run into horrific “apples and oranges” issues.  Through a ripple-effect, one strategy might result in better world health, another in reduced CO2 emissions, and a third in more promise for innovation of new, potentially world-changing technology.  Good luck determining which one’s best. 

In terms of exact calibrations of social and environmental good, we may have to content ourselves with the approach for which 20th Century U.S. Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart is best remembered regarding a precise definition of pornography:  “It’s hard to define, but I know it when I see it.”

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Climate Change

According to this report, a recent climate change survey shows most Americans believe that warming is tied to extreme weather events.  That’s good news; we’re starting to bark up the right tree.  Now let’s put some pressure on our elected leaders to help us do something about it.

If you had wanted to bet me that I’d listen to a 90-minute debate last week between two gentlemen who contend to be the leader of the free world, and that the subject of sustainability and climate change would be entirely absent from the conversation, you’d have gotten some pretty long odds.  Apparently, if we don’t bring it up, neither will they.  Of course that’s not leadership; it’s “followership,” but that’s exactly what we have here.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Science

One of the benefits of my position at 2GreenEnergy is that it enables me to do hundreds of quick and easy actions that help people learn about renewable energy, and, at some level, forward the cause of sustainability all over the world.  Later this week, I’m doing an interview for a journalist who writes for a magazine in England.  I also have a call set up with an undergraduate at Vanderbilt University, where I’ve offered to help her and a couple of her classmates with their class “Engineering Management 221: Technology Strategy,” in which they pick a company, and develop a strategy for their newest technology.  Oh, to be young again….

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Fossil Fuels

Frequent commenter Larry Lemmert writes:

It makes sense to replace some things before they quit working. Computers, light bulbs, water heaters and power plants of all kinds come to mind. At what point should a newer technology replace a functioning older technology? From a business perspective, it is logical to replace old equipment when it is less expensive to amortize the cost of the new technology than to continue to pay to operate the old technology.

The bugaboo that brings out political rants is the hidden costs of air pollution and other environmental degradation brought on by continued use or disposal of the old stuff.

The compromise which is acceptable to many folks is to retrofit, upgrade, or renew older systems to mitigate at least some of the environmental consequences of continued use. Extension of the life cycle benefits the technology investors as well as the rate payers. Everyone wins if level heads prevail.

I think you’ve nailed the basic elements of the discussion in your first two paragraphs; the problem I see is in the last one. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Fossil Fuels

Frequent commenter Dr. James Gover writes:

It is my understanding that because of: (1) the cost of new coal plants due in part to EPA enforcement of air pollution standards, (2) the lower cost (in comparison to coal) of new (natural gas) NG plants and (3) the low cost of NG, new coal plants are not being built in the US. As old coal plants reach end of life and are phased out, these are being replaced with NG plants, wind and solar. The issue is almost entirely what will China and India do. I don’t think that the U.S. will have much influence on either; rather, their directions will be determined by domestic politics. (more…)

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