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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Science

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xs0yyzK_ts]
Here’s last month’s webinar, in which I interview Jim Holbery, Ph.D., CEO and founder of GridMobility.  It’s a 60-minute discussion on how electricity is generated, and how consumers can stipulate their preference for renewable energy.

This, of course, is a non-trivial task, as “green” and “brown” electrons move around our grid with no discrimination at all.  So how did Jim’s team pull this off?  I hope you’ll check it out. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Biomass

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uSdDP_0WmQ]Here’s a short video on a waste-to-energy deal in one of the world’s largest population centers. Dealing with municipal solid waste (MSW) is a serious challenge, but, as is often the case, there’s a twist…

As Donald Trump famously said, “As long as you’re going to be thinking anyway, think big.”  That certainly seems to apply to what we’re doing in clean energy, doesn’t it? It’s really not smart to apply time and effort to projects that don’t scale. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Biomass

I’m trying to arrange a meeting with one of 2GreenEnergy’s great supporters, an international, high-flying guy whose fantastic biomass-to-energy project I support without reservation.  His base in the U.S. is Chapel Hill, North Carolina, a place I like a great deal, but I don’t visit often on business.  When I asked about his travel schedule, hoping to arrange a mutually agreeable meeting place and time, he wrote: “I’m in Vegas often for the UFC fights (“ultimate fighting”); I love them and try not to miss one when I’m in the States. I look forward to meeting you.”

I responded:

As I’ve told you, I love your project, and I’d like very much to meet you.

Not to sound like I’m totally out of the pop-culture (which I am), but what’s the main attraction of UFC?

It’s not that I don’t appreciate a good fight.  (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainable Building

A significant part of the stimulus money from the Department of Energy has enabled homeowners to perform extremely cost-effective retrofits for energy efficiency. A lovely and articulate spokesperson from Energy Upgrade California I met at the AltCarExpo in Santa Monica explained to me how the “whole house approach” (stopping leaks, using energy efficient windows, saving on water with low-flo toilets and showers, and efficient heating and air-conditioning systems) can reduce energy bills, improve building comfort, enhance indoor air quality, and reduce the impact on the environment.

I asked for examples of what she meant by “building comfort and air quality.” (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Electric Vehicles

PhotobucketI always look forward to the AltCarExpo in Santa Monica each year. It’s rather like one of the major auto shows, but without all the flashing lights, loud noises, “booth-babes” – and, more to the point, all the gas- and diesel-powered cars and trucks. Though generally dominated by electric vehicles, the Expo contemplates all the alternative fuels: hydrogen, CNG, propane, and half a dozen others; it’s more than worth a visit if you’re in the area.

A local radio station, Pasadena’s NPR affiliate KPPC, did a live remote from the Expo, on which a few of my friends in this space were interviewed, taking calls from folks all over Southern California. Here was one that I found most interesting:

Caller: I notice that there are a dozen-or-so alternative fuels. Isn’t it unrealistic to replace one fuel type with dozens? Won’t there eventually be a winner?

Answer Summary: I hope not. We need to have all these – and more – represented in the mix.

No offense, but this is totally misguided. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Electric Vehicles

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3V3DnBFkUec&w=420&h=315]

The total world market for electric bicycles is exploding, spurred in large measure by the huge urban populations of China, India, Indonesia, Thailand, and the rest of Southeast Asia. Add to that the demand created by a growing eco-conscious consumer in the West, and you have one of the largest and most attractive markets on Earth.

Now consider this: there are a hundred ways to design an e-bike that’s a piece of junk. For starters, it can to heavy, uncomfortable, unreliable, hard to repair, easy to steal, dorky-looking, flimsy, under-powered, short on range, or dangerous.

In this interview, I speak about a company that sports what I believe to be the perfect e-bake design.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

Here’s a bit of good news that I’d like to pass along.  I’ve often written that the U.S. Supreme Court decision Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission will some day be remembered as the single most ruinous event in the 235 years of our Republic. And, though our elected leaders have uniformly refused to take a stand on the matter, it appears that ordinary Americans are rising up and doing what our representatives failed to do: protecting and defending our democracy. (more…)

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Electric Vehicles

There are some highly respected thinkers who completely and vocally reject the idea of electric vehicles. I spoke recently with John Petersen of SeekingAlpha.com fame, whose recent article: “It’s Time To Kill The Electric Car, Drive A Stake Through Its Heart And Burn The Corpse” has stirred a great deal of conversation on the subject. (more…)

by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Science

Don’t we all feel our hearts warmed when we realize that a friend “has our back?” Frankly, I don’t particularly feel that my back needs protecting, but I did write recently:

A radio talk-show host reviewed my book the other day with an eye toward having me on his show. He wrote back just now: … I found it to be interesting, though I should tell you I’m one of the people who don’t believe in global warming….I also believe we have enough fossil fuels to last for hundreds of years if we were allowed to get it … I think it (having you on the show) would make for an interesting segment.

A friend wrote back:

Sounds like a potential ambush to me. I strongly suggest you spend some time memorizing these talking points about Global Climate Change before going on the show.

I’m grateful; I feel very well taken care of. I urge everyone who happens to be interested in the subject of global climate change to check out the link my buddy provided above; it is, IMO the most up-to-the-minute treatment on the subject.

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by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

Frequent commenter Cameron Atwood writes:

I’m not sure if you saw this speech by MLK referenced in Chris Hedges’ recent piece, but here’s a link, and it seems as applicable in the present day as it was 44 years ago.

To which I respond:

Chris Hedges is one of the most brilliant minds in our world today.  And by any standards, MLK was a supremely enlightened guy. Was he in Socrates’ league?  I don’t know, but as time passes, it becomes ever clearer that the world is forever a better place because he was here.

To whatever minuscule degree, I wish to die believing the same about my own presence here.  And as an off-the-charts coincidence, I came across this quote twice in the last 24 hours:

“Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity.”

– Horace Mann, address at Antioch College, 1859

That’s a fairly cool standard to which to hold oneself, don’t you think?

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