Blog – Page 1795 – 2GreenEnergy.com

China’s Energy Scene Is the Lynchpin to a Sustainable Future

craigshieldsPosted on January 13, 2012 Posted in Sustainability

Here’s a terrific article on China’s energy scene in Powermag.com.

The staggering rate of China’s economic growth in the recent past and foreseeable future makes them extremely interesting to those of us trying to understand the main challenges to creating a sustainable world. Not only is China the largest single polluter, but it’s the leading investor in renewable energy. Two-thirds of its electricity comes from coal (most of it imported over large distances, exacerbating the problem), and this is expected to diminish to only 58% by 2020 — but its current Five-Year Plan lays out clear and aggressive commitments in several forms of renewables.

Tagged with: alternative energy, China, China's energy scene, clean energy, green energy, lynchpin to sustainability, Renewable Energy

The Water and Energy Industries Are Closely Connected

craigshieldsPosted on January 12, 2012 Posted in Renewables - Business

Just got back from Los Angeles, have knocked out another interview for my third book (“Renewable Energy – Following the Money”). My conversation today was with David Rose of Wedbush Securities, whom I had met originally through an introduction by a mutual friend.

David is one of the world’s top experts on the water industry, an arena with many obvious ties to energy, e.g., water is a critical ingredient in generating most forms of energy, and it takes energy to pump and purify water. A shortage of one means a shortage of the other. And, of course, they’re both inextricably tied to a third issue of some importance: the world food supply.

Fascinating, yet scary stuff. More later.

Tagged with: alternative energy, clean energy, energy industry, green energy, Renewable Energy, water industry

Infographics on Energy, Water and Food

craigshieldsPosted on January 11, 2012 Posted in Sustainability

Readers may have noticed that we’ve recently gotten into the idea of infographics – the attempt to convey information simply and immediately using visual media; we’ve begun to create what we plan to become a comprehensive series on the subject of energy.

But, of course, closely related to sustainable energy are the issues of water and food. Here’s a wonderful photo-essay on food, contrasting the cultural norms and relative wealth of different cultures on our planet today. Hope you enjoy, and that it inspires in you the kinds of thoughts that it has from those who have commented on it thus far.

Tagged with: alternative energy, clean energy, energy infographics, green energy, putting renewables into perspective, Renewable Energy

GOP Candidates Bashing the EPA

craigshieldsPosted on January 11, 2012 Posted in Renewables - Politics

Here’s an article from the New York Times, a bit out of date, but still fiercely relevant: Bashing E.P.A. Is New Theme in G.O.P. Race, pointing out that Newt Gingrich wants to padlock the E.P.A.’s doors, and Rick Perry wants to impose an immediate moratorium on environmental regulation. Yet David Jenkins, speaking for Republicans for Environmental Protection says, “Not only are these positions irresponsible, they’re politically problematic.”

You have that right, Mr. Jenkins. There may be a great deal of truth in H. L. Mencken’s famous line: “No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.” But we’re not so brain-dead that we’ll vote for a return to the days of unfettered garbage-dumping into our skies and oceans.

Tagged with: alternative energy, bashing EPA, clean energy, David Jenkins, GOP Candidates, green energy, H. L. Mencken, Newt Gingrich, padlock E.P.A.’s doors, Renewable Energy, Republicans for Environmental Protection, Rick Perry Rick Perry

Why Trillions of Dollars of Private Capital Has So Little Interest in Clean Energy

craigshieldsPosted on January 11, 2012 Posted in Renewables - Politics

Michael Klare is a documentarian from Amherst, whose film “Blood and Oil” shows that from World War II on, every single administration has acknowledged that our wars are always fought over oil.

His piece here focuses on the military, but touches heavily on environmentalism and clean energy. He writes:

Last week, the president made a rare appearance at the Pentagon to unveil a new strategic plan for U.S. military policy (and so spending) over the next decade…..Obama was evidently the first president to offer remarks from a podium in the Pentagon press room. He made the point himself — “I understand this is the first time a president has done this. It’s a pretty nice room. (Laughter)” — and it was duly noted in the media. Yet no one thought to make anything of it, even though it tells us so much about our American world.

After all, when was the last time the president appeared at a podium at the Environmental Protection Agency (more…)

Tagged with: abolishing the Department of Energy, alternative energy, Amherst documentaria, Blood and Oil, clean energy, defunding programs, EPA powers, green energy, Michael Klare, Renewable Energy, repealing regulation, trillions of dollars of private capital

Renewable Energy Offers Advantages, But No Free Lunch

craigshieldsPosted on January 11, 2012 Posted in Nuclear

I’m in the television studio this afternoon, shooting a series of short videos explaining the basics of renewable energy, for use in introducing newcomers to the subject. If there is a theme to the series, it’s “No Free Lunch.” Each one of the dozens of different flavors of clean energy technologies come with its own unique set of pros and cons. Some are expensive, some are intermittent, some are quite “early-stage” (experimental), and they all have a certain amount of their own environmental impact. My job, as I conceive it, is to present this with as much fairness and objectivity as I can possibly bring to the table.

And speaking of fairness… (more…)

Tagged with: alternative energy, clean energy, cold fusion, green energy, Jim Boyden, low-energy nuclear reactions, no free lunch, Renewable Energy, renewable energy advantages, Wally Rippel

Physicist Jim Boyden on Clean Energy

craigshieldsPosted on January 10, 2012 Posted in Nuclear

Jim Boyden earned his Ph.D. in physics from Cal Tech the same year I graduated from kindergarten (1960). I joked with him during our interview this morning: “So, while I was trying to master the alphabet, you had risen to a somewhat loftier academic level — and the subject of your dissertation was…. ?”

“High energy particle physics,” he smiled modestly.

I wanted to interview Jim as a part of my third book, “Renewable Energy, Following the Money,” because, since he left academia, he’s been one of the most successful business people that the world of technology has even known. In particular, during his tenure at Hewlett-Packard, Jim started a business for the computing giant in the arena of printing – first laser, then ink-jet: now a mere $20 billion in annual revenues. (more…)

Tagged with: alternative energy, clean energy, green energy, Hewlett-Packard, physicist Jim Boyden, Renewable Energy, Renewable Energy - Following the Money

U.S. Response to Climate Change Divided Across Party Lines

craigshieldsPosted on January 9, 2012 Posted in Renewables - Politics

Steve Cohen, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of Columbia University’s Earth Institute sees the climate change issue in much the same way we tend to here at 2GreenEnergy: shamefully divided across party lines – yet not hopeless. On his blog at the Huffington Post, Cohen points out that Republicans really have changed their minds on the legitimacy of climate change. He comes away, however, on an upbeat: “Young people understand the challenges of global sustainability and I am convinced that the situation is far from hopeless.” (more…)

Tagged with: alternative energy, clean energy, Democrats, global climate change, global warming, green energy, Renewable Energy, Republicans

Advice to Environmental Policy Makers: Limit Further Damage

craigshieldsPosted on January 8, 2012 Posted in Sustainability

Descending the nearby mountain I had hiked last Sunday afternoon, I slipped a bit, and almost sprained my ankle. Though I quickly recovered my balance, the brief incident caused me to think about how clever nature is; in the case of such a trauma, my body would have instantly provided pain and swelling to the injured joint, limiting motion, thus minimizing further injury.

Of course, this is one of many self-limiting systems that helps regulate individual organisms, and society at large. We laugh about the annual Darwin Awards, posthumously bestowed on people who accidentally kill themselves in the process of attempting extraordinarily stupid things, thus unintentionally performing acts of kindness, removing bits of “stupid DNA” from the human gene pool. (more…)

Tagged with: environmental policy makers, environmentalism, environmentalists

Snappy Little Electric Trike

craigshieldsPosted on January 8, 2012 Posted in Electric Vehicles

I just got off the phone with long-time 2GreenEnergy supporter Ron McCurdy who reviewed his electric trike website with me. He’s looking for dealers and other business partners; anyone interested can reach him at freedex@rogers.com.

Ron also pointed me to Organic Transit, another group with a vision for low-impact urban transportation, and a cool, futuristic design.

Tagged with: alternative energy, clean energy, Electric Vehicles, EVs, green energy, Renewable Energy, Ron McCurdy, Snappy Little Electric Trike