As we approach the end of another year at 2GreenEnergy, I thought I’d provide a list of blog posts from 2010 – which, based on the number of reader comments, rank as the community’s favorites.
Again, I hope my guests and I have provided some level of value here in terms of getting to the root of the matter in clean energy. Please accept my sincere thanks for your support and participation.
What is the true battle royale facing humankind? Liberals vs. conservatives? Fascists vs. libertarians? Fundamentalists vs. infidels?
Strange as it sounds, I’m starting to agree with the people who point to ignorance vs. education, noting that recently, it’s become “cool to be ignorant.” Think that’s far-fetched? Check out Stephan A. Schwartz’ piece called Willful Ignorance.
The true eco-friendliness of EVs is a frequently debated topic here — largely built around potential shortages of lithium carbonate, the mineral from which lithium-ion batteries are made. Frequent blogger and thoughtful guy Edgar M. van Wngerden writes:
Here: http://www.theoildrum.com/node/6228 is the estimated outcome of an EV rampup based on the analysis of Jack Lifton: a fivefold increase in battery cost due to use of LOWER GRADE Lithium-carbonate ores (a $50.000 battery lasting 10 years, instead of a $10.000 battery at present -no recycling possible). And this would have to include Bolivia. I personally do not think the rainbow coalition in Bolivia would go along with this mining scheme, as it comes with great environmental destruction.
Of course you can find reports by lithium miners and their paid consultants… I highly regard Jack as simply the best in his field, and of the highest integrity. A true independent.
Thanks for this, Edgar; (more…)
I spent my K–12 years at a Quaker school in Philadelphia, William Penn Charter. And as one would imagine, an education based on Quaker values is rife with reminders of brotherly love and peaceful resolution to conflict. In fact, the Greek motto in the school’s seal translates into English as the command: “Love one another.”
I smiled as I read the school’s quarterly magazine this morning. My chest swelled with pride as I learned that the new Center for the Performing Arts was granted a coveted LEED certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for its use of wind energy, recycled materials and natural insulation. How effortlessly Quaker philosophy and environmentalism go hand-in-hand; the imperative to make the world a better place lies at the very core of this warm and contemplative way of life.
William Penn and his values had a profound influence on his time (late 17th / early 18th Century — the school was chartered in 1689; Penn died in 1718) though, sadly, that influence has diminished greatly over the years. (more…)
Rete Rinnovabile, Italy’s largest solar power generation company, was acquired in October by private equity group Terra Firma for €670 million ($930 million, according to a report in the Financial Times. The deal gives Terra Firma a 10% stake in the Italian solar power market.
Demand for power in Italy is expected to rise 1.7% this year after falling almost 7% last year, according to Terna. Italian demand is not expected to reach pre-crisis levels before 2014. Solar power plants in Italy have been guaranteed very attractive long term tariffs by the government.
Terra Firma already owns Everpower, a US wind farm development company, which it acquired for $350 million at the end of 2009, and Infinis, the largest pure renewables power generator in the UK. Infinis generates almost 350 MW of electricity from gas drawn from 124 landfill sites. It has a small interest in hydro power and operates 3 onshore wind farms, generating an additional 75 MW. (more…)
I often mention the fantastic work done by the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE). But where all its recommendations have the world’s best interests at heart, only some of them have a real chance of being immediately implemented.
I see that ACORE is calling a Global Renewable Energy Standard (G-RES) at COP-16 in Cancun, asking for a resolution on a global Agreement on 25% of energy supplies from renewables by 2025, and suggesting that the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) be designated as the lead agency to support implementation of the agreement.
All I can say is: God speed. (more…)
I notice that 17 people have responded with comments thus far to my recent piece on Renewable Energy World in which I discussed plug-in hybrids and the Chevy Volt in particular. Although the purpose of my original article was to call for a simplification of our industry jargon, I can now see that there is a certain amount of inherent complexity to the whole concept of electric transportation and how clean it is.
Readers may wish to wade through each of these comments; it’s certainly an instructive exercise. But I would summarize the situation as follows: (more…)
What’s worse, the U.S. has traditionally attracted the bulk of private venture capital. Now, these capital flows are making their way towards Asia, as Asia’s great public investment and focus gives more confidence to private capital. Deutsche Bank says “generous and well-targeted [clean energy] incentives” in China and Japan will create a low-risk environment for investors and stimulate high levels of private investment in clean energy. These nations rely on a “comprehensive and integrated government plan, supported by strong incentives.”
In fact, it was reported by Reuters that Deutsche Bank is spurning the U.S. for green energy investment financing. “You just throw your hands up and say…we’re going to take our money elsewhere,” says Kevin Parker, global head of Deutsche Asset Management Division, which oversees $700 billion in funds, of which about $7 billion is devoted to climate change products. Amid U.S. political uncertainty, Parker said Deutsche Bank will focus green investment dollars in China and western Europe, where it sees positive government environments. “They’re asleep at the wheel on climate change, asleep at the wheel on job growth, asleep at the wheel on this industrial revolution that is taking plan in the energy industry, “ said Parker in reference to leadership in Washington. He said the on-again, off-again tax incentives for renewables contributes to the poor outlook for investment in the U.S. (“Deutsche Bank Spurns U.S. for Investment”, by Richard Cowan. Reuters. August 11, 2010.) (more…)
I want to call readers to the work of a friend I met over the past year or so: Kathy Heshelow, an extremely talented and amiable person. Lots of interesting content at Energy-Blog.us.
In fact, I’ve asked her to write a number of the articles of The Vector. And checking out her site just now myself, I’ve realized that she helped to promote my book! Thanks, Kathy. Very kind of you.
I go on occasional rants about the lunacy of the EPA’s rating electric cars (pure EVs that use no gas, e.g., the Nissan LEAF) on their gas mileage. Apparently, John Voelcker of GreenCarReports.com agrees:
Idiocy…. So it’s come down to this, has it? The U.S. car-buying public is apparently so stupid that the Environmental Protection Agency has to rate the efficiency of an all-electric car that burns no gasoline in … miles per gallon.
I feel your pain, John. But the truth is that U.S. car-buyers actually are not that stupid. Realize that we’re still being instructed on how to buckle our seatbelts on airplanes (which work the same way as those in every car that’s been built for sale in the US for the last 50 years). The take-away: bureaucracies ADD content over time; they don’t remove anything — regardless of how completely useless and irrelevant it may have become. I predict MPG ratings will be applied to vehicles 200 years from now that run on solar nutrinos or gamma rays from neighboring galaxies.
Having said that, there are SO many good alternatives for the EPA to adopt. So here’s a plea to you helpful folks in Washington: Want to add honest value and inform the EV car-buying public about the costs of operating their car — or the relative effect that driving it has on the environment? Come on, admit it — that’s a true lightbulb of an idea! If you want some tips on exactly how this should be done, please call or write anytime.
