Moore’s Law and the Trajectory for Renewable Energy
Each year, we come across a new set of discussions on the subject of Moore’s Law — the idea that the potency of technology doubles every two years. Intel co-founder Gordon Moore observed that the number of transistors that could be put onto an integrated circuit doubled with that regularity — and that this exponential growth persisted for an astonishingly long period of time.
Of course, we look upon this “law” figuratively. There is no secret force that makes it apply to every technology – or that requires the period of time in question to be exactly two years. But we’ve all seen adequate proof of the “spirit of the law,” i.e., that many technologies do, in fact, experience some sort of geometric expansion.
As we should have expected, it was only a matter of time until pundits began to debate the relation of Moore’s law to the energy industry. Recently we’ve seen numerous conversations regarding its application to the development of renewable energy technologies.
However, many people say that it simply doesn’t apply in this case, as such projected growth ignores the basic realities of energy: the long-term maturation of technologies, and the hard limits in efficiency that are put on us by more senior laws – namely those of physics itself. But here are a few points to consider: (more…)
I don’t know how many readers check out 
A reader points out that in talking about utility scale solar, only mature technologies are used — usually 20 to 30 years mature or more. He observes how long it’s taken PV to be seriously considered for plants over 10mW. But he goes on to talk about the Stirling Dish System, noticing that the system holds the efficiency world record for sun to grid electricity at 31.5%, and has minimal water use and half the land area and prep requirements of PV.
I’m trying to develop solid ideas for a path to pursue this upcoming book on Renewable Energy Job Creation. I woke up this morning with what I think is a good one: Why not head back to alma mater Georgetown with a plea from an alumnus? Please let me interview a few economics professors. The idea makes sense, but it makes me wish I’d been more generous in my donations.
The world’s oceans are a new frontier in the renewable energy world. Ocean energy is emerging and will be ‘make or break’ in the next five years, says the firm Pike Research that focuses on research and analysis of renewable energies. “The ocean energy business is right on the cusp,” says Pike’s managing director Clint Wheelock. He says more than 300 projects and tests are in the works around the world. (Press release, Pike Research. “Ocean Energy Could Reach up to 200 Gigawatts of Power Generation by 2025.” January 19, 2010.)
Life is full of coincidences. On the way back from dropping my daughter off at school this morning, I heard a piece on NPR on 
Gosh, it irks me to have our leaders take advantage on our ignorance – but I guess that what they do for a living.
My colleague Steve Estes writes about the 
After I get finished with today’s webinar featuring Bill Paul, I’m on my way south to Carlsbad, CA, where I hope to finalize arrangements whereby 2GreenEnergy will be delivering a range of marketing services to a very special client.
