Blog – Page 1866 – 2GreenEnergy.com

Cold Fusion / Low-Energy Nuclear Reactions: Do Discussions of “Fringe” Science Harm Our Credibility?

craigshieldsPosted on February 4, 2011 Posted in Renewables - Science

I get occasional emails from professional engineers telling me that I’m harming our site’s credibility by suggesting that cold fusion is legitimate science. Here’s a fellow who’s not too sanguine on the subject:

Cold fusion has yet to be lifted out of the pit of porn science….The most accurate information that I have read about cold fusion or low energy nuclear reactions was “Cold Fusion: still too ridiculous for Marvel Comics…. I caution against promoting all “interesting” energy topics when the science is dubious. In my opinion, it weakens the message you are trying to present by linking the questionable (at best) with proven technology.

I appreciate the tip, and clearly the guy is correct that we need to respect the difference between proven technology and science fiction. But (more…)

2GreenEnergy Report – Foreign Oil and National Security

craigshieldsPosted on February 4, 2011 Posted in Renewables - Politics

Here’s another episode of the 2GreenEnergy Video Report. Here, host George Alger interviews me on the implications of the US addiction to foreign oil on our national security.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxKLgPpzhsM?rel=0&w=480&h=390]

Tagged with: 2GreenEnergy Report, foreign oil, national security, oil addiction, video

[The Vector] Venture Capital Funding for CleanTech Up in 2010

craigshieldsPosted on February 4, 2011 Posted in Renewables - Business

$3.7 billion was invested into renewable energy and cleantech companies in 2010, says Thomson Reuters data for National Venture Capital Association & PricewaterhouseCoopers.

The good news is that venture capital investments rose 76% from 2009, which was a dark year of uncertainty and economic difficulties in general. However, the investments are still less than the peak of 2008, when $4 billion was raised for renewable (more…)

Tagged with: alternative energy, clean energy, green energy, Renewable Energy, solar energy, solar panels, solar power, venture capital for CleanTech

Take a COOL Guess – the Fun Quiz on Clean Energy (and Global Warming Remedy). Today’s Topic: The World’s Total Energy Consumption

craigshieldsPosted on February 3, 2011 Posted in Renewables - Science

Take a COOL Guess – the Fun Quiz on Clean Energy (and Global Warming Remedy). Today’s Topic: The World’s Total Energy Consumption

Question: What is the world’s total energy consumption, in Watts?

Answer: Can be found HERE.

Relevance: 80% of the Earth’s energy (the total you see on the Answers page) is generated by burning hydrocarbons – a process that’s clearly unsustainable. And every day we hear of a new solar or wind farm with a capacity of so many megawatts. But what does that really mean in terms of “moving the needle” toward clean energy?

Tagged with: alternative energy, clean energy, global warming remedy, green energy, quiz on clean energy, Renewable Energy, solar energy, solar panels, solar power, take a cool guess, Wind Energy, wind power, wind turbines

2GreenEnergy Video Report: What Forms of Energy Really are Clean?

craigshieldsPosted on February 3, 2011 Posted in Renewables - Science

In this installment of the 2GreenEnergy Video Report, George Alger asks some very good, basic questions: What forms of energy really are clean? What about clean coal? Nuclear?

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFz64KmxO4o?rel=0&w=480&h=390]

Tagged with: 2GreenEnergy Video Report, clean coal, nuclear energy, video

Some Great Writing on the Chevy Volt

craigshieldsPosted on February 3, 2011 Posted in Electric Vehicles

When the occasion permits, I try to write in an entertaining style, rather than just blasting the reader with whatever facts or opinions I happen to have handy at the time. But I know I’ll never be able to begin to compete with folks like Gene Weingarten of the Washington Post.

If you’re interested in a fair-minded and really enjoyable look at electric transportation, I hope you’ll check out his piece on the Chevy Volt that ran in last Sunday’s Post.

[The Vector] Expected Impact of Energy Provision Extensions: What Next? (Continued)

craigshieldsPosted on February 2, 2011 Posted in Renewables - Business

(Continued from earlier…)

To date, 1,179 solar projects with total investments of over $1.3 billion in 42 states have been built with support from this program. In 2009, the U.S. installed about 435 megawatts of solar. That doubled to about 1,000 megawatts in 2010 and many forecasts point to 2,000 megawatts installed in 2011 with the bill extension. (more…)

Tagged with: alternative energy, clean energy, energy provision extensions, green energy, Renewable Energy, solar energy, solar panels, solar power, Wind Energy, wind power, wind turbines

A Few Reminders As We Advocate for Renewables

craigshieldsPosted on February 2, 2011 Posted in Sustainability

A Few Reminders As We Advocate for Renewables

Last night I came across a cute little book – a compilation of photos with inspirational quotes: “Go For It,” by Hulton Getty. Paging through it, I was struck by how many of these insights apply to the work facing the millions of us trying to do right by the planet and its people.

Here are a few examples:

There is no such thing as great talent without great will-power. – Honore’ de Balzac

We live in an era of great change, in which the old energy paradigms are rapidly folding down in favor of renewables. But we’re re-learning what we already knew: established regimes do not die gracefully, and great new ideas do not come to the stage without courage and forcefulness. Let’s accept Balzac’s message: Go for it.

(more…)

Tagged with: advocating for renewables

[The Vector] US Solar Supplier Scaling Up as Residential Market Commoditises

craigshieldsPosted on February 1, 2011 Posted in Photovoltaics

As the residential solar market matures in the Southern US, investors should be asking themselves which solar outfits are on the verge of growing into a project developer, capable of delivering big systems to the utilities, according to Paul Leming, an analyst with Princeton Tech/Soleil Securities. (more…)

Tagged with: alternative energy, clean energy, green energy, Renewable Energy, residential market commoditizes, solar energy, solar panels, solar power, solar supplier

Interview on Renewable Energy — Radio Show “Brainstormin’ with Billy the Brain”

craigshieldsPosted on January 31, 2011 Posted in Renewables - Science

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgVTm1VUhqg&w=425&h=344]

I was pleased to be a guest on the hot radio show “Brainstormin’ with Billy the Brain.” Here’s a 19-minute interview on which the host really did ask some tough questions.

Tagged with: Brainstornin' with Billy the Brain, radio