Posts Tagged by wind turbines
Professionalism and Courtesy — Good Things To Keep Handy
| December 4, 2011 | Posted by Craig Shields under Renewables - Business |
One of the big challenges in doing business in the 21st Century is that so many people seem to have forgotten the adage, of Asian origin I suppose, that “what goes around comes around.” Where the standards of professionalism 20 years ago required people to return phone calls and follow through on their commitments, that model has clearly gone out the window. We see examples constantly, where people behave so incredibly poorly — even where doing the right thing would have been completely painless and clearly to their own benefit.
But exactly why has this changed? Has there suddenly come an upside in being regarded as a flake or a liar? Sorry, I’m lost here.
As I told a friend in New York the other day, in description of a mutual acquaintance who has simply disappeared, falling completely out of touch, when all either of us represented to him was the possibility of raising investment capital for his company, “He appears to have been born with an appalling lack of both basic manners and common sense.” Again, I don’t see the upside to anyone in having people saying things like that.
In contrast, I like the approach of my fine friend Ward Rafferty, financial consultant with Wells Fargo Advisors in Santa Barbara. In his email signature is the phrase:
“There is one very powerful business rule. It is concentrated in the word courtesy.” – Henry Wells, 1864
From Guest Blogger Joshua Okomo: Top Challenges to Develop Green Energy in Africa
| December 1, 2011 | Posted by okomo under Renewables - Politics |
Africa faces the greater challenge of energy access, energy availability and energy affordability than all the rest of the world. Assessment undertaken in 2008, Africa was the lowest per capita energy consumer averaging 0.66 tons of oil equivalents (TOE) compared to the global average of 1.8 TOE. The greater challenge to energy development especially renewable energy is weak or lack of policy and effective renewable energy development institutions, low technology acquisition, low investment and inadequate financing. Government policy and unfavorable political good will rank higher as factors.
Successful development of renewable energy requires strong political will, government regulatory and fiscal muscle, incentives for private sector, innovative financing, considering the opportunity in clean development mechanism and technical capacity building. Policy makers in African governments have not given adequate attention to the potential of meeting renewable energy challenges of Africa. The continent is endowed with vast renewable energy resources, the continent has 1,750 TWh potential for hydropower and 14,000 MW potential geothermal, and potential for solar throughout the year. Wind power potential is also abundant.
The Validity of Electric Transportation
| December 1, 2011 | Posted by Craig Shields under Electric Vehicles |
I’d like to call readers’ attention to this discussion of the validity of electric transportation. In fact, the discussion began earlier in this piece on bashing electric vehicles. There are a lot of interesting ideas here that challenge the way the EV community generally sees the issue.
I would like to add one more variable into the equation: distributed generation. I bring this up partially because I know people who spec’d the solar arrays they put on their roofs specifically to charge their EVs, and partially because distributed solar (not to mention distributed wind/geo/hydro), has a real shot to change the energy paradigm in the not-too-distant future. Read More
From Guest Blogger Jim Stack: Hawaii — Land of Oil or Renewables
| December 1, 2011 | Posted by jstack6 under Renewables - Science |
Hawaii has been known as a land of paradise. They have a great climate and can grow anything anyplace. But did you know Hawaii runs most of paradise on oil-generated electricity? Of course, all of the oil is imported too.
Recently becuase of fast growing prices they started looking at renewable energy in Hawaii. They found they have great solar, wind, hydro wave and currents and even geothermal energy. They are now just starting to develop these great renewable energy sources.
In Hawaii they have have many small islands and micro grids that are not connected. This makes it difficult to combine all the great renewable energy sources they have into an efficient grid. Read More
Electric Vehicles: Confronting the Tough Realities
| November 30, 2011 | Posted by Craig Shields under Electric Vehicles |
Glenn Doty is an extremely senior scientist who studies the macro-world of energy, and doesn’t like what he sees regarding electric transportation. He writes:
While I have tremendous respect for you and the work that you are doing, I have very little respect for the people who compiled that study that you referenced.
The simple truth is that you cannot claim “grid mix” for a new marginal increase in grid demand. If you plug in a new toy (EV), they can’t do a rain dance to get additional energy from the hydropower dam… nor will they amp up the local nuclear reactor to provide more power… The only possible source for the energy going into NEW demand will be what is currently SPARE capacity – that’s natural gas and coal. Read More
The Externalities of Oil Include War
| November 29, 2011 | Posted by Craig Shields under Fossil Fuels |
We’ve all seen comparisons of the virtues of electric vehicles to their internal combustion counterparts, and noticed that they seem to exclude the many different externalities of oil: lung disease, environmental damage, national security, etc. Most people believe that we fight wars over access to oil, and I happen to be one of them. What value do you think that I, as the father of the boy pictured here, now 18, who could wind up killed or maimed, would place on that externality? Let’s just call it “significant.”
November’s Webinar: Top Business Plans
| November 28, 2011 | Posted by Craig Shields under Renewables - Business |
In the webinar, I chose a smattering of these plans and presented them to a live audience. Many of those listening wrote in questions, which I fielded as they came across.
Represented here are investment opportunities in electric transportation, wind, biomass, solar thermal, synthetic fuels, hydrokinetics, and concepts in energy storage, both batteries and compressed air.
I hope you enjoy.
Renewable Energy and Electric Transportation Face Issue with “Discount Rate”
| November 25, 2011 | Posted by Craig Shields under Renewables - Business |
A fellow I know has developed an incredible new coating for machinery, and points out that the business case for using this is quite compelling. He writes, “Experts estimate that 25 to 30 percent of all corrosion costs (estimated at $276 billion in the U.S.) could be eliminated through better painting practices.” He laments that the world doesn’t seem to have an appetite for this, even though the numbers are so obvious.
I reply:
What you’ve observed here is that we have a very hard time investing for the future — even when the business case is overwhelmingly strong. And unfortunately, this applies to almost everything we’re doing here in renewable energy and electric transportation. Read More
The UK Has Its Own Opponents to Renewable Energy
| November 21, 2011 | Posted by Craig Shields under Wind Energy |
Here in the U.S., we have climate change deniers, and all manner of other opponents to renewable energy. In essence, they’re the oil and coal companies, the members of Congress they influence, and those who believe the enormous amount of propaganda they generate on “clean coal,” “safe nuclear,” etc.
In the U.K. however, they come in the form of certain members of the nobility. According to The Guardian, the Duke of Edinburgh has made a fierce attack on wind farms, claiming that “they don’t work,” and describing them as “a disgrace” and “absolutely useless.” Pictured here, however, he looks rather jolly. Who would know that such scathing (and foolish) statements lie behind such a winsome smile and excellent breeding? Read More
Energy Storage, Pumped Hydro, and Synthetic Fuels
| November 18, 2011 | Posted by Craig Shields under Energy Storage |
Here is a magnificent piece on energy storage: a perfect blend of the basic science and economics. It’s a very readable explanation of how and why storage will be required to integrate significant amounts of renewables on the grid.
Today, the vast majority of energy storage is accomplished with pumped hydro. The problems with this, however, are a) only certain (hilly) terrains are appropriate to implement this inexpensively, and b) the stored energy is not portable, i.e., it cannot be used in transportation, which accounts for 40% of our total energy needs.
This gives rise to chemical solutions, also discussed in the piece. Personally, I’m betting on Windfuels, a 2GreenEnergy client, which sports a remarkable breakthrough in synthetic fuels.
