One way to analyze the political spectrum, normally thought of as “conservative to liberal” or “right to left,” is to look at our conception of human rights, i.e., what we believe to be the set of basic and inalienable rights that should be given to all people, merely by virtue of their being born into this world and living in the 21st Century.

In the parts of the planet where it is possible, I think most people would say that all people, regardless of their ability to pay for it, ought to receive a certain level of nutrition, clean air and water, and protection from criminals.  But what about education?  A job? Health care? A safe, warm place to live? (more…)

I know I have a tendency to carp about dozens of issues: Chevron in Ecuador, the lack of an energy policy in the U.S., certain senators who don’t know the difference between methane and carbon dioxide—and others who use certain lines from the Bible to block climate change mitigation, etc.

Here, however, is the mother of all my gripes: the world consumption of coal is going through the roof, and shows no sign of abatement, due to the growing urban population in Asia.  We either solve this problem, or we doom humankind to a level of suffering not seen since the Middle Ages.

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2GreenEnergy has a new relationship with a publicity company down in Los Angeles called Jones and O’Malley.  Terrific folks.  They’re trying to get me a gig as a blogger at the Huffington Post, and, to that end, I just submitted a 1000-word sample article.  I can’t publish it here right now, but when I’m able to, I’ll certainly do so.

I bring this up now because of the struggle I went through in crafting it. (more…)

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I know many readers are following the Chevron/Ecuador case, in which the oil giant has been ordered to pay $18 billion to clean up the environmental catastrophe they deliberately caused while operating as Texaco in the 1960s – 1990s, and in restitution to the indigenous people who continue to suffer incredible rates of disease as a result.  In a new but hardly unexpected twist, Chevron is suing the attorney who brought the case against them.

As I’ve mentioned, if I’m still on this planet at all, I expect to be a very old man indeed when Chevron finally pays these damages.  ExxonMobil dragged its 1986 Valdez oil spill case out until 2006, a time during which over 8000 of those waiting for restitution died, mainly of old age.

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Obviously, the world cannot simply turn off its fossil fuel-based power plants overnight.  What can and must happen, however, is that each country take an inventory of its energy situation: current grid-mix, renewable resources, unemployed labor force, national wealth and credit standing, etc., and develop a realistic plan to migrate toward clean energy and transportation within a sensible time-frame.

Apparently, Germany’s rapid adoption of renewables, with its huge feed-in tariff for solar, is causing a backlash from consumers, angry about power prices.  Having said that, the figures quoted in the article, suggesting that consumers are paying six times what they would on world energy markets, are poppycock (unless the Germans installed their solar panels in the basements).  Here’s the latest prediction for the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) from different resources; note that renewable energy is quite competitive.

I hope readers will note the macabre cartoon, fitting as it is for Halloween.

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Whether you want to reduce your carbon footprint after hearing about Earth overshoot day or you’re scrambling for ways to save money after looking at your latest utility bill, solar panels offer a solution. Not only can you help the planet and preserve it for future generations, but the savings you see over time will make your bank account happy, too.

1. For the Environment

Of course, many homeowners who go solar do so because they’re worried about their impact on the environment. Energy made from fossil fuel and other non-sustainable sources harms the environment by contributing to smog, carbon dioxide levels and global warming. (more…)

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In the current scenario, where energy prices are constantly escalating, a little saving on electricity bills will assist you in going a long way in making your life smoother and comfortable. According to research, lighting system at our homes contribute to maximum of the utility bills. (more…)

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Here’s an article that discusses the rise of electric transportation and the effects that this will have on the grid. I have two issues with it:

1) The author erroneously notes that EV charging could cause a 43% increase in electricity consumption. No, the entirety of transportation is only about 40% of our energy consumption (more…)

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Those who haven’t visited downtown Los Angeles since the 1990s will be pleasantly surprised at the incredible resurgence of areas just east of the skyscrapers that were, back then, blighted beyond belief.  Though there are still bad areas, there is a huge portion of this area of the city that is thriving with hip young people with their trendy bars, and more important, a technology corridor where start-ups in social media and cleantech are veritable beehives of innovation.  (more…)

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When my colleague Jon Lesage of the Automotive Digest found me checking out the Alt Car Expo a few weeks ago, he asked me to say a few words on camera about my new book (“Renewable Energy — Following the Money”) and any relevance to electric transportation.  The two-minute interview is linked above.

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