Home › Blog › Page 1488

by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

Last Friday was the birthday of French philosopher Denis Diderot, who said, “Man will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest.”  Holy cow, that’s some powerful language.  It appears to summarize the zeitgeist of Europe in the late Eighteenth Century, celebrating the Age of Reason and boldly announcing the Enlightenment, the French Revolution, and the U.S. Constitution with its separation of church and state. 

I’m often reminded that there was no analogous event in the Muslim world, where theocracy has been the unchallenged social and political paradigm since Islam came into existence 1500 years ago.  The world has so many problems, but to me, this seems to be at the core of a great number of them.     

Comments?

 

Tagged with: , , , , , , , , ,

by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

I went to a party last night in the Little Tokyo district of downtown Los Angeles, to celebrate the grand opening of a hair salon.  A dear friend, whom I’ve known since kindergarten, married a wonderful Japanese woman who owns and manages salons, now numbering three, that serve to teach new practioners, many of whom come from Japan, as well as deliver hair and other beauty services.

To say that the crowd and atmosphere was trendy would be a horrific understatement.  I felt like (more…)

Tagged with: ,

by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Electric Vehicles

I have every confidence that the next decade will see the introduction of numerous kinds of urban commuter electric vehicles that shatter the paradigm of the automobile as we know it now.  For obvious reasons, the auto companies – and to an even larger extent, the oil companies – are in no real rush to make this happen, as the current paradigm is quite profitable. Having said that, here’s a rendering of something that Toyota is working on. 

At $10,000 MSRP, it’s hard to know how this will be received.  That’s why I’m such a fan of the EmCycle, a product that will be available for a fraction – probably one quarter – of that.  The EmCycle may not have all the bells and whistles, but for a vehicle in this category, I don’t think that’s an issue.

 

 

Tagged with: , , ,

by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

My colleague Alan Tratner has asked me to play some sort of yet-to-be-determined role in the California Space Enterprise Center, a project that would develop an 100-acre parcel in Lompoc, CA (near Vandenberg Air Force Base) into a world-class attraction promoting space-related businesses, including a home for incubators for private space enterprises, educational programs, and a museum.  I’ve just written a letter of support, as follows:

 

To Whom It May Concern:

I have an extremely positive opinion of the effort to develop the California Space Enterprise Center, as I believe it will be a critical component in the nurturing of innovation in private enterprise in space-related business arenas, while stimulating the flow of well-educated people and new businesses into the State of California, and in the Lompoc / Vandenberg area in particular.

I’ve known Alan Tratner, one of the project’s key sponsors, for several years now, and he has consistently impressed me with his level of vision and sophistication vis-à-vis creative business concepts.  I have every belief that this initiative will represent a powerful and positive force, driving success for the region. 

 

Best regards,

 

Craig Shields

Editor

2GreenEnergy.com

Tagged with:

by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Sustainability

As I continue to learn more about the world’s energy supply, I naturally bump up against water issues, as the two subjects are closely connected across different axes – the so-called “water-energy nexus.”

Of course, energy can be extracted from moving water; in fact, hydro-electricity accounts for about 7% of our power in the U.S. (19% worldwide).  Having said that, we usually consider the ways in which energy is used to provide the water we need – largely pumping and purifying.  I live in California, which, granted, is an extreme case, but here, 19% of all electricity (about 30% of all energy) is consumed in conveying and distributing water, and in treating waste water. 

Virtually all experts believe that water issues will become more severe as: (more…)

Tagged with: , , , , , , , ,

by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

In the last two days, I’ve written a couple of pieces on the presidential debates here in the U.S., and so my head’s been caught up in the subject of the psyche of the American voter.  Of course, the rest of the world hasn’t stopped just because we have a couple politicians saying whatever they think they need to in order to win votes.  For example, here’s an article on climate change and the melting of the polar icecaps.  (more…)

Tagged with: , , , , , , , , ,

by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

Here’s a conversation I’m having with the friend who suggested that I write my “Open Letter on Energy to Mr. Obama.”

Craig:  I took your excellent advice.  Here you go:  http://2greenenergy.com/an-open-letter/32059/.

Friend:  Excellent. Well done!

Craig:  Thanks.  As you know, I view this more as theater than as reality; I feel a bit ashamed to be taking it so seriously.  I normally don’t publish stuff like this.  But the Republicans really will tear a huge hole through environmental regulation if given the chance. (more…)

Tagged with: , , , , ,

by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

After Wednesday night’s debate, I became one of literally millions wishing to give U.S. President Barack Obama advice, and, for that reason, I certainly do not believe that what I’m about to write has any particular importance. Having said that, here’s a brief “open letter.”

 

Mr. President:

A great number of us who viewed your debate on October 3rd were astonished that you were either unwilling or unable to defend yourself vis-à-vis America’s energy policy, and thus I offer a few “talking points” for your consideration on the subject: (more…)

Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Science

Yesterday started with a drive south to visit my friend, WindStream CEO Dan Bates.  WindStream is one of the very few micro-wind products that I favor, in that it appears that they have come across one of the very few strategies that has driven out costs without doing the same to quality.

From there, it was another 40 miles or so south to a fantastic luncheon in which I was introduced to the executive director of the National Water Research Institute.  The connection between water and energy, the so-called “water-energy nexus,” is an increasingly important facet of the drive towards sustainability, and it was great to get to know one of the real movers and shakers.

Then it was back north, barely beating the late afternoon traffic, enabling me to hit an IEEE cleantech conference on the way home, where my friend Ron Pretlac, CEO of Green Tech Motors, was talking up his new Large Air Gap Electric Ring (LAGER), a new take on high-efficiency electric motors.

After a day like that, it was indeed time for a lager – a cool one.

Tagged with: , , , , , , , , ,

by craigshieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

A friend writes:

Is it only my imagination, or did Obama fail to defend body blows on clean energy last night? I thought he gave a horrible performance on energy issues! Very, very weak. Are you planning to comment on your blog?

Yes, it was discouraging. 

Part of me excuses Obama because, 24 X 7, he’s actively managing the most important single entity on the planet.  His opponent, admittedly a smart guy, can spend all his waking hours sharpening his tongue.  But regardless, Romney did a terrific job.  My congratulations to a master in his craft.

The other part of me suggests that Obama, whose expressed energy policy is “all of the above,” (i.e., that we need to pursue clean coal, gas, nuclear, and renewables in all their forms) really deserved exactly what he got.  His lack of clarity and leadership in a critical time makes his position only slightly less ludicrous than Romney’s. 

It’s a symptom of the political zeitgeist, based squarely on Big Money, where real integrity is pretty-much entirely absent. 

As you know, I applaud Obama for having rescued the U.S. from the “drill baby drill” mentality that he inherited from his predecessor (whose name is no longer used in polite company  — nor any other, as far as I can discern).  But the state of our current political discourse has most certainly sunk to a new low.

In the period that precedes each election Tuesday, the Ghost of Democracy Past is paraded out in front of us in an effort to convince us that We the People have some legitimate participation in our government.  On cue, the ghost returns silent to its grave each election Wednesday, at which point we go back to living under the brutal pounding of the will of the aforementioned Big Money. 

Sorry, but it’s hard to take this theater too seriously. 

 

Tagged with: , , ,