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by Craig ShieldsPosted on Posted in Photovoltaics

Recently, I read a report about solar power in USA. I feel it’s very interesting. So I select a part of the reports for our readers.

Solar Electric power also called photovoltaic, is the term used to describe the conversion of sunlight directly to electricity. The solar cells available today use semiconductor materials. To create useful amount of power, they are wired together in varying numbers to create solar modules (or solar panels). Because the electric grid provides AC power, the systems also include inverters that convert the DC electricity to AC electricity. Then the solar powered could be used for solar lighting, water heater and many other applications. Currently, over 2000 MW of modules are being manufactured annually worldwide.
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by Craig ShieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

Parking lots for shopping malls, big box stores, warehouses and office buildings are all subject to the local planning departments.  The planning departments have a standard set of rules for the design of buildings and also parking lots.  The typical parking lot is required to have landscaping for aesthetics and safety.  This often requires trees, hedges and flower areas which require an irrigation system and maintenance in the form of gardening and repairs.

The trees usually take several years before they grow into shade trees, the hedges a few years to develop and the flowers usually need to be replanted every year.  This all requires water which is becoming an ever more precious commodity. (more…)

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by Craig ShieldsPosted on Posted in Hydrokinetics

The National Hydropower Association (NHA) released a statement on July 13th 2010 praising introduction of a bipartisan bill by Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Patty Murray (D-WA), Mike Crapo )R-ID) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA).  The statement thanked the Senators who “…show great vision in turning to hydropower to provide clean, reliable, domestic energy generation, while also creating jobs in every state in the country – in fact, the measure will help create 1.4 million cumulative jobs over the next 14 years.” 

The NHA hopes that the bill will help hydropower in the upcoming Energy Bill and in policymaking, which should include long-term incentives for project development.

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by Craig ShieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

A reader commented that she loved the quote of Henry Kissinger that I used in a recent post:  “If it weren’t for the wrath of the American people about our presence in Vietnam, we’d STILL BE THERE.”  (emphasis added) I used that to illustrate that we DO, despite all indications to the contrary, have an important voice in determining the outcome of our civilization.

I happened to run across this one from Noam Chomsky just now:

All over the place, from the popular culture to the propaganda system, there is constant pressure to make people feel that they are helpless, that the only role they can have is to ratify decisions and to consume.

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by Craig ShieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

It seems that affection for renewable energy often breaks down across political (conservative vs. liberal) lines. I’m not sure I understand how this can be. Obviously, everyone cares about the quality of the planet we live on and leave to our descendents. So I’m guessing the fundamental issue is the cost of renewables.

But, as Tom Rooney points out in his recent article Why Conservatives Are Bad on Energy, the financial analysis of clean energy is largely based on misconceptions. A recent editorial in the Wall Street Journal referred to photovoltaic solar energy as a “speculative and immature technology that costs far more than ordinary power.” The author went on to point out that the only thing holding the industry together were subsidies. Didn’t this guy get the memo? A few weeks ago, the International Energy Agency said worldwide, fossil fuels receive $550 billion in subsidies a year — 12 times what alternatives such as wind and solar get. (more…)

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by Craig ShieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

A group of fuel advocates is pushing the Senate to include their Autogas in the tax break provisions of the upcoming Energy Bill expected for natural gas vehicles and infrastructure. Propane Autogas is derived from the refining of natural gas. Autogas is an alternative fuel used by private fleet vehicles and some public vehicles.

The National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) and Autogas for America have asked their members and industry to flood Senator Reid’s offices with letters in favor of Autogas for the Energy Bill. “Senator Reid is moving this [Energy Bill] along so quickly that we’re afraid they may not include Autogas,” said Rick Roidan, president of NPGA. “It will be a tremendous oversight by the Senate…”

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by Craig ShieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

I just got off the phone with the John Gotthold, the Chief Technology Officer of HySolGenics, Inc., a San Jose CA start-up that is developing low cost electrolyzers and portable hydrogen refueling stations – largely for rural, off-grid applications. They’re looking for angel funding, and, although this is not the kind of thing the investors I know try to cultivate, it sounds like an interesting opportunity.

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by Craig ShieldsPosted on Posted in Fossil Fuels

Readers here know that I generally refrain from taking cheap shots at the oil and gas industry. I try to keep in mind that, whether we like it or not, fossil fuels make up the vast majority of the world’s energy supply, and that until we can come together as a civilization and make them obsolete, we rely on them every days of our lives.

Having said that, I think it’s imperative to ensure we never lose sight of the dangers. To that end, I call attention to the fact that the federal government is warning residents in a small Wyoming town with extensive natural gas development not to drink their water, and to use fans and ventilation when showering or washing clothes in order to avoid the risk of an explosion. It seems that EPA researchers found benzene, metals, naphthalene, phenols and methane in wells and in groundwater.

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by Craig ShieldsPosted on Posted in Electric Vehicles

One of the keys to successful product launches is finding a niche that’s bound to be successful, and using that success to tell the story to a broader audience. Nowhere is this more important than in the introduction of electric transportation. Fortunately, as demonstrated in this article about the introduction of the Nissan Leaf in Hawaii, this niche-marketing concept is not lost on these folks. 

When you think of an environment whose attributes make EVs a slam dunk, it’s hard to imagine better circumstances than most of the island nations – or, in this case, island states: low speeds, expensive gasoline – and, best of all, finite ranges that are easily accommodated by a reasonably sized battery pack. If Leaf drivers get anywhere close to 100 miles on a charge, there will be very little range anxiety to dampen the Aloha spirits of native Hawaiians and their tourist customers.

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by Craig ShieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

I try to read VentureBeat whenever I can, to see what’s happening in the world of capital formation for start-ups in green tech.  Here’s an article that offers a summary of renewable energy trends that you may find useful.

It’s interesting how  many different prognostications there are about the adoption curve for renewables.  One reads some some really wild stuff.  I’m finishing up another white paper along the “tough realities” theme, which concludes with 10 top questions — none of which is really amenable to a hard and fast answer.

To me, all this  shows that the answer truly is “blowin’ in the wind.”  I.e., it’s a function of how fired up we get and demand solutions.  I’m reminded of Henry Kissinger recent statement, “If it weren’t for the wrath of the American people about our presence in Vietnam, we’d STILL BE THERE.”  (emphasis added) That’s an amazing thing for a political leader to admit, isn’t it?

Never think for a minute that you have no voice.

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