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by Craig ShieldsPosted on Posted in Photovoltaics

Life is full of coincidences.  On the way back from dropping my daughter off at school this morning, I heard a piece on NPR on Black Swan technology (see press release linked) which is based on a unique “optical rectification” process that uses a very simple, cost-effective, single element system that extracts energy from the solar spectrum from the infrared through the visible, and has recorded efficiencies of as much as 50%.

A few hours later, I got a call from a gentleman who had seen that I had registered for the Utility Scale Solar show, and wanted my opinion on it.

Immediately, I placed a called to one of my most senior associates in solar technolgies, consulting physicist Bruce Allen, who spends a great deal of life studying stuff like this.  He says that this idea, still obviously in the R&D stage, has potential, but that it’s at least a decade from commerical application.

Of course, that’s only one man’s opinion.  I’m wondering if anyone else would like to share a viewpoint on this fascinating and important topic.

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by Craig ShieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

Gosh, it irks me to have our leaders take advantage on our ignorance – but I guess that what they do for a living.

Lisa Jackson, the administrator of the EPA, said recently that the agency will “issue guidance soon that states and polluters may use to implement the agency’s new greenhouse-gas regulations,” and that complying with the rules “is practical and is manageable.” Of course, it’s not at all clear what that means in terms of pragmatic consequences. But that didn’t deter our elected leaders from seizing opportunity to grandstand on either side of the aisle. Knowing that most people have no clue of the basic economics of new energy, and simply love a partisan fight, they were on camera more or less instantly.

Lawmakers led by Senator Jay Rockefeller want to postpone EPA action, saying the rules will hurt businesses and consumers grappling with a sluggish economy. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid wants to schedule a vote on Rockefeller’s bill “before we leave here.” Rockefeller is “aggressively pursuing” a two-year delay of the greenhouse-gas regulations for industrial sources such as power plants because “the unelected EPA” shouldn’t get ahead of Congress.

Is anyone asking about creating a level playing field for clean energy? About the real effect in job creation?  Maybe, but they’re incredibly hard to find.

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by Craig ShieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Politics

My colleague Steve Estes writes about the EPA’s recent announcement:

This is why the market is starting to get active again…. The EPA will proceed regardless, hopefully causing all of the folks against this to accept the alternative (which is better) of the politicians being allowed to pass some comprehensive legislation… (more…)

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by Craig ShieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

After I get finished with today’s webinar featuring Bill Paul, I’m on my way south to Carlsbad, CA, where I hope to finalize arrangements whereby 2GreenEnergy will be delivering a range of marketing services to a very special client.

Have you ever pulled a spent inkjet cartridge out of your desktop printer, and say, “Damn.

a) Can’t I get more page-prints of out this thing?

b) Can’t someone simply recharge this, saving me money and providing less waste into our environment? and

c) Does this really have to cost $30, when the manufacture’s cost is clearly under a buck? I’m aware of the razor / razor blades model, but this is really an incredible rip-off.

My client has a solution, and you’re gonna love it. More on this soon.

　

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by Craig ShieldsPosted on Posted in Hydrokinetics

The Vector recently ran a story on the potential of ocean energy.  Following up on that story, The Vector is reporting on some international ocean energy projects that are being installed, tested or are in operation.  A further story on domestic projects will follow in the days to come. Ocean energy includes wave energy, ocean current energy, tidal energy, offshore wind, ocean thermal gradient energy, hydrogen production and more.

** Norway’s Statoil is testing the world’s first floating wind turbine called Hywind, a 2.3 MW Siemens turbine moored to the deepwater seabed. The head of New Energy at Statoil said that Hywind is really in research and development stage. “If we succeed, then we will have taken a major step in moving the wind power industry offshore. Floating wind turbines can make a major contribution…” (Press Release, Statoil.)

(more…)

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by Craig ShieldsPosted on Posted in Electric Vehicles

Here’s a neat announcement by Hyundai on its first electric vehicles — with a commitment to some pretty robust quantities. I rented a Hyundai Elantra when I was back East a few weeks, and was delighted with the quality of the vehicle in every way. These guys have come a long way, and I have to think that the new EV will be making an extremely important contribution to the migration away from fossil fuels.

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by Craig ShieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

I wish I could attend the BusinessClimate 2010 show hosted by the Carbon War Room in NY City, but I just don’t think I can fit it into my schedule.

The ideas are so intriguing: essentially, use of free-market capitalism – rather than government mandates – to shift the focus of business into directions that are sustainable. In addition to the organization’s founder and perhaps the world’s most famous entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson, there will be a ton of incredible speakers on this subject, including the former president of Costa Rica, Jose Maria Figueres.

In my numerous talks with CEO Jigar Shah on this subject, including the interview I conducted for my book, I’m always intrigued with the creative ways he proposes to kick-start the race towards wealth creation in sustainability through the use of “Expectations Driving Investment Yielding Innovation.”

I’m confident that anyone attending the conference will walk away with some pretty heavy ideas.

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by Craig ShieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

This Wednesday, September 15th, energy industry guru Bill Paul will star in another 2GreenEnergy webinar on Alternative Energy Investing, in which he presents: The Five Alternative Energy Companies Likely to See 100% Gain in the Stock Price over the Next Six Months. I hope you can make it. (more…)

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by Craig ShieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

We have been using solar energy for thousands of years. And we have been generating electricity with solar energy for decades. And many new technologies are developed to help us use the energy more effectively.

If you will pay attention to solar industry, you may have heard about Graphene. It is a new type of solar cell which is a one-atom-thick planar sheet of sp2-bonded carbon atoms that are densely packed in a honeycomb crystal lattice. It is basic structural element of some carbon allotropes including graphite, carbon nanotubes and fullerenes. So, that is to say, the Graphene should be lighter and have better flexibility comparing to the past silicon solar panel. Some solar equipment such as solar lighting, solar water heater etc. will get rid of the heavy weight of large solar panel. Is that true? Let’s see it. (more…)

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by Craig ShieldsPosted on Posted in Renewables - Business

I got home late last night from a visit to the East Coast that featured a trip through Baltimore to visit my much-respected friends at GreenChipStocks.  I spoke for an hour and change with Jeff Siegel, and then went upstairs to meet Nick Hodge.  These are fantastically astute folks, and I’m thrilled to know them.

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