Lack of energy

On a personal level. Could barely stand this AM or get warm, hope to start posting again tomorrow morning/afternoon. Oh and Hancock was worth seeing once, more is you have an inexpensive theatre around you.

Which alternative energy?

Presidential wannabe Senator Biden will be speaking against offshore drilling. No surprise there as that seems to be the Democratic line to toe right now. There are pros and cons to that but it is not expected to change anytime soon. Even automakers and utilities are looking around for something-- different.

That means we need to find other sources (just in case you have been sleeping I just stated the obvious).

James Hrynyshyn's blog post, `There is no single bullet` pretty much nails it in that there will not be a single source of energy to mostly replace our gas/oil habit. In some areas solar will be a great answer but that will not be for everyone.

Meanwhile Hippy Shopper has the `Top 5 Weirdest alternative energy sources`. I mean did you know that they were modifying bugs to secrete oil? Ewwwwwwww.

technorati tags: alternative energy, Biden, oil, energy

Adopt a Watt

November 5, 2012 Update - This page has had a facelift and looks much better. Check out Adopt-A-Watt. Below is the original posting:

In spite of the horrendous Frontpage 6.0 style webpage, this program sounds very exciting. Check out Adopt a Watt. Basically one can donate a sum of money and have the rights to name a 5' by 7' Photo-Voltaic Display for a set amount of time, just like the Adopt a Highway program.

Read more about it here:
Royal Oak man offers alternative funding for alternative energy

technorati tags: alternative energy, watt, economics, energy

Solar continues to gather steam...

Solar power is very attractive. As long as we have that big ball of fire in the sky that we call the sun, we could have a means of energy down here on Earth. No need to dig into the dirt, build platforms in the middle of the ocean, or throw pollution into the sky. Sounds great but so far it has yet to really take hold.

Why? Well the technology really had not evolved far and the energy produced took a lot of work to gather. Much was lost along the way but with the big push on renewable energy there has been a larger effort to improve this old tech. Most recently dyed glass has been found to help out. See, `Colorful Glass Delivers Massive Solar Energy Boost'. Not only does it increase the amount of energy harvested but it can do it in a cost effective manner. How's that for a breakthrough? Keep an eye out, they say it will only take about three years to get this to market.

Also be sure to check out Treehugger's post: MIT Solar Concentrator Improves Solar Cell Efficiency and Design Options

Who would use such technology? Well the big businesses are the ones that will probably make the most widespread use of it. Check out ecogeeks article: GM Installing World’s Largest Rooftop Solar Power Station. It is going to be in Spain and generate a whopping 15.1 million kWh.

The Alternative Energy Foundation Blog lists 4 Reasons Why Solar Energy Will Dominate.

Solar Energy News, a blog also on Blogger, has a post on an Office Depot that will employ green energy solutions such as solar power.

technorati tags: alternative energy, solar power, green, energy

The politics of big... alternative energy?

The world is trying to diversify on energy and in the United States Green Politics has become the new throwdown arena. The shirt sleeves are rolled up (but just a little bit) and money is on the line (just a little bit, I mean it is a lot but not when compared to how much goes elsewhere) so it is no wonder that, in an election cycle, that energy security and diversification is starting to move to the forefront.

It starts off small, a NC US Senate candidate named Kay Hagan decides to address the issue while at a local gas station. Apparently Hagan supports alternative energy, wants to know how the gas prices are impacting those who may vote, and is towing the new Democratic line of releasing oil from the reserves which Bush has rejected thus far.

It is obvious to anyone who has been listening that McCain and Obama, both Presidential wannabes, have differing views on how to save the United States. In the arena of Green Politics it is no different. While both agree that something needs to be done with the energy policy (that diversification thing I mentioned above), they do differ on how we need to move into the future energy market. Obama wants to reduce oil imports and consumption by way of alternative energy and also by mandating higher MPG goals for automakers. McCain wants us to continue using oil, tap into reserves that are currently off limits, and yes, a little bit of renewable energies might make it to the table too but it is unlikely.

Recently shots have been fired on the energy front. The Republicans aired a spot that attacked Obama on energy. Basically they label him as an obstruction to what they deem to be the immediate solutions to our energy crisis. That is to say he does not want to drill off the coast, he does not do backflips for nuclear energy (which is unfortunate IMHO), and that he brings nothing new to the table in this debate.

Not to be outdone because this is an election after all, the DNC has fired back with a spot of their own. Basically they paint McCain as being George Bush in new clothing, supporting a plan that will not produce any new supplies for at least seven years, and that Obama would give the poor tax breaks and fast track alternative energy programs.

Now just to throw some gasoline on the fire (or rather ethanol) we can also be prepared to be hammered by the Grocery Manufacturers Association who are going to start waging an open war against ethanol. The question is will they end up being a Swift Boat attack or will they have staying power?

technorati tags: alternative energy, green politics, election, energy

A Morning News Rundown

May you live in interesting times goes the old curse and things are surely interesting these days. Change can bring chaos and with chaos you can get some insanity. That might, just might explain how Bush has come out and said that there has been 'Significant progress' on climate change. The head of the administration that even went so far to remove pages from a climate change report said that "in order to address climate change, all major economies must be at the table...". Not everything went well at the G8 summit. The Telegraph ran with the headline: Divisions emerge over G8 climate change goals.

Still citizens are standing up and saying no to drilling off of the coast of the United States even when oil has settled in with record highs. Some will see a silver lining in everything and with oil's recent decline the question has been posed, "Is the Oil Bubble Bursting?"

While we may not see any rigs off of the coast anytime soon there may be wind turbines. Apparently Georgia Tech researchers have been looking into the viability of setting up a wind farm on Tybee and Jekyll islands.

Meanwhile Intel is investing into the solar power industry and Michigan is looking to give alternative energy companies millions of incentives.

technorati tags: alternative energy, green, climate change, energy

Green Blogging

I usually do not have the time to blog due to work and other responsibilities. I usually do not even have time to read other blogs but here are a few interesting posts that are out there and you should know about.

TreeHugger:
Wall Street Journal on The New World Order Climate Change

That post linked to this one on DeSmogBlog dot com:
Wall Street Journal's Bret Stephens' Sick Souled Neurosis

BIOconversion Blog:
Roadmap for bioenergy & biobased products in the U.S.

TriplePundit:
What's the difference between Carbon Offsets and Renewable Energy Credits, Anyway?

technorati tags: alternative energy, green blog, climate change, energy

A Solar Day, Emissions, Cars...

Solar power appears to be getting a lot of news and even a bit of respect these days. No wonder with oil, even with the recent dip, still remaining very high. One thing that I have not heard the talking heads mention, when comparing what is going on now to the 70s, is that our technology has changed. What was not feasible back in the 70s is actually at our fingertips now, viable alternative energy. The question is will we take hold or slip back into the habits of the last hand full of decades?

G-8 endorses halving global emissions by 2050

Tuesday's statement, however, addressed total world emissions rather than just those produced by wealthy countries, and critics attacked it for failing to go much beyond the G-8 statement last year. The communique also did not set a base year from which emissions would be cut.

Environmentalists criticized the statement for failing to go beyond the G-8 statement last year.

Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens wants to supplant oil with wind

Of course, Pickens also has a particular solution in mind.

Wind. And natural gas.

Last week, Pickens loaded up his $60 million, top-of-the-line Gulfstream G550 corporate jet with reporters and a few associates from his Dallas-based BP Capital energy hedge fund and related companies and flew here to illustrate just how big — and achievable — his vision is.

Report Buyer Adds New market Study on Hybrid Power Systems

The report presents an analysis on hybrid power systems which
utilise renewable energy such as wind energy or solar photovoltaics. The study covers the various types of hybrid power systems using renewable energy, such as wind-diesel hybrid power systems, fuel cell-gas turbine hybrid systems and the more common solar PV hybrid power systems.

Mesquite's solar prospects boosted as BLM lifts moratorium

The lift of the moratorium gives new life to solar projects throughout the state and literally brightens Mesquite’s solar future.

"The moratorium was scary," Holecheck said. "Anyone who hadn’t filed an application stood a chance of losing tax credits. Since I’ve been mayor, the city has been visited by three solar production companies that have talked about putting facilities that would produce 200 megawatts or more of energy."

"I had the opportunity to listen to the BLM-Department of the Interior hearing in Las Vegas," said Michele Burkett, president of Defend Our Desert. "They did not have a good case for the moratorium. Three big solar companies testified. They looked at utility-sized solar; that’s what this country needs.

Toyota reportedly to put solar panels on Prius

"It's not going to eliminate gasoline consumption in a Prius, and it wouldn't be on my list of energy improvements I'd make to a car," said Mark Duvall, program manager for electric transportation studies at the Electric Power Research Institute. "But that doesn't mean it can't make a small but significant improvement in the amount of gasoline you'd use."

And that's the heart of the Prius' appeal.

BP PRESENTS SOLAR-POWERED ELECTRIC VEHICLE TO LAKESHORE NATURE PRESERVE

BP America Inc., the largest oil and gas producer in the United States and one of the largest investors in alternative energy, is making a gift of a solar-powered all-terrain electric vehicle to the Lakeshore Nature Preserve at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

It was handed over to the preserve today ( July 7 ).

The electric vehicle, equipped with a 48-volt battery system and a 185-watt PV solar panel manufactured by BP Solar at its Maryland facility, will be used to move staff and equipment around the 300-acre preserve. The preserve stretches across more than four miles of Lake Mendota shoreline, from near the Memorial Union Terrace on the east to Shorewood Hills Village on the west.

technorati tags: alternative energy, solar power, wind power, energy

Evil Oil Investing in Solar Power?

CNet has an article up about a subsidiary of Shell that is jumping into alternative energy whole hog. How so? They are investing $938 Million USD in a great big solar plant.

Japanese Shell subsidiary plans solar-panel plant

Royal Dutch Shell subsidiary Showa Shell Sekiyu, Japan's fifth-largest oil refiner, plans to invest 100 billion yen, or about $938 million, in a solar-panel megaplant, according to AFP.

The planned factory will produce panels with the cumulative annual capacity to produce 1 gigawatt of power, equivalent to that of a small nuclear-power reactor.

Compare that to Egypt who are investing a whopping $30 Million USD into a center for renewable energy.

The centre will carry out research on renewable energy, including the testing of solar and wind power technologies.

It will provide consultancy services to governments and private companies, promote knowledge and technology transfer between companies and governments in the region and the North, and run training programmes to help set up technologies around the region.

The US is also moving to be a bit friendlier to renewable energies:

US Government Agency Reverses Moratorium On Solar Power Proposals

The Bureau of Land Management said it will keep its doors open for new proposals while it studies how large solar plants might affect the environment of undeveloped areas of California and the Southwest. The agency had said last week it would put a hold on new applications pending its environmental review.

Green funds and green energy

Green funds are the new rage and the public is starting to hear about them from various news sources. In recent days:
Green fund coming soon

BIEP's primary mission is to ensure the highest quality of environmental management by maintaining the highest standards of practice among environmental professionals in Barbados.

Byer-Suckoo told its members that they had the unique advantage of contributing to the local and regional environment knowledge base through research and innovation.

Virgin Green Fund gains traction with CalPERS investment

The fund was set up last year to make investments in renewable energy and resource efficiency. Like many private equity firms, VGF primarily invests in late-stage projects. It used seed money from Virgin to begin taking stakes in several startups before it had even completed its first round; it currently has seven.

Wealth manager launches Asian "Green" Fund

In terms of energy, the fund will look to invest in a number of alternative investment opportunities including geothermal power in the Philippines, wind turbine manufacturers in India, solar power module makers in China, bio-fuel plantation companies in Malaysia and Indonesia, coal seam methane producers in Australia and nuclear power technology companies in South Korea and Japan.

Links of interest:
North Carolina Green Fund

IBM PUSHES SOLAR PV TECHNOLOGY

IBM Research's Supratik Guha refused to put a specific figure on the sales of new thin-film solar technology, he described the market potential as huge.

“We've already been in discussions with photovoltaic manufacturers,” Mr Guha said.

“There are problems to be resolved, but this is the time we're starting to talk to them.”

Link of interest:
Pushing the PV Envelope: Organic Solar Cells Moving into Production

GreenHunter Energy Added to Global Wind Energy Index

GreenHunter Energy, Inc. (Amex: GRH) announced today that it has been included in the ISE Global Wind Energy Index, which is the first global wind index to provide a benchmark for investors interested in tracking public companies that are active in the wind energy industry. Eligibility to be included in the index is limited to those companies that are actively engaged in the wind energy industry, such as the development or management of a wind farm or the production or distribution of electricity generated by wind power. To date, only 53 companies worldwide have been included in the index.

Westward Ho! US utilities scramble for wind

Utilities are not only scrambling for affordable wind power to meet RPS requirements, but dealing with fluctuating prices. The city of Portland, known for its green ethic, has seen prices jump up and down while it has searched for wind power to help supply municipal needs. ‘Our goal is to acquire a large-scale renewable resource. We’re moving slowly because the marketplace is very, very volatile right now,’ says Dave Tooze, senior energy specialist for the city.

According to King, delivered prices for wind power last year ranged from $85–$100/MWh.

technorati tags: alternative energy, green fund, wind power, energy

Green Videos from ZDNet

First up (for this post) is a new one about Intel and how the company has been reducing power consumption for itself and on the consumer side.

The other is called, `Is enterprise 'sustainability' sustainable?' and is also worth a look.

Really Green Energy

Wired dot com is once again covering oil from algae. This post was prompted by a press release from Sapphire Energy who have announced that they have managed to produce 91 octane fuel from their process. The exact process is being kept under wraps but the overall costs for starting up the facilities for doing this will run about the same as what would be spent on deep sea drilling or even a tar sands operation. That is a hefty price tag but the trade off is possible carbon neutrality which will go a long ways in helping developing countries clean up their act.

Company scientists have built a platform that uses sunlight, CO2, photosynthetic microorganisms and non-arable land to produce carbon-neutral alternatives to petrochemical-based processes and products. First up: renewable gasoline. Critically important, in light of recent studies that prove the inefficiencies and costs of crop-based biofuels, there is no ‘food vs. fuel’ tradeoff. The process is not dependent on food crops or valuable farmland, and is highly water efficient. “It’s hard not to get excited about algae’s potential,” said Paul Dickerson, chief operating officer of the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy “Its basic requirements are few: CO2, sun, and water. Algae can flourish in non-arable land or in dirty water, and when it does flourish, its potential oil yield per acre is unmatched by any other terrestrial feedstock.”

Other links:
Algae: Power Plant of the Future?

Quick Afternoon News

Sylvania is making an effort to get consumers to recycle their bulbs.

SYLVANIA Continues Commitment to Lamp Recycling Program with the Inclusion of the United States Postal Service

SYLVANIA recognizes the public concerns over the effects of mercury in the environment and the need for proper CFL disposal. SYLVANIA CFLs use 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer. However, because they contain a small amount of mercury, it is important that CFLs be recycled.

Yes, there is a bit of mercury in the CFLs but there is less mercury in the wild with these vs a regular lamp at home which can end up putting a lot more mercury into the environment. 50% of our power comes from coal fired plants and they are the biggest sources of mercury pollution. Recycling a CFL reduces the impact even more only allowing a minimal amount of mercury into the environment.

Democrats are pushing to punish big oil and take away money and now the House may veto the new bill.

House Set to Vote on New Energy Bill

The tax package totals about $21 billion - two-thirds of it coming from big oil companies. It was completed late Wednesday.

Panda Ethanol Receives Air Permit for Sherman County Refinery

Panda Ethanol Inc. today announced that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has granted an air permit for the company's planned 115 million gallon-per-year ethanol refinery in Sherman County, Texas. The facility will be designed to annually refine an estimated 38 million bushels of feedstock-grade corn into a clean burning, renewable fuel for the nation's transportation needs. The biofuel produced by the Sherman plant could displace approximately 2.6 million barrels of foreign oil a year.

Ohio may drill for oil in state parks

In behind-the-scenes discussions, a provision has been advanced that would allow drilling on state lands “covered by concrete, asphalt, gravel, turf, crops or fields that have plants or trees not exceeding 10 years in growth.” The proposal would create a five-member Oil and Gas Leasing board to oversee the leasing of state property for developing oil and natural gas reserves.

technorati tags: alternative energy, CFL, Ohio, ethanol

Wired Green News

Storing sun and wind power
By Martin LaMonica

One company with a novel approach is Massachusetts-based start-up General Compression, which is building a wind turbine that compresses air and stores it underground in caves or other geological structures. The compressed air is drawn when needed and expanded to drive electricity generators.

Rumor: Taiwan mulling a phase out of incandescent bulbs
Posted by Michael Kanellos

Taiwan may soon join the list of national and state governments to impose regulations that lead to the demise of traditional incandescent bulbs. Neal Hunter, CEO of LED Lighting Fixtures (LLF), says there are rumors in the lighting world that Taiwan will pass legislation that would phase out incandescents by 2011 or 2012.

Green disinformation stunt fools media
Posted by Elsa Wenzel

The U.S. Climate Action Partnership, a high-profile collection of 33 corporations and environmental nonprofits, pledged Monday to slash its greenhouse gas emissions by 90 percent by 2050, and demanded that no new coal power plants be built.

technorati tags: alternative energy, green power, Taiwan, Massachusetts

Nuclear plants a welcome neighbor?

The very notion seems to run counter to what most people believe is the common reaction to having a nuclear power plant as a neighbor. However, in New Jersey it is exactly what is going on.

PSEG runs the nuclear plant in Salem on what is called the Artificial Island. Recently they announced that they would very much like to go ahead with plans for expansion. Instead of local protests, they were met with cheers. Expansion means more jobs for this area of the country and jobs are very much needed.

Not only that but there are other things to consider such as the tax breaks that those who live near the reactor receive. Other monetary benefits lay with the fact that PSEG makes large charity donations and with all of that money being handled, it is no wonder that most of the locals embrace their nuclear neighbor.

Even without the protestors there are enough obstacles to get through in getting the fourth plant up and running. PSEG still has to decide what type of reactor it will be, there are billions of dollars in cost, and it will take a long time before it is up and running which leaves us to wonder what kind of reception might this new plant get ten years from now? Will PSEG continue to perform well and not slide back into trouble? How will new technologies impact not just the final plant but the building of it as well? If the US is faced with a new terror attack, will things such as nuclear plants be put aside?

No one holds a crystal ball to see what the future holds but we do know that the US is continually increasing energy demands and we have a long way to go before they will be met for our future generations.

technorati tags: alternative energy, nuclear power, energy, New Jersey

Upping it a notch with green cars

The Hybrids vehicles such as the Prius have become far more popular than what was expected I think. Soaring oil and gas prices have helped them along as has the fact that the newer generations of them have what the Honda Insight lacked, room. The Prius has better gas mileage than my little Suzuki AND gets better gas. Another advantage is the savings now. Not have only new cars appear to be coming out at a higher price point and with that, the overall spread between non-hybrid and hybrid has shrunk. Now all the owners need to happen is for the pricing of parts to come down so that repairs do not cost an arm and a leg. A friend of mine gave up his hybrid after needing to do minor repairs that cost thousands each year. The Chevy
truck had 1) more room and 2) was less expensive to operate in the long haul.

NOW though we see the next generation of fuel efficient cars coming out and they are greener than green (not really, just sounds really good. They actually have a variety of colours.). One in particular is already starting to make a splash in the United States even though the price point is pretty high. Good thing it is a lease only vehicle but that raises the spectre of the old electric car that GM had out there, owners loved, and GM pulled.

How big of a splash are these types of cars making? Really big. In the Marketing Watch by Media Matters, Karl Greenberg writes on how the new green cars are overtaking the muscle cars at car shows.

News of powerful vehicles with big engines and bigger gas tanks was overshadowed -- perhaps for the first time - by news of new powertrain programs and think tanks.

With a backdrop of smoldering hills and record crude oil prices, General Motors, Honda and Ford were among automakers that used the show as a platform to announce multi-year programs.

He went on to write that Ford actually had a sustainability blue print that encompassed not just the new alternative energy goals but also included impact on the environment and climate change. Seriously, when was the last time you expected to hear something like this at a car expo?

Now, the big Papa of the show. The Honda FCX Clarity sedan. Let me type that again: SEDAN. This is no small vehicle but it will get you almost 70 miles to the gallon and have a driving range of about 270 miles. Oh and is the first fuel cell type vehicle on the US market. If you live in California and want to plop down $600 a month for three years, she can be all your's. The big drawback?

For now, those drivers will have to stay in Southern California where they will have access to the limited number of hydrogen fuel stations.

Of course there are a few of them and plans for more but we will still have to wait and see what the future holds for us and our love affair with the American open road.

technorati tags: alternative energy, fuel cell, Honda, cars

News of Note

Today Jim Ostroff of the Kiplinger News asks, `How High Can Oil Go?'

The fundamentals simply don't justify current price levels. "By every supply and demand standard, the oil market is nowhere as tight as it was in 2004 [when oil was fetching about $50 a barrel], yet prices are nearly double now," says Tim Evans, an energy analyst at Citigroup Global Markets. One factor contributing to the higher cost of oil is the dollar's ongoing decline.

Xcel chief backs off on clean coal power

But Xcel's technology won't include a cutting-edge power plant known as Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle, or IGCC, until at least 2016, Kelly said.

Some environmentalists consider IGCC plants to be the gold standard of coal power, and critics of the proposed Desert Rock Energy Project in New Mexico say the plant should be built with IGCC technology.

Chinese oil giant defends supply efforts amid fuel shortage

Shortages have caused long lines at filling stations and disrupted trucking in export-driven coastal provinces. The country's state-owned oil companies blame a scarcity of refining capacity due to price controls, but some customers and Chinese media have accused them of creating a phony crisis to force regulators to raise retail prices.

GRID GENERATES POWER IN ALL WEATHERS

The microgrid enables consumers to see how much power is being generated and its source, how it is being used and the amount of energy stored in the system.

technorati tags: alternative energy, clean coal, energy, General Motors

News of the Moment

GM Sees Alternative-Energy Vehicles 50% Of Output In 5 Yrs

General Motors Corp. (GM) Chairman Rick Wagoner said Monday vehicles that use alternatives to gasoline will likely grow to account for about 50% of the U.S. automaker's global production over the next five years, up from a projected 10% share this year.

Energy Secretary: Mandates May Be Needed

Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman said Monday that government mandates are not ideal but might be a necessary part of efforts to boost the use of alternative fuels.

Israeli unveils ambitious plan to shift transportation to electric cars

Israeli entrepreneur Shai Agassi is that man. The 39-year-old former SAP executive has come up with an ambitious plan to shake up the auto industry by encouraging consumers worldwide to give up their heavily polluting fossil fuel cars and purchase electric cars instead.

technorati tags: alternative energy, Israel, energy, General Motors

Why Oil Prices Are So High

excerpt:

The recent jumps in oil prices can be linked to four things - fears over supply shortages, political tensions, a weak dollar and strong demand.

Reports from America's Energy Information Administration have revealed that oil stocks in the US are much lower than expected, sparking concern over a lack of supply ahead of the winter months.

technorati tags: oil, economy, energy, politics

News Brief

A new model for predicting peak oil has been generated and the person who did so say that anytime between now and 2018 we shall hit peak oil.

Oil Production Could Peak Next Year

The new model, developed by Fredrik Robelius, a physicist and petroleum engineer at the University of Uppsala in Sweden, uses a “bottom-up” approach based on field-by-field analyses of the 333 giant oil fields in use today. These together account for more than 60 percent of today’s oil production. He pooled the contributions from all the smaller fields together, treating them as an additional giant field.

Nuclear power could really help us get our alternative energy groove on.

Report: Nuclear Power Has Bright Future

Nuclear power's share of worldwide electricity production rose from less than 1 percent in 1960 to 16 percent in 1986, and that percentage has held essentially constant in the 21 years since 1986, the agency reported in a statement today. Nuclear electricity generation has grown steadily at the same pace as overall global electricity generation.

Fianlly, some good news on the ozone layer.

NASA: Ozone Hole Shrinks Back to Average Size

The Antarctic ozone hole is back to an average size, shrinking about 16 percent from last year's record high, NASA said Friday. But it's still the size of North America.

technorati tags: alternative energy, NASA, energy, nuclear, ozone, peak oil, clean energy