tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63059652024-10-04T22:01:43.514-04:00A roving compendium of ecocentric energy options, including advances in solar and wind power, hybrid vehicles, and other thoughtful, balanced approaches to renewable energy.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger370125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305965.post-39655483249594950862016-01-20T08:34:00.001-05:002016-01-20T08:36:39.359-05:00

As reported by the Rocky Mountain Institute blog, Clean Energy Takes Center Stage at CES 2016. Consumer electronics are aligning with the need for enhanced energy efficiency and flexible connectivity is a major theme. A number of electric vehicles were introduced, either as concept cars or soon-to-be-produce vehicles. Smart home appliances are making major strides toward energy efficiency, with

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305965.post-23917124815551379922015-06-18T12:58:00.001-04:002015-06-18T12:59:42.534-04:00

As reported in RMI Outlet, the Rocky Mountain Institute's blog, reductions in storage battery prices are opening new opportunities for transforming energy use patterns. The Tesla Powerball battery, expected to reach the market in 2016, has caused analysts to rethink projections of home lithium-ion battery costs and potentially shake up utility industry practices in a number of

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305965.post-64390176083836522672015-02-12T06:19:00.001-05:002015-02-12T06:30:46.792-05:00

In a sign that likely bodes well for the future of electric vehicle, Harley Davidson is testing a prototype, Livewire, that could be a very interesting addition to the market if they decide to go forward with it. Looking forward to seeing how this develops. Unlike many of the near-silent electric two-wheelers, this one has a sound much like a jet turbine spinning up (kind of remind me of my

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305965.post-16112819830142893032014-11-18T06:16:00.001-05:002014-11-18T06:16:33.510-05:00

Dutch cyclists on nighttime journeys through the province of North Brabant get to experience some of the magic from Vincent Van Gogh's well-known painting, The Starry Night, with their course illuminated by thousands of glittering stones. Van Gogh painted in Nuenen, adjacent to the path, and the bike path designer, Daan Roosegaarde, wanted to create a tribute to him.      

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305965.post-55482943982615545692014-04-18T13:42:00.002-04:002014-04-18T13:42:57.087-04:00

This entertaining hybrid, part three-wheeler, part bike, part electric car, goes by the nickname ELF. There's something intrinsically appealing about this little vehicle. Grist did a quick profile on it and, if you're interested, a 7-minute video follows as well. A bit pricey ($5,495), but about as low impact as travel can be. Specs in a nutshell: The ELF can go up to 30 mph and carry up to

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305965.post-68917920417962249562014-04-13T16:39:00.004-04:002014-04-13T16:39:41.065-04:00

A grim assessment from Common Dreams, offered without comment. . .

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305965.post-23509018789874212102014-03-30T06:13:00.000-04:002014-03-30T06:16:08.199-04:00

A new article in the RMI Outlet looks at a comprehensive evaluation in Minnesota to assess the value and potential of renewable energy resources to replace the infrastructure heavily dependent on fossil fuels. The move has elicited some corresponding excitement from businesses in the state. And it is not just Minnesota’s government building momentum around an alternative energy future. The

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305965.post-5663534716069674812014-03-18T06:13:00.002-04:002014-03-18T06:13:45.967-04:00

A new study funded by NASA suggests that we're facing the collapse of industrial civilization within decades due to a combination of factors evaluated using a cross-disciplinary model, HANDY (Human And Nature DYnamical). Factors that were weighed in the study include: population, climate, water, agriculture, and Energy. Rather than being a rare occurrence, the study points to earlier

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305965.post-73180871400268572032014-03-16T13:32:00.001-04:002014-03-16T13:33:52.549-04:00

The annual Bioneers conference is often a revelation to attendees, offering fresh, pragmatic, sustainable solutions to the social, cultural, and environmental problems of our age. The last conference included a keynote address from Amory Lovins, the cofounder, chief scientist, and chairman emeritus of the Rocky Mountain Institute. It's worth viewing—the talk summarizes many of the key ideas

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305965.post-54331849575537394162014-03-11T13:49:00.000-04:002014-03-16T13:55:27.563-04:00

As reported by the Earth Island Journal, a shift from traditional streetlights to light-emitting diodes bulbs is being instituted by cities in locales around the country, from San Antonio to San Francisco.  Energy savings from this conversion are already showing benefits. Quoting from the article: In terms of the environment, LEDs definitely bring some benefits, the biggest of which is

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305965.post-10787138109703426592013-09-01T07:56:00.000-04:002013-09-01T07:56:48.345-04:00

One of the enduring canards that is trotted out on a regular basis by those who disparage renewable energy (usually in favor of fossil fuels or nuclear) is that because the wind and sun produce energy intermittently, they have no value in the world's long-term energy strategies. In truth, there are multiple methods of storing energy from daytime sunlight or windy days. One particularly good

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305965.post-71200454270431227462013-06-27T06:57:00.000-04:002013-06-27T06:57:45.817-04:00

Energy supply and demand has been the dominating mechanism controlling prices in the public utility sector for a century and that model is threatened by the rise in solar power and other distributed renewable energy technologies, writes David Roberts in this Grist article. Reducing energy demand and improving energy efficiency are anathema to the utilities, by their own admission, as Roberts

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305965.post-8539420636889076282013-03-31T06:54:00.000-04:002013-04-03T04:53:02.630-04:00

Towns and cities that accommodate cyclists have always seemed more human and approachable to me. Davis, California comes to mind. Portland, Oregon is bike friendly and Minneapolis, Minnesota (when it's not bone-chllingly cold) is another good example. To me, it's a hopeful sign when people move outside the norm in our petroleum-fueled society and take transportation issues into their own hands

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305965.post-42237465232450512502013-02-24T06:53:00.001-05:002013-02-24T06:53:47.553-05:00

Often praised for innovative engineering, but also maligned for over promising and and under delivering, Tesla Motors Inc. has realized two-thirds of their original vision with the release of the Model S. A flurry of reviews, including this one in the Los Angeles Times, put the car up on a pedestal with the likes of the Audi A7 or Mercedes-Benz CLS. But, reviewers also note the

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305965.post-46024548679459727742013-01-26T09:09:00.001-05:002013-01-26T09:09:21.870-05:00

There are a multitude of reasons why nuclear fission reactors make no sense as a part of our energy future (without even thinking about it too much, you've got dwindling supplies of uranium ore; the impossibility of building enough reactors fast enough to cope with climate change challenges; the difficulty finding suitable sources of cooling water for new reactors; the demonstrated problems

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305965.post-3017985529787012352013-01-14T04:51:00.001-05:002013-01-14T04:51:53.006-05:00

The draft summary of a new report, the National Climate Assessment, compiled by a 60-person team of experts, indicates that we're already seeing dire effects from human activities that have led to overall warming of the planet. An article published by Common Dreams asks the question Can US Government's Own Dire and 'Unambiguous' Report on Climate Change Spur Action?  A raft of

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305965.post-31952929802847844062012-12-10T15:32:00.000-05:002012-12-10T15:32:13.222-05:00

As society frets over relatively trivial problems—such as the debt crisis and unemployment—the breakdown of natural systems presents a scenario that could literally bring an end to civilization, says Paul Ehrlich in an article published by the Stanford News Service. But, instead of reacting to the dangers, nations around the world are essentially carrying on as usual. Ehrlich points to the

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305965.post-91142379036686275042012-11-26T18:55:00.001-05:002012-11-26T18:55:34.167-05:00

Fresh water is scarce worldwide and growing scarcer. This adds even more importance to the achievement of Sundrop Farms, working in South Australia, to accomplish an impressive agricultural feat: using solar desalinization to produce vegetables in the desert.  As Jonathan Margolis wrote for The Observer:  A 75m line of motorised parabolic mirrors that

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305965.post-9340908322642844042012-11-18T07:32:00.000-05:002012-11-18T07:32:49.537-05:00

Naomi Klein, who is currently in the process of working on a documentary about climate change, is one of the most articulate, well-reasoned spokespersons on the environmental front. Her appearance on Bill Moyer offers a great example of how to address the issue in a persuasive, knowledgeable way.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305965.post-82581435576729698272012-06-09T20:35:00.001-04:002012-06-09T20:35:15.031-04:00

Some of the most encouraging developments in sustainability arise from citizens concerned about the effects of commonplace activities on their community. In this case, a group of women in Kovalam, India, motivated by a public interest research organization, Thanal, took on the challenge of eliminating the problems associated with incinerating toxic waste. As reported by Truthout, a

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305965.post-80982153319427008132012-04-22T06:41:00.001-04:002012-04-22T06:52:47.180-04:00

Photo by Fernando Reyes PalenciaPower grid failure presents a serious risk to the operation of nuclear reactors, which require electricity to maintain cooling water circulation even when shut down. As demonstrated by the reactor meltdowns at the Fukushima reactor complex, if you lose power lines and suffer backup generators failures at he same time, the loss of cooling capabilities rapidly causes

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305965.post-83619066209735184252012-04-13T05:47:00.001-04:002012-04-13T05:47:26.567-04:00

Dissatisfied with the direction of the utility company supplying their energy, citizens of Boulder, CO took matters into their own hands and passed ballot measures to create their own municipal power utility. As written in Yes Magazine:The city’s current electricity supplier, Xcel Energy, is a large corporation that sources more than 60 percent of its power from coal. Colorado climate activists

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305965.post-30651590769636317742012-04-05T06:51:00.001-04:002012-04-05T07:29:05.888-04:00

Humans have a lot of different ways to get from Point A to Point B on this planet, but only the velomobile lets you travel with the grace and whimsy of a cartoon character.  As profiled in Grist, the velomobile consists of a reclining bicycle protected by a fiberglass shell that can optionally be assisted by an electric motor. They're fast, fuel free, and worth consideration if

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305965.post-63859324287607344712012-02-12T10:27:00.001-05:002012-02-12T10:27:03.942-05:00

Sometimes we need a little perspective to get our priorities straight. As Bill McKibben points out in "The Great Carbon Bubble: Why the Fossil Fuel Industry Fights So Hard," we experienced the greatest weather extremes in recorded history in 2011, 14 weather disasters in the U.S. alone. And yet we have an entire political party in denial that there are any large-scale dynamics at work in the

Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6305965.post-82270338311658953822011-11-24T10:00:00.001-05:002011-11-24T10:00:36.551-05:00

We know that ground-nesting termites can build mounds where the temperature and humidity remain moderate year round (a concept that has drawn the attention of architects in recent years). But, for whatever reason, humans don't typically pay much attention to natural heating and cooling in their building design and construction—a fact that leads to an enormous amount of energy consumption so that

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com