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#Post#: 31--------------------------------------------------
A High-Renewables Tomorrow, Today:
DIR By: AGelbert
Date: October 10, 2013, 9:36 pm
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A High-Renewables Tomorrow, Today: Güssing, Austria
HTML http://www.freesmileys.org/emoticons/emoticon-object-045.gif
Laurie Guevara-​Stone
Writer / Editor
Bringing Economic Growth to a Dying Town
A small town in Austria that had no significant industry or
trade business is now thriving thanks to local renewable
resources.
Güssing (population: 4,000) sits in eastern Austria. In 1988 the
region (population: 27,000) was one of the poorest districts in
the country. It relied on agriculture, there was no
transportation infrastructure, unemployment was high, and 70
percent of those who did have work were commuting to Vienna, 100
miles away. The town, where two-thirds of the working population
was out of work and young people were moving away, was referred
to as a dying town. Due to a lack of connections to the railway
network and to the Austrian Autobahn (freeway) system, energy
costs were extremely high. At the time the town of Güssing was
said to be hardly able to afford its $8.1 million annual fossil
fuel bill.
Several of the town leaders realized that $8 million dollars
going to pay for fuel oil (mostly for heating) and other fossil
fuels (such as coal for electricity) from outside the region
could stay in the local economy if they could produce their own
energy. However, they realized if they wanted to be energy self
sufficient the first step was reducing energy use. In 1990, the
town implemented an energy efficiency program, retrofitting all
public buildings with new insulation and replacing all
streetlights with energy-efficient bulbs, reducing energy
expenditure in buildings in the town center by almost 50
percent.
With greatly improved efficiency, the town then adopted a policy
calling for the complete elimination of the use of fossil fuels
in all public buildings, in an attempt to keep more money in the
local economy.
Heating with Local Resources
There is not a lot of wind in Güssing, but biomass is
abundant—the town is surrounded by 133 hectares (328 acres) of
forest. Some local residents, realizing that wood in the forest
was decomposing and not being used, started to run a district
heating station for six homes. With the success of that project,
more small district heating systems were built. The mayor, who
was looking for a way to revitalize the town, took notice. In
1996, the heating system was expanded to the whole town and was
also generating electricity, all from renewable raw materials
gathered from within a five-kilometer radius through sustainable
forestry practices.
Then, in 2001, with the help of the federal government, Güssing
installed a biomass gasification plant, that runs off of wood
chips from wood thinned from the forest and waste wood from a
wooden flooring company. This was the first utility-scale power
plant of its kind in the world. The plant uses steam to separate
carbon and hydrogen, then recombines the molecules to make a
form of natural gas which fuels the city’s power plant. It
produces on average 2 megawatts of electricity and 4.5 megawatts
of heat, more than enough energy for the town’s needs, while
only consuming one-third of the biomass that grows every year.
The town also has a plant that converts rapeseed to biodiesel,
which is carried by all the fueling stations in the district.
Becoming a Model Community
In 2007 the New York Times reported Güssing was the first
community in the European Union to cut carbon emissions by more
than 90 percent, helping it attract a steady stream of
scientists, politicians, and eco-tourists. One year later,
Güssing built a research institute focusing on thermal and
biological gasification and production of second-generation
fuels. That same year a solar manufacturer started producing PV
modules in Güssing, producing 850 megawatts of modules a year
and employing 140 people. Several other photovoltaic and solar
thermal companies have relocated to Güssing, installing new
demonstration facilities in the district.
The little town has become a net energy producer—generating more
energy from renewables than it uses. Altogether, there are more
than 30 power plants using renewable energy technologies within
10 kilometers of the village. Now the goal is to take the
lessons from the small town of Güssing and make the entire
27,000-person district an energy-self-sufficient net producer.
HTML http://www.freesmileys.org/emoticons/tuzki-bunnys/tuzki-bunny-emoticon-022.gif
Currently around 400 people come to Güssing each week to visit
the numerous demonstration plants. Even Austria’s favorite
celebrity, former California governor, and renewable energy
advocate Arnold Schwarzenegger visited Güssing in 2012. “Güssing
has become a green island,” he said when he spoke at the Güssing
renewable energy demonstration plant. “You have built your own
district heating [system]. You are generating your own
electricity. You are operating a biomass power plant, produce
synthetic natural gas from wood and develop new fuels at the
research lab. I have seen all of this with my own eyes. Everyone
should follow your example. The whole world should become
Güssing.”
The town now has 60 new companies, 1,500 new jobs, and annual
revenues of $17 million due to energy sales, all resulting from
the growth of the renewable energy sector. The downtown has been
rebuilt and young people picture themselves staying there in the
future. And other areas are following Gussing’s lead. More than
15 regions in Austria are now energy independent with regard to
electricity, heating, and/or transportation. The town of Güssing
has shown that not only is a high-renewables future possible,
but also economically advantageous. Schwarzenegger must agree,
because when he left he said, “I’ll be back.”
HTML http://blog.rmi.org/blog_2013_10_08_high-renewables_tomorrow_today_gussing_austria
#Post#: 58--------------------------------------------------
Re: A High-Renewables Tomorrow, Today:
DIR By: AGelbert
Date: October 14, 2013, 2:40 pm
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Renewable Energy Patents Are Surging
by Pete Danko
The world of patents is a bit screwy these days, with trolls
warping a system that was designed to encourage innovation by
protecting and rewarding innovators. Still, it has to be seen as
an encouraging sign for renewable energy that the number of
patents issued in the broad field has skyrocketed of late.
Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and
the Santa Fe Institute said that annual renewable-energy patents
in the United States increased fivefold from the quarter-century
preceding 2000 to the decade that followed, from fewer than 200
per year to more than 1,000 annually by 2009.
Fossil-fuel-related patents were also up, but just threefold,
from 100 per year pre-2000 to 300 per year in 2009.
Perhaps the most hopeful news in the study was the suggestions
that increases in research funding can have a cumulative,
long-lasting impact that can help keep innovation rolling along
even through investment ups and downs.
HTML http://www.earthtechling.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/patent-chart.jpg
For instance, a large increase in energy research following the
oil shocks of the 1970s and 1980s was followed by a steep
dropoff, the researchers said. But report co-author Jessika
Trancik, an assistant professor of engineering systems at MIT,
said the effect of those investments has helped drive this
current patent boom. From the study:
We find that both market-driven investment and publicly-funded
R&D act as base multipliers for each other in driving
technological development at the global level. We also find that
the effects of these investments persist over long periods of
time, supporting the notion that technology-relevant knowledge
is preserved.
The two most prominent forms of renewable energy (excluding
hydropower) have not surprisingly been getting a lot of the
innovation focus. “(B)etween 2004 and 2009, the number of
patents issued annually for solar energy increased by 13 percent
per year, while those for wind energy increased 19 percent per
year, on average; these growth rates approach or exceed the
rates for technologies such as semiconductors and digital
communications,” MIT said.
HTML http://www.earthtechling.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/pv-patents.jpg
But while growing markets can help bring about the investment
necessary for innovations in these technologies, the researchers
said markets alone won’t do the job.
To the extent that markets for these technologies grow fast
enough, economic opportunity drives an increase in patenting and
knowledge creation. It is important to emphasize that the growth
of markets for low-carbon energy technologies, which improve on
an aspect of performance (carbon emissions) not commonly
captured by market price (and therefore not visible to the
consumer), has depended strongly on public policy. We also note
that policies are likely needed to fund research and incentivize
market growth further until these technologies become
cost-competitive and can take off on their own.
The paper, “Determinants of the Pace of Global Innovation in
Energy Technologies,” was to published in the open-source, peer
reviewed journal Plos One. A submitted version is available
online as a PDF.
HTML http://www.earthtechling.com/2013/10/renewable-energy-patents-are-surging/
#Post#: 79--------------------------------------------------
The Big Question: Can Countries Reach 100 Percent Renewable
Energy?
DIR By: AGelbert
Date: October 17, 2013, 1:40 pm
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Several countries, including Scotland and the Philippines, have
recently announced impressive plans to obtain all of their power
from renewable energy. With many countries setting their sights
on much lower, incremental goals, these lofty aspirations have
jarred the industry and sparked a debate.
Renewable Energy World asked industry executives to share their
thoughts and insights on this controversial question:
What are the major barriers that countries face in order to
reach 100 percent renewable energy — is this goal always
achievable or desirable?
We want to hear your opinion. Share your thoughts in the
comments below.
Kevin Smith
Global Director, Renewable Energy, DNV KEMA
Goals serve an important purpose to ensure effort achieves a
larger objective. Yet there's a difference between ambition and
goals. Ambition provides inspiration, a rationale for why we
want to achieve an objective. Ambition is a stretch,
transformational. Goals are practical, measureable actions
necessary to achieve the ambition.
Powering a country entirely with renewables can be
inspirational, and may be achievable where the environment is
blessed with abundant renewables that can be utilized safely,
reliably and cost effectively — such as Iceland. But we should
examine why we want to achieve a 100 percent renewables goal. Is
this the best goal to achieve a larger ambition? Iceland isn't
renewable-powered due to a specific goal. It's their best option
given local conditions.
Ambition should focus on countries doing their utmost to address
global warming for current and future generations with one (of
many) goals being the lowest carbon emission system possible
while ensuring reliability, safety, and cost efficiency. Power
supply diversity that takes advantage of local resources and
regional/cross-border transmission grids is a proven method for
ensuring system objectives are met. 100 percent supply solutions
fail to adequately acknowledge the technical, societal, and
costs risks associated with an absolute goal - regardless of the
generating technology.
Achieving the final incremental percentages of any goal (speed
records, altitude records) is usually difficult, high risk, and
impractical given alternatives. Plus, 100 percent renewable
goals can quickly become politicized, resulting in delays,
distractions or flawed policy that impedes progress toward our
ultimate ambition.
As a dedicated, renewable energy professional, I'd like as much
zero carbon emitting, renewable generation brought online as
possible while ensuring a robust, secure, reliable, and cost
effective system for society and our economies. Thus, 100
percent renewable goals will not be the best solution. But we
should accept various goals that support the higher ambition.
As global segment director for renewable energy services, Mr.
Smith develops and implements the global renewable energy
business strategy for DNV KEMA Energy & Sustainability. He is a
veteran of the wind industry with 14 years of service performing
a wide range of engineering, advisory and project management
activities.
Dr. Geoffrey Kinsey
Director of Photovoltaic Technologies, Fraunhofer Center for
Sustainable Energy Systems (CSE)
Fossil fuels are exhaustible. Therefore, a transition to an
economy that runs on sustainable energy sources is both
necessary and inevitable. However, a near-term focus on "100
percent renewables" runs the risk of attracting more criticism
than support. An approach that focuses on high penetration
(greater than 50 percent) of renewables will provide a more
effective path to a sustainable energy future.
Thanks to the technological progress and cost reduction that has
occurred over the last decade, renewables are now reaching grid
parity in more and more areas around the world. In tandem,
on-going technology developments in energy efficiency pay for
themselves and reduce the load that must be carried by
renewables.
Managing energy usage and large swings in supply through
automated demand response will be essential — particularly in
buildings, which drive peak electric demand. The advent of
low-cost smart electronics in the last decade offers a means of
enabling the necessary energy management.
High penetration of renewables will also require investments in
both grid storage and transmission to re-distribute power across
time zones and to smooth out supply intermittency.
Pumped-storage hydroelectricity remains the most cost-effective
storage method, though the arrival of low-cost electric vehicles
adds the potential for substantial storage via vehicle-to-grid
architectures.
The remaining challenge is to create the regulatory framework,
standards, and incentives to enable economies to make dramatic
shifts in their energy mix and invest the capital that is
required. While the necessary investment is substantial, the
benefits include economic development and job creation.
Dr. Geoffrey Kinsey is the director of photovoltaic technologies
at the Boston-based Fraunhofer Center for Sustainable Energy
Systems (CSE), a leading provider of contract research and
development services to the U.S. renewable energy industry.
John Deasey
Renewables Sales Manager, Trelleborg Offshore and Construction
Within the petroleum industry, energy sources such as oil, gas,
coal and nuclear are still the main players, and while I doubt
it would be feasible to replace these entirely with renewable
energy, there is certainly a place for this type of natural
resource.
The industrial-scale wind farms that are being installed off the
UK coast clearly indicate that renewables can be a major power
source. However, it is unlikely that they would be able to
replace the current enormous capacity coming from fossil
sources. Although wind farms — particularly offshore — have
their place as part of a healthy energy mix and are a
significant new development in the energy sector (even after
years of challenges, installation issues, insurance claims and
legal wrangling).
The wave and tidal sector, however, is lagging behind offshore
wind. Many projects are delayed as companies re-structure,
re-design and struggle to find the balance between design ideas
and commercial reality. This sector is facing a tough time with
just one or two serious designs coming to market that offer
decent potential. This issue, plus the associated power output
costs, suggests that we are many years from commercial
wave-tidal plants that can operate and produce sizeable power.
The main barriers to renewable energy are really cost and
commercial scalability, notwithstanding the legal ramifications
of objectors — both political and environmental. Wind power is
advancing, but when you consider the EU targets of 20 percent
renewables by 2020, the 100 percent targets of countries such as
Scotland and the Philippines tend to look like well-meant
pipedreams.
John has 23 years of sales experience, six of them specializing
in renewable energy. During his ten months at Trelleborg, John
has grown and developed the company's renewables offering in
line with wind, wave and tidal opportunities in this growing
sector.
Tony Clifford
CEO, Standard Solar
A decade ago I doubt if any national leaders would have
considered it even a remote possibility that their country could
be powered 100 percent by renewables. The fact that some
countries have now publicly set near-term goals to do just that
is nothing short of amazing. It is truly an indication of how
quickly solar, wind and other renewables have advanced in the
past several years.
Many countries have the renewable resources to meet 100 percent
of their energy needs. Scotland has abundant sources of hydro,
wind and wave power. The Philippines have excellent solar,
geothermal, hydro and biomass potential. However, the barriers
to attaining such large-scale utilization of renewables remain
daunting.
Getting to 100 percent renewables faces technical, economic and
political challenges. Technically the development of a truly
smart grid and the integration of storage and micro-grids into
that smart grid are substantial challenges. On the policy side,
one must ask if getting to 100 percent renewables quickly is the
best use of the financial resources of a country like the
Philippines or Scotland. Also, the political will to accomplish
such a challenging goal must exist.
Getting to 100 percent renewables is certainly a laudable goal,
but political leaders should plot a course that makes economic
sense. Go for the low-hanging fruit first — efficiency and
hydropower are great initial steps.
Target renewables into the most cost-effective locations first,
such as those without an extensive grid, create micro-grids and
utilize energy storage. Build towards 100 percent renewables
gradually, allowing for technical advancements and cost
reductions that will be driven by global markets.
Actually reaching 100 percent renewables is not really the
point. Renewables are a domestic energy source. Getting to 60 or
70 percent renewables would have a dramatic economic effect —
not to mention significant positive impact on the environment
and global warming.
Since 2007 Tony Clifford has led Standard Solar's rapid growth
into a nationally known PV developer/ EPC. He is an elected
board member of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA),
serves on SEIA's Executive Committee and also served as the
president of the regional chapter of SEIA, MDV-SEIA, from 2009
to 2012.
HTML http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2013/10/the-big-question-can-countries-reach-100-percent-renewable-energy?page=all
[move]Agelbert's response to this overly conservative analysis.
;D [/move]
In the year 1900, what would these gentlemen have opined about
the possibility of getting the USA to 100% fossil fuel use for
homes, transportation and industry by 1920 through massive
government subsidies (both direct and indirect by the building
of a massive highway network and giant electric grid)?
Yes, friends, that took only TWO DECADES! True, the population
was smaller but the USA and several other developed countries in
the world were also much less capable of large industrial
ventures then they are today.
Number of Auto friendly roads:
1900 = ZERO (except a few that were that way by chance in major
cities)
1920 = 36,000 miles (still a drop in the 3 million mile "bucket"
but nevertheless a huge expansion from 1900. The expansion
accelerated with a highway building law in 1916). Rockefeller
did not pay a red cent to make these roads that helped make him
rich; [I]WE-THE-PEOPLE DID![/I]1
So, we could engage at the national level in massive
infrastructure costs that help make big oil rich but we can't do
the same for a massive Renewable energy transition that will
provide ALL of Homo sapiens with a sustainable civilization???
I believe these experts will be pleasantly surprised with the
pace of renewable energy replacement of dirty and polluting
energy sources within the next two decades. The overwhelming
mindset up to the year 2000 was basically that fossil fuels are
"IT" as to being the only cost effective way to run a
civilization. The overwhelming mindset NOW is that our fossil
fuel powered civilization is unsustainable.
This sea change in mindset is the most important engine for
rapid change, just as embracing the automobile and heavy
industry modernity was in the decades from 1900 to 1920.
Historic proof that manufacturing all the renewable energy
machines and infrastructure needed to transition to a 100%
Renewable Energy world economy can be achieved in two decades or
less
HTML http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/blog/post/2013/10/historic-proof-that-manufacturing-all-the-renewable-energy-machines-and-infrastructure-needed-to-transition-to-a-100-renewable-energy-world-economy-can-be-achieved-in-two-decades-or-less-the-mass-produced-liberty-ships-of-wwii<br
/>
HTML http://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/renewables/wind-power/
1.
HTML http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ug02/carney/paving.html
#Post#: 80--------------------------------------------------
Re: A High-Renewables Tomorrow, Today:
DIR By: AGelbert
Date: October 17, 2013, 3:10 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
My response to this article:
HTML http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2013/10/the-big-question-can-countries-reach-100-percent-renewable-energy
In the year 1900, what would these gentlemen have opined about
the possibility of getting the USA to 100% fossil fuel use for
homes, transportation and industry by 1920 through massive
government subsidies (both direct and indirect by the building
of a massive highway network and giant electric grid)?
Yes, friends, that took only TWO DECADES! True, the population
was smaller but the USA and several other developed countries in
the world were also much less capable of large industrial
ventures then they are today.
NUMBER of AUTO FRIENDLY ROADS in the USA:
1900 = ZERO (except a few that were that way by chance in major
cities)
1920 = 36,000 miles (still a drop in the 3 million mile "bucket"
but nevertheless a huge expansion from 1900. The expansion
accelerated with a highway building law in 1916). Rockefeller
did not pay a red cent to make these roads that helped make him
rich; [i]WE-THE-PEOPLE DID![/I] *
Electrification of the cities went just as fast for the benefit
of fossil fuel powered utilities (which were NOT private at the
time so we-the-people AGAIN shouldered most of the costs).
NOTE:Rural electrification only came later when the massive
renewable energy dam building (over 1,500 dams) project of the
1930s (paid for by we-the-people) pushed renewable energy
penetration of the rapidly expanding electricity grid up to over
30% - a level we have yet to regain in our present day, much
larger, grid.
So, we could engage at the national level in massive
infrastructure costs that helped make big oil rich but we can't
do the same for a massive Renewable energy transition that will
provide ALL of Homo sapiens with a sustainable civilization?
???
HTML http://www.pic4ever.com/images/301.gif
I believe these experts will be pleasantly surprised with the
pace of renewable energy replacement of dirty and polluting
energy sources within the next two decades. The overwhelming
mindset up to the year 2000 was basically that fossil fuels are
"IT" as to being the only cost effective way to run a
civilization. The overwhelming mindset NOW is that our fossil
fuel powered civilization is unsustainable.
This sea change in mindset is the most important engine for
rapid change, just as embracing the automobile and heavy
industry modernity was in the decades from 1900 to 1920.
Historic proof that manufacturing all the renewable energy
machines and infrastructure needed to transition to a 100%
Renewable Energy world economy can be achieved in two decades or
less
HTML http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/blog/post/2013/10/historic-proof-that-manufacturing-all-the-renewable-energy-machines-and-infrastructure-needed-to-transition-to-a-100-renewable-energy-world-economy-can-be-achieved-in-two-decades-or-less-the-mass-produced-liberty-ships-of-wwii<br
/>
HTML http://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/renewables/wind-power/
*
HTML http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ug02/carney/paving.htmlower/
#Post#: 133--------------------------------------------------
The relationship of the Mesquite Tree with Saguaro cactus
DIR By: AGelbert
Date: October 21, 2013, 2:40 pm
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Solar Decathlon 2013: Arizona State/New Mexico
HTML http://lowenddslr.com/img/sabino-canyon-nursery-tree-led.jpg
Learning from the relationship of the Mesquite Tree with Saguaro
cactus to design a SHADE (Solar Homes Adapting for Desert
Equilibrium) house
The SHADE (Solar Homes Adapting for Desert Equilibrium) house
from the combined team of Arizona State U. and The U. of New
Mexico, inspired by the desert and majestic Saguaro cactus,
features independent configurable modules, a prominent solar
canopy, and multiple patios with microclimates for an
indoor-outdoor lifestyle.
Features include phase-change materials throughout the house
with a capillary radiant system for passive heating and cooling,
and a thermal battery that concentrates low temperatures at
night and thaws ice to cool the space during the day.
Video here
HTML http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/video/view/solar-decathlon-2013-arizona-statenew-mexico?cmpid=WNL-Friday-October11-2013
#Post#: 146--------------------------------------------------
3 Reasons Germans are Going Renewable 'At All Costs'
DIR By: AGelbert
Date: October 23, 2013, 12:38 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
3 Reasons Germans are Going Renewable 'At All Costs'
John Farrell
October 23, 2013
Germany is racing past 20 percent renewable energy on its
electricity grid, but news stories stridently warn that this new
wind and solar power is costing "billions." But often left out
(or buried far from the lede) is the overwhelming popularity of
the country's relentless focus on energy change (energiewende).
How can a supposedly expensive effort to clean up the energy
supply be so popular?
1. It's about the cost, not the price
Most news stories focus on the cost of electricity in Germany,
which has some of the highest rates per kilowatt-hour in the
world. But they don't note that the average German electricity
bill – about $100 a month – is the same as for most Americans.
Germans are much more efficient users of energy than most, so
they can afford higher rates without having higher bills. (Note
to self: check out options for energy efficiency).
2. It's about vision
Germany doesn't just have an incremental approach to renewable
energy, but a commitment supported by 84 percent of residents to
get to 100% renewable energy "as quickly as possible." A few
U.S. states have renewable energy visions (e.g. 33% by 2020, 25%
by 2025) that approach Germany's, but they're mired in the
notion that despite enormous savings to society in terms of
health and environmental benefits, renewable energy shouldn't
cost any more today than conventional, dirty energy on the
utility bill. Germans have taken the long view (about energy
security, price volatility, etc).
3. It's about ownership
I lied in #1. Support for Germany's renewable energy quest
isn't about cost of energy, but about the opportunity to own a
slice of the energy system. Millions of Germans are building
their retirement nest egg by individually or collectively owning
a share of wind and solar power plants supplying clean energy to
their communities. Nearly half of the country's 63,000 megawatts
of wind and solar power is owned locally, and these energy
owners care as much about the persistence of renewable energy
they own as they do about the energy bill they pay. Not only do
these German energy owners reduce their own net cost of energy,
every dollar diverted from a distant multinational utility
company multiplies throughout their local economy.
HTML http://www.createaforum.com/gallery/renewablerevolution/3-231013131117.png
Ownership of Germany's Renewable Energy CapacityJohn Farrell,
ILSR
[/I]
Not only does local ownership flip the notion of energy costs as
consumers become producers, it also flips the notion of
political ownership. Three-quarters of Germans want to maintain
a focus on "citizen-managed, decentralized renewable energy."
The tunnel vision on cost so prevalent in the press reflects the
perspective of incumbent utilities, whose market share declines
as their former customers produce their own power. It's a story
that plays out in the U.S., when debates over new power plants
focus narrowly on the cost per kilowatt-hour rather than how an
individual or community can retain more of their energy dollar.
It may seem that Germany is going renewable "at all costs," but
only if we are resigned to being energy consumers. Because
their and our energy transition is a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity to take charge of our energy future. [i]That's
priceless.
HTML http://www.pic4ever.com/images/128fs318181.gif
HTML http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/blog/post/2013/10/3-reasons-germans-are-going-renewable-at-all-costs#comment-127427
#Post#: 244--------------------------------------------------
Re: A High-Renewables Tomorrow, Today:
DIR By: AGelbert
Date: November 2, 2013, 1:00 am
---------------------------------------------------------
A High-Renewables Tomorrow, Today: Samsø, Denmark
On a small island off the coast of Denmark, a group of potato
farmers have turned into power brokers, owning the wind turbines
that have made their island a net energy producer. In less than
ten years, Samsø went from producing 11 tonnes of carbon dioxide
per person per year, one of the highest carbon emissions per
capita in Europe, to just 4.4 tonnes (the U.S. is at 17.6), and
has proven that running on 100 percent renewable electricity is
possible.
HTML http://us.cdn2.123rf.com/168nwm/lenm/lenm1201/lenm120100200/12107060-illustration-of-a-smiley-giving-a-thumbs-up.jpg<br
/>
Full story here:
HTML http://blog.rmi.org/blog_2013_10_23_a_high-renewables_tomorrow_today_samso_denmark
#Post#: 268--------------------------------------------------
Shocked into Pursuing Renewables: What Will Jolt Us Next?
DIR By: AGelbert
Date: November 6, 2013, 2:01 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Shocked into Pursuing Renewables: What Will Jolt Us Next?
Elisa Wood, Contributing Editor
November 06, 2013
Virginia, U.S.A. -- Historical events have a way of jolting us –
again and again and again – into the reminder that energy plays
a big role in our well-being.
October marked two such events for the U.S. It was the one-year
anniversary of Superstorm Sandy, the massive storm that knocked
out power for days to millions in the Northeast. And it was the
40th anniversary of the oil embargo, the first time America
experienced oil as a weapon used against it. In the time
between, we’ve seen other altering experiences — Three Mile
Island, natural gas price spikes of the 1990s, Enron, the
Northeast Blackout, Fukushima, to name a few. We often stagger
away with new resolve to secure a cleaner or more independent
energy supply; to redouble renewable energy efforts.
Are there circumstances percolating now that will spill over and
alter our energy future? What will give us the next jolt?
William Prindle, vice president at ICF International, sees it
coming from today’s euphoria over natural gas, what he calls the
collective “fracking delusions.”
“Especially in North America, but in many other regions of the
world, hydraulic fracturing technology is pushing oil and gas
production to levels not in any forecaster’s range even ten
years ago,” he said. “The fracking boom is driving prices down
for natural gas, and to some extent oil, and creating in some
quarters a sense of ‘problem solved — game over’ when it comes
to energy policy.”
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Such nonchalance carries risk. It can lead to a turning away
from renewables and energy efficiency and “let the worthy
policies of the last 40 years wither,”
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he warned.
Natural Gas Loses Momentum?
In truth, today’s hoopla over natural gas might mask important
market realties, according to Jigar Shah, author of the new
book, ‘Creating Climate Wealth: Unlocking the Impact Economy’
and former CEO and founder of SunEdison. While many see these as
glory days for natural gas, Shah says the industry may be about
to enter its waning stage after a four-decade run as America’s
defining fuel.
Shah defines four stages to the growth of an industry: 1)
Pioneering: the industry first forms and technology is deployed.
2) Growth: Many companies enter the market with widespread
acceptance of the product or service. 3) Maturation: Marked by
company consolidation either through merger or attrition, the
stage Shah puts natural gas in now.
The fourth stage is decline. “This is where a market runs its
course — the predictions on when this will happen for natural
gas vary, but most agree the momentum is largely gone,” he said.
Natural gas is inexpensive today, but the industry requires
higher prices for profitability, Shah says “Almost every expert
in the country puts a profitable natural gas industry at a price
of at least $5.50/MCF. At that price, coal, wind, and solar is
cheaper than new natural gas. This price will happen in the
next five years and when that happens natural gas will forever
be labeled a volatile fuel that can be hedged and therefore has
no place as a mainstay in the electricity industry.”
What does this mean for renewable energy?
“All the while, renewable energy will be underappreciated and
under the radar screen until like in Germany the incumbents are
staring death squarely in the face. It is in that moment that
people will realize that natural gas is not a bridge fuel of the
future, but instead has already played the role of bridge fuel
for the past 25 years,” Shah said.
The Sharp Tack
Fossil fuels have a history of economy-rattling price
volatility. Price spikes often cause national and international
soul-searching about energy resource balance. Stephen Cowell,
chairman and CEO of Conservation Services Group, points to what
happened between 2005 and 2008 when gasoline prices doubled.
“The rise in fuel price was the sharp tack that burst the
bubble, causing a credit crisis and severe recession among other
effects. From 2003 to 2008 the rise in energy costs was the only
substantial change to the economy, and it pushed American
homeowners on a tight budget over the edge. This situation
ignited the sub-prime mortgage crisis,” Cowell said.
Appreciation of renewables often heightens when fossil fuel
prices rise. So it’s little surprise that in 2008, alone, wind
energy installations increased by 50 percent and the U.S.
surpassed Germany as the leader in wind capacity.
This year brings a far more depressing story for the wind
industry, largely because Congress has not renewed the federal
production tax credit that is set to expire at the end of
December. The U.S. installed only 1.6 MW of wind in the first
half of this year, according to the American Wind Energy
Association.
“Our behavior toward energy makes it appear that we are not
taking renewable energy seriously. And that’s scary,”
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Cowell said.
We are failing, Cowell explained, to fully consider the
repercussions of what he calls the fossil fuel cliff.
“The physical market structure for energy is fragile and prone
to disruption, and this can have catastrophic effects. If the
rest of the world catches up and starts consuming as much fossil
fuel as the U.S. we will hit the fossil fuel cliff in 50-100
years,” he said. “That is a species-threatening reality. We’ll
no longer have the ability to transport food and half of the
human population will starve. The recent debt crisis may be a
serious issue for future generations, but the fossil fuel cliff
threatens our very survival.”
This is a big worry and a direction energy could take. But are
there points of hope as well?
Prindle points to the rise in new energy management technologies
and better energy analytics. “We are seeing intelligence (or at
least the hope of it!) creeping into our devices, from GE’s
smart appliances to the Nest thermostat, to remotely
controllable lighting circuits. Meanwhile, cities and states are
beginning to mandate energy performance data disclosure for
larger buildings, and utilities are beginning to provide
enhanced energy usage data to customers.”
These intelligent devices bring greater visibility and increase
energy efficiency, opening a door for greater appreciation and
adoption of renewable energy.
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“I think that the biggest relevant historical event of the last
40 years has been the emergence of the energy efficiency
resource across the entire U.S.
economy,”
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said Ralph Cavanagh, co-director of the energy program at the
Natural Resources Defense Council. “Ultimately, it exceeded the
contribution of all other resources combined in meeting the
energy needs of a growing US economy. It helped make renewable
energy more consequential (by cutting sharply the quantity of
fossil fuels that needs to be displaced), and it drove
improvements in energy security and reliability that make us far
less vulnerable today to volatile fossil fuel prices.”
Of course, it is often hard to see a pivotal event until it’s
behind us. Some are hard to predict, like natural disasters.
And technology is changing so fast, we are not always sure what
questions to even ask about the future. But if history tells us
anything, renewable energy will be one of the answers.
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#Post#: 286--------------------------------------------------
What IS sustainability in Business?
DIR By: AGelbert
Date: November 9, 2013, 1:02 am
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HTML http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9-Khm_ghHA&feature=player_embedded<br
/>
This video covers SO MANY BASES it is mind boggling!
The concepts and proofs presented here show the way to a
sustainable future by carefully tracking those pioneers that
have influenced some businesses (e.g. 3M) to switch the
predatory capitalist mindset of quick profits and high toxic
waste and externalisms to long term gratification and the
biosphere as the STARTING POINT for business profitability
through truly SUSTAINABLE practices.
Did you know that in our linear processes economy, fully 90% of
the energy used to manufacture and market a product is LOST TO
WASTE!!? ???
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Consider what that means to the global energy use if MOST of
that waste was ELIMINATED?
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PLUS --->
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RIGHT! MUCH LESS ENERGY USE with the SAME amount of services
while eliminating most pollution and toxins.
All this flies in the face of "greed is good" and REQUIRES
cooperation, collaboration and acute respect for the biosphere
as a NECESSITY in order to have a TRULY PROFITABLE BUSINESS
VENTURE!
This video makes a laughing stock out of the LIBERTARIAN, TOP
PREDATOR BALONEY that has practically destroyed the biosphere
and made businesses continually shoot themselves in the foot!
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How can this be, you may ask? ??? Well one of the key
components of the inefficiency of our current system is that
MOST of the ENERGY spent to create products goes into mining raw
materials where the LEAST humans are employed.
Conversely, a SMALL percentage of the total ENERGY spent is on
manufacturing the finished product, where MOST humans are
employed.
We need to STOP using so much energy in mining and extraction by
making products that, when they wear out, go back to the
factory, NOT THE GARBAGE CAN and LAND FILL WASTE SITE! The
factory THEN can use this product designed for recycling to
refurbish it and sell it again and again!
This does THREE things.
1. It reduces high energy mining and extraction.
2 Creates more human employment. :
3. Preserves the biosphere for future generations.
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More people have jobs, less energy is wasted and less pollution
hits the biosphere. If we make it, THIS IS HOW WE ARE GOING TO
DO IT!
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#Post#: 482--------------------------------------------------
Re: A High-Renewables Tomorrow, Today:
DIR By: AGelbert
Date: December 2, 2013, 1:10 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
City-Owned Texas Utility Already Serves 40% Renewable Energy
Is having local control of a utility the key to ramping up
renewable energy?
In 2011, Boulder citizens voted to have their city take over the
electric utility, joining 1 in 7 Americans served by municipal
electric utilities. Their feasibility study suggests they can
more than double renewable energy on their system to over 50%,
slashing greenhouse gas emissions. A study in Santa Fe, NM,
suggests a similar increase (to 45% clean energy) is possible,
while reducing electricity costs. Other cities, like
Minneapolis, MN, are also studying the option.
Many of these communities are inspired by examples like Denton,
TX, a municipal utility that already gets 40% of its power from
renewable energy. The presentation to the Boulder city council
is from Mike Grim, the head of the Denton city utility.
Vimeo video at link:
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[COLOR=PURPLE]Agelbert COMMENT: Excellent! The money savings is
in Renewable Energy harvested near the user, the more
distributed, the greater the energy efficiency per collected
kilowatt.
Smart people follow the Renewable Energy Money. Dumb people talk
nonsense about "gross output" of nuclear power plants while they
studiously ignore massive transmission losses and really massive
energy costs of baby sitting "used" fuel rod assemblies for at
least a century. A fuel rod assemby lasts, get this, about 6 to
8 years, period. Anyone that tells you they are "carbon neutral"
is a liar.
A MW of solar or wind power collected near the user is worth
[I]much,[/I] much more than a MW of fossil fuel or nuclear power
from a centralized power plant hundreds of miles from the user.
But that doesn't stop clever intelli-morons from trying to wow
ignorant people about the[I] "massive concentration of energy
(poisonous energy)" [/I] you can get from the
[I]"non-intermittent" (LOL!)"[/I] nuclear and fossil fuel
centralized, poisonous, water hogging and water polluting, rate
rigging, investor favoring, "privatized" power corporations.
[url=
HTML http://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/index.php]Renewable<br
/>Revolution
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