timbuktu’s Recent Comments

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  Environmental impact

  If only this could receive full media coverage. It really is significant that biofuel policies are hearting the world economy (not to mention the poor) when their very intention is supposedly to ease the energy market. Given the advances in both electric transportation and renewable modes of power generation, biofuels are comparing as a rather poor solution.

  And this report doesn't even address fully the ecological repercussions of biofuel development. Producing biofuels often leads to practices the cause deforestation, poor labor conditions, topsoil depletion, and pollution from the aggressive use of agricultural chemicals (The Great Biofuel Hoax of 2008). Maybe if we get this report really does cause a stir we might see a shift in the right direction.On World Bank finally releases 'secret' report on biofuels and the food crisis posted 1 year, 3 months ago 65 Responses

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  Swindlers

  And yet their stooges in Washington are pressing to open up more offshore and Arctic sites to these guys?  If they're doing so well and we (the people) are still hurting, I doubt whether Exxon more resources is going help anyone but their shareholders. In fact, a recent CNN report states that oil companies are currently utilizing only 20 of 90 million acres of productive land they have on lease ("This Is Not A Drill"). If they're really short on oil they can tap into that. No need to give the scoundrels any more real estate!On ExxonMobil rakes in record cash, spends only 1 percent on alternative energy posted 1 year, 3 months ago 11 Responses

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  Nuclear Is Innefficient

  Asides from the health and safety risks addressed here, nuclear power facilities are just not an efficient away of generating our electricity. They are part of an outmoded paradigm or energy production that relies on large central production facilities that then distribute their power widely through the grid. Well, with the developments in solar, wind, tidal, etc... it's becoming much more feasible for many dispersed, smaller facilities to generate energy to be used in their immediate locality - a much more efficient scheme. It's time to shift our way of thinking about energy delivery to a more diversified, local approach. More on the topic: "Electric Power Plants - Size Matters"On French independent nuclear commission reports four malfunctions in four plants in 15 days posted 1 year, 3 months ago 43 Responses

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  Other ways to save

  I must say that I'm pleasantly shocked that Obama is eco savvy enough to promote this kind of efficiency as one of our best energy solutions.

  Besides the tips mentioned in this post, there are some theories that you can save gas by changing how you buy it. A fair amount of each filling of gas is lost to evaporation, but this amount can be reduced if you avoid buying gas when it's very hot out and by always keeping your tank as full as possible. Some more tips: Simple Fuel Efficiency.On More oil can be found in your car than offshore posted 1 year, 3 months ago 8 Responses

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  the real solution

  So much press is given right now to all the nano-solar, thin-film solar, etc solutions being touted on the geekosphere (I use that term endearingly), so it's nice to see piece about the larger end of solar. Small-scale is of course hugely important to increasing efficiency and conservation, but there's got to be some baseload to power the grid. Concentrator solar is the way to go here. Probably the best efficiency I have come across in this department is the SolFocus Concentrator Photovoltaic (CPV) system.On Solar thermal expected to double every 16 months for the next five years posted 1 year, 3 months ago 1 Response