Aklemm’s Recent Comments

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  McDonough frames it well

  "Growth, No Growth is a specious argument.  The real question is what do we want to grow."

  The whole point is that no one can predict the future.  The best near term subsitute to a crystal ball is crafting public policy with near and long term feedback loops that constantly inform and allow policies to be adjusted to achieve desired end states.On Shellenberger & Nordhaus echo flawed economic assumptions posted 2 years, 1 month ago 6 Responses

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  One option

  One of the panelists at the Solar conference is an advocate of a renewable energy X-prize.

  $1B prize for the first PV manufacturer & system integrator to deliver levelized kWh costs comparable to utility rates.

  $500M prize for the 2nd PV firm

  $300M prize for the 3rd PV firm, etc.

  In my mind, that is an elegant incentive structure that would be certain, effective and not create an industry dependent on incentives.On In which I come to the defense of Shellenberger and Nordhaus -- sort of, anyway posted 2 years, 1 month ago 4 Responses

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  Sell the sizzle on re-packaged meat

  The CCI is putting their heft behind  standard good energy management practice and performance contracting.

  Doing that is helpful, however it isn't earth-shattering either.

  Intelligent energy saving performance contracting has been going on for several decades and there is no shortage of financing for tax exempt equipment lease financing.  

  As a matter of fact, interest rates on tax exempt lease financing have decreased during the credit crunch.  (flight to quality and all)

  It is exceptionally rare to have the lack of financing be the reason why an energy saving performance contract isn't consumated.On Clinton's 21st century climate philanthropy posted 2 years, 1 month ago 3 Responses

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  Teddy Roosevelt said it...

  "It is not the critic who counts. Not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause. Who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those timid souls who know neither victory or defeat."

  If you couldn't guess, I agree with David Roberts.  

  McDonough tells a funny story about Krupp being the cause of much of McDonough's materials work with a warning after the architectural contract was awarded to the Croxton Collaborative for EDF's HQ.  

  Krupp said, "If any of my people get sick from this building, we are going to sue you."

  McDonough then has a story about negligence and where negligence begins.

  Krupp was instrumental in kicking off the public phase of McDonough's sustainability practice.

  That alone should count for something amongst the green fundamentalists.On Krupped up posted 2 years, 1 month ago 2 Responses

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  PPA's work

  California State University has 2.5 MW of solar PPA's.

  The feedback on PPAs has been nearly universally positive and most campuses have begun working on a lot more solar PPAs.

  For tax exempt and/or public sector entities the primary way to take advantage of the tax benefits is to sign a PPA.

  In addition to an additional 2.5 MW of owned photovoltaic systems.On Increasingly popular solar power conference mirrors growth in the industry posted 2 years, 1 month ago 3 Responses