Comments timbuktu has made

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

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

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, 4 months ago 1 Response

What are the Dems doing?

As the party that traditionally champions for the working class, Democrats should come out and say that they are adamantly against high oil prices, and that they want to reduce the costs to the consumer in the long term. This would highlight how more oil drilling is not a sustainable strategy for long-term energy price reductions. Right now the Republicans have the democrats in a bind because they are focusing on the short term. If the Democrats could talk a bit more about energy longevity they wouldn't look so weak on the issue. It also wouldn't hurt to point out that oil companies have 70 million accessible acres still on lease that they could tap into if we really wanted to fix the situation with a short term flow of oil (See This Is Not A Drill).On The offshore drilling hoax, part 2 posted 1 year, 4 months ago 2 Responses

Good article

This article is spot on. Study the environment for more than five minutes, and the first thing you learn is that the most powerful thing we can do is to conserve the energy and resources we regularly waste. Efficiency can be increased also by how we design our infrastructure. Currently, policymakers like to promote "big" energy solutions - huge wind farms, nuclear power plants, etc. But the research show that to increase efficiency we need to diversify and downscale our production facilities. More on lessons of efficiency we can learn from nature: Electric Power Plants - Size Matters.On There's only one way to get big near-term carbon reductions posted 1 year, 4 months ago 21 Responses

Conservation: the best thing we can do

This article is spot on. Study the environment for more than five minutes, and the first thing you learn is that the most powerful thing we can do is to conserve the energy and resources we regularly waste. Efficiency can be increased also by how we design our infrastructure. Currently, policymakers like to promote "big" energy solutions - huge wind farms, nuclear power plants, etc. But the research show that to increase efficiency we need to diversify and downscale our production facilities. More on lessons of efficiency we can learn from nature: Electric Power Plants - Size Matters.On Energy efficiency is the core climate solution, part 1 posted 1 year, 4 months ago 21 Responses

never ceases to amaze me

I can't believe that we're still hearing about efforts to dupe the public about the science on global warming. I guess I shouldn't be surprised at this point. At this point though, these efforts just appear kind of foolish in light of the growing international awareness and publicizing of the fact that global warming is a crisis that needs to be addressed NOW. Some recent moves by influential people to debunk the falsities surrounding global warming: http://www.brightfuture.us/new.On Cheney's office censors CDC director's testimony on climate-related health threats posted 1 year, 4 months ago 1 Response

Environmental Impact

Of course, all of this debate is about whether biofuels are hurting food prices, and thus the poor. But regardless of the outcome of this debate, biofuels remain a potentially harmful energy source, if only for the environmental degradation they can cause. The demand for efficient production leads to unsustainable agricultural practices, as well as the overuse of fertilizers and pesticides. See article on the dangers of biofuel production: http://www.brightfuture.us/new.On Economist says biofuels have pushed up global food prices by 75 percent posted 1 year, 4 months ago 37 Responses

offshore is great

This is really good to see. It's about time the U.S. followed Europe's lead in developing offshore wind power capacity. Not only do these turbines take advantage of regularly high winds at see, but they can also provide a habitat refuge for marine wildlife! (See article.On Delaware to have offshore wind farm in 2012 posted 1 year, 5 months ago 4 Responses

Portland

Portland really is a great example. Their program has reduced greenhouse gas emissions from the city by 17%. If only we could get a national program like that! But if the federal government won't take action on smart planning, then I think smart planning programs at the municipal level are a really smart way to go. There's an interesting article on the Bright Future blog about this type of local action.On Select Committee examines the benefits of smarter urban planning posted 1 year, 5 months ago 3 Responses

Better battery?

I wonder what the specific standard will be for the "better battery" that will win the cash prize? Feel Good Cars in Toronto, and a company in Texas have produced a significantly more efficient battery and a battery-like energy storage device, respectively. See articleOn McCain calls for $300 million prize for the designer of a better electric-car battery posted 1 year, 5 months ago 18 Responses

Geothermal too?

Great article. Very illuminating about the geopolitical dynamics of renewable energy initiatives. I wonder if geothermal energy, specifically heat mining might also help "balance the map?" There was a cool study by an MIT panel that found widespread potential for heat mining. Check it out.On Considering recycled energy will politically facilitate a national clean energy plan posted 1 year, 5 months ago 12 Responses