Ed Ring

On May 4th, 2007, in California's capital, the Sacramento Bee printed a story entitled "Plan for global warming: Bite the dust." In this story, author Jim Downing brings to the mainstream press the notion that global warming can be reversed by "battleship artillery blasting millions of tons of dust into the stratosphere." Apparently the dust can also be released from high flying airplanes. If we're trying to cut costs, why not heavy-lift airships? The Global Cooling Effects of Benign Soot This so-called "Plan B" solution, which will lower the amount of sunlight reaching earth, would only cost a few hundred billion dollars - not trillions like sequestering CO2 - and...

We like this characterization of thermal solar concentrators, "thermalvoltaic," because it calls to mind the fact that thermal energy can be concentrated and turned into electricity just like light can - "photovoltaic."  And as we review solar thermal here, it is important to note that the sun is only one source of thermal voltaic power - geothermal energy is another prime example.  A parabolic trough array glows in the sunlight Photo: Schott Solar Unlike the emerging photovoltaic concentrators, thermalvoltaic concentrators, more commonly referred to as solar concentrators or solar thermal arrays, have been around a long time.  There are three primary designs of solar concentrators, all of which...

Our original intention is posting "Stossel's Myths" about global warming was to agree with him in principle, but question one of his outlandish claims.  In his ABC News post of April 20th entitled "Global Warming Myths," citing sources, Stossel believes it would take 1,000 acres of photovoltaic array to power the daily operations at Epcot Center at Disneyland Florida, when if fact it would only require 100 acres of photovotaic arrays, even at a paltry output of 10 watts per square foot and an average 8 hour (full sun equivalent) day.  Florida is sunnier than average, last time I checked. Stossel based his PV bashing on calculations that we find completely valid except for the fact he dropped a digit somewhere, therefore decreasing the cost-effectiveness of photovoltaics by one order of magnitude.  Certainly an order of magnitude is worth revisiting data on photovoltaic output, wouldn't you say? Here's an...

We have just published a feature-length report by Daniela Muhawi on the oceans of the world entitled "Our Endangered Oceans."  It is our contention that global warming alarm and the war on CO2 emissions has shoved into the background urgent environmental challenges that require action right now - tropical deforestation, species extinction, aquifer depletion, desertification, genuine air pollution, water pollution.  But joining these global environmental challenges at the top of the list are the imminent threats to ocean species and ecosystems. One of the most compelling reasons to report on the oceans is because it is here that sweeping changes are happening now, not in 50-100 years. The final destruction of the major ocean reef habitats as well as the collapse of major fish populations is well underway. As of 2007, both may soon be destroyed beyond repair, and with every month of delay on the part...

On April 20, 2007, John Stossel published an article on the ABC News website entitled "The Global Warming Myth." In this article he suggests there are several myths being promulgated by global warming alarmists, including these four: (1) The Earth is warming uncontrollably, (2) this warming is because of humans, (3) there will be huge disruptions in climate including violent storms and flooded coasts, and (4) signing Kyoto will help solve the problem. For the most part, we agree with Stossel. But our intention, despite contrary perceptions by single-minded global warming alarmists, is not to discourage the new momentum of worldwide environmental consciousness that has been stoked by this issue. Our intention is to attempt to restore balance to the debate - and it is a debate - and in a larger sense, to restore balance to environmentalism. Huge environmental challenges are not being addressed as...

Silicon Valley Solar, or SV Solar, is a pretty good name for a company located in the heart of Northern California's Silicon Valley, where the latest generation of silicon fueled booms is taking shape in the form of photovoltaic cells being designed and manufactured at dozens if not hundreds of companies, from start-ups to Fortune 500 stalwarts. SV Solar's "SolX2" Flat Plate PV Concentrator Photo: SV Solar Today I had the chance to talk for a while with Dave Shannahan, President and Chief Operating Officer of SV Solar.  The technology they are pursuing is known as "low level concentrators" which is an interesting hybrid design that combines the simplicity of a stationary solar...

The entire nation of Australia is going fluorescent - I guess I won't be going there again.  The entire province of Ontario is going fluorescent - ditto.  Now the legislature in my own state of California is considering a ban on incandescent light bulbs, and astonishingly, it appears likely to pass.  Only our governor's veto can stop this government overreach. This bill is the wrong approach.  Incandescent light bulbs do NOT cause pollution any more than electric cars cause pollution.  Why don't we ban electric cars?  If you are purchasing clean energy, you should be able to use that energy to do whatever the heck you want. Some of us happen to dislike fluorescent lighting.  Now the government is going to tell me how to light my kitchen, my living room, my bedroom?  The government is going to force us to live under lights we don't like?  I'd rather pay for...

Today I had the opportunity to catch up with Alan Gotcher, CEO of Altair Nanotechnologies.  This Nevada-based company has even begun to excite their competitors.  For example, last month at a GM-hosted battery technology briefing for journalists, I asked some of the battery engineers from other manufacturers of lithium ion batteries about Altair Nano, and their design got favorable comments. Scanning electron microscope image of Altair-Nano's nano-titanate material Photo: Altair Nanotechnologies According to Gotcher, Altair Nano's particular lithium ion battery chemistry "has a nice balance between surge power and high energy storage."  This is the problem that has, apparently, kept the nickel metal hydride...

In spite of having been around since the days of the Persian Empire, you don't see too many vertical axis wind generators.  Now a Nevada company "Mariah Power" has launched a product rated at 1.0 kilowatt and designed for home power systems. The "Windspire" vertical axis generator is 30' high & 2' wide. Photo: Mariah Power When I met Mariah Power's VP of Marketing, Tracy Twist, last week in Sacramento, she showed me an actual cross-section of the rotor.  It is only two feet wide, but 20 feet tall.  Standing on a 10 foot tower, with the inverter and generator attached immediately to the bottom of the rotor, this windmill appears simpler to manufacture and maintain compared to...

On or about Earth Day, or Arbor Day, spring in Northern California's Santa Clara valley is a magical time when the clouds often hang wet in the western skies all day, progressing with moderate winds into the valley over hills that are green year-round.  Winds from the west bring ionized and pristine moisture blown in from the Pacific Ocean, scented by the mountain forests, and clearing the senses wonderfully. Don't bother me, I'm planting trees. Saturday, April 21st was a day to plant trees.  For eleven years, as of 2007, I've been fortunate enough to make it back each spring to a small sliver of West San Jose called Westmont High School to plant trees.  The...