Alternative . Renewable . Energy

Popular Science's alternative energy plan

Popular science has put together a nice, easily digestable overview of some of the renewable energy options that will help wean the world off fossil fuels:

10 Steps To End America’s Fossil-Fuel Addiction

[via Energy for the Future]

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Energy 102: Energy facts

A couple days ago I posted a link to a web site with basic energy information. The site is intended for students, but it's a great resource for anyone who wants a simple presentation of the basics of energy.

Yesterday I ran across another site intended for kids that takes a deeper look at a variety of energy sources, both renewable and non-renewable. Lots of good information here (if you can ignore the design, which is obviously kid-focused) and best of all, it's easily digestible.

And if you already have a deep understanding of energy basics, this might be a good link to forward to someone you know who doesn't.

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Energy 101 - the basics

I think it's safe to say that the general public's understanding of energy (including mine, before I started this blog) is limited to some vague recollection of things we learned in high school, then promptly forgot.

And that's a shame, because it's hard to make good informed decisions without the basics.

When it comes to building a conceptual foundation, sometimes simple is better. The Energy Story is a site aimed at students, but the simple picture it offers is a good primer for anyone who wants to get up to speed on the basics of energy.

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Goldman Sachs alternative energy conference webcast

Clean Break points to a webcast of the Goldman Sachs Alternative Energy Conference. You can listen to recordings to the following sessions...

• Bio-fuels Panel: What is driving growth in transport fuels?
• Wind Panel: Prospects for growth, what barriers are left to broad adoption?
• Keynote Luncheon Speaker - United Nations Foundation
• Solar Panel: When will subsidies no longer be relevant?
• Fuel Cell Panel: When will price points be low enough for mass adoption?
• General Hydrogen Corporation
• Foundation Coal Holdings, Inc.
• KFx Inc. Presentation
• Peabody Energy Corporation
• Alternative Energy in Asia: Perspective & Opportunities

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Renewables 2005: Global Status Report

In a comment on my Sustainable Future blog, EM Sky at Win-Win Web pointed me to the Worldwatch Institute as a great source of energy statistics. Perusing their site, I found Renewables 2005: Global Status Report.

Some encouraging information there. For example...

The report finds that government support for renewable energy is growing rapidly. At least 48 countries now have some type of renewable energy promotion policy, including 14 developing countries. Most targets are for shares of electricity production, typically 5-30 percent, by the 2010-2012 timeframe. Mandates for blending biofuels into vehicle fuels have been enacted in at least 20 states and provinces worldwide as well as in three key countries—Brazil, China and India.

Government leadership provides the key to market success, according to the report. The market leaders in renewable energy in 2004 were Brazil in biofuels, China in solar hot water, Germany in solar electricity, and Spain in wind power.

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Have an energy question? Google it here!

Statistical Review of World Energy 2005

If you're looking for some good basic facts and figures on energy, check out bp's Statistical Review of World Energy 2005.

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Alternative fuels comparison chart

Here's a page from the US Department of Energy that lets you create a custom comparison chart for a variety of alternative fuels. You can compare them on numerous fronts, from chemical structure to energy content per gallon to environmental impact.

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New Economic Foundation - renewable energy report

Here's a report (pdf) from the New Economic Foundation...

Mirage and oasis: Energy choices in an age of global warming
The trouble with nuclear power and the potential of renewable energy

The New Economic Foundation describes itself as "an independent think-and-do tank that inspires and demonstrates real economic well-being."

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Renewable Energy Q & A

An interesting Q&A on renewable energy with Scot Sklar.

Scott Sklar is President of The Stella Group in Washington, D.C., a distributed energy marketing and policy firm. Scott, co-author of "A Consumer Guide to Solar Energy", uses solar technologies for heating and power at his home in Virginia.

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Energy Self Sufficiency Newsletter

Interested in a do-it-yourself approach to energy self sufficiency? You'll want to check out the July issue of the Energy Self Sufficiency Newsletter (pdf file). Or check out the archives.

From the table of contents in the July issue...

From the Editor’s Laptop
Off-Grid Journal
Ghost Writing
Al Rutan - The Methane Man
Prologue to Methane Gas
Small Wind Turbine Basics
Self Sufficiency in Africa
The Fachongle Stove
Allergy Free Gardening
Many Hands Make Light Work
Passive Solar Building Design
The Boy is Crazy!
Work Safe !
Making Bio-Diesel More Green
Bio-Diesel in Germany
Electric Vehicles
Classified Ads

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