Most Americans know we’ve got a problem: an addiction to oil that taxes the environment, entangles us in costly foreign policies, and threatens the nation’s long-term stability. But few are informed or empowered enough to do much about it.
Most Americans know we’ve got a problem: an addiction to oil that taxes the environment, entangles us in costly foreign policies, and threatens the nation’s long-term stability. But few are informed or empowered enough to do much about it.
This is a three wheeled electric bike enclosed in a full fairing. It is still in development with a prototype having been built.
Antonia Juhasz is an American author and political activist. She is a visiting scholar at the Institute for Policy Studies and Foreign Policy in Focus, and a fellow at Oil Change International.
She was the author of The Bush Agenda: Invading the World One Economy at a Time in 2006, Alternatives to Economic Globalization: a Better World Is Possible, and the article "Ambitions of Empire: the Radical Reconstruction of Iraq’s Economy" for which she received the 2004 Project Censored award. In 2008, she published The Tyranny of Oil.
A data source and search service listing data about alternatively fueled vehicles.
A blog about peak oil and the need to change transportation with this attitude: If you understand the issue of Peak Oil, then you understand that transportation needs to change dramatically in the coming years. This website is not about debating whether Peak Oil is true/false or when it is happening. I am already beyond that and I don’t care for that type of debate.
An independent, renewable energy tracking system for the region covered by the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC). WREGIS tracks renewable energy generation from units that register in the system using verifiable data and creates renewable energy certificates (RECs) for this generation. WREGIS Certificates can be used to verify compliance with state and provincial regulatory requirements (Renewable Portfolio Standards, for example) and in voluntary market programs.
WREGIS is an accounting system designed to issue, register and track renewable energy certificates (RECs) for use in verification of compliance with state and provincial regulatory and voluntary market programs. The system can be accessed by both registered account holders and public users, but the functionality available to registered users is much higher than that available to the public. WREGIS account holders can manage their individual REC portfolios in one account; the same account will have numerous available sub-accounts into which the portfolios can be organized.
A campaign born out of one persons quest to create cleaner air for kids after learning about how badly polluting the inside of our school buses were.
BDI - BioDiesel International provides solutions for the industrial utilisation of renewable resources.
The core-competences are technologies for the production of high-quality BioDiesel. from different types of feedstock; surpassing the strictest product standards; environmental friendly; with the best cost-value ratio.
A Hypercar® vehicle is designed to capture the synergies of: ultralight construction; low-drag design; hybrid-electric drive; and, efficient accessories to achieve 3 to 5-fold improvement in fuel economy, equal or better performance, safety, amenity and affordability, compared to today's vehicles.
The Hypercar® is a design by the Rocky Mountain Institute which relies on a highly aerodynamic vehicle body, advanced composite materials, and an efficient hybrid-electric drive train. In many ways the Honda Insight is an example of a Hypercar.
Founded in 1984, the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association (CRFA) is a non-profit organization with a mission to promote the use of renewable fuels for transportation through consumer awareness and government liaison activities.
The CRFA membership is composed of representatives from all levels of the ethanol and biodiesel industry, including: grain and cellulose ethanol producers, biodiesel producers, fuel technology providers, and agricultural associations.
An overly alarmist look at the world that appears to be saying all the political and commercial systems are corrupt, elections are corrupt, there are oil wars being waged due to peak oil, conspiracy theories, incompetence theories, etc. Not that there isn't truth to what they're saying, just that they're being overly alarmist and hypestery.
For forty years Population Connection (formerly Zero Population Growth) has been educating young people with its award-winning Population Education program and advocating for progressive action to stabilize world population at a level that can be sustained by Earth's resources.
Overpopulation threatens the quality of life for people everywhere. Population Connection is the national grassroots population organization that educates young people and advocates progressive action to stabilize world population at a level that can be sustained by Earth's resources.
Provides affordable consulting services to designers, builders, building owners, owner-builders, producers and users of renewable energy, government agencies, and non-profit groups. Helps people implement environmental building projects focused on energy efficiency, renewable energy, green materials selection, and indoor environmental quality.
An information portal that appears to be sponsored by the European Union which tracks many aspects of "energy". This includes oil and fuel prices, renewable energy sources, efficiency, recommendations, and more. It looks to be a very comprehensive site.
EERE's programs conduct activities in partnership with the private sector, state and local government, DOE national laboratories, and universities. In July 2002, EERE reorganized to strengthen its focus on programs and these partnerships. The EERE mission is to strengthen America's energy security, environmental quality, and economic vitality in public-private partnerships that: Enhance energy efficiency and productivity; Bring clean, reliable and affordable energy technologies to the marketplace; and Make a difference in the everyday lives of Americans by enhancing their energy choices and their quality of life.
Founded in 1984, the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association (CRFA) is a non-profit organization with a mission to promote the use of renewable fuels for transportation through consumer awareness and government liaison activities.
The CRFA membership is composed of representatives from all levels of the ethanol and biodiesel industry, including: grain and cellulose ethanol producers, biodiesel producers, fuel technology providers, and agricultural associations.
The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to advancing energy efficiency as a means of promoting economic prosperity, energy security, and environmental protection.
Serves the public by providing education services, by providing an agency for funded and educational research in the area of E85 and alternative fuels and by providing a resource and service function for grassroots Americans across the nation. The AFI is organized and shall be organized exclusively for benevolent, charitable, civic, cultural and educational purposes. Its specific purpose is to promote public education of alternative fuels, including but not limited to ethanol and E85.
The AGORES site is designed to be a most extensive global international information centre and knowledge gateway for Renewable Energies. Originally it was built for the European Commission, but over the last few years, our site has been extended to the whole world's information on Renewable Energy.
Blog looking at oil prices, energy, alternative fuels, and more.
A visual and interactive web directory of information resources about renewable energy technology. Articles, forums, news and videos about alternative energy technologies.
An online eMagazine and web library for the alternative energy industry. Provide an open and unbiased platform where new ideas, systems and solutions can be expressed, shared and cataloged for use by our readers.
"1 Block Off the Grid is a nationwide community-based purchasing program for residential Solar energy. We drive large savings by aggregating groups of residents and negotiating discount pricing with installers and manufacturers." They aim to bring the U.S. to the forefront of using and deploying solar energy technology. They aim to remove 'cost' as a hurdle by using group purchasing power.
The program is open to all residents that: a) Own their home or investment property (if you’re a renter click here); b) Are listed on their electrical utilities bill; c) Are willing to make energy conservation changes such as installing compact fluorescent lights, running the dishwasher at night, etc.
Solar on Renters and Landlords - How It Works: "Why can’t the landlord recoup his or her investment in solar energy from then tenant who is typically paying for the electricity? Why can’t you work something into the lease so that the tenant gets stabilized, clean energy instead of dirty grid power for the same price or even cheaper, and the landlord gets a bump in rent to pay for his or her system that they just bought."
The program is open to people who wish to be field organizers.
"Oil Change International campaigns to expose the true costs of oil and facilitate the coming transition towards clean energy. We are dedicated to identifying and overcoming political barriers to that transition." That's what they're saying about themselves. This is a worthy goal as I think most people just fill up their tanks and don't think a thing about what they're doing. Just like how clean water running out of a tap allows people to forget the true cost of getting clean water, having a magical fuel easily available at every corner gas station gives the people an opportunity to not see the true cost of it all.
How does Oil Change go about this? "Oil Change was founded in order to network together, encourage, and compliment a diversity of strategies and tactics around the oil industry. We are a research and advocacy organization that exists to force progress in the energy industry towards an environmentally and socially sustainable energy future."
They are running three advocacy 'campaigns' ...
Separate Oil & State is a US campaign to get oil money out of politics. The greatest barriers to clean energy are political, not technical—and these barriers are largely fueled by the oil industry. We know that in order to achieve a clean energy future, we have to expose and eradicate the political influence of the oil industry; we have to achieve a separation of oil & state. Clearly there is an issue with Oil industry's influence over the political scene, for example President Enron (G.W.Bush), Vice President Halliburton (D.Cheney) and Secretary of State Chevron (C.Rice).
Follow the Oil Money is an interactive tool that tracks the flow of oil money in US politics. Click on one of the search tools on the right to find out which companies are pumping their dirty oil money into politics, who is receiving it, and how it correlates to key climate, energy and war votes. Using this resource you can search the network of funding between the oil companies and Congress. You can look at data on specific congress critters by zip code. You can track votes by each congress critter. etc
End Oil Aid is a diverse coalition of organizations working together to end oil aid and address the issues at the intersection of oil dependence, climate change, and international debt. The individual organizations within this coalition work with a wide variety of national and international networks to: influence public policy with an eye towards third world debt cancellation; identify and overcome the political barriers to transitioning away from oil dependence; and hold private and public financial institutions accountable for bankrolling deforestation and climate destabilization. The partners are FRIENDS OF THE EARTH INTERNATIONAL, JUBILEE USA NETWORK, OIL CHANGE INTERNATIONAL and PEOPLE & PLANET.
Their Oil Aid: tracking subsidies to the international oil industry website "is an interactive tool for tracking subsidies to the international oil industry. You can search for oil aid by donor country, recipient country, donor financial institution, and other fields." It's a truism that the price of oil doesn't include a bunch of subsidies some of which are indirect. But I have never seen a clear description of just what those hidden subsidies really are.
A Climate of War is a new report from Oil Change International that quantifies both the greenhouse gas emissions of the Iraq War and the opportunity costs involved in fighting war rather than climate change. Such as: Projected total US spending on the Iraq war could cover all of the global investments in renewable power generation that are needed between now and 2030 in order to halt current warming trends.
They have several ways to get involved with Oil Change International.
An interesting group...
The Green-e program is meant to bolster customer confidence in the reliability of retail electricity products reflecting renewable energy generation, expand the retail market for electricity products incorporating renewable energy, provide customers clear information about retail "green" electricity products to enable them to make informed purchasing decisions, and encourage the deployment of electricity products that minimize air pollution and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Clearly if our society is going to have a cleaner environment one thing to do is shift electricity generation from Coal to, well, practically anything else will be cleaner than Coal. The style to which we've become accustomed is hugely dependent on cheap energy derived from cheap fossil fuels, but the use of those fossil fuels causes huge problems for us all. Hence there is a need to switch to other resources.
The Green-E program is positioning itself as an arbiter of green electricity, and they offer a stamp of approval that is meant to give "customers" (us) comfort that Green-E certified services are powered by cleanly generated electricity.
The The Center for Resource Solutions manages the Green-E program.
The Green‑e Energy National Standard identifies many criteria renewable energy must meet to be certified. Energy must come from eligible sources of supply, like wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, or “low‑impact” hydropower. Only new renewable facilities can be used, ones built since 1997. Energy can’t be used to fulfill a state renewable energy goal, and can’t be “double counted" towards that goal. And marketing to consumers must be accurate—Green‑e performs a marketing compliance review twice a year to ensure that what they say is what you get.
In 2007, renewable energy generated to supply unique Green‑e Energy Certified products prevented emissions to the atmosphere of 5.5 million short tons of CO2, a gas that contributes to global climate change. An equivalent amount of average system power would produce 7,000 tons of SO2, which can lead to acid rain; 6,000 tons of NOx, which causes smog and groundlevel pollution; and over 11 tons of mercury, a toxic substance linked to neurological problems.
"Customers" can query through the site for Green-E certified electricity providers. These are organized by locale and the type of electrical generation. Each provider has a profile page on their site. For example the City of Palo Alto Utilities is listed as being Wind: 97%, Solar: 2%.
Green-e Climate Certified Carbon Offsets is a certification program for the sale of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction products sold in the voluntary market. This is sales of carbon credits deriving from programs which Green-E certifies to be valid. The Green-e Climate Endorsed Programs are independent third-party greenhouse gas (GHG) Project Certification Programs that ensure specific GHG reduction projects result in real, verified, enforceable, permanent, and additional reductions. The specific principles and criteria that Endorsed Programs should meet are outlined in the Green-e Climate Standard. Sellers who seek Green-e Climate certification for the sales of GHG emission reduction products (offsets) must source from projects that are certified by one of the Endorsed Programs.
Why should an electricity provider get certification? They suggest that consumer confidence, quality assurance, recognition, etc, are the benefits. It is a voluntary program so a company has to seek to become qualified.
There are six easy steps to certification and it is these steps where I begin to be concerned about whether Green-E has any standing. The steps are to essentially fill out some paperwork, and send it in along with an application fee. One would hope that the Green-E organization sends out auditors to verify the claims that a provider makes in their application form. One would hope that Green-E inspects facilities on a regular basis, that they take air samples and other measurements, etc. But the process does not discuss any of this, it simply says they review application forms and take money.
There is discussion of an audit procedure but The Verification Process Audit uses company contracts, invoices, and billing statements.
Typical wind turbines are mounted on a tower, perhaps are taller than local zoning ordinances allow, make noise, have an effect on bird populations, etc. Vertical axis wind turbines are done differently and can be more easily integrated with the urban landscape.
Durable, Simple Installation, Low Maintenance - Rugged yet simple construction means durability - Windspire is rated for winds up to 100 mph - and low maintenance for customers. Installation is simple, and can be completed by a professional installer in a matter of hours.
Virtually Silent: Windspire is nearly silent. According to an independent acoustic study by Summit Engineering, the Windspire is "imperceptible" in a 10 mph wind, and 8.8 dB above ambient in a 50 mph wind. Compare this to the 65 to 100 dB noise levels of many turbines on the market!
Because of its small size it can fit into more settings than can larger turbines. Obviously that may mean lower power output per turbine. But if it's truly affordable then the lower price can mean more turbines to install. The company suggests you can use one or more to power your home, such as placing them in the back yard. However their siting suggestions say there should be a 50-100 foot circumference around the Windspire where there are no buildings. This is not possible in a residential area but there are plenty of places this can be done, such as along the edge of a parking lot, along a highway, etc.
The currently available units are rated for 1.2 kW. This is not quite enough to power a household, meaning the typical house will require several of them. Also since wind is gusty a power storage mechanism is required such as batteries.
The Installation Steps
1. Choose a suitable Windspire location.
2. Auger a 6-foot deep, 2-foot diameter hole (typical foundation).
3. Install the foundation form and secure the threaded anchor rods.
4. Pour the concrete, and wait for it to fully cure.
5. Dig a trench to your electrical connection for wiring.
6. Assemble the Windspire horizontally, connected to the hinge plate on the base.
7. Raise the Windspire with a winch or motor, using the cable and gin pole set.
8. Run the electrical wire and connect your Windspire to your house or building.
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Matt Simmons is Chairman of Simmons & Company International, a specialized energy investment banking firm. Mr. Simmons' recently published book Twilight in the Desert: The Coming Saudi Oil Shock and the World Economy has been listed on the Wall Street Journal's best-seller list. He has also published numerous energy papers for industry journals and is a frequent speaker at government forums, energy symposiums and in board rooms of many leading energy companies around the world. Mr. Simmons is married and has five daughters. His hobbies include watercolors, cooking, writing and travel.
His presentation is to warn of a 'run on the bank' as it applies to oil supplies. He warns of how this can cause a major disruption very quickly and which is a gravely serious problem. There's an analogy to how quickly the financial system melted down.
Slides: http://www.aspo-usa.org/aspousa4/proceedings/Simmons_Matthew_ASPOUSA2008.pdf
The meltdown demonstrated various flaws in the financial system which had been built. The lack of regulation, the high leverage figures, it all made for a nonresiliant system which collapsed like a house of cards. There was an illusion that the bigger the financial institution the more it was too big to fail, but we saw giants fall.
Risk is a very real thing. Leverage can be dangerous. Audited financial numbers do not always represent genuine reality.
In the oil industry there is even less knowledge about the true situation. In the financial system there is regulation and required disclosures, even as much of that system has been deregulated. In the oil industry there is no regulation, there is no federal reserve, no watchdogs, etc.
Just like the quick collapse of the financial system, can the oil industry also go through a quick collapse and what is the effect if it does? The question to be concerned over is how resiliant is the oil delivery system to disruption. How easily can oil supplies be disrupted? How much cushion is in the system to even out disruptions? What alternatives do we have if oil supply is disrupted to us? What is the effect on our daily life?
The system collapsing means we could still have oil in the ground but have a society unable to function to the level required to deliver it to market as a finished product.
Energy Oxymorons:
"We need Energy independence" -- 100% impossible to create
"Technology is a game changer" -- Technologies have zero impact on these risks
"Drill our way out of this mess" -- No spare rigs and no places to drill where oil can be retrieved easily
"Energy system is efficient and transparent" -- Much hidden data rather than the great transparency of the financial system
Technosanity #18: Matt Simmons discussing oil supply disruptions
Do you want to know how to be more fuel efficient? The U.S. government, specifically the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), operates fueleconomy.gov to provide resources that help you choose more wisely and be more fuel efficient.
The top level navigation says a lot about this site:-
Clearly this site is focused on "cars".. and cars that burn a 'fuel'. Where are motorcycles (which are known to be more fuel efficient)? Where are electric vehicles? Where is information on mass transit? And what is the point of listing gasoline prices? Okay, gasoline prices are on a lot of peoples minds and perhaps are the driving factor behind a lot of people looking for fuel efficient vehicles.
Why be fuel efficient? Their suggestions are are pretty decent and hits all the right points.
a) Saves You Money: Using a fuel efficient vehicle means using less fuel to accomplish the same travel, which means buying less fuel, which means you spend less money to accomplish your travel. As fuel prices rise the cost is more noticeable than when fuel prices are low.
c) Protects the Environment: Their page on the environment only focuses on climate change. To the extent that burned fossil fuel affects climate change this is accurate, but what of the other negative effects from burning fossil fuels? The production and use of fossil fuels puts other poisonous chemicals into the environment, from well to wheel there are negative effects every step of the way.
d) Conserves Resources: Here's where they could explain more about the reality of available oil, such as the peak oil model. But they do not. They could connect the rising percentage of imported to domestic oil, but they do not.
Their Gas mileage tips are pretty good. Driving more efficiently is possible by keeping speed moderate, don't race around, etc. By keeping your car in shape it can operate more efficiently, such as keeping the tires properly inflated. Making better choices of when and where to drive is a good idea. Choosing a more efficient car will obviously save much more fuel than buying a humongo-SUV.
What they do not mention are non-Car choices. Like walking, mass transit, bicycling, motorcycles, etc. There are plenty of ways to transport your butt around town which do not involve a car and which are more energy efficient. Their focus here is on how to increase fuel efficiency of driving a car, but what about improving overall energy efficiency? To accomplish, for example, a daily commute which is more efficient? Being a solo driver driving a Prius to the office? Or walking to a train station, riding a train to the station near your office, and walking from the train to the office? Or maybe your office is only a couple miles away? Riding a bicycle is perfect for a short trip under five miles, so why not use a bicycle for something utilitarian like the daily commute?
Their Gas prices area offers a good set of statistics and resources to find better gas prices. To focus on gas prices is to miss many of the reasons to be fuel efficient (see the above).
Many factors affect miles/gallon explains various reasons why the efficiency you see with your car may differ from the official measurement. This is pretty good and can give you some ideas for further efficiency improvements.
They have a guide to 'alternative fueled' vehicles that covers hybrid, diesel, flex fuel, electric, fuel cell cars and more. Each of these has a selection guide among models available in the U.S. Well, this is true for those vehicles that are widely sold in the U.S. They do not have a selection guide for electric or fuel cell cars. And again they're ignoring non-Car alternatives.
They have a list of Energy efficient technologies which are aftermarket modifications you can make to a car to make it more efficient. It's useful to see this comparison.
What about the relative efficiency of an electric drive train versus an internal combustion drive train? Electric motors are highly efficient (90%) versus the extremely poor efficiency of internal combustion engines. Why is this information resource focusing on fuel burning cars when it's clear an electric vehicle would be more energy efficient?
Their Fuel economy guide is again focused on "cars" as the solution to transportation need, and specifically fuel burning cars. It is a useful summarization of the information on their site and does give a listing of fuel economy for several classifications of fuel burning cars.
Clearly the fuel economy guide is a useful resource to help you improve efficiency in your fuel burning car. But it does nothing to help you understand the alternatives outside that narrow range of transportation choices.
Do you want to know how to be more fuel efficient? The U.S. government, specifically the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), operates fueleconomy.gov to provide resources that help you choose more wisely and be more fuel efficient.
The top level navigation says a lot about this site:-
Clearly this site is focused on "cars".. and cars that burn a 'fuel'. Where are motorcycles (which are known to be more fuel efficient)? Where are electric vehicles? Where is information on mass transit? And what is the point of listing gasoline prices? Okay, gasoline prices are on a lot of peoples minds and perhaps are the driving factor behind a lot of people looking for fuel efficient vehicles.
Why be fuel efficient? Their suggestions are are pretty decent and hits all the right points.
a) Saves You Money: Using a fuel efficient vehicle means using less fuel to accomplish the same travel, which means buying less fuel, which means you spend less money to accomplish your travel. As fuel prices rise the cost is more noticeable than when fuel prices are low.
c) Protects the Environment: Their page on the environment only focuses on climate change. To the extent that burned fossil fuel affects climate change this is accurate, but what of the other negative effects from burning fossil fuels? The production and use of fossil fuels puts other poisonous chemicals into the environment, from well to wheel there are negative effects every step of the way.
d) Conserves Resources: Here's where they could explain more about the reality of available oil, such as the peak oil model. But they do not. They could connect the rising percentage of imported to domestic oil, but they do not.
Their Gas mileage tips are pretty good. Driving more efficiently is possible by keeping speed moderate, don't race around, etc. By keeping your car in shape it can operate more efficiently, such as keeping the tires properly inflated. Making better choices of when and where to drive is a good idea. Choosing a more efficient car will obviously save much more fuel than buying a humongo-SUV.
What they do not mention are non-Car choices. Like walking, mass transit, bicycling, motorcycles, etc. There are plenty of ways to transport your butt around town which do not involve a car and which are more energy efficient. Their focus here is on how to increase fuel efficiency of driving a car, but what about improving overall energy efficiency? To accomplish, for example, a daily commute which is more efficient? Being a solo driver driving a Prius to the office? Or walking to a train station, riding a train to the station near your office, and walking from the train to the office? Or maybe your office is only a couple miles away? Riding a bicycle is perfect for a short trip under five miles, so why not use a bicycle for something utilitarian like the daily commute?
Their Gas prices area offers a good set of statistics and resources to find better gas prices. To focus on gas prices is to miss many of the reasons to be fuel efficient (see the above).
Many factors affect miles/gallon explains various reasons why the efficiency you see with your car may differ from the official measurement. This is pretty good and can give you some ideas for further efficiency improvements.
They have a guide to 'alternative fueled' vehicles that covers hybrid, diesel, flex fuel, electric, fuel cell cars and more. Each of these has a selection guide among models available in the U.S. Well, this is true for those vehicles that are widely sold in the U.S. They do not have a selection guide for electric or fuel cell cars. And again they're ignoring non-Car alternatives.
They have a list of Energy efficient technologies which are aftermarket modifications you can make to a car to make it more efficient. It's useful to see this comparison.
What about the relative efficiency of an electric drive train versus an internal combustion drive train? Electric motors are highly efficient (90%) versus the extremely poor efficiency of internal combustion engines. Why is this information resource focusing on fuel burning cars when it's clear an electric vehicle would be more energy efficient?
Their Fuel economy guide is again focused on "cars" as the solution to transportation need, and specifically fuel burning cars. It is a useful summarization of the information on their site and does give a listing of fuel economy for several classifications of fuel burning cars.
Clearly the fuel economy guide is a useful resource to help you improve efficiency in your fuel burning car. But it does nothing to help you understand the alternatives outside that narrow range of transportation choices.
