I did not catch the name, but it was a person who writes some well read newsletter in the Auto Industry. His comment was Detroit made the cars Americans wanted to buy. And now with Gas cheap, the small cars are piling up again.
So what did the Japanese make for the US Market?
The best analysis I have read so far is Paul Ingrassia: Wagoner Had to Go explaining the why behind the move.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Solar in Singapore - Waiting for Parity
Solar panels wait for sunny outlook in Singapore - Reuters.
They believe that parity will happen within a decade, and then the government will back Solar.
Interesting...
They believe that parity will happen within a decade, and then the government will back Solar.
Interesting...
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Carter Era White House Solar Water Heater
President Reagan had it removed, which I thought was not a great idea.
But this has some interesting information I did not know.
But this has some interesting information I did not know.
It's time to green this old (White) House - again The Associated Press
In the late 1970s, President Jimmy Carter installed a $30,000 solar water-heating system designed to save $1,000 a year in heating costs. It didn't really work.
In the late 1970s, President Jimmy Carter installed a $30,000 solar water-heating system designed to save $1,000 a year in heating costs. It didn't really work.
"Talk to anyone who worked in the West Wing then, and they would say they washed their hands with cool water," said former chief usher Gary Walters, who spent 37 years at the White House before retiring two years ago.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
At 50 mpg, the 2010 Toyota Prius is a game changer - LA Times.
Interesting idea of just buying a bunch of Prius as a way to reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
Of course what would this do to Detroit right now? Especially GM that does not have a high mileage hybrid yet?
The increase in the EPA mileage requirements will help, but slowly.
It would be nice if there was more of an incentive when the price of gas is low to buy high mileage vehicles, be they a Prius, or something else such as the Yarus that also has good mileage, but is not a hybrid.
Interesting idea of just buying a bunch of Prius as a way to reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
Of course what would this do to Detroit right now? Especially GM that does not have a high mileage hybrid yet?
The increase in the EPA mileage requirements will help, but slowly.
It would be nice if there was more of an incentive when the price of gas is low to buy high mileage vehicles, be they a Prius, or something else such as the Yarus that also has good mileage, but is not a hybrid.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Do New Bulbs Save Energy if They Don’t Work?
Do New Bulbs Save Energy if They Don’t Work? - NY Times
Dimmable CFL's are a special design that are finally more widely available so they can actually be used the regular dimmable fixture, that just reduces the voltage.CFL's it is hard to figure out how they are made. Are they magnetic resonant with the annoying humm, or solid state.
Color - Big issue.
Heat - yes, because your burning out the electronics inside of it if you have it in an enclosed area.
Good news that 11% of all fixtures are using CFL's, I did not expect that high!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
LED in SF
Let there be light-emitting diodes - San Francisco Chronicle
SF is putting in LED's for street lights. $700 each, vs. $150 for the old fashioned type, but 50% more efficient and last 4X as long.
SF is putting in LED's for street lights. $700 each, vs. $150 for the old fashioned type, but 50% more efficient and last 4X as long.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Pacific Sea of Plastic
What to do about the huge island of plastic in the Pacific?
My guess is once it becomes economical, it will get mined.
When will that be? May be in 50 years? Some type of automated system with that is very low cost. Also requires price of oil to increase and lower cost way of recycling plastics.
My guess is once it becomes economical, it will get mined.
When will that be? May be in 50 years? Some type of automated system with that is very low cost. Also requires price of oil to increase and lower cost way of recycling plastics.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Limit Solar in US Deserts
Feinstein wants desert swath off-limits to solar, wind projects - LA Times.
Interesting, I don't understand the politics behind this.
Interesting, I don't understand the politics behind this.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Hyundai Hybrid
Hyundai Cost Cuts Spare R&D in Push to Match Toyota
Bloomberg - 3 hours ago
More competition the better!
Bloomberg - 3 hours ago
More competition the better!
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Good LED Article
Economist had one of the best LED articles I have read yet!
A brilliant new approach Light-emitting diodes will transform the business of illumination, especially with new production breakthroughs
More on this later...
A brilliant new approach Light-emitting diodes will transform the business of illumination, especially with new production breakthroughs
More on this later...
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Solar in the US - Up 17%
US installed solar capacity up 17 percent in 2008 - Reuters.
US - 8775 megawatts overall solar. Claims Texas has more Solar than California.
From another report (claims California is leading the way on solar):
Germany - 3,830 megawatts PV Solar, #1 in the world.
Another report - http://www.worldwatch.org/node/5449
And another reference: U.S. Is Virtually A Non-Player In The Solar Power Production Business
I need to figure out what this really means
US - 8775 megawatts overall solar. Claims Texas has more Solar than California.
From another report (claims California is leading the way on solar):
Germany - 3,830 megawatts PV Solar, #1 in the world.
Another report - http://www.worldwatch.org/node/5449
And another reference: U.S. Is Virtually A Non-Player In The Solar Power Production Business
I need to figure out what this really means
Friday, March 20, 2009
Natural Gas Oversupply
Natural Gas, Suddenly Abundant, Is Cheaper - NY Times.
This is actually good for the environment. The reason is with Liquefied Natural Gas, there is now the ability to export gas from overseas.Thursday, March 19, 2009
Solar System, DNA science toys pulled for excessive lead Sun-Sentinel.com - 12 hours ago
Solar System, DNA science toys pulled for excessive lead - -Sun-Sentinel
Another Lead scare in a toy. Made in the US and China.
Another Lead scare in a toy. Made in the US and China.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Solar Grew 110% in 08
Photovoltaic global solar grew 110 percent in '08 - Reuters
Exciting, I hope there is the same amount of growth in 09.
Monday, March 16, 2009
New hybrids roll out to widespread indifference
New hybrids roll out to widespread indifference - LA Times.
Sad how people are not buying hybrids right now, not even the Tahoe one that makes such sense to me. There is a price difference on hybrids, which brings up the question what is the best way to push higher fuel efficiency if people are not going to voluntarily pay a premium for more fuel efficient vehicles.
May be plug ins will solve this?
Sad how people are not buying hybrids right now, not even the Tahoe one that makes such sense to me. There is a price difference on hybrids, which brings up the question what is the best way to push higher fuel efficiency if people are not going to voluntarily pay a premium for more fuel efficient vehicles.
May be plug ins will solve this?
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Friday, March 13, 2009
Solar's prospects dim, at least for near term
Solar's prospects dim, at least for near term - Mercury News.
Statewide, the three big investor-owned utilities, including PG&E, received about half the applications in January and February that they had in each of the last four months of 2008.
Translation - economy, credit freeze, and decrease in rebates are taking their toll.
Statewide, the three big investor-owned utilities, including PG&E, received about half the applications in January and February that they had in each of the last four months of 2008.
Translation - economy, credit freeze, and decrease in rebates are taking their toll.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Honda's Hybrid Pricing
Honda's hybrid pricing gambit: the sub-$20,000 Insight - LA Times.
Nice to have some competition for the Prius!
Nice to have some competition for the Prius!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
China’s Big Recycling Market Is Sagging
China’s Big Recycling Market Is Sagging - NY Times.
China’s export downturn means a lesser need for recycled waste from the US, and trash is piling up.
Nothing new, a former company I worked with shut down in December because of this.
China’s export downturn means a lesser need for recycled waste from the US, and trash is piling up.
Nothing new, a former company I worked with shut down in December because of this.
China’s Big Recycling Market Is Sagging
China’s export downturn means a lesser need for recycled waste from the US, and trash is piling up, and were having issues over 18 months ago.Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Hybrid Delivery Trucks
I have been surprised that the USPS, FedEx, and UPS have not been pushing something like this - Azure Dynamics Hybrid Delivery-Truck Test Drive: Gas/Electric Hybrid Offers 30 Percent MPG Improvement
Some Press Releases:
Hydraulic Hybrid Vehicles - UPS - Uses Hydraulic Technology.
Green Car Congress: USPS Introduces Diesel-Electric Parallel
FedEx Hybrid-Electric Fleet Surpasses Two-Million-Mile Mark
Which translates as very slow implementation IMHO.
Some Press Releases:
Hydraulic Hybrid Vehicles - UPS - Uses Hydraulic Technology.
Green Car Congress: USPS Introduces Diesel-Electric Parallel
FedEx Hybrid-Electric Fleet Surpasses Two-Million-Mile Mark
Which translates as very slow implementation IMHO.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Good Description of Smart Grid
Smartening Up the Power Grid - Washington Post
Good description of the smart grid. All a smart grid is the ability to regulate power to increase the efficiency of the overall system, instead of going to unplanned peaks that have a huge cost.
Good description of the smart grid. All a smart grid is the ability to regulate power to increase the efficiency of the overall system, instead of going to unplanned peaks that have a huge cost.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
LA Prop B Seems defeated?
LA solar plan measure continues to trail - Los Angeles Times - Mar 4, 2009
Unofficial results show 50.3% opposing it and 49.7% in favor. Coalition of politicians, labor leaders and environmentalists hopes 46000 uncounted ballots
My guess is when the absentee ballots are counted it will trail even more, usually absentee ballots are pretty conservative.
The question is why did it go down to defeat?
My guess is when the absentee ballots are counted it will trail even more, usually absentee ballots are pretty conservative.
The question is why did it go down to defeat?
Saturday, March 7, 2009
E-Commerce is Green
The Green Side of Online Shopping - WSJ
Data was gathered from Buy.com and used by a study by Carnegie Mellon. The study found for buy.com which outsources everything (they are virtual and just do the web stuff), that compared to the energy needed by a consumer to drive to a store, it took less to have it delivered.
This makes me feel better with my two E-Commerce sites :-)
www.childbook.com - Learning Chinese Materials for kids
www.elitedresses.com - Girl's Dresses at affordable prices
Data was gathered from Buy.com and used by a study by Carnegie Mellon. The study found for buy.com which outsources everything (they are virtual and just do the web stuff), that compared to the energy needed by a consumer to drive to a store, it took less to have it delivered.
This makes me feel better with my two E-Commerce sites :-)
www.childbook.com - Learning Chinese Materials for kids
www.elitedresses.com - Girl's Dresses at affordable prices
Friday, March 6, 2009
Gas usage up
Americans hit the road again as gas prices fall - Reuters
Up 2% from last year.
Lots of human interest, but not many facts. 2% was the only fact I really saw in there.
Up 2% from last year.
Lots of human interest, but not many facts. 2% was the only fact I really saw in there.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
LED's Getting More Publicity
LEDs Light Times Square, But Can They Light Your Office? Discover Magazine - Feb 24, 2009 is an example of this, unfortunately it's a bit of a press release it looks like.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Banning Fridges and Coffee Pots
Glendale schools ban teachers' personal coffeepots and fridges - LA Times.
As a way to save energy, but the missed the point of how much time this saves teachers whom then use it in the class room.
As a way to save energy, but the missed the point of how much time this saves teachers whom then use it in the class room.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
LED Street Lights
More cities tap stimulus package for LED streetlights - USA Today.
I did not realize the LED's were powerful enough yet for street lights.
Advantages are 50% savings in energy and last much longer than regular bulbs, cutting maintenance costs substantially. The headache is they currently cost 4X as much as a regular one.
The question is what is the payback period? Per this article 12-15 years, but per this article other studies have claimed 2-3 years. Another study 7 years.
The good news is LED prices are dropping every year.
I did not realize the LED's were powerful enough yet for street lights.
Advantages are 50% savings in energy and last much longer than regular bulbs, cutting maintenance costs substantially. The headache is they currently cost 4X as much as a regular one.
The question is what is the payback period? Per this article 12-15 years, but per this article other studies have claimed 2-3 years. Another study 7 years.
The good news is LED prices are dropping every year.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Solar Supply and Demand
Solar Panel Drops to $1 per Watt: Is this a Milestone or the Bottom for Silicon-Based Panels? - Popular Mechanics.
Argh!!! Very basic idea of supply and demand. If the demand increases without an increase in supply, there will be a price increase. And then the supply will increase due to the higher margins that will increase the supply. Basic law of economics. The article seems to worry if the price of solar goes too low, the supply won't be enough.
Argh!!! Very basic idea of supply and demand. If the demand increases without an increase in supply, there will be a price increase. And then the supply will increase due to the higher margins that will increase the supply. Basic law of economics. The article seems to worry if the price of solar goes too low, the supply won't be enough.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
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