St. Lucia, Future Geothermal Energy Exporter for the Caribbean

Aug 10, 2010 1 Comment by Leon Kaye

St. Lucia’s government signed an agreement with US-based Qualibou Energy for the development of a geothermal plant. The plant will generate 12 megawatts of electricity by 2012, and another 108 MW of capacity will be in operation by 2015.

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Why Boycotting BP Gas Stations is Foolish and Hurtful

Jun 27, 2010 1 Comment by Leon Kaye

I admit my stomach turns whenever I see that BP logo. And 20-plus years after the Exxon Valdez spill, I have a hard time buying Exxon- or Mobil- branded gas. But participating in a boycott misses the point.

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From Shrill Baby Shrill to Spill Baby Spill

Apr 30, 2010 No Comments by Leon Kaye

The Obama Administration told us that these oil leases were approved for drilling because they were far from the coast, were “safe,” and in the spirit of compromise, offshore drilling advocates were thrown a bone in order to get some kind of climate change legislation crammed through Congress.

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Will the Bloom Box Rock?

Feb 24, 2010 No Comments

“It’s about seeing the world as what it can be and not what it is.” – K.R. Sridhar, founder and CEO of Bloom Energy.
 
I come back from Brazil, functioning on two nights of little sleep, but I cannot restrain myself from gushing and hoping that the much hyped “Bloom Box,” which launched today, will revamp our [...]

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Mission Salvador

Feb 09, 2010 No Comments

Today we leave for Salvador da Bahia, Brazil.  It’s a trip to which we are looking forward immensely.  We will be there for Carnival, and decided to book the trip last May.  We visited Rio in 2004, and would love to visit again, but we decided to visit Salvador to explore its African heritage–and supposedly [...]

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Powered by Local

Nov 03, 2009 No Comments

Everyone is on the renewable energy bandwagon.  Supposed visionaries like T. Boone Pickens preached about using wind in the nation’s heartland to provide electricity for the United States’ major population centers.  Here’s the problem:  massively sized projects such as Pickens’ plan means building huge networks of transmission lines that are expensive and would take years [...]

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A Hookie-Mookie Energy Approach

Sep 05, 2009 No Comments

“It’s a one-off hookie-mookie.” –Patsy Stone, a character on the British sit-com Absolutely Fabulous, explaining why she could not sit down in her unique virgin silkworm saliva outfit.

We are always hearing about slick alternative energy solutions in the media.  This past week, we have learned that reject watermelons could be a potential feedstock for ethanol.  [...]

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Don’t Diss the Dakotas

Aug 26, 2009 No Comments

Last year I worked for a company that sent me all over North America for really no good reason.  On one hand, it was a fascinating experience listening to energy executives talk about their corporate strategy when oil was hovering at US$150 a barrel.  But when you are flying halfway across the country spewing out [...]

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This Cash Cow’s a Clunker

Aug 02, 2009 No Comments

Maybe I’m just bitter because I (finally, it took me 3 years) just watched the documentary, Who Killed the Electric Car, but I’m dubious about the Cash for Clunker scheme, which the Obama Administration and Congress has extended because of its crazy success.

 

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Sunny New Jersey?

Jul 31, 2009 No Comments

Pity New Jersey.  The state has an identity crisis, overshadowed by New York.  It’s the rear end of constant jokes.  Television gave it plenty of exposure—thanks to The Sopranos.  Its politicians always get caught up in corruption scandals, including the one last week that even ensnared some rabbis!  But there’s more to Jersey than the [...]

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No more tears!

Jul 22, 2009 No Comments

Our road to energy independence will involve small, incremental, and localized steps.  One step I’d like to see turned into leaps is for homes and businesses to create their own energy, and even contribute to their neighbors and local grid—it sounds more attractive then being captive to large utilities and the volatility of oil prices. [...]

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