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These are the Random Thoughts of Chris Tilley.

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Archives for: June 2007

Google.org? Solar Campus, Plug in Hybrids

Found a news article talking about Google giving grants 'to drive toward a plug-in revolution'. They gave a total of $1,000,000. They are also converting their fleet over to plug in hybrids and have a website that compares two Toyota Prius Hybrids Vs two that have been converted to plug in hybrids. You can compare them here. You can drill down to the vehicle and the individual trip. Quite cool and it should nicely demonstrate the savings both in money and in CO2.

The conversion were done by a company called Hymotion. They make conversion kits for the Toyota Prius Hybrid and the Ford Escape Hybrid. They are going to be available to consumers in early 2008. Looks like another company to follow. Their latest project is a hydrogen powered ice resurfacer for ice rinks.

Going back to Google, that 1.6 Mw solar energy system I talked about in a prior post is up and running. They have a website that show how much they have generated today, last 7 days and since June 18th. Today they generated 9900kwh and hit a peak of 1223kW.

Interesting to see what Google is doing with the all the power and money they have.



Permalink06/19/07, 09:31:23 pm, by admin Email , 615 views, News, Global Warming, Science & Technology

Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things




The Environmental Defense Blog is looking for the 'Most Influential Environmental Book' I would like to nominate 'Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things' by: William McDonough, Michael Braungart

I have only read the first three chapters out of six but what I have read so far can revolutionize both industry and the environmental movement. The basic premise is to engineer everything with the end of life of the product and the eventual next product designed from the start. The book itself is an example of this philosophy. The paper is not paper it is a plastic that is designed to be upcycled. That is reused to create a new book the inks are designed to be easily recovered and reused. A lot of recycling today is what they call downcycling where a product is recycled into something of less value. An example is paper where recycling creates shorter fibers and therefore a less valuable product.

The biggest advantage to this is that they see the world as a world of abundance as apposed a world or reduction. Making it more profitable for companies to design products this way will eliminate the battle between environmentalists and business.

Update: They have released the voting list of 'Most Influential Green Books'. 'Cradle to Cradle' isn't on their list but you can write in a vote for it. To vote for 'Cradle to Cradle', click on the image below and add a comment indicating your vote for 'Cradle to Cradle'.

Green summer reading



Permalink06/12/07, 08:57:28 pm, by admin Email , 212 views, Global Warming, Science & Technology

Ethan Powell Needs your prayers

I am putting this announcement up for two reasons.

1. Ethan really does need your prayers. Faith can heal, I have absolutely no doubt about that.

2. Ben and Becky are letting their light shine in a way that few do. I am sure that their unwavering faith has already changed peoples lives in ways we can't even begin to imagine.

Ethan and the entire family are constantly in our prayers.

Update
Found this wonderful video about ALL. The middle bit about what cancer CAN NOT do is so important.



Permalink06/06/07, 08:35:31 am, by admin Email , 254 views, Announcements, Public Service

GreenFuel Technologies BioReactor

GreenFuel Technologies and NRG Energy have announced field testing of GreenFuel’s proprietary Emissions-to-Biofuels™ technology. This will be at New Roads, Louisiana's Big Cajun II, a 1,489 net megawatt coal fired power plant.

I wrote about the bioreactor back in my very first post. Basically algae grows well in a high CO2 environment. They pump the flue gases into the bioreactor and the algae uses the CO2 to grow and thus reduces the CO2 being released. The algae is then harvested and can be converted into a number of value added products like biodiesel.

They are doing approximately four months of field testing to fine tune it to the local area and the conditions at the plant. After that they are planning to construct a commercial scale facility.

NRG Energy has just joined the Chicago Climate Exchange. Here is the Press Release.

NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NRG) has joined the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX(R)), the world's first voluntary and legally binding greenhouse gas emissions reduction, registry and trading program. NRG joins global companies such as Bayer Corporation, Ford, IBM and Intel as a member.

"Joining the Chicago Climate Exchange is part of our ongoing program to increase our carbon awareness, track our emissions, and address climate change proactively," said David Crane, President and CEO, NRG Energy, Inc. "A cap-and-trade system, like CCX's, will minimize the cost of achieving carbon reductions because it allows the lowest cost emission reductions to be used to help meet reduction targets."

They are getting a head start on what is sure to be a new competitive advantage. Good going NRG Energy for taking this initiative and positioning your company for the future.



Permalink06/02/07, 08:11:49 pm, by admin Email , 161 views, News, Global Warming, Science & Technology