Teaching kids today more about science and math is critical if we are going to have prequalified ready talent for tomorrow’s energy organizations. Yet we have good reason to wonder if our education system is up to the task. Since 2002, at SOS Intl we have helped over 1000 energy organizations train over 7400 adults as operators, power marketers and engineers in the standards and procedures for reliably operating the NA power grid. Yet in this “New Normal” 10% unemployment economy – where every one of our clients has at least one operations and one engineering opening – right now or any day now, very few employers are hiring. Go figure.
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A Perfect Storm in Energy & Education is Brewing
Posted in Energy & Education, Website Front Page
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Posted in Energy & Education, Website Front Page 4 Comments
Motion Power Captures Kinetic Energy for Your Car
Ever have one of those toy cars where the rear wheels build up kinetic energy by “scuffing” rapidly across the floor that would then propel it forward when you let go? Well, imaging having a really big one of those… that you can drive to work.
Motion Power has developed a technology that can harness the kinetic energy generated by a moving automobile and convert it into usable power to further run the vehicle. When a vehicle in motion slows down (brakes) energy is lost in the deceleration. Motion Power’s technology works as an “external regenerative brake” that draws energy from the vehicle as it slows down, then unleashes that power as an alternative fuel to help it speed back up again.
Read more – and watch a video! – here.
Ever have one of those toy cars where the rear wheels build up kinetic energy by “scuffing” rapidly across the floor that would then propel it forward when you let go? Well, imaging having a really big one of those… that you can drive to work.
Motion Power has developed a technology that can harness the kinetic energy generated by a moving automobile and convert it into usable power to further run the vehicle. When a vehicle in motion slows down (brakes) energy is lost in the deceleration. Motion Power’s technology works as an “external regenerative brake” that draws energy from the vehicle as it slows down, then unleashes that power as an alternative fuel to help it speed back up again.
Read more – and watch a video! – here.
Googles Begins to Invest in Renewable Energy
Web application giant Google is branching out into the world of energy technology. The company recently announced that it is investing $38 million into wind energy farms in North Dakota. This is Google’s first investment in utility-scale renewable energy, and signifies the value the visionary company places on clean energy tech.
“We’ve been dedicating resources to developing new technologies, including making investments in early-stage renewable energy companies,” stated Rick Needham, green business operations manager at Google. “Smart capital includes not only these early-stage company investments, but also dedicated funding for utility-scale projects. To tackle this need, we’ve been looking at investments in renewable energy projects, like the one we just signed, that can accelerate the deployment of the latest clean energy technology while providing attractive returns to Google and more capital for developers to build additional projects.”
Read more here.
Web application giant Google is branching out into the world of energy technology. The company recently announced that it is investing $38 million into wind energy farms in North Dakota. This is Google’s first investment in utility-scale renewable energy, and signifies the value the visionary company places on clean energy tech.
“We’ve been dedicating resources to developing new technologies, including making investments in early-stage renewable energy companies,” stated Rick Needham, green business operations manager at Google. “Smart capital includes not only these early-stage company investments, but also dedicated funding for utility-scale projects. To tackle this need, we’ve been looking at investments in renewable energy projects, like the one we just signed, that can accelerate the deployment of the latest clean energy technology while providing attractive returns to Google and more capital for developers to build additional projects.”
Read more here.
European Union Looks Forward to 2050
European governments, the European Commission and the European Parliament have come together to predict the future demands for energy in the European region. By looking forward to the year 2050, the EU is taking strides to lay the groundwork now that will develop the energy infrastructure needed a generation into the future. The idealistic goal is to achieve zero-carbon power in 40 years; the challenge is determining what public policy must be enacted to promote that kind of dramatic and dynamic shift to clean, renewable energy. The first proposed step is to place a ban on carbon emissions from new power plants beginning in 2020 while at the same time offering incentives for company’s that produce clean energy.
Read more here.
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European governments, the European Commission and the European Parliament have come together to predict the future demands for energy in the European region. By looking forward to the year 2050, the EU is taking strides to lay the groundwork now that will develop the energy infrastructure needed a generation into the future. The idealistic goal is to achieve zero-carbon power in 40 years; the challenge is determining what public policy must be enacted to promote that kind of dramatic and dynamic shift to clean, renewable energy. The first proposed step is to place a ban on carbon emissions from new power plants beginning in 2020 while at the same time offering incentives for company’s that produce clean energy.
Read more here.
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DOE Establishes New Advanced Energy Agency
As part of its continued focus on helping America develop and promote alternative, clean energy sources, the US Department of Energy has established a new special agency – ARPA-E (Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy). The goal of the new agency is to facilitate the innovation and pioneering of cutting-edge energy technology that will help usher the US – and the world – into the 21st century of energy generation and distribution. ARPA-E will achieve this not by handling the research themselves, but by in investing in clean-tech research projects done by outside teams at universities, national labs, and industrial powers.
Read more here.
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As part of its continued focus on helping America develop and promote alternative, clean energy sources, the US Department of Energy has established a new special agency – ARPA-E (Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy). The goal of the new agency is to facilitate the innovation and pioneering of cutting-edge energy technology that will help usher the US – and the world – into the 21st century of energy generation and distribution. ARPA-E will achieve this not by handling the research themselves, but by in investing in clean-tech research projects done by outside teams at universities, national labs, and industrial powers.
Read more here.
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DOE Funds Research into Alternative Transport Energy
US Vice President Joe Biden and Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced today a funding package that would invest 106 million dollars into research and development of alternative transport energy technologies like biofuels and more efficient batteries for electric cars. This funding project follows President Obama’s speech yesterday at a major biofuel refinery in Missouri, in which he declared America’s focus on clean fuel technology. Better fuel cell batteries are necessary for the implementation of electric and electro-fuel hybrid automobiles in the US since the cost of current batteries is seen as a “critical barrier” to widespread adoption. Grants from this funding project will go to individuals and corporations who have demonstrated innovations that could improve current tech.
Read more here.
Posted in Government & Public Policy
Tagged biofuel, fuel cells, transportation energy
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US Vice President Joe Biden and Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced today a funding package that would invest 106 million dollars into research and development of alternative transport energy technologies like biofuels and more efficient batteries for electric cars. This funding project follows President Obama’s speech yesterday at a major biofuel refinery in Missouri, in which he declared America’s focus on clean fuel technology. Better fuel cell batteries are necessary for the implementation of electric and electro-fuel hybrid automobiles in the US since the cost of current batteries is seen as a “critical barrier” to widespread adoption. Grants from this funding project will go to individuals and corporations who have demonstrated innovations that could improve current tech.
Read more here.
Posted in Government & Public Policy Tagged biofuel, fuel cells, transportation energy Leave a comment
Obama Voices American Focus on Bio-Fuels
During a visit to the POET biorefinery in Macon, Missouri yesterday, President Barack Obama emphasized America’s focus on biofuel and our commitment to becoming a world leader in biodiesel technology. Obama promoted biofuel as a clean, renewable energy technology that could help lead to the United States’ energy independence.
Obama’s speech at the facility centered about the doubly beneficial nature of clean energy tech – in both producing sustainable power and fostering economic growth:
“We began early last year by making the largest investment in clean energy in our nation?s history. It?s an investment that we expect will create or save up to 700,000 jobs across America by the end of 2012?jobs manufacturing next-generation batteries for next-generation vehicles; jobs upgrading a smarter, stronger power grid; jobs doubling the capacity to generate renewable energy from sources like sun and wind and biofuels, just like you do here.”
Read the President’s full remarks here.
Posted in Government & Public Policy
Tagged biodiesel, obama, POET
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During a visit to the POET biorefinery in Macon, Missouri yesterday, President Barack Obama emphasized America’s focus on biofuel and our commitment to becoming a world leader in biodiesel technology. Obama promoted biofuel as a clean, renewable energy technology that could help lead to the United States’ energy independence.
Obama’s speech at the facility centered about the doubly beneficial nature of clean energy tech – in both producing sustainable power and fostering economic growth:
“We began early last year by making the largest investment in clean energy in our nation?s history. It?s an investment that we expect will create or save up to 700,000 jobs across America by the end of 2012?jobs manufacturing next-generation batteries for next-generation vehicles; jobs upgrading a smarter, stronger power grid; jobs doubling the capacity to generate renewable energy from sources like sun and wind and biofuels, just like you do here.”
Read the President’s full remarks here.
Posted in Government & Public Policy Tagged biodiesel, obama, POET Leave a comment
Dept of Interior Approves "Cape Wind" Project
Ken Salazar, US Secretary of the Interior, announced yesterday the approval for “Cape Wind” – a major renewable energy initiative that would see a portion of submerged land in the Nantucket Sound converted into a farm of wind-energy generating turbines. Cape Wind would be the first US wind-energy project on the outer continental shelf and could generate enough wind energy to power 75% of Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket Sound. Opponents of Cape Wind expressed concern for preserving the existing cultural and historic resources in the area. After an in-depth review, the Department of the Interior approved the project.
?After careful consideration of all the concerns expressed during the lengthy review and consultation process and thorough analyses of the many factors involved, I find that the public benefits weigh in favor of approving the Cape Wind project at the Horseshoe Shoal location,? stated Salazar. ?With this decision we are beginning a new direction in our Nation?s energy future, ushering in America?s first offshore wind energy facility and opening a new chapter in the history of this region.?
Read more here.
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Ken Salazar, US Secretary of the Interior, announced yesterday the approval for “Cape Wind” – a major renewable energy initiative that would see a portion of submerged land in the Nantucket Sound converted into a farm of wind-energy generating turbines. Cape Wind would be the first US wind-energy project on the outer continental shelf and could generate enough wind energy to power 75% of Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket Sound. Opponents of Cape Wind expressed concern for preserving the existing cultural and historic resources in the area. After an in-depth review, the Department of the Interior approved the project.
?After careful consideration of all the concerns expressed during the lengthy review and consultation process and thorough analyses of the many factors involved, I find that the public benefits weigh in favor of approving the Cape Wind project at the Horseshoe Shoal location,? stated Salazar. ?With this decision we are beginning a new direction in our Nation?s energy future, ushering in America?s first offshore wind energy facility and opening a new chapter in the history of this region.?
Read more here.
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Shell Outlines "30 Year Rule" for New Energy Technology
At a recent conference in Bejing, China, Peter Voser, Chief Executive Office of Royal Dutch Shell plc, delivered a fact-filled speech that outlined what Voser refers to as the “30 year rule” for adopting new energy technology.
According to Voser, in order for a new energy to become universally adopted and gain 1% market share of energy production, it has to endure a roughly 30 year life-cycle. The breakdown looks a little like this:
- Year one, the original scientific innovation that delivers the new technology
- 1-3 years, the time it takes to build a pilot plant to manufacture the new tech
- 2-5 years, establish the start-up and achieve reliable operation
- 10 years, the time it takes to build more plants
- 10 more years, the time it takes to gain public acceptance/adoption
Clearly, the turnaround time in delivering new clean energy technology is nothing like bringing a new iPhone or Laptop to market. It is a generational investment that requires tremendous forethought and perseverance.
Read Voser’s complete speech here.
At a recent conference in Bejing, China, Peter Voser, Chief Executive Office of Royal Dutch Shell plc, delivered a fact-filled speech that outlined what Voser refers to as the “30 year rule” for adopting new energy technology.
According to Voser, in order for a new energy to become universally adopted and gain 1% market share of energy production, it has to endure a roughly 30 year life-cycle. The breakdown looks a little like this:
- Year one, the original scientific innovation that delivers the new technology
- 1-3 years, the time it takes to build a pilot plant to manufacture the new tech
- 2-5 years, establish the start-up and achieve reliable operation
- 10 years, the time it takes to build more plants
- 10 more years, the time it takes to gain public acceptance/adoption
Clearly, the turnaround time in delivering new clean energy technology is nothing like bringing a new iPhone or Laptop to market. It is a generational investment that requires tremendous forethought and perseverance.
Read Voser’s complete speech here.
American Businesses Urge Congress to Take Action on US Climate Bill
While bogged down in the Senate, the proposed US climate bill is garnering much attention from American businesses that are hoping to capitalize on potential fees levied against carbon emissions and possible tax incentives for investing in clean energy. The White House’s proposed bill would put restrictions on coal-burning energy and offer tax breaks for companies that develop and manufacture alternative, low-carbon, and renewable energy. However, a controversial immigration bill stands to jump in line ahead of the climate bill on the Senate floor, delaying any action in the climate measure. The American Business for Clean Energy group – which represents more than 3,000 US businesses – is urging lawmakers to continue to push for this bill and not let it get mired in political stagnation.
Read more here.
Posted in Government & Public Policy
Tagged clean-energy, climate bill
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While bogged down in the Senate, the proposed US climate bill is garnering much attention from American businesses that are hoping to capitalize on potential fees levied against carbon emissions and possible tax incentives for investing in clean energy. The White House’s proposed bill would put restrictions on coal-burning energy and offer tax breaks for companies that develop and manufacture alternative, low-carbon, and renewable energy. However, a controversial immigration bill stands to jump in line ahead of the climate bill on the Senate floor, delaying any action in the climate measure. The American Business for Clean Energy group – which represents more than 3,000 US businesses – is urging lawmakers to continue to push for this bill and not let it get mired in political stagnation.
Read more here.
Posted in Government & Public Policy Tagged clean-energy, climate bill Leave a comment