Its funny how the video in this post took me back to my schooldays and to one of my favorite teachers, now sadly deceased, Mrs Gozmao. She taught Geography and one of the best memories that I have is of a class where she discussed the long Indian coastline and the potential for India to use the many inlets along the coast to shelter small vessels. It was obvious why Britain, a seafaring nation, had become India's biggest colonial power - the country offered the British ample opportunity to build past centuries' equivalent of naval bases at Madras, Calcutta and Bombay (which they acquired from the Portuguese.) The other major seafaring nations of Europe were there as well - the Danes, the French and the Portuguese.
But this long, peninsular coast, now has something else that could become as relevant as the numerous ports and trading and naval inlets were historically: as a boy who grew up in the seaside town that in now called Chennai, I can see where the many beaches that dot the coast could be locations for solar powerplants like this one: http://ecogeek.org/component/content/article/2890 The water required for cooling would easily be extracted from the sea and reduce the need to draw river water unlike most current powerplants in the country. And with fishermen and fishing communities dying by the day, literally, because pollution and depleting catches have wiped out fish populations in much of the region, these projects could provide valuable employment opportunities for fishermen who could be trained to work at these plants in various capacities. This technology could be applied equally successfully in countries across the region - Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and so on. I can see where this could be an amazing new direction as far as generating clean power and also helping with chronic employment shortages in coastal communities across the region is concerned.
eSolar's website is http://esolar.com/ Congratulations to them on their success and thanks to EcoGeek for announcing the news on their website!
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
India Hits Back Over Western Demands That it Cut its Emissions
It was bound to happen - constant harangues on several talk radio shows and on Fox television against India and China on emissions were expected to bring a tit for tat statement and here it is: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/5977599/India-attacks-British-and-Western-hypocrites-over-cutting-emissions.html As someone who lived just overlooking the Vadapalani Bus Terminus at Gowri Chitra Gardens, I have a somewhat different take on this, however. Let us not kid ourselves - India's air is filthy. And if a "better lifestyle" is what India is aspiring to, then that should include cleaner air and water. It does not make sense if Indians can buy Rolls Royces or Bentleys and if they have to breathe in filth the moment they step out of them and no longer have air filtered through carbon filters available to them. There is also the matter of health, and when I last checked, that was also a lifestyle issue - recent reports suggest that as many as 70% of Kolkata residents may have lung infections of some kind. The percentages in other cities should be similar.
While this is not going to be easy under any circumstances, I do think that India would be able to do both - work towards implementing more Renewable Energy projects (especially solar power) and advance towards a better lifestyle for Indians at the same time. Fossil fuel resources are currently held by a few nations that have been fortunate to have them located on their territory. And these are running out. Countries like India have access to abundant sunlight and they need to focus on this as a resource and develop a model that works in this context. It is not an impossible task. Some positive steps are being taken in this direction, no doubt. I wish that there would be more, and that they would be taken faster.
Let us not forget that a full 50% of all the money that India earns goes towards paying for fuel. All of this could, technically, be available for other "lifestyle" projects if it were not sent out of the country to pay for coal and crude oil.
While this is not going to be easy under any circumstances, I do think that India would be able to do both - work towards implementing more Renewable Energy projects (especially solar power) and advance towards a better lifestyle for Indians at the same time. Fossil fuel resources are currently held by a few nations that have been fortunate to have them located on their territory. And these are running out. Countries like India have access to abundant sunlight and they need to focus on this as a resource and develop a model that works in this context. It is not an impossible task. Some positive steps are being taken in this direction, no doubt. I wish that there would be more, and that they would be taken faster.
Let us not forget that a full 50% of all the money that India earns goes towards paying for fuel. All of this could, technically, be available for other "lifestyle" projects if it were not sent out of the country to pay for coal and crude oil.
Another Very Interesting Utility Scale Solar Power System
One more technology that could be a very interesting one for South Asia - the website says that the company has distributors around the world, but I could not find any list: http://www.pyronsolar.com/index.html Would be an interesting daylight system for a new installation. An interesting website and I hope this gives some business ideas to potential entrepreneurs among those who visit here. I'll try and find out more about this system and also find out if the company has any clients with working installations in the USA. This could be an interesting tech to follow up on.
Religious Institutions in India Compete in Implementing Renewable Energy Solutions
While I am almost always as suspicious of religious outfits as I am of politicians, here is one of a few instances where I could agree with the religious outfits involved: http://tinyurl.com/n3xynr The Shirdi and Tirupati shrines have both installed solar water heating systems to help with cooking for devotees who go there to worship. I'll go one step further and hope that there is not just more competition in this area, but also that the worshippers at these centers get sufficiently inspired to buy their own solar cookers and use less fossil fuels at home. I can think of hugely popular centers like Ajmer which is popular with Muslim worshippers, Vailankanni and Chalakudi which are popular with Catholics and more in India who could go renewable.
Let's hope this is the beginning of a trend!
Let's hope this is the beginning of a trend!
Barack Obama Rejects 98% of Scientists' Clean Energy Research Proposals
I'll say this for Treehugger - after offering John Kerry's ridiculous defense of the Cap and Trade fraud yesterday, they have been objective in showing where the Obama Idol has feet of clay: http://tinyurl.com/l6h8k5 One would think that an administration that promised a lot would stop trying to sell fraud schemes like Cap and Trade that would only enrich select members of the Democratic Party and focus on supporting scientists and encourage genuine research.
Surprise, surprise! Barack Obama is no messiah or savior! He is just another lying politician who says something in order to get votes and then conveniently forgets his promises. Here is a lesson for everyone who looks at expecting a state or a particular politician to do something of value - don't be foolish!
Surprise, surprise! Barack Obama is no messiah or savior! He is just another lying politician who says something in order to get votes and then conveniently forgets his promises. Here is a lesson for everyone who looks at expecting a state or a particular politician to do something of value - don't be foolish!
Monday, August 3, 2009
Exactly the Kind of Nonsense that Makes All Pro Environment People Look Like Idiots
I have a longstanding affection for the dedication with which the Treehugger blog is produced and I have regularly used material from it ever since I started blogging about possible ways of reducing the consumption of fossil fuels. However, this post sort of broke the camel's back with its sheer ridiculousness: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/07/there-will-be-no-financial-monkey-business-senate-cap-and-trade-john-kerry.php I can understand the Treehugger lot beating the drum for Obama and the Democratic Party. Many of my friends who are concerned about the environment believe that the Republican Party is too tied in with the oil companies and with coal miners to do anything meaningful about reducing the USA's dependence on oil and coal. However, the whole business of Cap and Trade is a fraud and it is a devious step that Treehugger have taken in taking the word of a lying loser like John Kerrry to promote this scheme to keep some politicians rich.
Let this be clear - Climate Exchange PLC, the company that owns three of five of the world's carbon exchanges, has huge investments by Al Gore's Generation Investment Management company. It also has a huge investment by Goldman Sachs, the financial services group. Don't try to sell me the BS that these guys are out to sell carbon credits to make the world a better place! Follow the money that this will generate - at a 3% transaction fee for credits traded on these exchanges and possibly trillions of dollars that would pass through them, guess who is going to become rich? John Kerry is one of a tiny, select band of American politicians who can occasionally make Joe Biden look intelligent. What a magnificent personality Treehugger have chosen to sell Cap and Trade as one of their pet solutions! Let's all accept this as Gospel Truth, sit down and drink locally made green tea made in water boiled in a solar heater and hold hands and sing kumbayya!
I am NOT a scientist but there have been enough scientists who are concerned about the environment and global warming who have called this Cap and Trade business for the fraud that it is. On this issue, they stand shoulder to shoulder with the skeptics of this proposal on the Republican side as well as with independent people who can think. Treehugger are welcome to support whatever agenda they would like to - the unfortunate fact, though, when they pound the drums to sell Cap and Trade, is that when the fraud gets widely exposed, (and get exposed it will, because of the strong lobbies that oppose everything that the pro-environment groups believe in) all pro-environment people and groups would end up getting tarred with the same brush. In this, Treehugger does the entire environmental movement a terrible disservice.
The websites of Climaye Exchange PLC is: http://www.climateexchangeplc.com/ That of the Chicago Climate Exchange is: http://www.chicagoclimatex.com/index.html Generation Investment Management's website is: http://www.generationim.com/ Goldman Sachs's website is: http://www2.goldmansachs.com/
Visitors to this blog are mostly from the journalist community and I would urge you folk to please check on all of these entities and derive your own conclusions. As a community that I was once a part of, I am sure that you would reach the same conclusion that I have - it is unfortunate when those who are concerned about the environment have to step up and criticize a blog like Treehugger, but when one of us decides to replace skepticism with adulation for a fraudulent scheme, it is neccessary to be critical of them.
Let this be clear - Climate Exchange PLC, the company that owns three of five of the world's carbon exchanges, has huge investments by Al Gore's Generation Investment Management company. It also has a huge investment by Goldman Sachs, the financial services group. Don't try to sell me the BS that these guys are out to sell carbon credits to make the world a better place! Follow the money that this will generate - at a 3% transaction fee for credits traded on these exchanges and possibly trillions of dollars that would pass through them, guess who is going to become rich? John Kerry is one of a tiny, select band of American politicians who can occasionally make Joe Biden look intelligent. What a magnificent personality Treehugger have chosen to sell Cap and Trade as one of their pet solutions! Let's all accept this as Gospel Truth, sit down and drink locally made green tea made in water boiled in a solar heater and hold hands and sing kumbayya!
I am NOT a scientist but there have been enough scientists who are concerned about the environment and global warming who have called this Cap and Trade business for the fraud that it is. On this issue, they stand shoulder to shoulder with the skeptics of this proposal on the Republican side as well as with independent people who can think. Treehugger are welcome to support whatever agenda they would like to - the unfortunate fact, though, when they pound the drums to sell Cap and Trade, is that when the fraud gets widely exposed, (and get exposed it will, because of the strong lobbies that oppose everything that the pro-environment groups believe in) all pro-environment people and groups would end up getting tarred with the same brush. In this, Treehugger does the entire environmental movement a terrible disservice.
The websites of Climaye Exchange PLC is: http://www.climateexchangeplc.com/ That of the Chicago Climate Exchange is: http://www.chicagoclimatex.com/index.html Generation Investment Management's website is: http://www.generationim.com/ Goldman Sachs's website is: http://www2.goldmansachs.com/
Visitors to this blog are mostly from the journalist community and I would urge you folk to please check on all of these entities and derive your own conclusions. As a community that I was once a part of, I am sure that you would reach the same conclusion that I have - it is unfortunate when those who are concerned about the environment have to step up and criticize a blog like Treehugger, but when one of us decides to replace skepticism with adulation for a fraudulent scheme, it is neccessary to be critical of them.
Congratulations! India looks to the sun for ambitious surge in green power - Times Online
This piece in The Times makes for lovely reading early in the morning: India looks to the sun for ambitious surge in green power - Times Online
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Personally, I think that the plans (or hopes as some of my friends see them) are excellent. The implementation is not going to be easy, though. That said, if this is done right, I cannot see any reason why this project to use solar power across India cannot succeed. In fact, I would hope that, in the spirit of friendly competition, this is carried to the rest of the region - much of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and to a smaller extent Nepal and Bhutan have the same kinds of climatic conditions that India has. All of these countries could benefit from using the light of the sun instead of burning fossil fuels and squandering away their hard-earned money on fuel purchases from the Gulf, Indonesia and elsewhere.
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Personally, I think that the plans (or hopes as some of my friends see them) are excellent. The implementation is not going to be easy, though. That said, if this is done right, I cannot see any reason why this project to use solar power across India cannot succeed. In fact, I would hope that, in the spirit of friendly competition, this is carried to the rest of the region - much of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and to a smaller extent Nepal and Bhutan have the same kinds of climatic conditions that India has. All of these countries could benefit from using the light of the sun instead of burning fossil fuels and squandering away their hard-earned money on fuel purchases from the Gulf, Indonesia and elsewhere.
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