Energy

Telecommuting is not going to solve this one

Last year we predicted oil prices would reach $50 a barrel. Now $50 is the new floor for prices, rather than the ceiling. This year, forecasts of $100 a barrel oil are threatening meltdown for Western economies. At the projected $100 level for oil, living off-grid moves from a quaint hobby for a minority to something the majority must consider.

Here is the latest news update

Consumers Must Plan Now for Potential Oil Shock – IEA FRANCE: April 29, 2005

PARIS – Car-pools and driving restrictions could help shave at least a million barrels a day (bpd) from industrialised nations’ oil demand in the event of a supply crisis, the International Energy Agency said on Thursday.

They are among measures an IEA study ‘Saving Oil in a Hurry’ says consuming nations must plan to ease potential shortages and price rises which could result from a large disruption to international supplies.
Oil prices have already risen to record highs above $58 this year as surging demand in Asia’s emerging economies pushes world supplies close to current capacity. Goldman Sachs bank has warned of a potential ‘super-spike’ to $100 a barrel.…

Preparing the Zimbabwe turbine

Wind energy guru, Hugh Piggott of Scotland, designed one of the world most rugged and useful wind generators as a project for Zimbabwe.
Piggot, one of the most active wind energy advocates on the Internet, went to Temaruru, a site in the eastern highlands where Powertronics of Harare has installed a stand alone community wind power station.

The goal of the project was to design a simple yet powerful method for small communities well off the grid to be self sufficient and have reliable power. The result? What is now known commercially as the African Wind Power 3.6, a 3.6m powerhouse of rock solid reliability.…

by Jerome Baddeley, Iskra Wind

you can make money from a small turbine

Over the last few months UK legislation on planning permission for small turbines has changed, and the selling of power back to the grid means small scale wind energy is now accessible and viable.

Until this year planning laws did not differentiate between giant wind farm scale turbines and the sort of utility scale, farm machinery type turbines most people use on their smallholdings or remote homes. Turbines were either tiny battery charging units seen on yachts or immense power generating units installed by utility companies. This made it difficult for small generators to get planning permission. In the last few months a piece of national planning policy (PPS22) has laid out the distinctions, making it harder for planners to turn down small turbine applications. We have already had several successful applications using PPS22.

The economic case for schools, communities and farmers is now incredibly attractive. With up to 50% grants available from the government Clearskies programme; valuable emissions trading certificates awarded for every unit generated; the ability to sell excess power back to the grid, it is now possible to recoup the cost of purchase and installation of a small turbine in under 5 years. With low maintenance turbines designed to last 20 years that leaves 15 years of steadily increasing income generation and savings as the cost of grid electricity climbs.…

Renewables still a tiny share of nation’s energy use

There are various US federal and state and sometimes utility company incentives for installing renewable energy. The benefit is you reduce energy consumption through conservation and the subsidies pay for things like energy efficient lighting, appliances, and insulation. DSIRE USA, a database of State incentives has a list of the net metering rules (grid back feeding — i.e. selling energy back to the grid)) and all the main incentives for each US state. Other countries also have various subsidies as well, and these will be covered in a separate post.…