Locally-Controlled, Renewable Energy Championed as Key to Climate Justice
Published on Friday, December 05, 2014 by Common Dreams by Jon Queally, staff writer As progress...
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Tag: Decentralized energy
Renewables Not Enough: World Must Have Democratic, Decentralized Energy, says Report
Published on Thursday, October 09, 2014 by Common Dreams by Jon Queally, staff writer In order to...
Read MoreBlackouts demonstrate the folly of centralized power
It is astonishing that after all the empirical evidence, not to mention deaths of energy dependent consumers, that the centralized model is fraught with problems, no consideration is given to doing away with it altogether. Instead of investing billions in upgrading a 19th century construct we should be moving into the 22nd century and a more elegant, redundant and therefore more reliable distributed model where power is produced from multiple renewable sources right at the point of consumption.
Read MoreSolar storms may leave tens of millions without power and water, are you ready?
The centralized grid system is built upon antiquated 19th century technology and aging transformers are very vulnerable to anticipated cyclic solar storms. One of the consequences of the central grid is that failures are known to cascade and take out massive sections cutting power to millions.
Read MoreA different view of transmission lines
My column up at Sustainable Business Oregon Practically, it is hard to imagine a technology that wastes 2.2 kilowatt-hours for every single kilowatt-hour produced is surviving into the 22nd century. Let’s hope it doesn’t; it...
Read MoreCentralized power grid a giant lightning rod
As a proponent of microgrids, seeing more and more stories like this one about the imminent cyclical solar storms damaging the central grid, is encouraging if not, well, downright scary. Over the past thirty years, Kappenman has...
Read MoreImporting essential services is a downward slide to economic disaster
As I have been railing for years now, importing essential services like energy and food exports...
Read MoreDecentralized energy is the logical solution to climate change and water shortage
Living in the hydro-rich Pacific Northwest it is hard to imagine rationing showers and lawn watering in order to have a few hours a day of electricity, but that is what is happening in Venezuela right now.
Earth Hour in Coquille… someday, hopefully
This week I met with Congressman Peter DeFazio in his DC office about the Western Oregon Wind Project a 5MW renewable energy smart/micro-grid to generate $2 million in alternative funding for local schools. Happily, he agreed to...
Read MoreV-LIM update
A quick update on the V-LIM. First, yesterday I gave a couple of talks on decentralized energy and setting up micro-grids to generate local energy and earn revenue to perhaps fund schools and local infrastructure. Again, keeping...
Read MoreIce storm cuts power to 1.25 million
Once again reliance upon a centralized grid system is being severely tested as an ice storm takes out power to 1.25 million homes and businesses. Small, manageable micro-grids would be so much more reliable.
Energy management is key to economic recovery
Energy efficiency, investing in public infrastructure, including schools and education, and improving access to broadband internet are all part of president-elect Obama’s plan to create millions of new jobs.
