It's All About Energy

[44MONTEREY]

We produce good stuff with natural resources i.e. iron for steel; wood for furniture etc. It does take energy to turn raw resources into finished good. One the government could do is stop buying Ford V8 Crown Victorias for their fleet, instead efficient hybrids.

[gurlgon2wild]

it is pretty cool but maybe put more enternainting in it!!!

[WaterFurnace]

apheta, I'm glad to hear you'll consider geothermal. It really is a smart solution. If you're serious, our website has a dealer locater that can connect you to a local contractor who can tell you more.

Hyperkinetic, we are actively working to improve dealer knowledge and performance through our GeoPro program. All GeoPro dealers must meet strict training and education guidelines.

[WaterFurnace]

WaterFurnace Channel: Check out what the EPA called the "most energy efficient, environmentally clean, and cost-effective" systems available. Geothermal heat pumps burn no fossil fuels, are 5 times more efficient than gas furnaces, and reduce utility bills up to 70%.

It's equal to planting 750 trees or taking 2 cars off the road...forever. If 10% of California goes geo, the energy saved equals the output of 9 power plants! Geo could have a huge impact on the environment and dependence on oil.

[apheta]

Thanks for the post.  Of course there is the cost of laying the pipe and re-landscaping, but this sounds like a great option for new construction, if the economics work. I'll check with a dealer, as I am currently doing an energy retrofit and planning re-landscaping anyway. Good luck and thanks.

[hyperkinetic]

Awesome! I had never really checked out geothermal as a renewable before. Google found many happy users. The technology is sound, but several had issues with contractors, regardless of manufacturer. Why is it that be it solar, geothermal, or basic home improvement, the contractors often make it unpleasant?

[Puzzoozoo]

If you check the news you'll see a report that geothermal was tried in an area of Switzerland a few months ago, and caused earthquakes in the next valley, so the Swiss government abandoned it.

[WaterFurnace]

Puzzoozoo, the type of geothermal you are referring to is vastly different from the version WaterFurnace units utilize. WaterFurnace units use the solar heat at the surface, not the heat deep in the earth from the core. Our units are safer, in fact, than fossil fuel heating systems in use today. This is because geothermal units don't produce carbon monoxide or carry the risk of explosion associated with fuel oil, gas, and propane.

[Puzzoozoo]

The might be ok in sunny places like California and the SW states in America, but not for here in England, espically in the winter time, or for Europe per say, unless you are proposing sitiming them in north Africa, and the current being transported on a super grid to Europe. But who would trust a power generator of that scale to such unstable countries as you find in north Africa. BTW the 'WaterFurnace'/Solar plants only produce a small percentage of the demand for electricity in America.

[WaterFurnace]

puzzoozoo, I invite you to visit to the WaterFurnace website. We provide heating, cooling & hot water rather than electricity. This technology works I'm virtually any climate and we've seen a great deal of success in England. In fact, there are WaterFurnace units heating & cooling Buckingham Palace. I think you'll like what you discover.

[Puzzoozoo]

It's a solar hot water heater then. Been proven technology for over 40 years. But solar electricity generation is the thing people will need, and solar thermal electricity generation is restricted to sunny areas like the Californian desert regions. And Photovolitic is not above 28% efficient as yet.

[moveoverdotorg]

Great video! I think energy research and application is one of the few areas where we should be increasing tax investments. As for incentives for energy conservation, I'd like to see companies with knowledge workers rewarded for the number of cars they can take off of the road via telecommuting via tax breaks. I wonder how much energy would be produced if every rooftop of every home and building were covered with solar cells. Nuclear has proven potential, too bad about the waste

[apheta]

re moveoverdot org: Thanks for the comments on my video! Good idea on telecommuters. Solar rooftops cost effective over 15-20 years at current electric rates. Need to be able to add the cost of installation into regular home mortgage at home purchase. Nuclear does have potential; new plants should be allowed so long as investors assume all risks of investment including accidents and waste disposal. Govmt. should not guarantee loans or assume risks.

[moveoverdotorg]

Solar rooftops are currently cost effective over 15-20 years? How do economies of scale of production and cheaper and more efficient solar cells factor in to that estimate going forward?  Are you making the assumption based on today's technology and today's energy output from solar cells? I wonder if there is a way to jumpstart production scale.

[hyperkinetic]

Economies of scale can't ramp up until demand does. Germany instituted a feed-in tariff four years ago which has sparked an *explosion* in their PV industry, causing it to grow *SIX TIMES* than that of the U.S.!

[moveoverdotorg]

what is a feed-in tarrif?

[hyperkinetic]

Legislation that requires the utility to pay *you* a fair rate for power your AE system feeds back into the grid. California has something similar, but they only issue credits not cash, and only up to the amount of electricity you consume. In other words, the CA utilities make dough reselling the juice from your investment.

[hyperkinetic]

We need to go further than that. Building codes need to be changed to require the highest R value insulation available any time a construction permit is issued or a home changes hands. I had an 1100 sq/ft house in L.A. and was astonished to find there was NO insulation at all!

[hyperkinetic]

As for nuclear, I don't trust the free market to do the right thing. I think heavy government involvement is the only thing that has kept us from disaster. Waste really isn't the issue it's made out to be. The real problem is in mining of the fuel. Too little regulation has allowed them to make a mess of every place they drill.

[zensoso]

The speaker said something about making alternative energy solutions profitable. Within a decade, maybe two, alternative energy and increased efficiency will become massively profitable, because it will be the only game in town. Unlike diamonds, oil is not forever, and the world is running out. (Google 'peak oil')

[apheta]

Right! And what we need to do is make those games profitable now, not by picking favorites and giving subsidies, but simply by putting a high tax on carbon emissions, offset by income tax cuts. This would create a double incentive for efficiency.

[zensoso]

'We" need to do...what? If you haven't noticed, there aren't really any democracies on this planet. Stop talking nonsense. Do it yourself.

[apheta]

zensoso, I'm doing what I can. I'm installing solar panels and replacing my doors and windows, driving a hybrid, and producing videos like this one to try to encourage a bottom up shift in thinking. And although it has been abused terribly recently, there is still some democracy left, if we the people care to use it.

[hyperkinetic]

The EU is pushing wind and solar like mad, with Germany taking the lead in solar. In less than four years their solar industry has grown larger than that of the US! They achieved this by requiring utilities to buy back *every* producers excess. Solar is unlikely to catch on if people can not directly benefit from their investment.

[moveoverdotorg]

oh yeah, reward the energy producers -- that's a fantastic idea.  Is that not the energy policy in the US today? Is there nothing lost in the transmission, though?

[Philipbiebach]

great presentation of truly excellent ideas

[apheta]

See my playlist of more than 125 energy and climate change videos here on YouTube. Click on "apheta" above this comment and then click on "Playlists". Enjoy, and subscribe for updates.

[baddad2007]

Alternative energy such as solar, wind and geothermal are certainly worth pursuing. Unfortunately, I tuned you out after seeing another lying politician trying to be credible.

[apheta]

Thanks for checking it out, baddad, and sorry you didn't make it through the whole video. There aren't any politicians in this video, unless you count the brief shot of Kennedy proposing the moon mission. I'm an independent, unpaid voice just trying to encourage positive change. Cheers!

[TAMARLANE]

There was some additional investment in construction materials when I built this house. But without the open item accounting you like, I figured it would pay for itself in less than 10 years, and save money for 30 years after that. There was also great satisfaction in not being totally reliant on municipal electricity.

Solar and wind aren't there yet. Alternative fuels, such as corn ethanol, have costs that exceed their touted value.

Nuclear is good, but environmentalists killed it.

[apheta]

re:Tamarlane "Solar and wind aren't there yet"? Where you been, Tamarlane? Wind is cost-competitive with coal and wind turbine manufacturers are now capacity constrained. Solar is still expensive compared to coal or nat gas when polution costs are not factored in, but close if they are, and prices are dropping. Congrats on your house though!

[HiveRadical]

No. Wind power's limitations do not make it cost competitive with coal. Cost related to wind power is forever tied to scale and location restrictions.

If wind and solar ever appear cost competitive, or even when, as you do now, have constrained production, will remain inferior and more restrictive than coal because their implementation and reliability come nowhere near that of coal.

[moveoverdotorg]

I think we should be exploring wind power. It occurs to me that the break through that we need for energy production could come from anywhere. As for location restrictions, I wonder what sort of potential there might be for offshore platforms.

[apheta]

re: wind. Now accounting for almost 10% of new energy brought on line, and growing 20 per year. Cost competitive with coal. Great return on energy invested in the technology. Total winner.

[TAMARLANE]

Unless someone can profit from it, no one will push it, no matter what it is.

Look around you. What do you see that wasn't "sold" by someone?

I built a house in the Sierras in mid 70s. Incorporated black body water heating, double wall thickness with air space in between, passive water from black body to water heater through copper tubing under the basement floor, which was 2 feet below the surface , etc. etc.

[HiveRadical]

Don't tell us merely that a recycling process is more efficient then a draw from virgin raw materials, rather show us, with logistics costs and processes ALL factored in, the real cost is for recycling. This is needed for all items, not merely ethanol.

Let's not build windmills if they, and their required maintenance and cost of part disposal, outstrips any plausible energy return!

[apheta]

re: HiveRadical --A life-cycle analysis shows that during the life cycle of the V90-3.0 MW offshore wind turbine, 5 grams of CO2 are emitted for every kWh generated. A coal-fired power station emits 826 grams of CO2 per kWh. Over 20 years, a V90-3.0 MW offshore wind turbine at a good site will generate 257,000 MWh and thus save the environment from a net total of approximately 210,000 tons of CO2 (Source: Global Emission Model for Integrated Systems -- 4.3, Öko-institut, Germany).

[HiveRadical]

Does that include all related pollution produced in the production, locating, construction and maintainance of the turbine? Does it include the cost of placing and maintaining the grid connections? Please include average electrical loss caused by the distance the electricity must travel and deduct that from the... heck, can you just direct me to the raw numbers and calculations?

[apheta]

HiveRadical, the source was listed, you can go do the research yourself, if you are so sure all the investment in clean energy is really dirtier than coal. I'm sure the coal companies would give you a grant. On the one hand you spout "hunches" and on the other demand detailed statistics as evidence. Why do YOU believe what you believe?

[hyperkinetic]

Why are you including grid connections? Those costs should be constant regardless whether your talking about nuclear, wind, solar, natural gas turbine, etc. I suspect that the pollution produced in the production of wind turbines is *far* less than that of a gas fired power plant.

[HiveRadical]

For example-

Don't merely say added insulation is better-show us the raw numbers for producing it, transporting it and installing it, then show us projected savings in efficiency. I find very often that the attempts to go over the economic side don't match up precisely because they do not factor in EVERYTHING appertaining to the production and implementation of the proposed solutions.

[apheta]

re Hiveradical-- the total costs of producing and installing insulation are far less than the energy saved. Cellulose insulation from recycled paper or recycled cloth insulation is better than fiberglass.

[HiveRadical]

One thing I've not seen ANYONE address is the cost, energy wise, through the whole of the production process, that is inherent in any measure proposed. Give us the net cost of producing, implementing and maintaining these items so we can see if they line up with the projected efficiencies. Let us see the net result.

[apheta]

A good source for this kind of information is the book "Natural Capitalism" by Lovins. Also check the website for the Rocky Mountain Institute.

[TAMARLANE]

Energy producers need an incentive to produce less energy. They are not going to do it unless they can diversify into whatever is next to sell to the consuming public.

The technology has been around for at least 50 years to reduce energy consumption for space heat and cooling, and water heating. Almost half of our energy usage is to provide space heating and cooling.And to provide water heating.

[TAMARLANE]

I am talking about a 50% reduction in energy usage to heat and cool our homes, and to heat our water. Black body vessels for water heating, and double wall insulation, and homes with foundations two feet below ground level is a large part of this.

[HiveRadical]

In fact I spent a considerable amount of time canvasing among the immigrant Hispanic populace in California and finding dwellings that would house 14-20 (oft-times mere two bedroom apartments) and would have a small radio two incandescent bulbs and a stove. It's no wonder the per capita energy consumption is relatively low.

[hyperkinetic]

Oh pu-leeze give us a break! What exactly is it that you do that has you traveling throughout CA snooping into immigrant lives? DO you *really* expect us to believe that they're responsible for CA's per capita energy consumption being so low? Have you thought about doing stand-up?

[hyperkinetic]

I've seen first hand houses as you've described, but like their occupants, they're in the minority. Those situation can't account for more than 1/10th of 1% of the CA population. You really come off like a shill for the utilities. You provide no real facts, just fear, uncertainty, and doubt.

[HiveRadical]

There's a problem with the per capita energy consumption data that's given. It's relative low levels are attributed solely to environmentalist efforts. A far more significant side to it is the fact that you have very overly occupied immigrant dwellings.

[apheta]

Re: HiveRadical -- Oh come on! CA has also got lots of McMansions occupied by one or two people. The majority of the electricity savings in CA have come not from residential but from industry and commercial buildings. Quit whining and start being part of the solution. Jeez.

[HiveRadical]

It's funny you mention such "the McMansions." While in one of the apartments I described I talked with some of the men there who worked on the yard of a "McMansion" occupied by two men. It had 16 a/c units. I've a hunch that a great deal of the owners of those "green" industrial and commercial buildings have their own "McMansions" EVEN THOSE WHO CLAIM TO BE <b>GREEN</b>

[dotcommodity]

my continued advice...

But also give people info on the bills that are under consideration and the number to call congress too, its easy to pick up the phone. So after covering wind give them the wind bills under consideration so we can put our 2 cents in in a timely way: HR969 the RPS, say.

If all congress hears from is the Oil and Gas lobby is it any wonder our energy legislation sucks.

[dotcommodity]

call congress at (202) 224 3121 to tell them you want a clean energy future, not one good just for Cheneys decendants compound and a dead civilisation. Remember last time we had a 50% extinction rate on this planet, no mammals over 5" survived. Global warming is a serious problem.

[apheta]

For more energy-related videos, see my playlist of more than 125 YouTube energy and climate change related videos. Click on "apheta" then on "playlists".

[dotcommodity]

Very eloquent use of imagery and very well put simple explanation. Do you also write at dailykos? Since this was posted there... So I would suggest you cover each option in detail now. Look at Adams solar diary this morning, great roundup of the solar ideas for one, but you know what to do. Just do it.

[nyguy18]

For real solutions to the problems, click on my name and hear a badly needed voice of truth.

[naziwhitehouse]

watch: THE GREAT GLOBAL WARMING SWINDLE on channel 4 UK

[apheta]

re: "The Great Global Warming Swindle". It's always nice to be told that it isn't our fault, isn't it? Like being told that the Arabs hate us because we are "free" rather than because of our military presence in their countries and our support for oppressive rulers there. Like being told the mess in Iraq is due to the Iraqis. But sooner or later, reality catches up with us.

[viktorj85]

I saw the graph for cali and that is pretty impresive, it suprises me that i have never seen that, I knew they had strict emissions testing but wow...very nice cali...we all need to wake up and demand the same thing.

[MacMan7000]

What a nice piece of work from an energy guru! Hey, if this guy could get 7 minutes of uninterrupted time during the debates, do you think ANY candidate would have an avenue to make it happen?

[thecount234]

One third of all living things must die.

[NoOysters]

good video, Unfortunately the power of the oil, automotive, and gas industries is enormous hurdle. I don't see these steps being realized in our two party system. This video describes the first steps in sustainability but corporations polluting water tables

[NoOysters]

and the ocean has to stop, the military industrial complex has to end, and a million other things have to change because the environment is the economy! Climate change isn't even the tip of the melting ice berg.

[KamikazeKoscki]

After what Enron pull off, and the Bush Administration we are in deep trouble, as well as NAFTa thanks to Clinton, congress declaring war on the constitution, we the people must stop the corruption, write letters, march, become a lobbyist, ect.

[miserkocho]

pop techno hippy,consume, sheep consume!!!!!

[quasispill79]

If you want to reduce green house gases you might not want to drive a hydrogen cars considering that it emits water vapor which makes up 95% of the green house gases.

P.S. plants love carbon dioxide.

[kuryamtl]

Are you for real??? In terms of natural processes to reach equilibrium, the amount of time for water to be taken out of the atmosphere is a few days, CO2 (especially with the burning of fossil fuels) will require tens of thousands of years to be removed. Tell me, what do you think its worse for climate change, more CO2 or more H20?

[kuryamtl]

P.S. I know this may be news for you, but the carbon "sinks" of plants, trees, algae in the oceans are decreasing because surprise surprise, the progress of humanity.

[OLDROB2005]

OK sounds like problem solved for the united states.

what about the rest of the world, places, like china, India, and all the other countries in the world who

are trying to develop a standard of living similar

to what the average American enjoys?

[apheta]

Well, the problem CAN be solved, but it isn't solved until we DO it. And then we need to realize that a "Marshall Plan" for energy efficiency assistance to China and elsewhere is in our own long run economic best interests. Tough challenge, tho.

[ToddBoyle]

Politicians are to be forgiven for not understanding the energy industry or much of anything else. They are absolutely expert, grand champions, at getting elected. That is all about understanding other people's minds, which are at least twice removed from reality...

[apheta]

Which is why we all have to make sure they know they won't get elected without making energy their top priority (after getting us out of Iraq)

[bigmarkthompson]

lightweigh trucks?? ya this guys a genius! Technology is not the answer but the problem, we need to create and promote new lifesyles that don't waste not just throw money in every direction. I have no doubt that trhis person is a puppet for the same powers that are causeing the problems now,, we do need a change but the only problem the US and the world has right now is WHO controls the power! fix that and all our other proiblems will go away to

[apheta]

Thanks for the compliment! But I'm just a reporter, on my own time, paid by nobody. I agree with you completely that we need to change lifestyles that don't waste. Guess how we do that? Social leadership and technology. So speak out, stand up, and vote wisely.

[bigmarkthompson]

Socail leadership, yes, technology not so mouch and voteing is definatly not going to bring socail leadership forward. e need action

[moveoverdotorg]

Technology is our only hope for energy independence.

[apheta]

Technology is, in essence, whatever tools society creates to increase our perceptions, knowledge, and capabilities. Technology has allowed us to tap into the energy potential of fossil fuels to acheive amazing things, but now we need to change our technology to be much more efficient in the way we use energy, and to utilize cleaner forms of energy. So we are the hope.

[chippitts3]

Excellent video; let's hope the presidential and other electoral candidates and our political and business leaders take these insights to heart!

Chip Pitts

[edglong]

I would like to see what the previous comments (2) had to say; I personally liked the earlier version that called a Cheney a Cheney. That guy is more than a disgrace; he's a terrorist. edglong

[apheta]

Please join in the discussion on this topic. In particular, I'd be interested in what specific policies you think various levels of government could implement. Carbon Tax? Or Cap and Trade? Automotive "fee-bates"? What's ideal? What's possible?