World Cafe

Link to the Tallahassee Democrat story on this subject...
http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013309090013&nclick_check=1

World Cafe

Solar cooperatives: discussion on how to gain better scale economies, and local business economies, from development of solar PV models that achieve both environmental AND economic benefits. Today, regulatory hurdles, cost, education, awareness, are all impediments to development.

There are many business models being developed around the country right now, with varying success. Further research is needed to find if any are suited to our local area. Ideally, no investment is made by the utility, and renewable energy is created locally, bringing various local economy benefits. Ultimately, more people can get involve on renewable energy.

-- David Byrne

World Cafe

Local nature writer Susan Cerulean speaking. One message is: wherever you work, whatever your work, make sure you understand - are truly in touch with - the biodiversity, the environment, the events surrounding, the natural cycles - that affect your study.

-- David

World Cafe

-- David ByrneHere's the event flyer:

World Café Community Discussion Forum

By David Byrne

I'm joining in at the subject event today - at the Florida State University Center for Global Engagement. Environmental issues up for discussion include:  

- Building a local "maker" economy

- Building a healthy local food system

- the new economy and Time Banking

- Fossil fuel development and local reinvestment

- Solar cooperatives and collectives.

Already, I have been asked about Electric Car charging, energy efficiency, and connecting to sewer (from septic). 

It's sponsored by Tallahassee Sustainability Group, Transition Tallahassee, and the FSU Student Government Association

Here is a 20s snip of some of the opening music:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/56bflvyqgebxwtn/Music.m4a

How much OIL can be recovered? at what price?

Good story in IEEE Spectrum on the future ability to economically produce oil.
It's important to remember, it's not how much oil in in the ground -- it's how much oil can be extracted at a price we are willing to pay.
http://spectrum.ieee.org/energywise/energy/fossil-fuels/how-much-recoverable-oil-do-we-have

An Electric Car With 400 Miles Of Range ?

John Wayland (of White Zombie Datsun fame) is at it again...
Building a combo of the old (recalled) GM EV1 and Honda Insight, with better batteries.
John's expectation is he'll have a 400 mile range!
Read more in this link:
http://cleantechnica.com/2013/07/19/54099/

100,000 EVs -- more info

I mentioned in the 5/23 post that I had heard there were now over 100,000 EVs on the road. 
A little more detail:  That figure is 100,000 "plug-in vehicles" - this includes pure EVs (like Nissan Leaf) and ALSO plug-in hybrids of the various types (parallel operation like the Toyota Prius and serial operation like Chevy Volt)

Here is the story:
http://cleantechnica.com/2013/05/24/us-attains-100000-plug-in-vehicle-milestone/

And here you can see the Plug-in vehicle "counter" (showing 102,662 at this moment!)
http://www.pluginamerica.org/

EV news -- bad, bad, and (maybe) good

Better Place – bad

Fisker – bad

Tesla – good.  Tesla talking yesterday about a cross-country charging network.  I think they have a good product with the “S” that many more would buy… IF they can get the price a little lower.

 

Better place:

http://spectrum.ieee.org/energywise/green-tech/advanced-cars/better-place-turns-out-to-be-not-enough-better/?utm_source=techalert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=053013

 

Fisker:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/28/us-autos-fisker-raylane-idUSBRE94R0V420130528

 

Tesla:

http://money.cnn.com/2013/05/30/autos/elon-musk-tesla-supercharger/

 

My friend Andre riding in the Tesla Roadster

 

(Also bad:  A123 battery.  http://spectrum.ieee.org/nanoclast/semiconductors/nanotechnology/sale-of-a123-systems-to-chineseowned-company-points-to-futility-of-nationalistic-technology-investments)

 

 

 

Electric vehicles - EV

I'm hearing today (from a reliable source) that there have now been 100,000 EVs produced!

More as I get details.

-- David