Let's Make Conservation Sexy

I was reading about "grassoline" this morning and it really intrigued me. Grassoline referred to the ethanol resulting from cellulosic fermentation of switchgrass. This is typical of the information I come across on renewable energy - it is smart, interesting and compelling - it really grabs you.

Information on energy conservation and efficiency...well not so much. This information is often technical, detailed, and hard to digest. An engineer friend of mine said that conservation just isn't sexy - and I agree, we are almost programmed to consume to reflect our prosperity and rich is sexy. How can we change our view on conservation?

I've enjoyed a brief blogging hiatus, now I'm back and ready to jump into some meaty topics starting with the OPA's microFIT program announcement of a new price category for ground mounted solar projects of $.588/kWh.

The OPA received over 16,000 applications under the first version of the program which categorized roof and solar mounted projects together proposing $.802/kWh.

It seems like a damned if you do damned if you don't situation with overwhelming application response potentially resulting in expensive power for the next 20 years.

I'm glad to see the OPA reposition the program before they get any deeper, but I'll bet the solar industry in Ontario is hopping mad - too bad we couldn't harness that energy to heat and light a few farms. What do you think?

Regenerative Braking - What's new that is old.

Regenerative is a braking system used in hybrids- but it's not new it was in use in trolly cars a century ago.
It takes energy normally wasted during braking and turns it into usable energy by reversing the motor and converting it to a generator during braking and coasting.
Why isn't this the norm in braking systems today?

2% Biofuels Mandate by 2011

I was reading an article in http://www.biofuels-news.com/ about the Canadian Trucking Alliance reaction to a 2% bio-diesel requirement for heavy trucks in 2011. Although some comments are valid, their attitude leaves something to be desired. Demonstrated in this comment made by their president: "The impetus for such a policy is really to create a new market for farmers."

This comment inspired me to take a little look at the efficiency of trucking versus other forms of freight transport. I found some numbers in Wikipedia from the US Transportation Energy book (for 2004) which gave a breakdown as follows:

Class 1 Rail 341 BTU/short ton mile
Domestic water borne 510 BTU/short ton mile
Heavy trucks 3357 BTU/short ton mile
Air freight (approx) 9600 BTU/short ton mile

Here lies the attitude problem - it is a real leap to embrace renewable fuels when conservation and efficiency have not been a priority.

Does Renewable Energy Erode our Assets?

I had a long conversation with a landscape architect friend reviewing her experiences with proposed wind projects. A sticking point to her is that most projects would erode the "visual heritage" of the area proposed and would be in stark contrast to natural areas and cultivated fields.
Consumers love the farm landscape and are willing to pay 10% more for the local experience as a result, according to one study. Does the idea of this beauty include wind turbines and solar panels - not so much is my bet.
What do you think? Will wind turbines and solars farms dampen enthusiam for farmscapes and erode consumer willingness to pay more to buy local?