About Me

Taiwanese people are friendly!

Born into a family of neuroscientists, I originally hail from Rochester, NY. After taking my leave of Brighton High School and finishing a bachelors in Econ at University of Rochester, I plunged headfirst into the tremulous hours of memorization and small joys of successful milk tea purchases that is Chinese study in Taipei. Teaching and studying Chinese gave way to an internship in Saatchi and Saatchi and eventually a full time marketing position at Thecus Technology.

My old dog and old roommate

Although the wonderful world of network attached storage taught me much of the nuances of what it means to develop a brand, stretch creativity on a dull product, and weave through a corporate environment, I was eventually ready for more. After 5 great years in Taipei, I fled the rains and moved to the tropical paradise that is Kaohsiung, found life sustaining teaching work, and began to put together this blog.

For me personally, this blog has a dual purpose: fine tuning my writing about THE topic of the 21st century and adding depth to my knowledge of green energy tech. I've learned a great deal from my research and I hope you take something from it too!

My mom's visit

Yeah, Taiwan has hot spring waterfalls embedded in rivers

Taiwan News

• 5/19/2012 - U.S. anti-dumping tariffs on China solar firms may benefit Taiwan
  
  Solar producers in Taiwan don't have nearly the subsidies that the Chinese enjoy, but the relative competitive edge should make a difference.
• 4/26/2012 - Privatization, competition aren't magic solutions for energy woes
  
  An op-ed about recent calls for privatization of the state-run Taipower and CPC companies, which control electricity and petroleum respectively, as a result of recent economic strains, increased prices, and complaints of inefficiency.
• 4/25/2012 - President Ma Calls for National Energy Saving
  
  A positive call to action amid rising energy costs, but upon completion in 2018 the 815,000 new LED bulbs nationwide will cut national energy consumption in Taiwan a mere .04%. The $3.34USD billion loan program for companies to purchase more efficient equipment seems likely to be more effective.
• 4/18/2012 - 2012 Global Economic Energy Efficiency Ranking
  
  The US is ranked as the #1 in increased efficiency since 2005, followed by mostly other developed nations.
• 4/17/2012 - Businesses quietly pre-empt energy price hike
  
  In reaction to increased fuel prices and anticipation of higher electricity prices planned for March, business are beginning to increase their prices. The rice industry is considering an increase in prices of "at least 20 to 30 percent" to compensate farmers" additional costs.
• 2/28/2012 - Fuel prices rise by nearly NT$1
  
  Taiwan gas prices increase as a result of large losses to Taiwan's petroleum company, CPC, though less than the market demands because of the government's price stabilization policy. To counteract the price hike, CPC recommends people "watch their tire pressure" among other things to save on fuel costs.

World News

• 10/17/2012 -   Denmark Hits 200 Megawatt Solar Capacity Goal 8 Years Ahead of Schedule
  
  Always known for green energy and progressive politics, near-polar Denmark now produces more than 20% of its energy from renewables. The biggest surprise here might be that selling energy into the grid with net metering wasn't available until 2010.
• 11/22/2012 -   Scotland Schools the States on Offshore Wind Initiatives
  
  While the US is considering cutting wind subsidies, Scotland is building French manufacturing facilities to supply their offshore turbines. While the rest of the world is still in discussion, Scotland has increased their renewable energy production from 3% in 2006 to 35% in 2011.
• 6/26/2012 -   China’s First Wind-Farm Lull Limits Outlook for Sinovel: Energy
  
  China is currently developing 2.3gW of offshore wind with another 13.6gW with gov approval waiting in the wings make it the proud owner of NEARLY HALF the world's currently proposed 40gW[1]. However, gov delays have incited criticism, and shaky investor support could endanger the future of these projects, siting them as financially "unrealistic".
• 11/12/2012 -   Solar power, too, was gone with the wind
  
  Little known to many, solar panels automatically shut down during outages to avoid electrocuting workers. The obvious solution, buying a battery, is too expensive for most at $8,000.
• 4/18/2012 -   Global wind capacity to reach 500 GW in 2016
  
  Good news for wind and clean energy, but looking at it holistically, according to the US IEA this is 0.000002477578% of world power production. Even accounting for other clean energy sources, there's a long way to go!
• 9/18/2012 -   Shift by Cuomo on Gas Drilling Prompts Both Anger and Praise
  
  NY governor Andrew Cuomo delayed fracking in NYS to commission another study into its health effects. Industry cries foul while Cuomo cries "...decision will be made based on the science...". I second that.
• 9/18/2012 -   Chinese Solar Companies Slash Costs
  
  The price dumping is finally catching up to the Chinese solar industry as they cut costs because of new US anti-dumping tariffs and anticipated similar moves from the EU after their recording breakingly-large investigation.
• 9/12/2012 -   APEC Closes Historic Trade Deal on Environmental Goods
  
  APEC cuts tariffs on environmental goods from somewhere between 20% and 35% to an across the board 5%. This seemingly positive move brings to mind similar globalization moves that result in the US and other developed nations shedding jobs while worker exploitation in China and other developing nations increases.
• 9/7/2012 -   Europe Investigates Chinese Solar Panels
  
  The EU is bringing the largest price-dumping suit in history against the Chinese claiming 60-90% price dumping in the face of threats of retaliatory Chinese tariffs.
• 8/28/2012 -   German coal power revival poses new emissions threat
  
  Germany's precocious move away from nuclear power after the Fukushima disaster is creating an energy vacuum soon to be filled with coal.
• 9/12/2012 -   Harvesting a Climate Disaster
  
  A quick op-ed about the lacks in the new farm bills moving through congress. Both increase farmer's insurance, but don't face climate change or make crops more resilient.
• 6/18/2012 -   Report: Fossil Fuel Subsidies Hurting Global Economic Growth
  
  The National Resource Defense Council released a fact sheet saying fossil fuel subsidies hurt the poor and the economy overall.
• 8/2/2012 -   Mitt Romney confirms he would end US wind power subsidies
  
  Romney will apparently eliminate federal wind support while maintaining $40bn of fossil fuel subsidies that Obama would let expire.
• 6/5/2012 -   Windfarm ruling gives fresh hope to campaigners
  
  Another windfarm plan was shut down due to local residents' campaigning in the UK.
• 6/12/2012 -  W.H.O. Declares Diesel Fumes Cause Lung Cancer
  
  Sure to start a frenzy and create problems for diesel and biodiesel, but seems like it only applies to old vehicles and extreme mining conditions.
• 6/3/2012 -   Oil Output Soars as Iraq Retools, Easing Shaky Markets
  
  The idea that the Iraq war was for oil gains some ground as increased output gives the US leverage over Iran.
• 5/26/2012 -  Germany sets new solar power record, institute says
  
  A small landmark, but shows Germany's focus on promoting renewable energy and newfound distance from nuclear.
• 5/22/2012 -  Keystone XL Would Raise Gas Prices, Report Finds
  
  The Keystone XL was originally proposed to increase revenues for Canadian oil producers, then spun into a gas price slashing measure.
• 5/17/2012 -  US imposes 31% anti-dumping tariff on Chinese PV imports
  
  All the outrage has finally come to this, for better or worse.
• 5/10/2012 - Geothermal Energy in Japan Has the Potential to Power 16 Million Homes
  
  After Fukushima, Japan has been looking for new sources of energy. 23.47 gigawatts is a number Doc Brown would be proud of.
• 5/9/2012 - Hawaii Geothermal Energy Bills Aim To Reduce Oil Use, Energy Costs
  
  Hawaii has had a long fight ending in large investments in solar and wind. Geothermal seems like a good supplement.
• 4/26/2012 - UK's Cameron sees North Sea as green energy hub
  
  The UK's bold plan to put up an additional 16 gigawatts of solar in the North Sea by 2020 is impressive, even if the idea for submerged carbon storage facilities seem a bit more short-sighted.
• 4/27/2012 - Legislators need deeper understanding of renewable energy credits
  
  A convincing argument out of Vermont of the current problems with renewables, namely intermittent energy supply and the market forcing higher cost clean solutions like solar and wind out of contention.
• 4/24/2012 - Trump’s Spat With Salmond Over Scots Wind Turbines Escalates
  
  If ever green energy needed a strong candidate to become the whipping boy representing all the stupidity and selfishness that sometimes goes into fighting renewable energy adoption, consider Trump a shoe-in. Out of all the legitimate reasons to avoid wind power, Trump mentions none and twice as loudly.
• 4/22/2012 - Syd S. Peng: We need to back fossil fuels
  
  A pretty ignorant take on the uselessness of alternative energy and the necessity of eliminating any financial incentives for green energy. Still, it's worth remembering that we are going to be working with fossil fuels for a long time and they should be made more efficient.

Business News

• 6/3/2013   U.S. Approves 520 Megawatts of Solar, Geothermal Energy Projects
  
  Obama continues use of federal land for renewable energy projects, this time mostly concentrated in the southwest. Of real interesting is the inclusion of what will be the second concentrated solar plant with molten salt energy storage in the US, limiting the need for coal or gas backup generation.
  
  
• 4/19/2013   Google wants the push for more green energy to come from big power users
  
  With little new green energy production and fear of future diminished subsidies, Google has stepped in to encourage more wind/solar farms to be built by allowing companies to choose where their energy comes from and if they want to pay more for cleaner energy.
• 3/26/2013   What does the collapse of solar-panel giant Suntech mean? Pricier panels, probably
  
  The end of China's Suntech is not surprising. The massive subsidies followed by oversupply and price drops are thinning China's solar herd, as well as others. The price will likely return to it's natural price level at about $3/watt.

New Installation News

• 11/21/2012 - China's United Power installs 6MW offshore wind turbine
  
  This is the latest in the shift to the new standard biggest turbines, with work on 12mW towers already underway, and another baby step into China's delayed massive expansion into offshore wind through its entire south and eastern seaboard.
• 11/7/2012 - Three tiny islands are world's first to rely entirely on solar power
  
  Seems like there must be reserves to keep the power running at night and on cloudy winter days, but it's pretty much there. The reader comments mention an energy storage system based on pumping compressed air.
• 9/26/2012 - Datang begins China's biggest wind farm
  
  Actually this will come in at #2 behind Da Ban Cheng's 500MW, and at least 10 more massive farms in the US. The 2 largest in the world are ~1000MW in the US and India.
• 9/7/2012 - World’s First Floating Wind Farm Test Site in Mediterranean
  
  This test run for floating wind power is being expanded to 26MW before an eventual 150MW. Looks promising, cross your fingers!
• 1/4/2012 - BYD Unveils World's Largest Energy Storage System in China
  
  This electrical storage system was installed to regulate supply from a 140MW wind and solar plant. It stores 36MWh of electricity and is built on the Fe battery design. They've also recently built a battery for a nuclear plant in China.
• 9/3/2012 - Project Aims to Harness the Power of Waves
  
  The ever green Pacific Northwest is the site of some of the first commercial application of tidal energy in the US. The NY Times gives a light analysis of the situation.
• 7/31/2012 - MSU Geothermal System Up and Running
  
  This little known university is on its way to full reliance on geothermal heating with one building currently up and running.
• 6/19/2012 - Japan Switches Nuclear Power Back On, Extends Generous Support for Solar & Wind Power
  
  Japan is restarting 2 of the 50 nuclear reactors previously put on hold after Fukushima, but seems to be making a strong push towards replacement with new renewable energy subsidies double that of Germany's.
• 6/19/2012 - IBM Cools Supercomputer With Hot Water to Save Energy
  
  The new cooling system saves $1.25 million per year, allowing the installation to afford purchasing all energy from renewable sources.
• 6/18/2012 - Principle Power and partners inaugurate the first Portuguese offshore wind turbine
  
  The new type of installation was built on land and towed out to sea.
• 6/12/2012 - Daimler Begins Production of Electric Smart in France
  
  An Arizona hospital is having a solar system installed that will use wasted heat energy to heat water. See a test drive
• 5/23/2012 - TMC to Harness Sun’s Rays
  
  An Arizona hospital is having a solar system installed that will use wasted heat energy to heat water.
• 5/8/2012 - Geothermal energy and solar power project begins operation
  
  A very cool new application by Enel Green Power. They've covered their geothermal plant with solar panels and combined their output.
• 5/7/2012 - Solar project opens on federal property
  
  The first of 30 renewable energy plants approved for construction on government land by the Obama administration starts production in Nevada.
• 4/27/2012 - Oberlin College getting solar energy panels
  
  This small liberal arts school in Ohio is joining the ranks of those with small(ish) local installations. The 2.27 megawatt installation provides enough energy to power 400 homes and will likely be sold back into the grid.

• 4/21/2012 - Farmers turn to alternative energy despite money, time, risks and obstacles
  
  Two large farming operations incorporate cogeneration, waste recycling, and solar energy to go green, cut costs, and attract customers.

Wild Ideas News

• 12/27/2013 -   Apple's wind turbine technology uses heat, not rotational energy to generate electricity
  
  Apple has patented a new type of wind turbine that produces heat which is then stored to turn a turbine. Seems similar to concentrated solar's molten salt energy storage, but can it really produce enough heat? Seems questionable...
• 1/9/2013 -   Google is Greenwashing, Paper Industry Claims
  
  An angry debate has sprung up between Google and the paper industry about the seemingly innocuous push for a paper-less world. With both sides having an obvious horse in the race, the paper industry makes a good point that sustainable paper production can be green whereas power production needed to run computers is decidedly bad for the environment.
• 1/9/2013 -   Close up - Testing the V164 80-metre blade
  
  An uneventful look at the largest turbine blade yet made with the exception of the description of their testing and data collection process. They are building a database comprehensive enough to completely avoid using prototypes in the future.
• 10/3/2012 -   China and Netherlands sign deal for world’s largest tidal energy project
  
  Dynamic Tidal Power (DTP) is a Dutch technology that sets up a physical barrier between coastal places with different tidal patterns and pushes turbines with the water pouring from high to low tide. This project will set up a small demonstration plant in China, which is said to have 150 gigawatts of DTP potential.
• 7/4/2012 -   Scientists to push organic solar cell efficiency
  
  Organic solar has already reached 10% efficiencies in the lab and have excellent flexibility, but have more distance to cover before competing with silicon on a price/watt basis.
• 8/3/2012 -   Siemens unveils world's largest wind turbine blades
  
  The newest prototype's individual blades are nearly as wide as the wingspan of the largest passenger aircraft on earth, the Airbus A380. Efficiency or monstrosity?
• 6/19/2012 -   Floating turbine and energy-saving vessels lead offshore wind cost-cutting plans
  
  Initial success with an experimental floating turbine prompts requests for funding for 5 more and better maintenance vehicles promise a way to cut costs by keeping turbines operating.
• 4/19/2012 -   Heating system draws on limitless fuel: sewage
  
  "Sewage Geothermal" converts the heat from wastewater into energy and avoids digging deep holes in the ground. This latest application of the Chinese tech is in Philadelphia.
• 9/7/2012 -  Spinach Power
  
  A cheesy but very interesting audio interview about using spinach and natural chemicals involved in photosynthesis. The Vanderbuilt professor Kane Jennings claims this will be competitive with silicon cells in 3 years and commercially marketable within 5-10 years.
• 9/4/2012 -  Can Solar Robots Cut The Cost of Renewable Energy?
  
  QBotix has designed and built robots to take care of solar panels! These robots run on a track around an installation and turn panels to face the sun, eliminating the need for individual motors and extra hardware in each panel and cutting costs up to 20%. There's a great video too. VERY COOL!
• 8/23/2012 -  Regulators push for energy storage for solar farms
  
  California is pushing harder for renewable installations with storage capabilities. BrightSource's solar thermal plants plan on incorporating molten salt heat storage, NOT a molten salt battery, to continue heating steam after the sun goes down .
• 7/17/2012 - Department of Energy Awards $56 Million to 21 Concentrating Solar Power Projects
  The US government's grant funds research and projects relating to concentrated solar power, a type of solar growing in popularity, exposure, and effectiveness.
• 7/17/2012 - Commuters Pedal to Work on Their Very Own Superhighway
  Denmark has designated a huge number of roads as bike paths to encourage clean commuting.
• 2/27/2012 -  Envia Battery Yields 'World Record' Energy Density
  
  Not a new one, but a new one to me. Despite what looks like a quick drop off in capacity after charging a few times, this battery can bring electric car driving distances up to gasoline levels.
• 6/4/2012 -  How Cheap Will Algae Biofuel Really Get?
  
  Despite treehugger.com's claim that gasoline's externalities raise the price, Biofuel will need serious subsidies to compete.
• 5/12/2012 -  EGS Takes Geothermal Global
  
  Not so wild as their are already a number of these operational, but a good article on deep drilling geothermal.
• 5/6/2012 - Geothermal energy from abandoned mines
  
  A way to reuse mines and save cash on monitoring them after they are spent.
• 5/4/2012 -  UK-Based Architecture Firm Makes Solar Energy More Accessible
  
  Lilly pad solar panels for energy production and city revitalization, why not?
• 4/27/2012 - From garbage to green, study being done in Eau Claire for solar energy
  
  This small town is considering putting a solar installation on top of an old landfill. Opens the question of what other "unusable" land can be reassigned for solar or wind installations.
• 4/26/2012 - Can renewable energy sustain consumer societies?
  An excellently written breakdown of the idea that even a society with perfectly renewable and clean energy cannot sustain our level of consumption.
• 4/22/2012 - Earth Day technology: the spray-on solar panel?
  
  Thin-film solar is a cheaper and less efficient alternative to standard "bulk" solar panels, but this application takes it to the next level with printed transparent solar panels on windows and the possibility of taking it home in a spray bottle! It absorbs infrared too. Check out "SolarWindow" here.
• 4/22/2012 - Helium-filled floating wind turbine, renewable energy with style (video)
  
  A floating wind turbine suspended at 350 feet pumping energy to the ground over cables. Mad scientists gone private from some of the most elite universities built this ridiculous contraption. Enjoy the video!