Aug
16th
Book Review: Whole Earth Discipline
By Sandor Schoichet
Whole Earth
Discipline: An Ecopragmatist Manifesto
by Stewart Brand
Brand, as ever, is a clear and forceful writer, fearlessly putting himself on the line with specific recommendations and a call to action. This is the Plan missing from Al Gore's otherwise excellent textbook, 'Our Choice: A Plan to Solve to Climate Crisis' --harder-edged, more urgent, more tech-savvy, willing to name names, kick butt, and provoke a reaction. This is the place to start if you're ready to move beyond the conventional green perspective and really get a grip on what responding to the climate challenge entails. Frightening and exhilarating at the same time!
Brand, as ever, is a clear and forceful writer, fearlessly putting himself on the line with specific recommendations and a call to action. This is the Plan missing from Al Gore's otherwise excellent textbook, 'Our Choice: A Plan to Solve to Climate Crisis' --harder-edged, more urgent, more tech-savvy, willing to name names, kick butt, and provoke a reaction. This is the place to start if you're ready to move beyond the conventional green perspective and really get a grip on what responding to the climate challenge entails. Frightening and exhilarating at the same time!
Aug
16th
Book Review: Eaarth
By Sandor Schoichet
Eaarth: Making
a Life on a Tough New Planet
by Bill McKibben
I'm conflicted about this book, and McKibben's style in general. First, this is a valuable contribution to the debate about how to think about climate change and appropriate goals for our planetary future. McKibben actually presents many good ideas (in the second half of the book), rooted in a realistic and compelling vision of how our world is changing and how we need to adapt. However, his writing style, especially when presenting bad news (the first half of the book) is just "one damn thing after another," an endless listing of specifics without adequate context or meaningful analysis ... he apparently does not understand that anecdotes are not evidence. While he makes his argument most energetically, and has lots of suggestive detail that appears to support it, in the cases with which I am directly familiar he is guilty of taking things out of context, then making gross simplifications and overreaching generalizations. And this is too bad, because, overall, I think he's basically right, and that his suggestions for change are excellent. Probably the most important aspect of this book is simply his tough, clear-eyed situation assessment of the damage that's already been done, the building momentum of environmental change, and the need to get on with a meaningful response. I worry, though, that by beating us over the head with a stream of bad news, and then framing his suggestions for a response in terms of achieving a "graceful decline", too many people will be turned off and won't hear the good ideas towards the end of the book. The grand project of changing our culture so that we can live in a durable and robust symbiosis with our environment on a global scale ... that's not a graceful decline, but a call to help create a new age as exciting as any that went before.
I'm conflicted about this book, and McKibben's style in general. First, this is a valuable contribution to the debate about how to think about climate change and appropriate goals for our planetary future. McKibben actually presents many good ideas (in the second half of the book), rooted in a realistic and compelling vision of how our world is changing and how we need to adapt. However, his writing style, especially when presenting bad news (the first half of the book) is just "one damn thing after another," an endless listing of specifics without adequate context or meaningful analysis ... he apparently does not understand that anecdotes are not evidence. While he makes his argument most energetically, and has lots of suggestive detail that appears to support it, in the cases with which I am directly familiar he is guilty of taking things out of context, then making gross simplifications and overreaching generalizations. And this is too bad, because, overall, I think he's basically right, and that his suggestions for change are excellent. Probably the most important aspect of this book is simply his tough, clear-eyed situation assessment of the damage that's already been done, the building momentum of environmental change, and the need to get on with a meaningful response. I worry, though, that by beating us over the head with a stream of bad news, and then framing his suggestions for a response in terms of achieving a "graceful decline", too many people will be turned off and won't hear the good ideas towards the end of the book. The grand project of changing our culture so that we can live in a durable and robust symbiosis with our environment on a global scale ... that's not a graceful decline, but a call to help create a new age as exciting as any that went before.
Aug
16th
Book Review: Turning Oil into Salt
By Sandor Schoichet
Turning Oil
Into Salt: Energy Independence Through Fuel
Choice
by Anne Korin, Gal
Luft
This slim volume is the clearest and most direct analysis I've yet seen of oil's position as a strategic commodity, and the potential for open fuel standards to enable a market-based pathway to transportation fuel choice. Especially notable for its independent perspective ... we hear so much about the need for 'drop in' petroleum equivalents and the 'ethanol blend wall', but not nearly enough about other approaches that might emulate the open interface model that has driven the phenomenal growth of the internet. Absolutely required reading for anyone interested in clean energy, the potential contribution of biofuels to achieving energy security, and the practical steps that we need to take to move down the path.
This slim volume is the clearest and most direct analysis I've yet seen of oil's position as a strategic commodity, and the potential for open fuel standards to enable a market-based pathway to transportation fuel choice. Especially notable for its independent perspective ... we hear so much about the need for 'drop in' petroleum equivalents and the 'ethanol blend wall', but not nearly enough about other approaches that might emulate the open interface model that has driven the phenomenal growth of the internet. Absolutely required reading for anyone interested in clean energy, the potential contribution of biofuels to achieving energy security, and the practical steps that we need to take to move down the path.
Aug
14th
Book Review: Science as a Contact Sport
By Sandor Schoichet
Science as a
Contact Sport: Inside the Battle to Save Earth's
Climate
by Stephen H. Schneider,
Tim Flannery
If you care about the big picture of climate change that's driving the urgency behind global environmental agreements and the commercialization of greentech, then Schneider's 'Science as a Contact Sport' is must reading. The book achieves two objectives in an engaging and forceful manner. First it is a great introduction to the science of climate change, presented through Schneider's personal experience as a key participant in its development. And second, it provides much-needed insight into how the issue has played out in the US legislature and the global media, again from an up-close and personal point of view. Democracy and government are both messy systems, but still are forums where the environmental and greentech communities must ultimately triumph, and Schneider's personal experience should be of value to everyone engaged in the battle. Some elements of Schneider's message echo Al Gore's discussion in 'The Assault on Reason,' but are presented in a clearer, more direct, and better operationalized manner. Highly recommended!
If you care about the big picture of climate change that's driving the urgency behind global environmental agreements and the commercialization of greentech, then Schneider's 'Science as a Contact Sport' is must reading. The book achieves two objectives in an engaging and forceful manner. First it is a great introduction to the science of climate change, presented through Schneider's personal experience as a key participant in its development. And second, it provides much-needed insight into how the issue has played out in the US legislature and the global media, again from an up-close and personal point of view. Democracy and government are both messy systems, but still are forums where the environmental and greentech communities must ultimately triumph, and Schneider's personal experience should be of value to everyone engaged in the battle. Some elements of Schneider's message echo Al Gore's discussion in 'The Assault on Reason,' but are presented in a clearer, more direct, and better operationalized manner. Highly recommended!
Aug
14th
Book Review: Why We Hate the Oil Companies
By Sandor Schoichet
Why We Hate the
Oil Companies: Straight Talk from an Energy
Insider
by John Hofmeister
Hofmeister writes with refreshing directness
and lack of pretense about two key ideas: the disconnect between
"political time" and "energy time" that drives legislative
dysfunction in energy and environmental planning; and his own
proposal for an independent Federal Energy Resources Board to fix
it. Most of the book is a walkthrough of the current US energy
business and infrastructure ... the "straight talk from an energy
insider" part. He convincingly lays out an array of problems with
the approaches advocated by just about everyone, from left-wing
environmentalists, to right-wing "infotainers", to the energy and
utility power industry itself ... with special scorn for the
disastrous and long-running failure of our elected officials of all
stripes to address our energy needs in a serious manner. The book
provides a prescient and unnerving in-depth background to current
newspaper reporting on the BP spill disaster in the Gulf (it went
to press just before the explosion and blowout). Hofmeister is on
less firm footing, however, when he switches to his proposal for an
independent energy regulatory agency modeled on the Federal
Reserve. While he surely gets an 'A' for boldness and for thinking
outside the box, how this is supposed to work and how we are
supposed to get there in advance of a national energy disaster akin
to the Great Depression, are both left up to "grassroots pressure."
All I can say is that I hope his non-profit, Citizens for
Affordable Energy.org, is successful at pushing his ideas onto the
national stage, and helping to build a consensus focus on practical
solutions. Highly recommended ... wherever you stand on these
complex issues, Hofmeister will push your buttons and make you
think about what a real solution might look
like.
Aug
11th
Senior Leaders Meet at the Substation Management and Reliability Conference
By Michele Westergaardmarcus evans, will host the 2nd Annual Substation Management and Reliability Conference from September 30-October 1, 2010 in Atlanta, GA. The annual conference will target Heads, Vice Presidents, Director and Managers from Electric Utilities Companies with responsibilities in Substation Engineering and Automation.
By attending this premier conference, delegates will learn how to align substation operations with NERC regulations and will be provided with updates regarding environmental initiatives. Attendees will also gain end user perspectives from companies leveraging the latest Smart Grid technologies to increase efficiency, improve operations and cut costs.
Current speakers include leading experts such as Don Angell, Director of Substation Engineering Services at National Grid, Mark Bruckner, Manager of Transmission Standards & Technology at Entergy Corporation and Ginger Whitaker, Manager of Transmission Substation and Protection at E.ON US.
With a one-track focus, the 2nd Annual Substation Management and Reliability Conference is a highly intensive, content driven event of case studies and panel discussions over two full days. This conference targets leaders of substation management functions in order to provide an intimate atmosphere for both delegates and speakers.
Previous conference attendees provided us with the following feedback:
"It was good to hear from speakers who have hands-on experience", - Toronto Hydro
“One of the best conferences I have attended in the past five years", - First Energy
Attending this Premiere Conference Will Enable Attendees to Hear Valuable Insights From:
- BC Transmission on conducting a maintenance assessment to maximize existing assets
- Seattle City Light on further automating substation processes for increased reliability
- Northeast Utilities on navigating the requirements and benefits of IEC 61850
- National Grid on determining a proactive plan for maintenance initiatives
- Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative on enhancing communication systems for the collective of real-time data impact substations down the line
For more information on this conference or to get a complete list of speakers, sessions or past attendees, visit http://www.marcusevansch.com/substationmanagement or email Michele Westergaard, Michelew@marcusevansch.com
About marcus evans
marcus evans conferences annually produce over 2,000 high quality events designed to provide key strategic business information, best practice and networking opportunities for senior industry decision-makers. Our global reach is utilized to attract over 30,000 speakers annually, ensuring niche focused subject matter presented directly by practitioners and a diversity of information to assist our clients in adopting best practice in all business disciplines.
Contact:
Michele Westergaard
312-540-3000 ext. 6625
Aug
10th
Exclusive Worldwide Rights for Gasification Technology Acquired
By Olga Finkelshteyn
Novo Energies Corporation Acquires Exclusive Worldwide
Rights to Proprietary Hybrid Gasification Technology to Convert
Plastic and Tire Waste into Energy
Agreement Provides Novo Energies with a Technology License
with Precision Pipe and Vessel, LLC Effective
Immediately
July 30th, 2010, 2010 New York, NY – Novo Energies Corporation (OTCBB: NVNC) (“Novo” or the “Company”), an alternative energy company, announced today that it has entered into a Technology Collaboration Agreement (“Agreement”) with Colorado based Precision Pipe and Vessel, LLC (“Precision”).
Novo Energies has been granted a worldwide exclusive license to use Precision’s proprietary gasification technology to convert plastic and tire waste into energy products including electricity, synthesis gases and other valuable commodities such as recovered steel. Novo and Precision have agreed to collaborate to enhance and augment Precision’s existing operating pilot plant in Colorado, at which time Novo will seek multiple facilities in the United States and oversee the development of energy projects outside of North America through its partner, Novo Energies International, Ltd.
Antonio Treminio, CEO and Chairman of Novo Energies stated, “This is a major milestone for Novo Energies, its team, and our shareholders. In our search for the most efficient and economical methods to convert plastic and used tires into valuable energy products, we have spent the last 12 months evaluating several technologies, including pyrolysis, gasification and microwave based systems. As a result of such efforts, we have selected Precision’s gasification technology based on the following:
• Allows efficient conversion of tires and plastic feedstock to energy
• Environmentally friendly – the process produces zero toxic emissions,
making it a green energy technology
• The preliminary synthesis gas resulting from conversion of tires and plastic meets strict standards on quality and consistency
• Has the highest carbon conversion of any known gasification system on the
market
• Self sufficient by using the produced syngas to power the process
• Low cost of production
We are extremely confident that this collaboration between Novo Energies and Precision will allow us to develop the first commercially and economically viable tire to energy facility in North America.”
“Precision Pipe has successfully developed and operated the only known facility of this kind in the World. Our plant is capable of efficiently and effectively converting tire and plastic feedstock into high quality syngas. In addition, we are able to reliably accomplish this on a consistent basis with no process emissions. Based upon our many years of experience in designing, building, and operating other gasification technologies and gas production facilities, we recognize that we have invented a truly disruptive, clean, and renewable energy technology. We look forward to collaborating with Novo to develop the first commercial tire to energy plant in North America,” stated Ken Klepper, President of Precision.
Novo plans to demonstrate the pilot facility in Denver, Colorado as a showcase unit for government officials, institutions, utility companies, and the investment community, as well as augment it’s output to reach fully commercial quantities. “The showcase of the presently operating technology in Colorado is an important step towards our goals for commercialization. We aim to present a unique solution to government officials and the investment community by simultaneously solving
their waste issues and creating a new class of energy sources, previously
unavailable. As we will confront these issues on a truly local level, we will be able to control costs, allow scalability and reduce time to market. By offering a cost effective solution for a regional socio-economic issue, the Company has defined its goal as the replication of these plants world-wide, thereby successfully reducing waste while producing an alternative source of energy”, sated Mr. Faisal Butt, VP Corporation Communications & Finance.
About Novo Energies Corporation:
Novo Energies Corporation (“Novo”) is an alternative energy company publicly trading on the OTC Bulletin Board market (OTC BB: NVNC). Based upon proprietary technology, Novo intends to own and operate recycling plants that will efficiently, economically, environmentally and profitably recycle scrap tires and plastics into energy and other commodities. The core of Novo’s technology to recycle tires and plastics into energy is a Multi Stage Hybrid Gasification System, which undertakes the conversion of carbonaceous feedstock to a clean synthesis gas (“syngas”) with an upgraded heating value in an environmentally friendly manner. Such process which does not involve combustion or other reagents and pollutants. As an interim step, Novo will transform scrap tires and plastics into syngas, which will be used as a fuel for engines and turbines to produce electricity and heat in a cogeneration facility. The syngas may also be converted into transportation fuel or other fuel additives through the use of a standard catalystbased process such as Fischer-Tropsch.
About Precision Pipe & Vessel, LLC
Precision Pipe & Vessel, LLC, a Denver based fully qualified ASME welding and vessel fabricator is a family owned and operated business. Precision Pipe has extensive experience in natural gas and oil. In addition, Precision Pipe has thirty years experience developing and fabricating other process equipment, including heat exchangers, boilers, and pressure vessels that serve in many fields of application, such as: pharmaceutical, cosmetics, food services, distillation, breweries, clean-tech, , textiles, ink, renewable energy, bio-fuels, and many others. Precision Pipe’s Multi-Stage Hybrid Gasifier requires no external fuel sources and it creates zero green house gas emissions.
Forward-Looking Statements: Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains certain “forward-looking statements” as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation expectations, beliefs, plans and objectives regarding the development, use and marketability of products. Such forward-looking statements are based on present circumstances and on Novo’s predictions with respect to events that have not occurred, that may not occur, or that may occur with different consequences and timing than those now assumed or anticipated. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, and are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve risks and uncertainties that
could cause actual events or results to differ materially from the events or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include general economic and business conditions, the ability to successfully develop and market products, consumer and business consumption habits, the ability to fund operations and other factors over which Novo has little or no control. Such forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this release, and Novo assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. Readers should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Risks, uncertainties and other factors are discussed in
Novo’s Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended March 31, 2009, and other documents filed from time to time by Novo with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
For more information, please contact:
Novo Energies Corporation
Mr. Antonio Treminio, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, NVNC.
New York Tel: +1-212-315-9705
Montreal: +1-514-840-3697
Email: atreminio@novoenergies.com
Precision Pipe & Vessel, LLC.
Mr. Kenneth Klepper, President
Tel: +1-303-287-5138
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