Category: SocialEnergy

Innovation is one of those things that is going to take many forms as we move into the heart of a cleantech revolution, and not all of them are going to command big IPOs and such. But that, really, is going to be the strength of such a movement, the flexibility of the potential […]

Traditionally, there are two ways for government to get involved in stimulating new technology; one is the direct regulation of current processes and systems so that new technologies are pushed to the forefront. Government focus on DARPAnet, for instance, paved the way for the information technology revolution and the growth of the internet itself, […]

Although confidence seems up again given the bi-partisan economic stimulus package working its way through Congress, the reality of a possible recession, fueled by the subprime mortgage crisis, spells possible trouble for the cleantech industry as it tries to step into the mainstream in a big way. The biggest question is how the sector […]

When most folks think of modular homes, it’s almost a cinch that what pops into their minds is a gentle euphemism for aluminum-walled trailers, the cheap-as-dirt mainstays of semi-rural Midwest living. At best, one might think, a modular home is a double-wide with the wheels off, no safer or more aesthetically pleasing–or greener–than a […]

You cannot rely on major break throughs. That has been a core message of the environmental movement and global warming crusaders practically from Day One. It is foolhardy to rely on technology to rescue us from our high- and low-tech messes, because you never know when engineers and researchers are going to hit […]

The question of whether or not investing in cleantech is going to maintain its pace seems to have been answered. Most analysts agree that cleantech investing is likely to continue unabated, and likely to go on unaffected or lightly affected by any US-based economic downturns because of the credit crunch.More pressing, then, is the […]

How do you answer naysayers? With a big, workable plan.One of the things that has plagued the growth of clean, renewable energy in the West has been an almost fervent, religious pessimism regarding the prospect; whether the extremes of environmentalism have worked their way into the public consciousness, or people are just naturally skeptical […]

The average residential home wastes a ton of energy, that much is already known. Common fiberglass insulation is barely adequate, especially in Canada and northern tier US states, most windows and doors have leaky seams and edges, and most homes are fully heated (and sometimes lit!) even when no one is home. Part […]

We aren’t the only ones who went looking for trends and predictions for 2008. Here’s some highlights from around the blogosphere: Predictably, ZDNet chose to focus on the impact of technology, both pro and con, on the budding green revolution. An interesting note is their take on the future of […]

As the auto industry has recently demonstrated, even if an industry clearly possesses the capacity to improve its end product, and at a price that does not put that product immediately out of reach of 95% of its consumers, they’ll fight tooth and nail to oppose any legislation that makes them do it. For […]