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It can sometimes be a little unclear (especially first day of a new year) how the previous year changed the world. No one guessed in 1946 that the Magnetron Spencer Percy was developing for use in a RADAR system (and that subsequently melted a candy bar in his pocket) would one day become the microwave oven. But I like to think that we can make some pretty good guesses about which of this year's innovations are going to be with us, and changing our world, for a good long time.
Here's my list of the top ten clean tech innovations of 2008.
Light Antennas
You know how you can capture and produce radio waves with antennas? Well, what if you could built an antenna so small, it could capture and emit light? The first large array of these nano-antennas was produced this year, and the possibilities for them are endless. They may become efficient light sources, efficient solar panels, or simple ways to transfer energy we feel as heat into energy that we don't feel at all, making them a kind of passive climate control system.
President Barack Obama
Maybe not an innovation in the traditional sense, though, I like to think that it took some innovative thinking to get this man elected president. But President Obama's Administration has already grown to include clean technology advocates and researchers, and carries with it promises of green collar jobs, carbon markets, and restored protections for many of our imperiled ecosystems.
EEStor Begins to Emerge
The power storage company, EEstor, which we're still not 100% sure isn't full of crap did finally begin to tell us some things about their miraculous-sounding power storage technology. If true, vehicles could have batteries lighter than gas tanks, that could charge in five minutes and would never degrade. These ceramic "electrical energy storage units" have not yet seen the light of day (or independent verification) but they do already have contracts with Lockheed Martin and plans to deliver their first unit to an electric car company shortly.
The Gas Crunch
Hey...remember back when gas was freaking ridiculously expensive? Well, while the market may not (the Ford F-150 is, once again, America's most popular vehicle) the innovations that poured into the market to try and help consumers deal with high gas prices will not go away. Better hybrid systems, more efficient engines, massive investments in biofuels, the re-emergence of diesel in America were all direct implications of skyrocketing gas prices.
Solar at Grid Parity
The cost of delivering electrons to the grid has gone up a little bit in the past year, and the cost of delivering electrons to the grid using solar power has dropped dramatically. The first solar electrons costing roughly the same amount as natural gas electrons were produced this year. There's no reason to think that this trend will end, as natural gas gets more expensive, and solar systems get more efficient. In fact, one company is already promising solar power at the same price as coal!
Project Better Place Expands Wildly
While I'm still not 100% sure that Better Place, with it's many battery swapping stations, cell phone-like payment plans and "one sized battery fits all" platform makes the most sense, they have managed to get a lot of governments to bite. California, Hawaii, Australia and Denmark have all signed deals with Agassi's gigantically ambitious electric car program. It could all become extremely passe if EEStor's technology pans out. But otherwise it's one of the few solutions that will work now, instead of waiting for battery technology to catch up with our goals as car drivers.
Pickens Counterbalances Gore with a Real Vision
We've tired of Al Gore. The love affair was great while it lasted, but he's been attacked from too many angles to really latch onto his message anymore. But what about an ultra-conservative, Texas oil man? Now that's the kind of champion clean technology needs! And not only does he provide a different perspective, he provides a clear plan for how he wants to change our energy future. And while it might be a plan that would make him one of the richest people in the world, it's also actually a pretty good plan.
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written by Clint, January 01, 2009
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written by stumper, January 01, 2009
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written by Clint LeRoy, January 01, 2009
P.S. I am not the first Clint hat posted...
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written by spotbeam29, January 01, 2009
I've drawn my conclusion about him; you draw yours.
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written by James Jackson, January 02, 2009
I think the Pickens Plan went down when the gas price went down.. it was not as feesible with gas prices at $50 per barrel.
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written by David G., January 02, 2009
If you want to buy a USA stock that builds wind turbines and makes the most efficient transmission/distribution power lines in the world, look at stock symbol CPTC.
The stock is only .25 a share
http://www.compositetechcorp.com/
That's right. That quarter in your pocket can have you own a company which is doing something about it.
This technology is out there today. EESTOR? Although I'd love magical capacitors to be true, this "technology" keeps getting delayed every year.
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written by Bill Good, January 02, 2009
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written by Bill Good, January 02, 2009
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written by Wudsteen, January 02, 2009
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written by Nils Davis, January 05, 2009
On the other hand, and definitely in the spirit of some of your other posts, I think that several breakthroughs announced in August/September related to energy storage, but in particular the one from Nocera, belong on your list. Storage is, after cost/KWh, the biggest problem for home-based energy generation.
I mentioned these storage breakthroughs in this blog post: http://barrier-busting.com/200...gust-2008/, to refresh your memory :-)
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written by K.Z., January 06, 2009
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written by Peggy Greene, January 06, 2009
He claims his estate will go to charity. Who knows, but I would league with the devil himself if it would get this country to lead the world in clean, alternative energies. Natural gas has been posed as a bridging substitute for heavy transport in lieu of foreign oil products. The U.S. non-foreign supply is thought to be 100 years at the max, but it could be a bridge for the heavy cars and trucks out there that we cannot afford to discard.
Again for the record, no one alternative can solve our energy needs. Wind is good, but it does not always blow. Solar is good, but here on Earth, we have shadows and darkness. Geo-thermal is good, but it has limitations too. The water and friction possibilities are dazzling, but this all takes time, a government policy, and a national consciousness. (We live in the 51st state, the State of Denial.)
I urge everyone to start by joining our army at www.pickensplan.com. Please, we need you, and the more skeptical you are, the better our efforts will be. We need both vision and hard-headed logic. Come join us.
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written by K.Z., January 06, 2009
The one alternative left out of the previous post was Ethanol. The much-maligned Ethanol. The American Petroleum Institute has got everyone thinking that it has to be made from corn, palm, or sugar cane. That it's a choice between eating or fueling the car. No one mentions that it could be made from purifying cattails lining the roadsides. Or about 30 other feedstocks that are far better than corn. Why doesn't Pickens advocate it? Because to be most successful, it would have to be decentralized, and would leave big business and even bigger businessmen completely out of it. Americans could truly take back their future. Did you know that there are about 6 million Flexible Fuel vehicles, that can run on either alcohol or gas, in the U.S. right now? The car companies made them to satisfy terms of the C.A.F.E., but didn't tell the public, so the people driving them don't realize what they've got. Did you know that many cars can run on 85% alcohol right now, with no adjustment to the vehicle's timing? Of course you didn't. Because like their forerunner John D. Rockefeller, who pushed through a constitutional amendment prohibiting alcohol to get cars off the farmer-made juice and onto gasoline, they want you to stay hooked.
Sign onto the REAL revolution.
http://www.permaculture.com/book_menu/360/518
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written by Ubiquitous, January 14, 2009
THE POINT OF THE PICKENS PLAN IS TO END OUR DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL.
The enviornment seems to be a secondary concern, I believe Pickens is a climate change skeptic. Natural Gas can work to end the dependence on foreign oil, keep our money here (to be taxed and used for our debt/renewable energy projects), and get our military out of the middle east once and for all. I prefer that to continuing to debate while we ship more money every year in oil than the iraq war is costing.
Also, Canada is plenty happy taking our money for Gas and Oil and Im ok sending it to them, more so than anywhere else because frankly they are a democracy, friend and ally and I enjoy going there.
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written by Ubiquitous, January 14, 2009
This is the only proven way to decrease oil demand on the scale that we need. When oil hit the high $3/gallon we saw an absolute transformation in American habits. Over a billion less miles are being driven as a result (this is likely changing with the collapse of oil prices, which will likely remain low).
Significant incentives on the demand side are necassary to curtail our oil habit and stop emissions. This sadly will not happen with gutless politicians that are so sensitive to short sighted citizens that will vote them out for high gas prices. (Party makes litte difference here) Though I give Obama credit for avoiding lame solutions to the gas prices problems.
Taxing oil and gas and putting that money in the treasury and sending it back as Payroll taxes for the struggling, paying off debt and investing in new infrastructure for the energy needs of tomorrow should be the number 1 "Cleantech solution", especially if Obama can make the list.
http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2009/01/oil-speculation/
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written by Tomas S., January 21, 2009
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I'm a junior in high school and recently everyone is asking me what I plan to study. I always knew I would study science and for a while I planned on studying earth science. I have been reading the EcoGeek blog for a few months and it has really opened my eyes to how many opportunities there are in the green world. Being 16 I know my ideas about the future will change, but right now developing green technology sounds like a fine career.
I just wanted to let you know that you and the other writers for EcoGeek have inspired me to look into this new world. Who knows, maybe in 10 years I will be developing new green technology.
I will continue reading this blog as long as it is written.
Thanks for being awesome,
Natalie