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Written by Phillip Hamilton, PhD
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Wednesday, 17 December 2008 03:08 |
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On Friday, December 12, 2008 I had the privilege of making a presentation to the Mobile Regional American Society of Mechanical Engineers. The PowerPoint slides for the renewable energy presentation can be found below. Special thanks to Hargrove & Associates for sponsoring the talk.   Synopsis: I discussed the impacts of the growing residential scale renewable energy market. Potential obstacles and opportunities for residential scale renewable energy were identified and discussed. Additionally, implications for society as a whole and for individual users were highlighted. This presentation provides a good opportunity to discuss the ethical implications of renewable energy.   I also presented a technical and financial comparison of small-scale renewable energy technologies for residential and small-commercial applications. With solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, wind and geothermal systems widely available, technologies yielding optimal performance and return on investment can vary dramatically depending on location. Variables that affect system performance must be evaluated at the local level including solar and wind resources, temperature and utility electricity rates. An overview of each technology was provided as well as a discussion of how each system performance is influenced by the interaction of the above variables. I also introduced the progress in development of a comprehensive online renewable energy analysis tool. Phillip HamiltonPhD Chemical Engineering  - Easy View - Flash Version  - Speakers Notes and Table of Contents HTML Version  - DownLoad the full presentation |
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Written by Admin
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Saturday, 15 November 2008 16:20 |
Hedging against risk sounds like an advanced financial management term but it has quickly become part of our every day life, predominantly in energy. Â Many utility companies offer short-term, fixed-rate electricity plans to protect us against rising home energy costs. Â With energy prices taking big jumps in recent years, we've all learned to appreciate opportunities to protect ourselves against rising costs.
However, the current economic recession has also introduced us to the dangers of short-term hedges. Many consumers locked-in rates for electricty or gas that were a good deal in 2007 but could exceed market rates in 2008 and 2009 if the price of energy inputs like natural gas continue their decline. In securing these hedge positions, we place bets that we know where energy prices will go over the next few years. It is a gamble just like playing the stock market in the short-term.
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Written by Admin
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Monday, 13 October 2008 01:00 |
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Renewable energy at home sounds great to many of us. Problem is, the price tag can be tough to swallow. When we worry about financial security, who can take $5,000 - $30,000 out of savings to install solar panels or a small wind turbine? One option is renting. Some companies offer solar panel system rentals. They make money when you pay more in rental fees than they spend on manufacturing & installing your system. You get the renewable energy, but they get the financial benefit. If you want both financial gains and renewable electricity, the best answer can be mortgage financing. |
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Written by Phillip Hamilton, PhD
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Thursday, 31 July 2008 18:01 |
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Recent high gas prices have increased my interest in finding alternative methods to commute to work. I live about 12 miles from where I work, so walking is really not an option by time constraints. I thought biking to work would also take too much time, but as I examined my options and considered various scenarios I found quite the opposite to be true. Biking to work is actually saving me time and money!! |
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Written by Phillip Hamilton, PhD
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Tuesday, 06 May 2008 17:50 |
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(Post or Read Comments on this Article in our ENERGY FORUMS.) The traditional cost-plus pricing structure used to evaluate energy resources does not adequately capture the real value of renewable energy. Many of the negative implications of conventional energy sources are externalized and there by not seen directly by the consumer as a cost. In the same way many of the benefits of renewable energy are externalized and often not understood or considered by consumers. A shift in the way society thinks about energy is required to fully understand these values. Rather than viewing energy as a commodity we need to understand that energy is a product with far reaching effects on society. Long time critics of renewable energy often focus completely on the costs without fully exploring its total value, while renewable energy advocates preach about the benefits of renewable energy without fully acknowledging its costs. The goal of this website is to have a real dialogue between both camps in order for everyone participating to increase their understanding. Some of the values that are supplied by renewable energy which are not normally considered are: |
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