Moving Planet Vermont: A Part of 350.org’s Global Rally

September 26th, 2011 Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

On September 24 2011, 350.org’s global rally took place.  On this annual event, rallies and workshops and festivals take place all over the world – in thousands of cities and hundreds of countries, all focusing on climate change awareness.

This year’s theme was “Moving Planet.”  Several events took place across Vermont, culminating with a huge rally that took place on the State House lawn.  Governor Peter Shumlin and Senator Bernie Sanders spoke on the solar-powered stage (supplied by the Solar Bus) an estimated 1,000 people showed up, and it was truly an inspiring day that energized everyone who came.  Many people walked, biked, and carpooled from long distances.  In the 8+ years of doing many rallies, festivals and events, this was truly one of the most positive days we can remember. It was so inspiring just seeing all the people sitting on the steps of the State House, all there for one reason.

To immortalize the event, this page has links to all the press coverage, photos, and videos on the great day.    For more info on what happened in the other cities across the planet, check out 350.org.

Wave Power!

October 23rd, 2010 Posted in Green Earth News | No Comments »

This is really cool.

World’s Largest Working Hydro-Electric Wave Energy Device Will Power 9,000 homes

October 18th, 2010 Posted in Green Earth News | 2 Comments »

ScienceDaily — Queen’s University Belfast has helped the global wave energy industry take a major stride forward with the launch of the world’s largest working hydro-electric wave energy device by Aquamarine Power Ltd.

Known as Oyster, the device has been officially launched by Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond MP, MSP at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney.

It is currently the world’s only hydro-electric wave energy device producing power and is now producing power by pumping high pressure water to its onshore hydro-electric turbine. This will be fed into the National Grid to power homes in Orkney and beyond. A farm of 20 Oysters would provide enough energy to power 9,000 three bedroom family homes.

Oyster is a simple mechanical hinged flap connected to the seabed at around 10m depth. Each passing wave moves the flap, driving hydraulic pistons to deliver high pressure water via a pipeline to an onshore electrical turbine. (Credit: Aquamarine Power Ltd.)

more:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091127133806.htm

New Wind Generator Arrives!!

October 6th, 2010 Posted in Captain's Blog, Green Earth News, Vermont Blog | No Comments »

The new wind generator comes out of the box!


Look what the UPS man brought today! Our new Air Breeze wind generator just arrived and I had to immediately take it out of the box and have a look. We’ll be using it at all our events from now on, helping to power the Solar Stage and anything else that needs juice. This Sunday at the 350.org rally in Burlington will be the unveiling of the great new addition. Gordon Stone will be the first musician to perform on the solar AND WIND powered stage. Come by if you’re in the area to celebrate!

Note to Dubie: Lawn Signs Don’t Win Elections

October 5th, 2010 Posted in Green Earth News, Progressive Politics, Vermont Blog | 4 Comments »

Welcome to the Renewable Energy Vermont Conference

I was at the Renewable Energy Vermont Conference last week. The great event culminated with a debate between the gubenatorial candidates, Peter Shumlin (D) and Brian Dubie (R). In the debate Shumlin showed himself to be much more passionate about his desire to lead our state. He also showed himself to be a better public speaker, as Dubie often fumbled for words and seemed “stiff.”  Shumlin spoke from his heart and I don’t even think he had any notes or cue cards. Dubie was often looking down, reading from notes, and he stumbled in his closing remarks when he couldn’t remember the name of the host of the event. I have some video I’ll be posting later.

But one of the interesting and almost funny things I want to share now is that Dubie brought an entourage of supporters with him to the event, wearing their “Dubie Co-pilot” t-shirts and carrying stacks of lawn signs to give away.  This part didn’t go too well for them.

Signs (especially hypocritically placed ones) don't win elections.

I had to run to my car before the debate began and I was struck by the sea of lawn signs they put up in front of the convention center.  One was even bigger than the “Renewable Energy Vermont Conference” sign letting people know what was going on there. A passer-by would think it was a Dubie convention, not a REV conference.   This was ironic and strange considering that the current administration for which Brian Dubie has served for several years, has not been a good proponent of renewable energy policy.  Why then, would they put up all these signs  in front of the conference entrance?  Do they think we are so shallow to believe that a lawn sign or two (or a few dozen) must mean he supports renewable energy policy? Does he think we’ve all been hiding in a cave the last 6 years?  I had to speak my mind to the people holding the signs and (politely) let them know I thought it was ironic.  One huge sign took several people to hold and I told them, “signs don’t win elections, you know.”

Any takers? C'mon, they're free! They have many uses! When the election is over you can use it as a placemat! This big one won't fit in the garbage can; I guess we can just leave it here.

At the end of the debate, the “co-pilots” (who I’ve been told are actually PAID to stand there like that) stood again at the door and tried to hand out the signs to Dubie supporters.  This didn’t go over too well either.  I watched for several minutes and not a single person took a sign.  One person grabbed a sign, walked a few steps, and dropped it on the ground in the parking lot.  I realize littering is bad, but I have to say it was kind of funny.

Evidently someone changed their mind about taking one of these signs home. I know littering is bad, but I had to chuckle...

I wanted to share a few photos of this interlude.  I’ll have the video of the debate and more from the conference soon.

Vermont lagging in wind projects… why?

October 1st, 2010 Posted in Green Earth News, Progressive Politics, Vermont Blog | No Comments »

I went to a lecture on wind energy. One of the speakers was Kristan Goland from Iberdrola Renewables, who does large scale wind projects. She commented that compared to other states Vermont has the most complicated process to get approval and longest delays. Why? One reason she said… the executive branch of the state govt.

So there’s yet another reason to vote for Peter Shumlin for Governor. He’ll be in a position to bring Vermont back in line with what some of the other states are doing with wind. Now before all you naysayers jump on me, NO ONE wants to put wind generators on Camel’s Hump mountain. There are plenty of places in Vermont with adequate wind potential that we can develop without compromising the beauty of our state.

Why are there no biodiesel pumps in Burlington??

October 1st, 2010 Posted in Green Earth News, Vermont Blog | 1 Comment »

I went to the lecture on biofuels. At the end there was time for questioning. I asked, why are there no biodiesel pumps in Burlington? If you go on to the Biodiesel.org website and look at the map to see where there are gas stations nationwide where you can drive up your car and fill up on biodiesel, there are many. My friends in Eugene, Oregon tell me there are more than one just in their town alone. Here in Burlington, there are many people with diesel cars who want to fill up on biodiesel. For some reason we just don’t have a filling station. It seems like a huge marketing opportunity to me — there’s a demand but no supply. I personally know dozens of people who drive a half hour or more to other towns just to get biodiesel. So what gives???

I didn’t really get a good answer. It was pointed out that the federal grants for biodiesel production ended which makes biodiesel more expensive. That doesn’t explain why there are pumps elsewhere, mostly small towns like Bridport and Bristol, but not in Burlington, where there are more people and more diesel cars.

So get with it folks! Someone really needs to start up a biodiesel pump in Burlington. Build it and they will come! Any existing gas station could easily use one of their pumps for biodiesel. There is demand, I know it! Let’s hope it happens soon.

At the Renewable Energy Conference

September 30th, 2010 Posted in Green Earth News, Vermont Blog | No Comments »



I’m at the Renewable Energy Vermont conference and finding lots of interesting things to share. Here’s a new type of wind generator made by Honeywell that starts producing power at just 2 mph, and can even be mounted on the roof of your house!

more soon….

Shumlin: Renewables will save Vermont’s economy

September 14th, 2010 Posted in Green Earth News, Progressive Politics, Vermont Blog | No Comments »

At EcoFest in Burlington, Vermont Governor candidate Peter Shumlin spoke on the solar stage (powered by the Solar Bus of course). The first few seconds of the speech are cut, but he begins by telling a story where he was asked what is the most important issue facing Vermont. His response is somewhat of a surprise, even to people who know of Shumlin’s longtime support for renewables. (video below)

This video shows the deep contrast between his opponent Brian Dubie, who doesn’t believe climate change is real, thinks renewable energy is not an important issue, and wants to re-license Vermont Yankee, the old, failing nuclear power plant that is leaking radiation and has had numerous safety violations.

The Solar Bus encourages Vermonters to vote for Peter Shumlin and help bring the solar economy to Vermont!

Our apologies for the shaky video and the child’s voice at the end, but this is worth watching for any Vermonter old enough to vote in the coming election.

VT Utility Gets Approval for Solar Project

May 18th, 2010 Posted in Green Earth News, Vermont Blog | No Comments »

Vermont’s second-largest power company has won state approval to build a new solar power project in Berlin.

Green Mountain Power says the project will generate 200 kilowatt-hours of electricity from 952 solar panels installed on about an acre of land in Berlin.

The company says the project will move it closer to its goal — set 18 months ago — of having it or its customers install 10,000 solar panels in 1,000 days.

GMP says the Berlin project is expected to provide enough power to supply about 100 average homes.

source:
Burlington FreePress