progress

Deployment precedes innovation

In energy efficiency circles, the story of Jan Schilham's 1997 redesign of a pumping system for a Shanghai carpet-making factory is famous. Schilham saved 92 percent of pumping energy and lowered capital costs by using a well-known principle: Pumping water slowly through fat, straight pipes reduces friction and saves energy relative to pumping the same volume quickly through narrow twisty pipes.

Why isn't it always done that way? Because the bigger pipes cost more than the energy saving. Schilham's insight was that energy is not the only payback. Fatter pipes lower the size of the pumps and motors required, so even with the additional plumbing expenses, total capital costs are lower. Energy savings in this context are free, or better than free.

In a narrow sense, this was an improvement in cost accounting, not technology. Nothing unknown or untested was deployed. No breakthrough enabled the lower costs -- they'd always been possible. Schilham simply counted a benefit that had been overlooked, demonstrating that a technique usually considered unprofitable actually saved money.

The key that allowed Schilham to exercise his genius was that Interface carpets had already decided to reduce its ecological footprint drastically. "Whether" had already been decided -- Schilham was worrying about the "how." Essentially he was in the position of someone complying with a standards-based efficiency rule.

Email of the day

This just hit my inbox, from Gary T. Strasburg, DAF Civ, Chief, Environmental Public Affairs, US Air Force:

After a thorough review of project requirements and information submitted by a team of functional experts, the Air Force has determined proposals received for a coal-to-liquid synthetic fuel plant on Malmstrom AFB, Mont., are not viable and will no longer pursue possible development of a plant at the installation.

Taking a moment to appreciate Obama's words

In the wake of President Barack Obama's speech on Monday, the media -- including our own Kate and Sarah -- have scurried to report on the implications, ramifications, and other -ications of the emissions issue. Good stuff, and important. But could we take a step back for just a moment?

Consider what your president said:

Steven Chu is a progressive environmentalist because he’s a good scientist

I’ve been reading the discussion sparked by Chris Hayes’ latest piece in The Nation — "The Pragmatist," about Obama’s much-discussed pragmatism — with interest. Pragmatism is a subject dear to my heart, something I studied in grad school, though the kind you study there and what goes by the name in political discussion bear little […]

New program will certify responsible e-waste recyclers

Monday saw the dawn of the e-Stewards Initiative, the first independently accredited certification program for responsible recycling of electronic waste. “By choosing an e-Steward recycler,” explains Sarah Westervelt of the program, “consumers and large businesses are assured that their old computers and TVs will be safely managed, and not simply tossed into a local landfill, […]

Chorus of intellectuals and activists call on Obama to think big

Nobel-winning economist Paul Krugman to Barack Obama: be ambitious (really ambitious)! Beltway CW bellwether Fareed Zakaria to Barack Obama: be ambitious! Former Secretary of Labor and current Obama adviser Robert Reich to Barack Obama: be ambitious! Nobel-winning climate advocate Al Gore to Barack Obama: be ambitious! Nobel-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz to Barack Obama: be ambitious! […]

Happy international folk

Avaaz brings you happy people who hope Obama will get cracking on an international climate agreement:

Obama plans green listening tour

Originally posted at the Wonk Room. —– Dan Kammen, the director of the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory at UC Berkeley and a top adviser to President-elect Barack Obama, has told E&E News ($ub. req’d) that Obama may conduct a nationwide “listening tour” to allow his team to hit the ground running for a green […]

Gratitude for quirky wind entrepreneurs

This story about a quirky entrepreneur pursuing the first large-scale, floating-turbine, offshore wind project on the Oregon coast reminded me of this story of a quirky entrepreneur pursuing a massive offshore wind project on the Delaware coast. Both faced stiff resistance — the latter eventually overcame it, the former, not yet. Let us pause and […]