100% Renewable Power Possible

With this project, I'm reminded of the snippy Noam Chomsky comment, "It can't be happening, therefore it isn't."  The University of Kassel in Germany has teamed up with some major players in solar, wind and biomass to demonstrate that the issue of intermittentcy in supply isn't a terminal flaw in renewable energy development.  No problem with 100% renewable providing 24/7 power to the grid.

New: The Combined Power Plant - Unendlich-viel-energie.de

"The secure and constant provision of power anywhere and at anytime by renewable energies is now made possible thanks to the Combined Power Plant. The Combined Power Plant links and controls 36 wind, solar, biomass and hydropower installations spread throughout Germany. It is just as reliable and powerful as a conventional large-scale power station."

There's also a nifty streaming 7.24 minute movie on the page that shows how it's all done.  There's a downloadable version too.  [MPEG, 320x240, 35MB]

On a related theme there's a book on renewable powered futures that is downloadable (free or donation) from the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research.   Several other references on this page too.

Carbon-Free and Nuclear-Free: A Roadmap for U.S. Energy Policy - IEER.org

Executive Summary [PDF]

100% Renewable Power Possible

With this project, I'm reminded of the snippy Noam Chomsky comment, "It can't be happening, therefore it isn't."  The University of Kassel in Germany has teamed up with some major players in solar, wind and biomass to demonstrate that the issue of intermittentcy in supply isn't a terminal flaw in renewable energy development.  No problem with 100% renewable providing 24/7 power to the grid.

New: The Combined Power Plant - Unendlich-viel-energie.de

"The secure and constant provision of power anywhere and at anytime by renewable energies is now made possible thanks to the Combined Power Plant. The Combined Power Plant links and controls 36 wind, solar, biomass and hydropower installations spread throughout Germany. It is just as reliable and powerful as a conventional large-scale power station."

There's also a nifty streaming 7.24 minute movie on the page that shows how it's all done.  There's a downloadable version too.  [MPEG, 320x240, 35MB]

On a related theme there's a book on renewable powered futures that is downloadable (free or donation) from the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research.   Several other references on this page too.

Carbon-Free and Nuclear-Free: A Roadmap for U.S. Energy Policy - IEER.org

Executive Summary [PDF]

American Idealist - Sargent Shriver

Being a former VISTA volunteer as well as a political junkie, I found this presentation to be a fascinating trip down memory lane (memory hole lane in some instances). Once again, "things that might have been" echoes sourly in my mind when I view pieces like this. On the other hand, some headway was made that hasn't been completely reversed or degraded. That's not nothing.  That all being said, the film was still an important reminder and an inspiration to me.  

The film might be of particular interest to the younger folks out there who didn't live through those very different times.  Especially the part where the Peace Corps was basically pushed onto so to be President Kennedy by enthusiastic college kids.  Shriver made sure those dreams were fulfilled and that the project was done in as proper way as possible.  That's a minor miracle in itself. Later President Johnson stuck Shriver with the near incomprehensible task of running the "War on Poverty" program which started a small scale culture and class war within this country. Eventually the War on Poverty had its funding cut as the War in Vietnam took precedence.

American Idealist Film Home Page
PBS Schedules
Sargent Shriver - Wikipedia

University of Michigan, Birthplace of Peace Corps, Remains High in Representation

"'In the early hours of Oct. 14, 1960, then-Sen. John F. Kennedy made an unprepared campaign speech to a group of U-M students on the steps of the Union,' he [Rodolfo Altamirano] said. 'He asked if they would be willing to devote a few years of their life working in under-developed countries around the world to promote better understanding between the United States, developing countries and their peoples. Within weeks, 1,000 Michigan students had signed a petition calling for the establishment of the Peace Corps program. Less than one year later, on March 1, 1961, the Peace Corps was officially launched.'"

Dinah Shore and Harry Belafonte Sing a Peace Corp Tribute (1964) - YouTube

"This segment is from a 1964 episode of The Dinah Shore Show on ABC that was all about the Peace Corp. Joining Dinah is her guest Harry Belafonte as they each sing in the native language of the song.

Peace Corp - Kennedy Outlines Global Program - Newsreel (1961)

American Idealist - Sargent Shriver

Being a former VISTA volunteer as well as a political junkie, I found this presentation to be a fascinating trip down memory lane (memory hole lane in some instances). Once again, "things that might have been" echoes sourly in my mind when I view pieces like this. On the other hand, some headway was made that hasn't been completely reversed or degraded. That's not nothing.  That all being said, the film was still an important reminder and an inspiration to me.  

The film might be of particular interest to the younger folks out there who didn't live through those very different times.  Especially the part where the Peace Corps was basically pushed onto so to be President Kennedy by enthusiastic college kids.  Shriver made sure those dreams were fulfilled and that the project was done in as proper way as possible.  That's a minor miracle in itself. Later President Johnson stuck Shriver with the near incomprehensible task of running the "War on Poverty" program which started a small scale culture and class war within this country. Eventually the War on Poverty had its funding cut as the War in Vietnam took precedence.

American Idealist Film Home Page
PBS Schedules
Sargent Shriver - Wikipedia

University of Michigan, Birthplace of Peace Corps, Remains High in Representation

"'In the early hours of Oct. 14, 1960, then-Sen. John F. Kennedy made an unprepared campaign speech to a group of U-M students on the steps of the Union,' he [Rodolfo Altamirano] said. 'He asked if they would be willing to devote a few years of their life working in under-developed countries around the world to promote better understanding between the United States, developing countries and their peoples. Within weeks, 1,000 Michigan students had signed a petition calling for the establishment of the Peace Corps program. Less than one year later, on March 1, 1961, the Peace Corps was officially launched.'"

Dinah Shore and Harry Belafonte Sing a Peace Corp Tribute (1964) - YouTube

"This segment is from a 1964 episode of The Dinah Shore Show on ABC that was all about the Peace Corp. Joining Dinah is her guest Harry Belafonte as they each sing in the native language of the song.

Peace Corp - Kennedy Outlines Global Program - Newsreel (1961)