Debate continues in SA
September 13, 2010Following on from my most recent blog in the Mail and Guardian, click here to review continuing debate… Eddie
Why South Africa should be investing in renewable energy
September 10, 2010As South Africa looks to renew its energy sector, comparisons are often made of how much one source of electricity costs versus another. Carrying out this exercise is much more difficult than might at first appear, but this must not deter the attempt. What are the problems encountered when comparing renewable sources such as wind or solar with coal fired or nuclear generation? Comparisons of capital costs of various methods of generation There are usually few ...
South Africa visit
August 20, 2010This week, I have been visiting South Africa to promote the many benefits of why renewable energy will be hugely beneficial to South Africa’s energy mix. Click the play button on the video below to see my interview with CNBC Africa on Wednesday morning. Back with more of an update on my visit to South Africa soon.Eddie.
Funding Europe’s future
July 30, 2010Last week in this column I spoke about the Supergrid and how it will bring revolutionary change to Europe in terms of the free trade of electricity, security of supply, clean sustainable energy and so on. That it will create a leading global position for Europe in the transition to a low carbon economy. What I didn’t speak about was how this vast energy network will be financed. The first question is how much will it cost. ...
Grids, grids, my kingdom for the Supergrid
July 26, 2010Once off transition to sustainability This world of ours is on a once off transition to sustainability. Over three centuries its population will have moved from 600 million to 9.2 billion. There is no rule stipulating that the resources which were adequate in the past will be sufficient for the future. There are many basic raw materials whose abundance cannot be assumed for the future. Oil is depleting rather rapidly, water is becoming scarce in many regions. Metals such ...
Climate Deniers
July 7, 2010While addressing KPMG in Ireland last week I paid tribute to the climate deniers who did such a magnificent job of telling the big lie before Copenhagen last year. The deadly deniers took a couple of isolated facts, added them together, as one would add 2+2, and convinced everyone that the answer was 293. It was an easy sell. India wanted to burn coal, the US wanted to pass a health bill, the third world wanted to follow ...
SUSTAINABILITY, ENTROPY AND RISK
June 9, 2010The world is on a once off transition to sustainability. I often ask myself the question: what does sustainability mean? For me it is ultimately about humans being able to grow, thrive and ultimately leave Earth to colonise elsewhere. It is about civilization and its ongoing ability to provide a societal mode of behaviour based on for instance the values best expressed by Confucious. We in the West have evolved a fine civilisation emanating from the ancient Greeks but refined ...
On Delivering a Speech
June 8, 2010Having recently made a speech during which a fair number of people walked out, I decided it was high time to write down some guidelines for myself. Of course I will have to stick to them then! A speech is not an essay, or a song, a play or a dirge. It is the public telling of a story that attempts to convince an audience of your point of view. Like all stories, it must have a beginning, ...
Supergrid
April 30, 2010I would like to return to a subject that I have often spoken about before. The subject is the Supergrid. Those who are familiar with my history over the past eight years will know that I consider this issue to be one of the most important. What I had not realized until very recently is just how relevant the Supergrid is right now. By its very nature it is going to take some time to construct the Supergrid. ...
Wind: The cheapest solution for electricity generation in South Africa
February 12, 2010Continuation of the theme that wind and other renewable power sources reduce the cost of providing an electricity service. Firstly let me say that the debate sparked off by my last blog is most welcome. That different opinions exist is known. What is happening now is that they are being expressed in public and the people will be allowed to judge for themselves as to the merits of what each has to say. I will be in South Africa ...
