Armed rebels in Libya have hijacked the oil

Billions of dollars’ worth of oil are now under the control of armed rebels in Libya, costing the country more than $130m (£82m) a day on the global market.

Libya was producing approximately 1.5 million barrels of oil a day earlier this year, compared to last week’s total of 700,000, confirming the long-held belief that whoever controls the energy, controls the fate of the nation.

The rebel groups consist mostly of former employees who had been hired to guard the country’s oilfields. Although they aren’t making any specific demands, rebel leaders cite industry corruption as a main inspiration for their siege. Not much has changed since vicious dictator Muammar Gaddafi was removed from office two years ago, they claim. Others are demanding more autonomy for the country’s eastern borders, where most of the oil lies. Still others are striking over salaries, or being fired and replaced by former militia members willing to work for less.

In response, the Libyan government is moving forward with treason charges. They believe the rebels are seizing the oil in an attempt to sell it themselves, and what’s worse – they’re afraid the civil unrest will ward off foreign investors who currently operate many of the country’s largest oilfields.

“The security issue is essential, and we know a situation like this is not encouraging for investment, but I assure [investors] it's temporary, not permanent," says Deputy Oil Minister Omar al-Shakmak.

Libya’s parliament has already passed legislation to raise civil servants’ salaries by 20%. But is it a little too late? Now that the rebels control the oil, are they really motivated to comprise?

All authorities can do for now is petition local citizens to put added pressure on these protestors in hopes that familial and communal tensions will force them to surrender.

"A lot of [the trouble] has to do with day-to-day expectations not being met, politicians and government failing people at the very basic level in terms of service delivery," says Ahmad Safar, an independent economic adviser. "We haven't seen a decentralized system that guarantees equal share to the wealth of the country; we haven't seen proper and fair distribution among Libyans - south, east, west, north.”

Roughly 30% of Libya’s fuel is refined domestically. So when rebels initially hijacked the oil, fuel shortages resulted in mass panic. People started stocking up on gasoline and propane. There were lengthy blackouts. Oceans of stand-still traffic. Even shoot-outs.

NRGLab is working towards preventing situations like the one in Libya from erupting elsewhere in the world. By empowering people with cheap, reliable access to electricity, we can break free from the bonds of a centralized energy infrastructure. We can take precautions against corruption. Prevent civil wars. Save lives. And create a greener, more sustainable future for our children.

For more information on how NRGLab plans to revolutionize the way we approach green energy, visit nrglab.asia, or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/NRGLabJohnWish.

EU proposes new environmental legislation – pests beware

Today, the European Union (EU) proposed new environmental legislation in hopes of managing the growing threat of pests that have migrated north, thanks to global warming. Over 12,000 invasive species are wreaking havoc throughout Europe, disrupting ecosystems and causing ripple effects across the global economy.

Is there any stopping them?

These pests are causing an estimated €12 billion worth of damage each year. Crops. Trade. Water wells. Europe’s historic, rural communities are at risk of dying out.

From an ecological standpoint, invasive pests can force the extinction of some indigenous species, crippling food-chains that are vital to maintaining balance in nature.

But animals aren’t the only ones in danger. One sting from a tiger mosquito or an Asian hornet, and you’re done for. Think about that the next time you hear something buzzing around your head.

Ultimately, pests become about politics. Members of the EU have already thrown millions of dollars at the problem. They’ve spent substantial resources, too. But until the issue is approached from a unified stance, and not left up to individual nations, then the pest infestation will continue to spread, until one day, the entire planet’s consumed.
Don’t believe me? Think I’m exaggerating?

Consider the Japanese knotweed, which is literally strangling buildings to the point of causing structural damage. Or how about the giant hogweed in Belgium, which, even if the country is successful in eradicating it, may simply cross the border, and start ravaging French crops! (If only traveling was so easy…)

"Combating invasive alien species is a prime example of an area where Europe is better when working together,” says Janez Potočnik, Environment Commissioner of the EU. “The legislation we are proposing will help protect biodiversity and is targeted to allow us to focus on the most serious threats. This will help improve the effectiveness of national measures and achieve results in the most cost-effective way. I look forward to working with Member States and the European Parliament to put this legislation in place and step up our efforts to tackle this serious problem right across Europe."

Potočnik is calling for a ban on select species, meaning it will be illegal to “import, buy, use, release or sell them” anywhere within the EU. The legislation encourages a transition towards a more preventive approach to pests and global warming, which should increase recognition efficiency and lower damage costs.

What’s the best way to prevent global warming? Eliminate carbon emissions. How can we do that? End our dependence on dirty fossil fuels like coal. How can we do that?

That’s the question NRGLab has been asking for years now, and we think we’ve come up with some pretty creative solutions. From a portable, polycrystalline electric generator, to a more efficient gasification turbine – see how you could be paying as little as $0.03 per kWh by visiting nrglab.asia.

Help us ensure a greener future for all.

Blackout over 70% of Venezuela!

Although Venezuela controls the world’s largest known oil reserves, they can’t seem to get their own energy infrastructure to run efficiently. Half-way through September 3rd, nearly 70% of the country lost power! In most parts of the world, this would be an anomaly. But in Venezuela, it simply adds to the laundry list of recent energy embarrassments. The government has already passed mandatory electricity rations and levies on energy guzzlers. What more can they do?

Get smarter! Go greener!

The cause of the blackout was an apparent malfunction in the energy grid near Bajo Caroni, which generates roughly two-thirds of the country’s electricity. 14 of Venezuela’s 23 states experienced power outages, including the capital, Caracas. There was bumper-to-bumper traffic in the blackened streets. Subways stalled. Trains had to be evacuated.

To put it bluntly: for half of the day, Venezuela was emerged in absolute chaos! Even the country’s Energy Ministry lost power! (Cruel irony, or just cruel?)

As of this moment, a few states are still shrouded in darkness. This spells disaster for hospitals and other utilities.

Should the blackout just be chalked up to some “malfunction?”  Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro isn’t so sure. He took to Twitter, saying: “It’s evident that behind [the blackout] is the hand of those that want to weaken our country.”

Henrique Capriles, a respected lawyer and politician who lost to Maduro in Venezuela’s elections earlier this year, responded: "The blackout today demonstrates one more time the terrible incapacity of this government.”

Worst of all, this isn’t even the first time Venezuela has experienced a blackout this big! Back in 2010, a drought devastated the country’s electricity production, hitting their hydroelectric facilities particularly hard. As a result, close to 70% of homes lost power.

As they say: fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

Luckily, you no longer have to rely on the government, or some corporate power provider, for energy. You could break free and experience energy independence.

Get smarter by going greener!

To learn how, visit nrglab.asia and read up on some of our revolutionary energy projects. From recycling agricultural waste into useable fuel, to converting geothermal energy into useable electricity, we’re developing an array of solutions for the array of problems we face. Global warming. Civil war. Dwindling resources. It’s a laundry list we plan to put an end to.

So be sure to check out nrglab.asia, and follow us on Facebook for more breaking news.

Global warming, pests, and poverty - how they're interconnected

Think of all the under-privileged people living in the world. The sick. The starving. Sure, every once in a while you might donate to a charity. You might even send a child you sponsor in Africa ten cents a day for basic necessities. It’s a shame to think that so many people continue to struggle to make ends meet despite advancements in technology and an expanding global economy. Medicine, 3 meals a day, warmth, shelter – things we take for granted can literally save lives.

Global warming, unfortunately, is only complicating matters.

Did you know that we already lose between 10% and 16% of our annual global crop production to pests like bacteria, fungi, viruses, worms, and other insects? That loss alone could feed 8.5% of the world’s population!

Want to put an end to world hunger? Kill all the pests!

Yet, according to a new study out of England, hundreds of species of pests are slowly migrating away from the tropics “at a rate of nearly two miles a year.” Rising surface temperatures across the planet are making more ecosystems inhabitable for these dangerous, sometimes microscopic, organisms.

British scientists looked at data collected over the last 50 years and discovered an average annual shift towards the north and south poles of approximately 2.7 km (1.7 miles).

"If crop pests continue to march pole-wards as the Earth warms, the combined effects of a growing world population and the increased loss of crops to pests will pose a serious threat to global food security," claims Professor Dan Bebber of Exeter University, who led the research team.

Take the mountain pine beetle, for instance. Warmer weather has driven the beetle to the U.S. Pacific north-west, where it continues to be a major deforestation threat. Another example would be the rice blast fungus, a devastating pest that’s destroying wheat crops in over 80 countries, most notably Brazil.

"Renewed efforts are required to monitor the spread of crop pests and to control their movement from region to region if we are to halt the relentless destruction of crops across the world in the face of climate change," says Professor Sarah Gurr, also from the University of Exeter and co-author of the study.

So if we really want to make a difference in the lives of the under-privileged, let’s start working together to halt global warming. NRGLab believes the way to accomplish this is by developing cost-effective, clean, and renewable sources of energy.

For more information on NRGLab’s slate of innovative green energy projects, visit nrglab.asia, and read up on our biofuel turbine, our polycrystalline electrical generator, and much, much more!

Japan’s CPI up, Yen down – energy prices to blame

As Japan tries to put over a decade’s worth of economic deflation behind them, the country experienced a spike in employment and the price of consumer goods – the largest increase in recent memory.  However, Japanese households are struggling to come up with the 0.7% annual Consumer Price Index (CPI) increase amid stagnate wages.

What’s driving consumer inflation?

Look no further than energy prices. The cost of electricity rose 10.1% compared to last month. Natural gas rose 5.2% and gasoline rose 10.5% - and those numbers are all up from the month before!

"It's further proof that the Japanese economy is solidly recovering," says Norio Miyagawa, a senior economist with Mizuho Securities Research and Consulting. "The next challenge is how soon it will start pushing up wages."

July’s unemployment rate dropped 0.1% compared to June, while the jobs-to-applicants ratio—a way of evaluating how many jobs are available per person who applies—rose to 0.94, the highest in five years.

Industrial production numbers prove that Japan, the world's third-largest economy, is on the slow road to recovery. But as anyone who’s ever heard the fable of the tortoise versus the hare, slow and steady often wins the race.

The CPI increase is an example of "cost-push" inflation, meaning high global energy prices (and a weakening yen) have pushed the price of foreign imports way up.  Higher prices end up causing more harm than good on a micro level because, through all of this, Japanese wages have remained the same. Until companies are willing to adapt their pay-structures, consumers may not feel the benefits of their economy’s stabilization. And if the government decides to raise taxes next April, the situation will only worsen.

Why are governments always willing to force families to suffer in favor of national security?

The Bank of Japan is struggling to convince the population that it can bring about a 2% growth in Gross Domestic Profit (GDP) in only two years. The bank’s theory is that inflationary expectations will drive consumers to spend and invest more, lessening deflationary pressure in the process.

Wouldn’t it be great if you could detach yourself from this socio-political-economic mess, sit back and enjoy energy independence? NRGLab thinks so. That’s why we’ve developed a slate of green energy projects – in hopes of cutting millions of people around the world loose from the bonds of big government.

If you’d like to be your own power provider, be sure to read more about our carbon-free electrical generator, the SH-Box, by visiting nrglab.asia. Learn how you could be paying as little as $0.03 per kWh!

Waste not want not – U.S. could power U.K. for 7 years with annual wasted energy

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), a premier research and development institution for science and technology funded by the United Sates Department of Justice, recently published an alarming report revealing that, in 2012, the U.S. wasted 61% of its economy’s total energy!

To put that number in perspective – that’s enough energy to power the entire United Kingdom for 7 years!

That 39% efficiency rating is hardly efficient. Last year, approximately 95 quadrillion British Thermal Units (BTUs) of raw energy were funneled into the U.S. economy. Of those, only 37 quadrillion BTUs were used.

Back in the 1970s, the U.S. economy was an example of efficiency, using 31.1 quadrillion BTUs while managing to only waste 30.6 quadrillion. But since, the economy’s annual energy efficiency has been on a slippery slope as consumption habits and fuel usages go untamed.

From internal combustion engines in cars to monstrous power plants, technological advancement has been erratically inefficient. As our dependence on such conveniences grows, the economy suffers. Some experts have even come out and said that the U.S.’s reported 39% efficiency number is kind, at best. Physicist Robert Ayres believes it should be closer to 14%.

The LLNL has spent the past decade analyzing the U.S.’s wasteful habits, during which the country’s efficiency rating has teetered between 50 and 58%. In 2012, however, that number spiked to one of the worst recorded levels in history.

The spike can be attributed to changes in the ways home and vehicle energy efficiencies are evaluated. It’s tougher to meet standards these days, and authorities are cracking down.

You can make the transition to clean-energy independence courtesy of NRGLab’s innovative slate of projects. With the SH-Box electrical generator, you could live carbon-emission free. With our SV-Turbine, you could see energy conversion rates you didn’t think possible!

For more information on NRGLab, visit nrglab.asia.

Don’t be a part of the waste. Be a part of the solution.

Why green energy initiatives have failed in the past

The push for cleaner energy is hardly anything new. From the fusion power plants of 1950s Science Fiction to the solar-powered dream-cars of the 90s, the public has been promised a lot. So far, most of those promises have come up empty. But why? And how? And who, if  anyone, is to blame?

Most ambitious green energy initiatives have failed in the past for one of three reasons: either because they were unrealistic from the start, abandoned due to fluctuations in the market, or simply took too long to come to fruition.

Earlier this month, the EPA made sharp cuts in its production estimates for an innovative new biofuel called cellulosic ethanol. “When do you know when to cut your losses?” asks Margot Anderson, executive director of the project. “When is a flop a flop?”

The main problem for any green tech company starting out is the pre-established energy infrastructure. Even reasonably successful renewables like solar and wind  have taken decades just to get to where they are now – and still, they occupy the bottom rung on the global energy ladder.

“Things do take longer in the energy business,” claims energy historian Daniel Yergin. “[Markets] can change more rapidly than people think. If Mitchell Energy had decided that, after year 16, shale gas wasn’t going to happen, we wouldn’t have had a shale gas revolution.”

Here are few of the more recognizable green energy initiatives that have failed to live up to the hype:

- Cellulosic ethanol. Back in 2006, U.S. President George W. Bush made “switchgrass” the word of the day when he promised to make ethanol produced from plants, wood chips, and other biomass “practical and competitive in six years.” However, the U.S. only produced 20,000 gallons of cellulosic ethanol last year. That insignificant number forced the EPA to cut its requirements for how much cellulosic ethanol refineries blend with their gasoline.

- Hydrogen for fuel. Back in 2003, Bush pushed a $1.2 billion plan to make vehicles powered by hydrogen more cost effective and commercially viable “so that the first car driven by a child born today could be powered by hydrogen, and pollution-free.” Today, that child’s only 10-years old, so he or she can’ drive. But hydrogen fuel cells have diminished in popularity. Who knows if we’ll even remember them in another seven years?

- So-called “clean coal.” The U.S. DOE has invested nearly $7 billion since 2005 to help reduce the cost for companies to capture and store carbon emissions from coal-burning power plants, but today not a single commercial scale carbon-capture project is operational.

- Nuclear power. Back in the 1950s, the world was astounded at the splitting of the atom. It spelled a new age for energy – the dawn of the future! Countless movies depicted radioactive heroes and monsters, apocalyptic and Utopian landscapes. Even though nuclear power generates roughly one-fifth of the U.S.’s electricity, high start-up costs, meltdowns, and problems with waste disposal have nearly bankrupted the public’s trust.

Despite these unrealized hopes and dreams, NRGLab hasn’t given up the fight to bring clean, reliable energy to millions of people around the world. The carbon-free SH-Box. Biomass gasification. Plasma torches. You never know when you could strike gold. All it takes is the right team, hard work, and unwavering faith in what you’re doing.

At NRGLab, We believe in a greener future. A better tomorrow. And we will not fail. Visit nrglab.asia for more information.

Trouble in Egypt spells trouble for global energy market

Although Egypt is hardly one of the Middle East’s primary producers of oil, now that the country finds itself in the midst of a political-military meltdown, we should begin to consider the short-term and long-term effects on neighboring countries and the global market.

Egypt controls the Suez Canal and Sumed Pipeline, two key sources of export/import. Luckily, experts are saying that a hiccup in the flow of oil through the country seems unlikely – good news for foreign investors.

However, those investors are keeping a close eye on Cairo, the Egyptian capital, where further violence could scare private equity right out of the country. What’s worse – violence could spread like a disease to neighboring countries, sending the entire Middle East spiraling out of control.

“In addition to the human toll, the violence and political turmoil in Egypt is beginning to affect investor sentiment," says Russ Koesterich, a chief investment strategist at BlackRock, the world's largest investment management corporation.

Investors are appreciative of the role Egypt’s $538 billion economy plays in keeping the volatile territory at bay. The worst case is a straight closure of the Suez Canal, which links the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. The canal transported 13% of the country’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) and 7% of sea-traded oil last year. A closure of the 101-mile long canal could send oil prices skyrocketing again - not only in the Middle East, but all across the world.

Another scenario involves terrorism. Sabotaging a single point along the 200-mile Sumed Pipeline, for example, would cut a strategic route for oil and gas exports to Europe and North America. The pipeline carries approximately 2.5 million barrels a day – that’s a lot of oil to just go missing from the global market.

The energy industry is also on the watch for terrorist plots against key instillations. Threats could force them to shut down and evacuate employees. That wasting time means wasted money. And who ends up fitting the bill? Why you, of course. Higher rates, premiums – you name it.

Few people even care to consider what happens if the Middle East goes completely crazy. Think Hollywood apocalypse. First the collapse of domestic governments. Ripples across the global market. Food and gas shortages. Terrorism the likes of which we’ve never seen. Nuclear retaliation.

Sure, you might think this all sounds a little paranoid, but in the globalized 21st Century, a single falling domino can topple the entire chain. Hopefully Egypt won’t prove to be that first domino.

Gasification in your everyday!

I use the word “gasification” a lot when discussing possible directions for the future of energy, but not a whole lot of people understand what the process actually is. Well fear not! I’m here to make biomass gasification a little easier to understand by explaining how it affects your everyday life.

First, what the heck is gasification? Biomass gasification is the process by which biomass fuels like wood, coal, feedstock and agricultural residues are converted into a combustible mixture known as a producer gas (CO+H2+CH4) or synthetic gas (syngas). The process relies on heat, pressure and partial combustion. The oxidizer can be air, in which case the producer gas will contain nitrogen (N2), steam, or oxygen (O2).

Sound complicated? That’s because it is! Just listen to what gasification technology can be used for:
- Central heating, community heating, or process heating for manufacturing
- Electricity generating systems
- Internal combustion engines

Now, gasification isn’t exactly a new technology. It was first developed back in the 1800s as a means of lighting villages and towns. Miniaturized gasifiers were even used to power vehicles during World War II, when fuel shortages were common. But as technology has advanced, so too has our understanding of gasification’s potential.

It all boils down to the science, really. If gasification occurs at a moderately low temperature (between 700ºC and 1000ºC), the product gas will possess a high concentration of hydrocarbons. This means that low temperature gasification can be used directly to generate electricity via a steam turbine or, with suitable gas clean up, an internal combustion engine.

Conversely, high temperature gasification (between 1200ºC and 1600ºC) results in few hydrocarbons and a higher ration of CO and H2. This is known as a syngas since it can be used to synthesize chain hydrocarbons. If the ratio of CO to H2 is 1:2, synthesis can successfully convert syngas into high quality diesel biofuel – a fuel compatible with most conventional diesel engines.

Come on - you didn't think the fuel you pumped at the gas station just came out of the ground like that, did you?

Ultimately, gasification has the potential to lower commuting costs for motorists. It can power cities. It can shape foreign relations with countries in control of the supply of crude oil. It can bring energy independence to impoverished countries. It can bring an end to dangerous fracking operations. It can change the world!

By now, you may or may not have a better understanding of gasification (hopefully you do). But even if you’re still having trouble wrapping your head around the idea of “hydrocarbons,” don’t worry. Gasification is a complex process mastered only by those who’ve dedicated years to studying the science behind it.

If I’ve peaked your curiosity though, make sure you stop by nrglab.asia, and see what energy projects NRGLab has cooking up in development. Plus, you can learn more about gasification!

One way to reduce energy consumption – jack up the price!

Usually, governments attempt to reduce national energy consumption by educating the public on practical ways they can make changes around the home. Some offer incentive programs for making efficiency upgrades. Others pay for advertising campaigns – billboards, commercials, and free give-a-ways that remind you to “turn the lights out when you leave.” A select few countries, on the other hand, have chosen to take the opposite approach.

If you can’t get people to willingly curb their habits, jack up the price of electricity until people can no longer afford to be wasteful!

Both England and Wales increased the overall price of energy, and during a six-year span in which utility bills rose 28%, consumption dropped by 25%.

This information comes from a recent report out of the UK’s Office for National Statistics. The report cites residents throughout England and Wales who’ve made significant eco-improvements to their homes in order to combat rising energy costs. Back in 2008, a mere 44% of homes had proper roof insulation, compared to 60% last year. It’s no surprise that the jump corresponds with the U.K. giving consumers more incentive to purchase energy-efficient homes and appliances.

In a country mostly dependent upon natural gas for energy, many homes managed to make improvements to their waters heaters and air condition systems. After all, nobody wants to spoil that beautiful English countryside with more fracking drills and equipment.

The same sort of price-fixing is expected to occur in the United States sometime before the end of the decade.  According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, levying home efficiency improvements will reduce the country’s energy usage per person annually until 2040.

In other parts of the world, leaders are coming together in hopes of figuring out other, less government-intense solutions. The heads of the Shanghai Environment Protection Industry Association and the China Clean Expo have agreed to collaborate on next year’s International Waste Management & Recycling Show. The show brings energy industry professionals together in an atmosphere geared towards.

Established back in 2002, the China Clean Expo is the country’s largest eco-friendly show, offering a unique trading and brainstorming atmosphere for waste management professionals. The expo showcases a wide array of technology and products, hoping one will prove to be the next big breakthrough. From waste processing and municipal equipment, to environment sanitation operations and processing technology – 2014’s event will have it all. Over 20,000 professionals and vendors from across the world are already expected to attend!

So, what’s the best way to change a bad habit: through reason, or a swift kick in the rear? It remains to be seen.

NRGLab is supporting the future of energy. For more information on our slate of projects currently in development, visit nrglab.asia.

Your iPhone uses as much energy as your fridge!

As hard as it may be to believe, a new study shows that your iPhone consumes as much energy in a year as your refrigerator!

The study is called “The Cloud Begins With Coal,” and in it, CEO of Digital Power Group Mark Mills claims that the average iPhone uses about 361 kWh per year. That includes data usage, charging the battery, and cloud connections. A mid-sized refrigerator only uses 322 KWh per year. Who would’ve thought?

You see, smartphones like the iPhone don’t require a huge amount of energy to charge, but playing games for an average of an hour a week for an entire year can consume more energy that TWO fridges (and let’s face it – everyone has a bit of an addiction to Angry Birds or Words With Friends). The biggest energy guzzlers are the background cloud connections like GPS tracking and Wi-Fi. So even if you don’t have a penchant for playing games, your iPhone is being drained faster than a bathtub.

Nowadays, computers are forced to run around the clock. They service our technical support needs. Our climate control needs. Our banking needs. Pretty much every need, really.

Mills’ study found that the global Information-Communications-Technologies system (or ICT, which encompasses all tech-based companies) consumes a total of 1,500 tWh of electricity per year. That’s equivalent to Germany and Japan’s electricity production COMBINED! In fact, the ICT uses about 10% of all the electricity generated on Earth. (That’s enough to power the planet since 1985…)

“As the world continues to electrify, migrating towards one refrigerator per household, it also evolves towards several smartphones and equivalent per person,” writes Mills. And what’s worse is that as devices become more powerful, they’ll require more energy. “Trends now promise faster, not slower, growth in ICT energy use.”

Cloud connections and mobile Internet require more energy than wired networks, and let’s be honest – the world is going wireless. All of this technological advancement is eating away at our planet like a virus.
And the source of that virus? Our dependency on dirty coal.

Coal remains the choice source of electricity production in developed countries like the U.S. Mills’ study, which was sponsored by the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity and the National Mining Association, contends that coal is essential to powering the ICT system. Our phones will always need batteries, and our lights will always need plugs, after all.  

Innovations in green energy grids and higher efficiency standards have provided a good starting off point for change, but until the energy industry takes a long hard look in the mirror, the problem’s only going to get worse.

NRGLab thinks we can still expand cloud connections and smartphone capabilities without sacrificing the integrity of our environment with carbon-free, renewable sources of electricity like the SH-Box. The SH-Box turns geothermal heat into clean, read-to-use electricity. So forget about installing expensive solar panels. Forget about building an 18th Century windmill in your back yard. Forget everything you thought you knew about energy – and start thinking about the SH-Box.

For more information, visit nrglab.asia. See what we’re doing to protect the planet from mankind’s hubris.

Finally, the good kind of audit – home energy efficiency!

I talk a lot about energy efficiency and making home renovations that can help cut costs on your monthly utility bills. But say you’re still having trouble understanding. All this talk about ventilation ducts and star ratings and climate controls has your head in a tailspin, and you’re looking for someone to help level you out.

Fear not! You can have your home audited for energy efficiency!

Most of the time, when people hear the word “audit,” they think about the taxman coming to rifle through their boxes of receipts.  Not this time.

With a home energy audit, a professional helps you understand the nuisances of your home. Whether you’re looking to replace your windows or water heater, the first step to savings is often times the toughest.

A home energy audit can identify where energy is being wasted, and help you prioritize your renovations. Efficiency upgrades have the potential to save you 30% on your monthly utility bills.

So, what exactly takes place during an energy audit, you ask?

Well, first a licensed auditor sits down with you and reviews your energy bills. That way, the two of you can target high-expense areas to investigate. Next, the auditor conducts a visual inspection, and may even use special equipment like an infrared camera to detect sources of energy waste. Then, based on his or her assessment, you’ll be provided with a final report that shows exactly which efficiency upgrades are best for you, and how much money you could be saving.

When choosing an auditor, it’s crucial that you go with a person or company with experience and a background in energy. As a general rule of thumb - only hire people you trust. Let’s go with ten years of experience in the industry. That’s a nice round number. Your auditor should also be a Professional Engineer (PE) and/or a Certified Energy Manager (CEM). It certainly doesn't hurt to get an estimate or two before you sign a contract with an auditor either. That way, you know you’re getting a fair price (But remember, it can be expensive up front. Plumbers charge $100/hr after all!).

Most of all – know what you’re paying for! Ask for details. Set deadlines. Keep an open communication with your auditor. Learn from him or her. Remember that the most important step in any journey is the first one! So take that step. Open up your local directory, or search “energy audits” online.

It’s OK that you’re not an energy expert. Some people are.

India: economy up, but at what cost to the environment?

India’s economy has been steadily growing over the past decade, but at a significant cost to the environment. The population is now exposed to tainted water supplies. Polluted air. Depleting resources and unstable ecosystems. These problems are only exacerbated by a growing gap between the wealthy and poor. So, what exactly does the country plan on doing about it?

According to the World Banks’ most recent report, environmental degradation is costing India approximately $80 billion per year. That’s 5.7% of the country’s total economy! At that rate, how much longer can they continue to grow and remain competitive on a global level?

Not very long, is the answer you’re looking for.

India, a country known for being a cultural melting pot, needs to start swaying its policy makers of the importance of appreciating natural resources.

A recent survey ranked India 126th out of 132 countries in overall environmental quality, and dead last in the air category. The survey concluded that India has the worst air pollution in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD, narrowly edging out China, Nepal, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.

A whopping 13 of the world’s 20 most polluted cities can be found in India, where poverty is both a cause and effect of environmental degradation. Under-producing crop yields. Deforestation. Disease and famine. They’re all linked to the Earth. In order to survive, the poor are reduced to mining and pillaging the natural resources available to them, creating a cycle of degradation and destitution.

Since 2000, India's economic growth has reduced unemployment, allowing millions to make better lives for themselves. The country is not expected to veer from its current growth trajectory, meaning environmental sustainability is going to become the next hot button issue.

The report begs an interesting question: "Does growth so essential for development - have to come at the price of worsened air quality and other environmental impacts? Green growth is necessary. With cost of environmental degradation at 5.7% of GDP, environment could become a major constraint in sustaining future economic growth. Further, it may be impossible or prohibitively expensive to clean up later."

Muthukumara Mani, a senior economist at the World Bank, claims that "while the overall policies focus should be on meeting basic needs and expanding opportunities for growth, they should not be at the expense of unsustainable environmental degradation.”

There has to be a better way.

That’s why NRGLab has invested years and millions of dollars into developing highly-efficiently, environmentally-conscious methods of converting agricultural waste, natural gas, and even recycled crude oil into useable fuel. For more information, visit nrglab.asia. Learn what you can do to prepare for the future of energy independence.

2012 – Top 10 hottest year in recorded history!

According to four different independent studies, last year was among the 10 hottest years on record. Two countries, Argentina and the United States, experienced their hottest years EVER!

And you thought we were making progress on the global warming front. Not enough progress, it appears.

Let’s take a look at some of 2012’s not-so-stellar highlights:

The ice caps continued to melt at a frightening rate, roughly twice that of lower latitudes. Why? Well, ocean heat, for starters. Heat contained in the upper 2,000 feet of the ocean remained near record highs in 2012. The biggest increases from last year occurred between depths of 2,300 and 6,600 feet.

After a 30-year stretch of increasing sea surface temperatures, the global average in 2012 was among the 11 warmest on record. This is due, in part, to the prevalence of superstorms plaguing the 21st century and disrupting ocean currents.

Meanwhile, the sea itself reached a record high level. Globally, levels have been steadily rising at an average rate of 3.2 ± 0.4 mm per year since 1990. So unless we take drastic action, 2013's sea levels will be higher still. A new record.

Continuing a trend that started back in 2004, ocean selenic concentrations were up in areas of high evaporation, including the central tropical North Pacific, suggesting that evaporation is escalating in drier environments. That's less and less drinking water that will be available in the future.

Greenhouse gases, including methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide, continued to climb following a slight dip associated with 2011’s economic downturn. Increased efficiency standards have proven fruitless so far, so until we learn to curb overall consumption habits, government regulations will never succeed.

Last year, a total of 84 tropical cyclones ravaged various parts of planet Earth. Sound like a lot? It’s not. In fact, it’s just about average. But what the numbers don’t reflect is that these storms are growing more severe. They’re lasting longer. Traveling further. Causing more damage and ruining more lives.

Hopefully, by scrutinizing our environmental record, we can ensure 2013 doesn't negatively contribute to the history books!

Join NRGLab in the energy revolution.

The Evolution of Energy Consumption

Although little has changed for energy in terms of overall per capita consumption, the industry and our infrastructure have evolved significantly over the past several decades.

Improved insulation materials and instillation techniques, as well as an array of other efficiency upgrades, have made climate management considerably less intense. Homes are staying warmer in the winter. Cooler in the summer. At virtually no increased cost to the consumer!

People tend to think that cooling a house costs more than warming it, when in fact it’s the opposite! Heating actually uses MORE energy. 85% of American households feature either gas or electric-powered climate systems.

Energy consumption also varies by region. For example, in the United States, coastal cities consume much less energy (per capita) compared to the rest of the country. Electricity is now the “fuel of choice” in the South, a trend which is expected to continue as more of the population migrates that way.

This may not be the best solution when it comes time to pay your bills. Electric heating is a MAJOR energy guzzler. Electric dishwashers, water heaters, and clothes washers and dryers are just a few of the high wattage items responsible for your rising utility costs.

Unfortunately, wattage is a misleading standard by which to judge energy consumption. Some items you don’t use that often. Others require less electricity than low-wattage items you might leave on all day.

Plus, we can’t stop buying gizmos and gadgets! No matter how much we reduce our consumption by, our progress is canceled out by the new appliances we purchase. We have four different cell phones plugged into a single outlet. We have desktop computers. Laptops. Tablets.

Is there no end?!?

It's one thing to cut down on our personal energy consumption – it’s another to begin solving the problem at a fundamental level.

NRGLab is helping the world get a handle on energy consumption. For more information, visit nrglab.aisa.

Another oil spill?! This time in Thailand

It’s cleanup Day 6 in Thailand, where one of the country’s largest oil and gas companies has yet to atone for ANOTHER oil spill.

I feel like I’m starting to sound like a broken record – every week, I’m writing about some new oil spill and the havoc it wreaks. When will the world learn?

This past Saturday, a rupture in a pipeline operated by PTT Global Chemical spilled roughly 13,000 gallons (or 50,000 liters) of crude oil into the Gulf of Thailand.

The spill washed up off Samet Island, a resort that draws a million tourists annually to its exotic beaches.

"This is a failure to solve a problem by a company that earns hundreds of billions [of dollars] every year, using the country's natural resources," says Sathit Pitutecha, a member of Thailand’s parliament. "I wouldn't criticize if this was the first time, but it's the fourth time already. Now the people of Rayong have to bear the burden of risk from the industrial sector."

That’s right – it’s the FOURTH spill the company has had to answer for. Back in 2009, a subsidiary of PTT was involved in the Montara oil spill, one of Australia's worst oil disasters.

Thursday, authorities claimed that oil slicks remained onshore. PTT Global Chemical flew oil spill management experts from Singapore to the site, but failed to stop the spill from spreading.

“We've worked day and night to clean up the bay," says Boworn Vongsinudom, President of PTTGC. "It was supposed to be finished, as we aimed, on the third day, but more oil came in from another spot, so we had to take care of it, too."

Stop Global Warming, an environmental advocacy group based out of Thailand, is accusing the company of being ill-informed and ill-prepared for the disaster.

"The transfer of crude oil through the pipeline takes place every day, but when an oil spill happens, PTTGC tackled it with unbelievably limited resources," claims Srisuwan Janya, head of SGW. "This shows their solutions are inefficient and not enough."

PTT is Thailand's largest energy supplier and one of the largest oil and gas conglomerates in Southeast-Asia.

When will the world learn? Fossil fuels are simply too dangerous to lead us into the future. Let’s stop reading about disasters and death, and let’s start reading about technological innovation.

To start, visit nrglab.asia, and check out our slate of alternative energy projects that are sure to take the world by storm. A good storm, that is.

How can we spread great ideas? Speak up!

We’re struck with good ideas all the time. Ways to save money by couponing at the grocery store. A cool tittle for a movie. Maybe even a nifty time-saving invention. But what about great ideas? Earth-shattering ideas? How often are we struck with those? And when we are, how can we make sure they spread?

A lot of people assume that getting a great idea to catch on is a matter of money. How much you spend on advertising, marketing, hiring a manager, pre-production and design.

It’s not.

Others assume it’s a matter of punishment versus reward. If you want a great idea to stick, you either have to reward people for conforming, or punish them for refusing. Eventually, you’ll implement the idea/condition behavior – but will it have been worth it? Furthermore, will the idea stand the test of time?

The answer to that: definitely not.

The best way for great ideas to spread and make a difference is by people talking to one another. Yes, like any long-lasting marriage, communication is the key. It’s about establishing a connection with another individual. Relishing in a human bond. And via that bond, great ideas are exchanged!

Think about the Facebook revolution that has swept up our culture for nearly a decade now. It was a great idea – a social platform on which people could connect, share pictures, catch-up, etc. But what made it so popular? Was it an expensive ad campaign? Was it cash-prizes?

Nope. It was people talking to people. Everyone who stumbled across Facebook went on to tell a friend, who told a friend, who told some girl at a bar, who told her sister back home, and so on and so forth.

Great ideas spread by people listening to one another. Debating. Brainstorming. But most importantly – they spread by people talking.

So speak up! Don’t be afraid to have your voice heard! We’re not. At NRGLab, we’re constantly collaborating with leading scientists, environmentalists, and other forward thinkers in order to get our message out there.

Our message is simple: create a greener future. A better tomorrow. Now, before it’s too late.

For more information on NRGLab and our slate of alternative energy projects, visit nrglab.asia, and help spread the next great idea.

Gasification: the future of energy recycling

We no longer have to rely on ticking-time bombs sitting just off-shore. I’m talking about oil rigs, of course. These ecological disasters in the making are obsolete compared to today’s technology.

Why risk another tragic spill, human lives, or the sanctity of Mother Nature just to save a few dollars on our monthly utility bills?

Luckily, NRGLab has developed innovative new equipment for the conversation of hydrocarbon crude and waste into electricity. From agricultural waste (sugar cane, rice, sunflowers, wild bushes, trees, etc.) to low-calorie coal and oil shale; from automotive rubber waste to municipal waste; from methane to methanol; our unique gasification techniques are going to revolutionize the way our world views energy.

First, in order to properly evaluate energy potential, we must take into account the type of combustible material versus its greenhouse gas emissions. During processing, fossil fuels like coal and crude oil poison our atmosphere with CO2 and NO.

This is particularly important because incineration stations are now under construction in a number of highly-populated cites. These facilities will also be twice as cheap compared to today’s standards. But will they be safe?

The lifespan of gas powered turbines will also increase two-fold as well, from 50,000 hours to 120,000 hours!

While alternative energy projects have proved frustrating for investors in the past (what with their decade-long returns and all), today, most of these projects are expected to see profits within three years.

A common misconception about energy recycling is that it requires more waste than what’s available. Untrue! Combined with local recycling efforts, more than 250 million tons of waste is sent to landfills across the U.S. each year. Even if recycling rates increased, there would still be enough waste left over to convert into electricity. People have a habit of being wasteful, after all!

Today, communities have two options in terms of discarding waste. The first is burying it in a landfill, which can emit harmful greenhouse gases like methane. The other option is taking the same waste and transporting to one of NRGLab’s gasification plants and turning it into useable fuel.

For more information on NRGLab and our slate of alternative energy projects, visit nrglab.asia.

You can be part of a greener future. All you have to do is reduce, reuse, and recycle your waste into electricity.

China & India lead surge in future energy consumption

A new study released by the United States’ Energy Department predicts that the world’s energy consumption will surge 56% by the year 2040, nearly half of which will stem from China and India.

Sure, that date might seem a long ways away, but if we fail to address the problem now, there’s no telling how we’ll manage to meet future demand.

Based on current government policies, fossil fuels will account for 80% of world’s energy use by 2040; this, despite increased efforts to fund more alternative energy programs.

The natural gas industry is expected to grow faster than coal or oil, thanks in part to new extraction techniques (not to mention global warming, which is opening up natural gas deposits in the Acrtic).

While the U.S. has dominated fracking and the natural gas industry to date, they’ll soon have foreign competition to deal with. Russia is predicted to keep pace with the U.S. in terms of productivity, particularly in the Russian Arctic. The study claims that China and Canada are poised to increase production as well.

And where exactly is all this new fuel being shipped off to?

A majority of new production is intended to meet rising demands in other markets. Russia, for instance, is planning to export more gas to China, while more than a dozen other companies have proposed facilities to transport gas from the U.S. to Asia and Europe.

The Energy Department study warns that this trend could expand to other counties like India amid high oil prices, which “are expected to rise to $163 per barrel world-wide in 2040 from $105 in 2013. That increase could drive consumers to use less or seek alternatives.”

The result?

Burning more fossil fuels will increase the amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. The study projects that emissions will increase 46% by 2040. That puts us well beyond the “point of no return” scientists have been warning us about for years.

The time for change is now. Follow us at nrglab.asia for updates on our slate of alternative energy projects designed to eliminate carbon-emissions and reduce consumption.

Your charger is sucking up electricity!

Think about how many electronic devices you own. A cell phone? Sure. Laptop? You bet. Tablet, perhaps? How about that music playing device? All of these electronic devices have one thing in common - a battery charger. 

You would never think that charger could utilize a lot of energy, but when you're dealing with four, five, or even six different battery chargers, it adds up. 

In fact, roughly two-thirds of the energy used by mobile devices goes wasted. "It may seem like it's a very small thing when you think of an individual charger, but given the number of chargers that are out there it has the potential of large energy savings," claims Susan Smith, a communications manager at Nokia.

The California Energy Commission in the United States voted to adopt minimum energy efficiency standards for these devices. California alone boasts 170 million chargers, excluding San Diego (which wasn't included in the census). The new energy efficient chargers will save Californians an estimated $300 million a year in electricity costs.

To raise awareness, companies like Nokia, LG, Samsung, and Motorola have developed a new ratings system to show consumers exactly how much electricity chargers use during "standby mode." Five stars designate chargers using 0.03 watts or less. Chargers that consume over than 0.5 watts get a big, fat zero.

Says Smith: "The first thing is to make people aware that there are these issues around chargers, and that there are certain ones that are more energy efficient."

The ratings are based on the European Commission's energy standards for chargers and the internationally recognized Energy Star standards established by the U.S.'s Environmental Protection Agency.

In the near future, you an expect to see more announcements concerning developments in eco-friendly mobile technology. From recycled cell phones to more efficient laptop batteries, solar powered tablets to carbon-free electricity, the sky is the limit when no idea is left unturned.  

That's why NRGLab has thought long and hard about the future, and we feel strongly about some of the ideas we've come up with. For more information on any number of our current energy projects, visit nrglab.asia.

Because change is good! Working towards becoming a better person, a better company, a better planet - now that's change we can believe in.