Power blackouts crippling India

Last summer, over 700 million people were affected by sweeping power blackouts across India. Doctors in the middle of surgeries. College students in the middle of term papers. The blackouts became just another part of Indian culture. Over time, however, they could decidedly cripple the country’s economy.

Businesses purchased backup generators to address the problem, but these generators ran on fossil fuels like diesel, and ultimately contributed to rising pollution concerns. Hospitals began reporting an increased number of heart disease and asthma cases.

While all of this has been going on, 400 million people in India continue to live without regular access to power. The government has promoted energy efficient renovations as means of saving energy. More efficient windows, air conditioning, and motion sensor lighting use less electricity, save money, and reduce the frequency of blackouts.

The next step would be to introduce a clean alternative source of energy to the market. The SH-Box by NRGLab is the ideal generator. It’s powered by a polycrystalline core that’s reliable, renewable, and emits zero amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Can’t get much cleaner than that! The SH-Box could immediately replace the diesel generators in India and begin to heal the environment as well as the economy.

India’s growing at a furious rate. Companies, cities, and public officials are straining to figure out how best to sustain that growth in a responsible manner.  The government recently announced its plans to double the amount of clean energy it produces by the year 2017. To meet that quota, they may need a little assistance from NRGLab.

For more information on the SH-Box revolution, visit the NRGLab homepage at nrglab.asia.

U.K.'s energy industry on the verge of collapse?

The United Kingdom’s energy industry risks collapse if the government isn’t able to come to terms with EDF Energy on the price-point for electricity from the planned £14 billion nuclear power plant at Hinkley Point.

According to Lord Hutton, chairmen of the Nuclear Industry Association, the strained negotiations could scare future investors away from other energy projects. "If a deal cannot be struck for new nuclear, can it be struck for offshore wind or carbon capture and storage?"

If negotiations do collapse, the future of EDF’s influence in Britain would be uncertain. Currently, EDF controls eight nuclear power plants, employs over 20,000 people and handles 5.7 million customer accounts across the U.K. But these existing plants are projected to stop generating electricity within the next ten years. What then?

Lord Hutton is meeting with senior executives of the French-owned EDF, as well as U.K.’s Energy secretary, Stephen Lovegrove, and Treasury minister, Lord Deighton. The negotiations center on a guaranteed price-point for electricity over the next 30 years – a price which the government plans to subsidize through an energy tax.

However, the two sides appear far apart on the operating costs for the power plant, and the return rate EDF is entitled to. Hutton estimates that roughly £3 billion could but cut from construction costs due to the previous design and development of U.K.’s other nuclear facilities. “Time is of the essence,” he stressed. “EDF Energy has spent £1 billion already and the project is at present costing the company £1 million a day.” (That’s over £100 million EDF’s spent since they missed their December deadline to get the deal done!)

Last week, CEO of EDF Henri Proglio was quoted as saying he expects the two sides to come to an agreement “within a month.” This after EDF missed their March deadline, too.

Critics of the deal with EDF say any agreement will enslave consumers for years to come, forcing them to pay billions of pounds to the French. They also cite recent progress in the natural gas industry as, potentially, a more affordable long-term solution.

Yet nuclear and natural gas are both CARBON-EMITTING sources of energy. If either becomes the predominant industry in the U.K., it will only be contributing to the spiraling effects of global warming.

“Left to its own devices, the market would not choose to invest in capital intensive low-carbon infrastructure,” said Hutton. “This would lead us to a precarious, high-carbon future increasingly dependent on imported gas. This would be absolutely the wrong direction for us to take and is why we must not lose sight of this in the current negotiations.”

He’s right. Just because we’ve relied on fossil fuels since the Industrial Revolution doesn’t mean we should be forced to give-in to the unreasonable demands of greedy corporate executives. The free market should be exactly that – free. People should be free to choose their own energy providers. They should be fear-free to invest in innovative new technology.

Technology like the SH-box by NRGLab. Learn more by visiting nrglab.asia, before the energy crises reaches you and your home.

Our fading trust in banks

It took centuries for banks to earn the public’s trust. It took just a few hours to destroy it. After the recent “confiscatory reform” in Cyprus, trust in the banking system is expected to be lost for the foreseeable future. A bank can have a beautiful office and highly-qualified personnel, sure. Its activity, however, can be no different from street vendors in Manhattan. And who would trust those hucksters with valuables for safekeeping? No one, that's who.

Financial experts have convinced us that banks are the safest and most stable means of monetary protection. During World War II, banks positioned themselves as “knights without fear" that were "above reproach." Today, it’s obvious that banks were unknowingly used to plug holes in a sinking, pot-marked economy. The issuance of the Cyprus directive by the European Union was a public demonstration that the trouble is far from over. On the contrary – the crisis is worsening. And now, the reputation of the entire banking system is at stake.

Following the confiscatory reform in Cyprus, one thing is clear: bank deposits are no longer safe, long-term assets. That means we need to find an alternative source of investment. How about low-cost energy? Data supports the theory that in order to sustain wealth, one must have some sort of share in power production. After all - the demand for energy isn't expected to dwindle any time soon.

The on-going financial crisis threatens Western bankers who have grown their “armies” significantly over the past thirty years. Huge profits were made on new financial technology. Due to this market success, the number of bankers rose drastically. Their level of professionalism, however, did not. (If anything, it decreased!) The “sword of the crisis”  will most likely slay a number of players in the banking industry, slashing the overall number of bankers. (5-10 for every 1,000 currently employed) These individuals can be old or young. Seasoned or inexperienced. When dealing with money, all types can be confiscated.


In the meantime, bankers refuse to offer any constructive solutions, save distancing themselves from everyone and ignoring council in order to plead ignorance. There’s a growing fear amidst the banking industry, and their only hope lies in keeping the capital secure. Not only is there mistrust in the current system, there’s also a prevailing, desperate desire to maintain the status quo. People are afraid of change. (Especially those who risk losing money, power, their reputation, or a combination of all three) Yet everyone pretends that NOTHING has changed. That the economy is fine. That the sky is green! But we're all being deceived. Meanwhile, the crisis continues to escalate and the threat of global economic collapse seems more and more real with each passing day. Will bankers be able to adapt and react to fluctuations in the market? It seems unlikely, since they view outside ideas as foreign and useless.

The portrait of the future is bleak. Irrational public optimism in the banking system only turns a blind eye, allowing the situation to worsen. The direr the straights, the more resistant banks become to admitting responsibility. The less open they are to change. One should expect the optimism from all the economic TV advisers to continue – up until the day the banks lose all of our money. Needless to say, when that day comes, the consequences will be tragic.

As American founding father and President Thomas Jefferson once said: “Absolute power corrupts absolutely.” It’s time to take the power back from the banks. Back from the bankers. It’s time for an alternative source of monetary investment. An alternative source of energy. Before it's too late...        

As if coal couldn't get any dirtier

Recently, Patriot Coal Corporation filed paperwork with the courts terminating roughly $1.6 billion in health benefits for thousands of American coal miners. The move came as a last ditch effort to avoid Chapter 11 bankruptcy, proving again that big business considers stock holders interest's over those of their own blue collar workers.

According to Patriot Corp, the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) operate at substantially higher labor costs, prohibiting the company from staying competitive in the cut-throat energy industry. Patriot is demanding "more flexible work rules and a significantly lower labor cost structure." Aka work longer for less. Anyone jumping at that opportunity?

"The actions we have taken today are necessary for the survival of Patriot and the preservation of more than 4,000 jobs," said Chief Executive Bennett Hatfield, in defense of the retiree benefit cuts.

Patriot did propose an alternative. Instead of cutting befits, the company offered the union a profit-sharing trust known as the Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA). Yet, union leaders are aware that Patriot may want to file for bankruptcy. Legal loopholes will allow them, and other energy companies like Patriot, to save billions by eliminating employee pensions. Men and women who have dedicated their lives to the mines are being cast aside in favor of protecting the price of a share.

Will the CEO be forfeiting his private jet? Will the President of Patriot forgo his annual bonus for the good of the company?

Heck, no!

Like a cancerous tumor, our current energy industry is corrupt, feeding off of free enterprise, and needs to be cut out if society hopes to survive. But it's difficult in a world where big business dominates the market. Where families have little choice over what energy provider supplies their town. Where gas has topped $4.00 a gallon. Where coal miners' futures are determined by CEOs. We need to eliminate these destructive habits once and for all. How?

The SH-box allows countries, corporations, and communities to invest in a clean, low-cost energy alternative. NRGLab is working towards establishing a new energy infrastructure. A cleaner, freer world. Because no one should be enslaved to the establishment. Break free by learning more about NRGLab at http://nrglab.asia/

The SH-box: because sometimes it's cloudy, rainy and windless

Opponents of alternative energy, namely oil corporations and those currently with the most to lose financially, are quick to point out the shortcomings of current options. Electric cars don’t have a far enough range. Solar panels are useless on stormy days. Windmills are impractical eyes-sores that work best on stormy days. Obviously, there are some conflicting ideas here on which direction the world should take, even among the environmental enthusiasts. Solar. Wind. Nuclear. Hydrogen. The list goes on, and on, and on…

Yet every point brought up by the skeptics is valid. Solar panels are limited due to their reliance on photovoltaic cells. Wind doesn't produce enough energy to meet staggering demands. Nuclear is dangerous (See: Japanese meltdown). Hydrogen is too expensive. So, should we just give up and stick with a doomed infrastructure; counting the days until the oil’s all dried up, and the skies are black, and the water’s tainted, and the Earth wilts away?

At NRGLab, their answer is a resounded, “Heck, no!” Based out of Singapore, NRGLab has developed poly-crystalline technology for producing low cost electricity from natural heat. Self-contained generators called SH-boxes pump out electricity for as little as $.03 per kw, and with absolutely no carbon emissions! The SH-box will run for more than ten years, too. It will outlast your cell phone, your car — most things being produced and sold in this disposable world we live in. But not the SH-box. No need to mount it on your roof, either. The SH-box can be installed anywhere and can be integrated into any current energy grid.

Have I caught your interest? Want to know more? Check out NRGLab on Youtube: NRGLABSGD. You can even get a copy of their business plan here: http://nrglab.asia/images/NRGLAB_Str…3_SH_Boxes.pdf

NRGLab is working towards creating a renewable, reliable, and sustainable future for billions of people across planet Earth. All it takes is vision backed by innovative thinking. Luckily, the scientists and partners at NRGLab are brimming with both.

Will China take the hint? Air pollution reaches dangerous levels

Mere days before China’s government is set to begin their annual legislative hearings, Beijing’s air pollution reaches a dangerous new high. Pollution is expected to be among the main topics to be addressed. Will China take the hint and get aggressive with their energy policy?

Increased air pollution means an increase of PM2.5 particles in the air. Prolonged exposure to these particles resulted in over 8,000 premature deaths in Beijing, Shanghai, Xi-an, and Guangzhou alone last year. According to the World Health Organization, a person should not expose themselves to PM2.5 levels of 25 or higher for more than 24-hours. In Beijing, levels are regularly recorded in the fifty range — nearly DOUBLE the recommended level.

On January 12th of this year, levels of PM2.5 in China rose to a mind-numbing 993. 993! People have been forced to wear masks to simply walk to the grocery store. Remember — the Earth only has one atmosphere. Their air will eventually become your air. That is why the issue of global warming cannot be confronted on a country-by-country basis. I requires inter-governmental cooperation to drastically reduce carbon emissions to ensure our air remains breathable, not just for another century, but for thousands of years to come.

And the problem isn’t just with our air, either. Pollution in the atmosphere makes its way to the ground in the form of rain, which seeps into our streams, and oceans. It pollutes our wells and drinking water. Like the first domino in a long chain of pollution, what we put into the air inevitably makes its way back into our bodies, one way or another.

This week, Chinese Newspapers protested the Environment Ministry’s refusal to make classified pollution information available to the public. The 21st Century Business Herald newspaper drew comparisons to the outbreak of SARS in 2003, which had also been kept secret from the public. It’s time for transparency in government. After all, isn’t government supposed to work FOR the people, not in spite of them? How can the public be expected to make informed decisions if the necessary information is kept from them? Change is never easy — let alone change in blind faith. It’s one thing to have to wear a mask to the grocery store. It’s another not to be allowed to know how many trips will kill you.

The chief pollutant responsible for China’s problem? Coal. Accounting for 19% of the total air pollution, the out-dated energy source continues to pump poison into our atmosphere. How little air has to be left before the world takes a serious look at our energy infrastructure? Sure, it may be China’s problem today. But tomorrow, it’s the USA’s. Next week, Europe’s. Air pollution spreads like cancer. What we need is an emergency procedure to remove the growth before it devours us from the inside, out.

Consider NRGLab’s SH-box the scalpel in this procedure. Without any grid modifications whatsoever, the SH-box is ready to start producing clean, natural energy from crystals. By converting environmental heat into electricity, these Boxes are capable of powering a community or a corporation. Because NRGLab thinks it’s about time we cleaned up our planet. Let’s start with our cities, and move on from there. Hopefully China takes the hint and the lead.

Forward on Climate Rally -- Feb. 17th

On Februrary 17th, the Forward on Climate Rally will be held in Washington D.C. People are expected to gather to urge President Obama to address climate change; a promise he made during his inaugural speech when he first took office five years ago. The rally is being organized by the Sierra Club, 350.org, the Hip Hop Caucus and a few dedicated environmentalists.

The Rally’s message focuses on minimizing the environmental footprint the United States is currently leaving on the planet. If the President continues to support the nation’s outdated and obsolete infrastructure, and we continue to depend upon coal mines, oil pipelines, and hazardous fracking operations, the US will be left on the wrong side of history as the rest of the world moves towards renewable, clean energy. (Politicians like to use the term ‘clean coal’ but, lets face it, that’s like saying ‘jumbo shrimp’ — a bit bigger, and better, sure, but still coal at the core.)

It’s time congress puts aside their moral differences on social issues like gun control and abortion and focus on something we can all agree on: we need clean air to breathe, for instance. The U.S. energy policy must reflect what the rest of the world already knows — we need to decrease carbon emissions. Plain and simple. Legislation on tax breaks only rewards corporations with lawyers clever enough to find the loopholes. Climate change isn’t something that can be negotiated, or treated like a stock option. It has to be dealt with seriously; scrutinized from every angle. No bad ideas. All suggestions welcome.

I know what you might be asking: who cares if there’s a little more carbon in the air? I hear cows, and their methane gas emissions (farts) have also contributed to global warming.

The latter happens to be true, but that doesn’t mean that man-made carbon emissions haven’t already taken their toll. Just look at the super-storms that have ravaged the U.S. over the last several years. The droughts. The floods. Scientists have linked these so-called ‘natural’ disasters to elevated levels of carbon in our atmosphere.

How can we undo the damage? Only with time and by changing our energy habits. We need new sources of affordable and efficient energy — not more nuclear power plants, or drills. We don’t need to open more coal mines. What we need is the SH-box by NRGLab.

The SH-Box produces clean electricity from patented crystal technology for pennies per watt. What’s holding NRGLab back? A lack of global government response and cooperation. It’s time for America to take a stand, and the Forward on Climate Rally might just be that motivating voice, screaming, “Get up off your butt, already!”

If you live near Washington D.C., or have the ability to take off of work and make the commute, I encourage you to join the Sierra Club February 17th. Let your voice be heard. Tell President Obama you’re ready for the change you were promised. And while you’re at it, you might tell him to look into NRGLab, and the way we’re approaching energy reform.

My answer to an angry letter

Recently, I received an angry letter from an investor. He said NRGLab could cause a massive drop in the share price of one of Australia's most well-known gas companies, which he also happened to be invested in. This investor wanted us to sell him our shares at an outrageously low price in order to protect the gas company from future loss, in case our company were to grow too quickly. His fear was that gas prices would slip significantly once we introduced our SH-boxes to the market.  

Every gas company in the world is invested in the exploration, production, refining and marketing of oil products. These companies go out of their way to protect their market share and subdue competing technology. After all, no investor wants to lose their money. Really -- who does?

One way companies protect themselves is through the use of intellectual property rights. Intellectual properties yield profits, not only to the patents, but to the resource companies as well. This way, the average consumer allows these companies to develop new technology simply by purchasing food at the grocery store, music on the Internet, or leasing a car from a dealership.  All the proceeds, through a network of intellectual property patents, give companies a sense of security, which allows them to expand into NEW properties, and NEW relationships. 

During the recent economic crises, a drop in demand lead to significant losses in intellectual properties. Gas industry investors had been sensing this threat for some time.

Back to our angry investor, who is not longer certain of the security of his investment. Before the crises hit, people had easy access to “cheap” money: credit available at an ultra-low rate of interest. Typically, if the government wants to stimulate job creation, they lower the gold-reserve requirement for banks, who are then able to lend more money at lower interest rates to potential entrepreneurs. However, the well of cheap money ran dry after so many start-up businesses failed, and people could not repay their loans.  But since intellectual property investors got accustomed to “cheap” money and the influx of spending that was feeding into their web of patent rights, they aren't ready to give it up. Voluntarily, at least.  

In 2013, investors should expect serious competition. People will begin tapping all available resources in order to produce cheap energy and then distribute it, at a profit, to private markets. It will be incredibly hard for huge gas corporations to compete, in terms of price point, in the coming age of new technology. First, these large companies will resist; but sooner or later they will be forced to relinquish their monopoly privileges  and the web will finally become untangled. 

Similar situations will occur across other industries, including IT. Consumers will hold onto software longer.  They will use predominantly free services, and will have access to a growing range of services with the ever-expanding independent app market. National governments will support private competition, while motivating their own IT-manufacturers via budget spending.  One should expect national Internet segments and national payment systems to emerge within the coming years.

Let me reiterate: the modern intellectual property system only exists because of the access to “cheap money”. As soon as this resource is depleted, intellectual properties will long longer be able to be protected, or renewed. This angry investor -- his stake in the gas industry will be worthless, and fairly soon, I suspect.

Unfortunately, I won’t be able to help him then, and I certainly have no intention of selling him my technology, or my know-how, for cheap.

Sustainable capitalism & new tech

The United States of America enjoys two great freedoms: democracy and capitalism. These systems are designed to distribute wealth, control supply and demand, and ensure every citizen's voice is heard. But what happens when those voices turn hostile? What happens when those very systems designed to keep people safe, do the opposite?
In the last American presidential election, there was a lot of talk about the 1% and the uneven distribution of power in the United States. With the economic crisis that swept the globe, that percentage continues to dwindle. When will it be enough? When the entire nation is poor and only one or two financial monarchs control all of the resources?
There is one resource that can never be stolen, or bought, from us: and that's innovative thinking. The human mind is capable of great things. History is proof of that. From understanding how big our universe is, to how small the building blocks of life are, innovative thinking drives progress.
Researchers at NRGLab live by this code. Working tirelessly day in and day out to perfect energy-producing technology, NRG is at the forefront of innovation. If their vision of the future comes true, electricity will not only affordable, but universally available. Sustainable energy is the key to sustaining other systems, like capitalism and democracy, for ourselves, and spreading it throughout the rest of the world. It levels the playing field. Keeps them safe. Creates new opportunities. Motives people to think, and test accept norms. Above all, new technology ensures equality.
Thanks to companies like NRG, the world is on the verge of experiencing shared freedom and peace for the first time in our planet's long history. The question remains: which side of history will you find yourself on?

The SH Box could outlive us all

Suppose the SH Box can hold 250,000 hours of charge. That's probably too much for the needs of regular families. But not for companies and corporations.

Creating generators from this SH Box technology is only seven years old. Yet to date, none of the boxes have worked past their service life. So let's stop and do the math. An SH Box sold to a client is supposed to be good for 250,000 hours. The first box produced was in 2011 for a company called Seahorse  NRG. By the end of 2012, Seahorse had leaned heavily on the SH Box for more than 8,000 hours, but the box was still running great. In order to know whether an SH Box has outlived its function, we will need to observe it for more than 20 years.

 It's difficult to predict exactly how long the SH Box will run for. But no matter how long that turns out to be, the service life will be significantly longer than any battery, accumulator,  solid-fuel element or common fuel generator. The incredible service life is the result of pristine production conditions, quality components, expertly designed construction, and innovative operating facilities. A number of samples of Seahorse NRG's SH Box allows us to perform calculated experiments and draw theoretical conclusions regarding the box's service life of 20 years, and beyond.  

The SH Box decreases the flow of electricity over time. When Seahorse NRG states that the SH Box will serve you for over two decades, you should take this decrease into account. The generator's power flow will slowly dwindle over its service life. But if we switched on the SH Box and waited until it spit out its very last watt of power, we could, in theory, be waiting for a hundred years. If not longer. 

In reality, we need to get the specific power output numbers from the SH Box in order to conclude how long it will last. Seahorse NRG has identified two thresholds, upon which the SH Box should be considered 'out of service'. These two thresholds are 30% and 50% degradation of electrical flow. Both are connected with economic efficiency. The first threshold, at 30% degradation, is covered under warranty within the first 10 years. If the power of your SH Box falls below this threshold, the company will exchange it free of charge and install a brand new box. If the power of the SH Box falls below 50% within 20 years, and achieves this decrease along the given curve of expected power decrease (on an even basis), then the SH Box is considered standard and will NOT be replaced.

These thresholds involve the quality of crystals inside the SH Box. These crystals are responsible for generating electricity from natural heat. Each SH Box will be marked “Service life up to 250,000 hours,” but in reality, a more appropriate approximation of the 'qualitative' service life of the box is between 5 and 8 years (with power decreases up to 2% annually) under a continuous work load.

Seahorse NRG performs regular tests on exploitation of the SH Boxes to evaluate their real service life. Here are examples of two tests performed by Zeev Driori, an NRGLab technician stationed in Israel:

1. The SH Box was kept in a short-circuited condition within 3,000 thousand hours of operation. The SH Box was switched on and off every 5 seconds within these 3,000 hours. The power loss was 3% from the beginning of the experiment.

2. The SH Box was kept in a short-circuited condition within 2,400 thousand hours of operation. When the SH Box was disconnected, it continued to generate energy after 30 minutes of 'rest'. The power loss was 10% from the beginning of the experiment.

So, according to the SH Box product guide, the estimated service life of a box is 20 years. However, in theory, the crystals in the SH Boxes could have an almost unlimited service life. Imagine the possibilities! Imagine if SH Boxes were made available to the third-world. Imagine world peace through the democratization of technology like this. NRGLab's SH Box is only the first step, but it's a step in the right direction. It's up the rest of us, all of us -- the politicians, the philanthropists, and the wealthiest 1% -- to take the leap, and follow their lead.