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.

Militaries embracing green energy tech

Defense budgets are already bloated. In fact, the United States spends more on its military than the next 13 nations combined! How come? Well, energy costs for starters.

Yes, energy is contributing to the trillions of dollars taxpayers pump annually into armies, navies, and air forces. NATO and other Allied nations have identified the problem and are striving towards developing alternative energy projects in hopes of minimizing consumption.  

“All in all, in financial as well as security terms, our fuel dependency creates a ‘lose-lose’ situation,” claims Ambassador Gábor Iklódy, NATO’s Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges. “The more one looks at this dilemma, the more one understands why Alexander the Great was so obsessed with logistics. He once said that if his campaign were to fail, the first people he would slay would be his logisticians.”

Our growing dependence on fossil fuels, unpredictable price points of raw goods, climate change, and threats from hackers make energy security a central concern.

The U.S Department of Defense spends roughly $20 billion a year on energy! $15 billion on fossil fuels, and another $5 billion on basic infrastructure, maintenance, and security. Aside from the cost, transporting large quantities of fuel risks the lives of our soldiers as well as our environment, should an accident, attack, or spill ever occur.

But what’s the alternative?

Commander Pasquale Tripodi, Head of the Propulsion Plants Office in Italy, claims some Allies are turning towards green energy tech, specifically biofuels “to reduce their dependency on fossil sources, mainly oil. The Italian Defense Forces, in particular the Navy, have decided to finance a project to certify the use of biofuel for the naval sector which is compatible with current equipment.”

The Italian Navy is currently testing biofuels comprised of algae, agricultural byproduct, and general waste. Their next-generation technology will be tested by powering a warship on nothing but biofuel later this year. Ultimately, the goal is to develop a uniform fuel for all armed forces.

Who will make the next big energy breakthrough?

In Canada, a project by the National Research Council is focusing on developing alternative fuel for the aviation sector. Back in October of 2012, they achieved the world’s very first flight powered 100% by biofuel. "[The] historic flight represents a breakthrough for the renewable fuels industry,” says Lieutenant Colonel Geoffrey Carter of the Canadian forces. “It symbolizes an important threshold, not just for aerospace, but also in the development of sustainable sources of renewable energy."

NRGLab has a strategic partnership with Viscoil Holdings (www.viscoil.com) on a project to recycle waste materials into eco-friendly diesel fuel. We’ve obtained an exclusive license from Viscoil to recycle raw materials across South East Asian. For example, in Malaysia, we’re currently recycling old engine oil into useable fuel. In Singapore, we’re able to recycle 2,000 tons of agricultural waste into 600-800 m3 of fuel every single day!

Our innovative gasification project processes rice husk, coal, natural gas, and agricultural byproduct into fuel at a lower operational cost than conventional gasification methods. This may very well be the solution for countries seeking clean, secure, and affordable sources of green-energy.

To learn more, visit nrglab.asia.com.

In desperate times, new map shows world-wide energy potential

NRGLab isn’t alone in helping the developing world obtain reliable access to energy. A program being instituted by the World Bank is helping countries map their energy potentials. The hope is that this new map will provide countries with a plan for creating a renewable, self-sufficient infrastructure. Fingers crossed.

The World Bank’s program extends beyond outdated solar and wind models to provide the real data governments need to understand their natural resource potential. Pakistan epitomizes the energy challenges faced by developing countries. Despite an abundance of renewable resources – hydro, bio waste, solar, and wind – one third of the nation's population lives without regular access to electricity. Pakistan has lofty goals for their solar and wind programs currently in development, while innovative projects like those offered by NRGLab go unnoticed.

“The importance of this resource mapping cannot be overstated,” says Arif Alauddin, Director of Pakistan’s National Energy Conservation Center. “The country’s energy shortage is unprecedented, tariffs are going up, and petroleum imports are eating up a large share of export earnings.  There is a need to shift to domestic renewable energy resources.”

While solar and wind maps have been available for years now, they fail to identify projects in the private sector in need of development funding.  So basically – the rich get rich, while everyone else in the science community struggles to get noticed.

This problem is why the World Bank joined together with nine countries, including Pakistan, Indonesia, Lesotho, Madagascar, Maldives, Papua New Guinea, Tanzania, Vietnam, and Zambia, to create a new map of renewable energy potential. Financed by the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP), the map will cover solar, wind, biomass, and small hydropower potential.

Resource mapping is a step in the right direction, for sure. But does it quite cover the array of energy opportunities presented by NRGLab?

With our revolutionary gasification techniques, NRGLab can convert all-natural gas, coal, risk husk, and APG into useable fuel. For developing countries, this means increasing their share of the global energy market, not to mention creating a sustainable, independent domestic infrastructure.

“Resource mapping is a crucial step in providing the resource and policy certainty that commercial developers need to scale up investment in renewables,” says Oliver Knight, Senior Energy Specialist at ESMAP.  “In addition, government authorities will be better informed in negotiations on specific projects, and donors will have a clearer sense of the data and capacity needs, as well as the renewable potential, of clients.”

NRGLab has been focused on this goal from the start. Providing consumers with a cost-effective, clean alternative is the solution to the energy crisis. For more information on partnering with NRGLab, visit nrglab.asia.

Together, we can ensure a greener future. For our children. And their children. For centuries after we’re gone.