Damon Clifford

AlternativeEnergyWiki.org - Alternative Energy Community

Damon Clifford — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 22:38:06 +0000

A project that I’m currently working on is the Alternative Energy Wiki. This is awesome because it has the same business plan of Wikipedia, where anyone and everyone can contribute to the website creating a knowledge database on all things related to alternative energy.

Wiki - a page or collection of Web pages designed to enable anyone who accesses it to contribute or modify content, using a simplified markup language. Wikis are often used to create collaborative websites and to power community websites.

Please visit the Alternative Energy Wiki and add your knowledge to the community.

OPEC OKs Biggest-Ever Oil Output Cut

Damon Clifford — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 22:26:41 +0000

With falling oil prices, and a worldwide recession looming, OPEC slashes output, and crude still retreats.

The decline in crude comes despite OPEC’s announcement it would cut production by 2.2 million barrels, on top of the two million barrels cut in September, for a total cut of 4.2 million barrels - its largest cut in its history. The cut brings the cartel’s daily supply target quota down to 24.85 million barrels a day.

Many people have become “complacent” since the price of oil has dropped more than 60% in the past 6 months, but smart businesses and people are using this time to develop alternative energy resources for their businesses and homes so they won’t feel the pain when the price rises again.

Funding for Clean Tech and Alternative Energy Projects

Damon Clifford — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:48:20 +0000

Even in the midst of the financial markets, there is still strong support for clean tech and alternative energy project funding. These projects need funding so they can bring the technologies to market that will generate energy from alternative sources and reduce our dependency on foreign oil.

Green Energy Marketing is one such funding source that has access to investment banks that have funded over $12 Billion Dollars of energy projects and companies. They have solid management and a team of advisers that will position your company for funding. They have recently set up their green energy blog to discuss issues and ideas that are facing the industry today.

Kimo Storke, the managing partner of KAS consulting, is a personal friend of mine and if your company is looking for a trusted source for financing, I would advise you contact him.

It is essential that these types of projects get funded so we can all live in a cleaner world.

The Top Ten Global Energy Trends in 2009

Damon Clifford — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:25:06 +0000

Global Markets Direct just came out with their Top Ten Global Energy Trends in 2009.

1. Capital expenditure on oil exploration and production will continue to stagnate in 2009
2. Oil price volatility to continue in the short term but likely to stabilize within a lower narrow band by the end of 2009
3. Clean energy projects will play a crucial role in the long term energy needs of the world although there will be reduced investment in 2009
4. New investments in unconventional oil and gas projects will decline in 2009
5. Coal will continue to be the highest consumed energy source in 2009 despite a shift towards nuclear and alternative sources
6. Nuclear energy will play an increasing role in meeting the global energy needs even though some new projects might be delayed in 2009
7. European countries’ will continue to increase efforts to reduce their dependence on Russian natural gas in 2009
8. Demand for natural gas to continue to increase in 2009
9. Electricity generation capacity to grow in 2009 while distribution and transmission would require further investments
10. Rise in construction costs will delay projects in the refining sector

You can purchase the complete report here

There’s No Wind Beneath Our Wings

Damon Clifford — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 13:55:13 +0000

The only thing wind is good for now is to fly a kite.

T. Boone Pickens has delayed his 4,000-megawatt wind farm in the Texas Panhandle because lower prices for natural gas make it uneconomical.

Since the price of natural gas has decreased under $7 per million Btu, it would be more expensive to to produce energy from wind farms. Pickens says that natural gas prices would have to be over $9 per million Btu for wind energy to be advantageous.

This is another sign of how the low oil and natural gas prices have slowed down alternative energy. With the lower prices, people have been losing interest in alternative energy technologies. Once prices rise again, there will be a renewed push for alternative energy resources where businesses can make money from alternative energy sources.

X PRIZE Foundation To Select New Contest Ideas

Damon Clifford — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 20:51:24 +0000

I’m a big fan of the X PRIZE Foundation because of the ingenuity and creativity that they promote with their record breaking contests in different fields such as aviation, energy, and science. And you know I’ve been watching the progress of the Auto X PRIZE here on my blog.

What’s amazing about their prizes as well is that you can submit your own idea for a prize. What do you think as impossible? How will it benefit all of mankind? These are the challenges that the X PRIZE Foundation wants to support.

Ken Beitel, a computer systems analyst and documentary film producer, has entered the contest and is proposing that the next X Prize be a $10 billion corporate challenge focusing on renewable energy investment:

First Company or Corporate team to Generate $10 billion in Renewable Energy Investment via Retirement Plans Could be the Winner of a Proposed New X Prize. Adding a renewable energy sector fund to 401(k) retirement plans will: 1)generate a significant number of new jobs 2)create a healthy economy, 3)increase clean energy production, 4)lower energy costs and combat climate change

You can catch a 2 minute video of his idea at The Renewable Energy Initiative which he pitches his project.

I think it’s a great idea for a prize, and we’ll have to see if the X PRIZE Foundation chooses it.

Think you have something better? Submit your proposal to the Foundation by November 18th, 2008 as they will begin judging the entries that have been submitted.

Barack Obama’s Plan For Energy

Damon Clifford — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 22:27:14 +0000

I wrote a breakdown of energy policy that both Obama and McCain proposed if they were to be president. Now that Obama has won the presidential election, it’s important to go back and review his proposals more closely to see what he wants to do during his term in office.

Barack Obama’s energy plan calls for investing $150 billion in renewable energies that will generate 5 million jobs in America.

You can read more details into Barack Obama’s energy plan on his factsheet for New Energy for America.

Lights Are Being Turned Off On Alternative Energy

Damon Clifford — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 03:25:38 +0000

Interest in alternative energy has cooled down as oil prices have dropped more than half from a summertime high of $143. I wouldn’t get too comfortable though, with OPEC controlling oil production, you never know when the next spike will be. They recently announced that they were cutting production to stabilize prices. It doesn’t look like this first production cut has made much of an impact on prices since the demand for oil is lower globally, but the last two years has showed us that it can bounce right back up at anytime. Ideally, OPEC would like oil prices to be between $80 - $100 per barrel, and that doesn’t include the spikes that will happen during shortages or other global events.

“The one thing that is certain about energy prices is that they are volatile,” said Ralph Cavanagh, head of the energy program at the Natural Resources Defense Council. “They bounce crazily around. And Californians know this better than anyone - you don’t want to be a victim of the next bad bounce.”

So, now more than ever, we have to remember the pain that we’ve had to go through the last couple of years of high oil prices and try to prevent that same pain in the future.

If we don’t do more now with alternative energy research and development, we WILL just repeat history and go through the whole energy crisis again.

Nozzle Rage Strikes For The Second Time

Damon Clifford — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 16:41:22 +0000

NozzleRage.com recently put out their second video to bring awareness to how much money we send to foreign nations, how it can effect our economy, and to promote alternative fuels for our vehicles. Even though I don’t think that this video is as funny as the first one, I like how they’re pushing our independence of foreign oil through humor that we all can relate to and what we can do about it.

This Blog Makes Top 100 List

Damon Clifford — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 21:01:11 +0000

It’s always flattering when your website or blog makes it on a list with other notable people and organizations. I got an email the other day that this blog made it on the The Top 100 Environmentalists Blogs.

Check out the list, there is quite a collection of great blogs on there to read. A couple great ones that I’ve never heard of, but will begin to follow.

Here’s the complete list:

The Top 100 Environmentalist Blogs

News
Keep your ear to the ground on environmental news with these blogs.

environmentastic!:
Environmentalist A. Caleb Hartley’s environmentastic! offers a
refreshingly positive look at environmental news and developments.
Green Times: Find the latest news and issues for environmentalists on this blog.
The Environmentalist: Check out this blog for news on climate change, politics, and other important issues in environmentalism.
Greenzone Online: This blog serves up a well-balanced mix of environmental topics.
Fort Awesome: Find out what Fort Awesome says about peak oil, urbanization, and more on this blog.
The Everyday Environmentalist: Follow this environmentalist on a journey to go green every day.
Eco Beat: Neil Katz’ Eco Beat is all about environmental activism in the news, offering green technology, pollution, politics, and more.
Down To Earth: On this blog, you’ll find environmental news and information about sustainability.

Gardening Environmentalists

These environmentalists take their work outside.

Flatbush Gardener: Read along with this environmentalist who specializes in organic and native plant gardening.
Earth Friendly Gardening: Check out this blog to see sustainable gardening at work.
GardenPunks: Check out the blog of this family that attempts to live as organically as possible.
Green Bean Dreams: Follow this mom as she works to create a sustainable, environmentally friendly life for her family.

Climate Change

Learn more about global warming and what we can do to stop its effects on this blogs.

Global Warming is Real: On this blog, you’ll find discussions of climate change, politics, and energy.
cooltheplanet: This blogger aims to collect a wide variety of useful information for organizations who are working to address climate change.
It’s Getting Hot in Here: Follow the youth movement in climate change on this blog.
Global Warming Emergency Blog: Follow this blog along a campaign to stop global warming.
Climate of Our Future: This blog offers a discussion on global climate change with the latest news, resources, and information on what’s happening.
Climate Changer: This blogger is on a mission to stop climate change and global warming.

Energy

These blogs offer in-depth discussions on oil, alternative energy, and more.

Brighter Energy Solutions: SolReka shares strategies for free energy, solar cooking, and useful eco-geek gadgets on this blog.
Boiling Spot: Boiling Spot features information on alternative energy and beyond.
fuel-it-forward: Check out this blog to find out how we can all cut down on our fuel consumption.
Citizen Power Alliance: On Citizen Power Alliance, you’ll find news about regulating and improving upon energy and environmental policy.
Clean Break: Clean Break focuses on clean technology and clean energy in particular.
Vertigro: Follow along as this blog tracks the advancement of a highly useful biofuel.
Eco Friendly Driver: On this blog, you’ll read the latest news and developments in environmentally friendly driving.
Seacoast NRG: Blogger Adam discusses issues in energy, conservations, climate, and more.
The Energy Collective: Read about power, policy, and climate as it relates to energy on this blog.
EcoModder: Find hypermiling, fuel economy and ecomodding on this blog.
Damon Clifford: Damon Clifford’s blog focuses on current events in energy, political energy policy, and more.
Gas 2.0: Follow the biofuel revolution on this blog.
Beyond Petro: Beyond Petro discusses life beyond peak oil and what we can do to live without cheap energy.

Lifestyle

Take a look at how these environmentalists live their daily lives.

Urban Subsistence Living:
Follow this family as they embark upon a project to generate more than
90% of their living needs with environmentally friendly methods and
materials.
Greenfellow: On Greenfellow, you’ll find a celebration of sustainability in everyday life.
Halcyon Green: This “creative environmentalist” discusses the art of making crafts with minimal footprint.
Green Cotton: See how sustainability and fashion intersect in this blog.
An Urban Plot: This urban gardener chronicles her quest for organic self-sufficiency.
Off Grid Living: Learn about strategies for living off the grid with solar, wind, and geothermal energy on this blog.
Sustainable Motherhood: This “recovering consumer” offers an ongoing look at her quest to be more sustainable.
Victoria Everman: Victoria’s blog offers loads of resources for enlightened living.
Green Globetrotter: Take a peek into the world of eco-friendly travel with this environmentalist globetrotter.

Advice

These environmentalists will help you to be more eco-friendly.

Focus Organic: Focus Organic is a repository for all sorts of advice for living in an environmentally friendly way.
The Lazy Environmentalist: Josh Dorfman explores easy, stylish, and convenient ways for everyday people to go green.
Jolly Green Blogger: Check out this blog for great advice and products for going green.
Neutral Existence: On neutral existence, you’ll get advice on how to help theplanet and save money at the same time.
Practical Environmentalist: On this blog, you’ll find environmentally friendly advice that’s practical and useful for the average person.
It’s the Planet, Didiot!: This environmentalist serves up a variety of useful tips for saving the planet from its inhabitants.
EcoMerge:
These budding environmentalists at Portland State University practice
EcoMyth Busting, debunking bad eco-advice so that you can live a truly
environmentally friendly life.

Conservation

Learn a newfound respect for our world in these blogs.

Izmet’s Dream:
Izmet has a passion for nature, and discusses how we can all practice
conservation in order to save our world’s natural wonders.
Treasure Nature: This environmentalist discusses how we can nurture nature, offering a look at issues in biodiversity and beyond.
Coffee and Conservation: Learn how sustainable coffee and other products can have a positive impact on the world.
Get Wise about Energy & Water Efficiency: Check out this blog that discusses energy and water conservation, and what people are doing about it.
Protecting Our Environment: Gina’s blog is full of resources, news, and information on environmental conservation.
The Only One We Have: This blog encourages readers to think of their environmental impact.
Endangered Spaces: Find out what you can do to protect our “endangered spaces” on this blog.

Reducing, Reusing & Recycling

These environmentalists focus on stopping the growth of our world’s landfills.

The Earth is Not a Trash Can: Barbara Mathieson considers the life of trash that others have left behind.
Every Day is Earth Day: Sarah Mint discusses a variety of ways you can reduce your energy consumption.
Trash Watch: This blogger encourages readers to do something about all of the trash in their neighborhood.
Car Free Family: Read how this family survives without a car in Minneapolis.
My Recycled Bags: This blog is dedicated to making crafts from recycled materials.
Look what I found!: Check out the journey of this blogger who designs her life and craft products using materials that others have cast aside.
Technocycle: Find information on technology recycling on this blog.
Recycleholic: Read along as this man tries his best to recycle everything he can.

Health

These environmentalists will ask you to consider the connection between the environment and health.

Asthma Mom: The Asthma Mom discusses how air quality and other environmental issues can affect children’s health.
Beyond Pesticides: This blog features posts on the health and environmental hazards of pesticides.
EarthForce Health and Wellness: Visit this blog for safe and natural ways to greate a safer, healthier planet.
Healthy Child: On this blog, you’ll read about what people are doing to create a healthy world for their children.

Development

Check out these blogs to learn about green development and how humanity’s growth intersects with the environment.

Building Seattle Green: On this blog, you’ll find loads of news and information about green building in Seattle and beyond.
Habitat OR Humanity: Visit this blog to see what’s happening to our world as we continue to develop.
My Green Home: This blog offers a guide to green and healthy homes.
Jetson Green: Stay on top of the latest in the green building revolution with this blog.
The Landscape Blog: On this blog, you’ll find news and information about issues surrounding lanscape architects and urban planners.

Consumption

These environmentalist blogs will help you consider the impact of the things you buy.

The Daily Green: This blog offers great advice for green consumers.
SaveChange: SaveChange asks readers to consider how their money impacts the world.
100 Mile Diet: Follow this challenge to eat healthy and save the environment.
UseGreen: UseGreen highlights the choices you have when it comes to being green.
Envirovore: On this blog, you’ll learn how you can eat for environmental sustainability.
Design^Sprout: Check out Design^Sprout to find loads of innovative and environmentally friendly designs.
The Alternative Consumer: Here you’ll find news, product reviews, and information to help you be a more environmentally responsible consumer.
Fake Plastic Fish: Beth Terry Warns us that we need to stop consuming plastic, or the only fish we’ll have left will be plastic.
Eat Local Challenge: This blog offers a challenge and advice for eating locally.
Diane’s Big Green Purse: Diane encourages consumers to shop in an environmentally friendly way.

Activism

These environmentalists are pouring their passion into eco-friendly projects.

Califauna: Read this blog to see how eco awareness and art education are being brought into California’s schools.
WhatGives!?: This blog discusses and connects people to worthy social and environmental causes.
My Yellowstone Wolves Blog: Read about how this environmental activist in the Northern Rockies defends wolves.
2 Wheels 4 Water: This couple is riding scooters across North and South Carolina to raise money and awareness for HydroMissions.
Ripples of Improvement: Blogger Cathy Crovis is on a mission to turn her life of occasional activism to one that consistently makes a difference.
Inca Kids: This project supports peruvian artisans, affording them a sustainable, environmentally friendly life.
Eco-Libris: The Eco-Libris blog discusses books and their crusade to balance out the paper used for books by planting trees.

Business & Politics

See environmentalism at work in these blogs that highlight green legislature, marketing, and more.

Green Advertising: Check out this blog to find out if companies are truly green or if they’re touting their credentials to sell.
Triple Pundit: This blog aims to bring people, the planet, and profits together.
Green in the Face: This marketing major discusses green marketing.
Environmental Leader: For the latest in green business, be sure to check out this blog.
Green Car Congress: Check out this blog for the politics of sustainable mobility.
Hill Heat: Watch environmental policy at work in legislation on this blog.
Sustainablog: Sustainablog regularly delivers the best information on sustainable business, environmental politics, and more.

Miscellaneous

Read about even more important issues in environmentalism on these blogs.

SurfaceTension: Surface Tension takes a clarified look at renewable energy, environmentally friendly teachnology, and energy alternatives.
EcoGeek: This blog explores technology aimed at improving the environment.
Dismantle Civilization: This environmentalist recommends that we radically change direction in order to save the earth.
Chemistry for a sustainable world: James Bashkin offers a professional view of green chemistry, and provides a view of what really helps our environment.
The Green Skeptic: This environmentalist challenges common assumptions about environmentalism and living.