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Community-Based Energy: A Return is Long Overdue
Mark Sardella, PE ~ Fall 2005
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Questions and Answers about Hydrogen
Mark Sardella, PE ~ November 2005
Hydrogen is merely a fuel – a commodity that allows us to store energy so that it can be moved to another location, or used at another time. It cannot substitute for an energy resource, which already contains stored energy that can be extracted and used. In a fully developed hydrogen economy we will still be fully dependent on our energy resources. |
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Bioenergy in the U.S.A.
Mark Sardella, PE ~ June 2005
The bioenergy industry is receiving considerable attention in the U.S. due to its perceived potential to improve energy independence. The current state of the industry and its potential for growth are profiled in this paper. |
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The Hydrogen Hallucination
Mark Sardella, PE ~ June 17, 2003
It’s being called the “freedom fuel”, capable of releasing us at last from the grip of the oil barons. But don’t break out the party balloons yet, because hydrogen hasn’t got a chance of solving our energy problems. A bold assertion, perhaps |
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The Oil Endgame
Mark Sardella, PE ~ June 16, 2003
Fossil fuels have served as the engine of economic growth for many years, but there has been relatively little discussion to date about the peril of having an economy based on these finite resources. The passing of a pivotal point in oil’s history dictates that the topic will soon get its due: World oil production is approaching its peak, and can only decline from this point forward. This is not a matter of speculation – it is a mathematical certainty. |
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Market Driven Environmentalism
Mark Sardella, PE ~ October 13, 2001
You’ve heard it said that we shouldn’t wreck our economy trying to stop global warming, since we can’t be sure it’s happening. You’ve also heard that switching to clean energy sources would create an economic boom, so there’s no reason not to do it. Which is true? The good news is that the second assertion—that cleaning up the energy industry would stimulate our economy—is backed by sound research and policy analysis. The bad news is that energy policy is heavily influenced by the proponents of the first assertion: the fossil fuel industry. |
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Natural Gas Prices Will Keep Rising
Mark Sardella, PE ~ November 2005
Without spare production capacity, natural gas prices cannot stabilize. |
 View PDF (144 kb)
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The Energy Resource Problem
Mark Sardella, PE ~ Spring 2005
Part I - Energy Resource Degradation
Part II - The Summary
Part III - Solving the Problem |
View PDF Part 1 1MB
View PDF Part 2 401 kb
View PDF Part 3 287 kb |
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Biomass-Fired District Energy: A Source of Economic Development and Energy Security - Final Report
Mark Sardella, PE ~
December 2006 (Updated January 2007)
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Returning to Community Values with Biomass: Exploring the Feasibility of Neighborhood-Scale Biomass District Heating Systems in Santa Fe, New Mexico
Frank Currie, PE, Mark Sardella, PE and Consuelo Luz Arostegui~
January 2007 |
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The Cost of Heating with Natural Gas in Santa Fe, and Expected Future Trends
Frank Currie, PE ~ February 2007 |
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Household Energy Consumption and Cost in Santa Fe County
Kelly O'Donnell ~ October 2004 |
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Economics of Proposed Biomass-fired District Heating System for Santa Fe, New Mexico
Michael Shuman ~ November 2005 |
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Conceptual Ownership Models for the Proposed Biomass-fired Downtown District Heating System in Santa Fe, New Mexico
Loretta McGrath ~ November 2005 |
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Introduction to Sustainable Energy
Mark Sardella, PE ~ August 15, 2006
"94% of U.S. energy needs are currently being met with resources that are in decline."
A look at the current state of the energy industry, and a framing of the energy supply problem as a lead-in for discussing community-based energy solutions. |
View PDF (1.09 MB)
View PowerPoint Presentation (2.09 MB) |
Peak Oil and Resource Degradation |
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Greenspan Warns About Natural Gas "Problems."
May 2003
Andrea Hopkins, Reuters |
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The Future of Oil and Gas
2002
Harry Longwell, V.P. of Exxon-Mobil |
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U.S. National Energy Policy
May 2001
National Energy Policy Development Group |
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The Oil We Eat
February 2004
Richard Manning |
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Capitalism, the Commons, and Divine Right
October 2003
Peter Barnes |
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American Thermidor II
April 2005
Stirling Newberry |
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Energy Poverty in Rural America
June 2004
National Low Income Energy Consortium |
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American Thermidor
January 2004
Stirling Newberry |
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Energy and Economic Growth
April 2003
David Stern |
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The Cold Facts: Energy Costs for Low Income Americans
2001-2002 |
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Aggregation and the Role of Energy in the Economy
July 1999
Cutler Cleveland, Robert Kauffman & David Stern |
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Biophysical Economics
1999
Cutler Cleveland
A must-read for anyone interested in the relationship between energy and economics. |
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The Jobs Connection: Energy Use and Local Economic Development
November 1996 |
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Energy Economics
James Sweeny, Stanford University |
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Renewable Energy: Prospects & Pitfalls |
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Bioenergy Conversion Factors
June 2003 |
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Hydrogen: Real or Hyped?
June 2003
Ken Silverstein |
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Distributed Generation: Micro Grids
April 2002
Lasseter, Akhil, Marnay, Stevens, Dagle, Guttromson, Meliopoulous, Yinger and Eto |
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An Evaluation of Air Pollution Control Technologies for Biomass Boilers
September 2001
Resource Systems Group |
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Solar Hot Water: A Primer
August 2001
Ken Olson |
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Canadian Biomass Case Study
2001-2002
RETScreen International |
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Heating Schools with Biomass in VT
2001
T. Maker |
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MIT Life Cycle Analysis of New Auto Technologies
October 2000
Weiss, Heywood, Drake, Schafer and AuYeung |
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Methanol from Biomass II
October 2000
Joseph Norbeck and Kent Johnson |
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Methanol from Biomass I
September 2000
Joseph Norbeck and Kent Johnson |
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Stirling Cycle Engines
May 1999
Gale Morrison |
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Technical Handbook for Marine Biodiesel
April 1999
Randall von Wedel PhD |
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A Look Back at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Aquatic Species Program: Biodiesel from Algae
July 1998
Sheehan, Dunahay, Benemann and Roessler |
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Fundamentals of Batteries and Charge Control
January 1997
James Dunlop, PE |
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Chemical Challenges in Renewable Energy
Nathan Lewis, California Institute of Technology |
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Fundamentals of Solar Energy
Radiantec Company |
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Lead-Acid Battery Efficiency and Solar Electric Systems
John Stevens and Garth Corey |
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Burning Straight Vegetable Oil in TDI Engines
Keith Addison, http://journeytoforever.org |
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The Money Trail: Measuring Your Impact on the Local Economy
December 2002
Justin Sacks |
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Plugging the Leaks
September 2002
New Economic Foundation
Summary also available. |
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Community Prosperity Through Natural Capitalism
August 2001
Michael Kinsley of the Rocky Mountain Institute |
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| 2001 Annual Report of the Institute for Local Self Reliance |
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The Idea of a Local Economy
Wendall Berry |
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