Above N-Beyond Energy

01/14/2025

From research to reality in my fair city.
https://www.wcax.com/2025/01/13/burlington-company-launches-new-efficient-solar-panels/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3NuNuCBzYSybUIn4jVKsh6ZQsORE2LR0WuZFkLHGAYLthkn6BTzdpBqQQ_aem_mi73GdxUylibpkEaWIzBXw

A Vermont solar energy company is on the cusp of selling panels they say will transform the game.

10/06/2024

Another post fossil fuels move coming in 2 years.

The project is expected to employ 200 people during construction and 90 people once production begins.

08/30/2024

This surprises me in 2 ways. First that they are dropping prices Before Labor Day. Second, usually prices drop before an election with a Republican in the White House, but not when Democrats hold that place.
And, personally it doesn't affect me much as we are now driving a Prius at 40 mpg about 250 miles a month and a Tesla. My personal "fuel" price for the EV has remained constant at about $6/300 miles since 2020.

Pump prices having been falling all summer, and as Labor Day approaches, they're 47 cents lower than this time last year. Some analysts see $3 gasoline in our future.

08/30/2024

Hokey Smokes, Rocky! That's what I call a commitment to charging. 50 in the next few years in our little city.

“We really want to make sure every part of the community is going to have access,” said the utility's general manager.

07/29/2024

An article about my CEO and Champlain Housing Trust. Good news for your day.

Submitted by tim on Sun, 07/28/2024 - 16:03 Related Company Champlain Housing Trust Michael Monte, CEO of Champlain Housing Trust. Photo: Baldwin Photography. by Joyce Marcel, Vermont Business Magazine Who is Michael Monte, and why does everyone seem to love him? For one thing, over the 46 years tha...

07/12/2024

I can't seem to find the interactive map this year, so you'll have to peer carefully at the colors and the dots. My fair city appears to have received 4-5" over 24 hours, which is a 50 year storm.

06/20/2024

It is one of the earliest times for summer solstice at 4:50 this afternoon. Happy Solstice!

05/29/2024

From Kareem Abdul-Jabaar's letter this morning on Florida's recent move to roll back environmental improvements.:
"SUMMARY: A TV meteorologist condemned the Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s so-called “don’t say climate change” law on air and urged viewers to vote.

Steve MacLaughlin of WTVJ in Miami addressed viewers on Saturday amid rising heat records across the state, saying: “On Thursday, we reported … that the government of Florida was beginning to roll back really important climate-change legislation and really important climate-change language.”

MacLaughin condemned DeSantis’s position on the matter, saying that it came “in spite of the fact that the state of Florida over the last couple of years has seen record heat, record flooding, record rain, record insurance rates, and the corals are dying all around the state”.

He said: “The entire world is looking to Florida to lead in climate change, and our government is saying that climate change is no longer the priority it once was.

“Please keep in mind the most powerful climate change solution is the one you already have in the palm of your hands – the right to vote. And we will never tell you who to vote for, but we will tell you this: we implore you to please do your research and know that there are candidates that believe in climate change and that there are solutions. And there are candidates that don’t.”

McLaughlin delivered his comments after DeSantis recently signed several bills the governor claimed sought to “restore sanity in our approach to energy and rejecting the agenda of the radical green zealots”.

“Radical green zealots want to impose their climate agenda on people through restrictions, regulations and taxes,” a notice posted by DeSantis said.

In addition to prohibiting windfarms offshore and near coastlines, the bill prioritizes the expansion of natural gas and bolsters protections against gas appliance bans and repeals climate policies enacted during Barack Obama’s presidency.

The gas industry has helped drive climate change and its resulting effects, including severe weather becoming more commonplace.

Over the weekend, south Florida saw record temperatures, with Fort Lauderdale and Miami each reaching record highs of 95F (35C) on Sunday. Typical highs for this time of year are about 86F (30C), the Palm Beach Post reported.

MY TAKE: “Radical green zealots want to impose their climate agenda on people through restrictions, regulations and taxes,” says DeSantis. “Radical green zealots” is the common term used by conservative shills on the payroll of coal, oil, and natural gas companies. “Radical” is a word meant to scare people—like Communist or terrorist or groomer or mo**ster. The theory is if I just attach one of those words, the audience becomes too frightened to listen to the specifics of what follows. Maybe we should just say that DeSantis is grooming conservatives to mo**st the Constitution.

I’m torn about this article. I don’t think McLaughlin should have delivered an editorial on-air while performing his duties as a meteorologist. That taints the news show’s objectivity. Editorials should be labeled as such and not seem like he’s speaking for the entire news organization.

At the same time, I applaud what he said. He used his celebrity to get a vital message across: DeSantis is selling out the people of Florida in exchange for money to himself and his party so he can remain in office to continue to push for harmful legislation. The evidence of the devastation in Florida from climate change is everywhere, yet he refuses to acknowledge it because his followers want him to deny it so they feel better. It’s like being in an airplane that is diving toward the ground and demanding that the pilot announce, “Don’t listen to this radical alarmist. We’re just taking a shortcut to the ground.”

05/21/2024

More of this, please.
https://www.wcax.com/2024/05/20/nh-college-boasts-regions-1st-solar-ev-charger-created-by-vt-company/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0U3sw6_67fh4ZwMSgt2El12NkK8iqVWASdj5mO-n6D36FKvd1G5KPUfwg_aem_Adntnfshj7rVh2P4oyVtBldSfgDvtI0jBnas8cSZetnI8ke909OuVj4Xjgst89MAv1tlkzMlKhFnmXP0d-7XK8a6

A Vermont solar company has created the region's first electric vehicle charger run entirely by solar. Our Sophia Thomas finds out how it fits into the growing push for EVs.

05/16/2024

What would you do if your car just uploaded a trial period for you to try their self driving capability?
Yes I know I'm talking to a very small percentage of you, but the latest software update includes a month free trial. I get the updates every month or two. This is a big change.

Autopilot is an advanced driver assistance system that enhances safety and convenience behind the wheel. When used properly, Autopilot reduces your overall workload as a driver. Learn more about Autopilot.

05/16/2024

Checking for energy geeks. Anyone using an IR camera that plugs into your phone that does a photo and the IR image. I used to have one and left it at one of several jobs. All the ones I can find now, 7 years later, only do the IR image.

05/16/2024

From my Building Performance Institute today:
Maine: Clean Energy Jobs Surpass 15,000
Governor Mills announced that the number of clean energy jobs in Maine has surpassed 15,000, increasing faster in Maine than any other New England state. The clean energy sector grew to contribute $2.31 billion to Maine’s economy in 2022, according to an independent report released by the Maine Governor’s Energy Office (GEO)"
Note: This is just Maine. Sim ilar increases in other Northeastern states.

04/09/2024

Vermonters - call or write your state Senators for affordable housing.

SUPPORT H.829, THE LONG-TERM HOUSING SOLUTIONS ACT! Email your senator today! Please reach out to your State Senators and let them know that you support long-term solutions to Vermont’s housing and homelessness crisis! A bill is currently being debated in the Vermont Legislature that would create ...