Matthew's Weblog » Environment http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com Technical notes and societal musings Sat, 18 Sep 2010 05:09:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 More solar fun http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/2010/09/17/more-solar-fun/ http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/2010/09/17/more-solar-fun/#comments Sat, 18 Sep 2010 05:09:40 +0000 Matthew http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/?p=406 Thin film to trap light and increase efficiency… pretty cool!

]]> http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/2010/09/17/more-solar-fun/feed/ 0 Solar Inverter Alternatives http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/2009/05/20/solar-inverter-alternatives/ http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/2009/05/20/solar-inverter-alternatives/#comments Thu, 21 May 2009 00:53:21 +0000 Matthew http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/?p=388 an interesting idea – instead of a big inverter, use micro-inverters at a panel level to make the panels independently useful and optimizable…

]]> http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/2009/05/20/solar-inverter-alternatives/feed/ 0 Mishmash of articles – Part II http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/2009/05/10/mishmash-of-articles-part-ii/ http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/2009/05/10/mishmash-of-articles-part-ii/#comments Sun, 10 May 2009 19:30:44 +0000 Matthew http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/?p=353 Management Tips: Gen X vs. Gen Y

Ten Ways to Use LinkedIn | Guy Kawasaki

Welcome to Executor

A multi purpose launcher and more advanced and customizable freeware windows run replacement and more…

Bye-Bye, BPA
BPA/Phthalate-Free Shopping List
Now that we’re reading lots more about BPA and its low-level bad effects, we’re figuring out how to get our plastics to be non-BPA

sslstrip – transparently hijack HTTP traffic on a network, watch for HTTPS links and redirects, then map those links into either look-alike HTTP links or homograph-similar HTTPS links

How do you learn to be a Program Manager?

Mostly, becoming a program manager is about learning: learning about technology, learning about people, and learning how to be effective in a political organization. A good program manager combines an engineer’s approach to designing technology with a politician’s ability to build consensus and bring people together.

]]> http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/2009/05/10/mishmash-of-articles-part-ii/feed/ 0 Solar Power Progress http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/2009/05/09/solar-power-progress/ http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/2009/05/09/solar-power-progress/#comments Sat, 09 May 2009 18:53:19 +0000 Matthew http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/?p=367 I haven’t updated my list of solar cell info recently, either…

Plastic solar cell advances

Sun + Water = Fuel (OK, it’s not technically solar cells, but it’s power from solar)
With catalysts created by an MIT chemist, sunlight can turn water into hydrogen. If the process can scale up, it could make solar power a dominant source of energy.
A Cool Trick for Solar Cells
A technology developed by IBM to cool computer chips could be a boon for solar energy.
A Price Drop for Solar Panels
The silicon shortage that has kept solar electricity expensive is ending.
More-Powerful Solar Cells
A new solar cell is 27 percent more efficient without being more
]]> http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/2009/05/09/solar-power-progress/feed/ 0 Continuing Electric Car Progress http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/2009/05/08/continuing-electric-car-progress/ http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/2009/05/08/continuing-electric-car-progress/#comments Fri, 08 May 2009 18:53:08 +0000 Matthew http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/?p=369 It’s been a while since I updated my list of interesting battery/auto progress links…
Why Chrysler Chose A123 Batteries
The automaker wanted U.S.-based manufacturing and a flexible battery design.
Can GM’s Volt Save the Company?
The planned plug-in hybrid car is at the core of the automaker’s attempt to reinvent itself. But will the car be a commercial success?
Toyota to Deliver Plug-In Hybrids
The new Prius is designed so that its battery pack can be swapped out for a plug-in lithium-ion battery.
Nanotube Superbatteries
Dense films of carbon nanotubes store large amounts of energy.
An Electrifying Startup
A new lithium-ion battery from A123 Systems could help electric cars and hybrids come to dominate the roads.
Super-Charging Lithium Batteries
Nanowire electrodes could improve the performance of electric vehicles.
]]> http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/2009/05/08/continuing-electric-car-progress/feed/ 0 Cheaper solar panels… more plans and promises http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/2007/10/12/cheaper-solar-panels-more-plans-and-promises/ http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/2007/10/12/cheaper-solar-panels-more-plans-and-promises/#comments Fri, 12 Oct 2007 17:09:01 +0000 Matthew http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/2007/10/12/cheaper-solar-panels-more-plans-and-promises/ We have yet another report of people setting up factories that will make cheaper solar panels so that pricing is comparable with utility-provided power.  $1/watt sounds great, but until these places actually produce panels and start selling them, I still won’t believe it…

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]]> http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/2007/10/12/cheaper-solar-panels-more-plans-and-promises/feed/ 0 Electric cars and sun power http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/2007/08/07/electric-cars-and-sun-power/ http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/2007/08/07/electric-cars-and-sun-power/#comments Tue, 07 Aug 2007 23:41:25 +0000 Matthew http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/2007/08/07/electric-cars-and-sun-power/ Since the US Automakers aren’t building pure electric cars fast enough, why not skip the system and build a new kind of car company?  And while you’re at it, use some of the newer, high-efficiency (42%!) solar cells to power it…

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]]> http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/2007/08/07/electric-cars-and-sun-power/feed/ 0 Telecommuting tips http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/2007/05/17/telecommuting-tips/ http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/2007/05/17/telecommuting-tips/#comments Thu, 17 May 2007 19:31:33 +0000 Matthew http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/2007/05/17/telecommuting-tips/ An article and two sidebars from CIO magazine about how to manage telecommuters and to make it most effective for the company and the worker, including equipping the roadwarrior and what skills are needed to make the employee effective. It also references an article from a Sun employee’s experience which is has useful tips.

]]> http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/2007/05/17/telecommuting-tips/feed/ 0 Google bus service http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/2007/05/15/google-bus-service/ http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/2007/05/15/google-bus-service/#comments Tue, 15 May 2007 18:14:07 +0000 Matthew http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/2007/05/15/google-bus-service/ In an area where my current job search is constrained by my desire to take public transportation or have a short drive, Google’s bus service is inspired. While I understand the need to have it remain a competitive advantage, it’s too bad other companies in the region can’t take advantage of the empty seats and buy spots on the bus.

It would be a good idea for a business park to organize a similar service – talk about drawing companies who care about their employees. That could be a great perk and a good sales pitch for the office space…

]]> http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/2007/05/15/google-bus-service/feed/ 0 Recycling CDs! http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/2007/05/09/recycling-cds/ http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/2007/05/09/recycling-cds/#comments Wed, 09 May 2007 20:15:00 +0000 Matthew http://mps.blog.webplumbers.com/2007/05/09/recycling-cds/ I always thought that CDs were completely impossible to recycle, but it appears I was wrong! There’s now a few places listed that purportedly can handle them. Cool!

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