September 5th, 2010
Time to Deemphasize the Role of the DOE in Hydrogen Convergence
Ever since Secretary Chu made it his mission to deny working and middle class Americans access to the jobs that hydrogen convergence will produce, we at the ebTDesign Forum and our social media followers have been fixated on the missteps of the Department of Energy (DOE).
However, we would suggest that now is the time that the hydrogen convergence movement broadens its field of vision. With the start of the new Congress in January, there is opportunity to shift our focus to the Interagency Working Group (IWG) on Hydrogen and Fuel Cells.
As you know this represents a significant change in strategic direction. Up until now, hydrogen advocates have spent the majority of their time trying to curry favor with the confounders at the DOE. Now, we propose using that energy and effort to promote the IWG as the leading governmental body for hydrogen convergence in the United States.
By deemphasizing the DOE and promoting the IWG, you can align the multidiscipline nature of hydrogen convergence with the natural stakeholders in the government. This would also acknowledge the monumental effort that will be required to move from our fossil fuel past to our cleantech future.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: cleantech, DOE, hydrogen, IWGSeptember 1st, 2010
Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Interagency Working Group website Launched
The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced the launch of the new Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Interagency Working Group website. We at the ebTDesign Forum assume that this will be the new government home for hydrogen convergence. Warning the site is has very little content.
However, we encourage our readers and social media followers to take a look at the report called, “Challenges of Building A Hydrogen Infrastructure: A Report to Congress.” It’s an interesting work of fiction on the part of the Department of Transportation (DOT) because implies that they really care about the integration of hydrogen infrastructure into the national highway system.
Hopefully, this signals a changing of the guard and an effort to ramp up adoption of hydrogen convergence. Notable government participants include: Depart of Agriculture (DOA), Department of Defense (DOD), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and NASA. The Department of Commerce (DOC) is listed however the link to NIST doesn’t work.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: DOA, DOC, DOD, DOE, DOT, EPA, hydrogen, IWGAugust 26th, 2010
Dumbest DOE Project Ever: Use Hydrogen to reform CO2
The confounders at the DOE have reached a new level of stupidity. We at the ebTDesign Forum had hoped that ARPA-E would finally bring some sanity to the Department of Energy. We thought maybe ARPA-E would do for hydrogen convergence what ARPA did for the Internet, provide an organizational platform.
Those hopes were dashed by the announcement that ARPA-E has funded a carbon removal process that uses hydrogen to biologically convert CO2 into a precursor for a biofuel. Instead of using the hydrogen to produce zero emissions energy, they would rather reuse the CO2 so that it can live to pollute another day.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: ARPA-E, DOE, hydrogenAugust 16th, 2010
Combating the DOE Challenge while Promoting Hydrogen Convergence
We at the ebTDesign Forum would advise our readers and social media followers that there is a need to collectively step up our game. Secretary Chu called in reinforcements last week. This action represents a clear and present danger to the viability of the United States Economy because rising energy prices were the real triggers that started the “Great Recession.”
Now is the time to start thinking about how we as a community are going to welcome back the United States Congress in January. Regardless of who wins, America still needs to address its energy security concerns and sustainable job growth. We can’t wait for Secretary Chu and the DOE to announce another round of budget cuts before we mobilize.
This is a call to action for all of the American cleantech tribes. No one domestic energy source is going to solve all of the challenges facing the United States Economy. Investment in hydrogen convergence will continue to be delayed as long as confounders and so-called energy industry experts can play one domestic fuel source off against another.
As long as there are no personnel changes at the Department of Energy (DOE), there will be a battle to combat disinformation from the confounders on staff. It takes a lot to bring down dinosaurs because they have deep pockets and tons of lobbyists. Unlike video games, the consequences of failure to compete for leadership in the next long wave will be both immediate and long lasting.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: cleantech tribes, DOE, Great Recession, hydrogenAugust 11th, 2010
Is Secretary Chu gearing up for fight over Hydrogen Convergence?
The Atlantic website reported yesterday that Secretary Chu from the Department of Energy has a new advisory board. This twelve member board is heavily waited with Washington insiders. Missing are the kind of people who would bring a fresh perspective to the nation’s energy policies.
We at the ebTDesign Forum have to ask, “Does this signal a more aggressive effort to deny Americans assess to American hydrogen innovation?” After losing the battle over hydrogen convergence funding for two consecutive years, is the Energy Secretary bringing in reinforcements?
Or, will this group be tasked with embellishing the “green washing” currently underway over the Gulf Coast Oil Disaster in hopes of further extending the fossil era in the United States? Where are the entrepreneurs and/or the innovators? Aren’t they valued by the Obama Administration? Who’s going to stand up for working and middle class Americans?
Instead of leading the cleantech revolution, the confounders at the Department of Energy (DOE) seem content to let the rest of the world reap the rewards from early investment. Post-Globalization, there will always be an abundant number of international sources willing to sell us solutions to our nation’s energy challenges. The problem is that both the profits and the jobs are already flowing offshore.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: Chu, DOE, green washing, hydrogenAugust 9th, 2010
Open Letter to Sec. Chu on Decision to Award $1 Billion to Clean Coal
Mr. Secretary,
Everyday the United States loses ground in the battle to lead the cleantech revolution. Yet you and the confounders at the Department of Energy (DOE) continue to push pseudo-solutions which guarantee that domestic sources of clean energy will compete with other.
The fossil fuel era is coming to an end and allocating $1 billion dollars in an attempt to extend it is a waste of tax payer’s money. We at the ebTDesign Forum would highly recommend redirecting the funding to the advancement of hydrogen convergence.
Post-Globalization, all traditional means of looking at things must be reconsidered. Nothing is sacred not even the subsidies for big coal. Otherwise, working and middle class Americans will spend the next two to three generations digging themselves out of the coal pit that you placed them.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: big coal, confounders, DOE, hydrogenJuly 13th, 2010
Concerned about Competitiveness in Hydrogen Convergence?
How important is it for the United States to remain competitive when comes to hydrogen convergence? Not only are other countries starting to see the benefits of hydrogen convergence. But now whole regions are ceasing the opportunity. It’s almost as if they sense blood in the water.
The actions of the Department of Energy (DOE) exposed a gaping vulnerability in the American economic system. By not leading the hydrogen convergence movement, the Obama Administration has shown a willingness to gamble on the belief that future generations will have the resources to catch up.
The great equalizer is the practice of angle investment. Ohio has overtaken California as the startup capital of the United States or will do so in the not too distant future. Couple angel investments with a sovereign growth fund and you have a potent dinosaur killer. And, angel groups are springing up all over the world.
If hydrogen convergence is the next long wave, shouldn’t the DOE and the rest of the Obama Administration be more concerned about the economic benefits that the next two or three generations may lose. We at the ebTDesign Forum would advise readers that societies don’t decline because of assess to necessary resources but rather because of an unwillingness to adapt and compete.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: dinosaur killer, DOE, hydrogen, Obama, OhioJuly 8th, 2010
Hydrogen Convergence will save Lives during Heat Waves
Earlier this week, we at the ebTDesign Forum talked about improved air quality as a benefit of hydrogen convergence. Today, we would like to talk about the life saving impact. Why hydrogen convergence should be featured in any smart-grid or micro-grid discussion.
This week has seen a record breaking heat wave grip the Northeast and the Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. Families in the greater Washington DC area are waking up to homes with no air conditioning. Lives maybe lost because of the unwillingness of confounders at the DOE and other dinosaur nests to acknowledge the benefits and timeliness of hydrogen convergence.
It is completely unacceptable to endanger the lives of working and middle class Americans in order to enable a nuclear power renaissance. This is in essence the opposite of sustainability. Instead of enacting hydrogen convergence-friendly policies that would benefit the vast majority of Americans, the leadership at the DOE has chosen to feather its own nest with the promise of nuclear industry money.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: dinosaur nests, DOE, hydrogen, micro-grid, smart gridJuly 6th, 2010
Is Home Refueling Critical for Hydrogen Convergence Success?
If you read most commentary on hydrogen convergence, you would think that the most important contributor to success will be home refueling. We at the ebTDesign Forum would advise community leaders and industry pioneers to think of this as a thinly veiled dinosaur attack.
Confounders at the DOE and other dinosaur nests like to use misdirection to slow down the advance of hydrogen convergence. Home refueling is an option for ICE (internal combustion engine) automobiles. Yet most home owners don’t choose it. In fact, most local zoning commissions would frown upon it.
The rationale for home hydrogen refueling is based on the potential convenience provided by plug-in hybrids. Electric Vehicle (EV) enthusiasts talk about simply recharging their cars while they sleep and never having to worry about going to a service station. This is a sci-fi pipedream. EV owners will spend more time at recharging stations as anyone who actively uses a cell phone or laptop computer can attest.
Don’t be fooled into placing the home refueling attribute into the critical path of your hydrogen convergence business case. We would propose deployment of distributed solar and wind energy applications as the proper conduits for residential participation. Surplus energy could be sold to regional hydrogen producers who could develop economies scale.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: confounders, dinosaur nests, DOE, hydrogenJuly 1st, 2010
Hydrogen Convergence can’t rely on Government for Commercialization
Many well known hydrogen advocates stress the need for government funding to drive hydrogen convergence. We at the ebTDesign Forum disagree and would suggest that now is the time that the United States Government gets out of the way. The Internet would not be the success that it is today if the Federal Government had continued to manage its growth.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) turned the Internet over to the National Science Foundation (NFS) for commercialization. We would advise the Department of Energy (DOE) to do the same for hydrogen convergence. With all the challenges associated with managing the nation’s fossil fuel supply, another government organization needs to be tasked with commercializing hydrogen infrastructure.
If the DOE can’t bear to have another agency playing its sandbox then it should task a specific program like ARPA-E to promote licensing and make commercialization decisions. The clock is ticking and everyday that the United States goes without a strategy for ending dependence on foreign oil reduces our standing in the post-Globalization marketplace. Hopefully, this will not be the true legacy of the Obama Administration.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: ARPA-E, DOE, hydrogen, NSF, ObamaJune 28th, 2010
Senator Schumer Vocal Fan of Hydrogen Convergence
After touring the Rochester Institute of Technology’s (RIT) fuel cell labs and riding in a hydrogen car, Senator “Chuck” Schumer voiced his disbelief in the Obama Administration’s proposed spending cuts in hydrogen convergence.
Echoing what many of our loyal readers and social media followers have been saying for months, Senator Schumer stressed, “With the right investments, we can use what we’ve developed here to wean our country off of foreign oil.”
We at the ebTDesign Forum suggest that the best way to ensure hydrogen convergence success is to reconfigure the Department of Energy (DOE). Otherwise, the United States Congress will have to come to the aid of the hydrogen fuel cell industry every year.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: DOE, hydrogen, RIT, SchumerJune 14th, 2010
Let the Mainstreaming of Hydrogen Convergence Begin
Contrary to popular beliefs energy efficiency and performance are a function of time. Technologies never enter the marketplace fully formed. In fact, many overnight successes are really scientific curiosities that have been bumping around the lab for decades. Mainstreaming is process of getting to know a new technology and understanding its efficiency and performance characteristics.
The mainstreaming of hydrogen convergence will soon kick into overdrive because of the work being done by Professor David Ramaker and the George Washington University (GWU) Chemistry Department. Professor Ramaker is doing pioneering work on “X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) to study absorption of small molecules on catalysts during fuel cell operation.”
We at the ebTDesign Forum would advise our readers and social media followers that they should follow this technology because of the potential for real world observation. The biggest disconnect at the Department of Energy has been the belief that hydrogen convergence is still in the research phase. Hopefully, the funding of XAS research signals a realization that hydrogen convergence mainstreaming is finally underway.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: DOE, fuel cell, GWU, hydrogen, XASJune 8th, 2010
Once again, Can the DOE be Trusted with Hydrogen Convergence?
Reports are starting to trickle in about the DOE’s bias against hydrogen fuel cell innovation and for electric vehicles (EV). This is a time when the DOE is supposed to be evaluating the advances of hydrogen convergence. However, some feel that the DOE has taken this opportunity to advocate the benefits of battery powered electric vehicles (EV).
As loyal readers and social media followers know, hydrogen convergence is the next long wave. It the first post-Globalization industrial movement and will shape the economic landscape for decades to come. The fossil fuel era (previous techno-economic event) lasted for roughly a century. So it is easily conceivable that hydrogen convergence could do the same.
Given the track record of the DOE on hydrogen convergence, the question has to be asked. Does the DOE have the necessary resources and commitment to manage development and eventual commercialization of hydrogen infrastructure? Can it be trusted to do what’s necessary to ensure that the economic interests of the American people are well served?
Is it time to move responsibility for hydrogen convergence to a separate agency within the federal government? Hydrogen innovation may find a better home in the Department of Commerce (DOC) or at the National Science Foundation (NSF). Research funding is the life blood of competitiveness. However, commercialization is the muscle which moves an economy into the future and produces sustainable job growth.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: commercialization, DOC, DOE, hydrogen, NSF, post-GlobalizationJune 1st, 2010
Is the DOE Hydrogen Merit Review Process Rigged?
Less than one week from the start of the DOE Hydrogen Merit Review Process, we at the ebTDesign Forum have to ask “Do you think that the process is rigged?” There were new hydrogen innovations announced almost every day. Yet the hydrogen research funding was once again cut and research on fossil fuel alternatives for use in fuel cells was increased.
This past year has clearly been extraordinary for the advancement of hydrogen convergence. Secretary Chu from the Depart of Energy wrote funding for hydrogen research out of the budget. However, like the mythical bird called the Phoenix the hydrogen convergence movement arose from the ashes and has taken flight.
As loyal readers and social media followers, we at the ebTDesign Forum have to ask “Do you still have faith in the merit review process as it is performed by the confounders at the DOE?” At the ebTDesign Forum, it appears to us that the DOE has chosen to ignore the obvious benefits of hydrogen convergence in order to pursue their dreams of a nuclear power renaissance.
Fortunately, the American people still have a say in how our energy security will be achieved. While the confounders want to turn the page on the Catastrophe on the Gulf Coast by saying accidents happen, the reality is that there are some economic risks that we can’t afford to take. Allowing the jobs that will be created by hydrogen convergence to move offshore is one of them. With your help, the days of playing catch up are over.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: confounders, DOE, hydrogen, merit reviewMay 27th, 2010
More signs of Hydrogen Convergence thaw at DOE, Excluding Infrastructure
The Department of Energy (DOE) is holding a fuel cell bus workshop on June 7th, 2010. This workshop will cover everything associated with the development and deployment of fuel cell buses except for infrastructure. However, we at the ebTDesign Forum would caution our readers and social media followers against undue optimism.
Of late, the DOE has been actively soliciting project ideas for the development of fuel cells that run on fossil fuel. Last year, the confounders at the DOE introduced the strategy of removing hydrogen from the name of all fuel cell related programs. The United States Congress stopped them through the appropriation process.
This year the confounders have redoubled their efforts. It was very telling that in President Obama’s Memorandum Regarding Fuel Efficiency Standards there was no mention of hydrogen. Community leaders and industry pioneers would be well-advised to view this tactic by the DOE as more of a misdirection rather than a dinosaur attack. When the DOE starts talking about the challenges of deploying hydrogen infrastructure then we’ll know that they are serious about hydrogen convergence.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: bus, DOE, fuel cell, hydrogen, misdirection, ObamaMay 25th, 2010
Obama Administration Warming to Hydrogen Convergence?
President Barack Obama recently issued a Presidential Memorandum Regarding Fuel Efficiency Standards. This policy statement comes in the aftermath of the greatest manmade environmental disaster in United States History. Some would suggest that because of the oil spill support for hydrogen convergence is thawing at the White House.
We at the ebTDesign Forum would like to ask, “Does this mean that President Obama has lost faith in the confounders at the Department of Energy?” All we know for sure is that the conversation on the surface is changing. We have to ask is this enough to change the behavior at the DOE, DOT, and/or the EPA which will lead to active support for hydrogen convergence?
Anyone who has worked in the Federal Government knows that simply putting out a policy statement is not enough to change actions within any Federal Agency. Government employees are often resistant to any strategic change. They are very tactical and slow to react because of the constantly shifting political environment. This is just a function of self-preservation.
Unless there are accompanying personnel changes, there is very little hope for any substantial success. In a politically charged environment where creativity and personal initiative have been bred out, it is completely nonsensical to think that change will happen without the addition of new people. We at the ebTDesign Forum would suggest that it has been the reluctance to make personnel changes which have led directly to the current environmental challenges.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: DOE, DOT, EPA, hydrogen, ObamaApril 27th, 2010
Mexicali Earth Quake identifies New Power Grid Vulnerability
If you believe that business continuity is a major concern for both investors and management teams then you would probably be interested in the vulnerability identified by the Mexicali Earth Quake. We at the ebTDesign Forum have previously published findings that the United States is becoming overly reliant on the electricity supply industry. And, we support the need for early investment in hydrogen convergence.
The strength of the United States Economy is tied to innovation and this often takes the form of increasingly complex and sensitive electronic equipment. The Mexicali Earth Quake highlighted the vulnerability of the United States power grid to frequency fluctuations due to natural disasters. The earth quake knocked a couple power plants off line which probably caused the frequency instability.
Either way, hydrogen convergence is the best way to protect capital intensive machinery from damage. Problems associated with a single instance of dirty power may not show up for months. America needs a post-Globalization renaissance in the manufacturing industry. However, this effort will be severely comprised if the necessary grid standards can’t be maintained.
The lengthy frequency fluctuations that resulted from the Mexicali Earth Quake were felt throughout the entire Western Interconnect Power Grid. This year has seen a number of natural disasters and each has presented its own set of challenges for the national power grid. We at the ebTDesign Forum question not only the DOE’s Energy Security Strategy but also whether the DOE is configured properly to handle the most pressing problems of 21st century.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: DOE, energy security, hydrogen, power gridApril 20th, 2010
Combining Cleantech Management and Hydrogen Convergence
Everyone can readily see the impact of the Internet on business development. However many don’t recognize the importance of computer resource management. We at the ebTDesign Forum would suggest that it was the changes in managing back-office processes that allowed the Internet to generate extraordinary value.
Hydrogen Convergence has the potential of doing the same for the management of “cleantech resources.” Management teams will need to be taught hydrogen convergence best practices. But, they will find that core value propositions aren’t very much different than the ones they have been using for the past decade to justify investment in web-based opportunities.
We would advise community leaders and industry pioneers that the time has come to build a case for hydrogen convergence using standard business rationale. In many cases, they will simply need to change the benefits conversation from avoiding eminent climate disaster to non-environmental opportunities for sustainable job growth. Hydrogen Convergence is the only cleantech option that makes sense with or without global warming.
Further more, we would suggest that the emotional appeal should be based on a desire to save the American Dream for future generations. Without hydrogen convergence, all of the other cleantech opportunities have fatal design flaws that would result in a diminished standard of living for working and middle class Americans. And, confounders at the DOE know this by definition is a non-starter.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: American-Dream, cleantech, confounders, DOE, hydrogenApril 16th, 2010
DOE needs to be Reconfigured for Family-sized Energy Security
The reason that the Department of Energy (DOE) has a rough time understanding the benefits of hydrogen convergence is because it was not built for family-sized energy security. The DOE was established primarily as a means of managing America’s strategic energy concerns. In fact, the DOE has only recently started promoting energy conservation in earnest to the American people.
However, energy conversation is actually a strategic concern not a family-sized or kitchen table issue. The confounders at the DOE know that when working and middle class families have access to well paying jobs they care little about energy conservation. This makes it more difficult for the DOE to manage the strategic energy reserves.
In order to more easily manage these energy reserves, the so-called industry experts at the DOE like to scare American citizens into using less energy and denying them information they deserve about the benefits of hydrogen convergence. They won’t undertake the development of hydrogen infrastructure because it will require some ingenuity and commitment on their part.
The confounders at the DOE are much more willing to reduce the standard of living for working and middle class Americans. Rather than help the United States maintain leadership in hydrogen convergence and foster job growth. They would prefer to see American hydrogen innovation die on the vine. Only a government agency out of control would put its interests above those of the American people that it has sworn to protect.
We at the ebTDesign Forum would advise members of Congress to take a much needed look at the role of the DOE in ensuring family-sized energy security. Post-Globalization, we would encourage lawmakers to reconfigure the DOE so that it can tackle the three tasks associated with implementing real family-size energy policies (i.e., personal transport, cleantech manufacturing, massively distributed power generation or MDPG). They owe it to the American people.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: cleantech, DOE, energy security, hydrogen, MDPGApril 12th, 2010
Why does the DOE see Nuclear Waste as a sign of Progress?
At a time when most working and middle class Americans are concerned about feeding their families and other kitchen table issues, the Department of Energy (DOE) seems preoccupied with resurrecting the nuclear power industry. What do our readers and social media followers know that the DOE doesn’t.
They know that hydrogen convergence doesn’t have any negative environmental effects. These community leaders and cleantech pioneers have made the connection that nuclear waste causes cancer in both children and adults. And, they are beginning to understand that a Secretary of Energy that wants to perpetrate this kind of crime against the American people should be removed.
The only people who see nuclear waste as a sign of progress are members of the mainstream media and the confounders at the DOE that they listen to. The rise of social media can be linked to the divergence of transnational media interests from those of the American people. And, we can all be thankful for this sign of progress.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: DOE, hydrogen, nuclear waste