It sometimes seems that the built environment, and the adjustments to achieve a sustainable society, are of the same nature everywhere. But that is by no means the case when we zoom out, to Europe for example. There should be… Continue Reading
A little bit of history this time, especially about the Dutch Energy Strategy of 1974. In the period leading to that bill, we had two moments in history where we had taken the wrong turn . In the 19th century… Continue Reading
In the context of end-of-year fireworks, lets discuss nuclear energy. Because its back on the agenda. Its indeed an option, but then, the discussion should use the right arguments. Up to now, the discussion is about the advantages or disadvantages… Continue Reading
Big headlines in Nature last week: [1]” Emissions are still rising: disaster up the cuts “And” Leaders at climate summit get bad news: CO2 emissions are rising again “. Astonishing that may not be, however: if the economy continues to… Continue Reading
I frequently run into the dilemma that we, in the ‘energy-intensive world’, want to switch to a sustainable approach, and want to switch to renewable energy sources, but that we absolutely do not want to give up anything of our… Continue Reading
The national organization for road works in the Netherlands, RWS, has a slogan: from A to Better. It has not brought us much so far: The roads are widened, more traffic lanes , so now we are not in a… Continue Reading
The Tetra Materia (see previous article) approach might be useful for practice, its not the whole story. It guides direction, but does not set targets. And our system has an overall limit as well. Materials, even renewables, come exclusively from… Continue Reading
The Trias Energetica is one of the generic guidelines that has a wide adoption in the Netherlands since the nineties: it states that, in order of importance: 1 reduce energy demand, 2 use renewable energy 3 use fossil fuels as… Continue Reading
Strange, really, that calculating in kWh seems normal for everyone. Especially in this time, because kWh does say nothing about the origin of the energy, which can be anything, from labor, wind turbines, or coal to nuclear energy. Currently it… Continue Reading
Recently I wrote about the Bitcoin, and other crypto currencies, as being the clothes of the emperor. They represent “ NOTHING”. Have no other value as ‘faith’. Which will become problematic, when it turns out there is no ‘heaven’. No… Continue Reading