Recently in Green Technology Category

GE has just introduced new incandescent light bulbs that supposedly match the new compact fluorescent type in efficiency and energy savings.

See this post from the Green Tech blog on this announcement. I agree with some of the comments that this appears to be taking two steps back, one step forward, but if the energy savings (and consequent reduction in carbon dioxide) rival fluorescents -- and the prices are right -- then we are still far better off going with either option than doing nothing at all.

Also of note, check out a new Yahoo! site -- 18seconds.org -- designed to encourage people to change to compact fluorescent bulbs -- a task that supposedly takes 18 seconds. The site, sponsored by Wal-Mart, shows a running tally of dollars saved and amount of carbon dioxide reduced as a result of replaced bulbs.

When I first blogged about the amazing energy savings -- and competitive pricing -- of new compact fluorescent light bulbs, I wrote about 2 common versions of the twist type bulb -- 60 and 100 watt incandescent replacements. Easily found at Costco or Walmart on the cheap.

  I've basically replaced every standard bulb in my house with a fluorescent one -- except for the more "specialty" bulbs, like chandelier bulbs, globe bulbs (for bathroom vanities), reflector and spot bulbs, outdoor bulbs, dimmer bulbs, 3-way bulbs, bug bulbs, grow bulbs, blue light bulbs, red light bulbs, and very very bright bulbs. In fact, any light bulb you can think of has a fluorescent replacement.

In other words, we're still talking a heck of a lot of incandescent light bulbs still burning in my house.

Why aren't they more readily available, and at more reasonable pricing? If you surf around, you can see little chandelier bulbs priced at $9 at piece -- and globes even higher -- and that's not including shipping charges! I'm sorry, but $15+/ bulb just ain't gonna cut it for me -- Not when we're talking dozens and dozens of bulbs.

Someone needs to convince a forward thinking company -- like the venerable U.S bulb company Feit Electric -- to bring prices down to competitive levels to goose their wholesale adoption. 

And I smell opportunity for folks who can figure out a way to make them easily available at a reasonable price.

Jon Arnold and I figured that since most everyone else was making some sort of announcement, issuing press releases and generally making noise  -- especially to pull in the crowds at Internet Telephony Conference & EXPO East going on right now -- that it was OK to make some noise of our own.

Hopefully it will be music to your ears

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NEW YORK, TORONTO, and FORT LAUDERDALE, January 23, 2007-- Robins Consulting Group (RCG) and J Arnold & Associates (JAA) – both leading IP Communications industry research, marketing and consulting firms – have proudly announced a new partnership that includes the two firms joining forces to provide an array of marketing, communications, strategy consulting and market research services to their growing roster of IP communications technology vendors and service providers.

In addition, RCG and JAA will be jointly developing new information resources, including an electronic newsletter and related Web site, which will offer unique industry analysis, a healthy dose of opinion, provide a new platform for other industry thought leaders, and offer valuable coverage and information not readily available elsewhere about the rapidly evolving IP communications industry.

Veteran industry thought leader Marc Robins, RCG's founder and Chief Evangelism Officer, has been involved in the IP communications industry since its inception, and has served the industry as a leading reporter and analyst, conference producer and magazine publisher, and marketing executive and consultant.

“I’ve known Jon for several years, and have come to consider him one of the best minds in the industry,” says Marc Robins. “I’m thrilled to be forging this new partnership with Jon and JAA, as I believe the unique combination of our highly complementary capabilities will allow us to deliver even more value to our clients and to the industry at large. I also look forward to working with Jon to create exciting and compelling new resources of industry intelligence to help industry professionals navigate the constantly shifting sands of this dynamic, fast-moving industry.”

J Arnold & Associates, founded by Jon Arnold, one of the IP communications industry’s most highly regarded analysts, is closely associated with VoIP, for both consumer and business applications. His marketing and strategy advice on the broader IP communications market is widely sought from vendors, carriers, the investment community, PR agencies and many facets of the media community.

“Marc brings a rich perspective to this space, and is an independent voice that is widely followed,” says Jon Arnold. “Together, I think can we offer a valuable resource that can benefit anyone involved in the IP communications market. In a nutshell, I’d like to think of us as the go-to-guys for all things IP.”

About RCG (Robins Consulting Group)

RCG, founded in 2003 by Marc Robins, is one of the leading consulting firms for companies in the IP Communications industry, offering market intelligence, high-value strategic planning and communications, messaging and branding expertise, and a variety of marketing consulting services including awareness and demand creation, distribution channel strategies and development, public relations support, and market research and analysis. Prior to founding RCG, Marc served as Vice President of Publications and Trade Shows, Associate Group Publisher and Group Editorial Director at TMC (Technology Marketing Corporation.)

Over the course of his career, Marc has authored hundreds of articles and columns for leading industry magazines, and he continues to evangelize new IP communications trends and technologies as a regular contributor to trade, mainstream and business publications, and as the author of his popular column “Mind Share 2.0” for Internet Telephony® magazine and blog “Beyond VoIP”. Marc is also a frequent moderator and speaker at leading industry events. For more information about RCG, visit www.robinsconsult.com.

About JAA

Jon Arnold is Principal of J Arnold & Associates, an independent analyst and marketing consultancy with a focus on IP communications. JAA works with a wide variety of clients in this sector, with expertise in VoIP, cable telephony, IPTV, Triple Play, enterprise IP, WiFi/WiMax, Peer-to-Peer, Web 2.0 and Open Source. His views are frequently cited in the business and trade press, and he regularly speaks at leading industry events. He also maintains an active profile through his widely followed blog and podcasts. Previously, he was the VoIP Program Leader at Frost & Sullivan, where he was responsible for managing their subscription service for Global VoIP Equipment Markets. The consultancy was launched in March 2005. For more information about JAA, visit www.jarnoldassociates.com.

With all the buzz about newfangled battery technologies and lithium battery laptop explosions, wherefore the quaint old lead acid battery?

Peoria, IL-based Firefly Energy just announced that it will have an innovative carbon-graphite foam, lead-acid battery ready for production by the fourth quarter of 2007, following the announcement that the Caterpillar spin-off has completed a $10 million Series B equity round of financing, led by Milwaukee-based Stark Investments and including Caterpillar, KB Partners, the Illinois Finance Authority and the Tri-County Venture Capital Fund.

The Firefly Energy battery, which introduces the first significant improvement on lead acid battery technology in more than 150 years, is currently under development for use by the U.S. military and by lawn and equipment giant Husqvarna. After its initial production, Firefly will work to develop their advanced batteries for hybrid electric vehicles and hybrid trucks.

When compared to the current generation of lead-acid batteries, the Firefly Energy battery boasts:

- four times greater power density or less than 1/4 the weight
- double the life expectancy
- seven times faster recharge rate
- environmentally safer, using 80 percent less lead

The battery also supposedly has 1/10th the manufacturing cost of nickel metal hydride and lithium ion options.

Recent reports about the new energy-saving, compact fluorescent bulbs indicate that if every household across the country swaps just one 60 watt incandescent bulb with a fluorescent replacement that uses just 13 watts, it could save 13 million barrels of oil.

For those of you who haven't tried these bulbs yet, they don't flicker like the fluorescents of old, and cast a nice yellowish light. In addition to saving energy (and money), they supposedly last 10 times longer than standard incandescents.

I hear Walmart is selling these bulbs at a discount, but I get mine at Costco, where I believe the prices are even lower. An eight-pack of Philips 60 watt replacements costs $11.19, or around $1.40/bulb, and a four pack of 100 watt replacements that consume only 23 watts each, goes for $7.99, or $1.99/bulb.

Highly recommended.

Whatever you call EEStor's new ceramic power source/ultra capacitor, just don't call it a battery, according to Ian Clifford, CEO of Feel Good Cars, an electric car company based in Toronto that plans to incorporate the technology in its cars.

Although EEStor is still operating in a sort of stealth mode, a patent issued in April for the device indicates that it's made of a ceramic powder coated with aluminum oxide and glass, and doesn't contain any hazardous materials or chemicals, so it technically really isn't a battery.

The patented device, however, is designed to store electricity -- and boy what a storage device it is! If reports can be believed, the device is designed to be charged up in 5 minutes, and provide enough juice to drive 500 miles on about 9 bucks of electricity -- or the equivalent of 45 cents a gallon. At today's gas prices, it would cost around $60 for the same trip. An electric engine incorporating the device is expected to cost around $5,200 -- a slight premium over gasoline-powered engines. And according to reports, the device can deliver Ferrari-like horsepower.

EEStor has some heavy financial hitters backing it, including VC firm Kleiner Perkin Caufield & Byers -- a firm that is going green in more ways than just financially.

If the technology lives up to the hype, and keeps from being bought out and buried under piles of record-keeping boxes in some warehouse in remote Montana, expect major disruption to the oil companies and carmakers that don't embrace it.