RichC | March 23, 2016
Looking at the Finviz chart of the wild second half of 2015 slide for crude oil, one would think we Americans would be cheering since we love driving big cars. Unfortunately lower crude prices (and prices at the pump) are also indicators of a struggling domestic and world economy. U.S. companies need strong international economies […]
RichC | December 11, 2015
Stocks have been in decline as investors wait for the Fed to either “move” or get off the pot this month. Adding to the misery for those who are thinking they are in long “safe” dividend paying stocks, like those in energy, they are nervous too. While the economy is not particularly bad, the deflationary […]
RichC | December 8, 2015
Warmer forecasts, no production cut by OPEC and inventory surplus is keeping energy prices low and crude oil has moved to seven year lows. The impact is being felt by small leveraged U.S. oil companies who are on the brink of bankrupcy and even creating waves throughout the economy. As I tweeted… Oil prices fell […]
RichC | November 4, 2015
Over the last couple years, my son-in-law and I have been slowly upgrading our home light bulbs with varied LEDs. For both of us it has been an experiment in getting the most satisfactory bulbs for the least number of dollars … unfortunately that usually means ordering a box from China in bulk (gambling with […]
RichC | November 3, 2015
TransCanada requested a suspension of the U.S. permit on the Keystone XL Pipeline and one of my favorite “short take” email headlines did an appropriate refresher: Keystone XL Pipeline: not a beer. It’s a major oil pipeline project that would carry a LOT of crude oil from Canada to Texas. It’s also a major political […]
RichC | February 5, 2015
Years ago back when I was in high school and college, I still had an uninhibited imagination when it came to what mechanical innovations were possible. I wasn’t yet tainted by the words “no, can’t, impossible, unrealistic, etc.” In those days I was studying engineering and all things mechanical, I thought by now it would […]
RichC | December 29, 2014
As the year draws to a close, we can be thankful for economic boost coming from cheaper gasoline. The chart above show just how rapid the decline in the price of Crude Oil changed. It illustrates the unbelievable shift in the cost of energy for all of us. It is partially due to demand, but […]
RichC | December 23, 2014
A local convenient store today in Liberty Township, Ohio … December 23, 2014. As a Volkswagen TDI and Mercedes diesel car guy … there is something wrong when the spread between regular unleaded gasoline and diesel fuel is this much – over $1.50 difference! Ugh … back to driving the Honda Pilot, at least for the […]
RichC | December 15, 2014
Wow! … I’ve watched oil continuing to dip lower on Monday afternoon (WTI $55.40/barrel) and this rapid drop in recent weeks has “for some reason” caused equities to sell off. Normally one would see lower oil prices as a good thing for the stock market since it makes goods and products less expensive and gives […]
RichC | December 13, 2014
Wow … just couldn’t believe the lower gas prices this week as oil continues to tumble down under $60/barrel. The abundant supplies and inventory along with the recession in Europe and slowdown in China has really put pressure on world prices. I’ve seen news photos of gasoline selling under $2.00 out west and while driving […]
RichC | December 1, 2014
Last week oil prices hit multi-year lows after the Organization of the Petroleum Countries (OPEC) decided to maintain their current production rate. This indicated that they are either comfortable with the current price of oil or more than likely want to force producing areas with a higher cost per barrel to stop exploration, drilling and […]
RichC | November 5, 2014
Diesel exhaust treatment technology has vastly improved diesel engine emissions over the past decade along with ULSD fuels, but the technology is costly primarily due to rare earth metals. According to a press release yesterday, Clean Diesel Technologies, Inc $CDTI announced new proprietary Spinel™ technology will replace the use of platinum type metals in catalytic […]
RichC | October 24, 2014
The last 24 hours I’ve been running a two person battery test to see just how comfortable we can be on minimal amp hours. Obviously we need to do better since even with a fair amount of sun hitting Encore’s single Kyocera 135 watt solar panel our battery bank is depleting. The clouds are passing […]
RichC | September 30, 2014
Residents and businesses in Ohio “choose” which companies provide the energy used by their utility company, which can in most cases reduce their bills. This competition should be a good thing, one would think, but each year consumers go through a multi-step process to confirm our energy provider choice … and each year it is […]
RichC | September 24, 2014
With the lower cost of domestic natural gas here in North America, the next couple of decades will continue opening the doors of opportunity for innovative companies who finding better ways to utilize this domestic and abundant clean fuel. Westport Technologies (WPRT), a leader in advanced natural gas engines and vehicles, has fallen flat as […]
RichC | September 15, 2014
Since visiting my son Taylor a couple times in northwestern (Williston) North Dakota, I pay closer attention to what is happening in his area and the boom growth as well as the politics around moving energy. Unless someone sees the train tanker cars lined up or drive on the roads which are packed with truck […]
RichC | July 22, 2014
After my recent visit to North Dakota and the oil fields … AND seeing what has happened in one short year, I talked with my son ways of trying to invest in this oil boom (the “invest in what you know” philosophy). Of course I tried to look at what he sees from a “planners” […]
RichC | July 3, 2014
If you’re thinking about saving a few fuel dollars and are contemplating driving an electric-vehicle like the Nissan Leaf, be sure to factor the price of a new battery into your “energy savings” numbers. Nissan’s replacement battery for the popular EV Leaf is $5,499, which includes a $1000 credit for the old battery. That’s a […]
RichC | June 17, 2014
While listening to CNBC’s Squawkbox yesterday morning, Southern Company’s CEO Thomas Fanning sees exporting U.S. energy as economically a best path forward. The strategy is not without debate and hits opposition from both sides – the anti-fossil fuel greens and conservatives wanting to preserve our nation’s natural resources for America’s future. That argument aside, one […]
RichC | June 16, 2014
While keeping tabs on a hedge fund analyst and his comments over at Seeking Alpha, I read a little bit on $WPRT and the recent management change and where they still in relation to their “natural gas vehicle/truck conversion” peers. Having watched my shares lose value this past year, I’ve been wondering why Westport hasn’t […]
RichC | June 11, 2014
Investors and pre-order buyers are still in the “wait” mode for the innovated water heater from Heatworks … but the CEO Jerry Callahan does a great job of keeping his Kickstarter investors informed. That said, I’m looking forward to installing the Model 1 later this summer and will be updating the blog on how it […]
RichC | May 23, 2014
I’m probably not the only one noticing the annual Memorial Day jump in retail gasoline prices kicking off the summer driving season. Yesterday most of the stations locally (north of Cincinnati) bumped prices up to $3.85–plus per gallon for regular grade fuel. Thankfully on the drive home, I fueled up the old Mercedes 300D for […]
RichC | April 29, 2014
Rarely do we talk about near monopolies, government agencies or utility companies in a positive way when it comes to servicing their captive market or hostage customer … where else can we go? We shouldn’t be surprised since where there is little competition, there isn’t the same motivation to excel with customer service as when […]
RichC | April 8, 2014
Is a helium filled floating wind turbine practical? Alaeros has already tested theirs tethered at 500 feet and is attempting a world record 1000 foot where the winds are stronger and steadier. Hmm, perhaps instead of mounting a wind turbine atop a stainless steel pole on our sailboat I should rig a floating turbine in […]
RichC | April 3, 2014
As the U.S. continues to delay and “study” the Keystone pipeline as a way to efficiently move North American crude oil from east of the Rocky Mountains in both Canada and the Dakota Bakkans to Texas refineries, other options and pathways are moving forward. Energy pipeline company Kinder Morgan Energy Partners L.P. ($KMP) held a […]
RichC | March 12, 2014
I keep thinking that something has got to give in Washington DC when it comes to the how the Obama administration and many in congress bog down the greatness of our country. The lack of an economic recovery is hurting the middle class and there isn’t a commonsense reason for it. Take the debate over […]
RichC | February 8, 2014
Monitoring Kickstarter projects is a great way to see just what entrepreneurs and inventors are coming up with … and to rejuvenate pride in American Exceptionalism. The other day I saw a guys talking about Mobile Personal Theatre headphones called Glyph on the business channel CNBC which was pretty neat. I’ve micro funded a few […]
RichC | January 25, 2014
No … not what you think. I have not gone down the Doomsday rabbit hole … just yet, but for years I’ve been interesting in self-sufficient living and do my share of reading. I enjoy reading both fictional thrillers about EMPs (ie. One Second After) and books oriented towards self-sufficiency. I’ve spent a few hours […]
RichC | January 22, 2014
Although I’m pretty conservative when it comes to investing and stocks, I do pay attention to the occasion stock tip when it comes from business people I respect. One fellow I know who attends shareholder meetings and get to know the interworking of companies has taken a substantial position in Hyperdynamics Corporation. I’ve added a […]
RichC | December 5, 2013
I purchased a new 12 watt LED bulb for reading(larger bulb in left of photo) that promised to offer a few more “soft but bright” lumens from my chair side lamp. I “was” using two Cree LED bulbs (smaller bulb in left photo), but the light output still wasn’t comparable to a good three-way incandescent […]
RichC | May 23, 2013
I love reading stories about bright young inventors exploring the world of science and remember with fondness the days of science fair projects. One that recently caught my eye was a scholarship winner from California who worked with super capacitors and is finding ways to improve electrical energy storage devices (as well as charging and […]
RichC | May 15, 2013
A Motley Fool financial advisory email arrived in my email box this week which caught my eye with a subject line reading “The death of diesel.” While this seems to predict dire news for those of use who are advocates for compression ignition engines, I’ll paraphrase Mark Twain and say that announcement of diesels death […]
RichC | March 12, 2013
Seven years ago, it was challenging to find automotive diesel at a car friendly "gas" station here in the U.S., but according to ExxonMobil research, in the next seven years we’ll see diesel use surpass gasoline as the petroleum fuel of choice. (The Outlook For Energy: A View To 2040 – PDF) The efficiency of […]
RichC | December 8, 2012
My kids roll their eyes when I strike up offhanded conversations with strangers in parking lots, gas stations, etc. Take Friday for instance, I saw a guy get out of his new Passat TDI and glanced over to ask how he liked his new diesel. He grinned and exclaimed, “I’m getting 47 mpg!” which I […]
RichC | August 22, 2012
Since our nation’s oil and gas industry has expanded its capacity to produce natural gas in recent years, it only makes sense that we take advantage of this plentiful, clean, and low cost energy resource. It sure sounds like a sensible way to keep the United States an economically competitive place to build and expand […]
RichC | June 23, 2012
Yes, according to a news release from Colombia, Maryland’s New Energy Technologies, Inc. Unfortunately I still think we are faced with the “it is a drop in the bucket” producer of electricity in comparison to what we Americans use … not to mention the cost of windows. Still, it is interesting to explore the advancements […]
RichC | April 21, 2012
Solar3D, Inc. (solar3d.com) is developing a breakthrough 3-dimensional solar cell technology to maximize the conversion of sunlight into electricity. Up to 30% of incident sunlight is currently reflected off the surface of conventional solar cells, and more is lost inside the solar cell materials. Inspired by light management techniques used in fiber optic devices, our […]
RichC | March 22, 2012
It’s easy for someone like me with a fiscally and socially conservative ideology to disagree with President Obama and his expansion of government. I disagree with his irresponsible deficit spending, his liberal social philosophies and adding new entitlements. As he approaches re-election he has also returned to blaming someone else for problems, even after 3+ […]
RichC | January 9, 2012
Although I’m not at all disappointed with my current single 135W Kyocera solar panel, I don’t want to be wasting amps and not returning them to my battery bank. I was reading an article debating the different controllers regulating charging and began doing some of my own research since I’m thinking about adding an additional […]
RichC | November 16, 2011
How do you know a politician is lying? Well we’ve all heard the old “lips are moving” answer … it is even more true today than in the past. As someone who really wanted to believe that people – voters – could make a change … I’m becoming more and more disheartened. (Disclosure: I didn’t […]
RichC | November 12, 2011
After reading a recent article in the WSJ discussing the tens of thousands of high paying energy sector and supporting jobs that would be immediately available if the Keystone XL pipeline project would be approved, its clear that politics are more important to President Obama that U.S. jobs. He must have decided that the votes […]
RichC | March 22, 2009
Very few things irritate me more when traveling down the interstate and looking for fuel only to find out that the interstate sign doesn’t match the price at the pump. It use to be that when this happened that it was only a couple cents, but now in the day of 10 – 20 cent […]
RichC | February 29, 2008
In a press conference on Thursday, President Bush referenced his administration’s heavy investing in renewable fuels and the problem this expansion creates as it competes for food crops (particularly corn based ethanol). The President stressed that we also “need more oil and gas exploration and for less money to be spent on foreign oil.” These […]
RichC | February 23, 2008
Demand for fuel is down, but prices are up to a near all-time high in the U.S., says a USAToday article. Diesel hit a record high of $3.54 per gallon, and unleaded gasoline is up to a $3.11 national average price, which is an increase of more than 6.2 cents in two days. The previous […]
RichC | January 17, 2008
An MSNBC technology article reported that the new Panasonic “Evolta” Double-A (AA) battery is the longest lasting household alkaline battery — according to Guinness World Records. The double-A sized battery is used in many household items from gadgets and toys to clocks and tools. The article states that the improvements are made by packing in […]
RichC | June 18, 2007
Since I’m in town, I decided to pinch pennies and fill up the Honda Pilot before the 1:30 PM price increase; I was notified on my cellphone by the Meijer Gas Price Text Alert service. (also used four $1 off coupons accumulated by grocery shopping at Meijers) I’m finding the ‘warnings’ a help and a […]
RichC | December 3, 2006
Aren’t all gasolines sold at American filling stations all the same? According to Dr. Fuel Good from Shell Oil Company — No. Contrary to what 70% of American motorist think, not all gasolines are equal when it comes to protecting the internal parts of your car’s gasoline engine. Pat Goss from Motorweek and his guest […]
RichC | July 22, 2006
Dylan Ratigan of CNBC hosted a special last week that I recorded
RichC | May 25, 2006
Mandating biofuels: It looks like the ‘politically correct’ thing to do … even though I also see it as a good thing to do. The Louisiana legislature looks to be proposing that their state use ethanol and biodiesel as production comes online. The House Bill 685 introduced by Rep. Francis Thompson would require that 2 […]
RichC | March 29, 2006
The President has his work cut out for him in gaining national acceptance for a new US energy plan. Almost everyone is talking about energy these days, particularly oil since the barrel price has steadied in the mid- $60 per barrel range and gasoline at the pump is about $2.50/gallon nationally. (Wednesday, March 29, 2006, […]
RichC | March 8, 2006
A friend of mine spotted this switch on one of the forums he visits, and I thought was worth a post. Actually it segues into a pet peeve of mine, that of people confusing the ‘no conversion biodiesel’ alternative with just ‘straight’ (SVO) or ‘waste’ (WVO) conversions. A quick comparison between what I call biodiesel […]
RichC | March 3, 2006
I’m reluctant to post a message before hearing from Citgo Petroleum Corporation on an email making its way around the internet that generates strong emotions from most I’ve shown it too. (see posted email at the end of this post) The company (Citgo) is owned by PDV America, Inc., an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of […]
RichC | March 2, 2006
Its all about marketing and timing. General Motors is off and running after gaining support for its “Live Green, Go Yellow” marketing blitz when President Bush used the bully pulpit to promote alternative fuels like ethanol. If this solution sounds too good to be true … it is because at this moment it is. Let’s […]
RichC | October 15, 2005
October 14, 2005 was the day the US Department of Energy’s Clean Cities Program and the 80+ community-based coalitions celebrated the displacing of one billion gallons of petroleum across the nation. Kim Lahman (photo right), Tri-State Clean Fuel Network’s Coordinator, organized the local Cincinnati area event with many key participates at Cincinnati’s Ault Park. (what […]