From the category archives:

Research

Post image for Alternative energy…not so alternative anymore

Over the years things like hybrid vehicles have gone from kooky concept to a common day commuter. It’s success isn’t because it is a car that gets super gas mileage, in fact it’s mileage doesn’t exceed that of a conventional clean diesel engine by much. Also, it has many fancy and expensive parts that mark up the price of the vehicle a good 10,000 dollars more that an average straight gasoline engine in its class. So why are they so popular? It is because more and more people are looking to do the right thing and make a difference when it comes to the environment, even if it costs a little more up front.

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Post image for Creative Destruction and the Automobile Industry

Like it or not, creative destruction has reared its head again, and like in the words of Victor Hugo,

“You can resist an invading army; you can not resist an idea whose time has come.”

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Rare Earth Metals: Worth Much More than Most Other Metals

February 16, 2009 Rare Earth Metals: Worth Much More than Most Other Metals
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Rare Earth Metals: Not as rare as you might have thought them to be, but worth much more than most other metals.

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Are they more headache than they are worth?

February 1, 2009 Are they more headache than they are worth?
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I read this article and thought it fitting to point out, that like in the oil days, there are lessons to be learned about new technologies.

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The Future of Potash

January 22, 2009 The Future of Potash
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Potash, a.k.a. plant food, was never considered a particularly attractive investment, let alone a particularly attractive commodity. However, rising populations and an increasingly urban population leaves some pretty large challenges.

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Myths about Green Alternatives and Their Costs

January 20, 2009 Myths about Green Alternatives and Their Costs
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There are myths about green alternatives and their costs. It is true that 30, 20, 10 and even 5 years ago these technologies where at a massive disadvantage in terms of cost and ability in comparison to traditional sources of electricity. I can offer a few thoughts on this.

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Global Carbon Market Up Massive 83% on Previous Year

January 14, 2009 Global Carbon Market Up Massive 83% on Previous Year
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WASHINGTON & OSLO, Norway–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The global carbon market in 2008 grew faster both in terms of volume and value than estimated, dramatically bucking the current downturn which has depressed most global commodity trading.

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Do all so called “green initiatives” work?

January 5, 2009 Do all so called “green initiatives” work?
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The short answer is no. There are people who will argue “YES” but that is factually incorrect. What makes an initiative green? Is it the final output or is it the combination of the entire process of construction of the windmill unit (as an example), the transportation, installation, and so on? The latter is the obvious answer. Are there any chain reaction effects, are you sacrificing another ecosystem to make a particular initiative look green?

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Marginal Abatement Cost (MAC)

December 20, 2008 Marginal Abatement Cost (MAC)
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As an economist this is a concept that I almost take for granted, but is worth explaining to those who may not know it. The marginal abatement cost basically measures the cost of eliminating one more unit of carbon. In this case units are 1 ton. The cost of abating a unit is NOT a universal number. It varies by country and industry.

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Research – Disclaimer

December 1, 2008 Research

Disclaimer: Please be advised that any articles containing, but not limited to, price targets, resources estimates and any other speculative statements are the opinion of the Green Dollar Report (GDR) are the opinion of the GDR. We are not registered investment advisors. You should not make any kind of investment decision in relation [...]

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