Refrigerants - the liquid / gaseous material inside air conditioner and refrigerator compressors - are not the most glamorous of materials - but they are massive contributors to global warming.

What if a refrigerant...

• Reduced refrigerator and A/C energy consumption by over 30%
• Cost just 1/3rd of conventional refrigerants
• Has 96% less global warming impact than conventional refrigerants
• Has zero ozone depleting impact

What if this breakthrough was not developed by a giant chemical company, but over the past 15 years by a passionate former mechanic in Hawai’i?
Mr. Maruya of Kane’ohe Hawai’i could be one of this century’s energy heroes.

The EPA has just approved Mr. Richard Maruya’s remarkably simple HCR-188c refrigerant. Haier the Chinese white goods giant has provided research assitance, while Greenpeace has given him recognition.

While we would love to see the world beat a path to Mr. Maruya’s door, his challenge may be just beginning...Read More...

ReferencesEfficiency, Pollution, Regulation, Government, Oil

Until yesterday, I had never seen indoor smog... Below is the vast Norman-Foster designed arrival hall at Beijing’s new airport - its soaring roof supported by dozens of chimney-like columns fading away into the coal smoke in the distance...


As we drove downtown in one of Beijing’s ubiquitous minibuses, visibility decreased to about 1km as you can see from (click below to continue)Read More...

ReferencesPollution, Electricity, Government