Energy
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Economic growth, GHG emission reduction, and the Kuznet’s Curve
Three years ago, I did my master’s thesis examining the causal relationshipbetween energy consumption, economic growth, and CO2 emissions in the Philippines. Employing the Toda and Yamamoto procedure to test the causality between the variables, I found that the country’s economic growth may help reduce CO2 emissions in the long run. However, CO2 reduction may Read more
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Microgrids and food security
One study found that “inflation in oil price is harmful for energy security and threatening food security.” It suggests that “it’s necessary to diversify the energy consumption in agricultural sector.” And from this article, microgrids become the solution to liberate the food industry from relying on “fossil fuels for processing, transportation and fertilizers.” While the Read more
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On building hydropower plants
Working as a researcher gives you a front-row seat to see a study area’s possible futures. You could make way for things to become a reality, like designing systems that provide energy access to a locality through hydropower. But then, like all projects, there are two sides to the story. While well-meaning designers want to Read more
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Where do decommissioned wind turbines go?
Renewable energy is popular–it is often touted as the “fastest-growing” source of energy with statements such as “the total amount of electricity harnessed from wind has more than doubled since 2010” and “the rate of solar power installation has grown by a factor of more than one hundred during the last ten years.” Here we Read more
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Increase minimum wage to lift unemployment?
Presidentiables often campaign about raising the minimum wage to decrease unemployment rates and attract locals to remain in the country instead of working abroad. That sounds like a good idea, right? And being part of the working class, receiving extra incentives could open doors for a better lifestyle. For example, you can buy better food Read more
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The geopolitics of energy transition
Perhaps, the call towards utilizing alternative energy sources (like renewable energy sources) isn’t new to you. And like all things new, there’s a resistance. The kind that’s driven by the existing systems and the uncertainties of the unknown. As a student, it’s easy to think about a straightforward solution to climate change. That if you Read more
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Are gas stations on the decline?
Here’s a very good view from The economics of gas stations: And from the same article, the major contributors for this decline are: Natural gas is getting cheaper and more popular Electric vehicles (EVs) and driverless cars pose a long-term threat to gas sales Real estate in urban areas (NYC, DC, San Francisco, Boston) can be utilized for Read more
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