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Are you interested in becoming an organizer in your area?: Yes

Tell us about your experience with alternative energy:: Designed first all-solar home for Ryland Homes in 1974. At MITRE, led a group of 35 of the best minds in the world (including Dr. Edward Teller, among others) who performed detailed engineering, scientific, socio-economic, and political analyses of all alternative energy choices for ERDA/DOE, NSF, and MITRE in 1975-80, and designed solar power plants at Gibbs & Hill in '80-'83. These included closed cycle gas turbines driven by a power tower, solar cogeneration 100MWe plant to power the Hidalgo, NM Phelps Dodge copper smelter using the Outokumpu Oy oxygen flash smelting process, the Ridgecrest Project with the Consortium of Alternate Energies, a seven-field power tower complex with 560 MWe peak power output with 100 hours of thermal storage for a 100 MWe base load system (China Lake/Ridgecrest, CA), and a 400 million gallon per year solar-powered ethanol plant. Known as world leader in alternative energy until the collapse of the field over the Reagan years.

Worked as a utility consultant for 8 years, and later at NASA for 16 years as a scientist and engineer, as Chief Technologist, reviewing all of NASA's R&D in every field of endeavor for the NASA Inventions and Contributions Board and the NASA Administrator.

20 invention disclosures, 5 patents, 87 scientific and technical peer-reviewed papers, 42 years in the profession, and successfully completed 15 projects on time, on budget, and meeting or exceeding specifications.

Listed in Who's Who in America and Who's Who In the World this year.

What excites you about this campaign?: Great ideas that must be fulfilled for our Nation's very survival.

What do you want to do to help?: I live 20 minutes from Capitol Hill. I am a scientist. What do you think?

My Skype handle is Paul20854.

Enjoy a Ray of Hope, Courtesy of the Sierra Club

Dr. Paul A. Curto's Blog

A Little Bit Of History: In The Days Of Cholera

One of our discussions here, "How much time to prepare before economic collapse?" led to this string of posts that I would like to consolidate into a single blog on the issues raised. These were posted just before the 2008 election.

I was asked to come and give some perspective on the art of the possible and make some suggestions on how to proceed in a time of cholera.

Back in 1981, just after Reagan took office, there was a time when the prime interest rate had just peaked at 24%, oil… Continue

Posted on November 9, 2009 at 3:00pm — 6 Comments

One Gift For The Holidays

When I look at the problems we face today, none can be more vexing that picking the right gifts for the holidays. There is no one more dear to me that the person who has stood by me through thick and thin, in sickness and health, through the good times and the bad, than my mate. Hypothetically, let’s suppose that I am given the choice of spending on her all my allotment of available funds on only one gift or a hundred. It doesn’t matter how much that amount might be, but let’s say for argument t… Continue

Posted on November 5, 2009 at 12:00pm — 12 Comments

Sellout On The Great Lakes

Last week, some very disturbing events took place regarding 52 very large freighters (1000 foot-long class with 40,000 to 70,000 ton cargo holds) based in and on the Great Lakes. These ships, which carry millions of tons of heavy cargoes across the Lakes through the locks of St. Lawrence Seaway to the world, burn the dirtiest dregs of refinery scum in the world -- bunker C oil. This stuff is so sludgy it has to be heated to flow into the old diesels that burn it. 13 of the 52 "Lakers" as they ar… Continue

Posted on October 31, 2009 at 8:00pm — 17 Comments

Discussion with Chris

At 7:53am on October 15th, 2008, Dr. Paul A. Curto said…
The atomic oxygen problem attacks both metals and non-metals. The best coatings were being developed at Glenn in Ohio by our best materials people, but the key man retired a few months before me. It's "fixable", but not cheaply. Delete Comment

At 9:18pm on October 14th, 2008, Chris said…
They are working these issues:

www.sspi.gatech.edu/photovoltaics2006.pdf

See page 9 regarding the oxygen attack...
Delete Comment

At 7:53am on October… Continue

Posted on October 15, 2008 at 2:36pm —

Comment Wall (98 comments)

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At 7:10am on February 2, 2009, Felicia Y. Sweet said…: 001AXES is Awesome! I have read the specification. I am buying a copy today and hope to speak with Ms. Hamilton. I think 001AXES can address a number of issues including that of Biologically Inspired Algorithms.

Sir, at some point my hubbie William and I will hook up with you at Tyson's II or White Flint.

Thanks Professor your the best!

At 8:04am on January 30, 2009, Felicia Y. Sweet said…: Thanks you Sir!

At 8:56am on January 29, 2009, W. Dan Chance said…: Good to hear from you. Working in the SE! Great. Don't forget Alabama but of course we first have to get net-metering. I've been peppering the PSC almost weekly (sometimes daily) with reports of negatives for fossil fuels and positives for alternatives. We have three members of the PSC. Two of them like alternatives but they are being very quiet. Maybe the most outspoken so far has been Susan Parker who speaks to Civic Clubs all over the state. At one time she wrote me asking for suggestions of names of individuals who could fill such engagements because she has more requests than she has time to attend. Would you be available to come to Alabama for a speeking engagement? If so I'll send her your name and contact information.

At 12:51pm on January 28, 2009, W. Dan Chance said…: Hi Paul, I hadn't heard from you in a long time and I just wanted to check in with you. Stay active my friend. You have a lot to give and we need every hand on deck.

At 10:02pm on December 18, 2008, Phillip Ridings said…: John Cogar wanted me to contact you and see what you might think! I have a totally new idea about Wind Turbines and believe everyone of them are build wrong... first just take a look at this one... www.dragonfly-windturbine.com and let me know what you think. Thank you!

At 12:14pm on November 24, 2008, Jessee McBroom said…: Hello Paul. You had asked me for reference material as to where I had obtained my information etc. For the most pat engineering manuals encyclopedic references and some rather advanced energy web sites. Try rexresearch.com and keeleynet.net miscellaneous Tesla groups etc. I do however limit my designs based upon proven scientific and technological achievement IE Known Methods of producing reproduceable results. I find myself in the difficult position of not being able to freely discuss my designs due to the burdensome fact that much of what I would prefer to discuss is of a proprietory nature and I do have to bear in mind Texas A&M's position in all of this.

At 10:58am on November 24, 2008, Warren Reynolds said…: Paul: If you would like more info just email me : w.d.reynolds@att.net

At 8:04am on November 15, 2008, Marjorie Ewing said…: Hi Dr. Paul,
Thanks, for your invitation. I am a tax accountant with degrees in accounting, English and a master's in tax, and have attended about 5 universities over my life, but I have a learning disability in math and got through 4 years of HS math including calculus by sheer determination and unashamed of D+s. However I run 2 businesses and am pretty good at organizing ("bossy eldest sister"). I agree with the idea that we need to translate your prodigious knowledge into terms that those who are not as dedicated to understanding everything can comprehend and share. I look forward to participating in this project, and I am very excited at the knowledge of those who have joined this movement. We definitely need to increase our presence on Capitol Hill.

At 7:02pm on November 9, 2008, Lou De Frog said…: Landslide Victory
Last night, after dissenters were removed. Lou was unanimously elected to the position of CEO of the ON-LINE NORTH AMERICAN PARTY
Anonymity to the On- Line NAP is assured under the Canadian Privacy Legislation.
Sign up here_______________________

Platform details available at www.howtoboilafrog.com (the Game). Please send us your two cents. - All ideas gratefully accepted. In Lou’s opinion, the entire world needs a NAP at this point so it can calm down, clear its head, and get started on the house-cleaning chores that are so long overdue. He takes a very down-to-pond attitude towards these things – it’s up to each of us to keep our own lily-pad clean.

At 6:14am on October 29, 2008, Bill Tucker said…: Dr. Paul Curto and all other Scientists, Engineers, and Designers,

Over the course of the past few months I have found myself embroiled in debates that range from politics to the best type of heat exchangers. I will say now that I am not the sharpest knife in the drawer especially when compared to people such as your selves.
The Pickens Plan has provided a place for us all to come together, to voice our opinions, push our ideas, argue for a better future, and pool our collective talents.
My talents are a long story but my story is necessary to a theme, so I would ask you to listen. When I was young like many children I had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. I grew up on Florida’s Space Coast in the midst of monumental human achievement in technology and science. My parents encouraged me to take “the hard subjects” in school, calculus, physics, and chemistry. I did well in my studies, but was unfulfilled something was lacking. Eventually I would leave my studies and join the Army. I traveled the world, was exposed to many different ideas, peoples, and philosophies. After a decade plus of serving King and country I came home and decided to return to my studies. I listened to opinion of family and friends and decided on Electrical Engineering as the course I would pursue. Once again I did well, and thoroughly enjoyed my studies. Alas I found myself once again unfulfilled and left college just short of completing my senior year and obtaining my degree. I opted to enter the construction industry where I have worn many hats over the years.
Now that I have completely bored you allow me to come to the point. My life’s experiences have given me (at least in some small ways) the tools I need to understand at least at basic levels what you are putting forth on the forums in terms of technology and the mechanics there of. In my humble opinion I am one of the few that can follow (even if it takes a lot of work on my part) what it is you are proposing and why that it might be the way to go. My talent has always been in the form of leadership to make a failing system work as intended. Systems not made of technology but of people. I do not do well with all people, but I have had over thirty years of experience in leading people to do all kinds of things. But that is my talent. Your talents are something that you understand.
But here on the Pickens Plan where people of all walks of life and all experience and educational levels want to affect change and want to understand, are your arguments really having the effect that you want?
I would propose to the Scientists, Engineers, and Designers, that collectively you all get together and develop a basic guide line of terms and processes that speak at a level that everyone can understand. I am not talking about educating everyone to your level, but providing a basic set of tools that allow everyone to fully grasp those things that are the most important. Facts, figures, base loads, graphs, infrastructures that can not handle significant increase to the grids, ammonia generation, and rising sea levels are all well and good but if they do not reach the lay person what good are they? News papers write at 8th grade levels so that they reach far more people with the news than if they were written at advanced degree level.
If many of the things that the Scientists, Engineers, and Designers discuss on the forums here were broken down like “science fair projects” more people would actively embrace these things and more pressure could be brought to bear to expedite change.
I do not profess to have all the answers and I certainly do not have you all’s background or expertise, but I do know that knowledge is power. If you want broader base support more people have to understand (at least at basic levels) what you are talking about.
Here on the Pickens plan there are many teachers and public speakers and such that could help. I just jumped way out on a limb there. We should consider as part of the plan,
Forums that discuss and teach in as non technical as possible how solar power works, how the electrical grid works, where natural gas comes from, how ocean thermal power is turned into electricity, how hydrogen is produced, how fuel cells work, and such.
I am not saying that the people here are uneducated, but if you look at many profiles you will find a recurring theme, “I don’t know much about renewable energy but I am trying to learn”. Many of you have been involved in your various areas for several decades; please allow the rest of us to benefit from your experience and knowledge.