Natural Capitalism Solutions

Natural Capitalism Solutions (NCS)' "mission is to educate senior decision-makers in business, government and civil society about the principles of sustainability.* NCS shows how to restore and further enhance the natural and human capital while increasing prosperity and quality of life. In partnership with leading thinkers and groups, NCS creates innovative, practical tools and implementation strategies for companies, communities and countries. Natural Capitalism Solutions (NCS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization...

"The organization is based on the principles presented in the acclaimed book Natural Capitalism-Creating the Next Industrial Revolution, co-authored by the organization's leader Hunter Lovins. NCS builds on the original Natural Capitalism Principles, a leading whole-system sustainability framework."

Economic Study Supports Coal Plant Phase-Outs Over Retrofits
In March of 2010 Natural Capitalism Solutions, an environmental advocacy group based in Longmont, Colorado, released a report that favored phasing out existing coal plants over retrofitting them with scrubber technology. The report titled, “Coal Plants in Transition: An Economic Case Study,” provided a “proof of concept” for utilities to consider as they evaluate investments in new generation capacity and upgrades to existing facilities.

“We are quickly entering a water- and carbon-constrained world, and we wanted to look at what options might be available to utility managers and other energy providers,” said Paul Sheldon, a senior consultant at Natural Capitalism Solutions and the report’s main author. “We believe that these findings represent a business approach for energy managers to consider as they are faced with difficult decisions regarding the future of their facilities. We’ve shown that this approach allows them to maintain reliability and still profit in their transition to 21st century energy technologies.”

Using the 35-year old, 2,250-megawatt Navajo Generating Station near Page, Ariz. as a case study, the group's analysis examined the costs and benefits of the plant’s future. As with many aging power plants nationwide, Navajo is due for upgrades necessary for it to comply with the EPA's pollution and air quality regulations. The report notes that retrofits can entail substantial costs, running into the hundreds of millions of dollars.

The report states that such facilities, in order to protect jobs and move in a more environmentally safe direction, will be more profitable by abandoning retrofit plans and instead embracing a full range of clean energy resources, including wind, photovoltaic and concentrated solar, geothermal, and biomass, combined with large-scale supply and demand- side efficiency measures.

Staff
Accessed February 2009:


 * L. Hunter Lovins - President and Founder
 * Jeff Hohensee - C.E.O.
 * Robert Noiles - Chief of Staff
 * Nancy M. Johnston - Operations & Logistics
 * Emily A. Evans - Implementation
 * Sarah Straughan - Accountant
 * Rachel T. Hohensee - Administration & Education
 * Stephen Mannhard - Development & IT
 * Nick Sterling - Research
 * Toby Russell - Communications
 * William Becker - National Leadership Summits for a Sustainable America Project Director & Consultant
 * David Elliot - Co-founder and Strategy Advisor

Associates
Accessed February 2009:


 * Steve Attinger
 * Marilyn Averill
 * John Canfield
 * Bob Dunham
 * Barbara Farhar
 * S. Richard Fedrizzi
 * Janet Graaff
 * Gwendolyn Hallsmith
 * Kate Hamilton
 * Michael Johnson
 * Christopher Juniper
 * Robert Repetto
 * Paul Sheldon
 * Bob Simmons
 * Andrew F. Smith (Treasure America Project)

Directors
NCS Board Members in 2011 "include: Janine Benyus—founder of the Biomimicry concept for industrial design; Norm Clasen—an award-winning photographer and communications marketing expert; David Orr—author and distinguished professor; Dorothy Segel—retired entrepreneur and small business person; and Sally Smith—communications director and project manager."

"NCS Board Members in 2009 include: Janine Benyus—founder of the Biomimicry concept for industrial design; Anita Burke—the former Director of Sustainability at Royal Dutch Shell Corporation; and Norm Clasen—an award-winning photographer and communications marketing expert."

Contact

 * Web: http://www.natcapsolutions.org

Related Sourcewatch articles

 * V. Kann Rasmussen Foundation