GreenplanetFM Podcast

Jonathan Cole: A Solar Engineer talks Innovative Technologies & 'The Psychology of a Corrupted Psyche'

27 Apr 2017

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Jonathan Cole is a Solar Engineer bringing innovative and new solar techniques and technology to New Zealand. Right from his landing in NZ Jonathan noticed that the sky was so much more brighter here than he had seen in the Northern hemisphere – even from Hawaii in the middle of the Pacific the horizons were now unclear. Noticeable for him on most occasions here were the clearly defined razor sharp horizon lines when looking out to sea. He has not seen anything like this for 15 years due to the massive recent industrial outpourings north of the equator. That for New Zealanders, the lack of atmospheric pollution is taken for granted whereas Jonathan is becoming used to witnessing a yellowish haze that blurs the horizon line when looking out anywhere in the Northern hemisphere. Even when he in an airplane at 30,000 ft it's basically the same. Whereas in the Southern hemisphere Jonathan states that there is a better chance for us in this hemisphere to have a healthy and comfortable life style, without atmospheric pollution - by introducing new clean steady state solar technologies Though solar energy comes from a fusion reactor that could be very dangerous, however fortunately it's situated 93 mile -s away journeying through space. So we are basically safe, and that the atmosphere of our planet essentially can act as a shield without causing us to much harm. Due to the ozone level over NZ and the lower latitudes of the Southern hemisphere being thinner – more intense sunlight there is a higher number of watts hitting the ground per square metre - especially when compared to the Northern hemisphere – so it is a natural move for us in NZ to start utilising this solar energy to power up our country. Germany is far closer to the North pole than NZ is to the South Pole – so if the Germans are the top global solar country, then NZ has a huge advantage and opportunity to take this to the next level. Jonathan says NZ can easily do this and it would be cheaper as well, due our closer position to the equator. Storage: Pump water uphill … for night time gravity driven generation use. Having a central storage dam that can be used on demand. Tesla's name came up briefly as being able to tap into our planet as a spinning dynamo. Plus the large battery packs now becoming available. Jonathan then tells us that he has been working on stored energy for the last 35 years and it is not just sun light – it's light energy that we can extract energy out of. Even when it is cloudy – light energy always hits the earth. So when there is light it can be turned into electricity. He states he can store electricity in batteries that can now last 25 years on a solar system of his own design – and for the very few times that the days were heavily clouded – have a small generator just in case. Also, that he has never had a power outage with his solar energy system. i.e no stoppage or failures. Clean Power. This is a major benefit as well as eye opening information! Solar energy also has a very good advantage in that it gives you very clean power – that there are no surges or spikes as it evenly distributes the flow from the battery to all the appliances that need power. As a result he has never had a light bulb burn out or a stereo stop working or a washing machine or hot jug – because there is no surge or spike. This is where batteries and solar energy can save all your electrical appliances - from burning out. The unrecognised beauty of solar energy from batteries is that all appliances will last an exceptionally long time. In NZ where we have 230 volts they can spike up to ten times higher - up to near 2.500 volts when the power surges along the lines. These are instantaneous and just blow many appliances out. This can occur for example when a very large refrigerator compressor in a supermarket turns on – and there is a huge ripple along the power lines and the knock on effect – results in spikes and thus the appliances can get fried. He said that where he lives in Hawaii, he is still on the grid, but may only take 1 and a half % of power off it, just to cover heavily cloudy days. Meaning 99% of electricity comes from the sun and the other 1.5% from the grid and in the USA, China and Australia this displaces an enormous amount of Co2. Listen to Jonathan as he spells it out. He further states that he can produce a solar energy panel that includes all the electronics - a small computer and batteries that will last for 25 years for $600 US. That is correct 'everything' lasting 25-30 years. What the electricity companies need to do is get in and do solar units too – there is good cash in this. Plus, they have the finance to further the research and paradigm, however they are suffering from stranded investment – being that they have already invested in their own future and have to now hang in for these next 30 years to extract whatever they can from their investment. Costs Coming Down. We may have plenty of hydro and windmill power generation here in NZ which is renewable – however solar is now delivering electricity at 8 cents a kilowatt hour – which Jonathan says is about a third of what we are paying here in NZ. Even with hydro power at 70% of power generation for NZ - it's a high maintenance operation. Solar power has virtually zero maintenance in their operation. Now and then wipe the solar panels. Today solar panels are being made with over a 50 year life time and inverters that change DC current to AC with a 25 year guarantee. Which mean if something mechanical happens to it, you do not have to pay to replace it. Solar is all solid state – with no moving parts and no friction – virtually zero wear and tear. Other Subjects Covered. Cells that can come in rolls like wall paper and that you roll them down your roof. At present they only last about 5 years. In the next 20 to 30 years - Worldwide there is going to be a huge percentage of electricity demand that is going to be met by renewables - especially solar – mainly because it will outperform static combustible technologies including nuclear. Transport of the future where practical – Tesla batteries & long haul trucking by GPS navigation. Lack of space for car parking in cities be it in the CBD or having room to park and house cars in a family of two adults and two teenagers in the city … No parking on the street? More people will opt for more public transportation in the cities and hire cars from drop centres if one is urgently needed. In Munich Germany - electric BMW mini smart car 33 cents a minute swipe your Credit Card and get in and start driving – you finds the car by a smart phone App in a street station near by. Air transportation is being designed as well with specific air corridors to keep some sort of order - Germany -Lilium https://lilium.com/ Tesla - Elon Musk – Hyperloop ground transport at high speeds Listen to this conversation about transport that is electric, clean energy and silent https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperloop Part Two The Human Condition Especially a durable prosperity that goes a step beyond sustainability. That human beings can exhibit the highest elements of our nature and have faith that the forces of lightness gain predominance and make things better. It is incumbent for us to utilise our creativity to improve the world or use it that ends up having so many negative consequences that future generations are having to pay for. To be conscious of what choice we make when we wish to improve our world and planet's biosphere. People be trained in schools about consequences. That corruption of our inner being is expressed in the outer world – because we have not listened and taken into account our conscience Listen to the end of this interview to Jonathan as he opens up on taking us into conscious thoughts and conscious actions - as we bring more light to the world. http://www.lightontheearth.org/index.html

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13:00H | 21 DIC 2025 | Fin de Semana

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12:00H | 20 DIC 2025 | Fin de Semana

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2ª PARTE | 06 ENE 2026 | EL PARTIDAZO DE COPE

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El Partidazo de COPE

3ª PARTE | 22 ENE 2026 | EL PARTIDAZO DE COPE

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3ª PARTE | 04 MAR 2026 | EL PARTIDAZO DE COPE

01 Jan 1970

El Partidazo de COPE

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GreenplanetFM Podcast

Jonathan Cole: A Solar Engineer talks Innovative Technologies & 'The Psychology of a Corrupted Psyche'

This episode hasn't been transcribed yet

Other recent transcribed episodes

13:00H | 21 DIC 2025 | Fin de Semana

10:00H | 21 DIC 2025 | Fin de Semana

12:00H | 20 DIC 2025 | Fin de Semana

2ª PARTE | 06 ENE 2026 | EL PARTIDAZO DE COPE

3ª PARTE | 22 ENE 2026 | EL PARTIDAZO DE COPE

3ª PARTE | 04 MAR 2026 | EL PARTIDAZO DE COPE

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