Sustainability

Renewable Energy: Solar, Wind, Hydropower, Geothermal, Biomass/Biofuel

Global energy demand and renewable energy potential:

Global Consumption: 15 Terawatts (TW)
Solar: 86,000 TW (capturing even one percent of solar power, could take care
of the entire planet)
Hydro: 7.2 TW
Geothermal: 32 TW
Wind: 870 TW

87% of all energy used by humans comes from Fossil Fuels.

To prevent the global temp from increasing 2 degrees, we have to stop Fossil Fuel
usage completely by 2050.

Increase in energy usage due to population, more people are moving into the middle
class where they can afford things that use energy (people leaving poverty)

Wind Resource
We have an incredibly wind source in the plain states of the Midwest.
There are issues with putting up so many wind turbines, it affects migratory
birds/bats, there are not enough people living in the Great Plains to warrant
producing all of that energy so its wasted and expensive/expansive high tension
wires would have to be set up from the Midwest to each coast.
Wind power is on the rise, the US used to lead in wind power but we were surpassed
by China in 2010.
Energy Return on Investment: 25:1
Wind Intermittency: the wind doesnt always blow. Duh.
How would you deal with it? Energy storage (although it increases the price,
space usage and environmental impact drastically to use batteries), put wind
turbines on the tops of skyscrapers (but the buildings would have to be built
to accommodate a wind turbine on top), and spreading out the placement of
wind turbines allows for more opportunities for the wind to be blowing (the
wind doesnt blow everywhere but its always blowing somewhere).
Capacity Factor: how much energy could be produced vs. how much energy is
actually produced on average
Wind Turbines create a huge visual impact that many people are against.
Wildlife Impacts: kills birdsbut buildings kill the most birds, which is way more
than are killed by wind turbines.
Noise impact, but the closest anyone would be living to a wind turbine would result
in a noise similar to that of a refrigerator running in the same room with you.
*Social Friction*
Put the wind turbines in the ocean, solves problems of noise and visual impact, the
wind blows stronger and steadier, and birds dont usually fly over the ocean. BUT it
would affect shipping lanes and the energy would have to be transported to the
users somehow and a portion of the energy created would be lost as it is
transported. Its also more expensive to build things in the ocean than it is on land.
The capital cost (the cost to build) of wind (and most renewables) is high and the
fuel/operations cost is really cheap. Once its built, its cheap to keep it running. The
opposite is true of a Fossil Fuel plant.

Solar Resource
The Southwest US has a great solar resource
Despite not having a great solar resource, Germany is second in countries leading in
solar panel installation. Thats because the government in Germany implemented
policies that made it ultimately beneficial for the people of Germany to install them.
If we could install a square of solar panels 104 miles X 104 miles somewhere in the
Southwest, it would supply all the solar power needed to keep the US running.
Brookhaven National Labs Solar Farm
Solar Photovoltaic (solar panels)
Solar Thermal taking energy from the sun and using it directly as heat
China has a ton of solar thermal hot water
Concentrating Solar Thermal (Solar Power) spread out a lot of reflective panels
and focus them on a single point/tower, only problem is it takes up a lot of space
and it fries birds.
Passive Solar Design: build buildings so that in the winter the sun can shine in and
heat the house and in the summer the sun hits the overhangs so it doesnt heat the
house directly. Unfortunately not many builders in the US know the techniques
necessary to implement this design.
Grid Parity: when the cost to buy it from the grid/local utility equals the cost to put a
solar panel on your house or wind turbine in your backyard.
At the moment, renewable energy companies, for the most part, survive by
government subsidies.
Solar Intermittency: the sun doesnt always shine. Double Duh.
Capacity Factor:
How much energy do you really get from your Solar PV system?
Arizona 20%
Long Island 14.5%
EROI Solar PV: 8-10:1

Geothermal: takes heat from the earth

Hydropower either messes with environment horribly or its just as intermittent as

wind or solar power.

Energy Efficiency and Conservation

Energy Star Homes can save 30% on energy use over a comparable home.
They incorporate:
1) High R Value insulation and windows
2) Energy efficient heating and cooling systems
3) Energy Star lighting and appliances
 4) Blower door test
L.I. Green Homes promoting NYSERDA Green Jobs/Green NY
LEED standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council
LEDs: Light Emitting Diodes: They save 90% on energy and last 7-10 years

Electric Cars and Plug-in Hybrids

Investments in energy efficiency pay for themselves

Water-Food-Energy Nexus (different from the Water-Energy Nexus)

They are connected
It takes a lot more energy to make the food than it ultimately gives us in calories
10 units of energy go in, 2 come back out