Author: johdiep

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EU Parliament Calls for European Strategy on Geothermal Energy

Canas, Nathan. 2024. “EU Parliament Calls for European Strategy on Geothermal Energy.” Www.euractiv.com. EURACTIV. January 22, 2024. https://www.euractiv.com/section/energy/new s/eu-parliament-calls-for-european-strategy-on-geothermal-energy/.

The European Parliament called for a strategy to accelerate the deployment of geothermal energy, and to increase investments in it. National regulations and authorization processes have largely delayed progress with geothermal energy and this is an effort to address that. There are financial risks associated with geothermal so it also proposes a harmonized insurance scheme so no country suffers massive financial losses. This is ultimately an important step forward as Europe will try to collaborate to implement geothermal. This is a global issue so it makes sense to not have every country come up with their own approach.

Geothermal is an especially promising green source of energy as it is reliable, continuous, and cost effective. There is no worry that the earth will stop producing heat for periods of time, as is often a concern with the sources of other renewable energies. I think that we should focus more than we currently do on geothermal because it lacks the drawbacks many more popular forms of energy have.

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China, India Lead Asia’s Biggest Hydropower Crunch in Decades

The portion of energy in Asia coming from hydropower significantly declined. China and India saw the largest drops. Extreme weather conditions such as heat waves, and decreased rainfall led to far less effective generation of hydropower. While other green sources of energy continued to increase there was also an increase in fossil fuels in order to compensate for this decline in hydropower. Countries other than India and China that also experienced a decline include Vietnam, the Philippines, and Malaysia. 

 

Hydropower is very promising as it can be integrated into already necessary infrastructure like dams, and it can be very cheap to keep running. However, this recent decline exemplifies the risks of hydropower and all other types of green energy. Fossil fuels are very consistent because we just burn however much we need to burn. With renewable sources of energy that process is much different, instead, we have to rely on a steady supply of power. They are also subject to changes in weather and climate such as in this case.

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The True Cost of Chinese Solar Panels

The True Cost of Chinese Solar Panels.” 2024. TIME. January 18, 2024. https://time.com/6564184/chinese-solar-panels-cost/.

China has made great strides in the field of solar technology. They have been able to pump out solar panels. They are far less expensive than panels made in other countries. While a surplus of cheap solar panels is an obviously good thing for the environment as solar panels are a great green source of power, it has also given China a monopoly over the market. This article highlights how environmental issues are often intertwined with politics and other issues. There have been other cases of energy dependence turning out poorly, such as Europe being dependent on Russian gas. Ultimately, for national interests, this is one case where America likely has to not do what’s best for the environment.

I think that solar power will be an important part of our energy future. But we cannot be reliant on a country like China to supply them. The ultimate goal is for the United States, and the world to be running entirely on green power. If the supply of that power is coming from another country, especially one with which we have strained relations, it could potentially lead to disastrous consequences. So I think we should continue implementing solar power, but put guardrails in place to undermine the Chinese monopoly.

 

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A Sustainable Solution to Increase Clean Energy Deployment

“A Sustainable Solution to Increase Clean Energy Deployment.” n.d. Www.nrel.gov. Accessed February 10, 2024. https://www.nrel.gov/news/program/2023/a-sustainable-solution-to-increas e-clean-energy-deployment.html.

There is the potential for global offshore wind energy capacity to reach almost 400 gigawatts by 2023. An important step in growing wind power is going to be CfDs. CfDs (Contracts for Difference) are essentially agreements that establish a fixed price for electricity. The energy companies pay the governments, or the governments pay the energy company, depending on whether the price of energy falls short or exceeds the agreed-upon price. This is a way of overcoming a major shortfall of wind energy and green energy in general, which is the inconsistent levels of power and prices. There is also hope this will lead to more investors.

I think wind power should be a major source of energy in the future. Similar to solar energy, it is a largely untapped source of power that is always present. However, one major issue with wind energy is that wind levels constantly change, so prices and power levels are not consistent. The emergence of CfDs makes wind power far more attractive because it makes sure prices will always be consistent.

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Norway Makes More Strides on Offshore Storage of Greenhouse Gas CO2

“Norway Makes More Strides on Offshore Storage of Greenhouse Gas CO2 – UPI.com.” n.d. UPI. Accessed January 26, 2024. https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/202 3/08/18/norway-carbon-storage-north-sea-licenses/1991692369967/.

‌Norway gave licenses to Sval Energi, Storegge, and Neptune Energy for carbon storage in the North Sea. This is another step in commercial carbon capture. Norway is already a leader in carbon storage with its Northern Lights facility, which furthers its commitment to carbon capture. Norway believes the North Sea could capture around the equivalent of 1,000 years of Norway’s emissions. Other nations, like the U.S., have invested in direct air capture facilities.

This relates to environmental science because it is a potential solution to our high carbon levels. While this doesn’t solve the root of the problem, if done effectively, it could allow us to rely on carbon for far longer and make the transition to greener options less harmful for many people. I think this is an option we should explore, but its poor cost-effectiveness is a severe barrier to gaining popularity.

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Renewable energy sources have kept the Texas power grid stable this summer even as the state breaks record after record for power usage

Hawkinson, K. (Aug 25, 2023). Renewable energy sources have kept the Texas power grid stable this summer even as the state breaks record after record for power usage. Business Insider. Retrieved August 27, 2023, from https://www.businessinsider.com/renewable energy-kept-texas-power-grid-stable-record-power-use-2023-8 

 

The extremely hot weather that Texas has been experiencing has greatly strained the Texan power grid which failed in the past, most notably during the extreme cold weather Texas experienced just a couple of years ago. The environmentally friendly renewable energy technology that has become more prominent in the state has helped the grid become more resilient despite record-breaking power usage due to the hot weather. 

 

Texas has made significant investments in renewable energy. Texas is a state that is usually more opposed to renewable energy alternatives than the nation as a whole. It is very significant that states like Texas have made investments in renewable energy that are paying off greatly as in this case of a more resilient energy grid. However, there is still more work to be done. The renewable energy decreases described in the article show that it is more important than ever to continue investing in renewable energy infrastructure. Now that the potential benefits of renewable energy technology have been shown to states typically more opposed to it hopefully the nation as a whole going forward will be more willing to devote significant resources to the development of renewable resources so that more success stories like the resilient Texas energy grid can happen all across the nation and the world.

 

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It’s Official: Stores Can No Longer Sell Most Incandescent Lights

Tabuchi, H. (2023, August 1). It’s Official: Stores Can No Longer Sell Most Incandescent Lights. Retrieved August 25, 2023 from https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/01/climate/incandescent-light -bulb-ban-leds.html 

 

It’s the end of an era for incandescent lights, at least in most of the country. New standards mean that lightbulbs must produce at least 45 lumens per watt which effectively will ban incandescent lights. LED lights have already begun to reduce electricity demands and in turn, reduce greenhouse gas emissions. There are expected to be significant environmental and financial impacts as a result of this decision. 

 

This is environmentally significant as LED lightbulbs are incredibly more efficient than incandescent ones. One expert says it is comparable to upgrading from a car that gets 25 miles to the gallon to one that gets 130. Obviously, such efficiency will lead to reduced carbon emissions but it also has financial implications that are positive. LED light prices have dropped dramatically making them much more affordable when they used to be far more than incandescent, also using less energy takes the financial burden of high utility bills off of many struggling families. This case also shows that the US government is willing to take litigation actions to protect the environment. Obviously it may be beneficial to force people to convert to all environmentally friendly alternatives, such as low flow shower heads or electric stoves there is the barrier of the possibility that some people cannot afford to replace their appliances or other possessions. As often happens there is a conflict between that is best for the environment and what is best financially, in the long term we must choose the environment and cases like this show we aren’t afraid to take necessary action.

 

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The Ocean Cleanup Breaks Records With New Innovative Tech

Feth, L. (2023, August 16). The Ocean Cleanup Breaks Records With New Innovative Tech. Innovation & Tech Today. Retrieved August 24, 2023 from https://innotechtoday.com/the-oce an-cleanup-breaks-records-with-new-innovative-tech/ 

 

The Ocean Cleanup which is a nonprofit was able to achieve a significant milestone. They managed to remove 11,353 kilograms of trash from the infamous Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The patch is twice the size of Texas and results in a number of negatives including marine ecosystems and human health. This success was the result of a new and more effective model and a more efficient strategy for targeting hotspots.

 

This great milestone achieved by the Ocean Cleanup effort is extremely environmentally significant. Plastic pollution is one of the most important issues facing marine life. Plastic can release toxins and can trap sea life in addition to a great number of other harmful effects. The Great Garbage Pacific Patch is not the only garbage patch in the ocean. It is an important issue facing many areas. The Ocean Cleanup demonstrated that intelligent design in conjunction with AI can lead to highly effective ocean cleanup. Their success shows us how even though technology and industrialization have been the cause of many environmental problems they can also be the solution in many cases. I think it would be very interesting to see artificial intelligence being used more widely in ocean cleanup efforts and in environmental issues as a whole. The Garbage Patch has often been seen as almost impossible to fix, but with the great success of the Ocean Cleanup effort, it is clear that even the most complex environmental issues can be fixed with human ingenuity. 

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Empty Office Buildings Are Being Turned Into Vertical Farms

 

O’Brian, C.(2023, July 11) Empty Office Buildings Are Being Turned Into Vertical Farms. Retrieved August 21, 2023, from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/empty -office-buildings-are-being-turned-into-vertical-farms-180982502/ 

 

During the pandemic, the vast majority of work transitioned to being entirely online. But even as the pandemic has ended the number of people working remotely has remained extremely high. This has led to lots of office space going basically unused. Many empty office buildings have been repurposed into vertical farms in order to not have all the space go to waste. They provide efficient and reliable food sources and provide economic opportunities.

 

Repurposing unused office space is an environmental solution to the challenges of urban cities. Verticle farming can use less energy and water more effectively, and with totally manipulatable conditions the yields are often far superior to traditional farming. The conservation of energy and water is one benefit but another is the massive amounts of land it saves. Traditional farming requires very large areas of land while vertical farming is much more compact. The land that would no longer be devoted to farming could be utilized in a number of ways including using it for renewable energy. This means that vertical farming could actually produce energy because the land it saves could power the vertical farm and there could still produce a surplus of energy. Another benefit is that with the empty office spaces getting put to good use it could encourage businesses to keep work remote which as was seen during the pandemic also reduces emissions because lots of emissions are produced as a result of people’s daily commutes to work which would be eliminated if they continued to work remotely.

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How Carbon Capture Is Getting New Life With US Help

Roston, E. and Kaufman L. (2023, August 14). How Carbon Capture Is Getting New Life With US Help. Retrieved 2023, August 20 from https://www.washingtonpost.com/bus iness/energy/2023/08/14/us-carbon-capture-efforts-challenges-and-impact-explained/d3d5848e-3aaf-11ee-aefd-40c039a855ba_story.html 

 

Top climate experts have said that the current 2 billion metric tons of carbon removed mostly through tree planting is insufficient. In order to limit global temperature rises going forward carbon capture efforts have to improve and increase dramatically. Carbon capture and storage and direct air capture are the two most common methods used to decrease carbon levels. Both methods can face issues when it comes to public opinion, cost, and scalability but the leading efforts to increase carbon capture by increasing funding greatly for both methods of carbon reduction.

 

This article brings up a little-discussed option for trying to avoid the worst effects of global warming. The industry of carbon capture is still in its infancy and has been viewed by many as a waste of money due to the high cost relative to the amount of carbon it actually collects. Some are also concerned that embracing carbon capture may lead to a slower transition from fossil fuels. I think that it is a very intriguing possibility. If its efficiency could be improved and if it was given sufficient funding it could potentially allow us to have a much less catastrophic transition from fossil fuels. Massive portions of the country are reliant on fossil fuels and nearly two million jobs rely on fossil fuel industries. If we could decrease the impact of fossil fuel power plants the transition could go much more smoothly. I also think it would be very fitting for technology and innovation to be the thing to save us, as it has been our own industrialization that has put us in this position. Overall carbon capture should not be viewed as our savior as it is still in the early stages, but it is absolutely worth devoting more effort and funding to because of how great the benefits could be should it prove to be effective.