The Environmental Impact of Imported Goods

I can recall the economists, bureaucrats and investors rejoicing loudly and proudly when the Commerce Department announced that U.S. exports were rising overall, as much as $28.8 billion higher than the year before. But what the department made less noise about and even failed to mention in many instances, was the rising tide of imports, which were up as much or more, around $26.4 billion between the year 2007 and 2008.

I also read an article explaining that the nation’s seaports, airports, railways and highways were still faced with moving an additional $40 billion worth of stuff in and out across our borders, on top of the $330 billion worth of stuff that’s already going in and out each month. These figures omit the increases in the import cost that comes from rising oil prices, which is a huge factor.

But imports of consumer and industrial goods continue to dominate over exports in our trade balance. This is what is called a “trade deficit”. We make and export far less than we import and consume and this has had a huge impact on our economy and current inability to pull ourselves out of the recession. And the need for imports just keeps rising as our capacity to manufacture those items keeps disappearing. The hauling, sorting and delivering of all these foreign-made goods has evolved into a fast-growing, high-tech, high-profit industry. On that end, those that profit from this business are hard pressed to slow it down or correct the imbalance and this is also a huge part of our current picture.

 

Revolutionary Algae Biofuel Project Finally Begins

A company called “LiveFuels” has announced the start of pilot operations at the company’s test facility in Brownsville, TX. The facility consists of 45 acres of open saltwater ponds and will be used for research on optimizing algal productivity and increasing the rates of conversion of biomass into renewable oils. LiveFuels grows a robust mix of native algae species in low-cost, open-water systems. This is in stark contrast to may other companies who grow singular cultures of algae and often genetically modified strains. As a natural, environmentally friendly business, LiveFuels harvests the algae by using “algae grazers,” which includes such natural harvesters as filter-feeding fish and a variety of other aquatic herbivores. This in place of expensive and energy-intensive mechanical equipment. As a result, these species can easily be processed into renewable oils and many other valuable co-products.

To date, LiveFuels has filed ten U.S. patents for its proprietary approach to growing and harvesting algal biomass. At the Brownsville facility, the company will conduct research on optimizing the productivity of natural aquatic ecosystems through biological and environmental conditions. The results will be used for an expansion to full-scale commercial operations along the coast of Louisiana. And all of this is being done in this revolutionary, environmentally friendly fashion. Kudos. to LiveFuels.

 

Solar Schools in Plans for Ohio

The state of Ohio has approximately 6,000 schools. In a historic move earlier this year, the state introduced legislation whereby 25% of the these schools would be required to install rooftop solar panels. This is a concerted effort by the state legislature to reduce main grid electricity consumption and also to stimulate the state’s “green” economy by creating new jobs. The state currently only has around 50 schools with grid connect solar power systems installed.

Under this ambitious new plan, financiers would pay for and install the solar panels and then benefit from a 35% federal tax credit. As a win-win deal, the school districts would then use the money they would save on electricity to pay back the difference to these investors over a 30 year period. This makes the Ohio plan unique among other initiatives. It also makes is immediately doable and sustainable over the long haul. In Germany, for instance, investors are allowed to rent space on school roofs and other public buildings to install grid connecting solar power arrays. Germany has a generous gross feed in tariff program that makes such arrangements lucrative for both the schools and the investors.

In comparisons, the most generous initiative in the world seems to be in Australia under the governments’ NSSP (National Solar Schools Program). This is a program that allows grants up to $50,000.00 for just about every school in the country to install a grid connect solar power system. If campuses want to team up for grants, they can share in funding of up to $100,000.00 for this purpose. In Australia, as of January 2009, over 3800 schools have registered for NSSP.

I think it’s awesome that so many countries are thinking the same way and doing it so creatively. The idea of greening public buildings is an excellent one and is one of the best facets of President Obamas green power plan. In all, schools are excellent candidates for mini-solar farms because they enjoy exclusive roof space and the entire school is self-contained, like an office building. The schools not only benefit from reduced power costs by installing systems, but also demonstrate good environmental stewardship through decreasing greenhouse gas emissions and setting an excellent example to the wider community. Having a solar power system on campus also provides opportunities for a hands-on renewable energy educational experience for students. And what an excellent example for our learning institutions to set.

Technorati Tags: climate change, conservation, ecology, elecricity, energy, environment, green, renewables, solar energy, sustainable

 

Ethiopian Wind Farm in the Works

Ethiopia has signed a 220-million-euro (=300 million dollar) deal with a French company for the construction of Africa’s largest wind farm. This contract was signed by representatives of the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPC) in agreement with the French wind turbine manufacturer Vergnet.

This ambitious farm is expected to produce 120 megawatts within two and half years, making it the largest project of it’s kind on the continent. This is a forward thinking project for the country as it faces great troubles from energy dependency and the effects of global warming. Ethiopia has been hit time and again by droughts, devastating the peoples of their country as well as crippling its electricity production, which is currently heavily reliant on hydroelectric dams.

“This is a very strategic project for us. The first (largest) in Africa for wind energy production with 120 megawatts, that is to say 15 percent of our present capacity,” EEPC chairman Meheret Debebe said. “This project will help us to fill the gap of hydrological risks we are facing in Ethiopia with the droughts.”

Ethiopia is a landlocked country in the horn of Africa with no access to the ocean. It is also Africa’s second most populous country and has been experiencing severe drought coupled with frequent power cuts in recent months. Already a dry, demanding and harsh landscape, Ethiopia is early in the field of geographical areas suffering as a result of the effects of global warming. Drought is considered to be a side effect of the overall warming of the planet just as the melting of the Arctic is.

“This contract is a very important one because with a budget in excess of 200 million euros it will be the largest wind farm in Africa,” French Minister of State for Foreign Trade Anne-Marie Idrac said at the signing ceremony. “It is also very symbolic of France’s commitment to developing renewable energies,” she added. Bravo, France! And God bless the people of Africa.

Technorati Tags: wind, turbines, farm, Africa, Ethiopia, France, EEPC, Vergnet, renewables, sustainable, energy, alternatives

 

Old Growth Forests Asborb Carbon

I got this item from Science Daily online and I wanted to pass it along because of how I feel about old forests. If I can do anything, write a letter, sign a petition, post it on my blog, I feel like I should. The tearing down of the rain forests and other old growth forests throughout the world for the silly use of making paper that ends up in a landfill is a sad reality I find disturbing. And this article makes the argument for old forests viable and alive.

According to Science Daily, old growth forests are “carbon sinks”, in that they continue to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and mitigate climate change for centuries. Yes, I said centuries. And this is contrary to 40 years of “conventional wisdom”, which was largely based on findings of a single study done back in the late 1960s which has since been disproved. Did you know that old growth forests are not protected by international treaties and have been considered of no significance in the national “carbon budgets” as outlined in the Kyoto Protocol?

The world is changing around us, it’s about time we changed, too.

 

Solar Roofing Materials

I got this information from The Technology Review at MIT. According to the Review, United Solar Ovonic of Auburn Hills, MI, has teamed with a major roofing company to create a metal roof system that generates electricity from sunlight. This is an effort to promote the widespread adoption of solar technology based upon a theory that integrating solar cells into building materials could make solar power more attractive to homeowners.

The partnership between Solar Ovonic and the roofing company already offers seven different prefabricated systems, ranging in capacity from 3 to 120 kilowatts. Tests show that the solar roof panels are rugged and can withstand winds in excess of 160 miles per hour. This article and the information in it gave me real reason to believe that solar power is possible for most of us and may actually be right around the corner!

Photo: Treehugger

Solar roofing materials are overall more attractive than bulky rooftop-mounted panels and they can also cut the cost of household installation by doing a double duty: generating electricity while also protecting the building from the elements. This is a great bonus, especially here in Florida. In fact, it’s perfect for Florida, if you think about it! And anyone who uses it will eventually save a lot of money.

Cecile Warner is a principal engineer at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s National Center for Photovoltaics, in Golden, CO and he has been quoted as saying that building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) have been around since the late 1980s. She also notes that only lately have they begun to see some success with large commercial and residential developments. In fact the article points out that recent advances in flexible thin-film photovoltaic materials, such as those made by United Solar Ovonic, are allowing manufacturers to more easily integrate photovoltaics directly into the roofs and facades of buildings.

Still, as expected, many builders remain leery. New technologies are always hard to adapt to, both financially and logistically. Ms. Warner notes: “In the past, people in the construction industry have been burned by trying out new products,” and, in particular, they’re wary of products that would be difficult to recall should they prove defective. Roofing materials certainly meet that description. “I think that’s probably been the sticking point all along,” Ms. Warner points out.

Photo: Eco Lumina

EnergyPeak, the partnership between United Solar and Pittsburgh-based Centria Services Group, is an attempt to allay this skepticism. Marcelino Susas is vice president of strategic marketing at United Solar’s parent company, Energy Conversion Devices, based in Rochester Hills, MI. In the article he is quoted as saying, “We worked with Centria to develop a program that would get our product out to a number of small installers because Centria already has the infrastructure to do this.” In discussion of the benefits of solar companies partnering with construction firms, he adds, “It gives the product a lot more credibility, and it helps to break down the barrier to adoption.”

Centria designs and assembles the solar roof systems using United Solar’s adhesive thin films, which can simply be peeled off of their backings and stuck to the roofing materials. This is the easiest, lightest and most facile of all solar technologies thus far. The company then distributes the final product through small metal-roofing manufacturers that do the installations for building owners and architects. The product, called EnergyPeak, comes with a 20-year warranty and, depending on the state in which the solar roof is installed, could pay for itself in less than 10 years, according to Centria’s claims.

As I already noted, United Solar’s materials are flexible and lightweight, which makes them easier and cheaper to install than conventional crystalline-silicon solar cells. Also, they can be applied to curved roof designs, says Mr. Susas. This is a new wrinkle that expands their use exponentially. United Solar’s amorphous-silicon photovoltaics also perform better than conventional crystalline-silicon solar cells under low light and high temperature, according to Mr. Susas.

Photo: Luxury Housing Trends

“BIPV is very interesting because it offsets some of the costs associated with installation and will probably occupy a larger market share of the residential portion of the market,” says Michael Locascio, a senior analyst with Lux Research, in New York. “But that portion is very small,” he adds. That’s because BIPV systems are primarily limited to new home construction or situations in which the owner needs to replace the roof.

And although the adoption of solar power is growing fast, Locascio has cautioned that the future of the industry, at least in the United States, is uncertain. As we all know, the cost of things in the US is higher than it is elsewhere, the population is much larger and more diverse and this drives up the cost of introducing new applications. As well, the federal Investment Tax Credit, one of the key incentives driving the adoption of solar power in the United States, is set to expire at the end of the year, and it is unclear whether Congress will extend it. Write or email your congressman today and tell them you want them to do that!

Currently, Europe remains the largest market for BIPV and solar products in general, says Mr. Susas. “There are very high incentives for BIPV in Italy and France.” For instance, United Solar currently sells its solar laminates to a large asphalt-shingle manufacturer in Italy that supplies residential clients with solar shingles. And once again, the US is in danger of falling behind and the American consumer will ultimately be left with very few choices, usually those that make some fat cat a lot of money. Fight it, if you want real change in this country! Get out and vote and write your legislator and tell him or her to get it right this time! There is just too much at stake.

Technorati Tags: solar energy, housing, building, materials, energy, renewables, eco, green