Wind Energy: The Pros and Cons

As we read as a class in Making the Economic Case for Offshore Wind, the United States lags behind many other industrialized countries when it comes to development of wind energy. Countries such as China, Denmark, the U.K. and Germany have surpassed us in the utilization of this valuable source. Perhaps it is time for U.S. to revaluate this source and see if the benefits will outweigh start-up costs on a large scale and other cons.

One of the major advantages of Wind Energy is that it is considered a green resource. Harnessing wind energy does not pollute air nearly as much as energy fostered from fossil fuels or nuclear energy. Although manufacturing, transporting, and installing wind turbines does contribute to global warming, the electricity production from the turbines does not involve any greenhouse gas emissions. Another advantage of the potent source of energy is that there is enormous potential for wind power. The worldwide wind potential of wind power is more than 400 terawatts. Wind energy can be harnessed almost anywhere and it is a renewable; As long as the sun keeps shining (wind energy originates from the nuclear fission that occurs on the sun) then we’ll have a constant supply of wind energy. Surprisingly, wind energy is considered to be space-efficient. Although wind turbines can’t be placed too close to each other, the land in-between can be used for other things such as farming. Since 1980 the cost of harnessing wind energy has decreased by 80% and once the turbines have been manufactured and erected the operational costs tend to remain relatively low. Despite all these advantages to installing wind energy on a large scale in the U.S. there are still many setbacks that must be accounted for.

Wind energy is unpredictable and the availability of wind energy is not constant. Therefore wind energy is not well suited as a base load energy source. If there were cost effective ways of storing wind energy the case for wind energy would be significantly stronger. Also, the cost competitiveness of wind power is highly debatable. Sources such as fossil fuels and coal, which have already been fostered on a very large scale are already better established with no start-up costs associated. A wind turbine of 10 kilowatts and $40,000 to $70,000 would become a net electricity producer; Investments such as these typically take 10 to 20 years to break even. A negative of wind energy is that it threatens wildlife such as birds, bats, and other flying creatures. This issue, however, is often times blown out of proportion as the estimated number of fatalities cause by U.S. wind turbines from 10,000 to 440,000 whereas collisions with buildings kill around 976 million birds annually. People who live close to wind turbines often times complain about the noise causes by the turbines and the aesthetic appearance. The disadvantages, however, are relatively trivial and can be mitigated by the utilization of off-shore wind energy.

The bottom line is that the future of wind energy looks promising and the U.S. will likely start to take advantage of this major, green powerhouse.

 

source: http://energyinformative.org/wind-energy-pros-and-cons/

the fine art of selfiez

Even though the snapchat craze is dying down, it seems as if we just can’t stop ourselves from taking selfies. Urban dictionary, a.k.a my savior in life, defines the selfie as, “A strange phenomenon in which the photographer is also the subject of the photograph, in a subversive twist on the traditional understanding of the photograph. Usually conducted because the subject cannot locate a suitable photographer to take the photo, like a friend”. LOLz, I’d say that’s pretty accurate. And because I basically have no friends I’ve pretty much mastered the art of the selfie. Below are some photos I took for a school assignment. The purpose of the assignment was to capture your self and anti-self. See if you can see which ones are which! Also, here are some tips if you ever find yourself struggling to find a photographer:

  • don’t EVER, i mean EVER, take a mirror selfie. barf.
  • according to Rihanna, who is known as a selfie queen, to get a good selfie one must “get a good light”. so basically try to get a lighting bright enough to show off your best features but dim enough to hid your zits. 
  • Rihanna also suggests, “make it fierce”. I don’t know if I have quite mastered the art of making it fierce, but once in a while I don’t smile so does that count?
  • have fun with it

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Advocacy Assignment WIP

I am kind of confused as to where I am headed with this advocacy assignment. I may do another TED talk (cause I just loved it so much the first time) and gather research on the importance and value of learning a second language. I definitely have a personal stake in this subject, however I question the effectiveness of this medium and how many people would actually watch it. My family probably wouldn’t even bother watching the whole thing (merpz). I could try handing out food with fun facts about how studying a second language aids students with all subjects and its effects on brain function. I like the topic of my issue brief, however, I do not know how I could advocate a synergistic approach to energy and water casually around campus. I’ll probably end up going with the TED talk, but I feel like it may be kind of a cop out. I’m not quite sure. I think doing something with the RCL textbooks/ textbook prices in general may be cool. It may also be a little bit risky, because an rcl teacher is grading the assignment, but if I could find a way to make textbook shopping a little bit cheaper/ easier for anyone it may be worth it. I’m excited to see how this ends up because I’m still really early on in the brainstorming process.

crayon art

Sometimes college life gets a little bit overwhelming. You get sick of studying all the time during the week and then either partying or sleeping on weekends and need a little change. Sometimes I choose to hang out with some outing club peeps, but one time I decided to make crayon art cause I saw it on pinterest and it was just so damn cool. Thank god I invited Cameron to come because I am basically useless and she is a perfectionist who runs the show. My crayon art probably would’ve ended up looking like a hot mess without her. But thankfully, all I had to do was put glue on the back of crayons and watch Cameron run the show. Check out Cameron being head honcho and the fabulous results! A couple tips: brown crayons are useless, you can never use a hot glue gun without getting burned at least once, and it actually takes a lot more time than you’d think so be ready to have a night in. 🙂

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Issue Brief Conclusion Rough Draft

Addressing energy-water challenges

The US’s energy infrastructure depends tremendously upon water supply. Unfortunately, the future of water supply is uncertain and most states expect water shortages over the next decade, as shown in Figure 315. Water supply issues have already prevented many new energy infrastructures from being developed; In 2005 a proposed coal-fired plan on Lake Michigan was abandoned because environmental groups protested potential effects of the facility’s cooling-water-intake structures on the lake’s aquatic life16 and in 2002 Idaho opposed two proposed power plants because of impact on local aquifer17. The 2001 drought in the Northwest significantly reduced hydroelectric power production, leading to the loss of thousands of jobs in the energy- intensive aluminum industry18.

FIGURE 3: Taken from the General Accounting Office’s website

Water resources must be balanced between the agriculture, industrial, and domestics sectors. With climate change increasing uncertainty in water supplies, we must find effective ways to address the US’s future water needs.

The current methods ofretrieving water require excessive amounts of energy. Water storage or the“conjunctive” use of groundwater and surface water requires a lot of energy to treat andinject water and then to pump it out when it is needed19. Desalination, the conversationof salt water into drinking water, has energy requirements similar to those oftransporting water long distances20. Sustainable alternatives such as tax credits forhigh-efficiency toilets, low-flow showerheads, and water-conserving washers must be implemented.

Currently the government provides subsidies for solar panels and other renewable energies, however there is no established credit system for water-conserving mechanisms. Reducing water consumption saves energy needed for water supply and treatment as well as for heating water and thus reduces the requirements for water for the energy sector21. In addition to coordinated energy-water conservation, the US needs to make water and energy resource planning a collaboration on a federal, regional, and state level as well as with industry and other stakeholders. Currently, energy planning and water planning are done separately22. This practice will not be sustainable as demands for both water and energy grow and supplies deplete. Both water and energy sources must be employed to their full potential. The lack of integrated energy and water planning and management has already negatively impacted energy production, leading to many rejected power plant proposals in the fastest growing regions of the country. Also, recent droughts and emerging limitations of water resources have many states, including Texas, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Tennessee, struggling to provide water for many other sectors, not including the energy sector23. Regional resource planning groups could ensure collaboration between stakeholders, water management, and energy planning. These groups are needed to ensure proper allocation of limited water resources for all needs, including energy development.

Building power plants next to water treatment facilities or more brackish water resources could mitigate some freshwater needs. Also, waste heat from plants could be used in desalination or water treatment cycles. Biogas from wastewater treatment plants could be used to generate power24. The technologies for some of these processes are currently costly and underdeveloped however in order to optimize long- term economic growth and energy and water sustainability we will need to implement new methods of energy and water production.

Conclusion

Now that the US is becoming increasingly aware of the strong connection between water and energy it must adapt its policies in a way that maximizes the efficiency of the production and consumption of both limited resources. Population trends reflect that both demand for energy and water will rise in the upcoming years. New sources of surface water have not been discovered in the last 20 years and most methods of fostering energy still require significant amounts of water25. To ensure that our nation will be able to continue its development and maintain its economic prestige action needs to be taken to address impending energy-water challenges. There are several policies that the United States could implement to mitigate the energy-water crisis. Three such policies are coordinated energy-water conservation, increased collaboration between energy planning companies and water planning companies, and a synergistic approach to energy and water production. A combination of all or any of these three strategies could help to enhance water security and sustainability as well as energy security and sustainability.

STRUGGLING WITH CITATIONS GRR.

Issue Brief

I am doing my issue brief on the energy-water nexus and how you need one in order to foster the other. I think it may be a little bit boring and scientific, but hey  I guess that’s my future. I have written some of it. I still need to write how supplying energy requires water and an introduction and conclusion (that addresses how to go about energy-water production in the future…the policy portion). Here is what I already have, though.

Energy and water are two essential interdependent, resources

In today’s economy, energy sources and water sources are extensively intertwined. Energy generation activities impact the availability of water and the availability of water impacts energy availability2. Over the past couple years the importance and interdependence of these resources has become increasingly evident. Figure 1 below depicts many of the relations between water and energy. Low water levels in certain regions have limited these areas from harvesting energy. And the energy requirements for retrieving water have risen significantly as the water level in aquifers declines3. The implementation of many renewable sources of energy has been restricted by limited water supply4.

In 2009, Solar Millennium, a German developer, announced plans to build two large solar plants in Amargosa Valley, Nevada. The project would have harnessed energy as well as thousands of jobs in a struggling city. However, after the company announced that it planned on using 1.3 billion gallons of the desert area’s water a year, the area’s residents became divided. Some residents hoped to make money by selling water rights, while others were concerned about the project’s effects on the community and environment. After much dispute, the project was called off. The Amargosa Valley’s energy-water issue is just one of many cases where energy production has been restricted by water supply5.

Whether it is by offering

tax credits for high-efficiency toilets and therebyThe demand for energy is growing. The Energy Information Administration projects energy demand for electricity to increase by 53 percent by 2030. More specifically the EIA projects that the demand for petroleum will rise by 38 percent; coal, 54 percent; natural gas, 20 percent; and renewable energy, 58 percent6. Most regions across the United States already face water shortages, meaning their freshwater withdrawals exceed precipitation. By 2050, the number of people living under water scarcity is expected to reach 4 billion globally7. Given current trends in energy and water use efficiency our energy-water shortages will begin to hinder daily life.

Supplying water requires energy

Providing America’s water needs requires energy for supply, conveyance, treatment, and distribution. About 4 percent of US power generation is used for water supply and treatment and electricity represents 75 percent of the cost of water processing and distribution8. In general, energy usage for water supply is similar region to region. However, the water supply chain can vary in terms of energy requirements depending on water source. Supply and conveyance can be the most energy intensive portion of the water delivery cycle depending on water location. The deeper the ground water, the more energy required to retrieve it. Consequently, energy needs increase in areas

where aquifer levels are declining. Surface water requires little to no energy to retrieve. Logically, the farther the water has to be pumped from the original source, the more energy required for conveyance9.

In contrast to supply and conveyance, ground water requires minimal energy for treatment and distribution whereas surface water normally requires much more energy. Generally, older water requires more energy for treatment rather than relatively young water sources10. Interestingly, according to a study done by the California Energy Commission in 2005, energy consumption associated with the end use of water normally exceeds the energy needs for both supply and treatment of the water. Washing and drying clothes, heating water, and washing dishes accounted for 14 percent of California’s electricity consumption and 31 percent of its natural gas in 200511.

urban decay photography

I’m not quite sure why but I’m kind of obsessed with taking pictures of really ugly things. I guess I think that the most important part of a photograph is the types of shapes in it and how they interact with each other and for some reason I always have fun picking up on the various shapes in abandoned barnyards and ratchet (hehe) alleyways. Sometimes it’s easier to focus on composition when your subject matter is so ugly. And sometimes ugly is cool cause it’s something different than most of my pretty photographs from duke gardens. The last two photos I added were taken in Luray Caverns, Virginia. And the other ones were taken in an abandoned park/ barn. I think I need to start exploring the ratchet areas of State College so I can get a different perspective on it and hopefully start liking it. Merpz.

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Mary Robinson is Da Bomb

Listening to Mary Robinson was a very unique and exciting experience. It was weird because I thought she looked small and cute, yet she is such a powerful woman. I loved that she embraced her failures as a Senator and took them as learning experiences and was not afraid to talk about them. When she talked about how it wasn’t necessarily important to be well liked and that if she was well liked she may not being her job right, I was reminded of The Prince by Machiavelli. Perhaps he was right. Is it better to be fear than loved? I’m still not sure what I think of this perpetual question, however I do know Mary Robinson exemplifies the principle of sticking with your beliefs no matter what hardships you encounter along the way.

I found the whole talk to be insanely inspiring. You always hear the cliché one person can make a difference. And what a difference Mary Robinson made. She wasn’t restricted by the fact that both of her parents were doctors and by the role of women in Ireland and was and continues to be ridiculously resilient. The fact that she knows so many people and so many people know her is truly mind-blowing and I hope that I can have even a fraction of the impact she’s had on people’s lives someday. When she talked about seeing many of the things she had been working for come to fruition I was inspired to make a visible difference in the world as well.

I was especially engaged when she was talking about her views on climate change and how developed countries need to keep developing countries in mind when trying to combat this issue. The amount of things she has done be it being a senator, the first female president, or holding a high position on the UN reflect her excellence and simply motivation to be. I don’t think I have as strong of a motivation to make a difference or ever will but Mary Robinson epitomizes the value of motivation and drive. Overall, I am glad that Schreyer and UPAC were able to make this event happen and I hope to attend more eye-opening events such as this one throughout my college experience.

PA Grand Canyon

Over spring break I went on a three day trip with some people on outing club to the PA Grand Canyon (yeah…I didn’t know that it existed either). The views were awesome and I definitely got some cool shots, however all the trails were basically frozen so we were hiking on a thick sheet of ice the whole trip. It was really scary because if we slipped we would basically free fall down a canyon–casual. I did slip multiple times but luckily our trip leader saved my life multiple times. I definitely think the scenery would be breath-taking during the fall, however, I had never seen actual frozen water falls before in my life so that was pretty awesome. Were the photographs and near death experiences worth the photographs? Not quite sure. But we made smores so I guess that was definitely worth hypertension and hypothermia I experienced.

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frozen waterfalls

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more frozen things

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my civic issues blog in daily live…lawlz.

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this kid was the coolest….no one had room for the bread so he just latched it on to his pack. also, he was fearless and had an awesome beard.

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frozen waterfalls

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easily my favorite picture of the trip IMG_6752

some sort of cool wood whose name I forget

 

Deforestation

According to National Geographic, deforestation is “clearing Earth’s forests on a massive scale, often resulting in damage to the quality of the land.” This means that humans are intentionally cutting down forests and leaving these once massive forests almost completely devoid of trees (National). Forests cover around 30 % of the world’s land area and are very important to ecosystems around the world (West).

Scientists believe that Forests contain around 80% of the species on this planet. Along with the loss of habitats, deforestation can lead to climate problems. Trees are essential in providing canopy for the lower trees and soil as well as being a major part in the water cycle (West). Most causes of deforestation are human related such as logging, agriculture, fire suppression, and mining. The world’s increasing population has caused people to expand the areas they can farm which results in millions of acres of trees being cut down each year (Lad). Fire suppression is also a major concern for the United States because of the commonly adapted scientific forestry that encouraged keeping fires from burning. This led to material on forests floors to accumulate and when eventually burned, to cause huge fires. These fires often lead to the complete destruction of forests and their soil.

It is reported by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization that approximately thirteen million acres were loss per year.  Although Deforestation seems like a modern day issue, it is actually a problem that humans have been facing for hundreds of years. A picture below shows the amount of deforestation in the United States from 1600 until the 1920s. “Since 1600, 90% of the virgin forests that once covered much of the lower 48 states have been cleared away.  Most of the remaining old-growth forests in the lower 48 states and Alaska are on public lands.  In the Pacific Northwest about 80% of this forestland is slated for logging” (Forest). However, the United States is not the only nation that has been experiencing this problem around the world. Many other countries are experiencing these same problems around the world today.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, deforestation rates globally have decreased over the past ten years, however deforestation is still a prominent issue. Around 13 million hectares of forests were converted to other uses or lost through natural causes each year between 2000 and 2010, whereas 16 million hectares were lost per year during the 1990s.  The biggest cause of deforestation has remained to be the conversion of tropical forests to agricultural land for many decades.

Countries such as Brazil and Indonesia, which cut down the largest amount of forests in the 1990s, have significantly reduced their deforestation rates. And replanting programs in countries such as China, India, the US, and Vietnam in addition to some natural expansion of forests have added more than seven million hectares of new forests annually. Consequently, the net loss of forest area was reduced from 8.3 million hectares annually from 1990s to 5.2 million hectares per year between 2000 and 2010.

The world’s total forest area is just over four billion hectares or 31% of total land area. The net annual loss of forests in 2000-2010 is equal to an area about the size of Costa Rica. Underdeveloped nations are the most likely to engage in deforestation activities. For this reason, the biggest losses of forestry from 2000-2010 occurred in South America and Africa. In South America four million hectares were lost and in Africa 3.4 million hectares were lost (World Deforestation Goes Down). Asia and Europe both expanded in forest area from 2000-2010 and in North and Central America the forest area remained relatively stable. Globally, in recent years, we are headed in the right direction, however underdeveloped countries such as Haiti still have much progress to make. For example, in Haiti less than 2% of land is actually being forested, a stark contrast to 60% being forested in the year 1923. Deforestation has created a vicious cycle in Haiti; due to soil erosion, land is no longer arable, and it is not feasible to make a living from other cash crops. Thus, peasants resort to further augmenting the problem by cutting down trees to produce charcoal. Ecological damage due to deforestation has impacted almost every facet of Haitian life, including an increased risk in natural disaster. Increased risk of natural disaster is only one of the negative impacts of deforestation (Arthur, 2004). Perhaps as countries become more developed deforestation will no longer be a global concern.