When it comes to alternate energy, what does America have over everyone else? In a word, innovation. What does America lack compared to other nations? A composite plan to implement alternate energy across the entire spectrum of energy use and a strategy for phasing out fossil fuels. If there is going to be a breakthrough in alternate energy whether it is in batteries, solar cells, super efficient motors, super efficient lights, super biofuels and — dare I go there — even safe nuclear power, America is most likely the one to do it. Advances in solar cells, batteries and super grid systems seem to be coming out of only America’s research labs. We are No. 2 in solar panel installation. Research at the NREL and NASA is focused on improving battery efficiencies, lighter materials, and greater thermal conductivity to name but a few. Exxon Mobil holds the patents on the most advanced lithium batteries, is experimenting with plastics for batteries, and has invested over $600 million on algae biofuels. Bill Gates, with Terra Power, was ready to test his TWR nuclear project, but it’s on hold due to the trade war with China where it was to be tested and presumably marketed. It’s a nuclear reactor that would use reprocessed nuclear waste, has a fast shutdown time in an emergency, uses less water for cooling. In California, a company called Heliogen has built a mirror focusing farm in the Mojave Desert. This innovative project can convert sunlight directly into 2200F heat, enough to melt most metals and extract hydrogen from water. America also is stepping up its research in perovskite at the university level. If this solar cell ever gets to the next stage, the theoretical limit of 66% could be achieved. However, America is a little behind China and the Netherlands in getting closer to a commercially marketable perovskite. The race is on. The next issue is storage systems. The U.S. has the best fuel cell manufacturers, FuelCell, Plug Power and Bloom — you may want to consider these in your portfolio. All have huge upward potential as solar farms, municipalities, grid systems, all forms of transportation will be looking to back up their power systems with batteries. Grand Ridge Project in Illinois by Invenergy company is one of the largest lithium ion battery installations, and Los Angeles is looking into 100 megawatt storage unit. The Southwest Power Pool is spending $545 million to upgrade its grid system to incorporate wind power with storage systems. Sometimes the wind output exceeds demand for the three states served by the grid. The all-electric movement is another American innovation. There is a movement afoot to ensure that all new construction goes green. From Massachusetts to California, mandates are requiring that new construction goes all-electric, which assures a single line of energy that eliminates gas lines, makes feeding the houses with power from solar panels and solar farms much more effective. Such a noble imposition has its drawbacks. It’s not that people don’t want it, it’s just too much too soon. The transition to green energy must be smooth. Many energy enthusiasts champion green ideas, but they must first work with the real world and allow the change to take place as old products and systems need replacement and new systems blended in. This transition may be America’s largest contribution on the world stage for going green. Geothermal is picking up across the U.S. but has been limited to local single-owner type use. Large geothermal sites run an even greater risk for earthquakes as does fracking. What America lacks So with all of that what does America lack in the energy future? Europe, Africa, some of South America, Canada, India, China and to a minor extent Russia all have made commitments to curb global warming. They all have goals to commit to a greener world such as growing more trees, curbing mining operations, using natural gas as an intermediate implementing solar and wind projects anywhere feasible, protecting water systems with smart hydro-power generation. Our President, who has no background in science, does not consult specialists in the field nor does he appoint any to the appropriate office.* NASA, NREL, and NOAA are all federal agencies that deal in great measure with weather, climate and geological change data, which top scientists say indicate with utmost certainty that there is global warming. NOAA is going to launch four satellites by 2024 with the sole purpose of monitoring those elements of climate change. If this isn’t enough to convince the commander in chief, companies such as Exxon Mobil, Chevron, and BP all concede that global warming is real. Would these successful energy companies build their business model around a hoax? These companies are dedicating resources on alternate fuels, battery research and materials to aid the solar and wind industries. With all this evidence, President Trump continues to insist that global warming is a hoax. Under his administration America lacks a plan to reduce carbon emissions and any commitment to get off fossil fuels. If anything, it is doing the exact opposite. This administration has pulled out all the stops to take away the protections to nature and to turn them over for a pittance to mining interests, notably in Utah at the Bear’s Earsand Grand StairCase Escalante National parks. Although the matter is under appeal, Trump is demanding that the park begin mining operations. The president also has removed the power of the secretaries of each state, as required under the Clean Water Act, to determine the various water projects and has placed himself in charge. President Trump has removed the United States from the Paris accord as well, the only country to do so. He is reducing the emissions standards of coal-fired plants and reduced environmental standards of mining around the streams and tributaries. He has opened up Alaska’s coastal region to mine for oil and gas. Further he has placed a 30% tariff on solar panels from China, the major U.S. supplier. It was, in fact, one of the first tariffs imposed on China. President Trump has condemned or ridiculed virtually all forms of alternate energy — from LED lights causing blindness to wind turbines causing (hearing) cancer and killing the American bald eagle and to solar panels causing pollution. President Trump frequently criticizes wind turbines for killing birds when in fact tall buildings are the No. 1 killer of birds, tall buildings that Trump enterprises builds all around the world. In conclusion In my humble opinion, we are a global community. What one nation does within its borders can affect the world at large. Chernobyl comes to mind. The numerous natural gas fires in Siberia will eventually affect Europe and Asia. The lack of rain in Australia — hence the fires — may possibly be attributed to the change in weather patterns promoted by concentrated farming practices around the world. The U.S., which at one time consumed 30% of the world’s total energy, bears a moral and material responsibility to the rest of the world to curb its environmental and energy abuses. We have the resources and the talent to find other ways to improve on how we obtain energy, yet we are not taking that responsibility. President Trump has undermined our nation’s responsibility to the rest of the world to commit to carbon reduction and environmentally sound energy production, save for the most current commitment of the Worldwide Trillion Tree planting. He has intentionally chosen not to create a plan for curbing emissions and improving environmentally sound projects for the future; it is not even on the radar. The fact that America’s leader has failed to take responsibility for our energy consumption and does not care about the environment will have long-term consequences world wide. The earth will remain long after man is gone. Just how long that will be is dependent on what we do now. * Andrew Wheeler, former attorney for Murray Coal, lobbied for the annexation of Bear’s Ear National Park to mine coal, is now head of the EPA; 85% of this park is slated for mining use.
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AuthorJames Bobreski is a process control engineer who has been in the field of electric power production for 43 years. His “Alternate Energy” column runs monthly. Archives
February 2020
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