Oberlin has one remarkable building, around ten years old, which is home to the Program of Environmental Studies. It’s called Adam Joseph Lewis Center (AJCL). Part of its energy comes from solar photovoltaic panels located on the building’s roof. Excess energy is sold to the local utility center. Further, the Lewis Center has a “living machine”, designed by John Todd, which processes waste water, making it available for irrigation and toilets.

Solar technology is fabulous, and at a glance, looks an ideal solution and alternative to fossil fuels. However, it may also have an environmental impact, which is worth considering. That’s why the life cycle of the solar installations on the Lewis Center was assessed, and what was discovered was that their eco benefits exceed their costs.

The Center also carefully monitors its environmental performance, including energy use and generation. It has 150 environmental sensors, and on its website lots of specific data is available to evaluate progress. Among the Lewis Center’s awards are having been named one of the 30 milestone buildings of the 20^th century by the US Department of Energy, and one of the top 10 green projects by the American Institute of Architects. What’s also interesting is that during the design process, the community was invited to suggest ideas, students participated, and different buildings and projects were visited seeking for inspiration and ideas.

Of course, Oberlin has other programs and colleges apart from the environmental one. Yet, green efforts are being destined to all of them. Next month, the Litoff building will be inaugurated. It will be home to music studies programs. The building “intends to be the first music facility in the world to attain gold Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating”.

Another very interesting initiative is the Oberlin Project, which consists of a green redesign of the Oberlin community. For this to happen, the college and the city of Oberlin are working together. A 13-acre piece of land owned by Oberlin College, and located in downtown Oberlin, will be turned into a LEED-Platinum neighborhood.

Other green actions include requiring “all new construction and major renovations on campus to be designed and built in accordance with LEED Silver standards.” Besides, the Farm to Fork program has allowed for the college’s dining services to buy as much as half of total produce from local sources. Also, electronic waste is collected on campus to be recycled. There is an organic vegetable garden, and fruits are also grown on campus. On the other hand, biodiversity is enhanced; a wetland was created which contains more than 70 native plant species.

Now, it’s no surprise that Oberlin College “has been awarded the highest grade given to any college or university, an A-, on the Sustainable Endowments Institute’s College Sustainability Report Card 2010. For the second consecutive year Oberlin has earned top honors on the Report Card.”

Keep it up Oberlin!

VIA: World Changing

The pilot was Markus Scherdel, one of the leaders of the project. He said that “Despite its immense size and feather weight, the aircraft’s controllability matches our expectations.” The wingspan is of more than 60 meters, but the weight is similar to that of a small car, around 1600 kg.

The plane is entirely powered by solar photovoltaic power, with 12,000 solar cells covering the wings.

Yesterday’s flight was 87 minutes long, and Scherdel took the plane to 5,5000 ft high. The average speed was 44 mph. The pilot recognized that this is quite slow, “at one point the ground speed had dropped to 12 knots per hour (22 km/h)”. One of the next goals is to test “the critical parameters of the plane”.

We hope this flight has shown the world that renewable energies can be trusted and are worthy of being investigated and developed. The best of lucks to the Solar Impulse team, hoping they continue to advance the application of solar power to aviation.

More @ Solar Impulse

The team is from Tianjin University, and their house has been called “Sunflower”, and it also uses solar energy, thanks to which it doesn’t need to be connected to the grid.

This year’s Solar Decathlon will be held in Spain, in June.

Among the Sunflower’s sustainable features are its energy efficient kitchen and its recycling toilet system. Part of its exterior is covered in solar panels. I’ll be posting more details when they become available.

VIA: Ecofriend

The PlanetSolar is a catamaran with three hulls, which has 500 m2 of photovoltaic panels. They generate 103.4 kw of power. The good news is that the engine only needs 20 kw to achieve an average speed of eight knots.

The week before last, the ship was first shown in Kiel, Germany.

The PlanetSolar has two engines, it is 31 meters long by 15 wide and is capable of carrying 50 people. The approximate cost was 18 million euro.

SunPower provided some 38,000 photovoltaic cells with an efficiency of at least 22%.

Next year, Domjan will go around the world with d’Aboville, who is the first person to have crossed the Atlantic Ocean rowing. On their journey, they will stop in Hamburg, London, Paris, New York, San Francisco, Singapore and Abu Dhabi.

To promote the project, before the ship arrives at each port, there will be a "PlanetSolar village" to be installed in each city. The village will have three areas, each representing one of the pillars of sustainable development: ecology, economy and society.

It is a tactic to build anticipation and make sure the press will be covering the project. Besides, the goal is to locate certain items on the media agendas.

The village will only use renewable energy. Sustainable development issues will be discussed, and there will be educational projects, lectures, exhibitions and films.

With this project, Domjan wants to show the world that solar power is efficient and works. Let’s hope he succeeds.

VIA: PlanetSolar

The winner team of the 2009 version of the competition was the Technische Universitat Damstadt of Germany, which designed a two-story house almost entirely covered in solar PV panels. It generates twice the energy it needs. Construction costs were more than $650,000. The team got the highest score possible, 150, on the net metering contest, which evaluated the constructions’ ability to generate all the energy needed and more.

The houses were exhibited in October last year, on the National Mall in Washington DC.

The home designed by the German team is almost completely covered in photovoltaic (PV) cells. The roof has single-crystal silicon cells, whereas the walls are covered in around 250 thin-film copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) panels. These are a bit less efficient than silicon ones, but they work better when days are cloudy.

Besides, the cube-shaped building is highly insulated, and has shades that open or close automatically according to the weather. Inside, there is one single multifunctional space, with a bed, furniture and appliances; some of which fold away when needed.

Germany also won the 2007 version of the Solar Decathlon; that team collaborated with the 2009 winning team.

In the second place, came out the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, which designed the Gable House.

To access the winning house’s website click here

VIA: Iamchiq

This is how Hans defines the race: “Propelled by the spirit of friendly competition, the World Solar Challenge rewards creative integration of technology and scientific knowledge in a wide range of disciplines, providing a common focus for young and brilliant minds.”

The challenge consists of the following: Construct a car fueled exclusively by solar power and drive it 3010 kilometers from Darwin to Adelaide, in Australia.

The three basic rules are:

1. The car should be fueled exclusively by solar power.
2. The size of the vehicle is limited. It may be a maximum of 5 meters long, 1.8 meters wide, and less than 1.6 meters tall. Since 2007, the surface of the solar panels has also been limited to 6m². The driver must be seated in an upright position.
3. It is driven exclusively from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The driver spends the night under the stars in the exact spot where the car stopped at 5:00 p.m.

Aside from driving the 3010 km as fast as possible, the race’s other objective is to encourage development of sustainable automobile technology.

One of the favorite teams is the one from the University of Twente, which recently revealed its car, called 21Revolution. The vehicle was created by 18 ingenious minds and is designed with a flexible body that has a solar wind made from a thermoplastic elastomer. The selection of this material makes it ultra-light and improves its aerodynamics. The team maintains that this model is 25% more aerodynamic than their previous version. Another fundamental characteristic is that the wings can be oriented in such a way that they are always perpendicular to the sun’s rays, maximizing their energy capture. As if that weren’t enough, it is covered with a patented lense system that works as a magnifying glass to make even better use of solar energy.

Teamwork: This is a challenge. The team works completely independently. The 18 members are rigorously selected according to their technical abilities, knowledge, and also personality. The members of the team design, construct, and test the car and will seek independent opportunities to cooperate with businesses, educational institutions, and the media.

Congratulations to all of the participants in this race. Hopefully they’ll make great discoveries that reduce the use of fossil fuels so that in the future our children can travel in a clean way and climate change will be just a memory.

If I told you a town that has no police force, no cell phones, no television, no Internet and no mayor is an example for other towns and cities, you probably wouldn’t believe me. But in fact it’s true. Gaviotas is a village in the eastern tropical desert region of Colombia, developed in the 60s, which has achieved energy self-sufficiency, and is considered a model for sustainable development.

Its founder, Paolo Lugari, a Colombian development expert, wanted to experiment with energy self-sufficiency and alternative agricultural methods in a tough environment. He thought this would be much more real than developing a similar project in a fertile place. He called the village “Gaviotas”, which is the Spanish word for sea gulls.

So why is this place so exemplary? Achieving energy self-sufficiency is not an easy thing to do, even less in a desert. Nowadays, almost every country and city in the world relies on limited and contaminating fossil fuels to get electricity, which to top it off, are generally imported. Gaviotas resorts to the sun, the wind, and pine trees’ resin to get energy. Further, huge amounts of land have been reforested, allowing for ecosystems to recover and strengthen.

In the village, solar energy is used in several ways. There are solar kettles for sterilizing water, a cooling system that is powered by the sun, solar heaters, among others.

Another tough resource to get in this area of Colombia is water. But Gaviotans have designed light-weight wind turbines that utilize the soft local winds to get water from an underground lake. Also, a special pump has been added to children’s seesaws, which helps to get water too.

Reforestation efforts have covered an area of 19,800 acres with pine trees. The real good news is that underneath the trees, a great biodiversity has developed. Besides, the pine trees’ resin is used to produce an innovative fuel, which also includes plant oil. With this fuel, all diesel engines are powered, including electric generators, tractors, and trucks.

The success story of Gaviotas has been featured by the New York Times and CNN, among other media from the developed world. Last year, Amory Lovins, from the Rocky Mountain Institute went to the Colombian village to visit.

Residents are around 200, and according to the New York Times article, a small percentage of them are kids, which can lead to fearing for the community’s future. Plus, the socio-political situation of the country is complex, given the violence brought by the guerrilla of the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia). One way in which Gaviotas has tried to defend itself is by asking visitors to enter the village without rifles.

Hopefully, Gaviotas residents will keep innovating, and showing the world that energy self-sufficiency and sustainability are feasible even in the hardest of conditions.

VIA: New York Times

Urban Ecology

1) Community Renewable Energy Deployment

This project will on the whole receive $20.5 million. It includes five projects that will work to deploy renewable energy in different communities. To allow this, clean energy infrastructures will be developed, which will in turn create jobs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save consumers money. Among them is the project of the city of Montpelier, Vermont, where a cogeneration plant will be installed, and the University of California at Davis, that will develop a system to convert waste to energy.

2) Biomass

Through two main projects; Advanced biofuels research and fueling infrastructure and advanced biorefinery, the aim is to enhance the development of a clean and sustainable transportation sector. Among other things, selected projects will research algae-based and advanced biofuels. In so doing, dependence on foreign oil will decrease, while job creation will increase. Another important task which will be addressed is the development of compatible infrastructure. Further, biorefinery projects are expected to help foster a national biomass industry. The are of biomass energy will receive $644 million.

3) Geothermal

The US has “vast geothermal energy resources, which hold enormous potential to heat our homes and power our economy”, according to Energy Secretary Steven Chu. About $388 million will go to more than 100 projects that will develop new geothermal fields and research advanced geothermal technologies. All these investments will help lower the cost of capturing geothermal energy. Besides, some other projects will focus on developing geothermal heating pumps, so as to advance commercial deployment of the renewable heating and cooling systems.

4) Fuel cells

This sector will receive $41.9 million, with the goal of deploying fuel cells, by improving their potential to provide power in stationary, portable and specialty vehicle applications. Thanks to the Recovery Act funding, around 1,000 fuel cell systems will be deployed for emergency backup power and material handling applications. These two are becoming important early markets, in which fuel cells can even compete with traditional power. Fuel cell manufacturers will get funding, and increased manufacture will help lower costs. One particular project will replace batteries with fuel cell systems in one of FedEx’s fleets of electric lift trucks in a service center in Springfield, Missouri.

5) Solar energy

Solar energy will receive $65 million in funding. Projects will work to investigate the impact of photovoltaics on the electrical grid, so as to ensure reliability. Others will focus on training solar workers to be able to install and maintain solar systems. Further, more than 10 cities will study the obstacles to urban deployment of solar energy. And other groups will work to further develop photovoltaic energy and concentrating solar power (CSP). One of the main goals is to “achieve cost-competitive solar electricity by 2015”.

6) Water power

Seven hydropower projects will receive $30.6 million to modernize hydropower infrastructure. They will increase efficiency and reduce environmental impacts, by implementing fish-friendly turbines, for example.

7) Wind energy

Wind energy will receive $118 million to improve turbine technology, making it more durable, and of a higher performance. Other aims include reducing costs, and speeding deployment of wind energy technology.

In one of the numerous speeches he gave to announce all of the funding, Chu said: “we are laying the foundation for a green energy economy”. And I think they are at least, starting to do so. By showing the industry and even society that energy efficiency and renewable energies are considered important enough as to receive all this funding, the government is making a statement; that it is slowly getting ready to evolve to a greener system. Let’s hope funding continues, and that it grows, and goes to the sources of energy with the most potential.

More: US Department of Energy – Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy

The population being around 4,300, it is more feasible to achieve such a demanding goal there than in larger cities.

The main business sectors of the island are agriculture, followed by tourism. Thanks to the renewable energy projects, which brought about 57 million euros in investment, between 1998 and 2007, each year hundreds of jobs were created. In one year the equivalent to 20 years of employment.

Denmark is among the leading countries when it comes to renewable energies and sustainability. After the 1973 oil crisis, Danes reacted and didn’t forget the consequences of Yom Kippur. 90% of their energy used to come almost entirely from imported petroleum. That’s why they started to manage energy differently, by promoting its conservation and efficient use. Now the country gets around 19% of its electricity from the wind, and Danish companies control 1/3 of the global wind market.

Further, compared to 1990 levels, greenhouse gas emissions have decreased more than 13%. Denmark proves that economic growth and sustainability can peacefully coexist. Its next target is to meet its Kyoto pledges; reducing CO2 emissions 21% by 2012 compared to 1990 levels.

In this context, Samso is the most extreme case of sustainable management of energy in Denmark.

In the island, most power comes from the wind: there are turbines on land, and offshore. Whereas heating comes either from biomass, specifically from burning straw to boil water and send it to the heating pipes, or from solar thermal panels. In 1997, 25% of the energy needed for heating was renewable. In 2005, 65% came from renewable sources.

There are a few cases of collective ownership of both turbines and solar panels, which help to further deploy renewable energy technologies and to involve people in the process of change. The wind turbines belong to a windmill cooperative and to individual owners. There are eleven of them, each generating 1 MW.

A number of houses do not reach the district heating system. They can ask for a report that suggests how to green their power consumption, either by adopting renewable energy technology, insulating their buildings, conserving energy, among other things.

Regarding transportation, it still has not switched to renewable power. Apparently, there has been investigation, but most solutions are expensive and still not feasible. So this sector still emits GHG, which are compensated by the offshore wind turbines.

The island produces more energy than what it consumes, which allows it to export 80 million kilowatt-hours each year.

VIA: Time

Scientific American

More on Samso: Samso Energy Academy

Grameen Bank was born in the 80s, and has had enormous success in fostering small business initiatives among the poorest, thanks to microcredit (small loans) programs. The organization and its founder, Muhammad Yunus were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006.

In Bangladesh, the grid electricity is only available to 30% of the population. And in rural areas, the availability of power is even less. This greatly limits industrial and agricultural development.

That’s why Grameen Shakti considers access to electricity so important; it can help develop industry and agriculture, through increasing employment rates, more production, and more technology, among other advantages.

The microcredit system is used to lower costs for buyers and reach an economy of scale. There are different ways in which people can obtain accessible loans, recover their initial investment, and make their newly acquired technology productive.

One of the most successful programs is the one dedicated to solar energy. Since 2007, Grameen Shakti (GS) has installed more than 100,000 solar house systems in rural areas.

Initially GS has had to face many obstacles, such as the lack of information on renewable energy, the lack of funding, and the absence of trained people. But all these have been turned into opportunities. People are being increasingly made aware of the benefits of renewables, they are being trained (many to become engineers and technicians), they are learning how to borrow money, and manage it… The people who are trained can also find jobs more easily.

So far, the total beneficiaries are around 3 million, employees are more than 5,000, and all 64 districts are covered. The installed power capacity is of 15 MW.

Solar power brings about lighting during the night, mobile phones, computers, internet connection. Lighting improves security conditions, it allows people to work after dusk, it broadens job opportunities, and other unthought-of advantages.

One very interesting tool used by GS is the micro-utility model, which helps consumers that cannot afford to purchase their own complete solar home system. A person can install the system at his place, and share power with his neighbors, charging them a certain fee. Thus, the owner can cover payments, and power reaches even more people.

As regards the solar program, the plan is to install one million solar house systems by 2015. Further, to decentralize and increase production, marketing and maintenance services.

Other Grameen Shakti programs focus on wind power, biogas, distributing organic fertilizers, and on teaching people how to use technology.

Grameen Shakti is on its way to becoming as successful as Grameen Bank. Hopefully it will continue to improve people’s quality of life by giving them access to electricity.

VIA: Grameen Shakti

To start with, given that the power system has collapsed, there is obviously hardly any lighting. With this in mind, solar power is being used. Sol Inc., a Florida-based company, has donated $400,000 in solar lighting supplies, that are helping light up Haiti’s nights. This allows for aid workers and rescuers to work longer hours, and distribute food after sunset. Also, the lighting helps improve security, and permits hospitals to work at night.

On the other hand, being water a scarce yet vital need in post-quake Haiti, solar energy is being applied to get drinkable water. Water Missions International has sent 10 water filtration systems to Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital. These systems can either be powered with diesel or solar energy. They can purify lake, well and stream-water, and can generate around 10 gallons of water a minute, which is enough for 5,000 people a day.

Solar is also partly meeting the need of Haitians to communicate. ZTE, a Chinese telecommunications company, has donated 1,500 solar cell phones. So has Digicel.

As regards food and cooking, the non-profit Sun Ovens is sending solar ovens to Haiti. It has been working there for 11 years, promoting the use of solar power, so as to replace charcoal, given that it is both expensive and brings about deforestation.

Different aid centers are also being supplied with solar power. In Croix-des-Bouquets, there is a school that is being used as an aid center, and its power is coming from a solar installation from Worldwater and Solar Technologies.

Housing is another crucial need for the thousands of people left without homes. SEED, a research group from Clemson University is working to provide shipping containers as a temporary housing option for Haitians. The concept of recycling containers for housing is an already known practice. What SEED does is apply this idea to disaster areas.

Worldchanging has posted an article that highlights the importance of renewables in making cities more resilient to natural disasters. In that perspective, Haiti’s crisis is also an opportunity for re-building it in a safer, more resistant manner.

If you want to help, Earth911 suggests a list of things you can do.

VIA: Treehugger

Inhabitat

Compared to the traditional system of huge power plants connected to the consumption points by long power lines, these microgenerators can generate power at the same place of consumption. This avoids losses in transport and transformation points.

The fact that microgeneration is a recent development means that there are few specialists that know how to install the technology required.

Other benefits of Microgeneration are that it can be used in isolated places with no electrical supply. It can reduce 30% energy consumption by using the residual heat of power generation for the production of hot water and/or heating and refrigeration of buildings. It also has less visual impact, lower costs, greater efficiency and more sustainability.

The United Kingdom two years ago launched its Microgeneration strategy, so that by 2050 between 30-40% of the country demand is covered with microgeneration systems. In the United States, according to the American Wind Association (AWEA) the wind micro turbines recorded an annual growth of 14-25%.

Microgeneration should be in governments’ agenda and also taught at schools. The world needs the generation of zero or low carbon heat.

Can Microgeneration ensure environmental sustainability?

VIA: BIS

The Masdar Initiative has set the ground-breaking goal of building a zero waste, carbon neutral, 100% renewable energy dependent city. Not bad! This initiative is being driven by the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company.

Regarding the first aim; generating zero waste, the plan is that 50% of waste will be recycled, 33% will be converted to energy, and 17% will be composted. This is expected to be achieved 10 years after the completion of the final phase of the city’s construction. On the other hand, people living in the city will be encouraged to reduce their waste 30%, through policies, regulations and behavioral change.

The city was designed by Foster & Partners, and it will occupy 6 km2. During construction, no waste is expected to be generated. Also, compared to usual construction processes, CO2 emissions will be reduced 50%.

As we’ve mentioned, all the electricity will come from renewable sources. Where will all this renewable energy come from? In numbers, 42% from photovoltaic panels, 8% from waste to energy, 15% from solar thermal power, and 15% from concentrated solar power.

As regards transportation, the city will power 100% of the vehicles within the city with renewable sources. Whereas, transportation coming in and out of the city will be powered 75% by renewable energy. These two objectives are expected to be met within 10 years after the city is built on its whole. Transportation within the city will be articulated thanks to a multi-modal system, that carries people, goods, supplies, and that also collects solid waste. It will connect the subway, the intercity rail, and the bus.

So far, not much has been built, just a portion of the Masdar Institute.

Concerning water, in this still imagined city, its consumption will be reduced, as well as its leakage. Besides, water will be recycled and reused more, and rainwater will be caught and reused. Another proposal consists of desalinating water using solar power.

It is estimated that 40.000 people will live in Masdar, while 50.000 will commute there. Companies working there will be around 1500.

Hopefully, Masdar city will be built and will be able to accomplish all of its remarkable goals.

VIA: Masdar City

Cleantech

Walmart has three main, very demanding goals. These are to be supplied 100% by renewable energy, to eliminate waste and to sell more sustainable products.

Regarding its first goal; using solely renewable energy, Walmart has been investing in both wind and solar power. The company has made a four-year purchase agreement with Duke Energy, a wind farm in Notrees, Texas. Since April 2009, Duke Energy is providing approximately 15% of Walmart’s total energy load in around 350 Texas stores and some other facilities.

Walmart is also looking to solar power to green its ways. Between 2009 and 2010 solar panels will be installed on 10 to 20 of its stores. 18 solar arrays are already in place. When all of the new panels are installed, solar power will provide between 20 and 30% of each location’s total energy needs.

The company is also trying to increase its use of biofuels. The fuel it uses in its multiple operations, such as with its fleet of trucks, is increasingly being blended with ethanol.

On the whole, by using renewable energy, Walmart is expected to avoid producing more than 139,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year.

The company has a global aim of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions at its stores, operations, transportation, and distribution centers around the world by 20% by 2012, compared to 2005 levels. It is also looking to help suppliers, and consumers reduce their own emissions. How is it helping consumers? By offering more energy efficient products, and more sustainable disposal options.

One interesting project is being carried out in Phoenix, Arizona; 15 trucks are being adapted to run on waste cooking grease, which is collected from Walmart stores.

To achieve its aim of zero waste, Walmart is working on different projects. It is using a process dubbed “sandwich baling”, which consists of sandwiching loose plastic between layers of cardboard and putting it together making up bales that are sent to certified recyclers. Thanks to this process, 1100 tons of waste that would have been sent to landfills were recycled.

On the other hand, Walmart is trying to reduce its packaging, or to make it reusable or recyclable. It is also encouraging its suppliers to use less packaging. Less packaging means less waste, and less space. Less space means more products fitting in a shipping container, and that means less contamination generated by transportation.

Another strategy to help reduce waste are the different partnerships Walmart has established with different organizations, so as to make recycling easier for consumers. Among others, it has partnered with Samsung and Gazelle to enhance the recycling of electronic products.

Walmart is yet another example that succeeding in business can go hand in hand with being sustainable.

VIA: Walmart

The world’s largest solar powered building is located in Dezhou, Shangdong Province, in northwest China. The facility has a 75,000 square meter surface which was built based on the sun dial structure. The innovation in the design and construction of this type of building is being pushed forward by the urgent need of seeking renewable energy to start replacing fossil fuels, that have an enormous impact on air pollution.

The building has exhibition centers, scientific research facilities, meeting and training facilities and even a sustainable hotel. Dubbed the Sun and the Moon Altar micro-row buildings, the architecture features the Chinese characters for sun and moon, while the white exterior structure symbolizes clean energy.

The most important feature of this green office building is the huge quantity of solar light that the roof panels attract and the powerful energy you can obtain from them. But, there were also other ideas that came up while the building was being constructed.

For example, roof and wall insulation technology systems reduce 30% more energy than the national energy saving standard.

The building will be the main stage for the 4th World Solar City Congress that will be held in September 2010.

VIA: Ecofriend