Dickinson to Durban » Archive
Synergy
Esther Babson Class 2013 According to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary synergy is “a mutually advantageous conjunction or compatibility of distinct elements”. Synergy is clearly a very positive term and used as such in relation to everything from the relationship between humans and computers to fitness programs. This idea of two elements working in sync is very helpful and appealing when looking at how to deal with climate change; especially with all of the negative reports climate change tends to give. In a World Watch article by Janet Sawin and William Moomaw called Renewable Revoltuion: Low-Carbon Energy by 2030, the authors, say that renewable energy and energy efficiency need to be used together. Their most powerful argument of the paper is explaining how this “synergy” between renewable energy and energy efficiency occurs in four ways. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Climate Change
Renewable Responsibility
by Emily Bowie ’14 The World Watch Report, “Renewable Revolution: Low-Carbon Energy by 2030,” develops important aspects of a transition to a low-carbon economy as well as illustrates potential scenarios for this transition. Carbon efficiency and renewable energy are the celebrated strategies for this transition. Explanations of the potential for certain renewable energy sources are provided and analyzed, as well as useful strategies for increasing current and future efficiencies (1). First, I found it interesting how often the report praised the accomplishments and potential of energy intensive renewables, mainly solar power. Graphs are presented that show solar as the fastest emerging renewable as well as the renewable with the most potential (see below). The facts that solar power does not require transmission and is well suited for distribution are repeated several times (1). … Read entire article »
Filed under: Climate Change, Key COP17 Issues, Summer Reading Responses
Base Load: Where Renewable Energy Resources Fall Short
by Sam Parker ’12 Many, including myself, are demanding a looking for a “renewable energy revolution” and a low carbon economy in this country and the rest of the world. For the future of our children and our planet, this is something that is an absolute necessity, but often what it lost in this thought is the concept of Base Load or Base Demand. For those who may not know, Dictionary.com defines base load as “the constant or permanent load on a power supply”. Essentially, all those things are run all day in your home (i.e. refrigerators, heat, a/c, clocks, etc.), place a demand on energy supply all of the time. Now, how does a renewable energy system work with base load? Not very well. At present, our base load energy requirements, as well as peak demand … Read entire article »
Filed under: Carbon Markets, Climate Change, Mosaic Action, Summer Reading Responses
What America Can (and should) Learn from Europe
By Timothy Damon ’12 America has a long and proud history of firsts – the first airplane, the first man on the moon, and so forth. This heritage makes it all the more surprising that the United States would give up its leadership in innovation when it comes to the world’s greatest problem: climate change. One of the largest examples is allowing Europe to establish the first-ever market mechanism for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In 2005, the European Union (EU) implemented the Emissions Trading System (ETS), a cap-and-trade system aimed at reducing its GHG emissions. The principle of cap-and-trade (C&T) is relatively simple, and the idea actually came from a previous program the US EPA used to fight acid rain pollution. Basically the government sets an annual limit on GHG emissions … Read entire article »
Filed under: Carbon Markets, Climate Change, Summer Reading Responses
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