Author Archives: nikitaob

About nikitaob

My name is Nikita Obidin and I am currently a senior at Newburyport High School. I was born in the Russian Federation in 1993, and moved to the United States in 1999. Since I started high school in Newburyport, I have been fascinated with the possibilities for the expansion of alternative energy in the modern day. I plan to use this interest after college to pursue a career in the field.

Google and Green Energy

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This week, a blog post by Google announced that the company plans to enact a power purchase agreement to get enough energy to power several of its facilities. The deal will include a purchase of 114 megawatts of power from the NextEra Energy Resources wind farm in Iowa. According to Google, the decision will help to promote the expansion of alternative energy in general as well as specifically for the Iowa wind farm. According to the post, the deal will allow NextEra enough financial security to expand and build new wind turbine installations. In addition, removing 114 megawatts from the market will stimulate other companies to expand their own investments.

This is a good step for Google, yet it isn’t out of step for their company strategy. Since 2007, the company has pledged itself to becoming carbon neutral by constructing energy efficient data centers, powering individual buildings with solar power and purchasing carbon offsets. Google has repeatedly stated that its decisions to “go green” have long term financial assets as well. “While we are happy to be purchasing renewable energy as part of our environmental commitment, this is also a structure that makes long term financial sense for Google. Through the long term purchase of renewable energy at a predetermined price, we’re partially protecting ourselves against future increases in power prices.”

Obama pushes new tax credits for Green Companies

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Speaking at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, President Obama issued new proposals for issuing tax credits to renewable energy companies as a means of stimulating job creation. The President urged increasing the current funds already approved by the Congress totaling some 2.3 billion dollars. The problem is, there aren’t enough tax credits  to go around,” Obama told the crowd at the university.  “When we announced the program last year, it was such a success that we received 500 applications requesting over $8 billion in tax credits. But we only had $2.3 billion to invest. In other words, we had almost four times as many worthy requests as we had tax credits.”

President Obama’s trip to promote alternative fuels was also part of a larger effort to help push Senate elections this November back towards the Democrats, who have been consistently losing ground to the political right over the past several months. Indeed, Obama wasted no time criticizing top GOP leaders for being critical of his administration rather than offering up original solutions. “At every turn, we’ve met opposition and obstruction from leaders across the aisle,” said the president. “That’s why I’m glad I’ve got a boxer in the Senate, who’s not afraid to fight for what he believes in. The boxer, according to the President was none other than majority leader Harry Reid, who has been a key ally of the administration’s efforts across the board, including climate change and the move towards renewable energy products.

However, for Obama to even consider enacting massive initiatives such as removing national dependence on foreign petroleum, the President has recognized that he must first secure a firm majority in both houses of Congress. Indeed, the November Elections will truly be a referendum on the policies of Obama and Congressional Democrats.

While Europe enters austerity, US spends on Green Energy

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While nations of the European Union are cutting down on spending and rolling back their budgets, the Obama administration is doing the very opposite, and pursuing renewable energy, despite the budget problems facing the US. Barack Obama told reporters yesterday that he will hand out up to 2 billion dollars in grants for the development of clean energy projects, including the construction of one of the largest solar power plants, which will provide energy to 70,000 homes and 1600 jobs. The measure is part of a broader effort that the President says is part of the economic recovery. “We’re fighting to speed up this recovery and keep the economy growing by all means possible,” he said. “It’s going to take months, even years to dig our way out.”

At the same time, European nations highly riddled with debt are increasingly cutting back from the use of alternative power due to the high maintenance. The government of Spain announced that it had reached an agreement to slash subsidies for wind and solar power producers up to 35% starting from 2013. But Spain is not the only nation to feel this trend. Cash-strapped Italy considered scrapping their alternative energy program as a whole, while the Czech Republic and Slovakia are planning large scale cuts to their energy programs. While the US is hoping that deficit spending on renewables will stimulate the ailing economy, European nations are increasingly cutting their programs out of fear of another uncontrollable Greek Crisis.

The Climate Change Bill limbo

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Limbo Dancer [DSC_2141] by BoyDisappearingAfter an unproductive meeting of the Democratic Caucus this week, the Senate Climate Change bill appeared to be in a state of limbo, teetering on the edge of total collapse. The large scale meeting between Democratic senators was supposed to illuminate the path for a unified consensus of the provisions in the legislation. Instead, the meeting resulted in little unity between the senators and an increasing amount of strife between advocates of competing legislation. At the meeting, the show was stolen by a handful of environmental advocates who came to the floor armed with posters of smokestacks, aimed at winning over moderates to their side, but did little to help advocate for a unified bill, despite the fact that most senators were in agreement over the need for America to achieve energy independence and move away from fossil fuels.

While Reid told reporters yesterday that the hour-long meeting was “productive” and allowed for “full, frank discussion,” other senators presented an opposing viewpoint. “There’s not a unanimous consensus on the need to price carbon,” said Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) after emerging from the meeting. “There’s a unanimous consensus on the need to move us towards energy independence, away from fossil fuels, away from petroleum.” However, as the meeting has showed, it will be the specifics of the bill that will make or break the climate bill in the Senate. On one side, Bingham, Cantwell, and Reid are pushing for a set of comprehensive climate change measures which will increase the number of climate jobs in the United States as a general goal. From the opposing side, Senators Lieberman and Kerry continue to work on a specific climate bill which will reduce carbon emissions up to 80% from their 2005 level by the mid-century via mandatory cap on emissions. Despite the overarching belief that the government ought to take measures to take America off of its addiction to foreign oil and build a sustainable energy future, it may be the petty disagreement on the specifics that will hamper the efforts on the greater ideal.

Increasing Solar Efficiency (and why its important)

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Natural Palette by Argonne National Laboratory If there’s one clear cut hope for the future of energy, its that a completely clean and renewable source of energy, like the sun, could one day come to completely replace our current addiction to fossil fuels. Solar energy, if applied properly could provide the Earth with years of nearly endless power with virtually no environmental drawbacks. However, there are some major hurdles to clear before this dream of a sustainable future through solar energy could become a reality. Currently, the biggest drawback to solar panels is the low efficiency of these devices, even under constant sunlight. Most photovoltaics today only run at a top efficiency of 20%, making them mere complements to other energy sources, rather than complete replacements.

Despite these setbacks, new research from across the world has recently made some large leaps towards higher solar efficiency. A team working at the University of Michigan has recently begun testing the use of quantum dots made of selenide rather than silicon; their experimentation has shown that using selenide lowered the rate of heating in the semiconductor metals, thereby increasing the amount of total solar energy that is transferred into direct current. At the current rate, the team estimates that this new way of building solar panels could raise the overall efficiency up to 66% or higher. This is a very promising result,” said U of M graduate student William Tisdale. “We’ve shown that you can pull hot electrons out very quickly – before they lose their energy. This is exciting fundamental science.”

In addition to the work being done by U of M students, the Dutch government is currently planning to give out grants to prominent scientists for work in developing solar panels using nanorods, which can increase the maximum efficiency by more than 30%, and can be built in a cost-effective manner. “If the Netherlands wants to timely participate in a commercial exploitation of nanowire solar cells, there is a great urgency to get on board now.” says Jos Haverkort, one of the researchers receiving the grant. With continuing research, Haverkort hopes to be able to present a nanorod based cell with an efficiency of around 65%. If solar panels are to become a cost-effective solution to the energy crisis facing contemporary society, increasing their total electrical output will have to be a key priority. And with the rate of technological innovation moving forward at an astounding rate, the dream a renewable and sustainable energy may only be years away.

Obama’s climate rules remain in place

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At least for now, the greenhouse gas policies of President Obama will remain in place, despite some opposition in the Congress. The Senate last week, rejected a controversial new bill, which would deny the EPA the right to regulate carbon emissions from major industrial polluters and power plants across the nation. Coming at a time when the President’s climate change bill remains stalled in the Senate, the vote is a positive, if lone, sign, reaffirming the commitment of most Senators to combat global warming. “If ever there was a vote to find out whose side you are on, this is it,” said Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee. The President also took note, telling supporters that the vote was “yet another reminder” of the pro-climate atmosphere in the Congress and the need for a comprehensive climate bill.

After a bitter debate on the floor, stemming from discussion about the stalled climate bill, the measure was rejected with a vote of 53-47. If adopted, the measure would have barred the EPA from regulating and placing restrictions on carbon emissions on vehicles as well as industrial activity, rights that the EPA was entitled to under the Clean Air Act. The Republicans and 6 Democrats who supported the bill claimed that the EPA had no right to regulate climate emissions, and that this right was reserved to Congress alone. On the other side of the aisle, the White House and Senate Democrats, referring frequently to the oil spill in the Gulf, argued that it made no sense to undermine efforts to curtail emission reduction efforts which would lower the nation’s dependence on foreign oil.

However, not all green groups were thrilled with the rejection of the bill; the environmental group Greenpeace reacted with alarm to the vote, citing the 6 Democrats who voted in favor of the bill, as well as the very close margin as causes for concern and alarm, warning that “was nowhere near a blowout in our favor.” Despite this, most environmental advocates in the White House agree that the strength of the Democratic bloc in Congress should not be underestimated and that the action may give new hope to the ill-fated climate change bill.

Solar-powered sailboat on display in Shanghai

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Suntech boatAs the World Expo in Shanghai enters its second month, the company Suntech Power delivered an extra attraction at the Chinese display: a solar-powered sailboat. The 10o foot long catamaran was unveiled on the Huangpu River yesterday, in a ceremony attended by Communist Central Committee Secretary of Shanghai, Mr. Mr. Zhengsheng Yu, as well as representatives from Suntech. Both the party leader and the CEO of Suntech voiced the need for continued expansion of solar energy as an indispensable part of the Chinese energy production.  “To meet the soaring global demand for Suntech’s solar products, we plan to add 1,000MW of crystalline silicon cell and module production capacity at our Shanghai facility within the next three years,” said Dr. Zhengrong Shi, Suntech’s Founder, Chairman, and CEO.” In addition to the boat, known as the Guosheng, Suntech has also contributed their solar products to power both the China Pavilion and Theme Pavilion at the World Expo.

Suntech Gusosheng launch Martin Green, Stuart Wenham and Robert DaneThe Guosheng passenger vessel incorporates a large fixed sail coated with silicon, angled to capture solar energy at an efficient rate, as well as Suntech’s HMP system which allows batteries powering the sailboat to be charged from renewable energy available from the movement of water on the surface of lakes and rivers. The technology will allow the passenger ferry to travel at a top speed of about 15 knots. Shanghai has made no secret of the many potential advantages of the new technology, including fuel savings, zero emission capability, power redundancy, and lower green-house gases. “We are just beginning to scratch the surface of what’s possible with solar. It seems clear that Suntech will continue to push the envelope, creating advanced solar technology to power a better future,” commented Hon Bob Hawke, the Chairman of Solar Sailor.

Suntech continues to maintain a close partnership with its Australian research facilities for the developments of their energy products, helping to launch the Victoria-Suntech Advanced Solar Facility, which will work to develop high-efficiency, nanoplasmonic solar products. In addition, the company has worked with the University of New South Wales for cooperative development of solar products. “Our long-term research collaborations with Australian organizations are central to driving solar innovation,” said Dr. Zhengrong Shi, himself a graduate of an Australian university. “As our planet bears the strains of fossil fuel energy generation, we are empowering people around the world to look up and harness nature’s cleanest and most abundant energy resource. The Shanghai Expo and this remarkable Solar Sailor technology offer shining examples of the power of technology to create a better life.”

Green Communities Eligible for Grants

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Hopkington "Green Communities" Announcement by Office of Governor PatrickThe newest beneficiaries from the “green” energy policies of Massachusetts will be comprised of cities which have already taken steps in limiting their carbon emissions through alternative energy solutions. Yesterday, Governor Deval Patrick visited the city of Hopkinton, which has taken major advancements towards solar energy development with a cutting-edge 325 kilowatt solar panel system, unveiled last year. During his trip, the governor met with Linda Donahue of the Housing Authority, and promised to support green-energy efforts throughout the state with a portion of the 7 million dollars designated for green energy spending from RGGI and other sources; §10b. Under the new system, nearly 36 cities and towns will receive the state’s “Green Community” designation, including Newton, Sudbury, and Natick. To qualify for the grants, cities must submit paperwork corresponding with five major criteria:

  • Adopt zoning that allows the construction of renewable energy projects in certain areas without special permission.
  • Establish an expedited permitting process for those projects.
  • Set a baseline for municipal energy and reduce use 20 percent within five years.
  • Only purchase fuel-efficient municipal cars and trucks when available and practical, with exemptions for public safety.
  • Change building codes to require a 20 percent increase in energy efficiency for new commercial construction and new homes larger than 3,000 square feet.

In additional to grant eligibility, each Green Community will receive a solar waste compacter, a design that uses the sun’s energy to compress trash, increasing the amount that is able to fit in the can, reducing garbage truck trips. The gifts are intended for use at municipal beaches and parks. Patrick and state leaders have acknowledged that supporting energy efficiency should be an integral part of the state’s energy policy.

Also see who’s in the running.

A Victory for Cape Wind

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Off-shore Wind Farm Turbine by phault In a game-changing move for the financing of offshore wind farms across the United States, National Grid has agreed to buy power from the Cape Wind project after a nine year court struggle. The announcement comes in a period of success for the project, falling one week after the federal government officially approved of the project over the defiance of some Cape residents. Under the new 15 year PPA agreement, the UK based National Grid would begin purchasing up to one half of the total generated kilowatt hours starting in 2013 for the sum of 20.7 cents per every kilowatt hour.

The deal is estimated to raise the average cost of National Grid’s electricity customers by approximately 2 percent in the coming years after the launch of the wind farm , however, in the long run experts say that the consistency of wind power as an alternative power source would keep rates under control, especially if the prices for oil and natural gas skyrocket. The additional 2 percent increase would add about $1.59 to every 500 kwh. Recently however, these statistics have been disputed by the Alliance for the protection of Nantucket Sound, longtime opponent of the Cape Wind project, have recently argued that rates for consumers would increase by 442 million over the next 15 years. Cape Wind’s Mark Rogers fired back when he told Reuters, “I have no idea where they [The Alliance] are getting their numbers from—maybe they are assuming there will be no fossil fuel price increases. Their predictions about rate increases lack credibility.”

The opposition to the project has now begun to seek legal measures to prevent the construction of the wind farm, piling up a stack of lawsuits supported by a variety of different organizations from the Earth Land Institute to the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe; the Pocasett Wampanoag recently spoke out in favor of the project. However, in a recent meeting with Siemens Energy, President Obama told workers in a blade manufacturing plant that his administration’s investments in clean energy would be the largest in US history. “One study suggests that if we pursue our full potential for wind energy, and everything else goes right, wind could generate as much as 20 percent of America’s electricity 20 years from now.”