RACING AHEAD
Trains have been around for decades, but the energy they use is changing. Is the speed worth it?
CAR, BIKE, TRAIN, BUS? Whats worth it?
BACK TO THE FUTURE
A quick buck, or the beneficial change?
NIGHT IN SHINING ARMOUR
the solution to our energy problem
Welcome to the Electric Switch, a magazine of advancing forms of sustainability and technology. Our stories range from surface-level information to a more detailed level, starting with a piece about sustainable practices in daily life to the future of solar, 3D Printing, and electric trains. In these past years, the progress in tech has taken a toll on our environment, but we wanted to turn on the light and shine on the positives of our future in these fields.
It took time to figure out what we were all going to write because our interests were so different, and even after we settled on something, we still had opposing ideas about what this magazine should be. We particularly struggled with the infographics because our styles are different and need to fit
better. We were able to incorporate each other’s designs and ideas to make the best style possible. Despite the seemingly endless struggles we had initially faced, we eventually formulated an idea of what our Ezine would be for it to be feasible and successful. Over time, after much polishing and many changes to our individual stories, we eventually perfected each of our unique stories to where our team is now happy to and proud to present our magazine-Electric Switch.
By Camille Hawthorne
Clean energy is replacing fossil fuels rapidly, with the popularization of electric cars and solar panels. “by the time you’re 30, you’ll hopefully be in the age where clean energy is more common,” said Robert Kaufmann, a professor at Boston University. “I mean, the idea is, we’ve gotta do it.” He agrees that going green in both the industry and everyday life is both healthy for both the individual and the world.
In the path towards sustainability and the consciousness that comes with it, there can be worry about major changes in one’s lifestyle. “I’m not a vegan, or vegetarian, but I’ve started eating less meat and that’s a big thing to do. I don’t know if you can tell, but I bike to and from work, it’s ten miles each way, good exercise.” Kaufmann said.
Even if biking isnt easy to do or is possible for someones schedule, theres still other options, whether it be through reusing plastic containers, eating less meat, or buying groceries that are in season. “There’s lots of things you can do in your daily life to kinda move things along in the right direction, minimize your impact,” he said.
Besides food, there’s an economical advantage about using solar energy or solar panels (PV). “It’s generally cheaper, I mean last summer when everybody was paying four, five dollars a gallon, I mean my electric bill, compared, was like 1.50 a gallon…and there is some indication that climate change can affect housing prices,” said Kaufmann.
Photo Courtesy Of Medium.com Electric Switch - 7With commonality in ideals and market demand, becoming more sustainable is more beneficial for people and the planet is starting to be a guiding factor among consumers and the economy as well. A survey done by the Pew Research Center displays how a majority of adults favor the US becoming carbon neutral by 2050. Solar energy is now the cheapest kind to ascertain, and in the US a recent law passed called the Inflation Reduction act gives incentives to go green with solar. “It just requires us to make the move, stick your neck out, be bold. At some point, we just need to do this.” said Matt Haefenraefer, a CEO of a sustainably-focused consulting firm, Process First.
The social incentive comes into play when this happens, with something called the neighborhood effect. “you’re living in a neighborhood, and your neighbor puts up a PV panel, and then you do it, and it becomes more and more visible in the neighborhood,’’ Kaufmann said. “And the same is true with electric cars, people start seeing them, start thinking about them, and talk to people about them.I have a chevy bolt and only have good things to say, and as far as i’m concerned, i’m never going back to an internal combustion car. So, when people talk to me and hear that I like it, that encourages them along with lower prices.” said Kaufmann.
People are adopting these changes in their way of life, whether it’s through talking
to others on break at work or sharing through social media. “And, i’ve noticed my peers are more and more working towards clean energy and renewals, and as they come into higher up positions, you see the shift start to happen.” says Haffenraefer. “With people tweeting or talking about how they like PV, it makes other people think, “oh, that seems pretty cool, maybe i’ll check it out.” said Kaufmann.
As people’s diets and habits get greener, so do different industries, and in turn, so does the world. People have a form of control over the market, and in order to profit, companies still have to appear as the best choice to buy from. This isn’t to say that climate change and the work towards sustainability is something that the consumer is responsible for. “Something that happens in the world is companies build campaigns to put the blame on the individual, and it deflects from, what’s the real source of the problem is.” said Haffenraefer. These things will still affect everyone in the future, learning and being more conscious about it, and what people do to help is going to drive our industry forward towards practicing the same thing.
“I mean it affects our life on a day to day basis, this is not some theoretical situation for us, this is what life is going to look like for them, for the future.” Kaufmann said. The possibilities and potential of this newfound tech won’t just help an individual, it could help aid in that change that we need. The growing possibilities are endless.
“Theres lots of things you can do in your daily life to kinda move things along in the right direction, minimize your impact.”
-Robert Kaufmann, Professor
Grpahics by Camille Hawthorne
Electric Switch - 9
CO2 Emissions are the leading cause of climate change, see how much of a carbon footprint each mode of transport ation has.
299 grams of CO2 emissions per mile
371 grams of CO2 emissions per mile
10- Electric Switch
33g of CO2 emissions (manufacturing)
177 grams of CO2 emissions (per passenger) per mile.
Solar panels have made their way into the homes of many, becoming a cornerstone in many communities, and creating a new future for humanity – one that runs on the stars.
Manny Aponte, director of
Solar Engineer finishes installing Solar Panels. Courtesy of Build Review Photographers
project operations at Freedom Solar Power explained how solar may just take over the world.
“Solar energy has spread like wildfire, and eventually will become a real competitor to fossil,” Aponte said.
According to Daniel Kammen, a Nobel Peace Prize winner who currently teaches as a professor at the University of California at Berkeley, solar energy is the most cost-effi-
community has allowed solar energy to become so prevalent, however, it still is behind other forms of sustainable energy. It has yet to pass hydropower in terms of energy , and wind power is more prevalent in terms of installation and use in the US energy sector. The difference is that a dam or a wind turbine can’t be installed in someone’s
the people.
“With the cost declines in sales over the past decade, solar is now clearly the cheapest form of energy we have, not fossil fuels, not nuclear, not hydro, but solar,” said Kammen.
Daniel Richmond, senior manager of EV and solar strategy for Green Mountain Energy explained that the popularity has
cient form of sustainable energy. They can be used in all fields of life and they can be fit like puzzle pieces into whatever landscape they are placed in. This adaptation to industry and
lawn or creek, which is why most plants are managed by governments or large businesses. Solar panels, however, can be implemented on people’s homes, which makes it so popular for
led to a boom in research.
“Panels … for the last five years or so, would generate 300 watts,” Richmond said. “The ones now are doing 400-425, pushing 450. So I mean, that’s
almost 30% increase in five years.”
Solar energy growth in the past five years has resulted in massive growth in the industry, and this has made governments take notice. An example of this was the United States’ funds for solar energy, allowing many people to pay cheaper prices for panels, explained Aponte.
“There’s gonna be more demand for a stronger system, and that’s gonna trigger more research to make a better product,” Aponte said.
The solar industry is being fueled directly by itself. As more people purchase solar, just as Aponte said, there is going to be more demand on the research side of the industry. This in turn results in improvements, taking up more interest from governments, companies, communities, and everyone in between. After this, the cycle restarts.
“The growth there has been exponential,” said Richmond, “Four years ago, there was something around 40k installations, rooftop installations. Now they’re 200k. And it’s growing
every year.”
Although this surge is great, it’s not all rainbows and ponies. Kammen warns about this
“There really is no way to, in a general sense, understand how much better Solar will become,” Kammen said. “In 10 years the panels could be 1 more kilowatt an hour, but for all we know, tomorrow, there might be some
However, Kammen understands that the industry is very strong right now, and has little probability of failing, and new booms are coming, he just doesn’t know when.
breakthrough giving us five more.”
As someone who has pioneered the research industry, Kammen understands that research takes time, and if everyone dives right into solar with faith in progress right when the industry may slow to a halt, then the whole industry could tumble. This is why people doing their own research is so important when getting into something new like solar
“With cost declines over the past decade, solar is now clearly the cheapest form of energy we have, not fossil fuels, not nuclear, not hydro, but solar,” Kammen said.
The solar industry is rising in the ranks of sustainable energy and has hit first in price. It still has a while to go until it may pass wind or hydro, if ever. But one thing is certain about the solar industry and the unorthodox nature of its growth: Solar brings something new to the table. Wind is popular due to the ease of installation and the vast swaths of land available for
“It’s revolutionary also, you gain this sense of the future technology. Its exciting.”
- Manny Aponte
it. Hydro is popular due to the availability of water sources, creating lots of energy. But solar brings a new aspect to energy that has a large appeal in our world. It brings a cheap and clean source of energy that is available to the people.
The cost has also gotten interest from governments. As an employee of a company that installs solar for everyone, Richmond sees that the governments are installing their own solar projects.
“Almost all of the new power plants that are being built right
now are solar, and there’s a large scale, hundreds of megawatts,” Richmond said. There’s these giant fields that are almost all solar, and these are being built by the government constantly.”
Solar is being used and funded by governments currently, which is a massive statement for how far the industry has come. The connection between buyers has resulted in One of the greatest ways to attract people to a new industry is having government attention. After 2021, when the USA gave tax credits
to people who installed solar panels on their houses, solar purchases increased tremendously.
Aponte even believes that every little bit of fame solar accumulates over time will result in more success.
“Solar is just so hot right now, like everyone and their grandma has heard of it, and the more this fame just keeps on spreading the more people are going to buy solar, and it just keeps revolving around itself like that,” said Aponte.
A block of negatively charged silicone ions. Electrons in the P-N junction(where the semiconductors meet) are knocked off by photons passing through the solar cell
Helps redirect light to make sunlight the most effecient as possible
Directs sunlight into the P-N cycle and redirects it back once returned
A block of positively charged silicone ions. The knocked off electrons in the junction flow to their respectively charged blocks. These excess ions can be transformed into an electric current by a wire.
N-Type SemiConductor Panel that absorbs sunlghtTransmits sunlight without absorbing it
Transforms light into electrical energy
The backsheet, or PV module, is a Tevlar frame that protects the solar panel from harsh environments to help prolong the life of a solar panel
Sources: pveduction.org, cleanenergyreviews.info, acs.org
Holds pieces together and protects them from damage
The encapsulant creates a sandwich that preserves and enhances the solar cells and their outputs
This encapsulant completes the solar cell sandwich
Holds and protects the electric materials that link and transmit solar energy from multiple panels to the selected reciever
Electric Switch - 17
Adam Williamson-WoodTwo employees at AMT test their maglev train in Powder Springs, GA. AMT is the first company in the United States to build a full scale maglev train and track. Photo Courtesy of American Maglev Technology
18- Electric Switch
Writter: Matthew Robson
Speeding down the tracks at over 300 miles per hour, maglev trains might be the future of mass transportation. Maglev technology is most prevalent in Japan and China but may be making their way into the United States soon. Maglev technology incorporates research in superconductors and long-term knowledge of magnetic fields.
Maglev trains function like classical diesel or steam trains by riding on tracks, but instead of using metal wheels, they use the repelling forces of magnets to make the train float. These trains are not powered in the classic sense of using a steam or diesel engine, instead, using attraction and repelling magnetic forces to pull and push the train with no contact.
“SCMAGLEV stands for Superconducting Magnetic Levitation,” Sr. Communicvations Specialist at Northeast Maglev, Ashley Mcmillian said. “and it means we use superconductivity to create ultra-powerful electromagnets that can lift the train and float it down a guideway, with no loss of energy.”
This results in a train that only needsa to touch the ground when moving at very slow speeds or when it is being serviced. The added efficiency is able to transform into major benefits in reduced emissions.
Electric Switch - 19
“SCMAGLEV is an ultra-low-emission mode of transportation,” Mcmillian said. “This means we’ll be able to prevent tons of greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere, helping to improve air quality in the region.”
Conventional diesel trains are still advancing, and their improvements are useful for the development of maglev. According to Mike Gerlach, the lead hardware engineer at Wabtec, a partner of GE Transportation, conventional trains are still innovating.
“One of the key areas of concern is safety,” Gerlach said. “We do failure mode analysis. Failure modes effect analysis, if something were to fail would it make things break down?”
It is important for mass transportation to be very reliable and safe for passengers because it transports so many people per day. According to CEO Tony Morris American Maglev Technology (AMT) highly values safety.
“The real advantage for us is the energy savings and the no moving parts,” Morris said. “We don’t have to worry about cows or cars.”
AMT designed and built the first full-scale maglev train and short course in the United States. In this theoretical test model, they were able to identify many safety benefits along with benefits from new, improving technologies. By lifting the track above the ground, they were able to decrease the number of obstacles in its way. According to Ashley Mcmillian at Northeast Maglev they found similar results in improved safety. Northeast Maglev is working on a current project using a maglev technology called Superconducting Magnetic Levitation or SCMAGLEV.
“SCMAGLEV trains are so exciting because it can completely change our expectations around what reliable, safe and comfortable public transportation can and should be in the United States.” said Mcmillian “We use superconductivity to create ultra-powerful
electromagnets that can lift the train and float it down a guideway, with no loss of energy.”
On traditional trains, the technology is also increasing to try and catch up with maglev. Maglev uses many more recent, less tested mechanics, which could lead to problems if they
“All large transportation projects face similar challenges as they expand, especially when they need to build brand-new infrastructure, like what we see with the SCMAGLEV,” said Mcmillian. “We have robust plans in place to reduce or eliminate the chance of these problems happening, but we’re also prepared to face any challenges that may arise.”
The same preparation to meet any challenge that may come up is an idea that is echoed by Gerlach when describing their workflow. It is
important to build in redundancy for these new components, but it is also important for preexisting technologies to keep up to date with redundancy.
“There’s a lot of redundancy built into locomotives,” said Gerlach. “It is not always a big problem if there ever is a failure... they usually have multiple locomotives pushing a cargo, sometimes it will cause a big failure or just stop the train.”
Along with reliability, Gerlach said that they were implementing many new technologies. Wabtec is starting to use electric-powered locomotives, and they are improving communication between train cars. Many of these mechanisms already exist in maglev, so the more difficult problem for them is making sure that they have enough demand.
“In fact, our models show that a significant portion of our ridership will come from people who would have taken a short-haul flight, once the full line is built between New York City and
Washington, D.C.” said Mcmillian. “This is great news, since short-haul flights are very energy inefficient and burn a lot of fossil fuel. The SCMAGLEV is an ultra-low-emission mode of transportation.”
These low emissions are very beneficial to the environment and are an added decrease in cost while running the train. These trains are more efficient than planes, and it seems that the only roadblock is waiting to finish planning and get approval to make these trains.
“Normally these projects take decades to be put in place,” said
Maglev speeds ahead of the competition at over 300 miles per hour when compared to . These overwhelming technological advances are what improve our mass transportation system and increasing ridership makes this possible.
“we know there will be demand for these trains” Mcmillian said.
Cars are the most common type of transport at the current point in time but, there are many benefits to switching to maglev trains.
46 mph
Depending on the number of people in the car it can become a more viable option.
22- Electric Switch
Cars average around 45 to 50 miles per hour but in countries such as the US they can average over 60 mph on long distance trips.
0.6 lbs of CO2 per mile
29 cents per mile
3 cents per mile
This is nearly 10 times cheaper than riding in a car and you don’t need to pay for repairs.
This is over three times more efficient than cars and at a faster speed.
0.16 lbs of CO2 per mile
244 mph
Maglev trains are able to average over 240 miles per hour when going in distances around 100 miles. These trains top out at a staggering 314 mph.
By Kai Mayeda
Working at home and at the desk, working on a brand-new laptop, with a few strokes of the mouse, and after a few hours the CAD is complete. It is downloaded to a SD card, and placed into the slot in the machine. With the press of a few buttons, the 3D printer begins to work, creating the base of the design, in minutes, and the final prototype is done within a few short hours. Thanks to this process, 3D printing is both faster as well as far more efficient than convection means of manufacturing, according to Mike Bughoffer, an additive manufacturing and edtech solutions advisory consultant. “People are slowly but surely replacing overseas manufacturing with localized 3D printing,” Burghoffer said. Companies and corporations are replacing the long and tedious process of manufacturing with quick, easy, and efficient 3D printing according to a statement by 3D printing company, Stratasys Direct. 3D printing has grown to the point where companies like NASA have taken to using a type of 3D printing using metal to build both the components, and shells of rockets. Drew Hope, manager of NASA’s Game Changing Development Program
explained. NASA’s new type of 3D printing rapid analysis and manufacturing propulsion technology (RAMPT) is on the cutting edge of the field. “This technology advancement is significant, as it allows us to produce the most difficult and expensive rocket engine parts for a lower price tag than in the past,” Hope said. NASA is using metallic powder, which is melted by lasers as it exits the nozzle, this is called direct energy deposition, DED, which is a further part of the RAMPT program.
“The printing method injects metal powder into a laserheated pool of molten metal, or melt pool,” William Bryan, an editor for NASA said. “The printhead is attached to a robot and moves in a pattern determined by a computer building one layer at a time. The fabrication method has many advantages, including the ability to produce very large pieces.” Said Bryan Due to the low cost and high speed manufacturing that 3D Printing provides, Burghoffer explained
“There will not be any industry that will not be touched in some way, shape, or form by 3D printing,” Burghoffer said.
3D Printing is spreading to cover every single field of science and technology, and it could soon be everywhere.“ People are slowly but surely replacing overseas manufacturing with localized 3D printing. Right now, I think the biggest industry of 3D printing is Aerospace, Automotive, and whatnot.” Burghoffer. One of the most recent
There will not be any industry that will not be touched in some way, shape, or form by 3D printing.”
-Michael BurghofferPhoto courtesy of Pixabay
industries to explore by 3D printing in the last decade is the housing market. Companies like EDEN homes are attempting to explore “cleaner, faster, and more sustainable houses.”
According to Patrick Tighe, the CEO of EDEN homes. However there is one downside, according to Burghoffer, The home industry is still growing, and has a few errors as well. “I believe that [house 3D
printing] is still about 5 to 7 years away before we have mainstream house building, I mean, there is still house building already happening, and in fact, this is one of the prime spots in the world for it right now, but ultimately it is still 5 to 7 years away because the number one thing holding us back, is not the machine, it is not the hardware, but it is the materials [like filament] ”
Burghoffer said. Some of the industries that are expanding the most as of right now are the dental, and medical industries. Stratysys, one of the leading companies for custom printing, has been expanding upon the dental industry for years, according to their website. Stratasys also states that they are able to take scans from dentists, or orthodontists, and then print out personalized crowns, implants, dentures, etc with more precision than ever before, and faster than the traditional methods. Dental is also the fastest growing industry because of how tedious the traditional process of manufacturing is, and the amount of labor 3D printing takes off of the manufacturing. “Dental is actually the fastest growing aspect of additive manufacturing,” Burghoffer said.
Similar to dental, 3D printing for the medical field relieves the
Photo Courtesy of NASA.
NASA’s RAMPT 3D printer using laser precise printing to create the shell of a rocket to be used as a part of a rocket future. The mechanical arm moves the laser guided metallic filament to print a metal rocket shell.
3D printing is the empowerment of innovation. If you have the skills to design in the right way, you can bring to life, or what I like to say, materialize anything that you wish.”
-Michael Burghoffer 26- Electric Switch
workload of many doctors because 3D printing can create hyper precise builds.
“Medical hospitals are also using these 3D printers to make casts on-site, and they are more comfortable and better for the patient.” Burghoffer said However, 3D printing is still uncommon, within hospitals, and medical sector, especially when compared to the ever growing dental industry. Medicals’ absence of 3D printing is due largely in part because when a patient comes into a hospital with a broken arm, the doctors do not have the time to accurately measure out the patient’s arm, and then spend an agonizingly long amount of time printing out a cast for them. However, the main disadvantage is the materials (filaments) used.
“There’s a limited amount of materials that can be used in 3D printing. Composite devices — or devices that require special, non-printable materials or components — may be difficult or impossible to 3D print without cutting some corners.” Said Kayla Mathews, an IT technology writer.
3D printing is an ever growing industry, which has potential to bring prosperity, but is not without its flaws. In more ways than one, 3D printing is far slower than traditional manufacturing, and we still lack some of the necessary capabilities for 3D printing, according to Burghoffer.
“Disadvantages are all in the user and the decider, so if you really don’t know and understand the machine, you’re at a disadvantage right away. The disadvantages, I guess, would be that it is somewhat slower than traditional manufacturing, and that is not necessarily wrong if you were making an apple-to-apple comparison,” Burfhoffer said.
3D printing is not without flaws, but Burghoffer, and many of his colleagues agree that the cost of improvement of the technology far outweighs the negatives of 3D printing, as it brings with it so many benefits to traditional manufacturing. 3D printing can bring our world into prosperity if done correctly, but if action is not taken immediately, then we may come to regret what could have been.
“I believe that 3D printing is actually one of the key elements of getting us out of poverty and getting people out of poverty, for that matter, so that is where I think it has its biggest impact, so anything that can benefit people that are unfortunate or underprivileged for that matter, that is where I think it is going to impact the most, and we are going to see a lot more of that over the next couple years.” said Burghoffer.
Photo courtesy of Stratasys Direct One of Stratasys’ mechanics is designing parts for an automobile project at the comfort of his computer in a CAD software. rocket ship in the Electric Switch - 27
Printer Chassis
Filament Spool
Extruder
3D printing in construc tion can be used for mak ing integral mechainical par ts or for printing out the whole building itself
Hot Ends
Crossbar
Final Product
Print Bed
3D Printing has many applications in health such as Prosthetics and Dental implants. It has also commonly been used as a cast for bone frac tures
Camille Hawthorne likes to draw and learn about how the world works. Camille creates digital and real life art, and she also studies color theory. She is fascinated in geopolitics and spends time researching many different aspects of the world like the social effects of different political decisions and long-term sustainability.
Adam Williamson-Wood is a student at LASA who likes to code and learn about new technology and sciences. He takes inspiration from his interests in technology and stars to create his feature story, which focuses primarily on solar energy and its future. Adam enjoys watching movies and other forms of entertainment.
Matt Robson is a student at Liberal Arts and Science Academy who likes to code and learn about new technology. Matt runs track and practices karate in his free time. He also finds enjoyment in solving mechanical problems. Matt is fascinated by advancing technology and researches various topics, such as maglev trains and fusion reactors.
Kai Mayeda spends much of his time outside of Ezine, playing trumpet for LASA’s Concert band and playing baseball for the baseball team. He loves to learn about new topics that are, most often, related to science and exploration, both on and off the planet.
