Issue 4
looking forward to our renewable future
world’s greenest buildings
plus: wind power: does it really work? climate: what is the greenhouse effect anyway? renewable energy news: a round-up of all the latest news
inside Page 8
UK: gas flaring target of london conference Page 9
Japan:
nissan steer-by-wire cars by 2013
page - In The News page 17 6 - Crowdfunding A selection of the more interstingfinance renewable energy As traditional sources of investment continue to stories fromscarce, the last remain willfew theweeks movement towards crowd-funding prove to be the perfect solution for clean technology projects?
Page 10
USA: electric vehicles in all presidential 2012 debates Page 12
Asia: are solar
islands the new offshore windfarms? Page 14
Buildings: ikea
puts money where its mouth is 2
Page 16
Japan: windows that double up as solar panels Page 20
Buildings: “my top 15 green buildings� by hank green
page - In The News page 17 6 - Crowdfunding A selection of the more interstingfinance renewable energy As traditional sources of investment continue to stories fromscarce, the last remain willfew theweeks movement towards crowd-funding prove to be the perfect solution for clean technology projects?
Page 27
Buildings: top 10
ways to green up your own environment Page 33
Wind: 140,000 offshore
turbines enough to supply 1/3 of US power needs Page 37
Wind: do wind
turbines really work?
welcome Welcome to this, the 4th issue of 2050 magazine.
I would like to start off by thanking everyine who has written to us with their feedb suggestions. Too many to mention here individually I’m afraid, but enough to convi in future issues. So if you too would like to get invlolved or make suggestions for co as we’re concerned - please feel free to drop a line to: info@planetbventures.com
Secondly I would like to apologise to anyone who’s spent the last few weeks on the
4
back, encouragemnt, criticism, and ince us of the need for a letters page ontent - the more the merrier as far
e edge of their seat waiting for the concluding episode of the ‘Editor buys electric bike’ saga I started last issue; and promised to complete in this issue. I’ll be perfectly honest, I’m not quite there yet. Although I have narrowed my options down to just 2. Which feels like progress to me. The options being a conversion kit for my existing bike from a US company called Clean Republic (625 euros plus delivery), and a Mrs. Breadpudding style purpose built town bike from Wayscral (360 euros from a local source, bike included). Neither of which is, or looks anything like, the ridiculously sexy one in the picture below from Audi, which I have included purely for show. I can but dream. Joe Swain, editor
ABOUT US: 2050 Magazine is all about renewable energy and our journey towards the day when the whole world will have access to cheap, clean, sustainable sources of energy. Something which we think will happen by 2050. As long as we all pull together and do our bit. This is our bit. EDITORIAL: We are very fortunate to have constant access to an incredibly talented pool of people, some of them with decades of experience in the field of sustainability. They tell us things and we write it down and add pretty pictures. Then we send it, all wrapped up in tinsel, to the world at large. That’s it in a nutshell really. DISTRIBUTION: 2050 is a free publication which is distributed around the world through a variety of ‘friend’ networks. We are currently connected to more than 1 million supporters. A number which is growing on a daily basis. Please feel free to pass us on to your own networks if you think they might be interested in keeping in touch with what’s going on in the world of sustainable energy. PUBLISHERS: 2050 Magazine is a joint effort by Planet B Ventures and Legwork and Whispers Publishing. CONTACT: Editorial: info@planetbventures.com Advertising: ads@planetbventures.com
news
UK: gas flaring target of london conference
A conference in London on 24th October sought to persuade oil companies to limit gas flaring the ‘burning off’ of excess natural gas at oil drilling sites. The practice is normally limited to remote locations where it is not economically feasible to capture the gas and bring it to market.. The World Bank estimates that $50bn of fuel is burned this way every year, doing nothing but adding to global carbon emissions. Friends of the Earth are pushing for a total ban of gas flaring and don’t believe that individual countries are yet doing enough to kerb the practice. The conference kicks off the Global Gas Flaring Reduction partnership, an organisation set up by the World Bank in partnership with governments and oil companies in 2002.
UK: general public prefers wind turbines to shale gas, poll finds
A poll by ICM has found that 67% of people in the UK would prefer to have wind turbines situated near their homes than a shale gas well. Respondents were asked to choose between having one or the other of the two energy alternatives within a 2-mile distance of their own homes. Only 11% favoured the gas option. The poll did however discover that gas is preferable to both coal and nuclear power sources. 6
India: plans confirmed for 96
megawatts of waste biomass power Mumbai-based Punjab Biomass Power Ltd., a developer of clean-energy projects in India, has announced its intention to build rice straw fueled power plants with a total capcity of 96 megawatts by 2017. India is the world’s second largest producer of rice and sugar cane and analysts calculate that it has the potential to produce more than 17,000 megawatts of capacity from power stations fueled by crop waste. Equivalent to about 16 nuclear power plants.
Japan:
nissan steer-bywire cars by 2013
Using softwarecontrolled electrical wires to control the tyres, Nissan’s
prototype steerby-wire car could be in main dealer showrooms as early as next year. The system effectively removes the need for mechanically linked steering as it sends an electronic signal to a computer module that then directs the movement of the wheels. The system is currently used in aeroplanes, but has never before been used
in production cars. The ‘ooh’ factor in this story is that the system is seen by many as the forerunner to driverless cars. Those little electric pods that are programmed to cruise you home after a hard day’s work at the office, as you put your feet up on the dashboard and have a snooze. Nothing wrong with that surely.
news
Africa:
portable solar power kits, funded via kickstarter
San Francisco-based Fenix International originally developed the ReadySet Solar Kit in 2008 to provide flexible power to people in remote regions of Africa but recently raised funds on the Kickstarter 8
crowdfunding site (in 1 day) to first start producing the kits for the American market.
with people living in apartments, students in dormitories and outdoor types. Its 2 USB ports alongside its 2 car lighter style 12V outlets make it particularly handy for today’s modern electrical devices.
“The Fenix ReadySet is an intelligent battery system that can be charged by solar panels, the electricity grid, and even a bicycle generator to charge The ReadySet can mobile phones, tablets, power approximately 10 phones on a full charge. It can fully charge from the included solar panel in six to eight hours of sunshine. It is expected to sell for $225 with profits from sales in the US helping the company take the kits to Africa for under $150. The brains behind the project are both ex Apple WiFi hotspots and employees who say other devices,� the they want to create company says. products that deliver energy to the 1.5 The portable solar billion people in the panel that comes with world who lack access the kit can be hung out to electricity. of a normal window and so has proven popular in initial tests
USA: electric vehicles in all presidential 2012 debates
Electric vehicles (EVs) were mentioned in some form or another by both presidential candidates in all the live televised debates. Along with alternative fuels. They even got a brief mention in the vice presidential debate too. A milestone event for EVs many would say, and one which finally proves that EVs are out of the garage and into the mainstream.
AUSTRALIA: “greenpeace’s killer video game cans john west”
Greenpeace has launched a “slasher” games app that challenges players to kill as many fish and turtles as it claims canned fish company John West rejects and wastes in tuna fishing, reports the Sydney Morning Herald in Australia. Based on the game Fruit Ninja, the grim Greenpeace game, Ocean Apocalypse, gives players knives, axes and multi-blades to kill fish, turtles, sharks, stingrays and baby tuna. Greenpeace oceans campaigner, Nathaniel Pelle, said John West use fish aggregating devices that killed fish indiscriminately.
news
Asia: are solar islands the new offshore windfarms?
Norwegian company DNV has announced detailed plans for floating solar farms that could even rival offshore wind farms.
more flexible than traditional glass-based modules, allowing them to move with the waves on the sea's surface.
Tore Markussen, chief operational officer at DNV KEMA Energy & Sustainability Asia.
“SUNdy allows even the most densely The idea would be Bjørn Tore Markussen, populated countries to to link together a chief operational power their economies group of hexagonal officer at DNV with renewable energy. artificial islands to KEMA Energy & "We firmly believe the support 4,200 solar Sustainability Asia, SUNdy floating solar photovoltaic panels in said SUNdy allows field concept offers a total area equivalent even the most densely sound and sustainable to a sports stadium. populated countries to development prospects, The total output power their economies particularly in Asia of 50MW would be with renewable energy. and the congested enough to provide coastal megacities electricity for 30,000 "Many countries where there's limited homes. . are turning to solar opportunity for rooftop technology and solar power and urban Known as Project renewable energy areas which command SUNdy, it will be made because of a need premium prices for possible by utilising for alternative large-scale mounted state of the art 560W energy sources solar production." thin film solar panels, and environmental which are lighter and concerns," said. Bjørn 10
US: nanoflowers - next generation solar cells and energy storage
Flower-like semi-conductor structures created by researchers at North Carolina State University hold promise for a new generation of solar cells and energy storage devices. The germanium sulfide (GeS) nanoflowers' petals are just 20-30 nanometers thick and offer a large surface area on a small footprint. The flower structure is created by heating germanium sulfide power in a furnace until it vaporizes. The vapor is then pushed into a cooler area of the furnace, where it settles in layers just 20 - 30 nanometers thick and 100 micrometers long. The sheets branch out from one another as additional layers are added, creating the floral pattern. Germanium sulfide is also suitable for converting solar energy into power, making it attractive for use in solar cells. Unlike some other substances, it is relatively cheap and non-toxic.
Central Asia: first grid connected solar panels
Kyocera Corporation has supplied 786 of its solar modules to a hospital in Dushanbe, the capital city of the Republic of Tajikistan. The 120kW facility is Tajikistan’s first grid connected system. Construction of the system was funded by the Japanese government’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) initiative.
buildings
ikea puts money where its mouth is Will only sell LED lights from 2016 onwards and will switch all its stores to LED lights only in the meantime Swedish home furnishing giant Ikea has taken the laudable decision to stop selling anything but energy-efficient LED light bulbs from 2016 onwards.
selling other types of light bulbs but will also be practising what they preach by converting all their own stores to LED lights between now and 2016.
Not only will they stop Ikea’s management
are confident that their enormous buying power will mean that they will be able to sell LED lights at considerably lower prices than commonly seen on the market today.
“LED is a light revolution,” said the company’s Chief Sustainability Officer Steve Howard. “With household electricity bills continuing to rise rapidly and global energy consumption increasing, a small LED bulb can have a very big impact. It uses much less energy than a traditional bulb and brings a lot of home furnishing potential to the home. Building on our belief that everyone should be able to afford to live more sustainably at home, we will make sure our LED prices are the lowest on the market.” SO WHAT? “Almost 20% of global electricity consumption comes from lighting, so shifting lighting to LED technology is a cost-effective way to get change at scale. IKEA converting its lighting range to LED
will have a real impact in reducing energy use in many households.” (Samantha Smith, leader of the World Wildlife Fund Global Climate and Energy Initiative.) LED bulbs consume 85% less energy than incandescent bulbs and can last up to 20 times longer. (That’s about 20 times longer than a typical incandescent, 10 times longer than a typical halogen and twice as long as a typical CFL.) If one million people changed one bulb each into LED, this would in terms of CO2 emissions correspond to taking almost 6,700 cars off the road, or planting 17 million trees per year. The total annual cost saving (including purchase price and energy consumption cost) of switching one incandescent 40W bulb to a corresponding LED bulb, is approximately
$6.25 (5.3 Euro) on average. LEDs can be used almost anywhere – in any room in the house or in any business. LED replacements are already available for many bulb types and can fit virtually all of your existing lamps.
buildings
Japan: sharp to launch windows that double up as solar panels – how simple is that? close up, they become more difficult to see through the further from them you are, making them excellent privacy screens too. Japanese manufacturer Sharp this week announced the arrival of what it hopes will become a common money-saving building material. Its seethrough solar panel (or window with built in solar capacity depending on which way you look at it, or indeed through it?) has been designed for use both as windows and balcony infill panels.
They also act as heat shields.
One of the key selling points of the new panels will be their ability to contribute power to the overall building from positions that would not normally be used for solar harvesting.
The panels will be The 10mm thick hitting Japanese panels, which measure markets on October 1, 1.4 x 1.0 metres, when pricing details are made from a will also be made combination of available. laminated glass and infused photovoltaic They will likely cost solar cells. more than standard glass panels, but Each panel is capable even at a significant of delivering a premium they are an conversion efficiency of option for architects 6.8% with a maximum and building owners output of 95 watts. to recoup money over The company describes This compares to a time. When we know the black panels as conversion rate of the pricing, we’ll semi-transparent and about 15 to 20% in be able to work out explains that while modern solar (only) exactly how much they are transparent panels. time. 14
SO WHAT? In a typical industrialised country, about 40% of its energy consumption can be attributed to its buildings (domestic dwellings and offices).
payback period may be less than 10 years on a lifespan of (hopefully) at least ten times that, but there’s still a premium to be paid.
prices.
Tenant/buyer demand: The people upon whose doormats those energy bills are landing are gradually becoming The same logic applies more and more to energy generating demanding. They have equipment and every right to question Most experts agree materials. a building’s energy that by adopting costs and to demand existing technology, The solution is higher standards. This design methods probably two-fold. in turn will encourage and energy efficient Legislation and tenant/ the developers and materials, the total buyer demand. their teams to be more power requirements prepared to stump up of buildings can be at Developers must be the extra cash at the least halved. Without directed by legislation outset. impinging at all on to construct new the building’s ability buildings that not only The future: there is to perform all its meet minimum energy no reason on Earth functions. Add to this performance standards why all our buildings a building’s ability but also have the built- shouldn’t one day soon to generate its own in capacity to generate all have a zero energy power, and it’s not hard a certain proportion of rating. A combination to imagine zero energy their own power from of efficient designs buildings as the norm. renewable sources such and built-in renewable as these solar windows. energy capacity is The problem is, Most developers will all it would take. The most buildings are tell you that they have bonus of course being constructed and paid no problem with this that even the smaller for by different people approach, as it means amount of energy than those upon whose everyone has to take they would require, doormats the energy on the same additional would be coming from bills land. costs. Plus, with the a clean sustainable right management source right on their For example, triple system, data and own doorstep. Or, in glazed windows can marketing, a provably the case of Sharp’s new drastically reduce more energy efficient panels, through their those monthly bills, building can command windows. but they cost more. The higher resale or rental
buildings
“my top 15 green buildings” Ecogeek’s founder Hank Green shares with us a list of his favourite green buildings, from around the world, some in existence, some being built, and some in planning. “If the world wants to do something about global warming then we need to change more than just how we live, we need to change what we live in. There is endemic negligence and a multiplicity of inadequacies with regards sustainable living in our current mainstream architectural design practices. This lack of an environmentally-conscious approach to construction is evident in the huge contribution to the warming of our planet made by buildings. It therefore stands to reason that if we really are serious about protecting the environment (and ultimately ourselves) then we must build green in the future, and ideally retrofit current structures with greener functionality. Here is a mixture of 15 current, in-construction and planned green architectural treasures from around the world. They all have one thing in common: sustainability.”
16
India Tower, Mumbai When first announced many commentators reacted with aghast to the renders of India Tower claiming it looked more like a stack of misaligned boxes than an intelligently designed building. I know there are similar towers around the world but I still quite like the India Tower, if only because it symbolises an environmental awareness in the world’s second most populous country. India Tower will be 74 storeys tall with 882,000 square foot of multi-use space. Each rotated block in the tower will have a completely different use, ie. residential, office, retail, recreation etc. The design incorporates the use of solar shading, natural ventilation, daylighting, rainwater harvesting, and green interior finishes and materials to make this one of the greenest buildings in India. The India Tower has already achieved the US LEED Gold rating.
Bank of America Tower at One Bryant Park, New York When it comes to green architecture they don’t get much greener than the Bank of America Tower in New York. This $1 billion, 54 storey, 1,200 foot tall tower houses 2.1 million square foot of office space. Cook + Fox designed the tower to be extremely efficient so that waste and rainwater is reused, heat from the sun is maximised and office space is flushed with natural daylight. Most of the raw materials used in the construction of the tower are from renewable and recycled sources within 500 miles of New York in line with the ideology of sustainable building practice. It should come as no surprise therefore that this tower has been accredited with US LEED Platinum status.
buildings Residence Antilia, Mumbai Believe it or not, this 70 storey, 803 foot tall tower is going to be the home for a single family, that of Indian property mogul Mukesh Ambani. The tower has been designed by Perkins + Will using traditional Vastu design, which means this will be the tallest living wall when completed and act as a large carbon sink in the heart of Mumbai, India. Not all of the floors will be occupied, some are going to be used exclusively as gardens in the sky. According to Vastu philosophy the central column of the building will angle upwards to symbolise enlightenment. The design is certainly innovative and should add at least some weight behind the whole idea of rooftop gardens and inner city farms that seems to be gaining some well-deserved traction. Burj al-Taqa, UAE Well it had to happen: it just wouldn’t be a post about green architectural and innovative construction without a mention of one of the emirates. The Burj al-Taqa is a totally self-sufficient office tower in Dubai, that will use wind, solar and water to produce all necessary energy with zero emissions. Designed by Gerber Architekten the 68 story “Energy Tower’ (as the name translates) has an air conditioning system based on Iranian wind towers to draw air inside that gets pre-cooled with seawater before distribution round the tower. There is also a 200 foot tall wind turbine with a Darrieus-type rotor on the roof of the 1,056 foot tall tower. The wind turbine is accompanied by 2 rooftop solar arrays with another floating array offshore to augment power generation. If this building does prove to be totally carbon neutral it will help usher in a new generation of super-green buildings. 18
San Francisco Civic Tower After a long time on the drawing board, the City of San Francisco finally gave the green light (no pun intended) to the 12 storey Civic Tower. The building incorporates a plethora of green design features including integrated solar panels on the building exterior and rooftop, a raised floor ventilation system, chilled ceilings, and light shelves to increase the penetration of natural daylight into the workspace. In order to improve the quality of life for the workers, KMD Architects also designed greenhouses on each floor. These features combined will help the Civic Tower consume 20% less power than required by Californian environmental law, which is why it has been accredited with a US LEED Silver rating. Admittedly not the coolest building, but a sign of things to come.
Masdar, Abu Dhabi Even the largest of green projects pale in comparison with the sheer scale and ambition of the Masdar Initiative. This 64,583,462 square foot development takes environmental design to a whole new level. Foster + Partners were commissioned for this mixed use, high density new walled city which promises zero emissions and no waste. Inhabitants in Masdar will never be any further than 200 meters from some form of public transport or personalised rapid transit, which will be useful considering the city will be car free. Carefully positioned wind turbines, solar arrays and plantations mean Masdar will be completely self sustaining. Awesome.
buildings Khanty Mansiysk Tower, Siberia This 917 foot tall tower in Khanty Mansiysk is designed by Foster + Partners to be a multi use living and workspace capable of withstanding the hot and cold extremes of the Siberian climate. In the renderings provided it looks like a diamond on the hill thanks to the faceted glass Foster has used to maximise penetration of natural daylight, increase solar gain, provide insulation in winter and decrease the power needed for artificial lighting. OK, we’re Foaster fanboys … but who isn’t?
Crystal Island, Moscow OK, we know, it’s another Foster project. But this one is more equal than others for Crystal Island will be the largest building in the world when completed. Crystal Island’s vital statistics are, well, huge. The volcano-shaped superstructure will be 1,500 foot tall with 26,909,776 square feet of floor space, enough to house 30,000 people. As you would expect from a Foster + Partners project, the selfcontained city within a city has energy conservation and eco-friendly energy management at the very heart of the design. Crystal Island will generate low carbon energy from solar arrays and wind turbines located on the building with vast atriums to regulate the internal air temperature during the extremes of the Russian summer and winter. 20
Transbay Tower, SF The 1,200 foot tall obelisk-shaped Transbay Tower is set to join the Transamerica Building and the Golden Gate Bridge as one of the most iconic structures in San Francisco. A new Transbay bus terminal will be constructed from glass with a rooftop park to absorb the C02 from buses. Transbay Tower will have wind turbines located on the roof, intelligent ventilation of 100% fresh air, lightshelves to control lighting and reduce energy demand, solid exterior panels near the floor to remove undesirable solar gain and sunshades to allow for solar control. This is a thoughtfully designed green building, and we especially like the use of rooftop turbines.
CH2, Melbourne Located in the center of Melbourne, the 10 storey Council House 2 (aka CH2) is a United Nations award-winning building with sustainable design and energy efficiency at heart. It took AUD$50 million to construct CH2 but it has paid dividends in terms of the recognition it has bestowed on Melbourne. CH2 was the first purpose-built office building in Australia to achieve the six Green Star certified rating. It ticks just about every box you can imagine: thermal mass cooling, photovoltaic cells, wind turbines, sewage recycling, chilled ceilings and an amazing tapestry of photovoltaic-powered recycled wooden louvers that track the sun and promote a healthier internal environment. The City of Melbourne expect these green features to pay for themselves inside 10 years, but the real benefit for the city has been the prestige heaped on them from around the world. There’s a message in there.
buildings 30 The Bond, Sydney When Lend Lease decided to move their headquarters to Sydney they consulted their staff with regards their priorities for the building. As a consequence Lend Lease came up with a design brief that put an emphasis on an improved internal environment, better water and waste management, and fewer emissions and pollutants. 30 The Bond has achieved a 5 star ABGR rating (the equivalent of Gold LEED) by using chilled beans for cooling, individually operated external shades to manage heat and solar gain, wintergarden rooms and rooftop gardens with drought resistant plants that increase biodiversity. Lend Lease say that 30 The Bond emits 30% less CO2 that a typical office building.
Cor, Miami If ever there was an example of strikingly beautiful sustainable architectural design, this is it! Cor is a mixed use 25 storey tower in Miami’s design district costing $25 million to build. Much of the expenditure went towards the integration of photovoltaic panels, wind turbines and solar hot water generation with the innovative structural design. Cor’s exoskeleton provides structural integrity, thermal mass for insulation, enclosure for terraces, armatures for turbines, shading for natural cooling and loggias for congregating on the ground. This unique exoskelton encloses 20,100 square foot of office space, 5,400 square foot of retail units and 113 residential units.
22
BMW Welt, Munich The BMW Welt in Munich is one of the finest examples to date of German engineering at it’s best. The standout feature of the 785,000 square foot BMW Welt is without doubt the 157 foot wide Double Cone, which provides support for the roof (in a rather stunning manner). On the roof of the building there is a large photovoltaic array, also made in Germany by Solarwatt, to produce a minimum of 824kWp. The designers also installed a network of steel panels on the roof that helps to heat the building via solar gain. Solar gain is also encouraged through the materials on the external facade of the structure. It is somewhat ironic that a car manufacturer should spend so much on a building project like this, but if this is in any way demonstrative of where BMW are going with their vehicles then there is hope.
DuBiotech, Dubai Set amidst the skyscraper-sprawl that is modern Dubai, the new 22 storey headquarters of DuBiotech will be one of the largest green buildings on earth at 60,000 square foot when completed in 2009. The 2 connected buildings will house research laboratories and are designed as a representation of DNA migration in an agarose gel as seen during electrophoresis. DuBiotech will be oriented to maximise daylight, minimise solar gain and regulate the internal temperature in what is one of the hottest climates on earth. There will also be a 500,000 square foot nature reserve for the conservation of indigenous species.
buildings Clinton Presidential Library, Little Rock The Clinton Presidential Library and Museum in Little Rock, Arkansas was rated LEED Platinum in November, 2007 after it was reincarnated with bang-upto-date green features. So what is it about this library that makes it so green? For starters they added a rooftop garden to absorb carbon, reduce rainwater runoff and regulate temperatures. Polsek, the architects who are responsible for the updates, also added increased recycling capabilities, green cleaning (green cleaning chemicals and increased recycled content for paper products), a reduction in the waste through local sourcing and carbon offsetting of all non-renewable energy used.
(In his own words, Hank Green spends most of his time thinking about how our brains can save our planet and has, in the last few years, become something of an expert on the subject. He appears regularly on Planet Green’s nightly news show “G Word,” and has written on the subject for a variety of print and online magazines. His work has appeared in publications ranging from Mental Floss Magazine to The New York Times and he’s been interviewed on NPR’s All Things Considered and Air America’s The Young Turks. You can find out more at hankgreen.com.) 24
10 Simple Ways To ‘Green Up’ Your Home Reduce water consumption The average person in Europe uses around 150 litres of water a day, 50% more than 25 years ago. Most of this water is used for washing (clothes and bodies) and toilet flushing. So for starters it would probably make sense to make sure you’re using the economy setting on your washing machine. Then maybe consider fitting water-saving taps (the press down types) in your main bathroom, and sticking a brick in your toilet cistern. A normal flushing cycle uses between 5 and 9 litres of water so you might also want to think about the old wartime saying, “mellow yellow, brown down” – if you get what we mean… Fit draught excluders Draught excluders can reduce heat loss in a room by up to 30%. You can even consider making them yourself by stuffing old pairs of leggings with beans (dried not Heinz) or rice. Fit heavy curtains, or maybe a double layer of curtains. The thicker the better. Like draught excluders on doors, these can help reduce heat loss by up to about 30%. Don’t heat every room If a room isn’t used much, why heat it? Cutting a few radiators out of your heating system allows the overall ambient temperature to be reached more quickly, thus allowing the thermostatically controlled boiler an earlier rest than normal. Put aluminium foil behind your radiators This helps reflect heat back into the room and can make your heating system up to ten times more efficient. Buy new appliances carefully If it’s time to replace any of your main appliances, such as fridge, freezer or washing machine, be careful to make sure you’re buying an energy efficient model. An ‘A’ rated appliance will save you up to 60% energy usage compared to a similar appliance with a ‘G’ rating. Greenpeace produces a handy guide to suppliers with
rankings to reflect their energy saving commitments. Invest in energy-efficient bulbs LED light bulbs are 85% more efficient than the old-fashioned fluorescent bulbs and come with a 20-year life expectancy. They cost more per bulb but research shows that you’ll get your money back within the year. (For more information, check 2050 Issue 2, where you will find all the maths you need to convince yourself to get on with it.) Top tip: why not do a room at a time? Switch to chemical-free cleaning products Most shops these days offer chemical-free cleaning products if you look hard enough to find them. Or you can even make you own (with a little bit of research) using natural cleaning agents such as lemons, vinegar and baking soda. Another natural alternative for the washing machine are ‘wash balls’ which cost about 12 euros each but last for more than 100 cycles. Soap nuts are another environment-friendly. Both will help you reduce the amount of soapy water you release into your local water system, all of which requires energy to remove. Recycle everything Set yourself a ‘zero waste’ target and see how close to that you can get. Millions of people around the world are doing it already, so why not you. Top tips: i) Separate food waste from your other waste. ii) If in doubt look it up. Just because some bloke down the pub said you can’t recycle yogurt pots, doesn’t mean it’s true. It isn’t. Maybe even stop buying things that come in hard to recycle packaging. iii) Look up your local council’s website, it should contain a section on recycling and advice on how to dispose of difficult items like engine oil and polystyrene. Buy a home composter Look up worm composters. Small and neat and they fit on most balconies. You can buy them in kit form or, if you feel a little more ambitious, you can make it yourself quite easily. You can use the compost on your own garden, or pot plants and donate whatever’s left to your neighbours. Maybe even in exchange for a share of
26
their carrot crop. Grow your own vegetables Now that you’re ‘fermenting’ your own top quality organic compost, why not grow a few simple root crops. If you’ve got a garden, set off a small section for experimental purposes and see how it goes. If you’re limited to balcony space only, try growing simple stuff like mint, rucola lettuce, or parsley. You might be pleasantly surprised to find out that actually it’s true what they say about how much better things taste that you’ve grown yourself. (illustration below by Livvy McSweeney)
wind
trump organisation suffers setback in battle against wind turbines The Story so far: US property tycoon and media personality Donald Trump, known to his people as ‘The Donald’ is in the middle of building an upmarket coastal golf resort in Menie, near Aberdeen, Scotland. It will be known as Trump International Golf Links. The Scottish government meanwhile is in the middle of switching the country to 100% renewable energy by 2020, the majority of which will come from wind power. One of the off-shore wind farms they are proposing will be visible from Trump’s new golf resort. Trump doesn’t like the idea of his customers 28
having to look at wind turbines on the horizon as they play their rounds of golf and has described them as “horrendous”. He now funds an antiwind power, lobbying group, Communities Against Turbines Scotland (CATS), whose job it is to convince the rest of Scotland that wind power is an “uneconomic” solution to Scotland’s power needs and that they are a blight on the country’s landscape and seascape, particularly those that will be visible from his 100 million dollar resort. To get the ball rolling, CATS designed an advert for general publication in the press depicting an image of rusty and neglected wind
turbines below the deliberately ironic headline, ‘Welcome to Scotland’. Further text on the advert reading, “Alex Salmond (Scotland’s First Minister) wants to build 8,750 of these monstrosities – think about it.” Unfortunately one of the organisations that took them to their word, ‘to think about it’, was the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). They concluded, after due deliberation, that the advert should be banned in its current form. It turns out that the wind turbines in the image aren’t actually in Scotland after all, but in Hawaii where they are in the process of being decommissioned after
20 years of service. The ASA said that while there was a small disclaimer on the bottom of the ad stating that the photo was not taken in Scotland, it was not big enough to prevent the ad breaching its codes relating to misrepresentation and substantiation. “The ad must not appear again in its current form. We told Trump and CATS to ensure that the pictures they use in future ads reflect the types of turbines likely to be used in Scotland, and not to exaggerate the number of turbines likely to be installed or the possible consequences of the Scottish Government’s plans to use wind turbines.” (ASA) SO WHAT? When it comes to natural energy resources, Scotland is absolutely blessed. It has so much of
the stuff whipping round its coastlines and howling down its huddled streets at all times of the year, it’s embarrassing. An embarrassment of riches. The country’s first minister Alex Salmond is well aware of this and has set his government one of the world’s most ambitious renewable energy targets: 100% by 2020, the majority coming
from wind with contributions also from tidal and wave power. Should they achieve that, and by all accounts they are currently on target, it will see Scotland become one of Europe’s first energy independent nations with its industrial and domestic power users being granted access to an unlimited, cheap, manageable, and sustainable supply.
wind The benefits of which Which is fair enough, I’m sure you don’t need all structures are us to point out. subject to planning, and onshore wind Most of the Scottish turbines should be no people would seem exception. There are to be happy with this fields out there surely prospect too and wind that can be allowed to always gets a positive proudly sport a gang or rating in surveys. two of gleaming white energy harvesters. In But not from everyone. among the crops why There are those who not? think they should be placed a little more But we have to admit discreetly than they we’ve never really sometimes are because understood why some people don’t like some people object to the look of them close offshore wind turbines up. Or the whooshing miles out at sea. Most noise they make of which can’t be seen perhaps. from land and even
30
when they can, only like the sails of distant ships on the horizon. Surely not too high a price to pay for that energy independence we were talking about a minute ago, which, as far as the Scottish government seems to be concerned, will be of more value to the country in the long run that even the most attractively built golf resort. (Image below: North Hoyle Wind Farm, off the coast of Wales)
UK: onshore approval rates “increase by 50%” According to the latest figures from Renewable UK, 2012 has so far seen a 50% increase in the number of UK onshore wind projects approved by local councils. The influential trade organisations annual study also concluded that the UK may have seen the end of a 5-year decline in approval rates. 110 schemes and 1.7GW were approved in 2011/12 against 77 projects and 1.1GW consented in 2010/11.
councillors and local communities to ensure their plans are acceptable and sensitive,” said a spokesman for RenewableUK. “It’s clear that most councils believe that the best way to make each decision is on a case by case basis, so that all the individual local factors can be taken into consideration.” The study also discovered that the approval of large scale wind projects over 50 megawatts capacity (big enough to power between 30,000 and 35,000 homes) has risen to 91%. This compares to approval rates of 88% and 86% for the last two years.
“The improvement in the number of projects approved al local level shows that wind farm developers are working increasingly closely with (graph by eco-consultancy.com)
wind
USA: 140,000 offshore wind
turbines enough to supply one third of us power needs, study concludes A new report from Stanford University has concluded that the strong winds off the east coast could, theoretically, power the whole of that side of America. About a third of the country’s entire needs. The study, ‘East Coast US Offshore and Near
32
Shore Wind Energy Potential’, concluded that the consistent winds along that particular coastline could provide up to 1,372 TWh of electricity per year and perhaps even more importantly, at the best time – during peak periods.
“People mistakenly think that wind energy is not useful because output from most land-based turbines peaks in the late evening/early morning, when electricity demand is low. The real value of offshore wind energy is that it often peaks when we need the most
electricity – during the middle of the day,” said Mike Dvorak, a researcher on the project.
Vincent Price and Christopher Lee) who reads something about a new installation somewhere, say an offshore wind farm in SO WHAT? Scotland, with all its various references to Apologies for the ‘So swirling gangs of watts What?’ part of this and thinks, “Great, well story being longer than done, all very exciting, the story itself, but it’s but exactly how much nice sometimes when electricity is that? How somebody tries to put many homes will that some numbers on power?” things. And I bet I’m not the Particularly when only person who has, it comes to the at some point in their business of electricity lives, wondered exactly generation, which, how many wind thanks to its turbines it would take constantly switching to power the whole quantitative world. (And, more terminology (kilowatts, importantly perhaps, megawatts, gigawatts, whether we would terawatts – not unlike need to distribute computer storage them evenly around terminology when you the globe to make think about it though) sure we don’t lift off is never going to win like a giant helicopter any prizes for instant towards the moon?) understandability. So now, according to I mean I can’t believe this report, I at least I’m the only newcomer know that 140,000 of to renewable energy these 5MW offshore (a year ago I thought turbines would be a kilowatt hour was enough to give a some sort of late night country the size of horror show starring America – one of the
world’s most power hungry nations – about a third of its annual electricity habit. Which, if you’ll excuse my rudimentary maths, means it would take 420,000 5MW turbines to power the whole country (theoretically at least). Leading of course to two inevitable questions: how much electricity does America use in a year and how much would it cost to build 420,000 of these wind turbines? So first things first, one of those turbines running at full capacity would produce 5 Megawatt hours of electricity in one hour (which is why it is called a 5MW turbine) and as there are 8,760 hours in a year, that means a theoretical top output of 5 x 8,760 = 43,800 megawatt hours of electricity. But, and it’s a very valid but, the wind
wind “In much the same way that a sausage machine only produces sausages when it is being fed sausage meat, the same is true of the wind turbines, only without the sausages.” doesn’t blow all the time. In much the same way that a sausage machine only produces sausages when it is being fed sausage meat, the same is true of the wind turbines, only without the sausages. Again, according to my sources, a wellplaced offshore wind turbine gets enough wind in a year to run at about 25% of its top theoretical output. So 43,800 x 25% = 10,950 megawatt hours of electricity. From just one turbine. If the same logic were to follow for all the turbines together, you’d be talking about 420,000 turbines x 10,950 = 4,599,000,000 megawatt hours of electricity. Enough, if the original report on the report is correct, to power the whole of America for a year. (According to the 34
IEA /OECD, in 2008 America consumed 4,401,698,000 megawatt hours of electricity.) As for how much, money wise, well, I’m going to have to be blunt, a lot. The cost of building offshore turbines, about twice that of their onshore cousins per megawatt, is about $20m each, for the 5 MW brutes. (Although I read somewhere recently that a Japanese company are in the process of building 15MW turbines – so watch this space.) So assuming say a 25% discount for a big order, if America decided to start building those turbines now, it would cost them 420,000 x $15m, which comes to a cool $6,300,000,000,000. Six thousand three hundred billion. Or 6.3
trillion. It would probably make sense to spread it out a bit, say over 10 years. $630 billion a year? Sounds like an impossible number at first I know, but when you consider that the US currently spends about $1,000 billion a year on domestic and imported fossil fuels for electricity generation, it starts looking like a good deal. And that’s without even taking into account how much it costs to support the sort of foreign policy that overseas power dependency tends to require. If nothing else, at least I now understand why they use all that confusing quantitative jargon when the numbers get as big as this. Time for a little lie down.
“Sounds like an impossible number at first I know, but when you consider that the US currently spends about $1,000 billion a year on domestic and imported fossil fuels for electricity generation, it starts looking like a good deal.�
wind
do wind turbines really work? The UK’s Prince Philip recently labelled wind farms “useless” claiming they are completely reliant on subsidies. The Guardian newspaper’s Polly Curtis decided to try and find out, by talking to the scientists, if there is any truth in what he said. The story so far: Duke of Edinburgh claims that wind turbines “never work”, that they are a disgrace, and that they are reliant on government subsidies. And that anyone who believes otherwise, believes in fairytales. Director of wind farm tries to convince him that wind power is one of the most cost effective forms of renewable energy, but is lambasted by the 36
Duke for being a fairy tale believer. Duke adds that he believes that they will never work because they need back-up capacity from another form of energy, possibly a fossil fuel.
on the populated landscape and produce more energy because of higher winds.
Windfarms will always require other sources of energy to cushion falls in production caused by changes in Summary of Polly’s weather conditions conclusions: and sudden surges in demand. Around Windfarms produce 15% to 22% of electricity but electricity produced currently at a higher by wind power must cost to fossil fuels. be supplemented by other sources to cope However, over the long with fluctuations. It term today’s onshore still amounts to a net windfarms will prove gain in energy and cheaper than coal and reduction in the need nuclear and those for carbon sources built from 2017, are but it means the predicted to be cheaper technology to some than gas as well. extent will always rely on traditional back-up. Offshore windfarms However, it requires no are much more fuel to run a windfarm, expensive to build and unlike other nonit will take longer for renewable sources that them to become cost are heavily dependent. effective. But they are more popular because The Duke of Edinburgh they are less imposing is right that windfarms
currently do require subsidies. All new energy sources require government subsidies to help them develop. The cost effectiveness of such subsidies depends on the political value you put on developing
alternative clean sources of energy. It’s worth remembering that the government also subsidises some fossil fuels, such as through tax breaks to encourage north
sea drilling for oil. In 2010, fossil fuels were subsidised to the tune of $409bn globally, while renewables got $66bn. The subsidy for renewable energy sources on the average £440 UK electricity bill is currently just £19.
climate
what is the greenhouse effect? Just in case you were one of those people who nodded off during the particular lesson your old Physics teacher, Mr Otterwax, tried to explain the greenhouse effect. It was a hot afternoon in summer, the smell of grass being mown for an afternoon of cricket wafting through the window, your stifling, glass-roofed classroom host to wilting rows of students, a living example of the lesson being taught. “Ah, the greenhouse effect, now let me see, yes, well it all about spectrums of ultra violet light and long range frequencies and low range frequencies and blah, blah, blah...”...sleep. You probably weren’t the only one. So here, based largely on an original explanation from none other than the Intergovernmental Panel On Climate Change (the IPCC), is a quick recap. Just in case you ever need it. Which you probably will.
38
“Without the natural greenhouse effect, the average temperature at Earth’s surface would be below the freezing point of water. Thus, Earth’s natural greenhouse effect makes life as we know it possible.”
It starts with the sun The sun constantly powers the Earth’s climate. Although roughly one-third of the solar energy that reaches the top of the Earth’s atmosphere is reflected directly back to space, the remaining two-thirds is absorbed by the surface and, to a lesser extent, by the atmosphere.
back to Earth. This is called the greenhouse effect. Like a greenhouse, literally
The glass walls in a greenhouse reduce airflow and increase the temperature of the air inside. Analogously, but through a different physical process, the Earth’s greenhouse effect warms the surface of the planet. To balance the Without the natural absorbed incoming greenhouse effect, the energy, the Earth must, average temperature at on average, radiate Earth’s surface would the same amount of be below the freezing energy back to space. point of water. Much of this thermal radiation, emitted by the land and oceans, is absorbed by the atmosphere, including clouds, and re-radiated
Thus, Earth’s natural greenhouse effect makes life as we know it possible. However, human
activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels and clearing of forests, have greatly intensified the natural greenhouse effect, causing global warming. Knowing your gases The two most abundant gases in the atmosphere, nitrogen (comprising 78% of the dry atmosphere) and oxygen (comprising 21%), exert almost no greenhouse effect. Instead, the greenhouse effect comes from molecules that are more complex and much less common. Water vapour is the most important greenhouse gas, and
climate carbon dioxide (CO2) is the second-most important one.
much water vapour in the air that the greenhouse effect is very large, adding Methane, nitrous oxide, a small additional ozone and several amount of CO2 or other gases present water vapour has only in the atmosphere a small direct impact in small amounts on downward infrared also contribute to the radiation. However, greenhouse effect. in the cold, dry polar regions, the effect of Water varpour a small increase in matters CO2 or water vapour is much greater. In the humid equatorial regions, ‘Up there, where where there is so the air is rarified’
The same is true for the cold, dry upper atmosphere where a small increase in water vapour has a greater influence on the greenhouse effect than the same change in water vapour would have near the surface. Natural defences stretched Several components of the climate system, notably the oceans and living things,
“Water vapour is the most important greenhouse gas, and carbon dioxide (CO2) is the second-most important.”
image by Hans Hillewaert 40
affect atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases. A prime example of this is plants taking CO2 out of the atmosphere and converting it (and water) into carbohydrates via photosynthesis. Industrial gases In the industrial era, human activities have added greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, primarily through the burning
of fossil fuels and clearing of forests. Adding more of a greenhouse gas, such as CO2, to the atmosphere intensifies the greenhouse effect, thus warming Earth’s climate.
added CO2 alone. Head in the clouds
Additional important feedback mechanisms involve clouds. Clouds are effective at absorbing infrared radiation and therefore exert a large The amount of greenhouse effect, warming depends thus warming the on various feedback Earth. Clouds are also mechanisms. effective at reflecting away incoming solar A self-reinforcing radiation, thus cooling cycle the Earth. A change in almost any aspect of For example, as the clouds, such as their atmosphere warms type, location, water due to rising levels content, cloud altitude, of greenhouse gases, particle size and shape, its concentration or lifetimes, affects of water vapour the degree to which increases, further clouds warm or cool intensifying the the Earth. greenhouse effect. This in turn causes Some changes amplify more warming, warming while others which causes diminish it. Much an additional research is in progress increase in water to better understand vapour, in a selfhow clouds change in reinforcing cycle. response to climate This water vapour warming, and how feedback may be these changes affect strong enough climate through to approximately various feedback double the increase mechanisms. in the greenhouse effect due to the