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From Coal Plant To Solar Farm

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The Nanticoke Generating Station in Ontario, Canada was the largest coal-fired power plant in North America.  It was commissioned in 1972 and was capable of providing nearly 4,000 megawatts of electrical power into the southern Ontario power grid.  At peak, the plant consumed nearly 40,000 tons of coal per day.

The government of Ontario eventually decided to phase out all of its coal plants about ten years ago but the decommissioning was delayed for a time because of the lack of replacement sources of energy.  The plant began to shut down its individual generating units starting in 2010.  By the end of 2013, the Nanticoke plant was shut down for good.

In 2016, a 44 MW solar power station was contracted for the site and construction began last year.  The plant opened at the beginning of April coinciding with the one-year anniversary of the demolition of Nanticoke’s smokestacks, which once stood 650 feet tall.

The new solar farm has 192,431 solar panels spread across 260 acres.  The facility, situated on the shores of Lake Erie in Ontario, will generate enough electricity to power more than 7,200 homes. 

The idea to use part of the retired coal plant’s property for a new solar farm was spearheaded and paid for by Ontario Power Generation, the Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corporation, and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.

The Chief of the Mississaugas called the solar project an important economic development in the region and for tribal nations that sets the stage for future mutually-beneficial partnerships between Ontario Power Generation and others.

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Canadian Coal-Fired Power Plant Transformed into Solar Farm

Photo, posted July 26, 2009, courtesy of Jason Paris via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Hydrogen From Water And Sun

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There are research efforts around the world seeking ways to produce hydrogen starting from water and using clean energy.  Finding an economical and scalable way to do this is a key to the so-called hydrogen economy.

A recent study at Argonne National Laboratory makes use of a chemical reaction pathway central to plant biology to create a process that converts water into hydrogen using energy from the sun.

The process combines two membrane-bound protein complexes to perform the conversion of water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen.

The first protein complex, which the researchers call Photosystem I, is a membrane protein that uses energy from light to feed electrons to an inorganic catalyst that makes hydrogen.  But this represents only half of the overall process.

A second protein complex that they call Photosystem II uses energy from light to split water and take electrons from it.  The electrons are then fed to Photosystem I.

The two protein complexes are embedded in thylakoid membranes, which are like those found inside the oxygen-creating chloroplasts in plants.  This membrane is an essential part of pairing the two photosystems.  It supports both of the photosystems and provides a pathway for transferring electrons between the proteins.

The researchers also make use of a synthetic catalyst made from nickel or cobalt that replaces expensive platinum catalysts used in conventional water-splitting schemes.  Combining the light-triggered transport of electrons with the synthetic catalyst results in what the researchers call the “Z-scheme”, an adaptation of photosynthesis to produce hydrogen.

The next step is to incorporate the scheme into a living system which the researchers hope will lead to a practical system for hydrogen production.

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Discovery adapts natural membrane to make hydrogen fuel from water

Photo, posted December 25, 2017, courtesy of Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

A Quiet Clean Energy Revolution

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While the Trump administration seeks to prop up and promote use of fossil fuels, the country continues to move in the opposite direction.  Last year was actually a pretty positive year for clean energy in the U.S.

In terms of public opinion, 70% of Americans surveyed believe the country should produce 100% of its electricity from renewable energy sources and more than half of survey respondents think renewables are a good idea even if they raise energy bills.

Companies in the U.S. purchased a record 6.43 gigawatts of renewable power, enough to power 1.5 million homes.  The number of corporations entering into renewable energy deals doubled last year.

More than 300 U.S. cities, towns or counties have made commitments to climate action and, as of November, 99 cities have committed to 100% renewable energy, doubling the total from a year ago.

A number of gubernatorial candidates running on ambitious renewable energy platforms were elected in November including those in Illinois, Colorado, New Mexico, Maine and Nevada.

Utilities are responding to the growing demand for clean energy.  Consumers Energy in Michigan plans to cut carbon emissions by 80% and stop using coal.  Iowa-based MidAmerican Energy will become the first U.S. utility to source 100% of its electricity from renewable sources next year.  Xcel Energy, one of the biggest utilities in the country, has committed to be 80% carbon-free by 2030 and go completely carbon-free by 2050.

The fossil fuel industry with its supporters in high places is still kicking and screaming, but there is no doubt that the U.S. energy system is changing, and the quiet clean energy revolution will only pick up more steam in 2019.

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The US Underwent a Quiet Clean Energy Revolution Last Year

Photo, posted August 15, 2009, courtesy of Ken via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Droughts And Hydropower

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Recent droughts in several western states have led to well-publicized problems including wildfires, loss of trees, and damage to crops.  A lesser-known impact of drought conditions has been increases in emissions of carbon dioxide and harmful air pollutants from power generation.

When hydropower runs low in a drought, western states tend to ramp up power generation – and therefore emissions – from fossil fuels.   According to a new study from Stanford University, droughts caused about 10 percent of the average annual carbon dioxide emissions from power generation in California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington between 2001 and 2015.

Water is used in electricity generation both directly for hydroelectric power and indirectly for cooling in thermoelectric power plants.  When water for hydropower comes up short because of drought conditions, natural gas or coal-fired power plants are brought online to pick up the slack.

These drought-induced shifts in energy sources led to an estimated 100 million tons of carbon dioxide across 11 western states between 2001 and 2015.  That is the equivalent of adding 1.4 million vehicles to the region’s roadways.  California, whose legislature has mandated that the state be carbon-free by 2045, contributed about half of this total.  Washington, which is considering a similar mandate, contributed nearly a quarter of the total.

Western states in recent years have suffered intense droughts that scientists expect to become more common as global warming continues to intensify.   The new study indicates that in regions where clean, reliable hydropower has been an important part of the energy mix, it will be increasingly necessary to provide clean backup energy sources in order to meet emission reduction targets.

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Droughts boost emissions as hydropower dries up

Photo, posted March 7, 2016, courtesy of Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Collecting Clean Water From The Air

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Clean water is an essential requirement for human life and there are many places where it is a scarce commodity.   In the world’s deserts, getting water to people requires feats of engineering and irrigation that can be cumbersome and expensive.

Researchers at Ohio State University have produced a couple of new studies that explore options for gathering water from fog and condensation that are based on principles of biomimicry:  copying strategies already in use by plants and animals.

The researchers looked at how cactus, beetles and desert grasses all collect water condensed from nighttime fog, gathering droplets from the air and filtering them to roots or reservoirs.

The cactus they studied collects water on its barbed tips before guiding droplets down conical spines to the base of the plant. They learned that conical shapes gather more water than do cylindrical shapes.  This is because of a physics phenomenon called the Laplace pressure gradient.

The beetles they studied collect drops of water on waxy, water-repellent bumps on their backs.  The water then slides towards the beetle’s mouth on the flat surface between the bumps.  Based on this, the researchers experimented with structures that include multiple hydrophilic cones with spaces in between where water droplets can coalesce.

From grasses, they learned that grooved surfaces move water more quickly than ungrooved surfaces – in fact, about twice as much.

The work so far has been on a laboratory-level, but the researchers envision scaling up to structures in the desert that can gather water from fog or condensation and supplement public systems or wells either on a house-by-house basis or on a community-wide basis.  Copying cacti, beetles and grasses could supply clean water to people in the desert.

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Collecting clean water from air, inspired by desert life

Photo, posted February 7, 2010, courtesy of Remko van Dokkum via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Solar Plus Storage In The Caribbean

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The Caribbean is home to nearly 30 island nations and more than 7,000 individual islands with a combined population of around 40 million.  All of the islands are susceptible to disasters such as hurricanes that can leave residents without electrical power for extended periods of time.

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California vs. Fossil Fuels

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California has led the way in deploying and committing to clean energy for a long time.  In August its legislature strengthened that commitment by passing a bill to stop using fossil fuels entirely by 2045.   It is the second state to do so, following Hawaii.  The bill still needs to be passed by the Senate and signed by the governor.  Both actions are expected to occur.

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New Zealand Bans Plastic Bags

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In an effort to tackle plastic pollution, New Zealand is joining a growing list of countries banning single-use plastic bags for good.  Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says in a press statement that the ban was necessary to safeguard New Zealand’s clean and green reputation.

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Greener Concrete

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The battle to reduce carbon emissions is heavily focused on electricity generation, transportation, buildings, and agriculture, which collectively account for more than 75% of the total.  However, there are other sources of carbon emissions that cannot be ignored.  Among industrial activities, the production of cement is responsible for 7% of industrial energy use and is the second largest industrial emitter of carbon dioxide.  Making cement accounts for about 7% of global emissions.

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A New Catalyst For Splitting Water

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Hydrogen is widely considered to be a desirable source of clean energy.  It can be used in fuel cells to power electric motors in cars or can be burned directly in internal combustion engines.   If it is compressed or converted to liquid, it can be efficiently stored and transported.  Most of all, when it is used as an energy source, the only emission it produces is water.

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How Much Cleaner Is Natural Gas?

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The ascendance of natural gas over coal during the past decade has been driven primarily by fracking technology that has provided large quantities of the stuff at low prices.  But beyond that, there are environmental issues as well.  Natural gas emits 50 to 60% less carbon dioxide when combusted in a new, efficient natural gas power plant compared with emission from a typical new coal plant.  It appears to be a win-win situation.

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The Fight For Greener Cars

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U.S. automakers have always been reluctant partners in the nation’s efforts to reduce air pollution and improve fuel efficiency. There have been struggles for decades between the carmakers and the government in setting Corporate Average Fuel Economy (or CAFÉ) standards.  During the Obama administration, some of the most demanding fuel economy and emissions standards were mandated.

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New Energy Goals For New York

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Since 2015, New York has had in place an energy plan aimed at building a clean, resilient and cost-effective energy system for the state.  A key part of that plan is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% from 1990 levels by the year 2030.  Another major goal is to have 50% of the state’s electricity produced from renewable sources by the same year.

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Renewable Powered Cities

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Cities are responsible for 70% of the world’s energy-related CO2 emissions and it appears that they are taking responsibility for reducing them.  Over 7,000 mayors around the world have signed up to the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, thereby pledging to act on climate change.

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How Safe Is Drinking Water?

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Water is life.  It’s a fundamental need for every human being on the planet.  Each person requires more than five gallons of clean and safe water a day for drinking, cooking, and keeping clean.  Dirty water, on the other hand, can be deadly.  An estimated 1.8 million people die every year as a result of diarrheal diseases like cholera.  And tens of millions of people are seriously sickened by water-related maladies. 

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