100% Renewables as a Focus for Environmental Education

2012 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Adlong
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Policy Making ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Solar Photovoltaics ◽  
Renewable Energy Technologies ◽  
Energy Technologies ◽  
Environmental Educators ◽  
Informal Settings ◽  
Do So

AbstractThe rapid development of renewable energy technologies has a number of implications for environmental educators and educators more generally. The costs of a number of renewable energy technologies are expected to be competitive with fossil fuels within 10–15 years and some installations are competitive already. From 2006–2011 global installations increased an average of 26% per annum for wind power and 58% per annum for solar photovoltaics (REN21, 2012). Investment in renewables (excluding hydropower) has increased by 20–30% per annum, reaching $US260 billion (AUD 245 billion) in 2011. The credibility of proposals for economies based largely on renewables is gaining recognition. These developments suggest that a satisfactory response to the dire projections around climate change can be implemented. To do so, understanding of the potential and status of renewables needs to be more widespread and accelerated on formal, informal and policy-making levels. Environmental educators within formal and informal settings can promote understanding and action so that the potential of such renewable energies is realised.

Creating and testing a survey to assess the impact of renewable energy technologies on quality of life

2013 ◽  
Vol 56 (04) ◽  
pp. 103-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanya Christidis ◽  
Claire Paller ◽  
Shannon Majowicz ◽  
Phil Bigelow ◽  
Ashley Wilson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Wind Turbines ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Target Population ◽  
Distribution Method ◽  
Renewable Energy Technologies ◽  
Energy Technologies ◽  
Local Case ◽  
The Impact

With the increasing concerns regarding fossil fuels and nuclear energy, greater attention is being placed on alternate renewable energy technologies (RETs) such as wind, solar, and bioenergy. However, implementation of modern RETs has become controversial, as adverse health effects are a major concern. Although local case studies have suggested a relationship between wind turbines and health, there is a gap in the scientific knowledge. Epidemiological studies with adequate data collection tools and analyses are needed, particularly in the Canadian context. We reviewed surveys used in relevant environmental health literature, created a data collection tool for use in populations exposed to wind turbines, and piloted the survey content and distribution method. Our pilot response rate was 25.5% (45/200). The mean age of survey respondents was 57.6 years (SD: 12.76) with 57% of the respondents being female; respondents were not significantly different than the target population with respect to age or sex. The survey and methods presented here can be used in future studies to assess the health impacts of renewable energy technologies.

scholarly journals Institutional and Policy Assessment of Renewable Energy Sector in Afghanistan

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmad Murtaza Ershad
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Indoor Air Pollution ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Energy Sector ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Renewable Energy Resources ◽  
Renewable Energy Technologies ◽  
Energy Technologies ◽  
International Investors

Renewable energy resources could play a vital role in the sustainable economic, social, and environmental development of Afghanistan. Heavy reliance of rural households on firewood, rising costs of fossil fuels, outdoor and indoor air pollution, and climate change are some of the challenges that can be addressed by diversifying our power production fuel inputs and adopting renewable energy technologies. In order to deploy and scale up renewable energy technologies and improve access to sustainable energy, clear policies and targets and dedicated institutions are crucial. Fortunately, Afghan government with the support of international community is setting ambitious targets for the renewable energy sector and is encouraging national and international investors to take part in the generation, transmission, and distribution of renewable energy especially electricity through Power Purchase Agreements or very cheap land leases. Thus, the objectives of this report are (I) to review the existing institutions in the field of renewable energy, (II) to review renewable energy policies and targets in Afghanistan, and (III) to identify institutional and policy gaps and recommend solutions.

Analysis of the Effectiveness of the FIT (Feed-In Tariff) Mechanism

2015 ◽  
Vol 1117 ◽  
pp. 307-310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Satoshi Matsuda ◽  
Hiroshi Kubota
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Marginal Cost ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Renewable Energies ◽  
Financial Resource ◽  
Renewable Energy Technologies ◽  
Energy Technologies ◽  
Power Facility ◽  
Energy Options ◽  
Feed In Tariff

In Japan, a policy mechanism called the "Feed-in Tariff (FIT)," which was designed to accelerate investment in renewable energy technologies, was introduced in July 2012. However, thus far, only solar power has been introduced, whereas other renewable energy options such as wind, geothermal or biomass have only made small progress; although, wind power, especially, has been found to have a very large potential for providing electricity in Japan. In addition, the price of electricity will essentially increase as a result of the FIT scheme. This indicates that the FIT may not always be a good option for accelerating the use of renewable energies. This study intends to analyze the effectiveness of the FIT mechanism in Japan and to propose another way to introduce renewable energies through the use of the concept of "marginal cost of power facility." The basic idea of this concept is that the financial resource of a subsidy for renewable energy is neither a tax nor an increase in the price of electricity, but is actually money saved on imported fossil fuels through the utilization of renewable energy.

Economics of Renewable Energy: A Comparison of Electricity Production Costs Across Technologies

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Govinda R. Timilsina ◽  
Kalim U. Shah
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Research And Development ◽  
Electricity Generation ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Heat Rate ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Electricity Production ◽  
Capital Costs ◽  
Renewable Energy Technologies ◽  
Energy Technologies

The levelized costs of electricity generation for renewable energy technologies differ and fluctuate depending on factors including capital costs, operation and maintenance costs, utilization factors, and economic lives. In addition to these factors, In the case of fossil fuels, prices and heat rate are also responsible for fluctuations. There is a global movement in favor renewable energy. Many countries have announced carbon-free electricity within the next 30–40 years, which implies massive expansion of renewable energy technologies. The newer investment trends in electricity generation technologies indicate the same. Technological breakthroughs and cost reductions of energy storage technologies would further favor renewable energy technologies and would decrease their intermittency hurdles. Developments that expand the scaling effect of renewable energy and the potential improvement in efficiency through continued research and development could bring the cost of renewable energy further down in the future. When the levelized costs of electricity generation are estimated, the declining trends of renewable energy costs are observed and can to a large extent (but not fully) be explained by certain potential drivers. Particularly for wind and solar, these drivers include technological innovation/improvements that have increased efficiency, policy supports such as research and development funding, economy of scale both on the manufacturing of equipment (solar panels, wind turbines) and installation of plants, and monopoly rent dissipation due to increased number of manufacturers and suppliers. Competition among equipment manufacturers and project developers may also contribute to cost decline as could cost reduction through improved product efficiency related to technological improvements and innovations.

scholarly journals Renewable Energy: Non-environmental Reasons to Make the Transition

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-48
Author(s):  
Andrew Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Alternative Energy ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Fossil Fuel ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Renewable Sources ◽  
Oil Companies ◽  
Renewable Energy Technologies ◽  
Alternative Energy Sources ◽  
Energy Technologies

Environmentalists continuously push for us, as a country, to decrease our fossil fuel usage and transition to a society powered by renewable energy. The money of oil companies and other corporations persuade our government to continue investing in fossil fuels as opposed to renewable energy. There are, however, other reasons which should convince us as a nation to invest in alternative energy sources. Eliminating our dependence on fossil fuels will benefit the nation economically and prepare us for a rapidly changing future. We, as Americans, should increasingly pursue renewable sources of alternative energy not only for the documented environmental reasons but also because investing in renewable energy technologies will provide jobs for Americans, decrease our dependence on other nations, and benefit the health of all Americans while decreasing our dependence on fossil fuels.

Considerations for a sustainable hybrid mini-grid system: A case for Wanale village, Uganda

2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raymond Kimera ◽  
Richard Okou ◽  
Adoniya Ben Sebitosi ◽  
Kehinde O. Awodele
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Grid System ◽  
Renewable Energy Resources ◽  
Renewable Energy Technologies ◽  
Energy Technologies ◽  
Number Of Factors ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Energy Utilities

The extension of modern energy services to rural sub-Saharan Africa has continuously provided a challenge to energy utilities. The continued reliance on diesel generators for rural electrification is increasingly becoming unsustainable, due to a number of factors, among which includes their high fuel dependency, and the uncertainty surrounding the price and availability of fossil fuels. While the influx of renewable energy technologies has provided a means for providing off-grid electrification services, the intermittent nature of renewable resources poses a challenge, as energy generation does not always coincide with usage. Through a combination of renewable energy technologies, energy storage, and conventional diesel generation, a hybrid mini-grid system is able to achieve synergy in operation, hence providing a reliable means of extending electricity services to rural consumers. In this paper, a hybrid mini-grid system is proposed for the supply of electricity to a remote village in Uganda. Renewable energy resources are identified, an estimation of the projected village short-term electricity demand is modelled, and using HOMER software, a hybrid mini-grid system is designed, components sized, and the system optimized for efficient and reliable operation to meet the village demand at an affordable cost. A well designed and operated hybrid mini-grid system offers a viable tool for the electrification of even the remotest of areas.

Virtual Reality (VR) for the Support of the Analysis and Operation of a Solar Thermal Tower Power Plant

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kamran Mahboob ◽  
Atif Mahboob ◽  
Stephan Husung
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Power Plant ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Simulation Software ◽  
Substantial Part ◽  
Design Data ◽  
Energy Mix ◽  
Renewable Energy Technologies ◽  
Energy Technologies

Abstract A substantial part of the global energy mix depends upon fossil fuels that needed to be reduced to overcome the pollution and environment-related challenges. This has directed the world to shift the energy mix towards renewable energy technologies. Among the development in renewable energy technologies, the development of solar tower power plant is an active research topic. Over the past decade, advances in computers and simulation software systems have greatly expanded their use in design and development, which can facilitate the engineering activities of solar tower power plants. However, an important limitation is the visualization of three-dimensional geometrical design data onto two-dimensional computer screens. VR technologies are a great means in the visualization of 3D data. Therefore, this article attempts to illustrate a concept for the application of VR technologies in the development of solar tower power plant and lists down relevant support scenarios. The main focus of the paper is on analyzing the efficiency of the VR technology used in the design of solar tower power plants and learning from the experience gained in this process. A discussion about further scenarios ranging from on-site visualization of solar tower power plant infrastructure, installation and repair, cleaning and maintenance, etc. is included as well as future directions are pointed out. The demonstrator part consists of an Android Smartphone-based VR application and an HMD based VR application. Furthermore, a brief comparison of both the applications as well as of HMD and sVR is also provided.

scholarly journals Comparative Analysis of Implementation of Solar PV Systems Using the Advanced SPECA Modelling Tool and HOMER Software: Kenyan Scenario

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Kariuki Kibaara ◽  
D. K. Murage ◽  
P. Musau ◽  
M. J. Saulo
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Environmentally Friendly ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Solar Pv ◽  
Economic Activities ◽  
Solar Photovoltaics ◽  
Energy Technologies ◽  
Negative Impacts

Globally, attention has majorly been focused on pollution and exhaustion of fossil fuels allied to the conventional energy sources while the non-conventional energy/renewable energy sources have always been considered clean and environmentally friendly. Of the two, the non-conventional (renewable) is being preferred because it is believed to be more environmentally friendly. Renewable Energy Technologies (RETs) especially Solar Photovoltaics have seen many plants being constructed to either supplement the grid or as alternatives for those far from the grid. Solar Photovoltaics plants occupy large tracts of land which would have been used for other economic activities for revenue generation such as agriculture, forestry or tourism in archaeological sites.  The negative impacts slow down the application of Solar PV , but a modelling tool that can easily and quantitively assess the impacts in monetary form would accelerate the Solar PV application. The work presents a developed modelling tool that is able to assess not only the techno-economic impacts but also the environmental impacts in monetary form, for one to be able to determine the viability of a plant in a given region. The results are compared with those of HOMER software.

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