scholarly journals Influence of high road labor policies and practices on renewable energy costs, decarbonization pathways, and labor outcomes

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin Mayfield ◽  
Jesse Jenkins
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
The United States ◽  
Labor Cost ◽  
Offshore Wind ◽  
Total Employment ◽  
Labor Policies ◽  
Net Zero ◽  
Utility Scale ◽  
High Road ◽  
Labor Outcomes

Abstract Achieving an economy-wide net-zero greenhouse gas emissions goal by mid-century in the United States entails transforming the energy workforce. In this study, we focus on the influence of increased labor compensation and domestic manufacturing shares on (1) renewable energy technology costs, (2) the costs of transitioning the U.S. economy to net-zero emissions, and (3) labor outcomes, including total employment and wage benefits, associated with the deployment of utility-scale solar photovoltaics (PV) and land based and offshore wind power. We find that manufacturing and installation labor cost premiums as well as increases in domestic content shares across wind and utility-scale solar photovoltatic supply chains result in relatively modest increases in total capital and operating costs. These small increases in technology costs may be partially or fully offset by increases in labor productivity. We also show that solar and wind technology cost premiums associated with high road labor policies have a minimal effect on the pace and scale of renewable energy deployment and the total cost of transitioning to a net-zero emissions economy. Public policies such as tax credits, workforce development support, and other instruments can redistribute technology cost premiums associated with high road labor policies to support both firms and workers.

Maritime Renewable Energy Markets: Power From the Sea

2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (5) ◽  
pp. 99-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Copping ◽  
Al LiVecchi ◽  
Heather Spence ◽  
Alicia Gorton ◽  
Scott Jenne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Electricity Markets ◽  
Autonomous Vehicles ◽  
The United States ◽  
Electrical Grid ◽  
Early Stages ◽  
Shoreline Protection ◽  
Offshore Aquaculture ◽  
Utility Scale

AbstractMarine renewable energy (MRE) is in the early stages of contributing to the energy portfolios of the United States and many other nations around the world. Although many MRE developers are designing devices that will harvest energy to contribute to the electrical grid from waves, tides, and ocean currents, a number of other promising maritime markets could be supplied with MRE power at sea. These maritime markets are often less price sensitive, have fewer options than utility-scale electricity markets, and can handle some degree of intermittency. Some of the promising maritime markets that could benefit from co-located power generation include ocean observation nodes, underwater recharge of autonomous vehicles, desalination of seawater for remote coastal areas, offshore aquaculture, shoreline protection and electricity generation, providing electricity and freshwater following coastal emergencies, providing power to islanded and isolated communities, powering and cooling nearshore underwater data centers, recharging of electric surface vessels, and personal charging of electronics. Pairing of MRE power generation with these and other maritime markets is in the early stages, but the potential for synergy and growth of MRE coupled to these markets is promising.

scholarly journals Review of Recent Offshore Wind Turbine Research and Optimization Methodologies in Their Design

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 28
Author(s):  
Jieyan Chen ◽  
Moo-Hyun Kim
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Offshore Wind ◽  
Offshore Wind Turbine ◽  
Highly Active ◽  
Net Zero ◽  
Complex Design ◽  
Balancing Energy ◽  
Active Research

As international efforts to address climate change grow, an increasing number of countries and companies have put forward a clear “net zero” goal through accelerated renewable-energy development. As a renewable energy source, offshore wind energy has received particular attention from many countries and is a highly active research area. However, the design of offshore wind turbine structures faces challenges due to the large and complex design parameter space as well as different operational requirements and environmental conditions. Advanced optimization technology must be employed to address these challenges. Using an efficient optimization algorithm, it is possible to obtain optimized parameters for offshore wind turbine structures, balancing energy generation performance and the life of the floating wind turbine. This paper presents a review of the types and fundamental principles of several critical optimization technologies along with their application in the design process, with a focus on offshore wind turbine structures. It concludes with a discussion of the future prospects of optimization technology in offshore wind research.

scholarly journals Net Zero Energy Model for Wastewater Treatment Plants

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-38
Author(s):  
Mohammad D. Qandil ◽  
Ahmad Abbas ◽  
Abdel Salem ◽  
Ahmad Abdelhadi ◽  
Alaa Hasan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
The United States ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Zero Energy ◽  
Net Zero Energy ◽  
Net Zero

Abstract The primary objective of this study is to achieve net-zero-energy (NZE) wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) by utilizing energy efficiency opportunities (EEO's), combined heat and power (CHP) systems, and other renewable energy sources, e.g., solar, water, and wind powers. This study discusses an innovative energy solution for WWTPs in the United States, and one of the WWTPs with a flow capacity of 1.5 million gallons per day (MGD) was selected as a case study. An optimization tool, Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources (HOMER) software, is used in this study to find the best energy system configuration to run the system. An energy audit for one WWTP in early 2020 and the report is used to do this study. The proposed EEO's were able to reduce WWTP energy consumption by about 11%. The excess anaerobic digester gas was utilized in a CHP system to cover about 42% of the facility's consumption. Also, 3% of the utility energy consumption can be claimed by microturbines in the aeration tanks. Another two renewable energy systems, solar photovoltaic (PV) with 29% and water turbines with 15%, contribute to covering 100% of the WWTP energy consumption and achieving an NZE WWTP.

Renewable Energy on Tribal Lands: A Feasibility Study for a Biomass-to-Energy Plant on the Cocopah Reservation in Arizona

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Lauren K. D’Souza ◽  
William L. Ascher ◽  
Tanja Srebotnjak
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Alternative Energy ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
The United States ◽  
Biomass Energy ◽  
Policy Support ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Energy Plant ◽  
Energy Projects ◽  
Alternative Investment

Native American reservations are among the most economically disadvantaged regions in the United States; lacking access to economic and educational opportunities that are exacerbated by “energy insecurity” due to insufficient connectivity to the electric grid and power outages. Local renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, and biomass offer energy alternatives but their implementation encounters barriers such as lack of financing, infrastructure, and expertise, as well as divergent attitudes among tribal leaders. Biomass, in particular, could be a source of stable base-load power that is abundant and scalable in many rural communities. This case study examines the feasibility of a biomass energy plant on the Cocopah reservation in southwestern Arizona. It considers feedstock availability, cost and energy content, technology options, nameplate capacity, discount and interest rates, construction, operation and maintenance (O&M) costs, and alternative investment options. This study finds that at current electricity prices and based on typical costs for fuel, O&M over 30 years, none of the tested scenarios is presently cost-effective on a net present value (NPV) basis when compared with an alternative investment yielding annual returns of 3% or higher. The technology most likely to be economically viable and suitable for remote, rural contexts—a combustion stoker—resulted in a levelized costs of energy (LCOE) ranging from US$0.056 to 0.147/kWh. The most favorable scenario is a combustion stoker with an estimated NPV of US$4,791,243. The NPV of the corresponding alternative investment is US$7,123,380. However, if the tribes were able to secure a zero-interest loan to finance the plant’s installation cost, the project would be on par with the alternative investment. Even if this were the case, the scenario still relies on some of the most optimistic assumptions for the biomass-to-power plant and excludes abatement costs for air emissions. The study thus concludes that at present small-scale, biomass-to-energy projects require a mix of favorable market and local conditions as well as appropriate policy support to make biomass energy projects a cost-competitive source of stable, alternative energy for remote rural tribal communities that can provide greater tribal sovereignty and economic opportunities.

A National Offshore Wind Strategy. Creating an Offshore Wind Energy Industry in the United States

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacques Beaudry-Losique ◽  
Ted Boling ◽  
Jocelyn Brown-Saracino ◽  
Patrick Gilman ◽  
Michael Hahn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Wind Energy ◽  
The United States ◽  
Offshore Wind ◽  
Energy Industry ◽  
Offshore Wind Energy

National Offshore Wind Strategy: Facilitating the Development of the Offshore Wind Industry in the United States

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Gilman ◽  
Ben Maurer ◽  
Luke Feinberg ◽  
Alana Duerr ◽  
Lauren Peterson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
The United States ◽  
Offshore Wind ◽  
Offshore Wind Industry

Quantifying the challenge of reaching a 100% renewable energy power system for the United States

Joule ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wesley J. Cole ◽  
Danny Greer ◽  
Paul Denholm ◽  
A. Will Frazier ◽  
Scott Machen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Power System ◽  
The United States

scholarly journals Renewable Energy Federalism in Germany and the United States

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-28
Author(s):  
Johannes Saurer ◽  
Jonas Monast
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Federal Government ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
The United States ◽  
Federal Republic Of Germany ◽  
The Us ◽  
Legal Structures ◽  
Cooperative Federalism ◽  
Energy Expansion

Abstract The Federal Republic of Germany and the United States (US) have adopted different models for energy federalism. Germany allocates more authority to the federal government and the US relies on a decentralized cooperative federalism model that preserves key roles for state actors. This article explores and compares the relevance of federal legal structures for renewable energy expansion in both countries. It sets out the constitutional, statutory, and factual foundations in both Germany and the US, and explores the legal and empirical dimensions of renewable energy expansion at the federal and state levels. The article concludes by drawing several comparative lessons about the significance of federal structures for energy transition processes.

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