Earth and Industry » Beth Buczynski

New PV Mounting System To Prevent Solar Panel Theft

Beth Buczynski — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 15:55:09 +0000

Installing solar panels is like hoisting $50,000 on your roof and leaving it there for all the world to see. A new security brings peace of mind to those worried about theft and vandalism.

Every time fuel prices start pushing $4 per gallon in the U.S., there are smattering of stories about people who wake up to find the contents of their gas tank have been poached during the night.

Stealing a solar panel off a roof is hardly as easy to execute, but apparently, with solar leasing and large, remote installations on the rise, manufacturing and installation companies feel that potential for theft is great enough to prompt the creation of a specialized security product.

There were many viable options when it comes to solar security, including fences, alarms or video surveillance systems, but the the extra maintenance and monitoring costs involved are often prohibitive. Also, if an alarm goes off at a solar array 50 miles from town, chances are the thieves will be able to finish the job before authorities arrive.

SnapNRack is a mounting system designed to quicken installation, cover up exposed wires, give an overall smooth look, and meets wind and snow loading requirements. When combined with the Key-Rex fastener, which is designed to repel all tools and vice grips on the market, the solar mount becomes virtually impenetrable.

The Key-Rex fastener is made with millions of unique keyways, so no two customers own the same screw.

Recently, the fastener-rack combo was installed at a large remote ground mount project on the island of Kauai, Hawaii, where they will power about 300 Kauai homes per year. If theft should occur, the thief will have to break the panel.

Irish Peat Industry Redefines Relationship with Nature

Beth Buczynski — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 06:02:47 +0000

Peat briquettes have kept Irish homes and businesses warm since the 1940s, but now the industry must come to terms with climate change, and the end of an era.

Founded in the cold, hard years following World War II, the Bord na Mona (Irish for 'The Peat Board') peat company has profited greatly off of Ireland’s once-abundant indigenous fuel source.

Peat is any organic material, usually sod, that has been saturated with water and an oil-like matter before being chopped into burnable blocks. Peat has a high carbon content and can burn under low moisture conditions.

Bord na Mona once harvested peat on an industrial scale, employing 12,000 in the barren Irish midlands, according to GreenTech Media, but now the company's dependence on a dwindling resource has taken its toll. It now employs only 2,000. Said Gerry O’Hagan, Bord na Mona’s Marketing Director:

“There was a realization that the future of this organization was not really sustainable on peat only.”

In addition, a new generation of leaders realized that Bord Na Mona had to confront climate change, which led them to their new motto: “A new contract with nature.” What it meant, O’Hagan went on, “is that we’re no longer going to be a peat company"

Although peat is fairly cheap to procure, it's environmental costs are much higher. Peat bogs are home to many rare organisms that exists no where else in the world, and harvesting this material destroys precious wildlife habitat. It can take generations for a peat bog to form, and large-scale commercial removal of the peat releases large amount of sequestered carbon and methane into the atmosphere.

And that's all before it reaches the end consumer.

According to the International Mire Conservation Group, because peat has a lower calorific value than coal, oil or gas, burning it produces more CO₂ per unit of generated energy than most other fossil fuels. Meaning that communities that restrict consumers to either peat or smokeless coal might be doing themselves a disservice.

Biomass to the Rescue?

To avoid becoming bogged down in a dying industry (pun intended), Bord na Mona is branching out into other energy markets, namely biomass.

The company purchased Edenderry Power Ltd., a peat-fired power plant, and began experimenting with combinations of peat and various biomass sources. The result was a unique combincation of misacanthus, canary grass and willow.

Biomass briquettes made with this formula now use 15 percent renewable materials and the company expects that to be 30 percent within three years.

Because it is estimated that there is only 25 years of peat left in Ireland, incorporating biomass will only temporarily delay the inevitable for Bord na Mona. That's why they've also developed Ireland's first three-megawatt wind project with plans to eventually expand it into the biggest on-land wind project in Europe.

The company's decisions to diversify into other, more renewable forms of energy follows a quiet-yet-global trend. Many iconic energy and manufacturing companies are dabbling in solar and wind, as well as other alternative fuels in an effort to prepare for the end of fossil fuels.

Image Credit: Flickr - scrawb

Amtrak Spends $466 Million on Electric Locomotives

Beth Buczynski — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 23:00:00 +0000

Transportation company's six-year contract with Siemens AG will create 250 jobs in California, Ohio and Georgia.

In an effort to modernize its fleet and provide improved performance and reliability for U.S. passengers in the Northeast Corridor, Amtrak has commissioned the German manufacturing giant, Siemens AG (NYSE: SI), to build 70 Cities Sprinter ACS-64 electric locomotives, the first of which will be operational in 2013.

According to Amtrak President and CEO Joseph Boardman, the new locomotives will operate at speeds up to 125 mph (201 kph) on the Northeast Corridor from Washington, D.C. to Boston and up to 110 mph (177 kph) on the Keystone Corridor from Philadelphia to Harrisburg, Pa. They will replace locomotives in service between 20 and 30 years with an average mileage of 3.5 million miles traveled.

The Federal Railroad Administration applauded the decision, which it says supports the Department of Transportation’s strategy to use transportation to build strong, modern infrastructure, while also making cities more livable, protecting the environment and reducing dependence on foreign oil.

The ACS-64 locomotives will be capable of operating on 25 kV, 12.5 kV, and 12 kV power supplies and will feature regenerative braking systems that can automatically return electricity to the power grid. Additional features include crash energy management components like anti-climbing technology and push-back couplers designed to keep the train upright, inline and on the tracks in the event of a collision. Amtrak claims the design will also allow for easier maintenance leading to faster turn around times and increased availability.

The contract with Amtrak represents Siemens' latest attempt to take advantage of the $80 million in grants for high-speed rail projects provided to several U.S. states this year. Earlier this month, Florida announced that it would make transportation history as the first state to build a high-speed rail corridor, with Siemens Velaro ICE trains soon to connect Tampa to Orlando and then Miami in a second phase.

Siemens will manufacture the locomotives primarily at the Siemens Mobility plant in Sacramento, California, creating 200 new jobs for that facility alone.

Ford Engineers Soy-Based Rubber Auto Parts

Beth Buczynski — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 12:02:47 +0000

Automobiles are a major source of pollution in the United States, and in addition to making vehicles more fuel efficient, some car companies are looking for new ways to make individual car parts more environmentally-friendly.

Funded in part by grants from the United Soybean Board (USB), Ford researchers have found that by using renewable soy oil as a 25 percent replacement for petroleum oil, they can more than double rubber's stretchability and reduce its environmental impact.

Ford has is seeking a patent for its discovery, and soy-based rubber is already being considered for radiator deflector shields, air baffles, cupholder inserts and floor mats in future Ford vehicle programs.

Haste, Not Waste

According to the International Rubber Study Group, the automotive sector accounts for more than 50 percent of worldwide rubber consumption, which exceeded 22 million metric tons in 2008. Automotive rubber usage is expected to rise more than 4 percent through 2013. Using oil and other soy fillers, Ford hopes to replace carbon black, a petroleum-based material traditionally used to reinforce rubber.

In 2008, Ford was the first automaker to demonstrate that soy-based foams could be formulated to pass stringent requirements for automotive applications, starting with seat foam in that year's Ford Mustang and headliners for the 2010 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner. The new 2011 Ford Explorer will become the 23rd model to feature soy foam.

Soy Ploy?

The USB promotes this research under the assumption that increased demand for soy-based products supports American farmers, but there are questions about whether or not this is a responsible use of a food crop. Additionally, there are concerns about the way soy is being cultivated by the agricultural industry.

Since its introduction in 1992, 90 percent of U.S. soy farmers have switched to genetically engineered seeds marketed by biotech giant Monsanto. Although less toxic than the dreaded atrazine, glyphosate (Roundup Ready soy's active ingredient) is highly toxic to plants and fish. The idea of dousing 12 million acres of American farmland with such a chemical every year is frightening for anyone dependent on municipal water.

Although they aren't as well-funded, Ford is exploring the use of other renewable sources for foam, like grape seed and sunflower oil. Ford is also considering the viability of post-consumer recycled resins to make underbody systems, post-industrial recycled yarns for seat fabrics, cylinder head covers made from re-purposed nylon carpeting and molded into, and wheat straw-reinforced plastic parts.

Image Credit: Flickr - june29 /OpEdNews

Corporate Cooperation: Nike, Best Buy, Yahoo to Share Sustainable Patents

Beth Buczynski — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:03:26 +0000

In Davos, companies launch an idea sharing forum that will allow them to focus on sustainable innovation, and bring green products to market cheaper and faster.

Corporations have often earned the harshest criticism from those that advocate sustainable industrial practices -- and with good reason. They are notorious for being far too concerned about their competitive advantage to ever consider sharing sustainable business practices, even when sharing would produce better environmental outcomes. However, in an unprecedented move, three of the world's largest corporations have chosen to join a web-based marketplace where companies can collaborate and share intellectual property and hopefully speed up the development of sustainable patents.

Nike, Best Buy, and Yahoo are only three of a rather prestigious list of mainstream companies that have founded the GreenXchange: "an innovative, revolutionary partnership that brings together companies, people, and ideas to create sustainable change that affects us all."

The GreenXchange was launched at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the GreenXchange is focused on bringing a sense of sharing and collaboration to the otherwise cut throat corporate world. A place where companies large and small can come to share, or take, patents and licensing information for sustainable technology.

"The Xchange is the first step in a journey towards more sustainable innovation, and the more companies that get on board, the faster we’ll all make progress," wrote Don Tapscott of The Globe and Mail. "The benefit of placing intellectual property on GX is that it gives the IP owners the ability to choose the licensing approach they feel comfortable with – from research and attribution recognition to non-competitive use and simple fee structures."

In addition to making big green ideas more accessible to smaller companies and organizations, the GreenXchange attempts to foster a sense of responsibility by using the network efficiencies of open innovation to solve problems of commercial sustainability- not only at home, but in countries all around the world.

The current forums on the GreenXchange website enable members to post their own ideas and suggestions, as well as vote for and comment on ideas that they like.

“Nike is today committing to placing more than 400 of our patents on GX for research, demonstrating our belief that the best way to stimulate sustainable innovation is through open innovation,” said Mark Parker, Nike president and chief executive. “Our hope is this will unleash new innovation to help solve current obstacles to sustainability issues.”

While such statements signal a much needed shift in the way that major corporations view themselves and their competition in relation to the health of the environment, sharing information for future technologies doesn't erase the human rights violations or fossil fuel and raw material consumption that some of these corporations have been found guilty of in the past.

Hopefully, the formation of the GreenXchange will be a turning point in the way these companies choose to do business, and will start a trend in the type of technology that is considered efficient and valuable in the future.

Will Federal Push For Greener Appliances Spark Manufacturers?

Beth Buczynski — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 19:47:00 +0000

Manufacturers in the Cash for Appliances program are setting up an online infrastructure that will make it easier for consumers to apply for rebates.

Cash for Clunkers, the casual name for the government rebate program that paid thousands of drivers to swap their gas guzzlers for newer, more efficient models, was wildly successful, leaving many people shocked when they learned the program was over before they had a chance to take advantage of it.

The good news is that we've seen several reincarnations of the program, the latest of which is designed to motivate people to trade in their inefficient household appliances for models bearing the EnergyStar label of approval.

Unlike Cash for Clunkers, in which cloudy details about how to qualify and infrastructure problems caused some disgruntled consumers, manufacturers in the Cash for Appliances program are setting up an online infrastructure that will make it easier for consumers to apply for rebates.

Environmental Leader reports that "the federal government is kicking in $300 million for states to disburse as part of the energy efficiency upgrade program, which came about after the Cash for Clunkers car rebate program," and all major appliance manufacturers are hoping to reap the benefits of an expected spike in purchases.

According to EnergyStar.gov, all 50 States, Washington DC, and 5 US territories will have an appliance rebate program, although specific details of the program and the amount of money available for rebates might vary in each state. Consumers interested in taking advantage of the program in their area are encouraged to view the interactive map of states and territories with approved programs at EnergySavers.gov.

Whirlpool Corporation recently launched an easy-to-use rebate finder tool on three of its brand Web sites – Whirlpool, Maytag and KitchenAid brands, according to a recent press release. By entering a local zip code and appliance type, the online tool instantly informs the consumer of the amount of applicable state rebates through the federal program. Additionally, the rebate finder will provide information on rebates from a consumer's local utility company if available.

A general Web site, EcoRebates, has also sprung up to help consumers find rebates and connect with local participating appliance dealers.

Besides making better use of the internet, many consumers and manufacturers are relieved to hear that this program won't require the trade in of a old appliance; however, this raises interesting questions about whether or not consumers will be able to properly dispose of this electronic waste, which is classified by the EPA as hazardous.

Image Credit: Ingorrr (Flickr Creative Commons)

Colorado State University Opens One of the Largest Solar Plants at a University in the US

Beth Buczynski — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 23:44:43 +0000

Colorado State University new solar plant is one of the largest at a college or university in the world.

Two-megawatt solar facility at Colorado State taking advantage of a host of state and federal policies.

In a move that further demonstrates the state’s commitment to leadership in the field of renewable energy, Colorado State University (CSU) today dedicated one of the largest solar plants in the nation to be housed at a university.

The array is a two-megawatt operation that will help the state meet goals for renewable energy and keep the Fort Collins, Colo., university’s utility rates stable and affordable for the next 20 years.In a recent debate on the future of energy in America between Don Blankenship and president of the Waterkeeper Alliance, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the king of West Virginia’s coal industry remarked that ‘if solar and wind power were really viable alternatives to coal, they would already be implemented on a large scale.’ The timely dedication of CSU’s massive solar array would seem to imply that, at least in the West, that’s exactly what’s happening.

The solar power plant, which is owned and operated by Fotowatio Renewable Ventures, features more than 8,000 Trina Solar panels that cover 15 acres of the university’s Foothills Campus- about three miles west of the main campus. Thanks to innovative technology from Array Technologies, Inc., the panels rotate to track the sun’s movement and capture optimal sunlight throughout most of the day.

Aerial shot of Renewable Ventures Solar Plant at the Foothills Campus of Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO.

“This CSU solar project delivers on the Colorado promise of the New Energy Economy, which is establishing Colorado as a leader in renewable energy and creating jobs throughout the state,” said Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter, who spoke to attendees at the dedication.

Xcel Energy, a utility supplier of electric power and natural gas service in Colorado, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Texas and three other states, solicits bids each year for solar installations to meet the solar energy mandates of the Colorado Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard, also known as Amendment 37. In his address at the dedication, Gov. Ritter pointed out that the state is already on track to meet the goals of Amendment 37 at least five years ahead of time, and continues to increase its expectations for investor-owned solar energy.

To those like Blankenship, who claim that renewable energy only benefits foreign manufactures, and doesn’t really create American jobs, it’s important to point out that this project in Colorado had an estimated economic impact of roughly $1.7 million from local labor, subcontractors and materials. Advanced Energy, a Fort Collins, Colo., company was hired to build the inverters that convert the solar power from DC to AC electricity.

The solar plant, which is the second such project to be installed in the CSU system, will reduce greenhouse gas emissions sent into the atmosphere by 5.5 million pounds, the equivalent of removing more than 480 cars from the road each year.