In society's race to find renewable sources of carbon-neutral energy it is important that we proceed with caution and have a plan in place to diminish long-term ecological impacts. These days most of the commercial ethanol produced in the United States comes from corn. This leads to the problem of food vs fuel. One solution to this problem is the use of grasses and non food crops or crop waste as the main ingredient of the fuel. Cellulosic biofuels are a source of energy derived from processing lignocellulose, a fibrous material found in plants. Unlike grain-based ethanol, which is limited to crops such as corn and wheat, a wide array of non-food crops can yield the biomass need to produce cellulosic ethanol. Examples include switchgrass, prairie grass, and agricultural waste. Regardless, the production of biofuels will still require the need for a vast amount of land. Science combined with good policy can lead to potential for sustainable cellulosic crop strategies through specifically designed programs that help farmers in choosing the best types of crops that will provide the greatest value with the least impact. This can also lead to production standards and incentive programs for farmers that use the strategies.
One suggestion is the implementation of no-till farming which can help slow down erosion and enrich soil; cover crop can sequester soil carbon and minimize nutrient run-off, and buffers can support beneficial insects such as pollinators. These concerns and strategies for improvement and prevention come from a group of internationally recognized scientists with a set of diverse backgrounds and professional experiences.
Another article published in The New York Times titled, What's So Bad About Big and written by Michael L. Wald, explains how energy alternatives need to be thought about on a large scale. The main types of energy that the articles covers are wind and solar. "When it comes to alternative ways of generating power, big may be better. While these forms of renewable energy technology were once considered more appropriate for single homes and small communities, they are now reaching a level where scale is becoming more centralized. In addition, companies that are creating this larger energy projects say that economies of scale will be gained as a result. The desert north of Tucson, Arizona for example uses an array of mirrors to concentrate sunlight and heat mineral oil to 550 degrees. This process yield electricity when the heat vaporizes a liquid hydrocarbon. In total this project uses 100,000 square feet of mirror in rows of 6 each approximately a quarter of a mile long. Overall this entire process produces one megawatt of power. In the near future Acciona Solar Power plans to open up a 350 acre plant in Boulder City, Nevada which would produce 64 megawatts of power. A single megawatt is enough energy to run a hospital or a large mall. Another point that this article makes is the efficiency of having home-grown energy which is more readily available, controllable and affordable. "If you own it (electricity) on your own, it's going to be at a cheaper price than if the utility company is going to sell it (electricity) to you." Though this is a good point the article fails to consider the cost of collecting the energy and converting it into a more useful source which can be used in homes and businesses. This process is more appropriate for the larger utility company which has more of the resources and technology to make it possible rather then individual home owners and businesses.
In the early 1980s a large wind turbine was built in Hull, Mass because being so far away from an oil source, that was the only way that electricity could be produced locally. This first wind turbine could generate 40 kilowatts of energy which was enough to power a few homes. In 2003 a new turbine was built that was 16 times larger and produced 660 kilowatts of energy; however it was still too small to keep up with the towns energy needs. The next plan for Hull is four new turbines that would each produce 3.6 megawatts. Hull's plans are being used across the country now. In Nantucket Sound, for example, entrepreneurs are attempting to create the Cape Wind Project which will contain 130 turbines that produce 3.6 megawatts each. These 130 turbines could produce power equivalent to a plant that burns coal or natural gas According to Siemens Power Generation which makes the supplies used in these massive projects, the only limitation would be the size of the blade transported to the site. A blade of 175 feet is needed to run the 3.6 megawatt turbine.
Economically there is no incentive to create smaller projects because the costs, which include staging, construction, maintenance, insurance and taxes are all fixed costs which do not change with project size. It is therefore more feasible to invest in larger projects that give more bang for buck in energy capabilities. To make this technology even more cost effective, it is recommended that clusters of homes share a bank of batteries to guarantee a steady flow of power output. This way the energy would still be available even after the sun sets. Another plan is to replace the 160 watt solar panels, with 1000 watt panels. The benefit is that these larger panels would require less support material per watt.
Overall, through the use of renewable energy society can become better at both environmental and economic sustainability.
Camille Ricks
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