Homework 12

Sub Secretary of Energy of Sao Paulo- Milton Lautenschalger

            On Tuesday, July 23, we visited with the Sub-Secretary of Energy of Sao Paulo, Milton Lautenschalger. We learned about the current renewable energy usage in the state of Sao Paulo as well as plans in the works for the future of the state. From his talk I learned that Sao Paulo state is leading Brazil in being a clean energy state, with 60% of its renewable energy being generated from biofuel, 37% from hydroelectric power, and the remainder from wind and solar. For biomass, they are utilizing sugarcane as opposed to corn as in the US. 50% of this production is geared towards food and the other half towards the production of biofuel, burning all the remainders as energy for making the ethanol. The state is also working towards converting their public transportation from diesel to flex fuel vehicles. Currently in Sao Paulo there are no wind generation plants even though the area has significant potential for wind power since the average wind speed is 6.5 m/s. This power source could be advantageous for both the use in the grid and for independent generators in rural locations. The same goes for solar radiation power; the state has large potential for this to be a viable source of energy production. Besides renewable energy, Lautenschlager discussed natural gas use and potential in the state. Sao Paulo is opposed to fracking for natural gas and currently is getting their supply of natural gas from privatized sources or importing from Bolivia. They’re using the US as an example of what not to do with fracking and its negative potential effects. In 2009 PEMC passed a climate change law, the Paulista Plan, which aims to reduce CO2 emissions by 20% and get renewable to 69% by 2020 through biofuel, wind, and solar.

Sao Joao Landfill

On Thursday, July 25, we visited the Sao Joao Landfill as well as a smaller nearby landfill that currently does not produce energy. The first one we visited has only been in operation for approximately a year and has yet to start convert landfill gas to energy due to its young age as well the finances required for production startup. The process required to convert this gas is extremely expensive and as seen with the Sao Joao landfill, the plant would likely not break even. Their only option for financial security would be to work with the Kyoto Protocol which provides tax credits for independent businesses energy production. The second landfill, Sao Joao, we visited did in fact convert their landfill gas to energy. At the Sao Joao landfill, they harvest the landfill gas, methane, as both a means for energy production as well as to decrease the emitted methane gas into the atmosphere which is a major contributor to global warming. I think that this hasn’t been implemented in the US for several reasons. One being that Brazil has unique trash which is rich in organic material compared to the US which contains a lot of packaging in their trash. Because of this, the US has less carbon in their trash meaning less energy per ton of trash. Financially, if Brazil is currently not breaking even with their trash and its carbon content, the US will likely make even less of a profit.

Mercadao

Rambutau Lichia- Lychee

Fruta do conde- Sugar Apple

Graviola- Soursop

Granadilla- Passion Flower

Caqui Fuyu- Persimmon

Mangostin- Purple Mangosteen

Nespera- Loquat

Jaca- Jackfruit

Caju- Cashew

 Carambola- Starfruit

HW #9: Site Visits

CPFL- Photovoltaic Solar Power Plant

CPFL Renewables is Brazil’s largest renewable power company which aims to increase the amount of renewable energy in Brazil through photovoltaics, wind power, hydroelectric, and biomass. The company has a large supply of photovoltaic panels, testing two materials, amorphous silicon and monocrystalline silicon, and the orientation, solar tracking and stationary.  The company does not produce any of their own panels but instead test several vendors’ panels for maximum efficiency and performance.

            On the Tanquinho site visit the most interesting thing I learned was that technology has advanced to the point where the panels can track the movement of the sun, therefore harnessing the maximum amount of energy from the sun.  This technology is more effective than the stationary ones which is what I was most familiar with prior to visiting. Specifically in Brazil, which is close to the equator and has a vast amount of open space for panels, this technology could be a major contributor to their overall energy source. An idea for improvement could be by determining a means to reduce panel size as to not consume as much space for installation. When utilized on rooftops they don’t require extra space but for large plants, they could greatly impede on the inhabitants of the surrounding areas. If this technology was brought back to the US, I suggest connecting them to a storage system, such as a battery, that would allow for energy during times when the sun is not available.

            In Brazil, the policies that regulate this technology include tax incentives for individuals purchasing the panels as well as companies supplying them and programs to distribute the panels to off grid locations (PRODEEM). In general the Brazilian government is inputting policies that will reduce carbon emissions and are seeking to invest in renewable technologies across a broad spectrum of sources. Environmentally solar panels are advantageous to Brazil since using photovoltaic panels have a completely clean exhaust and do not output any carbon dioxide when providing energy. Even though the panels require fossil fuels for production and in result release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, long term, the amount they save surpasses the initial amount needed.

Bosch- Flex Fuel

            Bosch is a German based company that focuses on consumer good, automotive, and industrial industries. They have several locations in Brazil, mostly focusing on automotive, specifically the flex engine. The plant we visited in Campinas has an automotive department that is working on adapting gasoline only engines to be compatible with flex fuel in order to improve performance and overall efficiency. They are testing several engines for a variety of vehicle manufacturers. The department in Brazil has several different facilities, such as cold and hot rooms, which allow the engineers to create the most ideal engine for the temperature and weather of Brazil.

            On this site visit I learned how the company tests the flexible fuel engines that they are modifying and what conditions they must be able to withstand. A few examples are the use of cold and hot rooms, the testing infrastructure, and the computer driving simulations which determine climate effects, operator use, and wear and tear on the engine and its components. I think that the use of flex fuel in Brazil is extremely effective since the country is a large producer of sugarcane which evident since over 80% of new vehicles produced since 2009 in Brazil use flex fuel. Using flex fuel also decreases Brazil’s dependence on foreign nations and provides them with a profitable industry. In the US, flex fuel is not nearly as popular and most consumers that own a flex fuel car are not aware of it. The US uses corn rather than sugar cane due to sugar cane not being widely available, which is more expensive since more energy is required to extract the glucose from the corn. Flex fuel could be improved by lowering the cost per gallon. Currently, using a combination of gasoline and ethanol is more expensive due to ethanol having a lower energy density per volume than gasoline. In order to persuade consumers away from gasoline, ethanol must be at a competitive price. Similarly, if this technology was brought to the US, the means of extracting the glucose from corn would need to be optimized in order to cut costs. Since the glucose is contained within the corn, rather than pure as with sugar cane, this adds another step in the process resulting in a higher cost for production as well as an increase in energy input.

            Brazil has several policies in place to regulate these technologies. Similarly to the policies focused on promoting the use of solar panels, the government is offering incentives programs and tax refunds for the purchase of flex fuel vehicles. The environment substantial reason for the promotion of the use of flex fuel as the release of carbon dioxide from the combustion of ethanol is negated by the re-absorption of that carbon dioxide back into the sugar cane plants. Although the fuel still requires traditional gasoline, it’s a step towards reducing overall greenhouse gas emissions. The economics of flex fuel, as I mentioned earlier, are not yet at a point where using a combination of ethanol and gasoline benefits the consumer. Flex fuel cars are more expensive as the engines and fuel tanks require more robust materials and safety measures since ethanol is more corrosive and conductive than standard gasoline. Also, although the price of ethanol is significantly lower than gasoline per gallon, ethanol has a lower energy density, resulting in more fuel needed, thus more expenses.

Enersolar + Brazil

Enersolar + Brazil is an international fair showcasing innovative photovoltaic and solar technologies and companies. The assignment for the day was to speak with 25 different companies, each focusing on developing a unique technology, industry, or application. We looked into companies working on products ranging from traditional solar thermal water heaters to more obscure solar powered outdoor projectors for movies.

I was aware of the application of solar power for standard uses such as water heaters and photovoltaic panels but did not realize how many other areas solar power can be utilized in. For example, a good majority of the companies did not actually have a solar powered product but rather accessories for panels and heaters. It hadn’t occurred to me prior to the conference how much of an industry solar power has the potential for, such as in maintenance, cleaning, and security. Another interesting technology I found interesting at the conference was the use of solar power for an air conditioning unit. Logistically, the times of the day when an air conditioning unit would be used would be during the time of day with the most sunlight, hence the most power inputted to the panels. A major concern with the use of solar panels is intermittency of sunlight, therefore it not being practical as a main source of energy for most homes. But with air conditioning, the unit could completely sustain on solar power, greatly reducing both costs and emissions of a major energy consumer. Overall, I enjoyed the conference and walked out significantly more knowledgeable on solar energy. If I could change one thing, it would be for the conference to have more industries than just solar, biomass, and wind.

                                  

Usina Henry Borden- Hydroelectric

The last site we visited was a hydroelectric plant Usina Henry Borden located in Cubatao, Brazil. The plant has been around since the 1920s, successfully using essentially the same technology as it has been for almost 100 years. The plant pumps water from a river up a mountain in order to increase the potential energy, then utilizes the kinetic energy as the water falls down the side of the mountain to generate electricity. The water is pushed through a nozzle, turns a turbine, and in results generates energy. This specific plant uses significantly less energy than a traditional hydroelectric plant since it relies on water pressure, rather than water volume, to rotate the turbine. When the water has passed through the turbine, it is routed to its natural destination in order to not negatively affect the environment.

In Brazil, hydroelectric power accounts for over 90% of Brazil’s energy supply. That being said, the technology must be pretty effective in Brazil. Hydroelectric power is low carbon emission, cheap, and has no long term environmental effects as all water used is outputted to its natural origin. It is also a domestic energy source, and gives Brazil more freedom from fossil fuel dependence and creates jobs. At this plant, their hydroelectric water source is from naturally flowing rivers but in the US we created hydro power by daming off rivers, such as the Hoover dam. Daming rivers has a variety of negative effects, such as damage to the ecosystem, soil erosion, and increased water temperature leading to human and animal disease. Therefore, the major improvement I would bring to the US from visiting the plant would be to find an alternative, natural way to produce hydro energy. Economically, as mentioned previously, this specific plant uses less water than a traditional plant, reducing the cost of their energy production. This translates to not only savings for the company but also for the consumer.

HW#7: Gasland

1. Carcinogenic chemicals are pumped into the ground during fracking which the adverse effects are apparent during the movie with scenes of flammable water and sick people. Are the areas where fracking is prevalent safe to live in? How do you propose the oil companies should safely handle and dispose of the waste water?

2. In the movie Gasland, the director receives and offer from a gas company to buy his land for natural gas extraction. Do you think people would agree to leave their homes in exchange for a monetary reward? What sort of long term effects do you think this will have in areas rich in natural gas?

3. Despite the potential health and environmental effects, fracking has the potential to move the US ahead in the energy race and provide new jobs for Americans. Do you feel that the economic benefits of fracking outweigh the potential health effects of the communities it infringes on?

HW#6

The major difference I found between Brazil and the US’s energy policies was that the US is significantly further ahead in their development of renewable energy sources. For example, all major appliances and new cars are required to meet certain energy efficiency standards. In Brazil, many policies were discussed that hoped to implement these sort of standards but at the moment there was none in place. This was mostly due to energy efficient appliances being expensive and not reasonable for poorer communities. As a whole though, both countries see the need for clean, sustainable energy and wish to reduce our carbon emissions in order to stabilize the climate. Each discussed putting resources towards this development, both through the use of government subsidized funding. Nuclear power re-examination was another major discussion point and each country wants to explore it further.

In the USA, these proposed policies have effects environmentally, socially, and economically. Environmentally, these policies substantially have reduced our carbon pollution, HFC emissions, and methane emissions which resulted in a reduction of climate change. Through these policies our natural resource consumptions has slowed down, leading to the conservation of our land and water sources as well as agricultural stability. These policies have affected our society by the establishment of more structurally sound communities and improved disaster relief strategies. For example, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Energy during hurricane Sandy shed light on the importance of policies to address the restoration of communities’ fuel and electrical supplies post disaster. Economy, reducing carbon emissions by transitioning to renewable sources and by improving the efficiency of motor vehicles has reduced the consumer’s fuel and energy bills. Because consumers are seeing a positive effect on their personal finances, this leads to increased community support of renewable development.

As in the US, introducing policies to curb carbon emission and develop renewable technologies has effects on the environment, economy, and society. Economically, these policies will hopefully through efficiency improvements leading to a decrease in energy demand growth lead to a reduction in investment requirements. Also, Brazil’s trade balance will be improved through these policies through natural gas and petroleum import reduction. Also, domestically, product of new technologies will boost the economy and reduce trade dependence on other nations. Environmentally, these policies would increase energy efficiency and expand renewable use, such as with ethanol, wind, solar, and sugarcane products. Another aspect would be a reduction of CO2 and NO emissions. Socially, these policies would provide electricity to remote areas that otherwise would not be able to be reached by the grid.

The US is far too reliant on fossil fuels. As with any situation not just energy, you cannot sustain yourself using a resource that is finite or that the usage exceeds the regeneration. The usage of fossil fuels is only a temporary source of energy and unless we develop alternative means we will run out in the near future. Options for alternative energy we have are solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric, nuclear, and natural gas. Solar energy through the use of photovoltaic cells has the capability to provide enough energy for a common household but contains economical limitations and has issues with indeterminacy  Optimizations with efficiency and material costs are needed to scale down on expenses as well as an energy storage system for cloudy days or at night. Wind power takes up a substantial amount of space, leading to environmental controversy and is only a reasonable option in windy areas. Hydroelectricity leads to the issue of requiring damming of rivers which also has adverse environmental effects. Nuclear power has significant potential but runs into issues with risk of overheating and where to dispose of radioactive waste. Natural gas although a fossil fuel could be an effective transition fuel from oil to renewable and buy us more time to develop these technologies. 

HW #4: Power Surge

In the movie, Power Surge, they propose the solution to the energy crisis to be through energy technological innovation. With our current societal energy demands not one source of renewable or sustainable energy will be capable of meeting our large request and maintain our current carbon levels. Therefore, they suggest that in order to halt our carbon emission and sustain the current amount of carbon we are inputting into the atmosphere we as a society must use several technology in parallel with each other. The four main categories that were focused on were efficiency, nuclear power, cleaning up coal plants, and harnessing the sun’s power. Efficiency can be addressed through increasing fuel millage with vehicles which would provide customer savings, nuclear power through re-examining our current plants and constructing safer plants, cleaning up coal by removing and burying it’s harmful carbon emissions, and harnessing the sun through the use of solar panels and wind turbines.

            I agree with their assessment of how to solve the energy crisis through the use of innovative energy technologies. With our current nation’s energy needs and expectations for a standard of living, it is not reasonable to believe that we would be able to solve this problem through moderating or cutting back significantly on our usage. Because of that, we must find a means to maintain this lifestyle while also stabilizing out current carbon input into our atmosphere through the use of technology. We currently have the capability to greatly reduce our carbon footprint nationally as well as globally; with one of the major obstacles holding us back being economics. As they stated in the movie, technologies such as developing fuel from yeast waste, fabricating a material that mimics how plants remove carbon and photovoltaic cells are fully functional just not at a cost most Americans are willing or even able to pay. The incentives that some companies and individuals such as Richard Branson are offering for advancements are an effective means to accelerate the race to develop a commercially viable and economically feasible product.

            The effects on the environment, society, and economy were addressed accurately when they considered what alternative energies to use. With the fuel derived from yeast and sugar they discussed the astronomical cost of production and how even a billionaire would not be capable of affording such a fuel. The same goes for photovoltaic cells, where China is working around the clock to produce solar cells that will maximum efficiency and therefore save the consumer money. Briefly they addressed societal effects stating that people are resistant to “ruining” their backyards with ugly renewable energies without thinking through the full effect of them not even having a livable backyard in the future. With re-examining nuclear power plants both the societal and environmental impacts were assessed. After what happened in Japan people are scared of the possibility of another reactor exploding which new plants are aiming to subdue through the use of emergency cooling systems. Environmentally, how nuclear power waste would be disposed of is a major setback with this technology and how to safety remove waste was discussed.

HW #3: An Inconvenient Truth

An Inconvenient Truth Questions:

1. The image titled “Earth Rise”, which is the first photo taken of the earth from space partially eclipsed by darkness.
2. The atmosphere is the most vulnerable part of the earth system.
3. The atmosphere is as thick as a layer of varnish on a globe.
4. It can be a good thing because trapping the infrared radiation in the earth’s atmosphere provides stable and livable conditions on earth.
5. Trapping infrared radiation can be a bad thing because it leads to global warming.
6. 40% of people depend on glacial melt for their drinking water.
7. By studying ice cores, one can determine how much CO2 was in the atmosphere when that snow was made and can act as a thermometer.
8. There is a direct relationship between carbon dioxide and atmospheric temperature. As the amount 
9. The 10 hottest years on earth have occurred during the past 14 years.
10. As the water temperature increases, the wind velocity also increases.
11. Over the last few decades, Lake Chad has dried up almost completely.
12. More than 90% of the sun radiation gets reflected by the ice.
13. Ocean and wind currents redistribute energy from the equator to the north and south poles.
14. If the ice sheets of Western Antarctica were to melt, the sea level would raise approximately 20 feet.
15. Three factors causing the collision between civilization and earth are:
1. The scientific and technological revolution
2. Population
3. Way of thinking
16. 30% of global carbon dioxide emissions come from forest fires.
17. The USA is the largest contributor of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
18. The USA has the lowest government standards for gas mileage of automobiles.
19. The two nations that have not signed the Kyoto Protocol are the USA and Australia.

HW #1: Carbon Footprint

My total estimated greenhouse gas emission per year is 43 tons of CO2.

• Home energy: 39 tons of CO2/ year, 91.3%
• Driving and flying: 2.2 tons of CO2/ year, 5.1%
• Food and diet: 0.6 tons of CO2/ year, 2.2%
• Recycling and waste: 0.9 tons of CO2/ year, 1.5%

Compared to the average person, my total and percent usage is lower for driving and flying and food and diet. My home energy usage is significantly higher for my home energy which consumes the majority of my usage. For recycling and waste it is similar to the average person. As a whole, my usage is significantly higher than the average person, most likely as a result of living in a four bedroom apartment.

Compared to the world average, 5.5 tons of CO2/ year, my energy usage is almost an order of magnitude greater.

For my home energy usage, I could decrease it by living in a smaller apartment and installing energy efficient light bulbs. I don't have control over the large appliances in a rented apartment but I could buy smaller items, such as a toaster or a microwave that are energy star rated. For recycling and waste, I recycle when convenient but I could place a bin in my apartment to collect all recyclable products and dispose of them in the proper receptacles. Driving and flying, I could reduce the amount of long flights I take each year. And lastly, for food and diet, I can be more conscience of buying only organic products.

Introduction

My name is Kate McCarthy, I'm a chemical engineering student minoring in mechanical engineering entering into my fifth year at Northeastern University. I wanted to be on this dialogue since I have completed two previous coops in alternative energy technology.  The first at A123 Systems working on commercial use lithium ion batteries and the second at Ambri, working with large grid storage batteries. Post graduation I would like to continue in this field and hope that I can translate some of the things I learn from both the class and field visits to my future job. 

Since arriving to Brazil, we have experience many aspects of their culture that differ from ours. An example of this is the way that they enjoy their meals. At home, my friends, family, and I all will eat together at either a restaurant or at home and hurry through our meals. Brazilians, sit for hours during meals, talking and savoring their food, rather than eating as fast as they can and leaving. Especially coming from an Italian family, who essentially races to the finish of meals, this will take some getting used to.