"Wisdom begins in wonder" – Socrates
Tag: Policy
Sea Level Rise Resilience
07/10/19
“Why do we need to protect against sea level rise?”
As the climate changes, sea levels will also rise. This will cause great devastation to coastal communities that were not designed with such high levels in mind. To solve this, institutions, municipalities must implement Sea Level Rise Resilience through walled barriers or managed retreat. Although the upfront cost may seem like a large investment, it will protect against much costlier long-term consequences.
Rail Freight Transportation
07/06/19
“How is cargo moved by rail?”
Most cargo is traded by sea. However, many communities live inland and far away from any port. So how do they receive cargo? Well, quite simply, their items are loaded onto a train and moved around via Rail Freight Transportation. Rail freight transport can be extremely cost effective, costing only 2.5 US cents to move one ton a kilometer.
Image credit http://www.nscorp.com
How Carbon Capture Should be Split Between the Western and Eastern United States
06/25/19
“Why should we deploy carbon capture devices in the Western US and plant trees instead in the Eastern US?”
As of right now, there is a fierce debate in the negative emissions technology space. Some believe that mechanical negative emissions technologies are too expensive and electricity dependent and that we should plant trees instead Others believe that trees take up too much water and land resources as well as provide fuel for fires. However, these solutions are not mutually exclusive, and should be deployed according to an area’s needs. In the Western US, water is scarce and is being more so while there is plenty of sunlight for cheap solar energy, making mechanical carbon capture devices quite practical. In the Eastern US, rain and water is plentiful and floods are happening more frequently, so planting a large amount of trees would be logical. This is How Carbon Capture Should be Split Between the Western and Eastern United States.
Image credit images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com
Negative Carbon Emission Technologies
06/20/19
“How can we use technology to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere?”
Humanity is reaching a crisis point. We are adding so much carbon dioxide to the atmosphere each second that we will soon reach irreversible climate damage. To solve this, we’re going to need to use every technology we have at our arsenal, whether it be wide arrays of solar panels or intense energy efficiency measures. But the true kingmaker of solutions comes from a group of technology that is still quite ominous and undeveloped. These Negative Carbon Emission Technologies work by using a series of processes to store more carbon dioxide than they produce. This can be done in a multitude of ways, whether it be through planting more trees or capturing carbon from the atmosphere and shoving it down into the ground. With these solutions, we can tip the odds in our favor in our fight for decarbonization.
Image credit: https://media.wired.com
Logical Interdependence
06/05/19
“How can different infrastructures be interdependent without any direct connection?”
Infrastructures can be interdependent in numerous ways. However, one of the most subtle forms is through cause and effect, in which the consequences of one infrastructure failure will carry over into another one. Take for example the 2018 Northern California Wildfires. When the fallen transmission line caused a fire, the smoke that swept into the Bay Area caused the air pollution levels to skyrocket. This made people rush to the hardware stores to purchase protective masks, emptying stocks within hours. Through Logical Interdependence, the supply of gas masks was contingent on the fire resilience in Northern California.
The Trade-Offs Between Distributed and Concentrated Energy Generation for Resilience
06/04/19
“What resilience trade-offs are there between using distributed and concentrated energy generation?”
Both distributed and concentrated energy generation supporters argue that their preferred energy generation method is superior. Distributed supporters say that their preferred method allows for generation to be much closer to consumption loads, undercutting the need for long transmission lines, while concentrated supporters say that their base load profiles allows for the necessary amount of energy to be delivered throughout the day. When selecting new energy methods, these must be taken into consideration during construction. These are The Trade-Offs Between Distributed and Concentrated Energy Generation for Resilience.
Why Situational Awareness of the Grid Is Crucial for Electricity Resiliency
06/03/19
“Why is monitoring the grid so crucial for electricity resilience?”
One of the most fundamental parts of building resilience is preventing cascading outages. If even a single transmission line snaps, then it could overwhelm other ones, eventually resulting in a large-scale power loss. One of the key tools to preventing this is having situational awareness of what is going on in the grid, so one can react fast enough to mishaps. This is Why Situational Awareness of the Grid Is Crucial for Electricity Resiliency.
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How a Downed Transmission Line Can Trigger a Cascading Power Failure
06/02/19
“How can a single failed transmission line cause a whole power grid to shutdown?”
The electricity grid is the backbone of modern human infrastructure. However, if a single transmission line becomes faulty and goes down, then power will need to be redistributed throughout the entire system accordingly. If no care is taken, then the extra surge of electricity can overwhelm other transmission lines and cause them to fail, repeating the process until a cascading power failure occurs such as in The Northeast Blackout of 2003. This is How a Downed Transmission Line Can Trigger a Cascading Power Failure.
Why Informing Citizens of the Risk of Power Outages Is Important for Making Public Resilience Decisions
05/31/19
“What is the importance of informing people about the risk of power outages?”
Power outages occur from time to time. And when they do, it could cause great harm to existing infrastructure, both public and private. HVAC systems will shut down, food in fridges will rot, and pipes might freeze over. That being said, there are a large amount of citizens who are not aware of the totality of the risks. If they become informed, then they can make better decisions and help contribute to making better public decisions about infrastructure. This is Why Informing Citizens of the Risk of Power Outages Is Important for Making Public Resilience Decisions.
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