Tag: Policy

How an Institute’s Culture is the Biggest Effect on Resilience

How an Institute’s Culture is the Biggest Effect on Resilience

05/30/19

“Why does bad institutional culture harm resilience more than engineering or human errors?”

When infrastructure failures occur, the engineering or human failures are often the ones that are the most analyzed. However, new research has come out supporting a very different idea. It is the governing institutions culture that has the greatest impact. To illustrate, the Northern Californian utility Pacific Gas and Electricity had long neglected infrastructure repairs/upgrades and foliage trimming, ultimately leading to the great Camp Fire of November 2018. This is How an Institute’s Culture is the Biggest Effect on Resilience.

Why Telecommuting Should be Considered Apart of Sustainable Transportation

Why Telecommuting Should be Considered Apart of Sustainable Transportation

05/25/19

“Why should we include telecommuting into sustainable transportation?”

When sustainable transportation is conjured up, images of electric vehicles and bullet trains are conjured up. However, since a core component of sustainable transportation is taking vehicles off of the road, telecommuting should be considered. Telecommuting allows people to skip traveling, whether it be a car to work or a plane to a meeting, thereby saving on greenhouse gas emissions. This is Why Telecommuting Should be Considered Apart of Sustainable Transportation.

The Rebound Effect

The Rebound Effect

05/23/19

“How can energy efficiency measures backfire?”

Energy efficiency measures are touted as one of the most effective means of combating climate change. However, since they also make using electricity cheaper, people will be less disincentivized to use less of it, and therefore consume more energy, driving GHG emissions higher. This Rebound Effect has dangerous implications for policy makers looking to combat climate change.

Why The Durability of Vehicles Will Make it Difficult to Electrify the Electricity Sector

Why The Durability of Vehicles Will Make it Difficult to Electrify the Electricity Sector

05/22/19

“Why will the lengthy longevity of cars impede climate progress?”

The transportation sector will need to become electrified in order to achieve decarbonization. One way to do this is to shift fleet compositions from petroleum to electric-powered vehicles. However, because vehicles tend to have lengthy longevity, they will be retired at slow rates, impeding turnover to electric vehicles. This is Why The Durability of Vehicles Will Make it Difficult to Electrify the Electricity Sector.

Renewable Energy Procurement

Renewable Energy Procurement

05/21/19

“How do we create more renewable energy?”

Renewable energy is one of the fastest growing markets in the world right now. So much so that creating more of it has obtained its own unique name, Renewable Energy Procurement.

Time-Dependent Grid Emissions

Time-Dependent Grid Emissions

05/13/19

“How can thinking of greenhouse gas emissions on a more minute level lead to more accurate recordings of greenhouse gas emissions?”

When grid emissions from electricity is analyzed, typically it is done so on a per-day or per-annum basis. However, with greater levels of distributed energy resources on the grid now, emission rates can vary hour to hour. By taking in Time-Dependent Grid Emissions to account, we can obtain a better picture of how much greenhouse gases are being released into the atmosphere. Demand side-response can help further minimize such emissions.

How Solar and Wind Will Be so Cheap That It Will Cause Coal Plants to Retire

How Solar and Wind Will Be so Cheap That It Will Cause Coal Plants to Retire

05/12/19

“How will the low cost of renewables force coal plants to retire early?”

Solar and wind are dropping at cataclysmic rates. So much so, that new analysis has shown that soon in some parts of the world renewables will be so cheap that installing them will actually be cheaper than keeping existing coal infrastructure running, economically forcing such plants into early retirement. This is How Solar and Wind Will Be so Cheap That It Will Cause Coal Plants to Retire.

Clean Peak Standard

Clean Peak Standard

05/11/19

“How can we mandate that peak hour energy use utilizes a certain number of clean energy?”

Renewable energy mandates have been vital for the escalation of renewable energy. However, renewable energy powers only a tepid amount of the grid during peak energy use hours once the sun goes down. To solve this, utilities and governments can implement a Clean Peak Standard, which mandates that peak hours are powered by a certain amount of clean energy. The U.S Stated of Arizona, California, and Massachusetts are currently reviewing these for the prospect of implementation.

Real-Time Energy Markets

Real-Time Energy Markets

05/10/19

“How is energy traded in real-time?”

Because energy is such a critical infrastructure, it needs to be planned out and purchased ahead of time. However, not all predictions are perfect, and sometimes energy needs to be provided the day of. This results in the creation of a Real-Time Energy Market where energy can be traded quickly to meet system needs. The purchasing costs of energy in real time tends to be more expensive and price volatile than its day-ahead equivalent.