"Originally published in the UT San Diego, February 8, 2013."
In early February, we watched the implosion of the South Bay Power Plant- just one day after the California Public Utilities Commission heard public comments on two new SDG&E-proposed fossil fuel power plants in San Diego.
We're playing a game of Whack-a-Mole with our regional energy policy at ratepayers' expense. Though the demolition of the South Bay Power Plant is striking, we can't let SDG&E continue to turn a blind eye to the reasons why we don't need that plant anymore.
Reliance on fossil fuels has led to an Orwellian-esque era where each year is becoming the hottest on record and we are suffering through a series of costly and deadly weather events. In San Diego, Scripps Institution of Oceanography warns us to expect hotter and more humid mid-summer heat waves that are worse than many inland areas while freshwater in the Southwest is becoming scarcer and our oceans are rising faster than expected.
So why is SDG&E proposing to build unneeded fossil-fuel power plants using the expensive, dirty and outdated centralized power plant model when we're barely scratching the surface of our clean energy and smart grid potential?
San Diego deserves better than this.
On top of the harmful impacts to public health and our climate from the greenhouse gases, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide that would be emitted by these two power plants, the nearly 1.6 billion dollar price tag of the power plants would be passed on to ratepayers over the next 20 years, according to the California Energy Commission.
Perhaps what's most perplexing about SDG&E's proposal, though, is that the energy from these plants is not even needed, according to both the Administrative Law Judge and the lead California Public Utilities Commissioner for the proceeding. Both have issued proposed decisions denying the plants due to a lack of need.
Even without San Onofre coming back online, SDG&E has ample power reserves to "keep the lights on." On the hottest day of the year last September, SDG&E had approximately 24 percent more energy than was needed. Further, the state agency that manages our energy grid, the California Independent Systems Operator, said the way to address the San Onofre shut down was through fixes to our transmission lines, not construction of new power plants.
Our regional leadership must embrace a strategy that prioritizes building a better future for our children by integrating demand management strategies, conservation, local clean energy generation, and energy storage into a smart modern grid that benefits all communities in San Diego.
In fact, San Diego is on the cutting-edge in this arena already. SDG&E proudly announced smart grid breakthroughs just last week that will allow them to prevent blackouts and integrate renewable resources seamlessly. UCSD has its own nationally recognized microgrid -- an on-site energy generation, distribution, and management network that balances renewable energy, electric vehicles, storage, and demand management. The microgrid is connected to SDG&E's grid but can disconnect and operate independently in "islanded mode" as needed, such as during the SDG&E blackout of September 2011, giving UCSD energy independence and security. Our local military bases are also investing in this new smart grid/microgrid approach to maximize the security and reliability of their energy needs. Naval Base Coronado and the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar are both pursuing these new solutions/grid-independence.
Environmental Health Coalition knows from our recent educational efforts within the local communities that small changes to our daily habits can result in drastic reduction in energy use.
With a newly elected Mayor Bob Filner in the City of San Diego and other progressive elected officials who have pledged to pave a new pathway for our energy future, we are excited to build a new energy paradigm as part of San Diego's innovation economy. We look forward to working with our partners in local government, labor, the business community, the military and our educational institutions to create local, family-wage, career-track jobs while reducing our carbon footprint and protecting the health of every San Diego family.
It's time we put a stop to the Whack-A-Mole approach to energy. We must demand more from our energy utility so that it produces big new solutions to the big challenges we face.
Nicole Capretz
Green Energy / Green Jobs Campaign Director for Environmental Health Coalition
City Heights Resident
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Business Unit Overview
Join Exelon Power, and you will be a part of the team responsible for managing, operating, and maintaining the company’s fossil (natural gas, oil and coal), renewable (wind and solar), and hydroelectric fleet of power generating assets. With locations in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Texas, California, Iowa, and Massachusetts, our diverse generating portfolio enables the company to be competitive in the deregulated power market.
Job Description
Responsible for management and oversight of safety program within operations and maintenance of wind and solar power regional fleet. This includes adherence, development, and compliance within industry and company safety standards. Provides problem identification and resolution, corrective action and tracking of reliability issues. Responsible for management and oversight of onsite contractors. Accountable for assigned sites to assure services are executed to Exelon Wind Operations and Maintenance requirements.PRIMARY DUTIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES Analyze & report on production and safety performance data, graphs, statistics for Operations and Maintenance personnel. Implement work order management systems for trending and monitoring safety program adherence. Can interface in statistical process control applications.Monitor wind turbine towers & Solar Sites for maintenance, quality & safety audits, troubleshooting, assisting wind turbine technicians, assisting regional management, and implementing fleet wide improvement changes.Available to respond to nontraditional operating hours for maintenance and emergent issues for the following: Land owner issues, utility interactions, wind turbine supplier maintenance support, and substation maintenance/troubleshooting activities.Participate in morning executive calls, reporting significant safety events in the Wind & Solar Fleet.Work order documentation, and maintenance procedural writing. Safety design, test, implement, and revise procedures for Exelon Wind operations.Develop operating procedures changes to optimize turbines continuous improvement projects. Complete procedure and process documentation for various aspects of Wind Turbine/ Solar O&M requirements.Utilize technology tools for implementation and tracking of safety system metrics, tools for reporting, and methods of compliance.Monitor Industry and Company safety compliance & regulation and make program improvements to reflect respective changes.Perform root cause investigations. Investigate and report on all serious/critical personal injury accidents occurring to employees, contractors and visitors to the appropriate management, and to assist in the investigation of all accidents/incidents.POSITION SPECIFICATIONS MS in safety, industrial hygiene/health, or related field with minimum 5+ years of operational/safety experience OR BS in safety, industrial hygiene/health, or related field with minimum 5+ years of operational/safety experience OR A minimum of 10+ years experience in managing safety programs Knowledge of applicable electrical power generation, transmission, motors/generators, or process controls discipline codes and standardsSafety Work Package evaluation, test and/or analysis experience.Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including written and verbalStrong computer skills, including knowledge and proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite Products Valid driver's license and access to an insured vehicleAbility to work in a steel tower turbine power environment that includes climbing, walking long distances, confined spaces and tall heights Ability to lift a minimum of 50 pounds Increase health and safety awareness at all levels within the organization.Strong leadership skills, strong influential/negotiation skills, problem solving skills transformation & change management skills, presentation skills (preferred).Advisor role responsible for Safety Program requirements of the entire Wind and Solar fleet. Installed Capacity(1300MW)Approximately 50% travelPreferred:Experience in wind/ solar plant operations and or wind turbine/ utility scale solar experienceExperience in high voltage maintenance and switchingExperience in Confined SpaceExperience in Crane- Rigging/LiftingTower rescue training qualifiedRoot cause investigation tools
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Luxury usually comes at a high price, not only financially but environmentally too. But plans for a new building in the heart of Cairo hope to change this high cost to the environment, combining luxury living with eco-friendly technology.
Real estate company, Abraj Misr, has just announced plans to invest 4.5 billion Egyptian pounds (US589.7 million) in the multi-purpose development known as The Gate. It will consist of residential, commercial and retail spaces, a shopping mall and even a 5 star hotel.
The design by renowned architecture company Vincent Callebaut Architectures (VCA) incorporates green features with high-end services such as luxurious limousines, gymnasiums, a pet care facility and a beauty center to attract potential residents.
The architecture firm's idea was to metamorphose the city into a vertical, green, dense and hyper-connected ecosystem and "to raise awareness of green sustainable architecture to fight against global warming in order to maintain an eco-friendly earth for our next generation."
Solar energy, living walls, wind turbines and even roof food gardens will give this luxury development an eco-friendly helping hand to do this.
The Gate is designed around a central boulevard, which is the heart of the complex. The apartments are housed in rectangular buildings attached to this central street. At both ends, there are facades inspired by fish gills that will act as sunshades.
The project is intended to balance the efficient distribution of 1000 apartments and a contemporary and sustainable identity. The smart building will ensure a 50 percent energy saving and a significant reduction in carbon footprint.
It is eco-designed according to bioclimatic rules (solar cycle, prevailing wind directions, endemic plant species etc), and by incorporating renewable energies (wind turbines, thermal solar energy, photovoltaic solar energy, geothermal energy, biomass etc).
Green architectural features punctuate the large building to combine an eco-friendly vision with community-based needs, without sacrificing aestheticism.
MEGATREES AS WINDCATCHERS
Nine 'megatrees' will act as windcatchers. Windcatchers have a long history in the country, used in architecture in Ancient Egypt. They are known in Arabic as "Malqaf" and work by redirecting airflow to provide a natural cooling system. They will naturally ventilate the basement spaces and refresh the patios and boulevard.
A GARDEN IN THE SKY
The development hopes to not only be beneficial for the environment, but for residents too. A community garden will provide a social and sustainable space for the building's occupants. The project proposes to use the roof space as a 'garden in the sky' with playgrounds, sports area, food gardens, infinity swimming pools and orchards. The green roof is also a measure to compensate for the high density of the construction and will be an insulation coat above the residences to reduce the urban warming.
SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
The building will use state-of-the-art solar cell technology to generate power. Instead of using conventional solar cells that use visible and infrared light, these innovative new solar cells also use ultraviolet radiation. The solar roof will be covered by walkable solar panels that will shadows above the patios and the boulevard to generate a big part of the electricity necessary for the building.
GREEN LIVING WALLS
Living walls have become popular recently, allowing for greenery even when space is lacking. They will allow for the overall reduction in building temperature of The Gate. Heat build-up in cities is largely due to solar radiation being absorbed by roads and buildings that is then stored in the building material. The designers hope that the walls may also be used as a method for water reuse by purifying polluted water and absorbing the dissolved nutrients.
The building will also contain 'smart homes' with multi-sensors able to control the different zones, rooms, temperature and ventilation. Solar water heating systems will deliver hot water to all of the bathrooms and kitchens for most of the year. Water is collected in glass-metal tubes on the roof that are exposed to the sunlight and help to warm the water.
Construction of The Gate is due to start in April and be completed in 2018.
"Images courtesy of Vincent Callebaut Archictectures."
Reference: amosrenewableenergy.blogspot.com
