Page 6 - North American Clean Energy January/February 2019 Issue

editor's note
news bites
WHENEVER A NEW YEAR ROLLS AROUND, I FIND MYSELF picking apart the previous year in an attempt to learn how to be happier, more successful, and more e cient. I could argue that happiness is its own form of success, but e ciency? My dishwasher is e cient, and my clothes washer and air conditioner are both e cient; that’s not exactly the word I would use to describe myself – or any person, for that matter. I’m not referring to the e ciency of the human body, but of human behavior. Ever see those hoarding shows where someone has to be dug out of growing mountains of junk? One episode in particular stunned me with the revelation that the “victim” worked for other people as a personal organizer. As I basked in the guilty pleasure of realizing I’m more together than
I thought I was, it occurred to me that, on some level, this person also saw herself as productive and e cient (if only for other people). Later on, I read a social media post by a friend of mine; she raises animals and grows her own food, home schools her kids, and is in fantastic shape - I felt grossly inadequate.
It’s human nature to compare. When it comes to e ciency, however, we tend to look for an absolute value against which to measure the progress of our industry. Companies di er in many ways (by physical location, customer focus, and company values), but all strive to run at peak e ciency. Companies also happen to be run by humans, who are prone to the same distractions and weaknesses that prevent each of us from reaching our full potential. In light of this, it would appear that e ciency is relative. Even under ideal conditions, we can’t ignore the human factor. Countless studies devote themselves to discovering the path to greater e ciency, both for people and their surroundings. Scott Kelly, as part of his PhD research at the Cambridge Centre for Climate Change Mitigation Research, found that e ciency is linked to both the building and the occupant. He cites studies demonstrating that “human behaviour is at least as important as the physical characteristics of a building in in uencing energy use.”1
It’s easy to understand the concept of e ciency. Putting it into practice is a lot harder. Smart technology can’t replace individual responsibility: incorporating clean energy habits on an individual level is key. I wonder, how e cient can we make our world before human nature kicks in?
I remember seeing an old episode of e Simpsons, in which Homer is hired to motivate workers at a nuclear plant, forcing his family to relocate. eir new house is so e cient that no matter what household chore Marge attempts, the house does all the work for her. With nothing left to do, she ends up drinking wine all day. Here’s hoping I’ll have the same problem one day.
Cheers to a (relatively) e cient 2019.
Meg
1https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/discussion/energy- e ciency-and-human-behaviour
Chicago Bulls player calls for action in the wake of IPCC’s new climate report Following the release of the IPCC report, organizations
and individuals have shared pressing messages on the individual’s role in climate change. Chicago Bulls player and environment enthusiast, Lauri Markkanen, is taking a fresh approach to the matter. A collaboration between Markkanen and the Finnish renewables company Neste will have Markkanen shooting hoops with this year’s world heat map. e surface of this basketball is covered with a hand-painted visualization of the world’s record-high temperatures from last summer. Pictures of the blazing planet went viral in the summer, as heat waves broke records around the world. 2018 is projected to become one of the hottest years on record. With temperatures soaring, this project is an urgent call to action. e collaboration is part of Markkanen’s #DontChoke campaign with Neste, which is a call to action for individuals to do their share in battling climate change. To e ectively protect the climate, each action, no matter how small, is important.
Neste Corporation
/// www.neste.com/journeytozero/laurimarkkanen
Gluttony turns into a source of power in Las Vegas
e Green Machine is an environmental initiative to increase renewable energy in Las Vegas by converting organic waste into power and water. is solution uses the current hundreds of tons of daily food waste (that is now dumped into Nevada land lls,) and instead, diverts it to an Anaerobic Digester System (ADS.) e ADS converts the organic waste into clean power and water and it
even utilizes all the by-product so there is no waste. e anaerobic digester energy project will utilize the NV Green Energy Program to deliver renewable energy to consumers. is project will generate energy and reduce the need for more land ll space, as well as a host of other environmental bene ts. Like other renewable energy sources, this project will begin with a higher kilowatt-hour-cost than that of the existing dirty energy. However, the Anaerobic Digester’s kilowatt-hour-cost is expected to decrease quickly, because it is not subject to weather like other renewable energy sources. is extra cost would either be covered by the community, charitable donors who believe in the project, and/or the casinos that see value in helping the community become energy independent. is project will also involve building large commercial vertical farms which would o set the energy cost through food sales. is project will bring Las Vegas healthier food, reduced transportation costs, and big savings to the people in the community.
Perhaps the most pro table ride of your life Fortum Pitchalong Shuttle is a new EV-
taxi where sustainable and innovative startups pitch their ideas directly to Fortum’s executives. A moving electric vehicle is an emission-free, private, and silent meeting space. Fortum is looking
for world-changing ideas that can help tackle climate change. e most successful startups have a chance to kick-start a bene cial partnership. e majority of Fortum’s energy production is CO2-free. ey develop solar energy solutions and also provide plastic recycling and waste management. Now the clean energy company is looking for startups to join
the change for a cleaner world. To boost
the growth of potential startups, Fortum has become the major investor in Valo Ventures, an independent venture capital fund led by Scott Tierney, a former Google Capital co-founder. Valo Ventures focuses especially on nding solutions to problems related to megatrends such as urbanization, climate change, and circular economy. e new fund was launched at Slush. Fortum also partnered with Slush in order to make the event as sustainable as possible.
Fortum /// www.goitap.com
Renewable and biodegradable straws
Stora Enso and Sulapac continue to combat the global problem of plastic waste by designing a replacement for traditional plastic straws with renewable ones. e straws are based on Sulapac’s biocomposite material, made of wood and natural binders, designed to be recycled via industrial composting and biodegrade in marine environments.
e development of the demo straw
is a joint collaboration between Stora Enso and Sulapac, a cooperation which complements Stora Enso’s extensive biocomposite portfolio. Sulapac’s material works in existing extrusion lines and the target is to have the straws commercially available in Q2 2019.
Stora Enso /// www.storaenso.com Sulapac /// www.sulapac.com
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Regener8tive /// www.regener8tive.com JANUARY•FEBRUARY2019 /// www.nacleanenergy.com