Check out this real-time wind speed visualization for the US. It was developed by the brains behind IBM’s Many Eyes and Google’s “Big Picture” visualization lab. Not only does it show the tremendous potential of this renewable energy source, but watching it live is really, really hypnotic.

The Bainbridge Island electricity dashboard

Bainbridge Island, a short ferry ride from Seattle, was recently given a choice by Puget Sound Energy. Either cut electricity consumption or pay for a new electrical substation for the island to meet rising electricity demand. It turns out that the average Bainbridge household was using 60% more electricity than the regional average, meaning there was a lot of potential energy efficiency gains to be had.

With a grant from the Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Neighborhood Program, the city created an online information network to monitor island-wide electricity use and notify residents when peak demand was reaching the maximum allowed level. When this occurs (typically during a morning or evening hour in the winter), residents are able to view the island’s current electricity consumption with an online dashboard, and adjust their individual use accordingly. The first winter of the program, these efforts led to a 10 MW decrease in peak electricity consumption.

The program also offers free home energy audits (RePower Bainbridge has so far completed 41% of the island’s homes) which, along with energy efficiency upgrades, lower energy costs for residents. Check out the video from Climate Solutions below:

RePower Bainbridge from Climate Solutions on Vimeo.

How cool is this? A group of engineers at the University of Minnesota (yeah gophers!) has created a multiferroic alloy, Ni₄₅Co₅Mn₄₀Sn₁₀ to be exact, that “achieves multiferroism by undergoing a highly reversible phase transformation where one solid turns into another solid. During this phase transformation the alloy undergoes changes in its magnetic properties that are exploited in the energy conversion device.”

Got it? Well, think about all the incredible energy applications this material could be used for. A lot of things in our modern civilization produce waste heat that we have no use for. Think heat from car exhaust, or waste heat from power plants, or heat from data centers… the list goes on and on.

The real trick will be turning this breakthrough into a marketable product.

Last week, India and the United States crossed another significant milestone in their efforts to create a clean energy future for their citizens and the rest of the world. Both countries announced an unprecedented funding opportunity for joint, collaborative research in three critical fields: solar energy, second-generation biofuels, and energy efficiency in buildings. Together, India and the U.S. are contributing $50 million across these three fields, over five years, to fund transformative, cutting-edge research and development (R&D). Another $50 million is expected in matching funds from participating entities, raising the total level of funding to $100 million. This is a much larger sum than many X-Prize awards! Thus, the money for game-changing clean energy science is out there and ready to be awarded – what is needed now is interest and initiative from the scientific community in both countries. Let’s spread the word.

An array of solar thermal electricity generators. (Photo by International Rivers)

The transformative research will be facilitated by the U.S.-India Joint Clean Energy Research and Development Center, which was established in November 2010 by U.S. President Barack Obama and Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. It will be conducted by leaders in science from both countries – including national laboratories, clean tech entrepreneurs, private sector companies, academics, non-governmental organizations, industry groups and others – drawn together into three consortia (one for each of the three fields). Public-Private partnerships have been increasingly successful business models in recent years, but the coming together of multiple public and private entities from two countries, including potential competitors,  for the purpose of undertaking basic R&D is a unique and creative element of the Clean Energy Center.

The CII-Godrej Green Business Center in Hyderabad - Asia's first LEED Platinum rated building. (Photo by NRDC Media)

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is a first-of-its kind effort by India and the U.S., but is a natural venture by two nations known for their prodigious scientific output. Both countries have a rich history of academic rigor, technological innovation and the kind of business enterprise that allows new ideas to move rapidly from germination to deployment. Both countries are also keenly focused on energy security – from a view to reducing their own dependence on foreign oil, and to lead the world in the fight against climate change. The three priority areas for this research have been well-chosen, since solar energy, biofuels, and building energy efficiency have extremely high potential for scalability and market-transformation in India and the U.S. They also have the potential to create new green jobs in both countries, providing a welcome boost to both economies.

A solar hot water heater on a rooftop near New Delhi. (Photo by NRDC Media)

Details on eligibility, application procedures, team arrangements, award size, cost sharing and other requirements are available on the U.S. Department of Energy’s website, as well as on the website of the Indian coordinating agency, the Indo-U.S. Science and Technology Forum. Entities that wish to team up into a consortium and apply for the grants must do so by August 16, 2011. NRDC, alongwith the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) and the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) Initiative will be working encourage the best talent in both countries to maximize this opportunity.

In the past, the coming together of Indian and U.S. scientific expertise resulted in Nobel Prizes in the fields of medicine, physics, mathematics and chemistry. Today, this new, innovative model for joint R&D has the potential to catalyze similar breakthroughs in clean energy science and give India and the U.S. a firm lead in the race for low carbon economic growth. May the best minds apply!

This post originally appeared on NRDC’s Switchboard:

Shravya is an India analyst with NRDC’s India Initiative and is based in their New York office. Her primary focus is analyzing the trajectory of US-India cooperation on climate and energy, and working with NRDC’s partners to strengthen environmental compliance and governance in India. Shravya grew up in Delhi, obtained a law degree from the National University of Juridical Sciences, and has a Masters in International Environmental Policy from Columbia University.

The earthquake and ensuing tsunami that occurred in Japan last month was a horrific event. The ongoing atomic crisis at the Fukushima nuclear power station is also alarming, but I think a good bit of perspective on actual vs. perceived risk is in order before rushing energy decisions that could affect the fate of the planet.

We are facing unprecedented, multiple challenges at once. The first challenge is finding ways in which to dramatically slow the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere in order to prevent catastrophic climate change. The second challenge is to meet the growing energy needs of a growing global population. Estimates put energy demand in 2050 at 5 times our current capacity. In order to meet both of these conditions, not only is a massive investment in energy infrastructure required, it needs to be nearly carbon neutral.

Nuclear power is one of the safest and least carbon-intensive forms of electricity that make up a substantial portion of our energy production (note what a depressingly small percentage renewables constitutes). The danger nuclear power poses to human populations is relatively low, even compared with other forms of renewable energy. As a resource, nuclear fuel is inexhaustible for the foreseeable future and provides a stable form of baseload electricity. 28 people died as a direct result of the Chernobyl accident in the Ukraine. Contrast that with over 5,000 coal miners that die every year in China. Or the 13,000 people who die every year as a result of burning coal in the U.S.

Another factor is that a standard 1,000 MW coal fired power plant will release 5.2 tons of uranium into the environment per year. While a nuclear power plant may generate 500 tons of nuclear waste each year, this waste is in a concentrated form, and can be sealed and stored away from human populations.

Consider the following two risk scenarios:

1. The potential for radioactive release from a meltdown at a nuclear power station (a very low probability risk).
2. The disrupted weather patterns, floods, droughts, sea level rise, political instability, etc. as a result of climate change (extremely likely, even if dramatic action is taken).

There is a fervent resistance to nuclear energy in many parts of the world. Where are the comparable protests regarding climate change?

Nuclear power isn’t the only solution, but rather part of a suite of solutions that are available. I’m not arguing that we only should build nuclear power – far from it. But a serious evaluation of the risks and benefits of various energy sources needs to be evaluated before choosing an appropriate course of action. Solar, wind, geothermal, hydrocarbons with carbon capture and sequestration, and nuclear energy should all be pursued as quickly as possible to reduce GHG emissions and slow climate change.

Unfortunately the political fallout from the Fukushima nuclear accident has led to a number of governments changing their plans regarding current and future nuclear power installations. The German government has shut down its 7 oldest plants, and is delaying plans to extend the life of its 10 others. The Swiss government has suspended plans to build 3 new reactors. The Chinese government has suspended work on 26 reactors under construction.

Switching from nuclear power to coal or gas in these countries, along with a lack of nuclear plant construction elsewhere could be the difference between 2 and 3 degrees C of warming — enough that could activate dangerous tipping points in the global climate system.

Fukushima has illustrated two key of concepts:

1. If it can go wrong, it will.
2. Humans all to often underestimate the magnitude of nature’s fury.

I am not advocating for a blanked push for nuclear power. But look at the facts. Despite the failure of multiple backup cooling systems and human missteps at the plant, no one has died (though numerous injuries). It is therefore critical that nuclear power stations worldwide are re-evaluated to ensure that they are operating at a maximum level of safety. New nuclear plant designs employ more passive safety systems and better take into account human and natural risks. Will there be nuclear accidents in the future? Probably. But it’s a risk I’m willing to take given our society’s need for clean energy.

Nuclear power isn’t perfect, but its better than many of the other options out there. As Mark Lynas said, “a pro-nuclear, pro-renewables, pro-efficiency strategy is the least risky of all, at least as far as the future of the planet is concerned.”

A smart meter is an improved electricity or gas meter that allows the energy utility and the home user to monitor energy usage in real-time. It will help reduce energy consumption. That is a good thing.

But not to some people as it turns out.

A paranoid anti-smart meter alliance has sprung up in Northern California. Comprised of Tea Party libertarians and left-wing health-alarmists, this loose movement has been successful at blocking installation of this benign technology in two California counties.

The Tea Baggers claim that these meters are an infringement on their privacy as now PG&E will be able to monitor their energy usage hourly (instead of monthly). I would suggest that these folks invest in some solar panels, a wind-turbine, some batteries, and go off the grid. The only real way for a true patriot to ensure his or her continued freedom from tyranny.

The health risk alarmist faction claims that smart meters pose an unknown risk to human health as they emit radio waves. A recent report that reviewed the literature on this subject came to the following conclusion:

“Wireless smart meters, when installed and properly maintained, result in much smaller levels of radio frequency (RF) exposure than many existing common household electronic devices, particularly cell phones and microwave ovens.”

It’s a shame that misguided fear is getting in the way of real solutions. Smart meters promise to reduce energy consumption, not only saving the consumer money, but potentially negating the need to build more electricity generating capacity.

Why the fear?

One of many farmers in the region who has been impacted by the rains and landslides. (Photo: Nuno Belchior 2010)

“There’s no means to live here anymore,” said Mooni Devi, a 42-year-old farmer in the village of Sau Upu in the Tehri Valley. “What is left here now? What do we eat? They have made us all into beggars. All the good farmland is gone. We just do our work, what else is there for us to do?” Sitting with Mooni Devi, we heard first-hand how recent floods and the rise in the Tehri Dam reservoir level have impacted daily life.

At night the hillsides looked as though they were earthbound stars, little clusters of houses, villages and small towns subtly illuminating the dark night. Across the reservoir it was easy to see the lights of the dam in an orderly line. Sitting at the top of a mountain in the foothills of the Indian Himalayas, it was hard to imagine the valley without the expanse of water that had flooded over 100 villages and forced the relocation of over 100,000 people. It was strangely beautiful if you ignored the environmental, political and social costs associated with a dam project whose history began in the 1960s.

The flood lines in the Tehri Reservoir shows how water flooded crops during the September monsoon. Water held by the Tehri Hydro Development Corporation combined with rains reached nearly 832 meters. (Photo: Nuno Belchior 2010)

It seemed strange that only one boat made the journey across the reservoir on a regular basis and I didn’t see a single person at the banks of the reservoir interacting with the water. Maybe people were asked not to dip their feet and bodies in Delhi’s drinking water.

I am generally skeptical when it comes to modern notions of “progress” and “development” and the one-size-fits all assumptions that are used to justify many large-scale projects. But what about hydroelectricity, touted by many as a clean form of energy? It sounds like a good idea, in theory.

The long and complicated history of the Tehri Dam mirrors the windy and bumpy roads used to reach the dam site. It does not lend easy access for researchers or journalists.

Bhagwathi Kanswal, 40 year-old shop keeper in Pipal Dali Village said, "Our culture was destroyed by the dam." (Photo: Nuno Belchior 2010)

Historical Context: Slowly Stopping the Flow

The Tehri Dam was built to provide irrigation for farmers, generate 1000 MW of electricity, and to supply New Delhi with additional drinking water. Initial technical and financial assistance was provided by the Soviet Union, but after its collapse, the Indian government took over financing the project. A 1991 article in the Times of India said that “The involvement of a foreign government distorted the process of assessment of the environmental impact and influenced the environmental ministry to issue an unauthorized Press statement to meet the Soviet requirement.”

Proponents of the project claimed that it would create “integrated development of the Garhwal region, including construction of a new hill station, New Tehri Town with provision of all civic facilities; improved communication, education, health, tourism, development of horticulture, fisheries, and afforestation of the region.”

While perhaps an interesting concept in theory, I have to wonder how all of the subsistence farmers who depended on the land now flooded with water felt about all the promises.

An Environmental Nightmare

Some of the effects of landslides in the Tehri Valley region. (Photo: Nuno Belchior 2010)

The Tehri Dam has been criticized by a number of organizations for the environmental problems the dam will cause. Despite the high risk of dam failure by earthquakes, erosion of hillsides, the threat of rapid siltation and potential impact on fisheries and other fauna and flora, the dam was completed in 2006.

According to Dr. Vandana Shiva, dams are detrimental for a number of reasons, including the fact that “diversion of water from its natural course and natural irrigation zones to engineered ‘command’ areas leads to problems of water-logging and salinity.” “Diversion of water from its natural course prevents the river from recharging groundwater sources downstream.”

But one of the most concerning aspects of the project is the fact that the Tehri Dam was built in a very earthquake-prone region. According to KS Valdiya, Professor in the Department of Geology in Kumaon University. “The mountain on which the Tehri Dam is being built is criss-crossed with active geological faults” (The Statesmen, November 1991).

In the village of Kuroli, many people's houses were extremely damaged. (Photo: Nuno Belchior 2010)

Moving Downstream from Here

What is the solution to a dam that has already displaced thousands, flooded land, and makes little contributions to assuage any of the larger crises of the day such as climate change? A dam that also brings drinking water, some electricity and irrigation? (As an aside: recent evidence suggests that India’s dams are the source of 19% of India’s total greenhouse gas emissions. The reason is that organic material that decomposes in reservoirs is a large source of methane.)

As we walked across the bridge, we looked down to see fish in the water. Before we had a chance to ask about fishing, we saw a man in the back of a restaurant preparing fish. Documenting the floods and effects was tiring but perhaps, if the seismic shifts in the region can hold back for a bit longer there will be room for people to adapt and to interact with the water, and continue the flow of daily life in another way.

That is, at least until the dam’s projected life ends within the next 60 years and the people of Tehri Valley will be forced to adjust once more.

Tehri Valley: Four Years After the Dam from lakshmi eassey on Vimeo.

Sources:
-Vandana Shiva, Staying Alive: Women, Ecology and Survival in India, Zed Books, 1988, p. 186.
-Ignoring Reason, Inviting Disaster: Threat to the Ganga-Himalaya, Collection of articles published by friends of Chipko, 1992.
-Sunil K Roy, “Review of Tehri is Now Mandatory,” The Times of India, October 31, 1991.
-The Statesmen, November 1991.
-THDC Profile, Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Ltd. (A Joint Venture of Govt of India & Govt of UP), August 2001.

Parabolic mirrors on a CSP power plant (Source: California Energy Commission)

The US government has given the green light to begin construction on what will be the world’s largest solar power plant in southern California. The $6 billion project by Solar Millennium will break ground before the end of the year, and is expected to provide 1000 MW of electricity, enough to power over 300,000 homes. This single plant will effectively double the current US solar power capacity once completed. US Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, who approved the project said that “The Blythe Solar Power Project is a major milestone in our nation’s renewable energy economy.”

The Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) station will use parabolic troughs to concentrate solar energy onto pipes carrying fluid which, once heated, are used to drive a conventional steam turbine to generate electricity. The plant will consist of four identical 250 MW power stations built next to one another, located in Blythe, CA 225 miles east of Los Angeles.

In other solar news, the government of South Africa has released plans for the world’s largest solar power plant. The 5,000 MW project will cost an estimated $30 billion and will begin generating electricity by 2012.

Most Americans think that they can save energy (and help the planet) by making small changes to their behavior that don’t  offer much savings in reality, according to a new study in PNAS. Nearly 20% of participants named activities such as turning off lights, which don’t actually result in very much energy savings. People neglected to mention much more important actions, such as buying energy efficient appliances or weatherizing their homes.

“Switching to efficient technologies generally allows you to maintain your behavior, and save a great deal more energy,” according to lead author Shahzeen Attari. She said switching to high-efficiency light bulbs, which can be kept on all the time, will save more energy than minimizing the use of low-efficiency ones.

The study, Public Perceptions of Energy Consumption and Savings is available for free from PNAS.

China is rapidly becoming the world’s leading manufacturer of renewable energy products. China is now producing 35-45% of the planet’s photovoltaic (PV) solar panels, though over 95% of these panels are exported. The Chinese government is now looking into preferential pricing policies (such as a feed-in tariff) to promote solar energy deployment domestically.

Check out this informative video on solar photovoltaic (PV) production in China from Climateworks:

As this video notes, 60-70% of the jobs in solar energy are in the design and installation of solar systems, rather than manufacturing. There has been a lot of rhetoric from President Obama and others as of late about how the US is lagging behind green energy development.

Solar Photovoltaic Array in Death Valley, CA

But as a lot of green jobs will have to be local (installation, retrofitting, and maintenance), even if China dominates green tech manufacturing (as they are doing in most other sectors), why worry so much about it? As long as renewable energy deployment is encouraged (and the true cost of burning fossil fuels is accounted for), the US economy should realize most of the gains from the transition to a clean energy economy.

Thoughts?