The Green Project January Newsletter

03/02/2009

The Monthly Planet

Volume IV Issue I Green Project Newsletter January 30th, 2009

EU Bans Conventional Light Bulbs

A European Union report has recommended banning conventional incandescent light bulbs by 2012 to save energy and cut down on greenhouse gas emissions. Most light bulbs sold in the EU are of the type developed by Thomas Edison in 1879. But the report says the EU could save up to $12bn (£8bn) a year in energy bills by switching to low-energy bulbs. The report needs the backing of the European parliament and all 27 member states to become law. "It's very clear that this is a measure that will change the way that we consume energy," EU Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs told journalists.
Once approved, the EU would phase out conventional bulbs between September 2009 and September 2012.Consumers will choose between long-life fluorescent bulbs or halogen lamps.
The EU says the measure will save households up to 50 euros ($64, £43) a year and pump up to 10bn euros ($13bn) into the economy. The new-style lamps carry energy savings of 25% to 75% compared to traditional incandescent bulbs, which are little changed since they were invented almost 130 years ago. The report also says the switch will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 12 million tonnes a year, and save energy equivalent to the consumption of 11 million European households. Mr Piebalgs said that the phasing out had to be gradual so that "production facilities could adapt to the new lighting" and the quality of illumination could be ensured.
"European homes will keep the same quality of lighting, while saving energy, CO2 and money," he said.
Several nations including Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the Philippines have already announced they will phase out or restrict sales of traditional bulbs.

- Adapted from “EU wants end to old-style bulbs, 08 December 2008, BBC Online

Green Project Sponsors Trip to Iceland

During Fall Break in October 2008, Green Project Faculty Advisor Dr. Wayne Clark and Student Affairs Coordinator Heather Lochtie accompanied Richmond students on a trip to Iceland. As part of the trip The Green Project sponsored a visit to the new geothermal energy plant at Hellisheiði near Reykjavik where they were hosted by Hans Benjamínsson, a member of the public relations team at Orkuveita Reykjavíkur, the owners of the power plant. Orkuveita Reykjavíkur is almost completely owned by the city of Reykjavik. The Richmond Group, which included Green Project Vice-President Brendan Pastor and Green Project Wandle River Clean-Up Officer Nicole Cacia, were treated to an excellent and informative PowerPoint presentation on geothermal energy in Iceland and the working mechanism of the new powerplant, followed by a tour of the turbine hall and views of the wet/dry component separators from the roof of the building.
The building itself has architecture designed to reflect the geology of Iceland and the reasons it is geothermally active. There are two long wings (shown in the picture below) to the left and right of the entrance (behind the students in the picture above and on the left side of the picture below) which represent the American and Eurasian tectonic plates that split Iceland in two. These plates are slowly pulling apart, causing the land to subside at the join, where hot magma then rises and creates the Atlantic Ridge. It is this rise of magma that brings geothermal heat nearer to the land’s surface and allows Iceland to be the world’s leader in the use of geothermal energy. The Atlantic Ridge is represented by the central entrance to the powerplant building, the offices and visitor centre.

Hellisheiði has 50 production wells (1500-3322m deep), extracting water at 255-320°C. Once the water has been used to generate electricity, or used in a heat exchanger to generate hot water, it is re-injected into the ground through 8 injection wells (1500m deep). This re-injection is necessary to ensure geological stability of the area and to extend the working life of the extraction site. There are also 6 freshwater wells (cold water, 60m deep) that are used with a heat exchanger mechanism to send hot water to Reykjavik – or will be once the new power plant is complete.

At the moment there are 2 electricity turbines online, with a further 4 more being installed, along with the heat exchanger mechanism for the hot water supply. Hellisheiði has quite an innovative design in that after separating the ‘dry’ steam component from the ‘wet’ steam component of the raw geothermal water (the ‘wet’ component would slowly destroy the turbines), the high pressure steam is used to drive high pressure turbines for electricity generation. The lower pressure steam and ‘waste’ low pressure steam exiting the high pressure turbines is then sent to a low pressure turbine for further energy extraction and electricity production. Any hot water remaining joins the heat exchanger set-up to heat the freshwater that is sent to Rekjavik. Quite a design!! The following link will allow a guided tour of the operation of the facilty: http://www.or.is/English/Projects/HellisheidiGeothermalPlant/ (click on ‘the Harnessing Cycle’).

Iceland is the only country to move from a coal based economy to one which uses renewable energy for all its electrical energy needs (geothermal and hydroelectric) and almost all its heating requirements – a process which took about 50 years. In fact the capital city Reykjavik has had all buildings heated geothermally since 1925. An unfortunate consequence of this is that the hot water supply in Reykjavik is quite sulphurous – when you turn on the hot water taps you smell bad eggs! While Iceland continues to import oil for vehicles it has begun to produce hydrogen geothermally and plans to power all vehicles using hydrogen by 2050 – a very impressive goal. Other uses of geothermal energy in Iceland are for the heating of greenhouses where numerous vegetable and flower crops are grown, including tomatoes, the famed open air swimming pools and spas, and even snow melting. The ‘waste’ geothermal hot water that has already circulated through a building is frequently sent through pipes laid beneath a driveway or even an ordinary street in order to melt snow!

Speed bumps on America’s Road to Environmental Change

By: Brendan Pastor

Can it really be? It’s so hard to believe this isn’t a dream. After all, the Green Movement has been in an eight-year hibernation, with little hope of return. Former President Bush was no friend to environmentalists, or to science, for that matter. His policies in office were anything but environmentally conscious. Finally we have a president who is willing to take the necessary steps to combat climate change, and not a moment too soon.

Global warming is real. Skepticism about climate change is about as valid as the arguments against the harmfulness of cigarettes that preoccupied the media in the 80’s and 90’s. There is now indisputable evidence of rising temperatures, more aggressive weather conditions, water scarcity, global food shortages, and massive deforestation, all compounded by research from scientists that show human damage to the environment is getting worse. We have a shortening amount of time until a tipping point is reached, and our generation will look back in shame. Barack Obama apparently understands this. That is why he has pledged to make climate change a priority in his administration.

With the promise of reducing carbon emissions by 80% before the year 2050, President Obama seems to be falling in line with the majority of the scientific community and leaders around the world in his position on global warming. Furthermore, massive investment in green energy projects by the government promises to bring about a “green revolution.”

Tree huggers, activists, vegans, and Thomas L. Friedman can finally breathe a sigh of relief (for his part, Friedman can now write about something else, to the public’s delight).

Change is coming. About bloody time.

But the green light at the end of the tunnel is not as vibrant as many of us would have hoped. There are still countless obstacles that can inhibit the advancement of environmental policy. The most pressing of which is, of course, the economy… stupid. An enormous deficit, two costly wars, rising unemployment, bank failures, and lack of consumer confidence will undoubtedly present economic challenges to President Obama’s green plans.

The economic situation notwithstanding, there is also a chorus of private interest groups who will challenge any green policy. The usual suspects, i.e. the coal and oil industries, the agricultural and meat industries, aviation and shipping, more or less the carbon-based sectors of the economy, will fight to block plans to reduce the impact of carbon emissions in the atmosphere.

These challenges are not insurmountable. They are merely speed bumps that can only slow down the inevitable. The only hope the anti-Green Movement has is apathy and ignorance on the part of the people. But the recent wave of participation by citizens around the world demonstrates that these obstacles can be overcome, even in the face of economic hardship and low morale.

Things have changed. Believe it or not, U.S. lawmakers are now accountable to the electorate. Environmentalism has become the center-piece of the university-level activist movement, and quite a powerful movement it has become in the past few years! I urge fellow Americans to get involved in the policy-making process, to call their congressmen and women, join green-based NGOs and activist organizations, and to stand against private interest groups that will continue to pollute the planet.

The Green Project aims to educate and motivate all those who want to be the change of the future, and who will promise to take action towards ensuring a better future for ourselves and our future generations.

Environmental Tip of the Month

Water conservation! Every month in the UK, millions of litres of water are wasted by the average person. Turning off the faucet while you brush your teeth, shortening your shower time, and washing dishes by hand can dramatically reduce the amount of water wasted in the community!

River Clean-Ups

The next Wandle River clean-up is scheduled for 8 February. If you are interested in participating this month, contact Mayur Patel for more information (mayur.patel@students.richmond.ac.uk).

Remember, your travel is subsidized by the Green Project!

Spring 2009 Green Project Schedule

30th January New Monthly Planet comes out today

5th February Bake Sale (Richmond)

8th February River Clean-Up

20th February Aquarium Trip

27th February New Monthly Planet comes out today

8th March River Clean-Up

20th March Zoo Trip

26th March Bake Sale (Richmond)

27th March New Monthly Planet comes out today

12th April River Clean-Up

22nd April Earth Day

24th April New Monthly Planet comes out today

Upcoming Lectures around London

Climate for Change: global warming as political opportunity
Date: Wednesday 25 February 2009 6.30pm
Location: Old Theatre, Old Building, LSE
Speaker: Professor Ulrich Beck

Grazing Bison, Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma
Photograph by George F. Mobley

Stately American bison graze beneath gold-lined clouds in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma. Established in 1905, the refuge now shelters roughly 600 bison. Excess animals are sold live at public auction every October.
- From The Great Southwest, 1980, National Geographic’s book

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