Powering Up Two

America’s Energy Future


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Dinner at the Square



2.

Energy Alternatives a la Carte: Fossils and Sunshine and Garbage, oh my!

Read presentation notes and Q&A here.
Watch the Village Idiots skit here.
Find our program here.

Catch our speaker bios and presentation notes here:
Susan Story here.
Sam Kalen here.

Powerpoint presentations:
Susan Story here.
Sam Kalen here.

Draft Recommendations 2.0:



1. Successful solutions address environment and economics.

“If you only look at the environment, nobody is going to be able to afford electricity.
If you only look at cost, you’re going to destroy the environment.”
- Susan Story

We need to avoid EITHER/OR thinking which ends in choosing-up sides. Constructive discussion needs to avoid pitting the environment against the economy. Both are important and it is where we find the best optimization of each vis-a-vis the other that we will find our best solutions.



2. Consider the economics of inaction.

“Climate change, regardless of the causes,
if it occurs, is also an economic issue.”- Sam Kalen

A Tufts University study of the long-term costs of global warming calculates the price of inaction for Florida at $345 billion by 2100. The report points out “arguments against strong action to combat climate change often implicitly assume that inaction would be cost-free…But the overwhelming scientific consensus now holds that this rosy assumption is simply wrong.”



3. Consider the economics of action.

“In Northwest Florida, we have industry and retirees and we have lots of high school graduates making $60,000 a year at these plants.
If these jobs go away, it is a real economic problem. How do we transition these industries, retraining [the] workforce…” - Susan Story

A study by Charles River Associates cautions of the impact of changing existing power plants too quickly and of increasing costs of energy (average household costs up $1,026 in 2020; $2,270 in 2050).

Affordability of electricity is a substantial issue for a sizeable percentage of Americans at today’s electric rates; increasing rates will put many citizens at risk.



4. Think time and technology.

“What we need to have is an appreciation for how much energy we really will need over time and then assess what technologies are likely to come into place along that timeline which will provide that amount of energy growth.”
- Sam Kalen.

Nuclear power, for example, will not meet what many consider the imperative to cut greenhouse gas emissions in the next ten years, given the time required before new plants are operational. While hydrogen fuel cells and hydroelectric power hold great potential, they are (1) not technologically feasible yet and (2) not widely available in Florida.



5. For now, renewables don’t get us much baseload.

“It kind of is what it is.” –Susan Story

Baseload power is the power left on at all times, 24/7, to provide a constant source of power for customers. Baseload generators include nuclear, coal and some natural gas. For the foreseeable future, renewables cannot realistically be looked at to meet this fundamental need in a significant quantity.



6. Bring clean coal technology to marketability.

Coal is consistently the cheapest form of energy. With a 250 to 300 year supply of coal in America, we need to find a way to learn to burn coal in a much cleaner way. To make coal gasification and carbon capture and sequestration viable in the marketplace, the primary challenge is sequestering the carbon underground and keeping it there. There is liability involved if the carbon escapes which private business will not be willing to absorb; therefore it is a matter of public policy that will need to be resolved by government.



7. Think decentralized solar and geothermal at home.

In Florida, although we only have an average ability to use solar compared to other states, we can use solar photovoltaic energy, but it will be more expensive energy, particularly if generated centrally as much power is lost in transmission (30-50 center/kWh v. coal at 4-5 cents a kWh). Additionally, solar collectors require an large amount of land mass to produce a significant quantity of electricity. A focus on generating solar in homes and businesses – or distributed solar - has important potential. 10% of all electricity in Florida is used to heat water and solar thermal is a great option in heating water. Decentralized solar water heating is affordable at 7 to 10 cents/kWh.

Also well-suited to decentralized home use is geothermal power. Gulf Power currently offers its customers incentives for installation of geothermal heat pumps which can save customers 50% on their heating and cooling bills.

Where cost effective, think decentralization of power generation.



8. Efficiency and conservation are win/win.

“… this nation has begun to realize that we can achieve great savings by being more efficient without necessarily conserving, or doing without.” Sam Kalen


There is substantial potential in efficiency measures like smart grid technology, which allows consumers to adjust their usage given levels of peak demand and power companies to more efficiently meet fluctuations in demand. Government awards for advancements in efficiency (such as the improvements made in refrigeration efficiency) encourage technological breakthroughs. Programs that encourage improved energy efficiency in homes, particularly weatherstripping in low income homes, are an effective way to conserve resources.

Efficiency and conservation or “Demand Side Management” measures address levels of greenhouse gas emissions within the short time frame which many believe is required to slow global warming.

Utilities can win by decreasing demand as well. From The Rocky Mountain Institute:

“…most now realize that it’s usually cheaper to help their customers save electricity than try to sell them more of it—because selling more means having to build more expensive, economically risky power plants.”



9. Keep investment in transformative technology in the portfolio.

“If we get to the point where we find a way to actually store electricity so we don’t have to use it at the same time as we generate it, that would probably do more to revolutionize what we can do in the energy industry…”
- Susan Story

Research & Development funding must be a portion of our investment moving forward as it has the potential to fundamentally transform our energy challenges.



10. Education, education, education

“As we’re sitting here trying to figure out ways to do this, this is going to take every single person getting on board…”
- Susan Story

Despite the well-publicized imperatives of efficiency and conversation, usage is still trending up to all-time highs. Any short-term decreases in greenhouse gas emissions can only be achieved through expanded education.

Education includes knowing you got the information to the people through the effective marketing and public relations efforts of utilities and governments.



11. Think outside the box.

Here’s a start at brainstorming out-of-the-box ideas. E-mail us more at suggestionbox@tothevillagesquare.org.



12. No science from the peanut gallery.

A cold winter in Buffalo or the hurricane that hits Florida aren’t, by themselves, evidence that global warming either is or isn’t real. Over-generalization driven by political ideology is generally not constructive.

Unless you’re qualified, you might want to swear off the political meteorology.



13. Proceed diligently at “no regrets” speed.

Diligence at “no regrets” speed: