City sustainability from waste

Waste management poses a challenge and unusual opportunity for making cities sustainable. The National Association of Clean Water Agencies (US) points out that wastewater treatment uses 3% of electric power generated in the US. By applying anaerobic digestion to biosolids combined with food and food processing wastes, 6% of US electric power needs can be generated. The Blue Plains plant serving the Washington DC area is an example that is now the largest electric power user in the DC area. As the biodigesters now in place are phased in with food waste added, they will become a major generator and rate payers in the DC area will get lower water treatment bills! Food waste is the largest segment of the US solid waste stream still going to landfills where methane is generated. No organic material, no methane from landfills! Pioneers in harnessing the power of a million microorganisms per square inch are powering municipal truck fleets with natural gas from anaerobic digesters. Natural gas from waste means natural gas in the ground can stay in the ground. Opportunities that pay for themselves, reduce methane from landfills, generate renewablw electricity, and leave a digestate that can help soils to retain water, promote healthy plant root growth, reduce runoff, and enable soils to store carbon can't be all bad.City sustainability from waste

Clean Power Plan

            The House of Representatives passed a Federal budget for 2014-2015 that stopped funding for EPA to work on its Clean Power Plan. Now the Senate Majority

Leader may well be from one of the 12 coal States that is suing to stop EPA’s Clean Power Plan. A rider to a difficult to veto budget bill might attempt to stop EPA work on the Clean Power Plan.

            The Clean Power Plan includes a goal to reduce US emissions from the electric power by 30% below a baseline for 2005. Emissions from US electric power generation are already 15.8% below the 2005 base line in part because of a shift of about 10% of electric power generation from coal to cheaper natural gas. Natural gas has about half the greenhouse gas emissions of coal and 100 times the greenhouse gas emissions of renewables. By 2016 States will develop plans to reduce electric power emissions by 2030 if the Clean Power Plan proceeds.

            The US Energy Information Agency has predicted what will happen without the Clean Power Plan. The US will use 25% more electric power by 2040 and the source of that power will be the same amount of coal as is used today, the same amount of nuclear energy as is used today, twice the renewables used today (which will provide one-third of the increased power demanded), and enough additional natural gas to provide the additional two-thirds of additional electric power in 2040. Instead of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by the additional 14% needed to reach the goal of 30% fewer emissions (than in 2005) by 2030, we would be on track to increase emissions much closer to the 2005 baseline.

            US leadership at the International Panel on Climate Change meeting in Paris in February 2015 depends on a strong commitment to the Clean Power Plan. Congress take note!

Clean Power Plan

Energy and Transportation

Energy and Transportation

            The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reported recently that emissions from transportation doubled from 1970 to 7 gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2010. Road vehicles accounted for 80% of this increase. The top 4 transportation sources accounted for 92% of emissions from the transport sector:

            Road                                                    72.06%

            International ad coastal shipping   9.26%

            International aviation                        6.52%

            Domestic aviation                               4.11%

In contrast, rail contributed 1.6% of transportation emissions.

            Only 10% of the global population accounts for 80% of passenger kilometers. Passenger kilometers are up 50% from 2005 and are expected to double by 2050. Not only are road vehicles the greatest transport sector contributor to greenhouse gasses, road vehicle kilometers are the fastest growing member of the transport sector.

            Putting the transport sector in perspective, energy was the greatest contributor to total emissions at 34% and agriculture, forestry, and land use was next at 24%. Transport contributed about 14% to total emissions. For the United States, electric power was the greatest contributor to US emissions at 38% while transport was next at 34%.  Transport, and especially road vehicles, may then be expected to grow in importance as transport becomes a greater proportion of greenhouse gas emissions.

            One might hope that the electric power sector might experience declines that give some room for an ever expanding transportation contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. On the contrary, the International Energy Agency forecasts a 56% increase in electric power by 2040 and the US Energy Information Agency forecasts a 25% increase in US electric power by  2040. The US is currently below 2008 emissions by about 14% and would rise to just below 2008 levels as 2040 would see as much electric power generated from coal and nuclear as today while a third of the increase of 25% by 2040 would be met by doubling generation from renewables and two-thirds from increased use of natural gas. While natural gas emissions are half those of coal, they are about 100 times emissions from renewables.

            The US is second in overall greenhouse gas emissions behind China and ahead of India, the third largest emitter nation. Yet US per capita emissions are three times per capita emissions for China and 12 times per capita emissions for India. US leadership in reducing emissions may therefore be center stage for progress capping the rise in global temperature to 2 degrees. Just to focus the mind, looking at historic data for when global temperatures were 4 degrees higher, sea levels were 18 feet higher. Looking further back to when average temperatures were 6 degrees higher, sea levels were 120 feet higher. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change may expect current efforts to lead to a rise of 4.7 degrees. Forecasts of the population that could be supported at an 18 foot rise in sea level are about 1 billion people. For me, looking at ways to curb greenhouse gas emissions are preferable to discussions of the fate of the other 8 billion or so that will have to go.

            For the US, the Clean Power Plan that would cut electric power emissions by 30%

are a key step. US standards for mileage for cars and light trucks to rise to 54.5 miles per gallon by model year 2025 are hopeful. US mileage has improved from 13mpg in 1975 to

19.7 mpg in 1999 and even further to 24 mpg in 2013. Yet the US has a long way to go to catch up with  the European Union at 45 miles per gallon and even higher mileage in Japan. Gas prices in the  EU are about $9 per gallon and cars are much smaller attesting to the importance of price signals. A US increase in gasoline tax would fuel funds for infrastructure improvements and get clear results in reduced emissions.

            The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change calls for actions to avoid energy use (walking or biking come to mind), modal choice (rail versus ancient trucks in an improved rail network in Africa jumps out from Jeffrey Sachs Age of Sustainable Development comparison of the nationwide rail network in India versus the continent of Africa’s fragmented links to various minerals and other natural resources), energy intensity (US potential savings from energy efficiency, for example, are well documented), and improved carbon intensity (using renewables to produce electricity may be 200 yield 200 times fewer emissions than coal).

            International documentation of success stories in each of these action areas may produce the wave of progress that we clearly need. Let the innovation begin!energy and transportation

Fuel for the Home Fires of Haiti

Fueling the Home Fires in Haiti

            Haiti has about 2 million households. Domestic energy for cooking comes from propane for about 100,000 and 50,000 use some other upscale fuel. The other 1.85 million households (averaging 5 persons per household) use wood or charcoal for cooking. Haiti can sustainably harvest about 500,000 tons of wood (for direct use or to make charcoal) per year. Actual use is 4 million tons per year. Stretching a bit, 250,000 households can use wood or wood charcoal. That leaves a target of 1.6 million households to find alternative fuel

            More efficient charcoal or wood stoves which use half as much fuel could sustainably serve a half million households. These stoves pay for themselves through fuel savings in a few months. Up front costs are a barrier as over half  of Haitians live on less than a dollar a day and maybe 75% live on less than $2 a day. Yet D&E Green and the International Lifeline Fund between them have over 50,000 improved stoves in use in the Port Au Prince area.

            Biofuels are an alternative that would boost the local economy. An expert on domestic energy suggests targets of 100,000 households using ethanol and 400,000 using biomass.  Ethanol virtually eliminates emissions and leaves the user with clean hands, unlike charcoal where a shower may be needed after use. Biomass can be in pellets which compress ingredients or briquettes which also char the ingredients before pressing. Pellets and briquettes from waste are especially attractive.

            For ethanol and biofuels, what are the investments needed per family, what are the running costs, and what is the value chain of raw material, jobs, land, and investment for their production?  My recent trip to Haiti explored both ethanol and also briquettes made from coconut husks by my friends at Konpay. For 1.6 million households currently deforesting Haiti, all of the above is the best approach.

 

 

 

Fuel for the Home Fires of Haiti

Delivering Energy for All

Delivering Energy for Development: Models for achieving energy access for the world’s poor by Rafaella Bellanca, Ewan Bloomfield, and Kavita Rai

            The International Energy Agency projects that over a billion people will still lack access to electricity in 2030. This well documented book gives comprehensive coverage to on grid, mini-grid, and off grid approaches for increasing access to energy. Many tables, “boxes,” and diagrams help to illuminate many challenges, barriers, and successful approaches. Especially helpful is refining the UN’s Sustainable Energy for All goals by how much electricity is considered “enough’ for households and how much clean fuel is needed for cooking by the 2.8 billion who currently use animal dung, crop wastes and other materials whose use results in death for 1.4 million mostly women and children  each year.

            Delivering Energy for Development makes clear the importance of energy access to serve basic human needs. Various energy delivery models are examined for their market chain, support services, and enabling environment. The book uses case studies from a wide variety of places to provide best practices and lessons learned. The authors provide easy access to a wealth of knowledge for anyone interested in sustainable energy for all.

george garland

 

Social Good Summit Day 2

Social Good Summit Day 2

            Bill McGibbon, founder of 350.org, and Kumi Naidoo, Executive Director of Greenpeace International, expressed low expectations for the United Nations meeting on climate for September 23. The climate march with 300,000 participants is a successful first step in a continuing struggle. Recognition from organized labor that jobs depended on sensible climate action is encouraging. Ban Ki Moon’s participation in the climate march showed good intentions. The nation States who comprise the UN may be dominated by fossil fuel interests who forestall serious action. Bill McGibbon noted that Chevron is the largest campaign donor and the Koch brothers are not far behind.

            Kumi Naidoo pointed out that the earth does not need to be saved. The earth will do fine without humans. The oceans will restore themselves and forests will flourish. The challenge is to make the earth safe for humanity. This is consistent with Tapio Kaninnen’s observation that a six degree increase in temperature will return the earth to pre-ice age conditions when sea levels were 210 feet higher. Kumi cited Mahatma Ghandi’s observation that “first they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, and then you win.” Kumi felt that the fight stage had been reached and that may be good news. Bill McGibbon argued that fear of fossil fuel companies needs to be matche or exceeded by fear of the citizenry and only then will action be taken. Bill pointed out that we have known what to do for 25 years. A carbon tax which gives a market signal to reduce dependence on fossil fuels is known to be efficient and effective. My trip to Sicily where gas is $9 per gallon combined with the prevalence of small cars on the road backs that up. Germany was cited as perhaps the only country taking serious action. German industry does very well and pays twice the price for electricity.

            While Walt Kelly and Pogo were not at the summit, it’s still possible that we have met the enemy and they is us. The world loves energy. The US Information Agency predicts a 25% increase in energy use in the US by 2040. The International Energy Agency predicts increase in global demand for energy by 56% by 2040. The message that renewable energy is now price competitive and creates lots of jobs has got to rise above the fossil fuel din.

Social Good Summit day one

My first Social Good Summit day began at the United Nations Foundation’s Arthur Ross Conference Center. This was old home week for me as the Southern New York State Division had hosted a climate change event here just last week. Chris Whatley and the United Nations Association USA had engaged 24 bloggers to add to the social media conversation which includes 140 countries in 13 languages! Many of the graduate students and young professionals participating had founded organizations to promote issues ranging from better use of information technology in Madagascar to improved US understanding of China.

            We migrated to the 92^nd Street Y where a Digital Media Lounge facilitated hundreds of bloggers and tweeters heard from movers and shakers the United Nations pillars of human rights, ending poverty, and peace and security. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres  said that developing legal ways to migrate was the best way to combat illegal migration. Cracking down on human traffickers should get as much attention as cracking down on illegal drug traffickers. Refugees were mostly going to developing countries (86%) whose generosity was funding their needs. The citizen of these recipient developing countries in turn had downward wage pressure as millions of desperate and qualified people entered their work force and put upward pressure on prices for housing rental and consumer goods. The High Commissioner called for greatly increased support to address the consequences of chaotic, unpredictable violence which met with impunity from global institutions.   

            The National Capital Area United Nations Association had sent a resolution to UNA-USA written by their Human Rights Committee co-chair Luke Lee to expand the mandate of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to include internally displaced persons. Civil Society weighs in! Current US Ambassador to the UN Semantha Power wrote Chasing the Flame which chronicled Sergio De Mello’s work in so many international crises. “Sergio” was an employee of UNHCR and is one of my heroes.

            Graca Machel urged looking beyond the averages. While child mortality is improving, the 17,200 under 5 children who die of preventable causes each day remain a concern. She noted that addressing the 50 million child brides whose human rights are violated will take a concerted effort by the global community which may extend over several generations. Yet these child brides represent a global target of 50 million who have little chance of success for meeting 6 Millennium Development Goals.

            Kathy Calvin added that girls may not even show up in statistics where they do not get birth certificates. If you want girls to count, you need to count girls!  

Social Good Summit day one

Climate Policy

The world loves energy! The US Energy Information Agency projects a US electricity usage increase by 2040 of 25%. The International Energy Agency (OECD) projects increased energy use of 56% by 2040.  Both projections assume no new regulations such as the US Clean Power Plan which would reduce greenhouse gasses from electric power by 30% by 2030. This compares with an increase from present emissions in the do nothing projection as coal and nuclear both are used as much in 2040 as today while renewables are doubled (providing about one-third of the increase) and natural gas accounts for the other two-thirds of the increased usage.

            China is the biggest emitter, US second, and India third. Perspective? US per capita emissions three times China’s and over 12 times India’s per capita emissions.

The Obama Administration’s announcement that it will enter “politically binding” agreements with other countries at the UN Framework Convention of Climate Change meetings in Paris next year is good news. Let’s take a step further with a program to encourage voluntary increases in energy efficiency in various sectors (like we did in garbage in days of yore)!

 

Greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation

Natural gas is less than half coal and 100 times more than hydro.

https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3001029431697074692#editor/target=post;postID=6150621338898046979       Lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by electricity source.
Technology	Description	50th percentile (g CO 2/kWhe)
Hydroelectric	reservoir	4
Wind	onshore	12
Nuclear	various generation II reactor types	16
Biomass	various	18
Solar thermal	parabolic trough	22
Geothermal	hot dry rock	45
Solar PV	Polycrystaline silicon	46
Natural gas	various combined cycle turbines without scrubbing	469
Coal	various generator types without scrubbing	1001

carbon emissions top 10

Top-10 annual energy-related CO 2 emitters for the year 2009[109]
Country	% of global total annual emissions	Tonnes of GHG per capita
People's Rep. of China	23.6	5.13top 10 emitters
United States	17.9	16.9
India	5.5	1.37
Russian Federation	5.3	10.8
Japan	3.8	8.6
Germany	2.6	9.2
Islamic Rep. of Iran	1.8	7.3
Canada	1.8	15.4
Korea	1.8	10.6
United Kingdom	1.6	7.5

The US and China are clearly in the lead! US and Canada are leaders in per capita emissions.
India, number three in total emissions, is one-twelfth US per capita emissions. China is still one-third US in per capita emissions.

scorecard

At the opening of Peter Robinson’s photo exhibit, Alice Slater and I were

Remembering taking The End Hunger Briefing in the 80’s and celebrating

The Hunger Project’s success in raising global awareness as child mortality

became one of the Millennium Development Goals. The Hunger Project

defined ending hunger as having a national infant mortality rate below 50.

Less than 50 deaths before their first birthday per thousand live births was

equivalent of the canary in the coal mine. The source for this statistic (and

many others) is UNICEF’s report on the State of the World’s Children which

might be seen as a report card on how well we are managing global good.

            Back around the mid-80’s, 42,000 children (child mortality is how many die

Before their 5^th birthday) each year. The 2014 State of the World’s Children Report (available at www.unicef.org) cites 6.6 million child deaths from preventable causes in 2012. Dividing by 365 gives a daily rate of about 18,000.  Substantial progress has been made yet having 18,000 deaths from preventable causes every day might still be called the hidden holocaust. 56 countries have child mortality rates over 50 as of 2012. The tpo ten are:

 

Sierra Leone 182 1

Angola 164 2

Chad 150 3

Somalia 147 4

Democratic Republic of the Congo 146 5

Central African Republic 129 6

Guinea-Bissau 129 6

Mali 128 8

Nigeria 124 9

Niger 114 10

 

            Food is not scarce. Ability to pay for food is scarce. For the 6 billion people on the planet, UNICEF estimates one in five lives below the poverty line of $1.25 per day or about 1.2 billion people. This number is about the same as the number for how many do not have access to electricity.

 

LEGICUUM

           Around 40 years ago under the influence of the amazing Mary Hart and the Unitarian Church of Rockville’s inspirational Bill Moors  I participated in LEGICUUM, Legislative Committee of Unitarian Universalists of Maryland. We worked with State officials, including Steny Hoyer, now House of Representatives Minority Whip, to educate the Maryland legislature. One US State Department retiree amassed arguments that investing in more intensive parole programs was far more cost effective than investing in prisons. His view was that the budget process was biased in favor of capital projects at the expense of programs. It was a lot easier to get funding for more risons than to invest in enhanced parole rograms.

            Recidivism and the demand for prison spaces could be cut and productive lives encouraged if the State of Maryland listened. This retiree, a member of the Cedar Lane church,  said he worked on ever so many issues as a senior US government  policy analyst with no sense that he could impact any of them He relished the opportunity to make a difference in his home State. One of my companions at Bethany Beach this week is a parole officer in Maryland who reports that parole programs may still be in the back seat.  

                Victimless crimes such as marijuana use and prostitution were also on LEGICUUM’s agenda. I attended a briefing on trafficking at the UN where a young woman lawyer pointed out that in the New York area those arranging unwilling participation were not prosecuted while those being victimized were. Reports that Attorney General Holder is preparing a list of those in prison under a three strikes law for marijuana offences for Presidential pardons is an encouraging step in the right direction.  The cost to New York taxpayers for each victimless crime incarceration is about $60,000 per year. The principle that those who want something should never have to pay for it sounds like socialism under the guise of “being tough on crime.”

 

 

Leogane demo

Efficient stove demo

begin

Thanks to Holly for showing me how to set this up!