It is imperative that we proactively and rapidly move from fossil fuel dependence to carbon-free power in all sectors of the economy.
One way to get there is to embrace some of the thinking of Jeremy Rifkin, a prominent economist and advisor to leadership of the European Union. In his book, Third Industrial Revolution, he makes the case for “the creation of a renewable energy regime loaded by buildings, partially stored in the form of hydrogen, distributed via smart intergrades, and connected to plug-in, zero-emission transport...”
Key to the Third Industrial Revolution is advances in information technology (IT) that enable development of smart grid systems. “The invention of second-generation grid IT has changed the economic equation, tipping the balance of power from the old, centralized fossil fuel and uranium energies to the new, distributed renewable energies,” Rifkin says.
He believes that the U.S. will lose its leadership in the global economy if it builds a centralized, top-down smart grid, in contrast to countries in the European Union, such as Germany, that are building distributed and collaborative systems. The Atlantic Chapter advocates feed-in-tariffs and similar distributed energy systems, already in use in Germany and other countries, as key tools to expand renewable energy.
The Third Industrial Revolution uses a holistic approach to arriving at a carbon-free future. This means:
• greatly expanding renewable energy with hydrogen-based and other technologies to store this energy when not in use;
• construction of new and renovation of energy-efficient facilities that will develop, use, and share their renewable energy; and
• very sophisticated meters/monitors that provide intelligence to minimize energy within buildings and across small and large grids.
The AGREE coalition (the Atlantic Chapter is a member) recently urged Governor Cuomo and the Legislature to initiate an economy-wide plan (ReNew York) to move the state toward a carbon-free and nuclear-free economy by 2030. This plan requires new thinking and cannot be based on our current top-down systems. We need forward thinking, incentives and other mechanisms to change recipes for energy production, distribution, and use. It is only 17 years to 2030. (For more information go to www.allianceforagreeneconomy.org.)
Governor Cuomo’s call last year for proposals for a “New Energy Highway” aimed at a more efficient and reliable distribution of electrical power resulted in proposals to mainly improve on our centralized top-down grid systems. The proposal did not encourage new thinking about distributed and collaborative systems. More recognition of innovative approaches to expand renewable energy, ensure reliability, and reduce transmission costs are needed, including an understanding that microgrid systems are on their way.
Microgrids are mushrooming around the world as innovative yet practical ways to supply and use carbon-free energy. Both the public and private sectors are turning to microgrids to ensure reliable and sustainable power that meets local needs efficiently without power disruptions and with reduced environmental impacts. Military bases, university campuses, health care facilities, manufacturing facilities and even communities are developing microgrids.
Microgrids are one of many ways we can act in our communities to advance toward a Third Industrial Revolution. We cannot wait for gridlocked governments to act.
We as activists can work with our local communities to become “Climate Smart Communities.” The Department of Environmental Conservation has teamed up with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to teach communities how to become energy smart and sustainable in housing, transportation, land use, heating, water and sewage systems, and more. Citizen action is a key to making this happen. (For more information go to the DEC page on Climate Smart Communities and to www.nyserda.ny.gov for a lot of great resources)
Many thanks to Jessica Helm
On behalf of the Atlantic Chapter, thank you to Jessica Helm, our Chapter conservation chair for the past four years. Under her leadership, the Chapter has taken major steps to combat and hopefully stop hydrofracking, protect our waters, and modernize our ways of communicating our conservation issues and calls to action. Jessica is now serving her second year on the Club’s national board of directors and is continuing her conservation and communication work in our Chapter.