a warming collage

This week (Jul 21-28), there were two field trips. First we had our conference with Milton Lautenschlager, sub-secretary of renewable energy for the State of Sao Paulo. Lautenschlager is essentially in charge of implementing new plans for renewables; he's also a medical doctor by training. Some basic energy stats he gave us:
--the 2009 world renewable energy index is 12.5% of the total energy index
--Brazil's renewable index is currently 65% of its total energy index (predominantly from hydro)
--Sao Paulo State is at 55.5% (predominantly from biomass)
The State of Sao Paulo is seeking to reach 69% by 2020, while reducing emissions by 20% (this will likely be cut from either the transportation or industry sectors--which together constitute 87% of emissions). Gains are to be made through biofuels, wind, and solar resources. Biofuels will increase through the intensification of cane production.  Solar, whose tapped energy is still quite small, should rise significantly (Sao Paulo has an estimated 12 GW capacity for solar panels, which is the equivalent of Germany's currently installed capacity).  Dr Lautenschlager stressed Sao Paulo's role as the "economic engine pulling Brazil forward", reeling in 1/3 of the country's GDP. That said, the state is under pressure hit its renewable targets while meeting its consumption levels, which are projected to rise.  
The second trip was to the EcoUrbis Landfill, located about an hour and half east of Sao Paulo. This landfill stores waste beneath ground in layers, collecting the gasses that emit from the wastes.  It then condenses the gasses into liquids before selling it as a fuel.  We then visited a neighboring landfill, the Sao Joao landfill. I learned that it reached its capacity of 25 million tons back in 2008, and afterwards installed 16 CAT generators to produce 175 MWh per plant per year.

Foods I found at the Mercado include include Bacalhau do Porto (Portuguese Cod), Castanta do para intrura (Brazil Nuts), Tamara (dates), Provolone dehumado (dried provolone), Damasco (apricot), suco de milho verde (corn sugar milk), oregano (oregano), and malagueta (malagueta pepper)--all very interesting. I ended up buying some quality coffee, very tasty.

Homework #9--sites/conference review!

This past week, the class broke away from Villa Mariana and ESPM to visit two of Sao Paulo State's renewable plants, in addition to a Solar Expo and Bosch's Flex-Fuel engine manufacturing facility. We began tuesday morning with a trip to the CPFL Tanquinho Plant, which recently went "live" in 2012.  Located in the rural area of Campinas, the plant is estimated to produce 1.6GWh/year.  The facility uses two types of panels: monocrystalline and and polycrystalline silicon. I noticed many of the monocrystalline panels were fixed and face north-east, whereas the polycrystalline varied: some were fixed facing north, while others rotated on an east-west axis, which I found was cool. The polycrystalline panels have a efficiency peak of 14-15%, which is higher than the monocrystalline panels, yet more heat-sensitive, pre-disposing the polycristalline panels to efficiency depreciation during hot days.  That same day we visited the site where Bosch makes flex-fuel engines. We explored the facilities with technology built to develop and test flex-fuel engines for various brands of automobiles. Bosch engineers take regular gas-engines, and convert them into flex-fuel engines by developing idiosyncratic software systems and engine technology. Pretty tedious from the anthropologist's perspective.  What I found interesting during the lecture/meeting was the manufacturing forecast: Flex-fuels are predicted to peak in 10 or so years (2020-2025), before dropping back down to current levels as gas-engine vehicles develop better and better mileage systems.  Wednesday we attended a solar expo conference.  We wandered around in groups, exploring the different technologies being established by researchers/developers worldwide.  I saw an array of mono/poly-crystalline panels, fixed panels, flexible panels, batteries, solar windows, solar backpacks, solar grills, solar tents, and even technology built for testing/analyzing the performance of solar panels.  The level of modernization was stimulating, definitely got a nice buzz from it, and from the free drinks too! Finally, thursday we visited the Henry Bordon hydroelectric plant, built in 1920's.  The site consists of 16 turbines, that generate electricity using not the Francis Turbine, but the other one--yes the one that relies more on water pressure than water volume, and whose name escapes me. What interested me is that the majority of hydroelectric plants in Brazil abide by the courses of natural riverways, which is quite the accomplishment. Aside from this being the Tanquinho Plant's first year in use, it's evident that all of these technologies play effective roles in Bazil, as the country is seeking to produce more "self-reliant" energy to fuel its growing economy.  For instance, Brazil uses 75% of the ethanol it produces. America doesn't have nearly the renewable portfolio as Brazil, Brazil relies heavily on its hydroelectric and ethanol, for instance, whereas the U.S. is content with its natural gas abundance and petroleum importation. If anything, the U.S. uses renewables on a smaller scale.  Looking at hydroelectric plants, America has the fifth largest in the world--the Grand Coulee--generating roughly 6,800 MW of electricity at full capacity.  Brazil carries world's 4th and 2nd largest dams--Tucurui and Itaipu--generating a capacity 8300 and 1400 MW.  The Belo Monte Dam is in the process of being commissioned, and would be the world's third largest dam.  So in the Hydroelectric sphere, Brazil is huge, and this has its pros and cons. If the U.S. should adopt such an agenda, it should be weary of effecting the riverway's environment (fish migration, waterbed pollution, deforestation, methane release), while paying heed to social problems (resident displacement, access to water, mosquito infestations--which is real--, flooding potential, drought potential, and suffering drinking water quality).  The U.S. does have policies to help protect against such situations, such as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which basically keeps track of safety inspections while monitoring the dams' environmental affects.  However, the extent to which this policy's standards are held should be further investigated. But on the topic of the environment, the solar plant representative MOST expressed the company's concerns regarding environmental impacts; neither Bosch nor the hydro-plant expressed much regard.  And as for the solar expo, I assume environmental stewardship was simply Implied....

Turbine's Generator, Henry Border Hydroelectric Plant

A European painter portrays Rio de Jeneiro

After watching "GASLAND", I thought up a few questions....

1) has there been any development in regulation policies (ie: disposing-of-waste procedures, stricter fracking-near-homes law) since 2009 when the film was released?

2) Josh Fox pointed out that large metropolitan areas such as Phili and NYC procure their water from one large watershed that lies in the tri-state area--have these cities experienced any disturbances in their water quality?...or is it just the remote, satellite towns feeling the fracking affects..?

3) Fox states in the conclusion that countries such as Africa and Canada are well on their way to begin fracking for gas, have they begun fracking this the movies release? Have their residents experienced water problems?