Solar Power Progress

From the largest solar farm in the world to solar panel roads, we are making big steps in solar energy. 

The sun is one of our most powerful natural resources – it sets our circadian clocks and provides necessary vitamin D to our bodies throughout the day. Our central star powers not only our bodies, but our homes and companies as well. In the last decade, solar power has been growing rapidly, with a huge shift to replace fossil fuels. 

The largest solar-panel plant in the world was recently finished in Arizona, where the 290-megawatt project sitting between Yuma and Phoenix will send electricity to California for at least 25 years. Called Agua Caliente, which means "hot water" in English, the solar farm uses thin, film solar panels that rely on a compound of cadmium-telluride to convert sunlight into energy. Talk about a push toward a sustainable world!

At maximum production, the project can generate enough electricity for about 230,000 homes, although the panels depend heavily on the weather. A cloudy day could diminish production significantly. 

Last year the solar industry installed a record amount of solar capacity. In the U.S., California and Arizona have been leading the pack with a growing number of solar power projects. The construction boom reflects a movement to replace fossil fuel power generation with cleaner energy sources. For instance, California requires its utilities to get 33 percent of their electricity supplies from renewable sources by 2020. 

But your state does not need to have legislation in place for you to be part of the sunshine movement. Homeowners who install solar systems in their houses can save an average of 50 percent of their electric bill. The average American household uses 920 kilowatt hours (kWh) per month, and solar panels can account for as much as 840 kWh, according to Solar World. 

But perhaps the most exciting and ambitious project is Solar Roadways. Developed by two Idaho engineers, the technology would replace ordinary streets with a solar panel roads that could melt snow and ice and generate electricity. The road would consist of hexagonal-shaped panels that are made up of four layers: half-inch thick glass surface, followed by a layer of LED lights, an electronic support structure and a base layer made of recyclable materials. 

"We can produce three times more power than we use as a nation. That will eliminate the need for coal-fired power plants," Scott Brusaw, a co-founder of Solar Roadways, told Computer World.

The company, which has already received some federal funding, is now running a crowdsourcing campaign on Indiegogo.com. The technology is currently being tested. 

Ilchi Lee, who is an advocate of a sustainable world, explains that the next step is to be able to save solar power in a sort of battery form. If we can harness the energy for the cloudy and rainy days, we can revolutionize the energy efficiency game. 

Green Jobs Growing Worldwide

The International Renewable Energy Agency released a report detailing the increase in green jobs worldwide. 

While going green has been a trend for the last few decades, only now are people starting to see the urgency with which we need to confront climate change and the energy crisis. As a result, the job landscape is growing – which is good news for citizens worldwide.

In 2013, about 800,000 new green jobs were created to reach a total of 6.5 million overall jobs, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency's (IRENA) Renewable Energy and Jobs Annual Review 2014. The largest employers were in China, Brazil and the U.S. Other noteworthy employers occurred in Spain and Bangladesh.

The main sectors of improvement were solar photovoltaic, liquid biofuels and wind power. IRENA showed that solar photovoltaic and wind power remain the most dynamic renewable energy technologies. 

These numbers are evidence of a clean energy economic shift. This is compatible with Ilchi Lee's belief that citizens of the planet should make a shift toward going green, aiming to improve energy efficiency and take advantage of recycled materials. 

O*NET OnLine, a partner of the American Job Center network and the nation's largest database for occupational information, classified 45 new and emerging green careers on top of 64 green professions in the U.S.

So, what exactly are green careers? Based on the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, they can be split into two categories: output and process. Jobs related to output produce energy efficient goods and services aimed to improve the environment or conserve natural resources, such as water filtration systems and organic products. Careers related to process harness environmentally friendly production processes, such as careers in sustainability. 

"With 6.5 million people directly or indirectly employed in renewable energy, the sector is proving that it is no longer a niche, it has become a significant employer worldwide," Adnan Amin, IRENA director general, told CleanTechnica. "The insights into shifts along segments of the value-chain revealed in the report are developing policy that strengthens job growth in this important sector of the economy."

National Bike to Work Day

Pump up the tires, strap on your helmet and bike to work on May 16!

This Friday, May 16, is "National Bike to Work Day." This biker-dedicated holiday is the perfect time to inflate the tires, shake the rust off the chain and pedal along a scenic route to work as spring has finally arrived. 

Besides giving you a great workout, biking is extremely eco-friendly. It requires no fuel, toxic batteries or motor oil and there are no carbon emissions as a result. If you're looking for a way to reduce your carbon footprint, tire tracks from your bicycle might be the place to start. 

Thousands of people all over the U.S. will partake in National Bike to Work Day. For those suiting up for the first time this season, be sure to check your tires, gears and chain. 

If the holiday itself isn't enough to pull you from your vehicle, consider this: In a 10-mile round-trip commute five days a week for year, a small car emits almost 1 ton of carbon dioxide, according to Grand Valley State University. 

Ilchi Lee, a dedicated advocate for a sustainable world, reminds us that bicycling significantly reduces transportation emissions while cutting traffic congestion and the need for petroleum. Cars are one of the leading culprits of pollutants that harm the environment, so be sure to partake in the national holiday.

For some people, every day is bike-to-work day. Stan Ricciuti, who lives in Philadelphia and works 10 miles away in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, is one of those people. Ricciuti has biked to and from work for the past three decades, averaging at least 30 miles a day. Talk about energy efficiency!

Pedaling to Work
To be careful along the road, make sure to pick a route that's not crowded, such as the lesser-known, small streets. To prevent getting sore or chafing from cycling, wear padded shorts and bring a change of dress clothes to swap into once you arrive at the office. 

White House Report: Climate Change is Here

The National Climate Assessment released by the White House outlines the here-and-now impacts of climate change.

Climate change is no longer a faraway concern lingering on the horizon. It is present here and now, and millions of Americans and people all over the world are feeling its effects, announced a new report released by the White House this month.

The National Climate Assessment report, the result of a three-year analysis by a team of more than 300 experts overseen 60 members of the Federal Advisory Committee, outlines the impact of climate change on the U.S.

Corn producers in Iowa, water managers in the arid Southwest, maple syrup producers in Vermont and city dwellers from Phoenix to New York are experiencing weather shifts. Summers are long and hotter and winters are typically shorter and warmer. Rain comes in heavier downpours.

"This is not some distant problem of the future," president Barack Obama told NBC.

In the last few decades, climate science has shown with increased certainty that we are now experiencing impacts associated with human-induced climate change. Carbon emissions from factories, power plants and cars all contribute to it. As the carbon footprint becomes larger, the outcome becomes worse.

Action Plan
Last year, Obama launched his Climate Action Plan that vouched that this report would be used to manage the risks of climate change. Now, the report urges citizens and the U.S. government to respond to the twin challenges of reforming policies to ameliorate further climate change and preparing for the consequences of climate changes that can no longer be avoided.

Take advantage of recycled materials and bear in mind energy efficiency – such as turning off lights when one is not a room, carpooling and not wasting water in long showers and baths – are steps to lessen the damage we have done.

The Assessment said that responses can be split into two broad categories. The first is "mitigation, which would reduce CO2 emissions and increasing the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The second is "adaption," to enhance the world's ability to cope with and steer clear of harmful effects.

Yes, It's Real
According to CNN, recent polling indicates that most Americans believe human activities cause climate change. However, it also shows that the issue is less important to the public than the economy and other topics.

The U.S. average temperature has jumped by 1.3 degrees Fahrenheit to 1.9 degrees since 1895, and the majority of this increase has occurred since 1970. 2012 was the hottest year on record in the continental U.S.

This is not just the U.S.'s problem or one for China, Brazil or any other country for that matter; it is a global issue. Ilchi Lee, a New York Times best-selling author and dedicated advocate of peaceful, sustainable world, shares that climate change is something that all of the citizens of the world must confront together. Party lines should no longer be an obstacle. There is no red or blue, only green. Lee also started The Earth Citizen Organization, a non-profit that lends a hand to environmental improvement.

If you think it doesn't affect you, think again. Coastal cities have witnessed their streets flood more regularly during high tides, and inland cities by large rivers are also experiencing more flooding. As a result, U.S. insurance rates are rising in some vulnerable locations, and insurance has been altogether removed in others.

The summer sea ice in Alaska that used to protect the coasts has receded. The report forecasts that sea levels will rise at least a foot by the end of the century and even as much as four feet, depending on how much of the Greenland and Antarctic ice shelf melts. The consequence could be catastrophic for millions living along the ocean as it could submerge tropical islands and creep up on coastal regions.