This project identifies and analyzes the obstacles presently barring the rise of renewables, evaluates the role of the current policy favorite emission pricing, and offers design recommendations for a comprehensive U.S. renewable policy. Successful climate change mitigation requires a timely shift to renewable sources of energy, such as sunlight, wind or tides, to decarbonize today’s high-carbon electricity sector. But market pull alone is not strong enough. This paper discusses the most widely cited economic barriers and identifies and evaluates additional obstacles related to the electricity sector’s regulatory framework. The project explores a number of policy approaches and their relative chances success. In light of the plethora of obstacles to a timely transition to renewables, this project calls for concerted policy action by scientists, engineers, economists, lawyers, marketers, and educators to fuel the renewables revolution. (Note: This project originally won in the Big Ideas “Science, Technology, and Engineering Policy” category.)
Many piped potable water systems in developing countries do not provide continuous service. Intermittent supply is a nuisance to users and can degrade water quality. During much of the year the Capellanía water system in Coclé, Panamá provides only intermittent service to many of its clients. This project examines ways to address the issue of unreliable service in the Capellanía water system by managing demand rather than increasing supply. Many supply management approaches are explored, including improved metering, a changed billing structure and infrastructure improvements to prevent water loss. The paper finds that managing demand is a less expensive and more effective way to improve service quality for residents in developing countries affected by unreliable water availability. (Note: This project originally won in the Big ideas “Science, Technology, and Engineering Policy” category.)
This video invites viewers to imagine a more sustainable future and shows us how we can apply the 12 principles of green chemistry to live in a more environmentally friendly fashion.
One of today’s biggest environmental concerns is the emission of greenhouse gases and other harmful substances from the burning of fossil fuels. There is much need today for alternative energy sources, one of which is biodiesel. UC Berkeley dining services consumes an incredible amount of oil that UC Berkeley could both process and use as its own created biodiesel. Along with being a more environmentally safe and less toxic energy source than traditional fossil fuels, biodiesel could be economically viable and practical for the university. The applications of the made bio-fuels include anything from heating the dormitories to powering buses and other campus vehicles. In the long term, UC Berkeley could offset its monetary costs by promoting a more resourceful, direct, and community-based way of operating its systems.
This project proposes that UC Berkeley generate its own biodiesel using the 500 gallons of used cooking oil generated weekly by Crossroads Dining Commons, Foothill Dining Commons, and the Golden Bear Café, for consumption in the campus’s Bear Transit buses. The team has been able to project production of 500 gallons weekly if two reactors are used. Fuel can be produced for $1.44 per gallon and could be sold to Bear Transit for $2.00 per gallon, potentially making the operation financially sustainable.
“Waste Into Fuel” is a plan that will allow the Berkeley campus to harness the energy potential of the waste cooking oil that it currently disposes to replace various diesel-using appliances and utilities on campus — resulting in an overall savings of $30,000 annually after the first year of use. “Waste into Fuel” proposes that the campus convert waste cooking oil into bio-diesel by investing in 55-gallon steel drums and a Freedom Fueler Deluxe w/ Drywash, a machine which will conveniently carry out the process to create the biodiesel. The project will also use a MR-50 Methanol Recovery System to separate the byproduct of the energy extraction process into methanol. This will lower costs of the needed methanol and potentially result in a monetary gain, as the glycerin could then be used to make soap on campus or even sold to companies that process it. The goal is to not only create a system that can produce and use biodiesel, but also to execute the idea in a way that is most optimally cost-effective and environmentally friendly for the Berkeley campus.
Energy efficiency represents a vast, low-cost energy resource—but it can only be unlocked with an innovative and comprehensive market based approach. There is growing demand for an alternate financing mechanism for the implementation of energy conservation measures to reduce energy consumption and thereby lower greenhouse gas emissions. Zaakta is a webbased marketplace that brings together customers, technology experts, contractors, and financiers to implement energy efficiency projects. This platform will target under-served markets that either lack the direct funds to invest in these projects or the scale and scope required to attract interest from current energy service companies or utilities for financing.
