Self Empowerment

Solar power gains strength as moratoriums on nuclear power stations are passed across Europe

Fukushima: as the smoke continues to billow from reactors at the crippled nuclear power plant, many nations across the world are reconsidering their nuclear options. The disastrous fallout at the Fukushima Dai-Ichi plant has resulted in the contamination of land, sea and air and the release of 11, 500 tons of radioactive water into the ocean. Italy stands alone as the only Group of Eight nation that has no nuclear power. In 2008, the Italian government signed a deal to build nuclear reactors which would be operational by 2020; Fukushima changed that.

The contamination levels in all areas, aside from the 20km no-entry zone surrounding the Fukushima plant, are said to be at levels below limits set for surface radiation. However, nuclear specialist Helen Caldicott claims that the epic nuclear fallout at Fukushima will cause a major medical catastrophe. External radiation, says Caldicott, may be below recommended levels and is harmless to humans and animals. However, when this radiation is internalized through inhalation, skin absorption or ingestion, the consequences are dire. Radioactive elements are absorbed by animals and plants and passed through the food chain to humans. This radiation is insidious; causing mutation in cells until the carrier contracts leukemia after five years, or cancer a decade after initial exposure. Too remote are these consequences to join the dots back to the original radiation. The EPA states that up to 25% of people exposed to the Fukushima radiation will develop cancer.

Reports like this one have prompted the Italian government to impose a year-long moratorium on nuclear development. The picturesque Italian town of Montalto di Castro is home to the shell of an old nuclear power station. The power station was abandoned after the Chernobyl nuclear incident prompted a similar moratorium in 1987. The skeletal remains of the power plant act as a reminder to the residents of the possibility of a nuclear future. The current moratorium has not appeased residents of Montalto. Deciding to take fate into their own hands, they have approved plans for one of Europe’s largest photovoltaic farms in the hopes that providing renewable sources of energy will put the kibosh on government nuclear ambitions. Solar technology has improved dramatically over recent months, surpassing nuclear as the cheapest way to produce energy.

Italians are not alone in their aversion to all things nuclear. Germany’s Chancellor Merkel, a former proponent of nuclear power, announced a three month moratorium on nuclear development and ordered the temporary closure of the seven oldest nuclear plants in order for security checks to be carried out. The plants are scheduled to be phased out in favour or renewable energy sources by 2030. Switzerland followed suit by suspending plans to build three new nuclear power stations.

The remaining European countries have been reticent to join the fray, agreeing only to test 143 nuclear plants to ensure safety. Europe has, of late, relied heavily on nuclear power to end its dependence on fossil fuels and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. However, as popular opinions sour, anti-nuclear protests are springing up and putting pressure on their governments to seek other means of powering Europe.

Canadian Election 2011 Environmentally Speaking

Canadians have a deep and abiding love for their natural spaces, the animals that populate them and (apparently) elections. As campaign boards blossom along with spring flowers, we prepare once more to sally forth into the realms of campaign rhetoric. Each party has a strong green platform, aware of the support that this engenders from environmentally conscious Canadians. We have set out to explore the platforms of the four biggest parties here. Statements to support initiatives, encourage development or create incentives without definitive plans on how this will be accomplished have been omitted. This outline is the nuts and bolts, rather than an exhaustive expose, of the policies proposed.

Liberals will:

• Provide a $400 million Green Renovation Tax to retrofit over 1 million homes by 2017. Canadians who make energy saving renovations to their homes will be eligible for tax cuts up to $13, 500.
• Refund 50% of an energy audit that precedes renovations to homes and businesses.
• Reinstate the Renewable Power Production Inventive (RPPI) which will provide $1 billion in incentives for the development of renewable energy technologies to increase Canada’s renewable energy production to 10% of the total output by 2017.
• End the tax break to the oil sands development and use the $500 million created by tax revenue to fund development of technology to reduce green house gas emissions and other negative impacts of oil sand development. Research and monitoring of oil sand development will also benefit from the fund.
• Implement a cap and trade system for industry with an aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. Pollution will be taxed at $10 per tonne, rising to $40 per ton after four years.
• Provide $100 million to restore the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Waterway, clean up Lake Winnipeg and reduce invasive species such as zebra mussels.
• Expand marine protected areas and rationalize fishing fleets to save fisheries in crisis.

The NDP will:

• Reduce air pollution to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050.
• Implement a cap and trade policy to tax industrial pollution.



• Use income from cap and trade (an estimated $1.2 billion) to develop green technologies, promote energy conservation, develop public transport and train workers for the green industry.
• Cut subsidies for non-renewable energy and use these funds to reinstate federal incentives for renewable energy including the development of new technology.
• Provide funds for retrofitting homes to reduce energy consumption.
• Increase assessment and regulation of fisheries and oil sand sector.
• Create the ‘Green Bonds’ fund for research and development of renewable energy technologies.
• Encourage transit use by providing tax cuts for people who use public transport to get to their workplaces.

The Conservatives will:

• Create new protected areas, marine conservation areas and national parks including the Mealy Mountains National Park and the Rouge Valley in Toronto.
• Extend the ecoENERGY retrofit program to improve the energy consumption of homes.
• Invest $113 million in to the Environmental Enforcement Action Plan with a further $25 million which will help to police industries and individuals who commit environmental crimes. This will include the creation of a team of environmental prosecutors, a public database of environmental offenders and new fines for transgressors.
• Provide investments to reduce green house gases and provide support for the development and research of clean energy and energy efficient technologies.

The Green Party will:

• Provide tax cuts for companies and individuals who live green.
• Effect tax reforms and investments to create green jobs.
• Initiate the ‘Green Jobs’ program which will help Canadian manufacturers who invest in green technologies.
• Create a green building program to provide funds to retrofit homes and make them more energy efficient.
• The green energy sector will support community power projects which allow Ontarians to contribute power to the grid by providing $540 million for solar roof programs over three years.
• Introduce a carbon tax.

GE invests $600 Million in thin film Solar

Ever the corporate chameleon, GE is investing in renewable energy. The corporate giant announced this week its plans for a $600 million investment in the US solar industry. The company plans to build a factory (location to be announced in the next three months) which will produce thin-film solar panels. The factory will employ 400 people and will produce enough panels to power 80 000 homes every year.

Solar parks without monkey bars?

The Ontario Government has given the green light to a 10.5 MW solar park in Thunder Bay. The project is a collaboration between various companies and the Ontario Power Authority. This latest project is in addition to another 8.5 MW solar project that will be built on Thunder Bay International Airport Ground. The companies will also build a 10.5 MW solar park in Napanee — a welcome shift to renewable energy even without the monkey bars.

How Grandma Became a Solar Engineer…

Solar power arrives in rural communities thanks to the Barefoot College and their female solar engineers. “They come here as women, but leave as tigers.” — Sanjit “Bunker” Roy, school founder.

Solar systems are a godsend for the developing world. Most developing nations enjoy an abundance of sunshine which can be converted to energy with the aid of solar power systems. Solar panels require no infrastructure, are easy to maintain and cost little to acquire. Still, very few people are able to make use of this windfall technology due to a lack of expertise. There simply aren’t enough qualified solar installers to install and maintain solar systems. The Barefoot College is working to change that.

Mahatma Ghandi found the people in rural villages to be capable and innovative. Although they lacked education, they were eager to learn new skills. He wanted to develop the skills of local villagers rather than rely in foreign expertise. It is upon this principle that the Barefoot College operates. Bhagwam Das is the coordinator of the Solar Education program: “The Barefoot College believes that development programmes don’t need urban-based professionals because para-professionals already exist in the villages whose wisdom, knowledge and skills are neither identified, mobilised nor applied just because they do not have an educational qualification.”

When members of a rural village express a desire for solar power systems, a Village Environmental Committee (VEEC) is formed. This committee consists of the village elders (both men and women). Households who wish to benefit from solar installations must contribute financially so that they have a sense of ownership of their solar system and will endeavour to take care of it. Payments are calculated according to income. The VEEC then selects members of the community who will travel to the Barefoot College in Rajasthan where they will study for six months. The Barefoot College encourages students of all ages and educational backgrounds. The villagers will build a small workshop for the Barefoot Solar Engineers (BSEs). A percentage of the fees paid by the villagers for their solar systems will go to the BSEs. This provides an opportunity for the poorest members of society to make an income. It means that those without education can acquire skills and it keeps the money generated by the village, in the village. BSEs must learn to assemble and install solar lamps, lanterns, choke coils, charge controllers and transformers. They must be able to install and maintain a solar system by themselves.

Over the last 25 years, the Barefoot Collage has trained thousands of people. They have installed 819. 88 KWP (Kilowatt Peak) across India and in 17 countries across South America, Africa and Asia. The solar installations have included lighting, parabolic solar cookers for healthy snacks, solar water heaters and solar powered desalination plants.

This worthy organizations relies on donations. If you wish to know more, visit the Barefoot College website.