the associated press called the race in the early morning of nov. 6. the final battleground state of arizona was called saturday evening, leaving trump with 312 electoral votes, including all seven swing states, and harris with 226 electoral votes. 

based on trump’s 2024 campaign platform, known as agenda47, the republican national committee (rnc) platform, and trump’s past denial of climate change, trump’s second term in office is likely to have far-reaching implications on climate change efforts.

energy production:

“republicans will unleash energy production from all sources, including nuclear, to immediately slash inflation and power american homes, cars, and factories with reliable, abundant, and affordable energy,” the rnc platform states. 

the rnc agenda also stated their goals of making america energy independent again and achieving lower energy prices than during trump’s first administration. 

on trump’s agenda47 website, regarding energy, they cited research from the heritage foundation, an organization “mobilizing” the conservative movement, stating biden has increased the cost of gas and oil by 50%. 

the agenda47 website also states biden’s climate regulations have caused the u.s. to surrender its economy to china. it also identified what they considered negative outcomes of biden’s climate regulations, including stopping drilling for oil in alaska’s arctic national wildlife refuge and canceling the keystone xl pipeline. according to agenda47, the pipeline would have “created 830,000 barrels of oil per day” for american refineries and “created high-paying jobs.”

paris climate accords: 

trump’s campaign website stated that if he wins the 2024 presidential election, he will exit the paris climate accords again.

united nations climate change states the paris climate accords is an international treaty designed to combat climate change. the treaty was adopted on dec. 12, 2015, by 196 countries, including the united states, at the climate change conference cop21 in paris, france. 

trump during his first administration announced his intentions to leave the paris climate accords on june 1, 2017, because of the “unfair economic burden” it left on americans. 

on his first day in office on jan. 20, 2021, president biden rejoined the paris climate accords. as part of rejoining the agreement, biden pledged to cut all greenhouse gas emissions from the u.s. electric sector by 2035 and make the u.s. a carbon-neutral country by 2050.

politico reported trump leaving the paris climate accords for a second time would mean the u.s. would no longer be among the 200 world governments that have made non-binding pledges to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

inflation reduction act:

one of biden’s main efforts to address climate change during his presidency was through the inflation reduction act (ira), signed on aug. 16, 2022, which provided funding for local projects focused on clean energy, climate mitigation and resilience, agriculture, and conservation-related investment.

trump said that if he wins the 2024 presidential election he would pull funds away from the biden administration’s inflation reduction act during his second term. trump did not specify what programs funded by the ira he would pull back on.

“it actually sets us back, as opposed to moves us forward,” trump said. “and [i will] rescind all unspent funds under the misnamed inflation reduction act.”

but in trump’s previous administration, the new york times reported that by the end of his presidency, trump had completed “rollbacks” on 98 environmental policies and was in progress on an additional 14. 

trump’s climate change denial:

before trump ran for president in 2016, he was known for calling climate change, or global warming, a “hoax”: “the concept of global warming was created by and for the chinese in order to make u.s. manufacturing non-competitive,” trump wrote on x in 2012. 

more recently, on sept. 29, three days after the impact of hurricane helene on the southeastern u.s., trump denied the existence of climate change, during a campaign rally in pennsylvania, calling it “one of the greatest scams of all time.”

trump did not address climate change in his victory speech. 

he will be inaugurated as president on jan. 20, 2025, on the west front of the u.s. capitol.

with climate change, it is estimated that iceland’s glaciers will be gone in roughly 100-200 years. “at the first scale, there’s going to be more water because they’re going to be melting quicker,” says dr. caroline sanchez, geologist on the national geographic explorer with lindblad expeditions, “in terms of hydropower, it’s going to be sustainable for the first, we’ll say decades, when you still have enough water but what happens when you don’t have enough water anymore? you’ll just need to adapt.”

luckily, iceland is also a hotspot, both figuratively and literally, for geothermal energy. roughly 27% of iceland’s electricity comes from geothermal power plants. the separating tectonic plates cutting through iceland and the fixed thermal anomaly (aka “hot spot”) under the country provide a sustainable and accessible source of heat, which the country may need to rely on more solely in the future.

in this short documentary, discover how climate change is impacting one of the most unique landscapes in the world, and what that means for the future of electricity production.

editor’s note: lindblad expeditions, our planet forward storyfest competition partner, made this series possible by providing winners with an experiential learning opportunity aboard one of their ships. we thank lindblad expeditions for their continued support of our project.

if electric vehicles (evs) are charging us into the future, range anxiety could be hitting the brakes. according to jd power, ev sales grew last year at a 50% pace, reaching one million units. by 2025, electric vehicle sales could comprise almost 20% of new car sales. 

• range anxiety is the fear that an electric vehicle will not have enough battery charge to reach its destination, leaving occupants worried about being stranded. 

why it matters: carbon emitted from internal combustion engines account for 28% of greenhouse gases emitted annually, according to 2022 data. as contributors to climate change, many are arguing that motor companies have the responsibility to introduce innovative solutions such as evs and hybrid models to mitigate additional harm to the planet.

range anxiety is particularly threatening to the long term ev transition because consumers are hesitant about long distance travels along stretches of road where there may be fewer ev charging stations.

early this year, reports found that electric vehicle sales had slowed as more consumers turned to hybrid models as their primary means of transportation. however, while tesla continues to struggle, politico recently reported that ev sales by traditional auto manufacturers saw a 75% increase this april. with dynamic shifts happening in the industry, auto-manufacturers’ responses to range anxiety in consumers could make or break annual sales. 

the big picture: to ensure a smooth and steady transition to electric vehicles, motor companies must address range anxiety and quell consumer apprehension.

• even with more long-range options and increased charging stations, battery-powered cars are making some drivers anxious. a survey from aaa showed that about 75% of respondents were undecided or unlikely to purchase an ev due to concerns about charging infrastructure and range anxiety. however, survey results showed that younger generations were most open to purchasing an ev (31% of millennials).
• in a june 2022 survey by forbes magazine, americans were found to be worried about range regardless of their geographic location. however, drivers in the midwest were most stressed about charging on the go, despite efforts to increase fast-charging stations along major highways. 
• a reported 78% of ev owners report that feelings of range anxiety decrease with increased driving and vehicle knowledge. 
• auto manufacturers such as ford motor company have designed apps that help alleviate range anxiety and instill confidence in the consumer. their fordpass app, for example, provides ancillary equipment and technology that allows users to set their departure times, pre-heat/cool the battery, and prepare the vehicle for long distance travel. 

range confidence 

car manufacturers are working to instill range confidence, as opposed to range anxiety. according to jp helveston, assistant professor at george washington university in the department of engineering management and systems engineering, the key to range confidence is building higher-range evs. “while battery prices have fallen exponentially, oems (original equipment manufacturers) have decided to make longer-range evs instead of less expensive, and smaller range, evs. this has translated into an ev market in the us with longer-range, and very, very heavy, evs than anywhere else in the world, but at the expense of affordability,” helveston said. 

the primary focal point when it comes to range confidence is understanding how much people use the vehicle on a daily basis. ford’s research found that people are driving anywhere from 15 to 50 miles per day (which is well within what studies have found to be typical average of 26.4 minutes). 

several factors impact a car’s energy usage, including heating and cooling systems. in certain ford models, such as the mach-e suv and f-150 lightning, the console displays a chart mapping out how much energy is consumed. 

driving behaviors also impact a car’s range. a driver going at a rapid acceleration of 80 miles per hour on the highway will likely experience a rapid decline in energy compared to a driver going at a steady 30 miles per hour. 

according to whitney pineda, technology communications manager at ford motor company, the key to instilling range confidence lies in understanding how consumers are using their vehicle and helping them find the right vehicle for a great experience. 

while the consumer is responsible for choosing a vehicle that makes sense for their needs, pineda said that education about charging and how to condition their vehicle are crucial to easing the transition for ev drivers. 

“if you are getting ready to hit the road with the family, you are packing up your car and running around the house and may quickly want to check the vehicle and charge information,” pineda said. 

ford offers the fordpass app as the one stop shop for this type of information. owners of ford vehicles can download the app and link an account to their vehicle’s vin. using the interface, they can track their vehicle’s status and performance including fuel and charge levels, as well as vehicle health alerts.

the big transition

while jd power agreed that evs are still in the ‘early adopter phase’ at the end of 2023. sam trentin, a 75-year-old michigander and owner of a f-150 lightning, lives in escanaba and first became interested in purchasing the lightning after seeing television advertisements on electric vehicles. 

“i knew i wanted electric, but i wanted a pickup,” trentin said. “i bought it because of the environment.” trentin’s desire to help the climate may have been the motivation behind his purchase, but he loves the truck itself. beyond its strengths in sustainability, trentin said the car is much smoother than gas and boasts better acceleration. “i love it,” he said, firmly. but issues relating to weather and charging have posed threats to his adoration for the truck. 

as a resident of escanaba, michigan, where daily low temperatures often fall between 23°f to 15°f, and can drop below 0° during peak winter months, trentin relies on a car that can charge him through the cold weather. “the problem is the cold; i have issues when it gets into the 20s,” trentin said. “the cold impacts the mileage.” 

the phenomenon trentin is referring to is neither new nor surprising, and where battery preconditioning is helpful. the cold slows down the chemical process that electric vehicle batteries use to store and release energy. as a result, ev owners like trentin must deal with low battery performance and increased charging times, especially during long distance trips.

this past christmas, trentin claimed he was unable to go to spend time with his son, who lives just 140 miles east of escanaba. “i can’t go to any place in that type of weather and there is no charging station between st. ignace and escanaba,” trentin said. the f-150 has a range of an epa-estimated 300 miles, but in below-freezing temperatures, the vehicle can lose 36% of its range according to research by ev reselling platform, recurrent.

to help counteract the effects of cold temperatures, drivers can use the fordpass app to check their battery charge and “precondition” or prepare their vehicle before a long-distance trip. users can plug in and set their departure times in addition to pre-heating and pre-cooling their batteries and cabins in preparation for a ride. 

according to the fordpass website, preconditioning the vehicle allows the battery to warm to optimum temperature before use, which positively affects the range and driving dynamics for longer distance driving. 

as the ev market evolves with rapid battery innovation, renata arsenault, technical expert for advanced battery recycling at ford, said that ford’s battery technology has “surpassed what people expected.” 

bridging the technology gap 

experts like helveston believe the solution to tech-related issues lies in expanding the charging infrastructure and creating more models. “workplace charging is increasingly important for people to be able to refuel during the day on solar energy that is increasingly in large supply on the grid. consumers also have very few options right now for an ev. we need way more different types of models and classes: ev suvs, pickups, minivans, etc.,” helveston said.

car manufacturers are pushing for consumers to purchase an ev in the first place. a survey conducted by recurrent revealed that ev range anxiety drastically diminished with the experience of owning an ev. according to the study, range anxiety is highest among potential ev buyers in the one-to-two years before their first purchase, but with prolonged ownership, the feelings decrease significantly. public education programs such as national drive electric week also provide opportunities for potential consumers to get acclimated with evs. 

the bottom line: for as long as humans drive, they will have personal preferences for how they use their vehicles. the solution to range anxiety and a smooth ev transition lies in satisfying individual customer needs, while bridging the gap between early adopters and the next generation of ev owners.

“leading the charge,” the theme of an april 10 kellogg climate conference at northwestern university, brought together an all-stars cast including leaders from coca-cola, gm energy, start-ups, academics and conservation groups to redefine business strategy in a changing climate.

the mission? counter climate change and find new profit pipelines there as well.

a standing-room-only crowd of business executives, experts, and students explored company examples of innovative and cost-effective climate change mitigation at the all-day conference sponsored by the kellogg school of management’s energy and sustainability club and the trienens institute for sustainability and energy at northwestern.  

meghan busse, associate professor of strategy at the kellogg school of management kicked off the conference with what she called, “a greenhouse emissions breakdown,” in other words, a lively lowdown on the challenges ahead.

according to busse, in the u.s, one-fourth of gas emissions come from electricity generation, one-fourth from transportation, one-fourth from industrial processes, and one-fourth covering both agriculture and buildings. the conference program covered all these sectors and how each one is providing new solutions and innovative technology to decrease emissions.

“our goal of the day is to leave you all feeling armed to become climate capable leaders where you are willing to ask questions and start thinking about no matter what your job is, how does climate plan into my strategy?” said busse.

the incentive to act for companies is linked to the impact on their pockets. climate change is expected to cost u.s. businesses over $1.3 trillion in the next three years. such high stakes have pushed industries around the world to seek massive technological and business transformations. but experts say that refusing to invest is climate solutions will cost even more in losses due to rising costs, resource uncertainties, extreme weather damage, and other factors.

speakers at kellogg conference emphasize solutions

keynote speakers included business leaders across the board to share the specifics their companies have implemented to prioritize sustainability as a core component of strategic decision-making. coca-cola is the number one plastic polluter in the world, according to coke’s executive vp bea perez who took center stage her talk on “navigating sustainability and profitability.” she focused on the importance of accountability, transparency and support from top corporate leaders for a company to move toward sustainability. she asked the audience to envision the size of 120,000 olympic size swimming pools, the pyramid of giza and every single volcano in the world to show the massive amounts of waste that the coca-cola company generates. she emphasized solutions.

businesses and consumers should examine a company’s business and sustainability reports to see if sustainability strategy is embedded into the finances of the company, she said. without that commitment, the measures are irrelevant, said perez, global chief communication, sustainability and strategic partnerships officer at coca-cola.

according to the coca-cola company’s 2022 business & sustainability report, the company aims to “make 100% of our packaging recyclable globally by 2025— and use at least 50% recycled material in our packaging by 2030.” perez explained how water, packaging, and climate goals are interconnected and that by creating a circular economy for packaging, they can lower their carbon footprint.

in their 2022 business & sustainability report, coke claimed that 90% of its packaging is recyclable, 15% of plastic bottles made with polyethylene terephthalate (pet) are recycled, and that 61% of packaging (is) collected for recycling. coke’s innovation of a 100% plant-based bottle prototype is a key component to helping them achieve their sustainability goals. “if you don’t have strong communities, you can’t have strong businesses,” said perez.

infrastructure challenges

at the scaling the energy transition panel, key challenges focused on infrastructure development. shashank sane, a kellogg alum, and evp at transmission invenergy, said that supply chain delays are making it challenging for businesses to amplify the grid system. projects may take up to a decade from supply chain to completion and a major challenge that business owners face is the lack of policy and government support for funding.

at a global scale this sets the u.s behind. for comparison, germany which backed up by government policy, is capable of placing massive national orders for supplies, while business owners in the u.s are limited by their procurement resources. consequently, the lack of infrastructure affects other sectors like the transportation sector.

companies such as nexteramobility which focuses on developing, constructing, and operating power projects to produce electricity are restricted in mass capacity by the infrastructure of grid placements. however, even with the use of a massive electric plant to compensate for fuel, yann kulp, director business development, fleet electrification advisory, argued that having one major source of emissions is better than having millions of sources of emissions, making the carbon capture in one place more manageable.

insight into regenerative farming

the panel seeds of change: cultivating a sustainable future in food and agriculture introduced ancient processes and cutting-edge initiatives as change-makers. sonali lamba, co-founder and executive director of the soil inventory project, brought to light how regenerative farming practices could be a greater part of the solution for fighting climate change and restoring our soils through farming.

regenerative farming, as lamba explained, roots back to indigenous practices. this kind of farming focuses on supporting local farmers and even funding their businesses to incentivize healthier farming practices that avoid pesticides, other chemical and erosion-causing practices that harm both earth and our health.

“why not pay people to do things the right way,” said meera bhat, global director of equitable conservation for the nature conservancy.

this year’s kellogg climate conference brought together an audience of about 300 business leaders and mba students, each with different perspectives on how to decrease their carbon footprint in their business sector. regardless of their business strategy, attendees shared kellogg’s mission that day to educate, strategize and mobilize, for the sake of change.

doris alvarez is a graduate student at northwestern university’s medill school of journalism. 

this story was originally published on the gw alliance for a sustainable future spotlight page.

electric vehicles (evs) have emerged as a major solution to combat climate change, offering a promising alternative to traditional gas-powered cars. with brands like ford, tesla, and rivian leading the charge, evs have gained significant traction in recent years, captivating the attention of environmentally conscious consumers worldwide. 

as someone accustomed to driving a gas car — or even a hybrid — the transition to a fully electric vehicle may seem like a leap into the unknown. questions inevitably arise: if i’m not using gas, what exactly is powering my vehicle? to demystify the inner-workings of ford’s ev technology specifically, we embarked on a journey to the ford rouge electric vehicle center, a hub of innovation and cutting-edge technology in the world of electric vehicles. 

the cell: building blocks of ev power

at the core of an ev battery lies the cell, said renata arsenault, technical expert at ford. “a single cell, (similar to) what’s in your phone or computer or in a battery,” arsenault said. the ford lithium ion cell is composed of the following materials:

• carbon black
• pvdf binder
• cmc binder
• sbr binder
• carbon-coated silicon/ silicon dioxide  
• spodumene (lithium)
• nickel briquettes
• ncm (cathode)
• graphite (anode) 

these materials are then mixed to create a slurry. this slurry is used to coat aluminum and copper foils. this coating extends to just before the end of the foil allowing for slitting and notching. these foil pieces are stacked, utilizing a separator to place them into an alternating pattern of aluminum and copper layers.

the notched tabs of each layer are then welded together before the jelly roll is packaged and filled with electrolyte. the last steps to its formation are introducing a charge, degassing and trimming the cell. once this is done, the singular cell is complete.

as mentioned in the formation of the cell there is an anode (positive side) and cathode (negative side) materials, with lithium ions shuttling back and forth between them during a charge and discharge cycle. as lithium ions migrate and move throughout the electrolyte, they release electrons, which flow through an external circuit, providing the necessary power for the vehicle’s operation. this is the electrical energy which powers the vehicle.  

a note on anodes and cathodes

the anode of a battery can be thought of as the sun in a solar system, radiating energy outward to power the surrounding planets. just as the sun emits light and heat, the anode facilitates chemical reactions within the battery, releasing electrons to generate electrical energy. it serves as the central source of power, supplying the necessary energy to drive devices or vehicles forward.

conversely, the cathode acts as the orbiting planets, absorbing and utilizing the energy emitted by the anode. like how planets orbit around the sun, the cathode balances the electrical flow, ensuring that the battery operates effectively and efficiently.

battery architecture: from cells to packs

in evs, multiple cell pouches are organized in a combination of series and parallel configurations, forming arrays that collectively make up the battery pack. each configuration adds its own respective advantage, with the series configuration allowing for increased voltage, and with the parallel configuration allowing for increased current capacity.

placing cells in parallel increases the total current capacity of the system because each cell contributes its current capacity to the overall output. in a parallel configuration, the total current is the sum of the currents produced by each cell. when cells are connected in parallel, the voltage remains the same as that of a single cell. however, the total current capacity increases because each cell adds its current output to the overall current.

on the other hand, connecting cells in series increases the total voltage of the system. in a series configuration, the voltage adds up across each cell, while the total current remains the same as that of a single cell.

within a ford vehicle, the amount of cells is generally contingent on the model of the vehicle and the amount of horsepower sought after. for example, the ford f-150 contains about 450 pouches in one battery pack.

the total weight of the battery pack can be upwards of 1500 pounds. this pack also includes structural components to hold the cells securely, along with thermal management systems to regulate temperature and ensure efficient performance, especially in extreme conditions. 

joshua styron, high voltage battery computer aided engineer (cae) and validation manager at ford, drew a connection between humans and batteries saying, “battery cells like to be about the same temperature that people do. so they don’t want to be too hot. they don’t want to be too cold.” historically, smaller batteries could be air cooled, but given the scale of use, all ford ev batteries utilize a liquid cooling system. 

safety measures: mitigating risks

given the substantial energy stored in ev batteries, safety is paramount. battery management systems monitor and regulate factors such as temperature, voltage, and current to prevent overheating or overcharging.

additionally, styron mentioned that built-in switches ensure that, “because there’s so much energy and power available in these batteries, [you can] turn off the access to that energy so that it is safe when you have stepped away from your vehicle.” that enhances safety during operation and when the vehicle is idle.

to withstand the wear and tear of everyday use and unexpected events like crashes, ev battery packs undergo rigorous testing. engineers intentionally subject them to stress tests, including overcharging and crash simulations, to understand their responses and implement features that ensure safety and durability. 

temperature testing involves subjecting ev batteries to a range of temperatures representative of real-world conditions, including extreme high and low temperatures as well as normal operating temperatures. 

moving forward

the evolution of ev batteries has been marked by significant headway in innovation and efficiency, driven by ongoing research and development efforts. from the early days characterized by bulky, complex battery packs to today’s streamlined and integrated designs, the journey of ev batteries reflects a continuous quest for improvement.

one notable trend in ev battery technology is the increasing integration of battery systems with vehicle structures. arsenault spoke to ford’s forward thinking mindset saying, “we’re not like just carving out a hole in the vehicle and, you know, taking an ice [internal combustion engine] vehicle and sticking in a battery. we’re really building the vehicle with the idea of the whole ev, you know, vehicle needs, and requirements.”

this proactive approach allows for more efficient design trade-offs, resulting in lighter, more compact battery systems that seamlessly blend with the vehicle’s architecture. 

past ev battery designs featured multiple layers of components, including cells, arrays, and trays, nested within one another. however, advancements in integrated structures have allowed manufacturers  to reduce unnecessary material and improve energy efficiency. “the cells are becoming more integrated into the battery trays and the trays are becoming more integrated into the vehicle structures… continually going on to ultimately make a lower cost and more efficient product for the customers,” styron said. 

as vehicles become lighter, they can travel further on a single charge, alleviating concerns related to range anxiety — an issue that has previously hindered widespread ev adoption. moreover, as charging infrastructure continues to improve, there is potential to further reduce battery size without sacrificing usability, catering to a broader range of consumer needs.

these huge projects are thanks to the catholic climate covenant, an organization headquartered in washington, d.c., which helps the catholic community understand and act on the issue of climate change.

executive director dan misleh founded the covenant in 2006 after he worked on environmental policy for the u.s. conference of catholic bishops. one of the ways the organization has helped catholic communities act on the issue of climate change is by encouraging community members to install solar panels on their properties to help them save money and lower their reliance on fossil fuels.

for misleh, climate change education is an essential part of the process. he said that when he discusses environmental issues with catholic organizations, he always tries to bring it back to his faith.

“if god has given us a gift, and if we just take that gift and throw it in the trash, that’s not being very respectful to the gift giver,” misleh said.

in recent years, many catholics felt motivated by pope francis’s encyclical letter laudato si’ published in 2015 which established climate change as a moral issue catholics should address. in 2021, pope francis put his plans from the letter into action by telling catholic organizations to launch a seven year plan to create environmentally sustainable efforts within their communities.

but misleh said that when he had the idea to install solar panels on catholic properties, he needed more help. through the covenant, misleh created catholic energies which focuses on the installation of these solar panels with the help of mission energy — a company that works to reduce energy costs through solar panels. misleh said mission energy provides the “expertise” the covenant needs to install solar panels.

dan last, who is the co-chief executive officer of mission energy, said misleh approached him eight years ago with the idea to form a group within their company. he said mission energy was interested in creating catholic energies because they help catholic organizations reduce the amount of carbon dioxide they release and save money.

“there was a lot of excitement and enthusiasm around doing work like this,” last said.

laura clark, who is the vice president of operations for mission energy, also said solar panels help the environment because they reduce the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere.

according to misleh, installing solar panels on catholic buildings has helped them save between a few thousand to over a hundred thousand dollars in their electrical bill since they were installed.

paying for power

these catholic organizations pay to install their solar panels through the help of a power purchase agreement. last said that with this agreement, a third party is responsible for paying for the installation of these solar panels, with the catholic organizations later paying back the third party over a set amount of years.

“[third party developers] like working with our groups because churches, catholic healthcare systems, religious communities are not going anywhere and in some cases have been around for hundreds of years,” last said.

but since the passage of president biden’s inflation reduction act in 2022, last said the amount of money catholic organizations have to pay back to third parties under the power purchase agreement is lower since the federal government is now subsidizing up to 50% of the cost for sustainable projects.

through the work of catholic energies, catholic organizations are finding it easier and cheaper to carry out sustainable practices. since the establishment of catholic energies within mission energy, last said the group has completed over three dozen projects across the united states. 

solar at scale in d.c.’s backyard

one of the biggest solar projects energies undertook was installing solar panels for the catholic charities of the archdiocese of washington.

catholic charities focuses on social ministry, guided by the message of jesus christ. they specifically help the poor, immigrants and people with mental and developmental disabilities through various support programs like food distribution.

last said catholic charities approached them when they were switching to led-powered lights within their facilities. he said catholic charities was interested in installing solar panels on a 14 acre property they owned on the far northeast side of washington, d.c., behind the gift of peace house and convent. last said they wanted the solar panels to be built on this space because it was mostly clear and flat.

“long story short, that turned into the solar project,” last said.

the project was completed in the fall of 2019 and includes a large solar panel farm of 5,000 panels. according to the catholic energies website, the project offsets nearly 3,400 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually which is the equivalent of getting rid of 735 car emissions in one year.

since the solar panels are located in a field, they also created a pollinator garden using the space between the panels. according to the dc department of energy & environment, pollinator gardens improve habitats for wildlife and require little attention as they thrive without fertilizer, pesticides or extra water.

“it’s got lots of great, positive impacts for the catholic charities and the community,” misleh said.

even though the solar panels are concentrated in one area, they help subsidize the cost of catholic charities’ 12 buildings located all across washington, d.c. misleh said the solar panel farm gives energy to pepco, lowering the utility company’s reliance on fossil fuels.

in total, misleh said catholic energies has helped catholic charities cut their electric bill by $250,000. even though a third party is in charge of operating the solar panels which misleh said costs $185,000 per year, a total of $65,000 in savings is going towards other projects run by catholic charities.

“we were very, very proud of that project,” misleh said.

creative solutions to make a difference

catholic energies also works with local communities such as nativity catholic church and nativity catholic school in burke, va. husband and wife, george and kim young, who are parishioners at nativity, volunteer their time within the creation care ministry. unlike catholic charities which installed their solar panels in a field, theirs are installed on a roof.

in their full time jobs, george young is a licensed clinical social worker and master addiction counselor with a private practice, while kim young is a naturalist at hidden oaks nature center. after pope francis’s encyclical letter laudato si’ came out, they wanted to create an organization within their parish to address environmental issues.

“that really provided more inspiration and more support for this idea,” kim young said.

when george and kim young discovered nativity needed a new roof, they thought the parish could also install solar panels. according to kim young, they were inspired by the success of installing solar panels on their own home years earlier. they were not in charge of the final decision making process but instead.

“constantly when we would see the pastor in the hall, we would mention it when the opportunities presented itself,” kim young said.

their advocacy paid off in july 2020 when nativity completed the installation of the solar panels on its new roof. the project is expected to decrease nativity’s carbon footprint by 7,700 tons along with estimated savings of $200,000 over the next 25 years after paying off the power purchase agreement.

due to nativity’s efforts towards environmental issues, george and kim young helped the church win an interfaith power & light award in 2022 for outstanding energy stewardship in response to climate change.”

although kim young said she feels parishioners do not commonly think about the solar panels on the roof anymore, she said parishioners were excited when the pastor made a “big deal” in his sermon about the solar panels and when they won the interfaith power & light awards.

kim young said she wants to push for parishioners to reconnect with the environmental difference nativity is making and caring for the environment is not something “extra.”

“we see it as integral to our faith,” kim young said. “and to the point really, that it’s an obligation of our faith.”

in the middle of a solar panel array in north carolina, the grass rustles with movement. a raccoon wanders between the panels. a fox wriggles through the permeable fencing and darts around the site. a cluster of turkeys stare accusingly into the wildlife camera. eventually, a curious bobcat prowls outside the fence, slinking inside and outside of the site boundary. 

the animal sightings were made possible by a carefully-placed camera trap used for conservation research. the project is part of efforts from the nature conservancy to investigate how solar development influences animal movement and work with solar developers to preserve the small corridors — or wildlife passageways — that allow for that movement. 

the sight of wildlife lingering at a solar facility between crystalline panels is an unusual one. but in north carolina, a state that ranks fourth in the nation for solar energy production and ninth for biodiversity, scientists and developers are realizing that the choice between renewables and biodiversity doesn’t have to be a trade-off.  

solar energy in the energy transition and climate crisis

amid national efforts to decarbonize the u.s. energy sector and achieve current emissions reductions goals, the u.s. is increasing its buildout of renewable energy. in the last decade, the solar industry saw an average annual growth rate of 24%, according to the solar energy industries association. 

as more and more renewables projects gain traction in states like north carolina, biologists have raised concerns over potential impacts on wildlife populations, especially amid overdevelopment and fragmentation. scientists have begun to research those impacts, but many studies have focused narrowly on bird deaths, habitat conversion,  pollinator habitat, or soil ecosystems, with fewer insights on migration and movement specifically. with climate change exacerbating the need and scale of future migrations, this research gap is a pressing one. 

while people often think of climate change as the biggest threat to biodiversity, the answer is actually habitat loss. liz kalies, the lead renewable energy scientist at the nature conservancy, spreads this message in her conservation work. “we can’t justify poor siting of renewable energy in the name of biodiversity,” said kalies. 

“but similarly, if we ignore climate change, that will also have severe consequences for biodiversity. so, we just really need to keep the two in our mind simultaneously, and not sacrifice one for the other,” she said.

strategies for building wildlife-friendly solar

fortunately, solar developers haves several options to avoid making those sacrifices: selecting sites responsibly (including repurposed mine land), building in wildlife passageways (small corridors to allow animals to pass through)—which could mean splitting a site down the middle—and letting nature reclaim parts of the facility by growing wildflowers, planting native species, or building pollinator habitats. a simple change, such as mowing the lawn in september or october instead of august, after breeding season, can make a difference, according to a research team in new york. 

one of the most promising strategies so far is permeable fencing: swapping out traditional chain-link fencing for larger-holed fencing, which is meshy enough to allow small-to-medium sized mammals to slip through. animal monitoring reports show the early promise of this fencing, as camera traps capture foxes, birds, and coyotes navigating around the fencing. in one study, wildlife-permeable fencing increased the probability that ungulates (hoofed mammals) successfully crossed through the fence by 33% — and they were able to do so in 54% less time.

camera trapping and bobcat tracking: the research behind wildlife-friendly solar

kalies and her team have launched several projects to study solar-wildlife interactions, including the camera trap project, direct site visits with developers, and even a bobcat-specific project. kalies and her team are currently working on the latter, which involves locating, sedating, radio collaring, and tracking bobcats to generate visual maps of their meanderings. bobcats are secretive, elusive animals who prefer uninterrupted vegetation, making them good candidates to study the challenges that animals may face in in solar landscapes. 

surprisingly, bobcats are interacting with the solar facilities. from the videos kalies played, it appears some of them are even drawn to the facilities for unknown reasons. in their preliminary data, one bobcat appeared to cut through a solar facility that didn’t even have a permeable fence. the team hopes to increase their sample size of bobcats in order to predict impacts of solar buildout on their populations through simulation alone.

do developers really want foxes and bobcats roaming through their facilities?

sometimes, the answer is yes, according to developers. medium-sized predators may help quell rodent populations, and rodents have been known to gnaw through the panels’ wiring, breaking the solar array.  

wildlife passageways offer other benefits to developers. at face value, building wildlife-friendly infrastructure is great for a company’s brand image and public relations — especially when local opposition to renewable projects is so prevalent, and sometimes stems from animal conservation concerns. additionally, installing wildlife-friendly fencing is economical, according to kalies. it costs roughly the same as a chain-link fence and holds up just as well structurally, based on her reports from developers. 

“i love the idea of wildlife friendly fencing,”  said scott starr, co-founder of highline renewables. 

“you’re going to be a partner with the community for 30 plus years. so, you want to do things like screen it with evergreens or use wildlife friendly fencing […] and even if it’s a small upcharge, you are looking for things to make the project work that don’t just show up in the pro forma but are also a benefit to the community.” 

as a developer who specializes in small-scale distributed generation,  starr notes that it’s common to screen for endangered species early on as part of choosing a site. “we are very careful as developers towards critical species, critical habitat, wetlands, things like that. that is part of the process.” 

but, when it comes to sharing land with wildlife, the territory is more unfamiliar. starr elaborates on the policy gaps in how governments incentivize wildlife-friendly buildout. 

“the only things that i’ve really seen are ‘we’ll give you adders to put it on this rooftop!’ and ‘we’ll give you adders if  you put it on a brownfield or co-locate with some kind of agricultural operations!’ said starr. “there never is really anything about wildlife corridors—we just don’t know.” 

while developers can’t claim that solar sites are equivalent to wildlife refuges, they do share some compelling similarities: they’re quiet, isolated, fenced off, and relatively low-disturbance on the landscape. whether or not a site is wildlife-friendly often comes down to what’s adjacent to the facility, says kalies, meaning rural sites typically have better luck than urban, overdeveloped, already-degraded plots of land. 

challenges and limitations of building wildlife passageways

some of the biggest research-specific challenges for kalies’s team include accessing sites in the first place, finding partners willing to collaborate, and hours of challenging fieldwork. another difficulty lies in data interpretation. even with data from camera traps, for example, seeing an animal onsite doesn’t mean it’s necessarily benefitting. the animal could be migrating, breeding or nesting, foraging, lost, or simply hanging out. 

starr adds that, from a developer’s perspective, even if you support wildlife-friendly fencing,  you may get a ‘no’ from the county, from financiers, or from any long-term owners of the project who might consider wildlife a risk to their multi-million dollar asset. (some developers are even concerned about bird droppings reducing the efficiency of their solar panels.)

overall, the solar industry’s ability to become “wildlife-friendly” may depend on the level of discussion happening in government. “we need clear guidance and policymaking that incentivizes these kinds of considerations,” said starr.

the future of wildlife-friendly solar 

despite these challenges, pursuing wildlife-friendly solar in north carolina may be a promising step toward preserving biodiversity. the state ranks the 13th highest in the nation for risk of species loss. while wildlife movement patterns are being studied in the western u.s. (such as pronghorn migration), more research is needed on patterns in eastern states.

the first step to preserving biodiverse populations is ensuring that animals can continue to move freely across landscapes. through siting adjustments, permeable fencing, planting wildflower pollinator habitat, and actively collaborating with scientists, the solar industry has a chance to protect wildlife. energy developers and biologists alike can take part in this initiative, giving a new meaning to “energy conservation.” 

america’s solar industry is in trouble. 

who and what’s the cause of this are questions not easily answered. some point to complex supply chains. others point to problems with domestic innovation. and a few point to mamun rashid, the ceo of auxin solar, which the wall street journal calls “the most-hated solar company in america.”

the reasons for this are several. auxin filed a petition with the commerce department in 2022 accusing several chinese solar manufacturers of evading u.s. tariffs. last august, the commerce department ruled that four companies in southeast asia circumvented american tariffs on chinese made components. as a result, sweeping new solar tariffs are set to face the industry in june 2024. the countries in which those tariffs will be levied account for “nearly three-quarters of solar modules imported to the united states.”

tariffs are taxes on the import of foreign goods. they are paid by the domestic company who is purchasing those goods. 

“we are facing an unprecedented moment in american solar. many companies have relied on cheap foreign labor for their products. what we’re doing is shedding light on faulty business practices that favor china and harm american workers. we’re fighting for energy independence,” rashid said.

yet, many clean energy advocates have resoundingly criticized auxin. secretary of energy jennifer granholm stated in an interview with npr, “at stake is the complete smothering of the investment and the jobs and the independence that we would be seeking as a nation to get our fuel from our own generation sources.”

such advocates anticipate the ruling will make solar projects in america far more expensive and lengthy. according to cnn, the ruling has apparently stalled many u.s. solar projects, upending an industry critical to a clean energy future. 

this frustration, rashid claims, reflects just how reliant america’s solar industry is on foreign supply chains, many of which seep through china. according to the wall street journal, “chinese manufacturers make around 63% of the polysilicon used in most solar panels globally, and more than two-thirds of the wafers that are the next step in the manufacturing process.”

“what a decision like this forces businesses to do is rethink the way they conduct business,” said rashid. “many companies wouldn’t be as angry as they are if they hadn’t made the mistake of relying on china, so now the band-aid is peeled off and they need to develop new long-term plans. we need to incentivize companies to play by the rules and produce in america.”

rashid notes that covid exacerbated already dangerous supply chains, shedding light on american manufacturers’ reliance on foreign labor. that is what inspired him to pursue the investigation with the commerce department. now, he says, america’s solar industry bears the burden of re-shoring the supply chain. that is a process he believes tariffs will set in motion.

clean energy advocates in america believe in the need for a robust domestic solar industry. it’s an urgent policy priority. but they say in order to achieve this, we need the global supply chain in the interim.

they say it will simply take too long to accomplish energy independence to afford shattering the global supply chain, an outcome that would undoubtedly impede a clean energy future. one of these advocates is abigail ross hopper, the ceo of the solar energy industries association (seia), the trade association representing america’s solar industry. she vehemently opposes auxin’s investigation.

“the bottom line is that we all want energy independence and for america’s solar industry to thrive. but in order to achieve those long-term goals, we’ll need to rely on the global supply chain in the short-term to continue building and supporting solar projects in america over the next three to five years.” hopper said.

to re-shore america’s solar supply chain and meet this critical moment, both rashid and hopper note it will take time. but there are important steps being taken right now to bolster america’s industry. among these steps is the inflation reduction act, which offers economic incentives for solar companies to produce in america. 

and while rashid applauds the ira, he still says at the heart of the debate is the need for american companies to re-evaluate their best practices and no longer rely on imports from southeast asia. 

“for far too long, american companies have benefited from foreign producers that violate american law. the ira is an important first step, but we need long-term solutions from the businesses themselves, a commitment that they will no longer rely on unfair and, quite frankly, illegal activity in the supply chain.“

through indigenous ways of knowing, and self-knowledge of who we are as stewards of newe sogobia (mother earth), the original people of what is known as the ‘americas,’ have made efficient use of resources through the management of agricultural practices, fire regimes, land use, etc. since time immemorial. having understood this from an early age, i spent my youth attending ceremonies that helped me connect to the natural world through cultural teachings. my name is bahnwahntze. i am newe (shoshone), and i grew up on the south fork indian reservation in northeastern nevada. my upbringing involved spending summers in northern california, both in urban areas and on the round valley reservation near covelo, ca. growing up, my parents, raised on reservations, taught me that nature and people worked together as one. while living in the urban setting i was being exposed to an ideology that my peers around me weren’t. this helped me to understand and appreciate the symbiotic relations that give us life. i began integrating my understanding into the western science teaching i was receiving. 

my interest in technology began at an early age. as a traditional powwow dancer, i was used to hearing loud music, so at home i began learning how to connect additional speakers to my stereo and also how the amps affected the output of the speakers. i would also practice my dance steps by watching videos of other dancers. to watch the videos, i had to switch connections from cable television to a dvd player. soon my family began to notice my interest in technology and would have me help them with their technological difficulties. after i graduated high school, instead of going into a stem academic program, i went into a technical program at d-q university, a tribal university that offered a technical certificate in cable networking. in the program, i learned how to properly install cable networks for television including fiber optics for the internet. having proven myself successful in installing cable networks, i felt stunted in my personal expression. trapped in a cycle of work and little rest, ignoring my instinct to be on the land, i was forced to listen to that instinct when i was injured at work. my story truly begins once i allowed myself to reeducate and start a new career. 

going into academics having already been in a career for several years, i had no idea what i wanted to do or what kind of research was happening. my mentality at that point was just to get into a program where i could learn office skills, as my injury left me with sedentary work restrictions. i had always liked plants, so i started looking into agriculture programs. what caught my attention was an agricultural business and education program at a local community college.

this program was designed to transfer me into an agricultural science program at a 4-year institution, but i had only wanted to get my 2-year degree so i could begin working right away. fortunately, i was able to get into a research internship during my first semester. while the experience was a great introduction to research, it was the connections i made through the internship that allowed me to progress as a researcher.

soon after i was invited to another fellowship where i presented my first inquisition poster. it was during these sessions i began to notice research that was being done within tribal communities. my perspective on experimentations that had occurred on tribal lands and within tribal communities had mostly been negative; due to the history of the government performing malicious acts on indigenous people and their lands in the name of science. during the conference, i began to learn about different organizations that promoted indigenous scientists. this led to a path where i am currently in my academic career. not only did this program focus on traditional ecological knowledge, but it broke me free from the negative connotations of research within indigenous communities. after this incredible experience, i decided to apply to graduate school so that i could contribute to the science benefiting indigenous communities.

i was introduced to agrivoltaics (av) through my recent internship which took me to the navajo nation. i had been seeking out an internship that would allow me to work within a tribal nation as none of my previous internships had allowed me to. i was unfamiliar with the topic, but i was interested in the program that was presented to me. i learned that av is an emerging innovative agricultural system that places photovoltaic (pv) panels within existing agricultural areas and vice versa. it is an integrated agricultural and energy production system that enhances water conservation and is the very definition of what is known as a food, energy, and water nexus.

during this program, i had the opportunity to work at an agricultural experiment station. i worked closely with the research director who made me aware of opportunities with a new graduate program they were offering. my mentor at the time had wanted to place sheep under the pv panels but i expressed my interest in traditional agriculture practices like intercropping to begin the project. so began my journey into av systems and the three sisters garden system.  

being able to make contributions back to society in a way that promotes indigenous knowledge is one thing, having a project that allows me to go directly into tribal communities and promote localized community growth is another. on the navajo nation, it is fairly well known that a significant number of households are not connected to any kind of grid. understanding that av contributes to built environment as off-grid av systems will greatly benefit remote communities and give them opportunities to power additional agricultural infrastructure such as greenhouses.

when discussing av and how it contributes to built environment with my research director, kevin lombard, ph. d., professor of horticulture at the new mexico state university (nmsu) agricultural science center at farmington; stated that “there is increased interest in urban built environments and having greenhouses closer to consumers.” he then went into how the greenhouses are essentially closed systems and mentioned, “combining that with solar panels to artificial lighting or supplemental lighting makes a lot of sense”. not only will av systems make energy available to agricultural equipment, but they will also have the opportunity to make beneficial use of the land under the pv panels. giving community members the knowledge of how to manage the space under the panels will allow them to grow different crops.

one thing the pandemic exposed was our need for food sovereignty and increased localization of resources. part of my graduate research project is to use the energy produced to support an off-grid greenhouse; this encourages me to continue to push the topic of incorporating indigenous agricultural practices that will contribute to the sustainable component of a controlled environment system. israel joukhdar, a senior research scientist at nmsu college of agricultural, consumer, and environmental sciences, stated “that’s the great thing about building for the future, it’s not that we have to totally transform and tear down all our buildings and do all this stuff, but doing very small things can make a huge change […] a small change goes a long way”. av systems create microenvironments under the pv panels because of the shade that is created. through the microenvironments, we are combating climate change and preventing the degradation of land through smaller built environment systems. 

with the integration of western science into indigenous knowledge as a way to enhance thousands of years of research with the modern infrastructure of today, av shows promise as a component in the efforts to mitigate climate change. the understanding of symbiotic relationships is essential to assisting in rebuilding the environment and increasing the nexus between food, energy, and water to conserve and restore resources. adapting to both forms of scientific knowledge is leading research and i am thankful my culture and upbringing have allowed me to assist in the science that will benefit the work being done. awh’ho