in the heart of panama’s lush landscapes and vibrant cultures, a narrative of resilience and transformation unfolds. here, amidst the rich tapestry of indigenous communities – the guna, emberá, wounaan, bri bri, naso tjërdi, and bokota – a story of empowerment emerges, transcending the confines of mere survival.

once bound by the chains of generational poverty and subsistence living, these communities stood at the crossroads of tradition and modernity. it was in this dynamic juncture that my organization, empower natives, ignited a beacon of hope, a catalyst for change, and a partner in their journey towards sustainable progress.

i founded empower natives to uplift indigenous communities in panama and address their challenges such as extreme poverty and lack of access to resources.

amidst the rustling palms and ancestral whispers, empower natives embarked on a transformative quest. they didn’t arrive with ready-made solutions but embraced a vision founded on respect, cultural understanding, and collaboration. they listened intently to the wisdom of elders and the dreams of the youth, recognizing that true empowerment blossoms from within.

with innovation as their compass, empower natives introduced a symphony of change. they facilitated workshops on entrepreneurship, gently guiding these communities to see their agricultural endeavors not merely as subsistence but as thriving businesses. digital tablets, augmented reality, and tailored training became the tools paving the path toward economic empowerment and technological adaptation.

but empower natives didn’t stop there. they recognized that progress must weave through the fabric of tradition, not sever it. cultural preservation became intertwined with each initiative, celebrating age-old wisdom while embracing contemporary innovation.

the narrative shifted – from the struggle to survive to the empowerment to thrive. economic landscapes flourished; traditional knowledge found synergy with modern practices; communities stood taller, brimming with newfound confidence.

today, the once-forgotten whispers of these indigenous communities echo louder. empower natives, hand-in-hand with the communities they serve, have redefined the narrative. it’s no longer about surviving; it’s about thriving. they’ve sparked a movement where ancient wisdom meets innovation, where subsistence living transcends into sustainable development, and where empowerment paves the way for a brighter, more promising tomorrow.

despite accounting for less than 5% of the world’s population, the united states consumes 17% of the world’s energy, ranking second only to china in terms of energy consumption. this energy releases greenhouse gases, as evidenced by the average 7.4 billion barrels of petroleum used in the u.s. on a single day. projects such as revolution wind are working to combat this dependence on fossil fuels through clean and reliable wind energy.

expanding wind energy in the northeast

according the company’s website, the project surrounds the construction of 100 turbines off the coast of rhode island, which would provide 400 mw of energy to rhode island and 304 mw to connecticut. according to ryan ferguson, communications advisor and public affairs lead at Ørsted, revolution wind is expected to create 800 direct jobs, and once in operation, will power up to 350,000 connecticut and rhode island homes with clean, renewable energy. this is the equivalent of taking more than 150,000 cars off the road.”

“revolution wind will play a critical role in helping connecticut and rhode island meet their ambitious clean energy and climate goals, while creating hundreds of good-paying jobs across new england,” ferguson said. “with offshore construction beginning in spring 2024, this project is another important step forward for the american offshore wind industry.”

nicolas lombardo, a student representative of uconn’s carbon reduction group, sees connecticut’s embrace of renewable energy as a significant stride in the right direction. from crowdfunding initiatives aimed at sustainability to comprehensive action plans and tangible sustainable practices, the state is making commendable progress.

“greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide, are released into the atmosphere with the burning of fossil fuels, and this in turn is trapping heat and increasing the temperature of the planet,” lombardo said. “renewables use natural and replenishable resources like the sun and wind, and they are a necessity if the world wants to slow the worst impacts of the climate crisis.”

in december 2018, connecticut proactively advanced the revolution wind project by preemptively buying 200mw through a long-term power purchase agreement, authorized by the public utilities regulatory authority (pura), with eversource and united illuminating. additionally, the state’s department of energy and environmental protection (deep) provided project developers the green light to initiate negotiations for an extra 100mw power purchase agreement with the region’s power distribution firms.

the revolution wind project is just the first step in connecticut’s ambitious agenda to have 100 percent of the state’s electricity sourced from zero-carbon resources by 2040. governor ned lamon recently expressed enthusiasm for collaborating with neighboring states, massachusetts, and rhode island, to continue working towards a more sustainable and economically successful future.

“we’re going to be purchasing wind power together, bringing down costs, allowing us to get more economies going forward,” governor lamont said during a zero-carbon press conference. “that will be a significant piece of our energy future.”

challenges and concerns for marine life

despite the considerable potential benefits that the revolution wind project promises, concerns have been raised regarding the potential impact on marine life. 

hannes baumann, ph.d., associate professor of marine sciences at the university of connecticut, specializes in anthropogenic changes in our oceans and coastal waters. he, like other scientists and environmental activists, fears that human construction in marine habitat may pose risks to marine life. according to baumann, the turbines pose special risk to the sand lance, an eel-like fish that relies on the same coarse grain sand habitats that are ideal for turbine construction.

“we used a computer model to simulate where the sand lance settles, and it was found that they drift to areas being constructed for wind farms,” baumann said. “the study found that there is a potential overlap concern between the offshore wind park and these very important fish which are a crucial food source for marine life.”

baumann also addressed concerns regarding both the impact on migratory birds and the high voltage cables on the ocean floor and the impact that could have on the orientation of organisms that use magnetic fields. while he does support the push for renewable energy, baumann is concerned that there may not be enough research being done.

kim sawicki, president of sustainable seas technology, is also concerned about the environmental impacts, but her priority is aiding those whose voices often go unheard. 

“the wind farm is going to displace fish for sure, but i think those fish will be fine,” sawicki said. “my concern is with the local fisherman. this is their livelihood, and it is at risk since the turbines are being built in their leading fishing areas they have utilized for decades.”

environmental impact mitigation efforts

while Ørsted and eversource state that they are aware of the environmental impacts revolution wind could create, both organizations assure that they have taken the necessary measures to mitigate any negative consequences the wind farm may have. 

jennifer delony, regional director of offshore wind at the environmental league of massachusetts, said there is a very lengthy and legal process when it comes to the construction of wind farms.

“i cannot stress enough the amount of time, energy, and people that have gone into ensuring that there are no severe impacts on local marine life,” delony said. if it was not a low-incident issue, the project would never have been approved. any impacts that were identified are constantly under surveillance by experts in the marine biology field.”

sam salustro, vice president of strategic commutations at the business network for offshore wind, believes that the backlash towards revolution wind largely stems not from marine conservationists, but rather from people who are against the concept of wind farms entirely.

“anything that happens in the ocean is going to impact marine life in some way, but revolution wind farm is not going to have a dangerous or severe impact on marine mammal life,” salustro said. “this is what a concentrated misinformation campaign looks like and it is driving confusion and doubt about offshore wind’s environmental record.”

looking toward a clean energy future

as connecticut looks towards a clean energy future, the revolution wind project represents a significant step forward in achieving this goal. despite Ørsted and eversource’s efforts to ensure that the revolution wind project is constructed with marine biodiversity as a top priority, there are still concerns about the impact this project could have on local marine life and the jobs that depend on those potentially displaced fish.

according to ferguson, revolution wind and the safety of marine life are not on opposite ends of a spectrum, but rather are intrinsically connected by a greater threat.

“the biggest threat to the ocean environment is the adverse effects of warming oceans and climate change,” ferguson said. “revolution wind is a critical piece of the fight against climate change and mitigating those harmful impacts.”

for a company focusing on wind power, it is no surprise that flower turbines chose lubbock, texas, as its home in the united states. lubbock regularly ranks in the top 10 windiest cities in the united states according to data reported by noaa. when this energy start-up blew into town, their mission was simple: democratize clean energy and give people more control over the source of their electricity. the inventors of a tulip-shaped wind turbine, flower turbines, are aiming to reimagine the technology of small wind.

flower power

small wind is about harnessing the power of the wind, locally. small wind systems are designed to be a way for everyday consumers to green up their power usage. energy.gov estimates that small wind systems could cut the average consumer’s electricity bills by 50%-90%. 

dr. daniel farb is the ceo of flower turbines and a strong advocate of small wind technology. 

traditional, fan-style wind turbines generate a few complaints: bird collisions, disruptive noise, and degradation of the visual appeal of natural landscapes are commonly cited as inhibitors of wind power. flower turbines, however, solve some of these issues attached to traditional wind farming. 

“they have low noise, actually – no noise, and they are bird-friendly,” dr. farb says.

near silence and bird-friendliness are achieved because tulip turbines operate on the vertical axis as opposed to the horizontal axis that the traditional, fan-style turbines use.

along with being safe for wildlife and non-disruptive to human ears, flower turbines pride themselves on being aesthetically pleasing as well. dr. farb says that he wants their turbines to be more like works of art themselves. 

“we are intending to use it to make a statement about climate change and so forth, through art,” dr. farb explained, “it’s a kind of ecological art.” 

the turbines come in three sizes and a customizable variety of colors.

most of flower turbines’ work has been in europe. they are two-time winners of the dutch sustainability award for their small wind contributions. 

“we’ve done a lot of encouragement of e-bike charging systems by selling combined wind and solar e-bike chargers to a lot of municipalities,” dr. farb says. 

dr. farb helped create and patent the “cluster effect” used by flower turbines. when grouped together, energy production efficiency increases. groups of tulip turbines can make their neighbors perform 20%-50% percent better. 

“we can have more zoom and less room,” dr. farb says. “in other words, by putting them together, we make better use of limited space in a small world.”

dr. farb explained that because of this effect, in certain parts of the world, small wind turbines can produce more energy per square foot than solar panels. the ability to place tulip turbines in groups and on roofs or the ground creates the opportunity for small wind farms in urban spaces. 

“i believe that now, we are the only small wind company that could scale into a large global company and make a significant impact on renewable energy the way that solar has grown,” dr. farb says. 

small wind in action

implementation of small wind systems shows great promise for building off-grid systems in rural areas or supplementing traditional energy sources in urban areas. 

researchers at texas tech university are putting small wind systems to the test in a project aimed at decentralizing the utility system. lead principle investigator brian ancell helped bring the home utility management system, or hums, to life in 2018. 

“the whole idea of the project is centered around the fact that centralized utility systems are really vulnerable to things like climate change and disasters, either natural or manmade,” ancell says. “we’re trying to develop a residential decentralized system where the house itself can produce a good amount of its own power and a good amount of its own water.”

the hums house includes a three-kilowatt, residential-grade wind turbine. ancell says the cost for the small wind system was $6,000-$7,000 when it was initially installed. while it does generate power, wind energy is a variable energy source. 

“the small turbine itself can’t really power a whole lot at a given instant in time, but storing the power in a battery for people to use later is the key,” ancell says.

the house uses a combined small wind and solar power system to provide as much sustainable energy as possible, but it is not aiming to be a completely off-grid system. 

“we know that a fully islanded house with no connection to any grid supplies probably also won’t work,” ancell says. “the idea is that the centralized grid will have to provide much less than it does today – it’ll be much more sustainable and much more reliable.” 

one of the main focuses of the hums house is a guidance system that learns the energy production and consumption trends of the house. it then guides homeowners on how to maximize their energy capture, storage and usage.

“the system provides guidance that tells you how much money you’ll lose or how much money you’ll save based on changing habits – essentially based on what you’re getting from the wind turbine and the projection of how much power you’re going to be using,” ancell says. 

the biggest factor to implement this technology is reducing the cost of battery storage. ancell is optimistic that the costs are going to come down enough in the near future that implementing small wind residential energy will become cost-effective.

the 330-foot-long, hydrogen cell powered sailing vessel is proposed by the veer group, a bahamas-based company committed to zero carbon emissions. the design was approved by the american bureau of shipping.

“if there was a desire for this in the great lakes, it would just make me super happy to be able to fulfill that,” said veer ceo danielle doggett.

whether such vessels will someday enter the great lakes is uncertain. but interest is high in decarbonizing shipping. globally, the shipping industry’s 100,000 vessels are responsible for 3% of carbon emissions, according to maersk mc-kinney moller center, a nonprofit research company affiliated with the mærsk shipping company that is committed to decarbonizing the maritime industry.

the past and future of shipping

the maritime administration recently announced a study to explore low carbon options for shipping on the great lakes. the group, which includes the international council on clean transportation, the american bureau of shipping and others, is looking at alternative fuels and power.  the study will examine environmentally friendly fuel alternatives like biofuel and how to incorporate different power systems, like hydrogen fuel cells, into great lakes shipping, according to a press release.

combustion engines have dominated the shipping industry since the 1930s. veer is looking to bring sailing cargo back, doggett said. the company seeks funding to begin an 18-month build and have two vessels sailing by 2024 and six by 2026.

greenhouse gas emissions significantly contribute to climate change. they increase global temperatures, weather variability and air pollution. the great lakes have seen the effects of emissions from increased flooding, algal blooms and soil erosion.

“veer sail ships in the great lakes would make a lot of sense,” doggett said.

one reason is that veer’s plans are consistent with the clean shipping goals of the u.s. and canada, doggett said. another component for the great lakes is that the hydrogen fuel cells produce freshwater. it would be nice to excrete freshwater into a freshwater lake rather than into the ocean, doggett said.

growing up around the great lakes ships in kingston, ontario, inspired her field of work, she said.

addressing climate change and its effects

cleaner shipping comes at a crucial time for action, said university of michigan naval architecture and marine engineering professor matthew collette.

in 2021, the u.s. joined a united nations coalition to reach net zero emissions. the executive order emphasized the goal to reach net zero carbon emissions from federal operations by 2050. reaching zero means replacing energy sources that produce man-made emissions with renewable energy sources, like solar and wind power.

“if we want to be at zero carbon by 2050, the decisions we make in the next five years are really going to shape what fuel will become dominant,” collette said.

great lakes vessels primarily see the impact of climate change through variability in lake levels, extreme cold weather and major weather events, said jim weakley, president of the lake carriers’ association, a group participating in the maritime administration study.

“if the levels are low, or lower than normal, for each inch of water we lose as much as 270 tons of cargo per vessel load,” said weakley, whose organization moves over 90 million tons of cargo throughout the great lakes each year.

the group wants to reduce the risk of climate change and is open to using veer group vessels once they are sailing, said debra dicianna, director of environmental affairs for the lake carriers’ association.

but using the existing ships on the great lakes would be better, she said.

“with our membership and their existing fleet, they are doing well at hauling the cargo that they need to,” she said.

all about balance

veer’s sailing vessels may be part of the solution, collette said. but figuring out a balance of technologies and fuel is the way to a more sustainable future.

“we don’t have a single winning technology today that everyone is pointing to and saying this is the way forward,” he said.

while veer’s methods may not be in the cards for the great lakes for another few years, the idea of sail-assist to reduce emissions is relevant today, collette said.

it is easier to update existing great lakes vessels by adding sails or replacing combustion engines with a lower sulfur level fuel cell, he said.

“adding sails to existing ships might reduce emissions from 10% to 30%, he said. “but i think we are also going to have to figure out a zero carbon fuel source for them.”

alternative fuels that don’t involve burning a hydrocarbon include methanol, ammonia or hydrogen, collette said.

“i think there’s a lot of work to be done on figuring out which one of those will be the most effective,” he said.

decarbonizing great lakes shipping may require multiple approaches.

“we need to make sure we are taking a holistic view of minimizing our impact on the lakes and the people who live around the lakes,” collette said.

however, restaurants are putting climate change on the menu. industry leaders are transitioning their restaurant operations to be more sustainable and climate friendly. here are 5 ways they’re doing it.

renewable energy 

restaurants are converting their spaces into sustainable buildings. azurmendi, a three-michelin-star restaurant in spain and two-time sustainable restaurant award winner, uses solar panels for electricity and uses geothermal energy for indoor climate control. root down, a sustainably focused restaurant in denver, is run entirely on wind power. nomad an ultra-local restaurant in australia operates off of solar energy and is a solar panel host site for the community. 

the shift to renewable energy is not exclusive to high-end restaurants. mcdonald’s opened a new net zero energy restaurant, the first in their fleet of 36,525 locations, in july 2020 in orlando, florida. the new location is a first step in mcdonald’s sustainability goals, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 36% by 2030. 

sustainable sourcing 

the farm-to-table phenomenon that became popular in restaurants over the past few years has been crucial to kick-starting a wave of restaurant sustainability. local, farm-to-table produce emits less carbon, as there is less transportation necessary to deliver it. amber in hong kong, the sustainable restaurant award 2020 winner, specializes in ultra-local, hyper-seasonal selections on their menu. their menu is up to 50% plant-based and they’ve removed all dairy from their dishes.

blue hill, a new york based restaurant, was one of the first to prioritize ultra-local sourcing and foster relationships with the farmers they work with. by seasonally changing menus and sourcing produce and meat products from local, sustainably operated farms, restaurants can greatly reduce their carbon footprints.

recycling

we can all do our part by recycling. we all know the saying: “reduce, reuse, recycle.” restaurants are using recycled paper products, recycled water, and recycled furniture. relae in denmark, winner of the sustainable restaurant award 2019, recycles wherever possible. from reusing empty wine bottles to serve their in-house filtered water, to using recycled furniture and wearing sustainable-fabric aprons, relae works tirelessly to employ sustainability in all aspects of their operations.

founding farmers in washington, d.c., uses recycled materials in a similar way. from recycled paper-composite counter tops, to recycled paper menus and recycled wood furnishings, the restaurant group prioritizes sustainability in all nine of their locations.

circular economy and community involvement 

many restaurants engage in circular economies and community involvement, which helps their communities and involves locals in sustainability efforts. septime in paris sources all of their produce from french farmers, and works with those farmers to save seed varieties and plant species. mil, a restaurant nestled in the andes mountains of peru, fosters close relationships with local communities and the farmers they source from, ensuring that farmers receive 50% of harvest profits. woodberry kitchen, a baltimore restaurant, repurposes oyster shells and returns them to chesapeake bay to regenerate oyster beds. 

zero food print

zero food print is an organization that enables farmers to practice carbon farming. carbon farming is a method that restores soil biology, which then pulls carbon out of the atmosphere, reviving the soil and replenishing nutrients. zero food print restaurants contribute a few cents per meal to helping farmers implement carbon farming through grants from the organization’s restore programs. according to professor rattan lal at ohio state university, “a mere 2% increase in the carbon content of the planet’s soils could offset 100% of all greenhouse gas emissions going into the atmosphere.” 

as restaurants prioritize sustainability, they are supporting local farmers, reducing their impact on the environment, and making an impact on their guests. by continuing to put climate change on the menu, restaurants will be a key player in the fight against climate change. 

wind energy is so prevalent in texas, that if the state were its own country, it would rank fifth in the world for wind energy with about 25 megawatts installed throughout the state according to the american wind energy association.

what’s even more impressive about wind-powered electricity in texas? in 2019, something monumental happened. the electric reliability council of texas (ercot) released their biannual report for the first half of the year and wind had surpassed coal. the difference in energy usage was small with wind coming in at 22% and coal at 21%, but wind has been growing steadily in practice and as a focus for politicians, educators, environmentalists, and local economies.

lubbock, texas, is the heart of wind research, industry, and education in the country. it’s the home of texas tech university and the national wind institute (nwi), and the university is the only one in the nation with a degree program for wind engineering. anyone that’s familiar with west texas knows that wind turbines are as plentiful as tumbleweeds and prairie dogs. new “wind farms” appear every year on the farmland surrounding small towns. these wind farms pump money into local economies and bring new life to these communities.

matt saldana is a small-town texas native and an employee of the national wind institute. saldana also is an instructor at texas tech, specializing in renewable energies, finance and economics, and project management. he has seen firsthand the changes that come with the wind industry while living in sweetwater, texas. while there, he witnessed a revival of the small town as money was brought into the community as a result of a new wind farm outside of town. saldana explained the entire process. 

when a contractor sees potential for a wind farm in an area, they go to the landowners of large farms and ranches with the request to put instruments on their land to take readings of wind speeds in the area, according to saldana. he said this stage is fully noncommittal and comes with no guaranteed compensation for the landowner. if the owner agrees to having turbines built on their property, the contracting company will begin construction.

as a thank you to the community, developers will often pay for new roads, sidewalks, or schools. in sweetwater, a new, state-of-the-art school district was built. this allowed for more money to be spent on teachers’ salaries, bringing in new faculty from the metroplex.

while the turbines are being constructed, thousands of temporary jobs are created. not only are local men and women hired to be on the construction crews, but local motels, restaurants, and gas stations see more business than they have in a long time. while they are under construction, the developers are subject to all local tax rates as well, ensuring the cities receive municipal funding. saldana said after construction, about 30 well-paying, permanent jobs are given to local residents. the landowners that have turbines on their properties receive a percentage of the revenue that each turbine produces (generally 3% to 8% depending on the specific company and production levels of each turbine, according to saldana).

“people are being allowed to keep the family farms they’ve had for generations,” saldana said.

the american farmer is in critical condition. production prices are at an all-time high, climate change is affecting growing seasons and harvesting, and trade wars with foreign countries have made it harder for many to sell what little yield they have. farm bankruptcies are up across every region of the country and the farmer suicide rate is one of the highest in the nation. saldana said that the extra revenue brought in by turbines to family farms has helped people save the land that’s been in their families for generations.

saldana said that research is being done constantly in order to push the industry forward. a few hot topics in the field include cybersecurity of turbines on the grid, finding a use for old and out of date equipment, moving into offshore capabilities, and finding a way to store renewable energy.

“renewable electricity can’t be stored,” saldana said. “finding a solution to that would be a game changer.”

saldana said despite the many positive aspects of the wind industry, there is still controversy surrounding wind turbines for people who live around them: endangering wildlife such as birds and bats, disrupting flora and fauna, and the low aesthetic value of the wind farms. he said the nwi is working on addressing these issues and that developers often work with wildlife conservation groups funding research and relocating bird species, like the lesser prairie chicken.

“there’s always going to be pushback no matter the industry,” saldana said. “(the positives) outweigh the negatives by environmental benefits and just keeping stuff in the ground.”

despite these controversies, there’s no question that renewable energy industries have earned their place in texas. wind powered energy has become a major source of power for the state and only continues to grow. wind energy allows for more assurance from blackouts, brownouts, and offers a new, clean means of electricity on the grid, ensuring a green method of urban resilience as our population spreads in urban areas; as a result, rural communities in west texas continue to thrive thanks to the economic spark this industry brings them.

denmark hit a renewable energy milestone in july: its windmills produced 140 percent of the entire country’s energy needs.

still think renewables aren’t a realistic option for meeting our world’s growing energy demands?

denmark has a long history of wind energy, with its first wind turbines — and energy cooperatives — dating back to the late 1800’s. but since beginning my semester abroad in denmark in late september, i’ve been trying to figure out how copenhagen has found the drive to aim for carbon neutrality by 2025 — a mere 10 years away — and, moreover, a goal for the entire country to become completely dependent on renewable energy in the next 35 years.

the key to denmark’s success, though, is not its political drive. in fact, it is quite the opposite.

denmark has a long, inspiring history of community-based organizations that can be traced back to the 1300’s. some 500 years later, the country’s wind energy cooperatives originated with poul la cour. having lived through the start of the industrial revolution, la cour watched as many families migrated to cities and left their farms behind. the families that remained in the countryside had little choice but to continue their labor-intensive farm lifestyles. la cour recognized energy’s potential to revolutionize these lifestyles, so he decided to devote much of his life to bringing the benefits of decentralized electricity to rural communities by constructing wind turbines. despite his moderate success and rural influence, oil became increasingly abundant in the coming years and eventually made its way to the countryside, leading to the decommissioning of the last of la cour’s windmills in 1935.

denmark’s wind energy progress was then put on hold for many years, and nearly all aspects of danish society came to be dominated by this new, high-content energy source. the oil dependency continued until the oil crisis of the 1970s. the crisis absolutely crushed denmark’s economy. by that time, roughly 95 percent of denmark’s energy consumption was dependent on foreign oil reserves. unlike the united states, oil was not just used for transportation in denmark, it was also their primary means of heating and electricity. this blow revealed the country’s vulnerability to energy shocks and how quickly their national security could be threatened. the country was forced to think of alternative, dependable sources of energy — and quick.

one immediate social response to the high gasoline prices was the reinvigoration of the biking culture in copenhagen, a movement that originated in the 1890’s but quickly got phased out as automobiles became the preferred, more convenient means of travel. with the cost of driving suddenly shooting through the roof, danes quickly began biking again, and the government responded by refurbishing old bike lanes and inventing new ones. today, 45 percent of copenhagen’s population gets to work or school on a bike, hence its well deserved nickname “bike city.” (could you imagine this being the case in new york?)

the nørreport station in copenhagen in 2007 is overrun with bicycles. (leif jørgensen/creative commons)

but denmark had bigger issues to tackle than painting bike lanes. the government’s plan to combat the oil crisis was nuclear energy, but this received extremely hostile backlash from the danish population, leading to the creation of the organization for information on nuclear power (ooa). as far as danes were concerned, nuclear power simply wasn’t a viable option for their small, scattered country. after 12 years of anti-nuclear movements and social unrest, danish parliament could no longer contest with denmark’s determined civil society and agreed to look at alternative sources of energy, chiefly wind. this movement toward wind energy actually originated through local cooperatives in which danes, building off of what poul la cour had started 90 years earlier, constructed their own turbines and illegally connected them to the grid. these cooperatives ultimately forced the danish government to seriously consider the prospect of decentralized, community ownership of wind turbines, something that was and is still crucial to denmark’s success with wind energy.

from these accounts, we can understand that denmark has not always been a beacon of sustainable innovation. it took an economic catastrophe and serious social engagement to force the government to fundamentally rethink the nature of their energy dependence. while environmental concerns were certainly expressed at the time, the country’s reasoning behind wind energy was not driven by environmental principles. it was more so a sociopolitical and economic decision, one that originated through civil society and allowed the government to recognize the benefits of putting denmark in control over their energy by making use of the resources around them — which happened to be wind.

the united states, among other countries, is surrounded by an abundance of clean, sustainable sources of energy, including wind, biomass (which can be better sourced from waste so as not to disrupt food supply) and, oh yeah, the sun — that massive ball of energy that is the source of nearly all life on earth. but perhaps leaving it up to the government to recognize this potential is not our best option.

so will it be investors who recognize the long term, sustainable profits available in the renewable energy industry, or businesses that see it as an opportunity to get a head start on implementing these inexhaustible resources for which new technologies are constantly emerging, ones that already are outcompeting and displacing fossil fuels? by looking at how denmark has succeeded, one thing’s for sure: widespread social involvement and innovation is essential. movements like the sierra club’s “beyond coal” campaign have proven extremely successful in the united states, shutting down more than 150 proposed coal power plants in the past three years. by increasing the number of stakeholders involved, funding this renewable and sustainable revolution will be much more feasible, and it would help bring together a variety of epistemic communities that will be necessary to make this radical transformation possible.

(top image: a wind farm in copenhagen in 2009. credit: www.cgpgrey.com​)

today’s flow batteries pump two different liquids through an interaction chamber where dissolved molecules undergo chemical reactions that store or give up energy. the chamber contains a membrane that only allows ions not involved in reactions to pass between the liquids while keeping the active ions physically separated. this battery design has two major drawbacks: the high cost of liquids containing rare materials such as vanadium – especially in the huge quantities needed for grid storage – and the membrane, which is also very expensive and requires frequent maintenance.

the new stanford/slac battery design uses only one stream of molecules and does not need a membrane at all. its molecules mostly consist of the relatively inexpensive elements lithium and sulfur, which interact with a piece of lithium metal coated with a barrier that permits electrons to pass without degrading the metal. when discharging, the molecules, called lithium polysulfides, absorb lithium ions; when charging, they lose them back into the liquid. the entire molecular stream is dissolved in an organic solvent, which doesn’t have the corrosion issues of water-based flow batteries.

companies like xcel are already catching on, but as demands change, as renewables become more accessible to consumers, and as infrastructure improves, policy makers and utilities will need to work together to adapt to minnesota’s energy future.