Stirling's Maricopa Solar Pilot Plant - SOLAR SERDAR
The 1.5-MW Maricopa project, just outside Phoenix, Arizona, is the first using the Stirling engine technology developed by Stirling Energy Systems and Tessera Solar. Watch the video to get a look at the project and learn how it operates.
SOLAR SERDAR
Željko Serdar
Head of association
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Kimberlina Solar Power Plant - SOLAR SERDAR
A Power Engineering guided technical tour of Areva Solar's linear Fresnel solar power plant in California.
SOLAR SERDAR
Željko Serdar
Head of association
SOLAR SERDAR
Željko Serdar
Head of association
Monday, February 14, 2011
Need for renewable energy resources
Need for renewable energy resources
It is now certain that the current energy systems and technological advancements available in the world are not sufficient to make the planet free from the carbon dioxide that is emitted from those resources. To solve this problem, there is a scope to build new technologies and to bring the existing technologies together to get maximum benefit from the entire energy system including energy production, transformation, to energy transportation and distribution. Work in this direction will have to be taken at both macro and micro level.
Need for renewable energy resources
The world will have to switch to renewable energy resources very fast, because despite the availability of renewable energy resources, a large part of the world is still dependent on traditional energy sources such as coal and gas. This over-dependence of these traditional resources will lead to a situation where by the end of 21st century, resources like coal and gas will become extinct from the world. Thus, continuous efforts need to be made to switch over to renewable energy resources. This switch can help many countries make a successful environment policy and reduce the consumption of imported oil and gas.
Use of energy resources with low carbon at macro level
If Risø National Laboratory for Sustainable Energy is to be believed, by the year 2050, the world will be in a position to use sources of energy with very low or no carbon emissions. The global energy system with low emissions will now have to use this new energy system in such a way that the cost of using these resources is also reduced.
The Risø energy report 9 gives a list of a number of energy technologies that will be commercially available for use in times to come. These technologies with no emission of greenhouse gases will help in reducing pollution.
The Risø energy reports, which have been prepared by the joint efforts of Danish and international experts look at energy issues of today and tomorrow from the perspective of the needs of Danish people, the region and the world. These reports are monitored by an independent panel of international experts and are based on scientific material that is internationally recognized.More info at http://solarserdar.blogspot.com.
Use of energy resources with low carbon at micro level
The new technologies in energy sources have to reach the end user. The producer should keep in mind what the users want at the local level and make technological advancements in the goods being used by the common person on a more regular basis. New technologies are being used in items like electronic equipment, heat pumps, local energy supplies such as solar cells and energy storage that people use on a daily basis.
Use of renewable energy resources in Denmark
In countries like Denmark, there is a strong need to start encouraging renewable energy systems right away. This will have several advantages like,
It will help to eliminate traditional fuel like gas and oil at a very fast pace
It will reduce the emission of greenhouse gases
It will help to stop the use of traditional fuel in generating power and heat production by the year 2040.
It will help to eliminate the use of gas and oil in the transport sector in Denmark by 2050.More info at HTTP://solarserdar.wordpress.com.
There is a need to invest and take maximum advantage of the developments taking place in renewable energy sector. If we do not invest in this sector and make use of the opportunities given to us, it is likely that the scarcity of traditional resources will put so much pressure on the generations to come that they will never be able to bear.
SOLAR SERDAR
BIOGORIVO U RH U 2011
BIOGORIVO U REPUBLICI HRVATSKOJ U 2011
Zbog zaštite okoliša i zahtjeva standarda Europske unije Vlada je propisala da će ove godine u promet biti stavljeno 18.500 tona biogoriva. Do 2020. ta količina morat će se proširiti na 180.000 tona godišnje, kako bi se dosegnula potrebna kvota od 10 posto goriva iz ekoloških izvora u sektoru prijevoza. Glavnina biogoriva za početak će biti biodizel, dok će se količine bioetanola u promet puštati po količinama od 3000 tona u 2011. pa do 34.500 tona u 2020. godini. Prema Nacionalnom akcijskom planu poticanja proizvodnje i korištenja biogoriva u prijevozu, koji je Vlada prihvatila na prošlotjednoj sjednici, izražava se namjera da ukupna količina biogoriva bude i proizvedena u Hrvatskoj. Ministar gospodarstva Đuro Popijač ocijenio je da bi se na taj način ostvarili i poticaji za uvođenje visokih tehnologija u ovo proizvodno područje.Više informacija na http://solarserdar.blogspot.com.
Prema Zakonu o biogorivima za prijevoz već je utvrđeno da će se od distributera motornih goriva prikupljati posebna naknada koja će se zatim isplaćivati proizvođačima biogoriva. Poticaji će rasti u skladu s rastom godišnjih kvota biogoriva koja bude stavljana u promet. S druge strane poticat će se i korištenje biogoriva kod vlasnika motornih vozila. Iako oblik tih olakšica još nije precizno definiran, Vlada u Nacionalnom akcijskom planu spominje, primjerice, irski model, gdje su uvedene niže stope poreza za vozila s niskim emisijama stakleničkih plinova. Navodi se i ciparski sustav, koji je uveo trošarinsku olakšicu od 1200 eura za kupnju hibridnih vozila, odnosno, vozila koja mogu koristiti i biogorivo.
Nabrojani su i primjeri Švedske i Poljske koje su kupnju "zelenih vozila“ upisale u programe javne nabave tijela državne uprave. U Švedskoj 85 posto automobila koje kupuju ili unajmljuju tijela državne vlasti moraju biti ekološki prihvatljiva. Vlada je izmijenila i Uredbu o kakvoći tekućih naftnih goriva. Po toj uredbi u prodaji na benzinskim crpkama smije biti samo benzin kakvoće euro 5 (do 10 miligrama sumpora u kilogramu benzina), dok se za dizelska goriva obveza postizanja standarda euro 5 produžava do 21. prosinca 2011. godine. Za loživo i plinsko ulje te brodsko plinsko gorivo europske granične vrijednosti moraju se postići do kraja 2012. godine. Prema riječima Branka Bačića, ministra zaštite okoliša, Vlada se na takvo rješenje odlučila zato što Ina još nije dovršila modernizacije rafinerija u dijelu za proizvodnju dizelskog goriva. Uredbom je ujedno propisano da dizel s većim postotkom sumpora ne smije na benzinskoj postaji biti prodavan kao "eurodizel" ili s oznakom „BS“. Rokovi za produženo korištenje goriva lošijeg od eurostandarda, dogovoreni su u pregovaračkom procesu Hrvatske i Europske unije.Više informacija na http://solarserdar.wordpress.com.
Uredba donosi i obvezu distributera benzina da potrošačima osiguraju informacije o sadržaju biogoriva u benzinu. Primjerice, benzin u kojem je do 5 posto biogoriva, označavat će se oznakom E5, a s udjelom od 5 do 10 posto nosit će oznaku E10. Dizelsko gorivo u kojem udjel biogoriva doseže do 7 posto nosit će oznaku B7. U skladu s europskim propisima, na mjestima na kojima se prodaje gorivo s metalnim aditivima morat će stajati naljepnica s tekstom „Sadrži metalne aditive“. U skladu s europskim pravilima propisane su i procedure provjere kvalitete goriva koje distributeri stavljaju u promet.
SOLAR SERDAR
Saturday, February 12, 2011
SOLAR POWER by SOLAR SERDAR
And so we wait ...
The good news is this: the future is solar. Photovoltaic panels continue to get smaller, cheaper and more efficient. Installation costs are declining in direct proportion to the number of solar systems going into the field. Policymarkers are waking to the benefits of a more decentralized power grid, and community building codes increasingly reflect the new reality of solarized homes and businesses.
Solar power is on its way. In the meantime, how can we use all these free photons? It depends on your needs and budget, of course. But we've rounded up five ways you can start using solar energy today.
Our ground rules are pretty simple. Each of these mini solar investments must provide reasonable benefits, not be more involved than a weekend project, and clock in under $500. They're not restricted to photovoltaic conversion, and may use solar energy in any way. Both DIY projects and product purchases are fair game.
Ready to give it a shot? Pick one, and join the solar age!
Small-scale solar panels
When most people think about solar power, the first thing that comes to mind is solar PV (photovoltaic). These are systems that convert sunlight into electricity. The size of the installation can vary, but it will have three basic components: panels, which capture sunlight and convert it to electrical energy; a controller, designed to prevent overcharging; and some sort of storage battery. Many systems will also have a DC to AC power converter.
For $500, you can't buy enough juice to run a major appliance, much less an entire home. But if you're willing to do the work yourself, you can afford the materials for a self-contained system that will provide enough clean, renewable power for small electronic devices and chargers. Small-scale solar is useful for emergencies, too. You'll be able to run a laptop or keep your cell phone charged, even when your neighbors are sitting in the dark.
Sunforce is one of the many green companies providing consumer-level solar power kits and components. Their 50044 60-Watt Solar Charging Kit retails for about $600, but can be found on sale through places such as Amazon for about $300. That leaves a couple hundred bucks for a storage battery, which is not included. You're otherwise good to go, with four 15-watt panels, a frame, and most of the goodies you'll need to get up and running. Small systems like this are also great for powering things that might be impossible or prohibitively expensive to connect to commercial mains: water pumps, marine electronics — even electric fences.More info at http://solarserdar.blogspot.com.
Tubular skylights
Energy-efficient lighting isn't all about CFLs and LEDs. The next time you're in an older home — one constructed before electricity was common — notice the windows.
Until the turn of the last century, buildings relied on natural daytime lighting. Floor-to-ceiling windows were common (and used for both ventilation and illumination). We don't build that way anymore, but it's possible to make direct use of solar power through the installation of skylights.
Conventional skylighting can be pricey, and usually requires professional installation. But tubular skylights are a simple and inexpensive way to bring light into your living space. These consist of three basic parts: a dome collector, which is mounted above the roofline; piping, which directs the collected sunlight; and a diffuser, mounted much in the manner of a traditional roof lighting fixture.
Tubular skylight projects generally don't require building permits, can be knocked out in a few hours with common tools, and don't displace much attic insulation. The amount of light they produce can be considerable. This 18-inch kit provides the equivalent of 750 watts of incandescent light for about $400, including optional accessories. That leaves $100 to rent whatever extra tools you might need — and to buy a case of beer for whoever you can talk into spending an afternoon on the roof with you.
A humble clothesline
Here's another example of direct solar power: a clothesline. In terms of home energy use, the clothes dryer is among the hungriest of appliances, ranking immediately behind the refrigerator, climate control, hot water heaters and lighting. Depending on how much laundry you go through and local power rates, an electric clothes dryer can easily account for $200 of your annual energy use.
The sun is ready to save this money for you. A clothesline can be as simple as a piece of nylon rope tied to an apartment balcony, or as deluxe as a folding aluminum frame parallel line capable of hanging a couple of big washer loads at once. Free-standing frame units require a concrete base, so you'll need a sack of gravel (for drainage) and some Quikrete. Follow the directions supplied with the kit, and be sure to use a level to get everything is lined-up before the concrete cures.
The whole project should come in well under $100. Take the other $400 and enjoy a weekend at the beach. (Solar power works well for tanning, too.)More info at http://solarserdar.wordpress.com.
Solar attic fans
On sunny days, your attic can become an enormous heat trap. With temperatures of up to 150 degrees, this trapped heat will radiate into living spaces below. That means a greater demand on your air conditioner.
Take a load off by installing a solar powered attic fan. The brilliant part about solar fans is that they provide peak ventilation during the hottest, brightest part of the day. And there's no need to run wiring: Many solar fans are available with a small set of PV panel right on the top.
This fan kit is powered by a 20 watt PV array, and operates at 1,200 cubic feet per minute. That should be enough to fully vent an attic of up to 1,800 square feet. A properly vented attic can lower room temperatures by as much as 10 degrees, and a cooler roof will also extend the life of its shingles. The unit we've linked here retails for less than $450 and can be installed in an afternoon with common tools. Go with the optional thermal snap switch for fire safety. This project should pay for itself in its first year.
Solar cookers
Who doesn't love a summer cookout? Of course, like most good things, there are downsides: VOCs (volatile organic compounds) from charcoal starter, and a none-too-light carbon footprint.
Solar cookers are another direct use of solar power. They're amazingly simple devices, utilizing one or more reflectors and a sealed cooking compartment. Relief agencies have made extensive use of solar cookers in the wake of the Haiti earthquake, due to their low cost and ease of construction. Chelsea Green has a great set of directions on how to make your own for no more than a few dollars.
If you don't want to go to the trouble — or you'd just enjoy the convenience of a well-engineered portable cooker — Sun BD sells a nifty unit it claims will produce temperatures of up to 400 degrees. That's plenty hot enough to roast meat or vegetables, bake or boil water. It folds up like a suitcase, making it handy for camping or weekend picnics. You can grab the Tulsi-Hybrid Cooking Oven for less than $250 at Amazon.
SOLAR SERDAR
Željko Serdar
Head of association
Friday, February 11, 2011
CLIMATE CHANGE DICTIONARY
Climate Change Dictionary
A
Abatement
Refers to reducing the effects of greenhouse-gas emissions usually by reducing the emissions themselves. (1)
Adaptation
Adjustment of human activities or structures to accomodate open-ended climatic disruption. (Widely considered futile).
Adaptation Fund
The Adaptation Fund was established to finance concrete adaptation projects and programmes in developing countries that are Parties to the Kyoto Protocol. The Fund is to be financed with a share of proceeds from clean development mechanism (CDM) project activities and receive funds from other sources. For more information see: http://unfccc.int/cooperation_and_support/financial_mechanism/items/3659.php
Aerosol
Those solid or liquid particles that are suspended within the air. The particles are formed either through gases reacting in the atmosphere or through the dispersal of material at the surface and typically are between 0.001 to 10 microns (millionth of a meter) in size. Aerosols effect the climate by affecting the amount of short-wave radiation arriving at the Earth's surface and by changing the optical properties and lifetime of clouds or by acting as a condensation nuclei in the formation of clouds. (1, 5, 6)
Aforestation
The artificial establishment of forests by planting or seeding in an area of non- forest land. (19)
Albedo
The fraction of solar radiation reflected by a surface or object, often expressed as a percentage. Snow covered surfaces have a high albedo; the albedo of soils ranges from high to low; vegetation covered surfaces and oceans have a low albedo. The Earth's albedo varies mainly through varying cloudiness, snow, ice, leaf area and land cover changes. (6)
Alternative Energy
Energy from nontraditional sources. Rather than fossil fuels, energy is derived from natural sources like the sun, wind, or tides. (6, 7)
Anthropogenic greenhouse emissions
Greenhouse-gas emissions resulting from human activities.
B
Biodiversity
A vaguely defined term often used in reference to the totality of plants and animals in any place including variability within species, between species, and between ecosystems. (8)
Biofuel
Fuel such as ethanol and biodiesel, made from vegetation or other biomass. (8)
Biogeochemical Cycle
The movements of crucial chemical constituents necessary to life, such as carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and other elements and compounds through the Earth system (6, 4)
Biomass
Biological materials, anything from algae to trees, including dung; important as potentially renewable fuels. (6)
Biomass fuels or biofuels
A fuel produced from dry organic matter or combustible oils produced by plants.
These fuels are considered renewable as long as the vegetation producing them is maintained or replanted, such as firewood, alcohol fermented from sugar, and combustible oils extracted from soy beans. Their use in place of fossil fuels cuts greenhouse gas emissions because the plants that are the fuel sources capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Biomimicry
Applying lessons learned from the study of natural methods and systems to the design of technology. (4)
Bioplastics
As opposed to petroleum, biorenewable materials such as whey from cheese-making or from corn can be used to make plastics. (4)
Black Carbon
Carbon particles from soot, charcoal, coal, diesel, oil and other sources usually associated with combustion.
Borehole
A hole drilled into the ice or the Earth in order to gather geophysical data. The ice core samples that climate researchers use to determine atmospheric composition in earlier years are from "boreholes". (6)
Brown electricity
Electricity generated from fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas).
Brundtland Report
The 1987 report of the World Commission on Environment and Development, Chaire by Gro Harland Brundtland, that put the term sustainable development into the global consciousness and set the ball rolling for a subsequent Earth Summit in 1992. (8)
Burden
The total mass of a gaseous substance of concern in the atmosphere. (4)
C
Capacity building
In the context of climate change, the process of developing the technical skills and institutional capability in developing countries and economies in transition to enable them to address effectively the causes and results of climate change.
Carbon capture and sequestration (CCS)
The process of removing carbon from the atmosphere and depositing it in a secure reservoir.
Carbon Credit
Allows an entity to produce a specified amount of greenhouse gases.
Carbon Cycle
On land, the Carbon cycle begins with plants and trees use of CO2 from the atmosphere through the process of photosynthesis. As plants grow they store some of the Carbon Dioxide and release the rest through the process respiration. When plants and trees die they decompose and become parts of the soil. After a long period of time, this decomposed plant matter is compacted and transformed into fossil fuels such as oil and coal. In water, the carbon cycle begins with the process diffusion in which gases containing carbon move between the ocean's surface and the atmosphere. then, underwater plants use this carbon dioxide for photosynthesis. Ocean animals eat these plants to get the stored carbon. Then both plants and animals release it back into the ocean through respiration. When the plants and animals die, they either dissolve or get buried in the sediment. meanwhile, other sea creatures remove carbon dioxide from the ocean and use it to make shells, which after a long time breakdown and form rocks. This process also releases carbon into the ocean. Finally, water between the deep ocean and this surface also carries carbon and some of the ocean's carbon moves from the surface to the atmosphere. (4)
Carbon dioxide (CO2)
Gas released when fossil fuels are burned; the chief cause of climate change; see also greenhouse gas (4)
Carbon Fertilization
a higher concentration of carbon dioxide causes increased plant growth under certain circumstances (4)
Carbon footprint
The amount of carbon dioxide caused by an organization, product, individual or event (8)
Carbon Intensity
The amount of carbon by weight released per unit of energy consumed (6)
Carbon market
A popular but misleading term for a trading system through which countries may buy or sell units of greenhouse-gas emissions in an effort to meet their national limits on emissions, either under the Kyoto Protocol or under other agreements, such as that among member states of the European Union. The term comes from the fact that carbon dioxide is the predominant greenhouse gas and other gases are measured in units called "carbon-dioxide equivalents."
Carbon Neutral
No net emissions of greenhouse gasses - the holy grail of climate change campaigners. If you manage to use only renewable fuel, or offset your carbon emissions by, say, growing enough trees, then you will be carbon neutral (8)
Carbon Sinks
Processes that remove more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than they release, such as the absorption of carbon dioxide by growing trees. (4,2)
Carbon Trading
Markets designed to encourage companies to reduce carbon emissions by making it expensive to pollute; government sets an emissions allowance, companies can sell surplus (credit) or buy a credit if they exceed their allowance (8)
CCSP (US Climate Change Science Program)
Integrates federal research on global and climate change (10)
CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons)
Family of gases which contribute to ozone depletion, were used in aerosols and refrigerators; manufacturing now largely outlawed in the West (8).
Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)
A complex and controversial ‘flexibility mechanism’ of the Kyoto Protocol that allows developed countries to achieve part of their carbon reduction targets at home by investing in greenhouse gas reduction projects in the developing world (8)
Climate Change
The theory that pollution caused by humans, especially CO2 emissions, is altering the earth’s climate in many complex ways (8)
Coal Bed Methane
Methane held in coal seams (4)
Cryosphere
One of the interrelated components of the Earth's system, the cryosphere is frozen water in the form of snow, permanently frozen ground (permafrost), floating ice, and glaciers. Fluctuations in the volume of the cryosphere cause changes in ocean sea-level, which directly impact the atmosphere and biosphere. (3,4)
D
Deciduous
Involves shedding leaves at the end of the growing center (3)
Deforestation
Conversion of forest to non-forest
Desertification
The natural or human-made formation of desert from usable land (3)
E
Earth Summit
The popular name for the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio (8)
Eco-efficiency
Producing more goods and services with fewer resources and less waste and pollution (8)
Effluent
A liquid emission, usually wastewater—treated or untreated—,that flows out of a treatment plant, sewer, or industrial outfall. Generally refers to wastes discharged into surface waters (6)
EHS (environment, health, safety)
Refers primarily to corporate programs to promote employees’ health and protect their safety; environmental protection programs were traditionally included in the same management category (8)
Energy Recovery
Obtaining energy from waste through a variety of processes (e.g. combustion). (6)
Environment
1. Ecosystems and natural resources that can be directly and indirectly affected (positively or negatively) by a company's operation, products and services
2. The sum of all external conditions affecting the life, development and survival of organism (6)
Environment, Social, Governance (ESG)
There is a growing view among investment professionals that environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) issues can affect the performance of investment portfolios. Investors fulfilling their fiduciary (or equivalent) duty therefore need to give appropriate consideration to these issues, but to date have lacked a framework for doing so. The Principles for Responsible Investment provided this framework. (16)
Environmental Defense Fund
A U.S. conservation law group that tackles environmental problems with a strong scientific approach; increasingly looking for positive solutions, often working with business (www.edf.org) (8)
Environmental Footprint
The area over which a company (or any person or body) had an environmental effect; often not clear how damaging the footprint might be; also referred to as environmental imprint or rucksack (8)
Environmental Impact Assessment
Systematic approach, often detailed in laws and codes, to assessing all environmental impacts of a given project, throughout the project lifecycle; today a social impact assessment is often required too (8)
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
U.S. government agency; also important internationally because many small country governments copy its regulations (www.epa.org) (8)
Environmental Risk
The potential for adverse effects on living organisms associated with pollution of the environment by effluents, emissions, wastes, or accidental chemical releases; energy use; or the depletion of natural resources. (6)
Ethanol
Ethyl alcohol now used often as an alternative automotive fuel derived from grain and corn; for automobile fuel it is usually blended with gasoline to form gasohol (6)
F
Feedback mechanisms
Factors that increase or decrease the rate of progress, positive/negative feedback
G
G8
The G8 is considered a process that concludes in an an annual summit of the Heads of State and Government of the member countries which include, Canada, the Russian Federation, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United states, together with the European Union represented by the European Council's duty President and by the President of the European Commision. At this summit, these main industrialized countries hold talks with the purpose of finding solutions to the main world issues, which are summed up in the ''Final Statement.'' The G8 presidency, which rotates among member countries, works to define the topics for the agenda and the priorities and goals. (15)
Global Warming
An increase in the near surface temperature of the Earth. Global warming has occurred in the distant past as the result of natural influences, but the term is most often used to refer to the warming as a result of increased emissions of greenhouse gases. (8)
Global warming potential (GWP)
An index representing the combined effect of the differing times greenhouse gases remain in the atmosphere and their relative effectiveness in absorbing outgoing infrared radiation.
Grassroots
a movement or change that begins among the ordinary people or a community at a local or regional level, opposed to the center of major political actions, possessing common interests that they can define and then act upon collectively. (9)
Green electricity
Green electricity comes from renewable sources such a wind, solar, and biomass (8)
Greenhouse gases (GHGs)
1. The atmospheric gases responsible for causing global warming and climate change. The major GHGs are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N20). Less prevalent --but very powerful -- greenhouse gases are hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6). (6)
2. Any gas that allows sunlight to enter the atmosphere but absorbs the heat (infrared radiation) created as the sunlight is reflected off the Earth’s surface; this includes many gases used in refrigeration and air conditioning (8)
Greenhouse Gas Protocol
The Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol) is the most widely used international accounting tool for government and business leaders to understand, quantify, and manage greenhouse gas emissions. (13)
H
Halocarbons
Compounds consisting of bromine, chlorine, and fluorine and carbon that can act as powerful greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
Hydrocarbons
Substances, which only contain carbon and hydrogen
Hydrosphere
A part of the climate system that involves subterrane water and liquid surface, like lakes, underground water, oceans, etc.
I
Intergovernmental Organization
An agency between two or more nation states for the implementation of projects and other joint tasks in pursuit of a common interest
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
The World Meteorological Organization and the UN Environment Program established the IPCC in 1988. The IPCC is responsible for providing the scientific and technical foundation for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC), primarily through the publication of periodic assessment reports (see "Second Assessment Report" and "Third Assessment Report"). The IPCC tries to predict the consequences of the greenhouse effect based on existing climate models and literature. (3,4)
International Climate Change Partnership (ICCP)
Global coalition of companies and trade associations committed to constructive participation in international policy making on climate change.
Inundation
to cover with a flood
J
K
Keystone Species
a species that is crucial to an ecosystem in the sense that its removal could destroy the whole system (9)
Kyoto Protocol
1997 protocol to the 1992 Framework Convention on Climate Change seeking to create binding limitations on greenhouse gases for the developed nations, which agreed to limit their greenhouse gas emissions relative to the levels emitted in 1990: The US remains the only major emitter not to sign. (8)
L
Landfill
a disposal site in which waster is generally spread in thin layers, compacted, and covered with a fresh layer of soil each day (6)
Leakage
That portion of cuts in greenhouse-gas emissions by developed countries -- countries trying to meet mandatory limits under the Kyoto Protocol -- that may reappear in other countries not bound by such limits. For example, multinational corporations may shift factories from developed countries to developing countries to escape restrictions on emissions.
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Rating
A registered ecology-oriented system of rating existing and new buildings, interiors, and other components based on environmental effectiveness. The LEED checklist integrates over 60 different criteria and results in certification at 4 levels: Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. LEED is run under the authority of U.S. Green Building Council (6, 11)
Longwave Radiation
the electromagnetic radiation emitted by means of the surface and atmosphere in wavelengths greater than 4 micrometers (6, 12)
M
Market Benefits
Benefits of a climate policy that can be measured in terms of avoided market impacts such as changes in resource productivity (e.g., lower agricultural yields, scarcer water resources) and damages to human-built environment (e.g., coastal flooding due to sea-level rise). (2)
Mitigation
In the context of climate change, a human intervention to reduce the sources or enhance the sinks of greenhouse gases. Examples include using fossil fuels more efficiently for industrial processes or electricity generation, switching to solar energy or wind power, improving the insulation of buildings, and expanding forests and other "sinks" to remove greater amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Montreal Protocol
An international agreement to reign in the consumption of chlorine- and bromine-containing chemicals that destroy stratospheric ozone, such as methyl chloroform, CFCs, carbon tetrachloride, and others, the Protocol was adopted in Montreal in 1987. It has been adjusted and amended in London (1990), Copenhagen (1992), Vienna (1995), Montreal (1997), and Beijing (1999). (3, 4)
Municipal Solid Waste
Some non-hazardous commercial, instiutional, and industrial wastes and residential solid waste (6,4)
N
Natural Gas
Underground deposits of gases made of small amounts of heavier gaseous hydrocarbon compounds such as butane (C4H10) and propane (C3H8) and 50 to 90 percent methane (CH4) (2)
Net Biome Production (NBP)
Net gain or loss of carbon from a region. NBP is equal to the Net Ecosystem Production minus the carbon lost due to a disturbance, e.g. a forest fire or a forest harvest.(4)
Net Ecosystem Production (NEP)
Net gain or loss of carbon from an ecosystem. NEP is equal to the Net Primary Production minus the carbon lost through heterotrophic respiration.(4)
Net Primary Production (NPP)
The increase in plant biomass or carbon of a unit of a landscape. NPP is equal to the Gross Primary Production minus carbon lost through autotrophic respiration.(4)
Nitrogen Dioxide
A gas made of one atom of nitrogen and two atoms of oxygen.
Nitrogen Oxide
Gases consisting of one molecule of nitrogen and varying numbers of oxygen molecules. Nitrogen oxides are produced in the emissions of vehicle exhausts and from power stations. In the atmosphere, nitrogen oxides can contribute to formation of photochemical ozone (smog), can impair visibility, and have health consequences; they are thus considered pollutants. ( 4)
Nitrous Oxide
A powerful greenhouse gas with a global warming potential of 296 times that of carbon dioxide (CO2). Major sources of nitrous oxide include soil cultivation practices, especially the use of commercial and organic fertilizers, fossil fuel combustion, nitric acid production, and biomass burning. (4)
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
Organizations that are not part of a governmental structure. They include environmental groups, research institutions, business groups, and associations of urban and local governments. Many NGOs attend climate talks as observers. To be accredited to attend meetings under the Convention, NGOs must be non-profit.
Not-for-profit
Describes an organization that has been established to reinvest any financial surpluses back into achieving the objectives of the organization. Often used when referring to the voluntary sector. Peculiar to the US because of tax laws protecting work in the public interest. (17)
O
Off-Set Agreement
Offsetting harm here with good there. For example, planting trees to capture CO2 and make up for CO2 that is being emitted. May be voluntary or legally mandated (8)
Organic
Describing the lack of hormones, pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, and other toxic materials in cultivation in regards to food and other agricultural products (9)
Ozone Depletion
Damage by chlorine-based chemicals to the protective layer of ozone in the stratosphere. Depletion lets in ultra-violet light that can harm people, animals and plants. Not to be confused with climate change, though it often is; see HCFCs and CFCs (8)
P
Paleoclimate
The climate of a past which existed before historical records (3)
Particulate Matter
extremely tiny pieces of liquid or solid matter whose physical characteristics and methods of combining are part of the feedback mechanisms for the atmosphere (6)
Photosynthesis
the method by which plants take CO2 from the air to create carbohydrates, this releases O2 during the process
POPs (Persistent organic pollutants)
Set of chemicals that remain in the environment for a long time, disperse widely and lodge in fatty tissue (8)
Protocol
An international agreement linked to an existing convention, but as a separate and additional agreement which must be signed and ratified by the Parties to the convention concerned. Protocols typically strengthen a convention by adding new, more detailed commitments.
Q
R
Radiation
Transmission of energy through space or any medium. Also known as radiant energy (6)
Radioactive Waste
Any waste that emits energy as rays, waves, streams or energetic particles. Radioactive materials are often mixed with hazardous waste, from nuclear reactors, research institutions, or hospitals (6)
Rapid Climate Change
Refers to surprising or abrupt events in climate like rapid deglaciation or massive melting of permafrost which leads to quick changes in the carbon cycle (4)
Reclamation (in recycling)
Restoration of materials found in the waste stream to a beneficial use which may be for purposes other than the original use (6)
Recycle
To process used or waste material so that it can be reused. (8)
Reforestation
Replanting of forests on lands that have previously contained forests but that have been converted to some other use.
Regimes
Preferable patterns of climate inconsistencies. (4)
Renewable Energy
Sources of energy that, unlike fossil fuels, ‘grow back’ in a period not measured in millennia. E.g. biomass, hydro, solar, wind.
Repowering
Rebuilding and replacing major components of a power plant instead of building a new one (6)
Residence Time
Generally refers to the mean time spent in a reservoir by an atom or molecule, but in terms of greenhouse gases, it refers to the length of time a molecule stays in the atmosphere (4)
Respiration
The process by which living organisms turn organic matter into CO2, by combustion with oxygen to release energy (1,3)
S
Sensible Heat
Refers to the excess radiative energy that, through advection, conduction, and convection processes, has passed from the Earth's surface to the atmosphere (3)
Sequestration
Opportunities to remove atmospheric CO2, either through biological processes (e.g. plants and trees), or geological processes through storage of CO2 in underground reservoirs (6)
Sink
The process, mechanism, or activity which removes an aerosol, a greenhouse gas or precursor of a greenhouse gas or aersol from the atmosphere and provides storage for such a substance. An example of would be plants which through photosynthesis turn carbon dioxide into organic matter that is then stored in plants or soils, making plants a sink for carbon dioxide. (4,3,9)
Smog
The urban haze that blights cities, especially in the summer; caused by the interaction of sunlight with exhaust and industrial emissions; bad for those with breathing problems (8)
Solar Energy
energy derived from the sun
Solar Serdar
was founded in 1988 as the non-profit European Association for Renewable Energy that conducts its work independently of political parties, institutions, commercial enterprises and interest groups, • is dedicated to the cause of completely substituting for nuclear and fossil energy through renewable energy, • regards solar energy supply as essential to preserve the natural resources and a prerequisite for a sustainable economy, • acts to change conventional political priorities and common infrastructures in favor of renewable energy, from the local to the international level, • brings together expertise from the fields of politics, economy, science, and culture to promote the entry of solar energy, • provides the opportunity to play a part in the sociocultural movement for renewable energy by joining the association for everyone, • considers full renewable energy supply a momentous and visionary goal - the challenge of the century to humanity. HCOIE . Željko Serdar Head of association solarserdar@gmail.com
Stakeholders
Stakeholders are those who affect, or are affected by, the activities of a company. They include shareholders, customers, employees, trade unions, business partners, lenders or insurers, investors and analysts, sector or industry experts, government, regulators, host communities, local and international NGOs, the media and suppliers.
Stewardship
Responsible caretaking; based on the premise that we do not own resources but only manage them, and are responsible to future generations for their condition.
(9)
Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)
A compound composed of one sulfur and two oxygen molecules. Through natural and anthropogenic processes, Sulfur dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere. the, SO2 is transformed in a complicated series of chemical reactins in the atmosphere to sulfate aerosols. This results in through natural and anthropogenic processes is changed in a complex series of chemical reactions in the atmosphere to sulfate aerosols. These aerosols result in negative radiative forcing (i.e., tending to cool the Earth's surface). (3)
Sulfur Hexaflouride
A colorless gas soluble in alcohol and ether, slightly soluble in water. A very powerful greenhouse gas used primarily in electrical transmission and distribution systems and as a dielectric in electronics. (4)
(Environmental) Sustainability
Long-term maintenance of ecosystem components and functions for future generations (6)
Sustainable Development
1. How the economic, social and environmental parts of our lives and society connect. Sustainable development is seen as development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. (17)
2. Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Svalvard Seed Vault
Seven hundred miles from the North Pole, on Svalbard Island, the purpose of this Seed Bank is to perserve a variety of plant seeds, as an effort to protect the planet's rapidly diminished biodviersty. (14)
T
Taiga
the northern part of the boreal forest consisting of open woodland of coniferous trees growing in a rich floor of lichen (3)
Terminus
The end, or foot, of a glacier. (3)
Thermal expansion
In connection with sea level, this refers to the increase in volume (and decrease in density) that results from warming water. A warming of the ocean leads to an expansion of the ocean volume and hence an increase in sea level. (4)
Trace Gas
Any one of the less common gases found in the Earth's atmosphere. Nitrogen, oxygen, and argon make up more than 99 percent of the Earth's atmosphere. Other gases, such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, oxides of nitrogen, ozone, and ammonia, are considered trace gases. Although relatively unimportant in terms of their absolute volume, they have significant effects on the Earth's weather and climate. (3,9,4)
Transient Climate Response
The globally averaged surface air temperature increase, averaged over a 20 year period, centred at the time of CO2 doubling, i.e., at year 70 in a 1% per year compound CO2 increase experiment with a global coupled climate model.(4)
Troposhere
The lowest part of the atmosphere from the surface to about 10 km in altitude in mid-latitudes (ranging from 9 km in high latitudes to 16 km in the tropics on average) where clouds and "weather" phenomena occur. In the troposphere temperatures generally decrease with height.(2)
True-Blue Greens
A sector of the market defined by the Roper ASW Green Gauge Report as the most interested in "green" or environmental issues.(9)
U
Uptake
The addition of a substance of concern to a reservoir. The uptake of carbon containing substances, in particular carbon dioxide, is often called (carbon) sequestration. (4)
Ultraviolet Radiation
The energy range just beyond the violet end of the visible spectrum. (3,4)
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
The UNFCCC is a treaty that was negotiated at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janiero, was ratified by some 189 countries, and went into effect in March 1994. It initially had no mandatory controls or deadlines. The 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which did set mandatory limits, was an add-on to the UNFCCC.(4)
V
VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds)
Carbon compounds that evaporate easily at normal air temperatures and contribute to smog; contained in car exhaust emissions, solvents and many cleaning, disinfecting and cosmetic products (8)
Vulnerability
The degree to which a system is susceptible to, or unable to cope with, adverse effects of climate change, including climate variability and extremes. Vulnerability is a function of the character, magnitude, and rate of climate variation to which a system is exposed, its sensitivity, and its adaptive capacity.
W
X
Xenobiota
a chemical foreign to a biological system or any biotum transferred from its normal habitat (18)
Y
Z
Zero Air
Atmospheric air purified to contain less than 0.1 ppm total hydrocarbons. (18)
Sources
1. UNFCC Glossary on Climate Change (http://unfccc.int/essential_background/glossary/items/3666.php)
2. PEW Center on Global Climate Change (http://www.pewclimate.org/global-warming-basics/full_glossary/glossary.php)
3. NASA Earth Observatory Glossary (http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Glossary/?mode=alpha&seg=b&segend=d)
4. Climate Change Glossary: Word Definitions Related to Climate Change and Global Warming (http://climatechangeglossary.com/Glossary_A.html)
5. Climate Change: Fact Sheet Series for Key Stage 4 and A-Level (http://www.ace.mmu.ac.uk/Resources/Fact_Sheets/Key_Stage_4/Climate_Change/04.html)
6. EPA Glossary of Climate Change Terms (http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/glossary.html)
7. Offshore Energy and Mineral Management: Renewable Energy Program Definitions (http://www.mms.gov/offshore/alternativeenergy/definitions.htm)
8. Context
9. The Dictionary of Sustainable Management (www.sustainabilitydictionary.com/)
10. www.climatescience.gov
11. Search Data Center (http://searchdatacenter.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid80_gci1284408,00.html)
12. Encyclopedia.com (http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O16-longwaveradiation.html)
13. The Greenhouse Gas Protocol (http://ghgprotocol.org)
14. TIME with CNN (http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1880843_1849071,00.html)
15. G8 Summit 2009 (http://www.g8italia2009.it/G8/Home/G8-G8_Layout_locale-1199882116809_Summit.htm)
16. Principles for Responsible Investment (http://www.unpri.org/principles/)
17. Fourth Sector (http://fourthsector.net)
18. US EPA Terms of Envt. (http://www.epa.gov/OCEPAterms/xyzterms.html)
19. OECD Glossary of Statistical Terms (http://stats.oecd.org/glossary/detail.asp?ID=55)
SOLAR SERDAR
Željko Serdar
Head of association
A
Abatement
Refers to reducing the effects of greenhouse-gas emissions usually by reducing the emissions themselves. (1)
Adaptation
Adjustment of human activities or structures to accomodate open-ended climatic disruption. (Widely considered futile).
Adaptation Fund
The Adaptation Fund was established to finance concrete adaptation projects and programmes in developing countries that are Parties to the Kyoto Protocol. The Fund is to be financed with a share of proceeds from clean development mechanism (CDM) project activities and receive funds from other sources. For more information see: http://unfccc.int/cooperation_and_support/financial_mechanism/items/3659.php
Aerosol
Those solid or liquid particles that are suspended within the air. The particles are formed either through gases reacting in the atmosphere or through the dispersal of material at the surface and typically are between 0.001 to 10 microns (millionth of a meter) in size. Aerosols effect the climate by affecting the amount of short-wave radiation arriving at the Earth's surface and by changing the optical properties and lifetime of clouds or by acting as a condensation nuclei in the formation of clouds. (1, 5, 6)
Aforestation
The artificial establishment of forests by planting or seeding in an area of non- forest land. (19)
Albedo
The fraction of solar radiation reflected by a surface or object, often expressed as a percentage. Snow covered surfaces have a high albedo; the albedo of soils ranges from high to low; vegetation covered surfaces and oceans have a low albedo. The Earth's albedo varies mainly through varying cloudiness, snow, ice, leaf area and land cover changes. (6)
Alternative Energy
Energy from nontraditional sources. Rather than fossil fuels, energy is derived from natural sources like the sun, wind, or tides. (6, 7)
Anthropogenic greenhouse emissions
Greenhouse-gas emissions resulting from human activities.
B
Biodiversity
A vaguely defined term often used in reference to the totality of plants and animals in any place including variability within species, between species, and between ecosystems. (8)
Biofuel
Fuel such as ethanol and biodiesel, made from vegetation or other biomass. (8)
Biogeochemical Cycle
The movements of crucial chemical constituents necessary to life, such as carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and other elements and compounds through the Earth system (6, 4)
Biomass
Biological materials, anything from algae to trees, including dung; important as potentially renewable fuels. (6)
Biomass fuels or biofuels
A fuel produced from dry organic matter or combustible oils produced by plants.
These fuels are considered renewable as long as the vegetation producing them is maintained or replanted, such as firewood, alcohol fermented from sugar, and combustible oils extracted from soy beans. Their use in place of fossil fuels cuts greenhouse gas emissions because the plants that are the fuel sources capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Biomimicry
Applying lessons learned from the study of natural methods and systems to the design of technology. (4)
Bioplastics
As opposed to petroleum, biorenewable materials such as whey from cheese-making or from corn can be used to make plastics. (4)
Black Carbon
Carbon particles from soot, charcoal, coal, diesel, oil and other sources usually associated with combustion.
Borehole
A hole drilled into the ice or the Earth in order to gather geophysical data. The ice core samples that climate researchers use to determine atmospheric composition in earlier years are from "boreholes". (6)
Brown electricity
Electricity generated from fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas).
Brundtland Report
The 1987 report of the World Commission on Environment and Development, Chaire by Gro Harland Brundtland, that put the term sustainable development into the global consciousness and set the ball rolling for a subsequent Earth Summit in 1992. (8)
Burden
The total mass of a gaseous substance of concern in the atmosphere. (4)
C
Capacity building
In the context of climate change, the process of developing the technical skills and institutional capability in developing countries and economies in transition to enable them to address effectively the causes and results of climate change.
Carbon capture and sequestration (CCS)
The process of removing carbon from the atmosphere and depositing it in a secure reservoir.
Carbon Credit
Allows an entity to produce a specified amount of greenhouse gases.
Carbon Cycle
On land, the Carbon cycle begins with plants and trees use of CO2 from the atmosphere through the process of photosynthesis. As plants grow they store some of the Carbon Dioxide and release the rest through the process respiration. When plants and trees die they decompose and become parts of the soil. After a long period of time, this decomposed plant matter is compacted and transformed into fossil fuels such as oil and coal. In water, the carbon cycle begins with the process diffusion in which gases containing carbon move between the ocean's surface and the atmosphere. then, underwater plants use this carbon dioxide for photosynthesis. Ocean animals eat these plants to get the stored carbon. Then both plants and animals release it back into the ocean through respiration. When the plants and animals die, they either dissolve or get buried in the sediment. meanwhile, other sea creatures remove carbon dioxide from the ocean and use it to make shells, which after a long time breakdown and form rocks. This process also releases carbon into the ocean. Finally, water between the deep ocean and this surface also carries carbon and some of the ocean's carbon moves from the surface to the atmosphere. (4)
Carbon dioxide (CO2)
Gas released when fossil fuels are burned; the chief cause of climate change; see also greenhouse gas (4)
Carbon Fertilization
a higher concentration of carbon dioxide causes increased plant growth under certain circumstances (4)
Carbon footprint
The amount of carbon dioxide caused by an organization, product, individual or event (8)
Carbon Intensity
The amount of carbon by weight released per unit of energy consumed (6)
Carbon market
A popular but misleading term for a trading system through which countries may buy or sell units of greenhouse-gas emissions in an effort to meet their national limits on emissions, either under the Kyoto Protocol or under other agreements, such as that among member states of the European Union. The term comes from the fact that carbon dioxide is the predominant greenhouse gas and other gases are measured in units called "carbon-dioxide equivalents."
Carbon Neutral
No net emissions of greenhouse gasses - the holy grail of climate change campaigners. If you manage to use only renewable fuel, or offset your carbon emissions by, say, growing enough trees, then you will be carbon neutral (8)
Carbon Sinks
Processes that remove more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than they release, such as the absorption of carbon dioxide by growing trees. (4,2)
Carbon Trading
Markets designed to encourage companies to reduce carbon emissions by making it expensive to pollute; government sets an emissions allowance, companies can sell surplus (credit) or buy a credit if they exceed their allowance (8)
CCSP (US Climate Change Science Program)
Integrates federal research on global and climate change (10)
CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons)
Family of gases which contribute to ozone depletion, were used in aerosols and refrigerators; manufacturing now largely outlawed in the West (8).
Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)
A complex and controversial ‘flexibility mechanism’ of the Kyoto Protocol that allows developed countries to achieve part of their carbon reduction targets at home by investing in greenhouse gas reduction projects in the developing world (8)
Climate Change
The theory that pollution caused by humans, especially CO2 emissions, is altering the earth’s climate in many complex ways (8)
Coal Bed Methane
Methane held in coal seams (4)
Cryosphere
One of the interrelated components of the Earth's system, the cryosphere is frozen water in the form of snow, permanently frozen ground (permafrost), floating ice, and glaciers. Fluctuations in the volume of the cryosphere cause changes in ocean sea-level, which directly impact the atmosphere and biosphere. (3,4)
D
Deciduous
Involves shedding leaves at the end of the growing center (3)
Deforestation
Conversion of forest to non-forest
Desertification
The natural or human-made formation of desert from usable land (3)
E
Earth Summit
The popular name for the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio (8)
Eco-efficiency
Producing more goods and services with fewer resources and less waste and pollution (8)
Effluent
A liquid emission, usually wastewater—treated or untreated—,that flows out of a treatment plant, sewer, or industrial outfall. Generally refers to wastes discharged into surface waters (6)
EHS (environment, health, safety)
Refers primarily to corporate programs to promote employees’ health and protect their safety; environmental protection programs were traditionally included in the same management category (8)
Energy Recovery
Obtaining energy from waste through a variety of processes (e.g. combustion). (6)
Environment
1. Ecosystems and natural resources that can be directly and indirectly affected (positively or negatively) by a company's operation, products and services
2. The sum of all external conditions affecting the life, development and survival of organism (6)
Environment, Social, Governance (ESG)
There is a growing view among investment professionals that environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) issues can affect the performance of investment portfolios. Investors fulfilling their fiduciary (or equivalent) duty therefore need to give appropriate consideration to these issues, but to date have lacked a framework for doing so. The Principles for Responsible Investment provided this framework. (16)
Environmental Defense Fund
A U.S. conservation law group that tackles environmental problems with a strong scientific approach; increasingly looking for positive solutions, often working with business (www.edf.org) (8)
Environmental Footprint
The area over which a company (or any person or body) had an environmental effect; often not clear how damaging the footprint might be; also referred to as environmental imprint or rucksack (8)
Environmental Impact Assessment
Systematic approach, often detailed in laws and codes, to assessing all environmental impacts of a given project, throughout the project lifecycle; today a social impact assessment is often required too (8)
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
U.S. government agency; also important internationally because many small country governments copy its regulations (www.epa.org) (8)
Environmental Risk
The potential for adverse effects on living organisms associated with pollution of the environment by effluents, emissions, wastes, or accidental chemical releases; energy use; or the depletion of natural resources. (6)
Ethanol
Ethyl alcohol now used often as an alternative automotive fuel derived from grain and corn; for automobile fuel it is usually blended with gasoline to form gasohol (6)
F
Feedback mechanisms
Factors that increase or decrease the rate of progress, positive/negative feedback
G
G8
The G8 is considered a process that concludes in an an annual summit of the Heads of State and Government of the member countries which include, Canada, the Russian Federation, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United states, together with the European Union represented by the European Council's duty President and by the President of the European Commision. At this summit, these main industrialized countries hold talks with the purpose of finding solutions to the main world issues, which are summed up in the ''Final Statement.'' The G8 presidency, which rotates among member countries, works to define the topics for the agenda and the priorities and goals. (15)
Global Warming
An increase in the near surface temperature of the Earth. Global warming has occurred in the distant past as the result of natural influences, but the term is most often used to refer to the warming as a result of increased emissions of greenhouse gases. (8)
Global warming potential (GWP)
An index representing the combined effect of the differing times greenhouse gases remain in the atmosphere and their relative effectiveness in absorbing outgoing infrared radiation.
Grassroots
a movement or change that begins among the ordinary people or a community at a local or regional level, opposed to the center of major political actions, possessing common interests that they can define and then act upon collectively. (9)
Green electricity
Green electricity comes from renewable sources such a wind, solar, and biomass (8)
Greenhouse gases (GHGs)
1. The atmospheric gases responsible for causing global warming and climate change. The major GHGs are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N20). Less prevalent --but very powerful -- greenhouse gases are hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6). (6)
2. Any gas that allows sunlight to enter the atmosphere but absorbs the heat (infrared radiation) created as the sunlight is reflected off the Earth’s surface; this includes many gases used in refrigeration and air conditioning (8)
Greenhouse Gas Protocol
The Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol) is the most widely used international accounting tool for government and business leaders to understand, quantify, and manage greenhouse gas emissions. (13)
H
Halocarbons
Compounds consisting of bromine, chlorine, and fluorine and carbon that can act as powerful greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
Hydrocarbons
Substances, which only contain carbon and hydrogen
Hydrosphere
A part of the climate system that involves subterrane water and liquid surface, like lakes, underground water, oceans, etc.
I
Intergovernmental Organization
An agency between two or more nation states for the implementation of projects and other joint tasks in pursuit of a common interest
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
The World Meteorological Organization and the UN Environment Program established the IPCC in 1988. The IPCC is responsible for providing the scientific and technical foundation for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC), primarily through the publication of periodic assessment reports (see "Second Assessment Report" and "Third Assessment Report"). The IPCC tries to predict the consequences of the greenhouse effect based on existing climate models and literature. (3,4)
International Climate Change Partnership (ICCP)
Global coalition of companies and trade associations committed to constructive participation in international policy making on climate change.
Inundation
to cover with a flood
J
K
Keystone Species
a species that is crucial to an ecosystem in the sense that its removal could destroy the whole system (9)
Kyoto Protocol
1997 protocol to the 1992 Framework Convention on Climate Change seeking to create binding limitations on greenhouse gases for the developed nations, which agreed to limit their greenhouse gas emissions relative to the levels emitted in 1990: The US remains the only major emitter not to sign. (8)
L
Landfill
a disposal site in which waster is generally spread in thin layers, compacted, and covered with a fresh layer of soil each day (6)
Leakage
That portion of cuts in greenhouse-gas emissions by developed countries -- countries trying to meet mandatory limits under the Kyoto Protocol -- that may reappear in other countries not bound by such limits. For example, multinational corporations may shift factories from developed countries to developing countries to escape restrictions on emissions.
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Rating
A registered ecology-oriented system of rating existing and new buildings, interiors, and other components based on environmental effectiveness. The LEED checklist integrates over 60 different criteria and results in certification at 4 levels: Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. LEED is run under the authority of U.S. Green Building Council (6, 11)
Longwave Radiation
the electromagnetic radiation emitted by means of the surface and atmosphere in wavelengths greater than 4 micrometers (6, 12)
M
Market Benefits
Benefits of a climate policy that can be measured in terms of avoided market impacts such as changes in resource productivity (e.g., lower agricultural yields, scarcer water resources) and damages to human-built environment (e.g., coastal flooding due to sea-level rise). (2)
Mitigation
In the context of climate change, a human intervention to reduce the sources or enhance the sinks of greenhouse gases. Examples include using fossil fuels more efficiently for industrial processes or electricity generation, switching to solar energy or wind power, improving the insulation of buildings, and expanding forests and other "sinks" to remove greater amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Montreal Protocol
An international agreement to reign in the consumption of chlorine- and bromine-containing chemicals that destroy stratospheric ozone, such as methyl chloroform, CFCs, carbon tetrachloride, and others, the Protocol was adopted in Montreal in 1987. It has been adjusted and amended in London (1990), Copenhagen (1992), Vienna (1995), Montreal (1997), and Beijing (1999). (3, 4)
Municipal Solid Waste
Some non-hazardous commercial, instiutional, and industrial wastes and residential solid waste (6,4)
N
Natural Gas
Underground deposits of gases made of small amounts of heavier gaseous hydrocarbon compounds such as butane (C4H10) and propane (C3H8) and 50 to 90 percent methane (CH4) (2)
Net Biome Production (NBP)
Net gain or loss of carbon from a region. NBP is equal to the Net Ecosystem Production minus the carbon lost due to a disturbance, e.g. a forest fire or a forest harvest.(4)
Net Ecosystem Production (NEP)
Net gain or loss of carbon from an ecosystem. NEP is equal to the Net Primary Production minus the carbon lost through heterotrophic respiration.(4)
Net Primary Production (NPP)
The increase in plant biomass or carbon of a unit of a landscape. NPP is equal to the Gross Primary Production minus carbon lost through autotrophic respiration.(4)
Nitrogen Dioxide
A gas made of one atom of nitrogen and two atoms of oxygen.
Nitrogen Oxide
Gases consisting of one molecule of nitrogen and varying numbers of oxygen molecules. Nitrogen oxides are produced in the emissions of vehicle exhausts and from power stations. In the atmosphere, nitrogen oxides can contribute to formation of photochemical ozone (smog), can impair visibility, and have health consequences; they are thus considered pollutants. ( 4)
Nitrous Oxide
A powerful greenhouse gas with a global warming potential of 296 times that of carbon dioxide (CO2). Major sources of nitrous oxide include soil cultivation practices, especially the use of commercial and organic fertilizers, fossil fuel combustion, nitric acid production, and biomass burning. (4)
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
Organizations that are not part of a governmental structure. They include environmental groups, research institutions, business groups, and associations of urban and local governments. Many NGOs attend climate talks as observers. To be accredited to attend meetings under the Convention, NGOs must be non-profit.
Not-for-profit
Describes an organization that has been established to reinvest any financial surpluses back into achieving the objectives of the organization. Often used when referring to the voluntary sector. Peculiar to the US because of tax laws protecting work in the public interest. (17)
O
Off-Set Agreement
Offsetting harm here with good there. For example, planting trees to capture CO2 and make up for CO2 that is being emitted. May be voluntary or legally mandated (8)
Organic
Describing the lack of hormones, pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, and other toxic materials in cultivation in regards to food and other agricultural products (9)
Ozone Depletion
Damage by chlorine-based chemicals to the protective layer of ozone in the stratosphere. Depletion lets in ultra-violet light that can harm people, animals and plants. Not to be confused with climate change, though it often is; see HCFCs and CFCs (8)
P
Paleoclimate
The climate of a past which existed before historical records (3)
Particulate Matter
extremely tiny pieces of liquid or solid matter whose physical characteristics and methods of combining are part of the feedback mechanisms for the atmosphere (6)
Photosynthesis
the method by which plants take CO2 from the air to create carbohydrates, this releases O2 during the process
POPs (Persistent organic pollutants)
Set of chemicals that remain in the environment for a long time, disperse widely and lodge in fatty tissue (8)
Protocol
An international agreement linked to an existing convention, but as a separate and additional agreement which must be signed and ratified by the Parties to the convention concerned. Protocols typically strengthen a convention by adding new, more detailed commitments.
Q
R
Radiation
Transmission of energy through space or any medium. Also known as radiant energy (6)
Radioactive Waste
Any waste that emits energy as rays, waves, streams or energetic particles. Radioactive materials are often mixed with hazardous waste, from nuclear reactors, research institutions, or hospitals (6)
Rapid Climate Change
Refers to surprising or abrupt events in climate like rapid deglaciation or massive melting of permafrost which leads to quick changes in the carbon cycle (4)
Reclamation (in recycling)
Restoration of materials found in the waste stream to a beneficial use which may be for purposes other than the original use (6)
Recycle
To process used or waste material so that it can be reused. (8)
Reforestation
Replanting of forests on lands that have previously contained forests but that have been converted to some other use.
Regimes
Preferable patterns of climate inconsistencies. (4)
Renewable Energy
Sources of energy that, unlike fossil fuels, ‘grow back’ in a period not measured in millennia. E.g. biomass, hydro, solar, wind.
Repowering
Rebuilding and replacing major components of a power plant instead of building a new one (6)
Residence Time
Generally refers to the mean time spent in a reservoir by an atom or molecule, but in terms of greenhouse gases, it refers to the length of time a molecule stays in the atmosphere (4)
Respiration
The process by which living organisms turn organic matter into CO2, by combustion with oxygen to release energy (1,3)
S
Sensible Heat
Refers to the excess radiative energy that, through advection, conduction, and convection processes, has passed from the Earth's surface to the atmosphere (3)
Sequestration
Opportunities to remove atmospheric CO2, either through biological processes (e.g. plants and trees), or geological processes through storage of CO2 in underground reservoirs (6)
Sink
The process, mechanism, or activity which removes an aerosol, a greenhouse gas or precursor of a greenhouse gas or aersol from the atmosphere and provides storage for such a substance. An example of would be plants which through photosynthesis turn carbon dioxide into organic matter that is then stored in plants or soils, making plants a sink for carbon dioxide. (4,3,9)
Smog
The urban haze that blights cities, especially in the summer; caused by the interaction of sunlight with exhaust and industrial emissions; bad for those with breathing problems (8)
Solar Energy
energy derived from the sun
Solar Serdar
was founded in 1988 as the non-profit European Association for Renewable Energy that conducts its work independently of political parties, institutions, commercial enterprises and interest groups, • is dedicated to the cause of completely substituting for nuclear and fossil energy through renewable energy, • regards solar energy supply as essential to preserve the natural resources and a prerequisite for a sustainable economy, • acts to change conventional political priorities and common infrastructures in favor of renewable energy, from the local to the international level, • brings together expertise from the fields of politics, economy, science, and culture to promote the entry of solar energy, • provides the opportunity to play a part in the sociocultural movement for renewable energy by joining the association for everyone, • considers full renewable energy supply a momentous and visionary goal - the challenge of the century to humanity. HCOIE . Željko Serdar Head of association solarserdar@gmail.com
Stakeholders
Stakeholders are those who affect, or are affected by, the activities of a company. They include shareholders, customers, employees, trade unions, business partners, lenders or insurers, investors and analysts, sector or industry experts, government, regulators, host communities, local and international NGOs, the media and suppliers.
Stewardship
Responsible caretaking; based on the premise that we do not own resources but only manage them, and are responsible to future generations for their condition.
(9)
Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)
A compound composed of one sulfur and two oxygen molecules. Through natural and anthropogenic processes, Sulfur dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere. the, SO2 is transformed in a complicated series of chemical reactins in the atmosphere to sulfate aerosols. This results in through natural and anthropogenic processes is changed in a complex series of chemical reactions in the atmosphere to sulfate aerosols. These aerosols result in negative radiative forcing (i.e., tending to cool the Earth's surface). (3)
Sulfur Hexaflouride
A colorless gas soluble in alcohol and ether, slightly soluble in water. A very powerful greenhouse gas used primarily in electrical transmission and distribution systems and as a dielectric in electronics. (4)
(Environmental) Sustainability
Long-term maintenance of ecosystem components and functions for future generations (6)
Sustainable Development
1. How the economic, social and environmental parts of our lives and society connect. Sustainable development is seen as development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. (17)
2. Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Svalvard Seed Vault
Seven hundred miles from the North Pole, on Svalbard Island, the purpose of this Seed Bank is to perserve a variety of plant seeds, as an effort to protect the planet's rapidly diminished biodviersty. (14)
T
Taiga
the northern part of the boreal forest consisting of open woodland of coniferous trees growing in a rich floor of lichen (3)
Terminus
The end, or foot, of a glacier. (3)
Thermal expansion
In connection with sea level, this refers to the increase in volume (and decrease in density) that results from warming water. A warming of the ocean leads to an expansion of the ocean volume and hence an increase in sea level. (4)
Trace Gas
Any one of the less common gases found in the Earth's atmosphere. Nitrogen, oxygen, and argon make up more than 99 percent of the Earth's atmosphere. Other gases, such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, oxides of nitrogen, ozone, and ammonia, are considered trace gases. Although relatively unimportant in terms of their absolute volume, they have significant effects on the Earth's weather and climate. (3,9,4)
Transient Climate Response
The globally averaged surface air temperature increase, averaged over a 20 year period, centred at the time of CO2 doubling, i.e., at year 70 in a 1% per year compound CO2 increase experiment with a global coupled climate model.(4)
Troposhere
The lowest part of the atmosphere from the surface to about 10 km in altitude in mid-latitudes (ranging from 9 km in high latitudes to 16 km in the tropics on average) where clouds and "weather" phenomena occur. In the troposphere temperatures generally decrease with height.(2)
True-Blue Greens
A sector of the market defined by the Roper ASW Green Gauge Report as the most interested in "green" or environmental issues.(9)
U
Uptake
The addition of a substance of concern to a reservoir. The uptake of carbon containing substances, in particular carbon dioxide, is often called (carbon) sequestration. (4)
Ultraviolet Radiation
The energy range just beyond the violet end of the visible spectrum. (3,4)
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
The UNFCCC is a treaty that was negotiated at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janiero, was ratified by some 189 countries, and went into effect in March 1994. It initially had no mandatory controls or deadlines. The 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which did set mandatory limits, was an add-on to the UNFCCC.(4)
V
VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds)
Carbon compounds that evaporate easily at normal air temperatures and contribute to smog; contained in car exhaust emissions, solvents and many cleaning, disinfecting and cosmetic products (8)
Vulnerability
The degree to which a system is susceptible to, or unable to cope with, adverse effects of climate change, including climate variability and extremes. Vulnerability is a function of the character, magnitude, and rate of climate variation to which a system is exposed, its sensitivity, and its adaptive capacity.
W
X
Xenobiota
a chemical foreign to a biological system or any biotum transferred from its normal habitat (18)
Y
Z
Zero Air
Atmospheric air purified to contain less than 0.1 ppm total hydrocarbons. (18)
Sources
1. UNFCC Glossary on Climate Change (http://unfccc.int/essential_background/glossary/items/3666.php)
2. PEW Center on Global Climate Change (http://www.pewclimate.org/global-warming-basics/full_glossary/glossary.php)
3. NASA Earth Observatory Glossary (http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Glossary/?mode=alpha&seg=b&segend=d)
4. Climate Change Glossary: Word Definitions Related to Climate Change and Global Warming (http://climatechangeglossary.com/Glossary_A.html)
5. Climate Change: Fact Sheet Series for Key Stage 4 and A-Level (http://www.ace.mmu.ac.uk/Resources/Fact_Sheets/Key_Stage_4/Climate_Change/04.html)
6. EPA Glossary of Climate Change Terms (http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/glossary.html)
7. Offshore Energy and Mineral Management: Renewable Energy Program Definitions (http://www.mms.gov/offshore/alternativeenergy/definitions.htm)
8. Context
9. The Dictionary of Sustainable Management (www.sustainabilitydictionary.com/)
10. www.climatescience.gov
11. Search Data Center (http://searchdatacenter.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid80_gci1284408,00.html)
12. Encyclopedia.com (http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O16-longwaveradiation.html)
13. The Greenhouse Gas Protocol (http://ghgprotocol.org)
14. TIME with CNN (http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1880843_1849071,00.html)
15. G8 Summit 2009 (http://www.g8italia2009.it/G8/Home/G8-G8_Layout_locale-1199882116809_Summit.htm)
16. Principles for Responsible Investment (http://www.unpri.org/principles/)
17. Fourth Sector (http://fourthsector.net)
18. US EPA Terms of Envt. (http://www.epa.gov/OCEPAterms/xyzterms.html)
19. OECD Glossary of Statistical Terms (http://stats.oecd.org/glossary/detail.asp?ID=55)
SOLAR SERDAR
Željko Serdar
Head of association
SOLAR EQUIPMENT by SOLAR SERDAR
SOLAR EQUIPMENT by SOLAR SERDAR
The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) loan-guarantee program - part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) - has had an undeniably positive effect on solar project deployment and equipment manufacturing in the U.S. However, ARRA qualification requirements have often been a source of confusion for developers and manufacturers.
Over the past couple of years, many solar equipment providers have set up shop in the U.S. in order to comply with the ARRA's Section 1605 Buy American provisions, which impose certain domestic-content requirements on projects backed by ARRA funding. "ARRA-compliant!" quickly became a golden term in product marketing.
Of course, under many PV cell and module manufacturers' current labor models, cell fabrication and module assembly may not take place under the same roof - or even within the same country.
U.S.-assembled modules may contain cells manufactured abroad, and U.S.-manufactured cells may be integrated into modules produced elsewhere. Which types of modules are eligible under the ARRA's rules? What about balance-of-system components?
These distinctions are the subject of a decision issued last week by the DOE's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) office. The ruling extended a waiver - originally issued Sept. 30, 2010 - that excludes certain types of solar equipment from Buy American rules until Aug. 6, 2011.
The EERE's decision means that both U.S.-manufactured modules containing foreign-manufactured cells and their opposite - foreign-manufactured modules comprising U.S.-manufactured cells - remain exempt. The ruling also waives so-called ancillary items and equipment, including charge controllers, combiner boxes, wiring and racking equipment, and other items (except inverters and batteries) used in solar installations.More info at http://solarserdar.blogspot.com.
"The Assistant Secretary has determined that application of Section 1605 restrictions would be inconsistent with the public interest for incidental and/or ancillary solar photovoltaic equipment, when this equipment is utilized in solar installations containing domestically manufactured PV cells or modules," the EERE writes in its memorandum of decision.
"What the DOE has tried to do is live within the spirit of the law, while also allowing companies to make the best market-based determinations they can," Salo Zelermyer, an associate in the Environmental Strategies Group at law firm Bracewell & Giuliani, tells Solar Industry.
The memorandum explains that complications inherent to multi-site, multi-country PV module manufacturing can make it difficult to determine where "final manufacturing" - for the purposes of ARRA compliance - takes place.
Consequently, the EERE says it teamed with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to conduct "extensive research" into the nature of solar manufacturing to explore three possible rulings: requiring only domestic module assembly, mandating that both cells and modules be made in the U.S., or allowing either cell manufacture or module assembly to count for compliance.
The third option - the agency's chosen ruling - "recognizes EERE's determination that the manufacturing process for cells and the final PV module production represent distinct and significant stages in the solar PV manufacturing chain," the memorandum says. "Conducting either of these discrete activities in the United States creates roughly equal numbers of American jobs."
Not surprisingly, Suniva, a Norcross, Ga.-based monocrystalline solar cell manufacturer, immediately spoke out in support of the EERE's interpretation of "American" modules.
"This is an important step by the Department of Energy to support American companies manufacturing the part of the solar supply chain that contains the highest value and most intellectual property - the cells," said Bryan Ashley, Suniva's chief marketing officer, in a statement.More info at http://solarserdar.wordpress.com
The company, which received a $15 million working capital loan guarantee from the Export-Import Bank Of The United States last November, exports approximately 90% of its annual production to countries in Asia and Europe, according to a 2010 press release.
Zelermyer says that the solar market as a whole - not just Suniva and other firms with an explicit stake in the EERE's ruling - can expect to benefit from the waiver's extension.
"This frees up project developers to source their projects according to a more market-based decision, while maintaining the spirit of the provision: supporting U.S.-backed manufacturing," he explains. "Ideally, when you don't place constraints on the market, the industry is free to source its components in the most cost-effective manner."
Zelermyer, who has previously served as counsel to the DOE, says we may or may not see another extension of the waiver when it reaches its Aug. 6 expiration. He predicts that the agency will base its decision on the progress made by existing stimulus-funded projects.
"Most stimulus awards have already been given out, but some larger projects take longer to put into place," he notes. "Depending on how companies are proceeding with their procurements, we may see another waiver, or the DOE may determine it's not necessary."
SOLAR SERDAR
Željko Serdar
Head of association
Thursday, February 10, 2011
GREEN ROOF by SOLAR SERDAR
GREEN ROOF by SOLAR SERDAR
Not everyone can have a living roof, but most people can have a “green” roof fairly easily. And the great news is that improving the energy efficiency of your roof doesn’t have to be costly. Small improvements can deliver a big difference, not only to your home’s energy usage, but also to the size of your energy bill.
Following is a series of steps, from small to large, which will help green both your roof and your home.
1Cool Your RoofCool roofs refer to roofs that are cool in both senses of the word. Lighter in color than traditional black asphalt or dark wood shingles, cool roofs save energy by reflecting light and heat away rather than absorbing both. This is known as the albedo effect, and study after study in the last few years has documented significant energy savings from simply lightening the color of a roof.
The problem with dark roofs: The temperature outside may be 95 degrees, which is plenty hot, but your dark roof is conducting a much higher temperature down at you and your family, making the rooms below hotter and making the air conditioner work harder, Barbara Collins points out in her answer to the Ask A Pro question "NYC has a 'cool roof' program. Is there a white paint or coating to make my roof cooler?" In New York City, she notes, a dark-colored asphalt roof can reach 150 to 175 degrees on a hot summer day. This not only increases the energy needs of your home, it also contributes to the heat island effect in urban areas.
The benefits of cool roofs: A cool roof, on the other hand, can be 50 to 60 degrees cooler than a conventional dark-colored roof, reducing the cooling load on your home, saving energy, and reducing utility costs. By decreasing the solar gain and heat retention of your home, a white roof also increases its comfort and reduces the heat island effect that your home’s dark roof contributes to.
How to cool your roof: The easiest route is to slap a cool roof coating onto an existing roof. Check out these recommendations from Dave Edwards, PhD, of EarthBound Homes, for coating options. If you’re already re-roofing, or building a new residence, consider replacing shingles or asphalt with lighter-colored versions of themselves. If you’ve got a flat-top roof, Edwards suggests DuraLast’s sheets of fiber-reinforced white PVC membranes, in his Q&A "I'm reroofing a typical sloped roof -- what materials should I be considering?" A quick search of the Cool Roof Rating Council’s Rated Products Directory, will provide you with performance data about various roofing products. Products are rated for their reflectiveness on a 0 to 1 scale; the higher the number, the more reflective the product is, and the cooler your roof will be.
2Insulate from BelowInsulation is one of the first things people think of when they set about making their homes more energy efficient.
According to the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), the attic is usually the top priority because installing insulation there is easy and provides immediate benefits. And when insulating the attic, it’s important not to forget about the roof. Unfortunately, deciding on the best insulation isn’t always so straightforward, but our experts have advice on everything from the materials you should consider to how they should be installed.
The problem: Roofs are your heating and cooling systems’ biggest nightmare. A poorly insulated roof will require more air conditioning in the summer and more heating in the winter, and if you have any dreams of actually inhabiting the attic of a house with a poorly insulated roof, forget about it. Even if you do have insulation, it may not be enough to be doing much. Check out Steve Saunders's comprehensive answer to the question "Is three inches of batt insulation enough for my attic?" for more information.
The benefits of insulation: A well-insulated roof, on the other hand, can almost negate the need for either mechanical system and certainly drastically reduce your heating and cooling needs (along with your electricity bill and your home’s emissions). Mick Dalrymple, in his answer to the Q&A "What type of roof should I choose in a hot climate?", describes how his roof’s insulation and weatherization coatings make air conditioning unecessary until outdoor temperatures reach over 100 degrees in Scottsdale, Arizona.More info at http://solarserdar.wordpress.com.
How to properly insulate your roof: The material you choose will depend heavily on the type of house you have and the climate you live in. Our experts have advice on everything from the more high-tech solutions like home foam insulation (even a cogent answer to the open cell vs closed cell foam debate) and cellulose insulation to simpler options like fiberglass or cotton batting. Those with open beams, and in particular cathedral ceilings, in cooler climates should also consider a radiant barrier—simple reflective films that wrap around beams and reflect heat out rather than absorbing it. No matter what material you choose, leaving an air-space between the insulation and the roofing material is generally a good idea. Although in very dry climates, and with some metal roofing, it may not be necessary, an air-space will typically reduce the possibility of moisture getting trapped in either the structure or the insulation and causing mildew or mold to grow. Read Mike Binder's answer to the question "Should I leave an air space between my attic insulation and the wood roofing?" for more details.
3Re-roof SustainablyWhether you’re putting a roof on a new home, or re-roofing an existing residence, it’s a golden opportunity to do things as sustainably as possible.
But with new supposedly green roofing materials coming to market every month, it’s hard to separate the great from the fake. In her answer to the question "What are the sustainable options for re-roofing our 30-year-old home?", Cynthia Phakos advises that anyone looking to re-roof their house start not by reading about the coolest new roofing materials, but by understanding their home’s specific conditions, particularly climate.More info at http://solarserdar.blogspot.com.
The problem: You want to choose a roof that lasts a long time, improves your home’s efficiency and comfort, and reduces the heat island effect. That ideal roofing material will shift depending on where you live and the sort of house you have, but our experts agree that wood shingles are probably not going to cut it no matter where you live, primarily because they degrade rather quickly and it’s not sustainable to be replacing your roof in 15 years.
The benefits of sustainable roofing materials: Simply choosing the right material could result in as much as a 30 percent decrease in your home’s energy needs. Whether that ends up being a metal roof (which are generally more expensive but do deliver meaningful energy savings), tile roof, asphalt shingles, concrete, or even wood, all of our experts recommend reflective coatings to make your roof “cool”. Elastomeric rooftop coatings not only reflect heat, and thereby save energy, but they can also extend the lifetime of your roof.
How to sustainably re-roof your home: Any decent roofer should be able to advise you on the best roofing material for your house type and climate, but it’s a good idea to have a grasp of the basics before talking to a professional. “If you live near the coast, you'll want to select roofing that will withstand the salt spray and have no wind uplift,” Phakos writes. Once you’ve got a solid understanding of the conditions facing your roof, you’ll need to consider both roofing materials and sheathing. If you’re taking the roof down to the rafters, particularly if you live in a cooler climate, consider installing a sheathing with a radiant barrier—a laminated sheet of aluminum that will reflect heat into your home instead of absorbing it.
SOLAR SERDAR
Željko Serdar
Head of association
Not everyone can have a living roof, but most people can have a “green” roof fairly easily. And the great news is that improving the energy efficiency of your roof doesn’t have to be costly. Small improvements can deliver a big difference, not only to your home’s energy usage, but also to the size of your energy bill.
Following is a series of steps, from small to large, which will help green both your roof and your home.
1Cool Your RoofCool roofs refer to roofs that are cool in both senses of the word. Lighter in color than traditional black asphalt or dark wood shingles, cool roofs save energy by reflecting light and heat away rather than absorbing both. This is known as the albedo effect, and study after study in the last few years has documented significant energy savings from simply lightening the color of a roof.
The problem with dark roofs: The temperature outside may be 95 degrees, which is plenty hot, but your dark roof is conducting a much higher temperature down at you and your family, making the rooms below hotter and making the air conditioner work harder, Barbara Collins points out in her answer to the Ask A Pro question "NYC has a 'cool roof' program. Is there a white paint or coating to make my roof cooler?" In New York City, she notes, a dark-colored asphalt roof can reach 150 to 175 degrees on a hot summer day. This not only increases the energy needs of your home, it also contributes to the heat island effect in urban areas.
The benefits of cool roofs: A cool roof, on the other hand, can be 50 to 60 degrees cooler than a conventional dark-colored roof, reducing the cooling load on your home, saving energy, and reducing utility costs. By decreasing the solar gain and heat retention of your home, a white roof also increases its comfort and reduces the heat island effect that your home’s dark roof contributes to.
How to cool your roof: The easiest route is to slap a cool roof coating onto an existing roof. Check out these recommendations from Dave Edwards, PhD, of EarthBound Homes, for coating options. If you’re already re-roofing, or building a new residence, consider replacing shingles or asphalt with lighter-colored versions of themselves. If you’ve got a flat-top roof, Edwards suggests DuraLast’s sheets of fiber-reinforced white PVC membranes, in his Q&A "I'm reroofing a typical sloped roof -- what materials should I be considering?" A quick search of the Cool Roof Rating Council’s Rated Products Directory, will provide you with performance data about various roofing products. Products are rated for their reflectiveness on a 0 to 1 scale; the higher the number, the more reflective the product is, and the cooler your roof will be.
2Insulate from BelowInsulation is one of the first things people think of when they set about making their homes more energy efficient.
According to the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), the attic is usually the top priority because installing insulation there is easy and provides immediate benefits. And when insulating the attic, it’s important not to forget about the roof. Unfortunately, deciding on the best insulation isn’t always so straightforward, but our experts have advice on everything from the materials you should consider to how they should be installed.
The problem: Roofs are your heating and cooling systems’ biggest nightmare. A poorly insulated roof will require more air conditioning in the summer and more heating in the winter, and if you have any dreams of actually inhabiting the attic of a house with a poorly insulated roof, forget about it. Even if you do have insulation, it may not be enough to be doing much. Check out Steve Saunders's comprehensive answer to the question "Is three inches of batt insulation enough for my attic?" for more information.
The benefits of insulation: A well-insulated roof, on the other hand, can almost negate the need for either mechanical system and certainly drastically reduce your heating and cooling needs (along with your electricity bill and your home’s emissions). Mick Dalrymple, in his answer to the Q&A "What type of roof should I choose in a hot climate?", describes how his roof’s insulation and weatherization coatings make air conditioning unecessary until outdoor temperatures reach over 100 degrees in Scottsdale, Arizona.More info at http://solarserdar.wordpress.com.
How to properly insulate your roof: The material you choose will depend heavily on the type of house you have and the climate you live in. Our experts have advice on everything from the more high-tech solutions like home foam insulation (even a cogent answer to the open cell vs closed cell foam debate) and cellulose insulation to simpler options like fiberglass or cotton batting. Those with open beams, and in particular cathedral ceilings, in cooler climates should also consider a radiant barrier—simple reflective films that wrap around beams and reflect heat out rather than absorbing it. No matter what material you choose, leaving an air-space between the insulation and the roofing material is generally a good idea. Although in very dry climates, and with some metal roofing, it may not be necessary, an air-space will typically reduce the possibility of moisture getting trapped in either the structure or the insulation and causing mildew or mold to grow. Read Mike Binder's answer to the question "Should I leave an air space between my attic insulation and the wood roofing?" for more details.
3Re-roof SustainablyWhether you’re putting a roof on a new home, or re-roofing an existing residence, it’s a golden opportunity to do things as sustainably as possible.
But with new supposedly green roofing materials coming to market every month, it’s hard to separate the great from the fake. In her answer to the question "What are the sustainable options for re-roofing our 30-year-old home?", Cynthia Phakos advises that anyone looking to re-roof their house start not by reading about the coolest new roofing materials, but by understanding their home’s specific conditions, particularly climate.More info at http://solarserdar.blogspot.com.
The problem: You want to choose a roof that lasts a long time, improves your home’s efficiency and comfort, and reduces the heat island effect. That ideal roofing material will shift depending on where you live and the sort of house you have, but our experts agree that wood shingles are probably not going to cut it no matter where you live, primarily because they degrade rather quickly and it’s not sustainable to be replacing your roof in 15 years.
The benefits of sustainable roofing materials: Simply choosing the right material could result in as much as a 30 percent decrease in your home’s energy needs. Whether that ends up being a metal roof (which are generally more expensive but do deliver meaningful energy savings), tile roof, asphalt shingles, concrete, or even wood, all of our experts recommend reflective coatings to make your roof “cool”. Elastomeric rooftop coatings not only reflect heat, and thereby save energy, but they can also extend the lifetime of your roof.
How to sustainably re-roof your home: Any decent roofer should be able to advise you on the best roofing material for your house type and climate, but it’s a good idea to have a grasp of the basics before talking to a professional. “If you live near the coast, you'll want to select roofing that will withstand the salt spray and have no wind uplift,” Phakos writes. Once you’ve got a solid understanding of the conditions facing your roof, you’ll need to consider both roofing materials and sheathing. If you’re taking the roof down to the rafters, particularly if you live in a cooler climate, consider installing a sheathing with a radiant barrier—a laminated sheet of aluminum that will reflect heat into your home instead of absorbing it.
SOLAR SERDAR
Željko Serdar
Head of association
Grad Zagreb
Jeste li znali?
Grad Zagreb
jedan je od prvih europskih glavnih gradova koji
je pristupio Sporazumu gradonačelnika (Covenant of Mayors),
inicijativi pokrenutoj 29. siječnja 2008. godine od strane
Europske komisije kao prioritetnoj akciji prema smjernicama za
poboljšanje mjera energetske učinkovitosti u Europskoj uniji.
Sporazum gradonačelnika podrazumijeva ostvarenje zadanih
ciljeva Europske unije do 2020. godine u reduciranju emisije
CO2 provođenjem aktivnosti definiranih u istom. Aktivnosti se
odnose na izradu i provedbu Akcijskog plana za održivi energetski
razvoj grada, podnošenje izviješća o realizaciji Akcijskog plana,
organiziranje Energetskog dana u suradnji sa Europskom
komisijom i drugim sudionicima i informiranje građana o
mogućnostima i prednostima korištenja energije na učinkoviti
način. Sporazum gradonačelnika je prihvatila Gradska skupština
Grada Zagreba 30. listopada 2008., a prihvaćanje i provođenje
načela i obveza iz tog dokumenta jedan je od važnih preduvjeta za
povećanje energetske učinkovitosti u Gradu Zagrebu.
Odlukom Gradske skupštine Grada Zagreba od 25. studenog
2008. godine, Grad Zagreb je pristupio u punopravno članstvo
udruge Energie-cités, organizacije koja povezuje jedinice lokalnih
i regionalnih vlasti koje skrbe o racionalnom korištenju energije i
primjeni mjera energetske učinkovitosti, koriste obnovljive izvore
energije i brinu o zaštiti okoliša.
Energie-Cités je neprofitabilna
udruga osnovana 1990. godine od strane Europskih lokalnih
vlasti. Od tada intenzivno promovira održivu energetsku politiku
na lokalnoj razini te potiče suradnju između svojih članova u cilju
međusobne razmjene iskustava, znanja i primjera dobre prakse
koji se odnose na energetsku učinkovitost i obnovljive izvore
energije. Udrugu sada predstavlja oko 1 000 članova iz 26 zemalja.
CROATIAN CENTER of RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
&
SOLAR SERDAR
Željko Serdar
Head of association
Friday, February 4, 2011
OBNOVLJIVA ENERGIJA
Obnovljiva energija
Energija je važan čimbenik koji doprinosi razvoju i standardu svake države. Bez izvora energije u Evropi ne bi bilo industrijske revolucije, razvoja gospodarstva, niti globalizacije. Nafta, plin i ugljen su preduvjet za gospodarski razvoj, ali rezerve ovih goriva su sve manje, klima se mijenja, a flora i fauna trpe zbog sve veće žeđi za energijom. Stvari bi mogle biti i drugačije, tvrdio je sve do svoje smrti u listopadu 2010. Herman Scheerr, stručnjak za energiju u stranci njemačkih socijaldemokrata.
"Istina glasi: Moguće je obnovljivim izvorima energije pokriti potrebe svake države. To zahtijeva mnogo truda i ulaganja, ali to su preduvjeti da u budućnosti imamo ekološki neutralnu i jeftinu energiju. To je izazov 21. stoljeća." Ipak, prelazak na obnovljive izvore energije ne može se ostvariti preko noći. Havarija na naftnoj platformi "Deep Horizont" u Meksičkom zalivu travnja 2010. pokazala je koliki je rizik zbog ovisnosti od fosilnih goriva. Nikada do sada čovječanstvo nije imalo tako duboke bušotine, uz toliko velike troškove i nekvalitetnu naftu, a sve zbog žeđi za energijom.Više informacija na http://solarserdar.blogspot.com
U međuvremenu su brojne vlade svijeta uvidjele potrebu da se oslobode ovisnosti od "crnog zlata". EU je u aktualnim pregovorima o smanjenju emisije ugljičnog dioksida zacrtala cilj od dvadeset posto manje u odnosu na emisiju u 1990. godini. Ovaj cilj bi mogao biti povećan i na 30 posto ukoliko ostale industrijske nacije svijeta budu spremne na suradnju. Vlada u Berlinu ima još ambicioznije planove, navodi ministar za ekologiju Norbert Röttgen."Cilj Njemačke je smanjenje od 40 posto do 2020. godine. To je zapisano u koalicijskom ugovoru aktualne vlade i još jednom naglašeno u novom konceptu za opskrbu Njemačke energijom. Mi to gledamo sa dva aspekta: to je naš doprinos globalnom cilju, ali i poluga koju koristimo kako bi podstakli tehnološki razvoj i modernizaciju gospodarstva", kaže Röttgen. On smatra kako je smanjenje emisije ugljičnog dioksida od 40 posto do 2020. godine moguće postići i na razini EU, te da bi to Uniju odvelo i na stazu daljeg gospodarskog napretka.
Sporno ustrajanje na atomskoj energiji
Ipak, jedna mjera savezne vlade u Berlinu kojom se želi ukinuti ovisnost od fosilnih goriva izazvala je veliki otpor. Produžena je licenca za rad nuklearnim elektranama. Bivša vlada kancelara Gerharda Schrödera zacrtala je postupno gašenje svih reaktora do 2021. godine. Sadašnja vlada je licence produžila u prosjeku za dodatnih 12 godina, pod izgovorom da bi u suprotnom došlo do problema u opskrbi potrošača energijom u razdoblju prelaska na obnovljive izvore. Ovaj zaključak izazvao je masovne prosvjede građana. Deseci tisuća prosvjednika okupilo se u studenom ispred skladišta nuklearnog otpada Gorleben. Tada se ka Gorlebenu kretao takozvani "Castor-transport", vlak s kontejnerima prerađenog radioaktivnog otpada. Okupljeni su jasno iskazali svoje nezadovoljstvo vladinom politikom.
Kina se trudi
Za većinu Nijemaca atomska energija nije prava alternativa fosilnim gorivima. Nuklearke su im previše opasne i previše skupe. Jer, poreski obveznici snose troškove održavanja skladišta radioaktivnog otpada i eventualnog obeštećenja u slučaju incidenata. Obični građani podržavaju mjere koje vode iskorištavanju energije vjetra i sunca.Više informacija na http://solarserdar.wordpress.com
Uz to postoje i države koje rade na potpunom zaokretu. Kostarika i Maledivi imaju namjeru da u roku od nekoliko desetljeća postignu neutralan omjer emisije ugljičnog dioksida. Čak i Kina čini mnogo više nego što njeni predstavnici žele službeno preuzeti kao obvezu na međunarodnim pregovorima, tvrdi Christiana Figueres, šefica UN-ovog tajništva za klimu. "Kina već pet godina provjerava da li su zakoni koje donosi u skladu sa zaštitom klime. Ona upravo radi na novom petogodišnjem planu gospodarskog razvoja i ima jasne ciljeve za povećanje energetske efikasnosti i korištenje obnovljivih izvora energija."
To je argument u korist povećanja proizvodnje obnovljive energije i u drugim zemljama. U suprotnom bi na tom planu uskoro mogle tehnološki i gospodarski zaostati za Kinom.
SOLAR SERDAR
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