Renewable Energy: Generating New Life
A study of alternative energy and its potential
A research proposal submitted to the Urban Studies and Planning Program
Senior Sequence Class of 2010-2011
October 17, 2010
Caroline Lao
University of California, San Diego
Urban Studies and Planning Program
USP 186
calao@ucsd.edu
Abstract
This proposal outlines a research strategy to examine the use of alternative energy in San
Diego. Current research on energy consumption shows that developed nations have a
high demand for energy, with a tendency to rely on fossil fuels. This raises three
fundamental problems: the limited supply of resources; the cost of alternatives; and
pollution from carbon dioxide emissions. This proposal outlines a research strategy aimed
at addressing these three problems. Specifically, I will investigate further into the option
of biomass energy. I will also do a case study on the use of solar energy for streetlamps in
North Park, San Diego, and conduct an interview with Daniel Beeman, a former elected
North Park Redevelopment Project Area Committee member. I will also investigate
“green cities” in Europe. The research will contribute to the literature on alternative
energy, but it will also be shared with developers in the hope that findings will encourage
a greater commitment to the use of renewable energy.
Key Terms: renewable, alternative, energy, fossil fuels, resources
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Introduction: Energy Now
The use of fossil fuels in the developed world has gained attention as a negative method
of energy production. Instead, “sustainable” energy is becoming more and more well-known as
the preferred alternative to fossil fuels. The most well-known alternative options of renewable
energy largely include energy generated by hydro-dams, wind turbines, or solar panels. Another
rising prospect in the world of renewable energy is that of biomass. The use of renewable energy
is increasingly gaining popularity, but remains a minority in contrast to the use of non-renewable
energy in the form of fossil fuels. This study searches to underline the significance of replacing
non-renewable energy with alternative methods that are less destructive to the environment. It
also serves to consider the consequent effects of employing alternative energy methods, viewing
both negative and positive outcomes. To further understanding of the significance of renewable
energy, this study will investigate examples of renewable energy, how they work, and why they
serve as viable options. This study will also provide support for developers and consumers to
look toward renewable energy sources.
Currently, San Diego Gas & Electricity (SDG&E) serves the City of San Diego. SDG&E
relies on Sempra Energy for their energy production, though SDG&E also sources a variety of
clean energy systems. Sempra, in turn, utilizes the power of natural gas, “working to move
natural gas from where it’s available to where it’s needed” (Sempra Energy, 2007). Sempra
Pipelines & Storage operates over 1400 miles of natural gas pipelines and facilities in northern
Mexico and the United States. Natural gas is considered the cleanest of all fossil fuels,
producing less carbon dioxide than oil or coal (NaturalGas.org, 2010). However, it remains a
fossil fuel, making it a limited resource requiring land disturbance for the construction of
pipelines and storage units, along with a necessity for proximity to the supply. Ultimately, it is
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renewable energy that reduces environmental disturbance and encourages independence in the
world of energy consumption. It is invariably a smarter alternative to rely locally on survival,
and energy generation is a necessity in the modern world. Renewable energy makes the option of
independence viable to communities.
Conceptual Framework
The conceptual issue of this study is how the development of renewable energy can
overcome energy generated by fossil fuels in San Diego. In particular, this study will consider
the more popular forms of both renewable and non-renewable energy, looking at benefits and
harmful effects of both, and underline the concluding best solution. This research is related to
other local San Diego projects involving the use of solar energy for affordable homes, wind
farms in the county, and the research of algal biomass at the University of California, San Diego.
This study will look at policies on energy and view examples of local efforts to implement
renewable methods of energy. It will examine both successful and failed attempts to produce
greener and affordable energy. It will also consider the need for renewable and affordable
energy.
Literature Review
The use of renewable energies from solar or wind power can be dated back to the first
uses of the sun for heat, or the wind for sailing. However, the growing awareness of a need for
renewable energy to generate electricity might be traced back to the 1960s, linking a political
movement to the era of the hippies in the United States. In 1997, the Kyoto Protocol was created,
amending the international agreement of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
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Change. It was signed by various countries as an agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,
but the United States did not sign. Fossil fuel emissions remain “the main cause of human
contributions to the increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere” (Smith 2008:76). The
change in consciousness of carbon footprints has evolved to more than just a movement, but a
sustainable way of life. Solar and wind energy are well-known, but it is biomass that is in fact the
oldest form of renewable energy, with the ability to re-grow in a short time duration (Union of
Concerned Scientists, 2010).
According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, a nonprofit organization of citizens and
scientists working for environmental solutions, the use of biomass can be beneficial not only by
providing energy, but also by reducing carbon emissions (UCS, 2010). Beneficial biomass
includes energy crops, or “power crops” that can be grown on farms; residues; and conversion to
energy. Trees, grasses, and other crops can be used for energy, though corn and oil crops such as
soybeans and sunflowers require “intensive management and may not be sustainable in the
longer term” (UCS, 2010). However, the potential of microalgae exists as a future option.
Biomass residues can also produce energy. Biomass waste includes wood waste from the forest;
crop residues from farming; and urban waste from cities, coming in the form of biodegradable
garbage or captured methane from sewage. Environmental benefits include reduction in air and
water pollution and erosion, along with better soil quality and wildlife habitat. Burning can also
reduce “pest pressure, weed competition, and… [improve] soil fertility, texture, and moisture
content” (McGrath, 1987:224). There are environmental risks to biopower; poor management
can lead to overharvest, damage to ecosystems, air pollution, excess water consumption, and net
greenhouse gas emissions (UCS, 2010). However, as with any risk, proper management can
utilize biomass production to its potential and minimize harm.
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The use of solar energy is considered one of the top choices for alternative energy in San
Diego because of the climate. Solar panels, called photovoltaic cells, convert sunlight into
electricity. In 2008, San Diego was ranked in 4th in “U.S. utilities for total solar-power capacity”
by the Solar Electric Power Association (Heiser, 2008). The reliance of photovoltaic cells on the
appearance of the sun makes the idea of solar power vulnerable and subject to failure. “Climate
is susceptible to a number of external influences” (Arnold, 2002:2788). San Diego is well known
for its sunny climate, so it is reasonable to use photovoltaic cells. Solar power is expensive, but it
is also quiet during operation, without emitting greenhouse gases or other chemicals (Diesendorf,
2007:157).
Alternatively, wind energy is a growing source of renewable energy. Wind energy cannot
be stored. Wind turbines generate electricity, and their dominating presence makes them
“unavoidable, … remind[ing] us that our electricity comes from somewhere” (Pasqualetti
2000:381). Hydropower is another source of alternative energy, generated by the force of
flowing or falling water. Hydro-dams have low greenhouse gas emissions and do not produce
direct waste. However, the construction of hydro-drams is the cause of great controversy, as they
change the seasonal flow of water and disrupt wildlife by altering ecosystems.
Fossil fuels remain the most common form of generating energy. They are non-renewable
resources, formed over millions of years by natural resources and consisting most commonly of
coal, petroleum, and natural gas, all of which have high amounts of carbon. Fossil fuels are
burned to produce energy, and simultaneously release carbon dioxide into the air. This is
believed to contribute significantly to global warming, which raises the surface temperature of
the Earth. As a non-renewable resource, there is a limited supply of fossil fuels, leading to a
quest for renewable forms of energy. Currently, the “dominance of fossil fuels as an energy
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source reflects their convenience of use and relative ease of production in comparison with other
energy sources” (Lincoln 2005:622). As the demand for energy increases, the sources of fossil
fuels are depleting. Production is expected to become more costly.
Since the 1980s, there have been nine solar plants in the Mojave Desert, known as Solar
Energy Generating Systems, which generate enough electricity for roughly 500,000 people (Sun
Lab 1998). In 2007, the Nellis Solar Power Plant was opened, marking the largest solar
photovoltaic system on the continent. In April of 2009, a San Diego subsidiary of Sempra
Energy was reported to propose building the “largest solar energy plant in North America”
(Joyce 2009). However, it was not expected to power San Diego. Instead, the Nevada plant
would sell to a “southwest-based utility” (Joyce 2009). Other operations have been making
progress or intending it. Kyocera Solar, Inc. is a producer and supplier of solar energy products
providing solar electric systems and solutions. In March of 2010, Kyocera International
announced plans to “start manufacturing solar modules in San Diego” (Joyce 2010). The city
was picked for the company’s first U.S. solar panel manufacturing site. In July of 2010, the
Canadian company Enbridge responsible for an oil spill in Michigan announced plans to
construct what they intend to be the largest photovoltaic solar energy facility on the continent.
(Kart 2010). This study seeks to bridge the gap between the green movement in other areas and
the need for a change in San Diego. By viewing existing facilities as model examples, San Diego
has the potential to become just as green, or greener.
Research Design and Methodology
In this study, I will delve to uncover the potential of San Diego converting to the use of
alternative energy. I will spend time interviewing Daniel Beeman, who was a member of the
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North Park Redevelopment Project Area Committee in San Diego, and knows a little about a
mid-block solar street light project that was halted in North Park years ago. A lack of records
prevents the project from coming to light. I expect my research to uncover the mystery of what
happened to the project, and thereby explore the issues that hinder the progress of alternative
energy in San Diego. I will further investigate into the authority figures of North Park at the time
of the project.
Another method I will use to research will be a case study on North Park street lamps. I
intend to visit the site. I was told that there were lamps along Idaho St. and an elementary school.
I will check to see if there were any city records of the project, though I am told that they are
lacking.
I also intend to explore the ideas of “green cities,” particularly several in Europe, and I
will do this with the aid of my sister. She traveled abroad this past summer with a program from
the University of California, Davis, and went to five different cities that were considered
“green.” They are sustainable in their urban system of life, and can serve as solid examples for
the rest of the world, though each city in each region must cater to their own appropriate climates
and cultures. I will interview my sister about her experiences with the cities, and conduct my
own internet research on the extent of their sustainability.
I personally believe that the best method of alternative energy is that of biomass.
However, there are pros and cons to every method, and I will further investigate the problems or
benefits regarding the use of biomass to produce energy. Accordingly, I will look into the use of
renewable energy sources, such as wind power, hydro power, and solar power, along with
geothermal, tidal, wave, and biofuel energy. I will investigate local sources of renewable energy,
including the wind farms in San Diego County, and the assortment of units that rely on solar
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energy and are listed in SDG&E as their operating sites. I will also look into the not-so-local
solar plant in the Mojave Desert and look to contact Sempra Energy to gain a better
understanding of the lack of a role for San Diego in the solar plants.
To underscore the need to move away from non-renewable energy sources, I also intend
to investigate the impacts of burning fossil fuels, both negative and positive. There are
advantages to both methods of energy, in different aspects. This will include social, political,
economic, and cultural characteristics of fossil fuel energy and renewable energy. This will in
turn lead to more information on the reasoning behind many decisions for or against alternative
energy use in San Diego history. Further research can be conducted on the use of coal,
petroleum, and particularly natural gas. Increased questioning with Sempra Energy can help
answer the question of how San Diego came to be reliant on natural gas, and for how long.
The expected timetable of this research will run from November 2010 until March 2011.
Conclusion/Expected Outcomes
As a whole, I expect to find advantages and benefits to both fossil fuels and renewable
energy sources. I also expect to find that the advantages of using renewable energy, and largely
the advantages of using biomass, will outweigh that of fossil fuels. I believe the story behind the
North Park Project will be politically complicated, involving the movement of or lack of funds,
and many fingers pointing to different organizations at fault. I also expect to find changes that
may have occurred to the neighborhood in North Park due to the decrease in using nonrenewable energy.
I expect the “green” cities in Europe to be fully functional on renewable sources of
energy. It is my theory that they have each underwent some sort of chaotic history in order to
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become the sustainable cities that they are today, and they have learned from their past mistakes
and strive to not repeat them. In order to gain the advantage and end up on the extreme end of
being sustainable, they must have been on the opposite end of the spectrum previously. It is my
understanding that necessity breeds results; when there is a greater need, there is a greater result.
I am also expecting that these cities will have found original methods of generating electricity,
and that they use different combinations of energy sources, so as to avoid putting all their eggs
into one basket.
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