Casey Torres
C. Reichner /4
Proper Header:
Last name page #
This is a proper four line
heading:
Name
Teacher/Class period
Assignment
Date
Torres 1
SCP Problem-Solution Essay
Although a good title, titles should
NOT be in bold print.
2 May 2012
Title clearly
states the topic.
A Wind of Change:
An analysis of the current electricity transmission infrastructure in America
Introduction
Writer
attempts
to
“hook”
reader
with a
startling
stat. To
be more
effective
writer
should
make
this more
relatable
to
audience
. An
analogy
or
comparis
on would
follow
this fact
well.
Subheadings are centered
throughout the document.
In 2009 alone, the United States emitted more than 5 billion tons, eighteen tons per
person, of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere (U.S...). This not only contributes to climate
change, but can be damaging to the health of humans. According to a study conducted by
environmental groups and undertaken by a consultant often used by the Environmental
Protection Agency, “Health problems linked to aging coal-fired power plants shorten nearly
24,000 lives a year, including 2,800 from lung cancer” (“Deadly…”). The solution is obvious: an
expansion of renewable energy sources. Many opponents argue that these sources cost too
much money to produce and are not cost-effective; this is not true. The root of the problem
does not lay in the efficiency of the sources, rather in the transmission of the energy from the
source to the populated areas of the nation. The U.S. energy paradigm of generating over half
its power from coal and oil is not sustainable and must be reduced by improving the
transmission lines and power grid which will then enable the massive expansion of renewable
energy sources, especially wind power.
This is how to correctly divide
the paper under subheadings.
Thesis presents a clearly stated problem and
solution at the end of the introduction.
Problem Definition
Increasing population has led to a growing demand for cheap energy. From 1970 to
2000, total U.S. primary energy consumption from all sectors increased by forty-five percent
Why should we trust this source? Writer should
address credibility and clout in lead. IE.
“According to…, who collects census data…”
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(Kolankiewicz). To meet these sharp demands many new energy sources had to be built. Sadly,
the vast majority were coal and petroleum plants. Today fifty-eight percent of electricity in
America is produced from these two sources (“U.S...”). This is neither clean nor renewable and
Explain why.
is not sustainable for the future. Most people understand the implied dangers and steps are
being taken to expand renewable energy, however, there are many barriers in the way. Leaders
and governments do not agree on the right catalyst for change. The major differences originate
with which sources are the best and how fast expansion should occur. The hottest topic
Why?
Clarify.
currently is wind energy. It is the fastest growing renewable source, “Over the past five years
Vague:
What
specific
“leaders”
and
“governmints”?
the average growth in annual new installations has been 27.6 % per year” (“BTM…”). Countries
all over the world are investing led by Germany and Spain. Potential is high but risks loom.
There are strong supporters but also strong opponents.
Nice acknowledgement of opposing viewpoints.
One side argues that wind has proven successful and government tax breaks should
continue to ensure cleaner creation of energy in America. Already, wind energy can compete
with coal powered energy in terms of cost at around four cents per kilowatt hour (“Clean…”).
However, the federal government's National Renewable Energy Laboratory projects that the
price of wind energy will fall even further over the next decade, making it the most
Support with
evidence.
economically competitive renewable energy technology. Also wind is abundant and will never
run out unlike its coal and petroleum counterparts. Economically, the endless element
transported effectively would have the ability to lower electricity prices in areas that are not
close to production sites, which in most cases are heavily populated demographics. It is free to
capture and turbines provide excellent local jobs to communities. Not only is wind power
generation renewable, it produces zero carbon dioxide emissions.
Prove these claims
with research.
This topic sentence is parallel to the former topic
sentence, creating a balanced argument.
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The other side argues that wind is not effective and that the government keeps the
industry alive through subsidies. Many wind turbines are simply not cost-efficient and the wind
Prove with research.
industry is making big bucks at the expense of tax payers. Wind is also intermittent which
means it cannot be relied on at all times. Due to the power grid, most energy needs to be used
immediately when it is produced because of the inability to store energy. The complexity of
predicting wind patterns also make it difficult to pick the best spots for wind farms. Socially,
wind turbines are noisy, ugly, and destructive to rural communities. Wind turbines stand as
high as forty stories with blades 300 feet long. Chronic sleep disruption, fatigue, nausea,
vertigo, headaches, dizziness, ringing in the ears, high blood pressure, and heart palpitations
are all possible side effects of these huge machines. In Ontario alone, over 38,000 families have
called on the provincial government, "to suspend the invasion of rural Ontario with industrial
wind turbines" (Hunter). Finally, the great amounts of space the turbines require have affected
numerous recreational sites and the turbines themselves kill bats and birds. At the Altamont
Pass Wind Resource Area in California alone, 4,700 birds are killed annually, including 1,300
raptors, and seventy golden eagles (La Jeunesse).
Excellent
clarifying point.
Writer should connect back to thesis with own words here.
NO DIRECT QUOTE OR PARAPHRASED IDEA ENDS THE
PARAGRAPH.
It is a multifaceted issue but the most vital part is not the energy production itself, it’s
transporting it. The reason many turbines perform poorly is due to the location, not the design.
Chief development officer of Horizon Wind Energy Gabriel Alonso professed, “The windiest
sites have not been built, because there is no way to move that electricity from there to the
load centers” (Wald). Many transmission lines cannot hold enough voltage in places where
turbines should be constructed. Even worse, transmission lines do not exist at all in many
Midwest locations where wind energy could easily be harnessed and sent to densely populated
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areas with the correct infrastructure consisting of long range high-voltage lines. The problem is
difficult to solve. The power grid is balkanized, with about 200,000 miles of power lines divided
among 500 owners (“Transmission 101”). Big transmission upgrades often involve multiple
companies, many state governments and numerous permits. Every addition to the grid
provokes fights with property owners. Some simply refuse to negotiate and others will sue the
company for a devaluation of their land because of unattractive power lines near by. These
Writer
points out
many
facets of
the issue
that
complicate
the
problem.
obstacles equate to, “Electrical generation that is growing four times faster than transmission,
according to federal figures” (“Secretary…”). The grid design is not smart but it can be fixed.
Topic sentence points to “telescoping” effect.
Solutions
Writer needs to break solutions down into “Attempted” and
“Proposed” categories for “YES” check on rubric.
Governments, organizations, and individuals are all investing in wind energy. Because of
Writer
needs to
address +
define
“subsidies”
first. Then,
lead reader
to the
research.
US subsidies, “wind companies are expected to save $6 billion through the production tax credit
from 2009 to 2013, citing figures from the Joint Committee on Taxation” (Bewley). During that
five-year window the industry is projected to receive an additional $8 billion in cash grants from
the 2009 stimulus package. Corporations of all sizes are pitching in, in 2010 alone Google
invested $38.8 million in two North Dakota wind farms (Richard). Smaller businesses and
individuals are also purchasing small wind turbines that go on roofs. Ducted wind turbines have
an average return on investment in only two to seven years and are powerful enough to cover
all the energy of a small business. By utilizing the rooftop effect, it results in a fifty percent plus
acceleration of the wind due to stronger winds at higher elevations. As the power potential in
wind has a cubed relationship to the speed of the wind, this enables a 237.5 percent increase in
power production vs. the competition not operating on the rooftop (Misso). Other attempted
solutions are improving the design of the wind turbines to be even more efficient. The U.S.
Address the
difference
between
governmental subsidies
and large
corporate
donations.
What are the
pros and
cons of
each?
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Writers
should
beware of
using too
many
sources in
one
paragraph.
This one
has two
DQs and
Three
paraphrase
d quotes
resulting in
very little
student
voice and
control
over
argument.
Department of Energy, in collaboration with utilities and the wind industry, has undertaken the
Advanced Wind Turbine (AWT) program, a five-year $55 million cost-shared project to develop
new wind turbine systems. Researchers in the AWT program are focusing on a range of
technical improvements, including advanced airfoils and aerodynamic control, flexible
lightweight blades, optimized integrated drive trains, smart controls and sophisticated power
electronics, new tower designs and materials, and improved foundation materials (Ashley).
There is also a rising number of wind farms over oceans with Sarah Rose of the Department of
Energy claiming, “Off-shore farms are expected to vastly grow in the future” (Rose). At these
desolate locations, hundreds of turbines can be placed very close together in areas with strong
winds.
These solutions currently have a significant impact, but money has been invested in the
Note:
Paraphrase
instead of
using a
direct quote
when you
take the
author’s
idea, but
not his/her
diction—
word
choice. If
you do
“borrow”
some of the
original
language,
make sure
that NO
MORE
THAN
THREE
WORDS in
sequence
are taken
from the
original
text. If you
need such
phrases,
opt to use a
direct quote
instead.
wrong area. The government needs to first overhaul transmission systems and the power grid.
Currently, almost 300,000 megawatts (MW) of wind projects, more than enough to meet
twenty percent of electricity needs, are waiting in line to connect to the grid because there is
inadequate transmission capacity to carry the electricity they would produce. Concern about
inadequate transmission is shared by the solar, geothermal, and hydropower industries as well.
In California alone, more than 13,000 MW of large solar power plants are waiting to connect to
the grid. Most of these projects will require new or significant upgrades to the existing
transmission grid. An estimated $60 billion is required in order to upgrade the nation’s
transmission infrastructure, but would reduce electricity costs by enough to fully offset the cost
of the investment, according to a recent study conducted by the transmission grid operators in
the Eastern U.S. (“Secretary…”). The government’s role is vital to the issue, “Federal legislation
Student has used TOO MUCH information from this single
source. Paragraph should illustrate SYNTHESIS skills—using
multiple sources to support thesis/argument.
Student
has a
clean,
clear
transitory
topic
sentence
here.
Torres 6
is needed to provide new mission statements, adequate resources and specific timelines for
action for federal agencies, such as DOE, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and
federal lands agencies” (Gramlich). There are qualified leaders that are ready to tackle the
issue.
Remember appropriate balance of research/direct quotes to writer’s argument
is 30% to 70%. This paragraph fails to illustrate this balance.
Reform is needed in three main areas. First, a comprehensive plan that involves both
Student uses
clear phrases
like "first,”
“secondly,”
“specifically,”
and “finally”
to guide
reader
through
action plan.
the eastern interconnection and western interconnection must be created. This requires them
to develop regional transmission plans that identify where new or expanded transmission
capacity is necessary to connect renewable energy resources to the grid and, ultimately, to load
centers. Secondly, facilities identified in the development of high-voltage transmission lines
should be eligible for broad, regional cost allocation. Specifically, FERC should allocate, based
on electricity usage, the capital and operating costs of these transmission lines across all loadserving entities on an interconnection-wide basis. This “determination of need” would be made
in the regional plan. Finally, in addition to regional planning and cost allocation, substantial
reform of the transmission siting process is required to meet national renewable energy goals.
The most effective model is the siting authority that was given to FERC over interstate natural
gas pipelines (“Transmission…”). The extra-high-voltage facilities defined in the regional plans
would be subject to FERC approval and permitting. Separate siting approval at the state level
would not be required. FERC would act as the lead agency for purposes of coordinating all
applicable federal authorizations and environmental reviews with other affected agencies.
Conclusion
Modernizing America’s outdated transmission infrastructure will not be easy. It will
require bold, forward-looking action from leaders who recognize that addressing America’s
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economic, energy, and climate challenges must be a top priority in the coming years. All three
challenges are intertwined. All require new, innovative ways of thinking about energy policy at
the local, state, and federal level. And each will require a modern transmission system that is
able to deliver clean, abundant renewable energy to homes and businesses efficiently and
reliably. These are challenges that can and must be addressed now.
Through a large coordinated investment in the transmission infrastructure in America,
renewable energy will prevail. Times may seem bleak now with the governor of New Mexico Bill
Richardson stating, “We still have a third-world grid,” but other leaders have a more positive
tone. President Obama has called for the United States to double the production of renewable
energy in three years and to secure twenty-five percent of its electricity from renewable
resources by 2025. Our president is correct when he states, “Change will not come if we wait
for some other person, or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting
for. We are the change that we seek.” Americans are becoming more aware of how their
actions are affecting the environment and the climate. Change has begun and has endless
potential.
Students concludes with a hopeful
tone meant to inspire action.
Student’s
conclusion
emphasizes
the
necessity of
reformation
in the first
paragraph,
while
leaving the
audience
with an
inspiring
quote in the
final
paragraph.
Torres 8
Sources are divided into sections: Primary
and Secondary. Also note: they are in
MLA format—hanging indentation,
alphabetized, double-spaced throughout.
Works Cited
Primary Sources
Header indicates Works Cited is a
continuation of essay, not an
independent document.
Ashley, Steven. "Turbines Catch Their Second Wind." Mechanical Engineering 114.11 (1992): 56.
Proquest. Web. 16 Mar. 2012.
Gramlich, Rob, Michael Goggin, and Katherine Gensler. Green Power Superhighways.
Publication. AWEA, 2009. Print.
Rose, Sarah. E-mail interview. 3 Apr. 2012.
Hanging indentation indicates content referenced in text,
and couched in parentheses ( ).
Secondary Sources
Bewley, Elizabeth. "Alexander Calls for Ending Wind-energy Subsidies." The Leaf Chronicle. 7
Mar. 2012. Web. 14 Mar. 2012.
"BTM Forecasts 340-GW of Wind Energy by 2013." Renewable Energy World. 27 Mar. 2009.
Web. 13 Mar. 2012.
"Clean Energy Solutions: Renewable Energy." Sierra Club. Web. 8 Mar. 2012.
"Deadly Power Plants? Study Fuels Debate." MSNBC. 9 June 2004. Web. 11 Mar. 2012.
Hunter, Karen. “Politicians Vote on Wind Energy. Don’t Blow it!” Huffington Post. AOL, 8 Mar.
2012. Web. 11 Mar. 2012.
"Interview with Paul A. Misso, CEO of Marquiss Wind Power." Interview. Beyond Fossil Fuel. 6
Feb. 2008. Web. 16 Mar. 2012.
Kolankiewicz, Leon. Population Growth – The Neglected Dimension of America’s Persistent
Energy/Environmental Problems. Rep. Print.
La Jeunesse, William. "Energy in America: Dead Birds Unintended Consequence of Wind Power
Development." Fox News. 16 Aug. 2011. Web. 2 Apr. 2012.
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Richard, Michael G. “Why Can’t we Generate All Our Energy From Wind Power?”
Howstuffworks. Discovery. Web. 4 Mar. 2012.
"Secretary Chu Announces Efforts to Strengthen U.S. Electric Transmission Networks." Energy.
US Government, 18 Dec. 2009. Web. 9 Mar. 2012.
"Transmission Planning and Cost Allocation." Federal Energy Regulation Commission. US
Government, 13 Oct. 2011. Web. 14 Mar. 2012.
"Transmission 101." Modernize the Grid. ITC Holdings Corp. Web. 5 Apr. 2012
"U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA - Independent Statistics and Analysis." U.S.
Energy Information Administration (EIA). Web. 29 Mar. 2012.
Wald, Mathew L. "Wind Energy Bumps Into Power Grid’s Limits." The New York Times. 26 Aug.
Magazine titles should
be italized.
2008. Web. 19 Mar. 2012.
Article titles appear in
quotes.