Budny 4:00
R06
ETHICAL ENGINEERING OF SOLAR PANELS FOR THE MILITARY AND
BEYOND: RESISTING BRIBES AND DECEPTION, ENCOURAGING PUBLIC
INTEREST AND SAFETY
Hunter B. Christman (hdc5@pitt.edu)
THE SCENARIO: NEW SOLAR PANEL
TECHNOLOGY AND INSTALLATIONS;
COMPANIES URGE BRIBES AND
PARTNERSHIPS
I am an engineer employed at a company known as Solar
Solutions, a new company that is currently employed by the
United States government. The government is interested in
the development of solar panel arrays for military bases across
the country, a project that I am currently managing. The
military is looking to stimulate this sector by seeking out other
private developers and companies across the United States,
which would eliminate the need for government funding of
solar panel projects [1]. Solar Solutions is working in
conjunction with another company known as Solar City,
which is currently interested in my project area. Solar City has
experience in building solar arrays across 124 military bases
along with 160,000 other privatized military residences [1].
The reason that Solar City is interested in the development at
Solar Solutions is that my team has invented a new,
inexpensive way of creating solar energy through the use of
organic solar cells.
Organic solar cells work basically the same way in which
solar panels create energy through the use of taking light and
converting it into electricity. However, these new cells are
made out of organic compounds that are easy to process and
mold into any desired shape [2]. These new cells would be
non-hazardous, lightweight, and semi-transparent according
to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers [2]. Our
company discovered this technology through the use of
supercomputers which seek out molecules that absorb a broad
spectrum of sunlight and convert it easily to electricity [2].
Due to the material being extremely lightweight, semitransparent, and, especially, inexpensive the military is
extremely interested in this product due to mobility and
stealth reasons.
Since the military is curious about this technology and is
quite possibly a future investor, Solar Solutions wanted to
team up with the veteran in this area, Solar City. However, as
project manager, I have personally received many substantial
bribes from other companies interested in this technology. In
addition, some companies and engineers not employed by
Solar Solutions or Solar City have contacted me to instead
work with them. On the other hand, my position has many
positive aspects as well. The invention of a new type of solar
panel would create a safer military and in turn a safer civilian
populace. Further development in this sector could also cause
University of Pittsburgh, Swanson School of Engineering 1
2013-10-29
greater public interest as well. In reaction to both the positive
and negative aspects of being project manager, I can always
consult the National Society of Professional Engineers’ Code
of Ethics, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers’
(ASME) Code of Ethics, or consult specific cases in which
ethics were challenged on the Online Ethics Center.
CODE OF ETHICS CHALLENGED:
HANDLING BRIBES AND COMPANY
DECEPTION
Two engineering ethics challenges have arisen as a result
of my position as project manager at Solar Solutions. First, a
company has contacted me for information about the current
projects occurring in my sector and wish to “compensate” me
accordingly. The second issue is that other companies want to
work with Solar Solutions on the government projects, but
these few companies do not want me to notify Solar City due
to the fact that Solar Solutions needs their experience. In order
to deal with these conflicts I must first consult the Code of
Ethics for Engineers on the National Society of Professional
Engineers’ website.
Challenge I: Dealing with Bribes from Third Parties
Project bribes should be the primary issue to attend to due
to the fact that bribes are, for the most part, completely illegal
in any profession. Under Section II, Article 4, Subsection C
of the Code of Ethics, “Engineers shall not solicit or accept
financial or other valuable consideration, directly or
indirectly, from outside agents in connection with the work
for which they are responsible” [3]. This section states that no
bribe of any kind should be accepted for any information
given to outside companies, engineers, etc. Therefore, due to
the code clearly stating no bribes are to be accepted, my
decision is easy to make on the matter at hand in regard to a
company offering a bribe for my information on the project
itself.
Another source to consult when faced with bribes is the
Online Ethics Center because they present ethical situations
and how to react accordingly. Jeremy Hanzlik depicts how to
handle bribes from your boss, such as, a “weekend layover at
a nearby resort,” in Thailand [4]. Even though this scenario
has to do with an employer, the way to handle the situation
remains the same. Greg is the main character who is offered a
bribe in this scenario for his information on software design,
much like I am for solar panel designs [4]. Based off the
Hunter B. Christman
examples, I can ask myself: is the situation in conflict with the
code of ethics and, if so, what are my ethical responsibilities
in regards to the problem [4]? Therefore, when I reach a final
decision on the issue, I will have answered these questions in
regards to my current scenario and ensure that it is along the
lines of the current Code of Ethics.
Challenge II: Deception through the Addition of a Third
Party Company Service
Companies that want in on the project present a second
ethical challenge to me. The reason that these companies are
contacting me is in regards to their solutions in the realm of
solar panel battery storage. See for most solar panels, the
batteries can present potential dangers due to “the energy they
store and the acidic electrolytes they contain” [5]. As a result
of this danger, a well-ventilated, nonmetallic enclosure is
needed to solve the current issue which is extremely
expensive to do [5]. The companies contacting me state that
they have a solution to this major setback, but only one, Bright
Energy, is accepting that I may consult Solar City on the issue.
Other companies do not want me to involve Solar City in the
decision making because the companies state that Solar City
may refuse to work with these companies. Due to this
prevalent issue, Solar Solutions may miss out on either the
experience from Solar City or the technology solution. The
solution of not informing Solar City of the interaction would
benefit all parties, but would be deceptive to Solar City.
Deception is addressed in the Code of Ethics for Engineers
under Section II, Article 5, Subsection B:
“Engineers shall not offer, give, solicit, or receive, either
directly or indirectly, any contribution to influence the award
of a contract by public authority, or which may be reasonably
construed by the public as having the effect or intent of
influencing the awarding of a contract. They shall not offer
any gift or other valuable consideration in order to secure
work. They shall not pay a commission, percentage, or
brokerage fee in order to secure work, except to a bona fide
employee or bona fide established commercial or marketing
agencies retained by them” [3].
This statement addresses that engineers cannot go about
business in a way in which all parties are not included or
informed of changes in the project, such as a new company
being involved. Companies that want to be involved in Solar
Solutions’ organic solar cells have to be added to the project
and therefore, the Solar City party would have to be consulted
for approval or disapproval on the matter. However, many
companies wish for me not to inform Solar City about their
possible future involvement with organic solar cells. I am
tasked with a difficult decision here due to this disclaimer. To
assess the situation further, I will consult the Online Ethics
Center for past examples of deceptive acts.
An example from the Online Ethics Center is one that
includes an engineer, Arena, who is bidding for a job on
behalf of his company [6]. The problem is that Arena’s
company does not meet all the qualifications, so he seeks out
another firm that meets these requirements; the Blunt firm [6].
Afterward, Chou, another firm, contacts Blunt for the same
reasons that Arena contacted them and Blunt has to make a
difficult decision [6]. The questions that arise are: should
Blunt inform Arena or Chou of the agreement with the other
firm [6]? And, if not, is Blunt being deceptive in their actions
if they do not inform the other firms [6]? Assessing my
current situation involves answering these questions as well
as involving the standard Code of Ethics for Engineers.
CODE OF ETHICS: THE PRODUCT AND
HOW IT SUPPORTS PUBLIC GOOD
When analyzing this product or the execution of a project,
I (along with all engineers) have to figure out if the product
supports the public good. As stated by the engineering Code
of Ethics, in Section II, Article 1 “Engineers shall hold
paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public” [3]. In
order to assess whether or not the organic solar cell project
meets this requirement, I need to see the potential benefits and
consequences of the project.
Solar Energy for the Good of the Military
Solar panels in general have assisted the public due to the
recent installation of the solar panels in the military. These
panels could prevent the military having a potential
“blackout” from a terrorist attack on military bases’ electric
grids which could cripple the National Guard, the Reserves,
etc. Dorothy Robyn, the Deputy Undersecretary of Defense
for installations and environment states, “A power failure at a
military base here at home could threaten our operations
abroad” [7]. Due to this potential threat, solar panels should
be installed on military bases. .This would, in turn, promote
public safety and welfare almost immediately. Another
application of current, and possible next generation, organic
solar cells in the military is that the cells could be utilized as
a portable power source for soldiers on the move. The
Marines have implemented this technology in Afghanistan
and only saw positive results, such as having foot patrols
receive power for a whole week without recharging [8]. With
conventional batteries, the Marines would have to restock
every 48 hours [8]. As a result, these panels save lives by
making sure a unit has power when it needs it most. This
theme of saving lives supports the Code of Ethics, because if
soldiers have power in the field of battle, then their health and
safety is held as a premium.
Solar Energy for the Good of the Civilian Public
In terms of the civilian populace, they too would reap the
benefits of solar panels in the long term. A case study was
done in Turkey to project the future employment
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Hunter B. Christman
opportunities of utilizing solar panels. The Energy Policy
states that in Turkey, “the solar energies sector stood up well
to the recession with over 100,000 jobs created in 2009” [9].
According to the European Photovoltaic Industry Association
(EPIA)—Greenpeace studies, enough jobs would be created in
the installation and servicing of PV systems by 2030, that
around 10 million full-time job opportunities would be
created by the development of solar power around the world
[9]. If there are this many jobs present by 2030, then the
research done here at Solar Solutions will indeed pave the way
towards that projected number, supporting the public good in
the process. As another reason, solar energy and panels
benefit the public according to the Bulletin of the Atomic
Scientists because coal with carbon capture, corn ethanol,
cellulosic ethanol, soy biodiesel, other biofuels, and nuclear
power are all moderately or significantly worse than wind,
water, and solar power at reducing greenhouse gas emissions
and air pollution [10]. Evidence then shows that with the
incorporation of solar panels, organic or otherwise, a safer
environment would be created with less greenhouse gasses. A
benefit from this would be a healthier population due to less
pollution in the environment and less global warming.
Possible Problems Encountered with Solar Panels
As an engineer, I must examine solar panels overall to see
if there any possible problems that would endanger public
good and safety. In terms of the American Society of
Mechanical Engineers’ Code of Ethics an engineer has to
imagine scenarios in which their invention could be used to
endanger a population and fix the problems accordingly [11].
To assess the possible consequences of the technology, Karl
Stephan, a professor at the Ingram School of Engineering at
Texas State University states that an Engineer should “make
a list of everyone that may be affected by what you might be
doing” [11]. In accordance to this advice, I personally listed
anything that may occur as a result of solar energy
incorporation. Only a few items on this list were negative. I
came up with one scenario in which a hacker could hack into
the solar energy grid and cause a shutdown. However, one can
actually do this today with the current energy grid, so this
really is not any different than what is already apparent.
Another negative situation is that a terrorist attack in the right
area, such as a bombing, could cripple energy in an area.
Again, this could occur just as easily in the energy grids across
the United States today. In fact, it would be easier in today’s
society because most current energy grids are located in
unprotected areas, but most solar energy grids, such as one
located at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, are located on
military bases [7]. So, solar panels would still be safer than
conventional energy grids, promoting greater safety to the
public.
CONCLUSION: DECIDING ON THE
CHALLENGES AND BENEFITS OF THE
ETHICAL SOLAR PANEL SCENARIO
As the project manager at Solar Solutions, I have to handle
many situations in which I must to consult the Code of Ethics
for Engineers, the ASME Code of Ethics, and past cases
documented by the Online Ethics Center. The Code of Ethics
states that when bribed in any matter possible, an engineer has
to refuse the bribe and report the bribe to the proper
authorities. In the first scenario, where companies are asking
for bribes for the organic solar cell information, I decide that
I should consult my boss for advice on the matter. If the
companies continue to insist on bribing me for information
afterwards, however, I will report the agent to the authorities.
In the second situation, in which many companies, save one,
want to partner with Solar Solutions without Solar City
knowing, I have decided to act in accordance to the Code of
Ethics again, but in a better manner. I have decided to consult
Solar City of the possible addition of Bright Energy to the
project on the account of Bright Energy’s solution to the solar
cell battery issue. Solar City accepted my offer because as a
veteran in the solar energy field, they realized the fact that
Bright Energy wanted to go about the situation ethically, as
did I, and therefore decided the addition as a reward to our
ethical efforts.
Solar Solutions later sent their project safety manager to
my offices, as per proper procedure, to examine the organic
solar cell and decide if it was safe enough for the public and
military to consume on the market. To my elation, the safety
manager stated that I passed all requirements in the field. This
is because the product promotes public good by creating safer
military installations because it is harder for terrorists to
eliminate the power grid if it incorporates solar panels. In
addition, the transparency and lightweight materials will
allow the military to have greater energy mobility if soldiers
are deployed to the field of battle. In the general civilian
populace, solar cells can create over 10 million jobs by 2030
and, as a result, stimulate the economy, creating a greater
welfare for the public. Furthermore, the gradual increase of
solar panels will reduce greenhouse gas emissions creating an
environment with less pollution, and then creating a healthier
public as a result.
REFERENCES
[1] A. Westervelt. (2012, February 6). “The Military’s Green
Tech Strategy.” Forbes Magazine. (Online Article).
http://www.forbes.com/sites/amywestervelt/2012/02/06/why
-the-military-hates-fossil-fuels-part-two-alternatives/
[2] J. Thilmany. (2012, July). “Organic Solar Cells.”
Mechanical
Engineering-CIME.
(Online
Article).
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?action=interpret&id=GALE
%7CA295324660&v=2.1&u=upitt_main&it=r&p=AONE&
sw=w&authCount=1
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Hunter B. Christman
[3] (2007, July). “Code of Ethics for Engineers.” National
Society of Professional Engineers. (Online Article).
http://www.nspe.org/resources/pdfs/Ethics/CodeofEthics/Co
de-2007-July.pdf
[4] J. Hanzlik. “Handling Bribes.” Online Ethics Center.
(Online
Article).
http://www.onlineethics.org/Resources/Cases/encryption2.as
px
[5] S. Aldous, J. Toothman. (2010 April 01). “How Solar
Cells Work.” How Stuff Works. (Online Article).
http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/energy/sol
ar-cell.htm
[6] “An Engineer’s Agreement with Two Firms Competing
for the Same Contract (adapted from NSPE Case No. 80-4).”
Online
Ethics
Center.
(Online
Article).
http://www.onlineethics.org/Resources/Cases/ec80-4.aspx
[7] C. Davenport, Y.J. Dreazen. (2011, May 26). “The CleanEnergy Military.” Atlantic Media Inc. (Online Article).
file:///C:/Users/Hunter/Downloads/Download%20Document
%20(1).html
[8] R. Mukhopadhyay. (2011, May 2). “Clean Energy For The
Military.” Chemical & Engineering News. (Online Article).
http://cen.acs.org/articles/89/i18/Clean-Energy-Military.html
Vol. 89, no. 18. P. 8
[9] M. Cetin, N. Egrican. (2011, August 18). “Employment
impacts of solar energy in Turkey.” Energy Policy. (Online
Article).
http://rt4rf9qn2y.search.serialssolutions.com/?ctx_ver=Z39.
88-2004&ctx_enc=info%3Aofi%2Fenc%3AUTF8&rfr_id=info:sid/summon.serialssolutions.com&rft_val_fm
t=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=
Employment+impacts+of+solar+energy+in+Turkey&rft.jtitl
e=Energy+Policy&rft.au=Cetin%2C+Mujgan&rft.au=Egrica
n%2C+Nilufer&rft.date=2011&rft.issn=03014215&rft.eissn=18736777&rft.volume=39&rft.issue=11&rft.spage=7184&rft.epa
ge=7190&paramdict=en-US
[10] M. Delucchi, M. Jacobson. (2013 August). “Meeting the
world’s energy needs entirely with wind, water, and solar
power.” Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. (Online Article).
http://bos.sagepub.com/content/69/4/30.full#content-block
[11] (2012, August). “Imagining the Worst.” American
Society of Mechanical Engineers. (Online Article).
https://www.asme.org/engineeringtopics/articles/engineering-ethics/imagining-the-worst
well. I would like to thank my family for keeping my spirits
up while having to write this paper.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank Daniel McMillan for advice on this
paper. I also want to thank the staff at the Swanson School of
Engineering for giving the students a type of template to assist
us in writing this paper. I would like to thank my friends
Tristan and Elena in supporting me while writing this paper.
I would also like to thank Danyal Ahmed for grammatical
assistance with this paper along with content assistance as
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