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Power Struggle

Mitch Anderson

December 07, 2019 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Humboldt County, California

The Blue Lake Rancheria Tribe in California installed its own small-scale electrical supply grid using solar panels and Tesla batteries to make their community more resilient to energy disruptions and lower carbon dioxide emissions. This proved useful during the 2019 wildfire season when utility companies shut down power for millions of residents. The tribe is now helping other Native reserves to build their own microgrid systems.

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This single shipping container can start powering a small renewable grid in less than a day

Adele Peters

November 18, 2019 |

FastCompany |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Grass Valley, California

Solar microgrids can improve community resilience to natural disasters by quickly restoring power. California-based startup, BoxPower, has developed an easy-to-install solar panels, packaged in a cargo shipping container. Housing the units in a shipping container allows for easy transport to disaster zones, such as the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and to communities in California left without power due to wildfires.

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Holland Aims to Bring Back Its Starry Nights

Sophie Knight

November 18, 2019 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Netherlands, Amsterdam

To address the harm - both to human psychology as well as natural ecosystems - of artificial light, The Netherlands calls on its citizens to turn their lights off and feel the effects of a natural darkness. The awareness of negative consequences of artificial light has helped residents reduce light consumption, though turning the lights off is an uphill battle with international corporate powerhouses.

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‘The worth of water' and what conservation strategies are working

Amy Joi O'Donoghue

November 09, 2019 |

Deseret News |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Salt Lake City, Utah

To address worsening droughts and limited water resources in the 2nd driest state in the country, Utah government officials are implementing different methods of water metering throughout the state as a tool for water consumption measurement. Residents can have digital access to the amount of water they are using for landscaping comparative to the amount they should be using. Since this implementation, water consumption has drastically decreased in project areas.

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Wildfires and blackouts mean Californians need solar panels and microgrids

David Roberts

October 28, 2019 |

Vox |

Multi-Media |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, California

Localized, distributed energy systems are popping up around California. As the larger electricity system becomes less reliable in the face of wildfires, more individuals are turning to microgrids and solar energy with help from organizations like Clean Coalition and Stone Edge Farm Microgrid. While still happening on a small scale, such energy systems may become more popular as its sustainability in a changing climate shows to be more resilient.

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How solar ‘skin' helped an Indiana homeowner win a fight for rooftop panels

Kari Lydersen

October 15, 2019 |

Energy News Network |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Indianapolis, Indiana

After the homeowners association denied his request to install solar panels on his roof due to their aesthetic, Indianapolis-resident Joey Myles used SolarSkin to disguise the panels to look like asphalt shingles. The company Sistine Solar makes these films that coat solar panels in various images that can be used to blend in with roofs or other forms of artwork. The panels with skins only generate about 85 percent of energy as those without skins, but they can withstand extreme weather.

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Do California Power Shutoffs Work? Hard to Know, Experts Say

Jonathan J. Cooper Jocelyn Gecker

October 14, 2019 |

Associated Press |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, San Francisco, California

As a proactive effort, California’s Pacific Gas & Electric Co. cut power in the hopes it would prevent wildfires that are often caused by power lines. It took a page from San Diego Gas & Electric who has been doing so for five years, along with increased spending on its weather predicting equipment. While the preventative measures are seemingly impactful, with a lacking comparative alternative, experts question its impact.

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Fill, Build and Flood: Dangerous Development in Flood-Prone Areas

Laurie Mazur

October 08, 2019 |

U.S. News & World Report |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Charlotte, North Carolina

To combat excessive flooding in low-plain areas, cities like Charlotte are passing critical legislation that regulates fill-and-build development, a type of construction that leads to more intense flooding in vulnerable neighborhoods. Charlotte bases flood control plans off future conditions rather than current or past flooding areas, and the city charges a fee for homeowners that, in turn, provides dedicated funding for stormwater management

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After oil and gas: Meet Alberta workers making the switch to solar

Sharon J. Riley

October 02, 2019 |

The Narwhal |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Canada, Alberta

Alberta, Canada is a place that historically has had a close relationship with oil and gas. But as renewable energy surges into the market, these industries become more and more precarious. This article talks to a range of young men—a key demographic in these industries—about why they made the decision to leave oil and gas for solar energy and what helped them make that transition. Many said, among other things, that their motivations lay in wanting to leave a better world for their children to grow up in.

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CT's small solutions to climate change: South Windsor goes solar

Jan Ellen Spiegel

September 19, 2019 |

The Connecticut Mirror |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, South Windsor, Connecticut

The town of South Windsor, Connecticut, is committed to reducing energy use and costs by going all-in on solar power. By incorporating solar into five of the town's schools, South Windsor will save an estimated $100,000 annually.

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