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Where Glaciers Melt Away, Switzerland Sees Opportunity

Henry Fountain Ben C. Solomon

February 14, 2019 |

The New York Times |

Photojournalism |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Switzerland, Gadmen

Melting glaciers threaten the Swiss Alps, especially the hydropower it provides. The idea of building a dam as a back-up way to generate power is catching on. The permitting process just began, but construction will need to be fast before further dramatic melting occurs.

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Putting the sun in Sunshine State? Florida's about-face on solar power

Eva Botkin-Kowacki

February 11, 2019 |

The Christian Science Monitor |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Miami, Florida

“We’re in the midst of one of the largest solar expansions in the country,” says Alys Daly, a spokesperson for Florida Power and Light, the largest utility provider in the state of Florida. This statement represents a shift in which Florida has seized on decreasing costs of solar power and is working to increase its capacity tenfold. Power companies are helping residents save costs in an environmentally conscious way.

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Rooftop gardens: the coolest roofs around

Emily Loewinger

February 06, 2019 |

Changing Florida |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Naples, Florida

An ecologist is installing a rooftop garden on a home in Florida and early results suggest that the green roofs have helped moderate indoor temperatures. While the initial cost of these gardens can be high, these green rooftops can be beneficial for the environment and can even provide a longer lifespan for the roof.

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FGCU's geothermal air conditioner reduces impact on the environment

Jaryd Brady

February 06, 2019 |

Changing Florida |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Fort Myers, Florida

Florida Gulf Coast University utilizes a cooling plant that serves as the primary air-conditioning unit for multiple buildings on campus. This plant uses geothermal energy, which compared with traditional air conditioning units, has less of an impact on the environment and saves the university money on its power bill. FGCU currently has 146 total thermal storage tanks producing over 23,000 tons of cooling capacity for its academic buildings.

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Community Solar Developers Get Creative to Finance Big Projects

Zoe Sullivan

February 06, 2019 |

Next City |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

Organizations across the country work to make sustainable solar energy accessible for low-income communities. Through creative financing models that allow community members to maintain ownership over their neighborhood solar panels, these organizations keep financing in the hands of community members rather than corporate entities.

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Africa Embraces an $8 Billion Solar Market for Going Off-Grid

Sophia Akram

February 04, 2019 |

OZY |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Kenya, Nairobi

Many African "off-grid" countries, where as many as 80 percent of populations lack reliable access to electricity, are turning to a low-cost, environmentally friendly model: solar-powered, pay-as-you-go LEDs. Cheaper and more eco-friendly than alternatives like kerosene or diesel fuel, the LEDs like the one M-KOPA make boast 600,000 customers across East Africa. The technology has the sharp reduction in solar panel and battery cost to thank for increased access.

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Smart Grid Experiment Saves Participants the Equivalent of One Electric Bill Per Year

Lynne Peskoe-Yang

February 04, 2019 |

IEEE Spectrum |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Turkey, Istanbul

Gamifying energy-efficient behavior can help consumers adjust their habits. Project GresBAS (Grid Responsive Society through Building Automation Systems) incentivizes consumers by allowing them to compete against their own personal records, as well as their neighbors. The Project has piloted studies in Turkey and Portugal, signaling the broader possibilities of gamifying user interactions with smart grid technologies.

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Electric airplanes developed by a Colorado startup take aim at global pilot shortage

Tamara Chuang

January 31, 2019 |

The Colorado Sun |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Centennial, Colorado

The aviation world is changing and companies like Bye Aerospace are leading the way toward a new industry with the development of an all-electric airplane. At the same time, the number of pilots in the United States is dwindling due to the expensive cost of pilot training, which comes from the high fuel costs associated with the needed 1,500 hours of trained flying. This is where companies like Bye Aerospace can help invigorate the field, making training cheaper and the field more forward-looking.

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You Flushed the Toilet. They Made Some Bricks.

JoAnna Klein

January 31, 2019 |

The New York Times |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: Australia, Melbourne, Australian Capital Territory

A civil engineer at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University in Australia is converting biosolids, or disinfected leftovers from the water treatment process, into bricks for building. He claims they look, smell, and work the same as conventional fired clay bricks, but with an added benefit of saving land and energy and reducing carbon emissions.

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Reclaiming Appalachia

Mimi Pickering

January 18, 2019 |

Making Connections News |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Whitesburg, Kentucky

Innovative mine reclamation projects across five states in the Appalachian region allow local organizations, schools, and businesses to clean up and utilize abandoned mine land. From a school that's transforming abandoned mine land into a field of solar panels to a housing development project that uses abandoned mine federal grant money to build affordable and energy efficient housing, the Appalachian region is using a comprehensive approach to renew blighted mines.

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