Archive for May, 2014
Dear Friends, Visitors/Viewers/Readers,
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 Cowdery Meadows Community Solar Garden at CO (credit: Clean Energy Collective) Just received an email of SEIA’s press release from yesterday, to be shared with you all below:
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| Solar Energy Primed to Help U.S. Meet Future Energy Needs |
| May 27, 2014 |
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
| WASHINGTON, D.C. – With the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set to announce new air quality standards for coal and natural gas-fired power plants on Monday, June 2, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) today released a comprehensive report, “Cutting Carbon Emissions Under §111(d): The case for expanding solar energy in America.” The report offers a detailed, point-by- point case as to why states should take advantage of clean solar energy as part of their efforts to comply with §111(d) of the Clean Air Act. This year alone, solar is expected to generate enough electricity to effectively offset 13.8 metric tons of CO2 emissions.
This month’s release of the National Climate Assessment report clearly spells out the growing dangers of climate change to the U.S. economy and the environment. According to study after study, reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – especially from existing power plants – is a critically important step in combating pollution. Once the new EPA emission standards are in place, each state will be required to create a compliance plan, which must be approved by federal regulators. Failure to do so could result in a more restrictive EPA-mandated plan.
“For many states struggling to reduce their carbon emissions, solar can be a real game changer,” said SEIA President and CEO Rhone Resch. “We have a very simple message to state regulators: Do the math. When it comes to greenhouse gas emissions, the 13 GW of solar currently installed in the United States generates enough pollution-free electricity to displace 14.2 billion pounds of coal or 1.5 billion gallons of gasoline. Put another way, it’s the equivalent of taking 2.7 million passenger cars off U.S. highways each year.
“Today, solar is the fastest-growing source of renewable energy in the United States, employing 143,000 Americans and accounting for nearly 30 percent of all new electric generation capacity installed in 2013 – second only to natural gas,” Resch continued. “All totaled, solar is now generating enough clean, reliable and affordable electricity to effectively power nearly 2.5 million homes. We’re doing our part to help fight climate change, but we can do a lot more in the future – and that’s something we will be stressing to state regulators once the new carbon rules for power plants are announced.”
According to the report, which was prepared by SEIA staff in consultation with member companies, solar has already proven to be a key part of many states’ energy mix – as demonstrated on March 8 when solar provided a record 18 percent of California’s 22,700 megawatt (MW) demand.
“Solar energy is a solution technology that can provide a cost-effective, economically beneficial and integral part of a state’s effort to regulate carbon emissions from the electric sector,” the report states. “Solar energy’s rapidly falling prices and rapidly growing generating capacity, as well as the volatility of fossil fuel prices, give solar energy the potential to transform compliance with both new carbon emission requirements and other existing requirements under the Clean Air Act.”
The report goes on to note, “Historically, air pollution emission reduction from the electric sector has been achieved primarily through pollution control equipment at power plants. Today, the EPA and states recognize that the reduction of carbon emissions from the electric sector requires a new approach that treats the production and delivery of electric power as a broad system, in which power plant modifications, demand side reductions and renewable energy all contribute to emission reductions.
“Solar contributes to a balanced portfolio of energy resources, and can help achieve an optimal long-term strategy for each state’s economy and environment. By including solar energy as part of their §111(d) compliance plan, states can cost-effectively meet their Clean Air Act requirements while reaping a wide range of additional benefits.”
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| ### |
| About SEIA:
Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2014, the Solar Energy Industries Association® is the national trade association of the U.S. solar energy industry. Through advocacy and education, SEIA® is building a strong solar industry to power America. As the voice of the industry, SEIA works with its 1,000 member companies to champion the use of clean, affordable solar in America by expanding markets, removing market barriers, strengthening the industry and educating the public on the benefits of solar energy. Visit SEIA online at www.seia.org.
Media Contacts:
Ken Johnson, SEIA Vice President of Communications, kjohnson@seia.org (202) 556-2885
Samantha Page, SEIA Press Officer and Communications Manager, spage@seia.org (202) 556-2886 |
|
~have a bright and sunny day~
Gathered and posted by sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker
Any of your questions/comments/suggestions will be welcomed at sunisthefuture@gmail.com
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Tags: Clean Air Act, EPA, Rhone Resch, SEIA, Solar Energy Industry Association, Sun Is The Future, sunisthefuture, sunisthefuture.net, susan sun nunamaker
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Dear Friends, Visitors/Viewers/Readers,
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Remember my frequent comment about much of our earth’s surface area have not been fully utilized to generate solar power?
Have you ever wondered if our roads, highway, playground, and parking lots were solar, fueling enough energy from the sun to power nearby communities as well as electrical vehicles? Well, Scott and Julie Brusaw of Idaho have and they actually put in the time and sweat to come up with the prototype that entails smart, microprocessing, interlocking hexagonal solar panel units covered with new temperate glass material to meet all load, impact, and traction requirements. These solar panels will generate clean solar energy that will enable the road to pay for itself in time. Every panel has series of LED lights on its circuit board programmed for its specific purpose and design. Furthermore, roadways composed of such solar panels will be able to maintain few degrees above freezing, preventing problems (such as:poor driving conditions, snow pileups, traffic delays) generally associated with winter driving in Northern states. This is going to completely revolutionize our roadway system! For The Better! Of course, it will translate into so many jobs!!! Let’s take a look what the prototype looks like and what the future has in store for us….a future resembling some of our current video games such as Tron! I am so excited that I can’t wait to see our future roadway system! I hope you are just as excited about our future solar roadway system as I am.
~have a bright and sunny day~
Gathered, written, and posted by sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker
Any of your questions/comments/suggestions will be welcomed at sunisthefuture@gmail.com
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Tags: Julie Brusaw, LED, microprocessing, panels, roadway, Scott Brusaw, solar, Sun Is The Future, sunisthefuture, sunisthefuture.net, susan sun nunamaker, Tron
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Dear Friends, Visitors/Viewers/Readers,
(Please click on red links below)
Just received an email, to be shared with you all below:
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
RE-volv has a chance to win $50,000.
The good news is, it’s decided by votes. If we all take a moment to vote right now, we can do it!
If we win we’ll be given $50,000 worth of web development work from a premier web developer, Cosh X Labs. This will allow us to build a killer new solar crowdfunding platform that gives people a visual display of how their donation is continually reinvested into more solar projects!
Please help us spread the word about this contest. Share it with your family, friends, and coworkers! Public voting will close on Friday, May 30th.
Thank you so much for your ongoing support.
To vote, click here and sign in using your Facebook account.
http://competition.coshx.com/ideas/crowdfunding-platform-for-a-revolving-solar-energy-fund
Yours sincerely,
| Andreas Karelas |
| Founder & Executive Director |
| RE-volv.org |
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
~have a bright and sunny day~
Gathered and posted by sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker
Any of your questions/comments/suggestions will be welcomed at sunisthefuture@gmail.com
Please also get into the habit of checking at these sites below for more on solar energy topics:
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Tags: Andreas Karelas, Cosh X Labs, RE-volv, solar, Sun Is The Future, sunisthefuture.net, susan sun nunamaker, www.sunisthefuture.net
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Dear Friends, Visitors/Viewers/Readers,
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 The Solutions Project (credit: NREL & Sun Is The Future-Susan Sun Nunamaker), please refer to : www.sunisthefuture.net/2014/03/03 Since our last post of the May 16, 2014 on In-Depth Analysis of Renewable Energy Policy with Toby D. Couture, there’s been much updates worldwide with regard to Feed-In Tariffs. Once again, our Wind Friend Paul Gipe has contributed much, below:
News on Feed-in Tariffs
May 20, 2014, by Paul Gipe
Governor John de Jongh, Jr. of the Virgin Islands signed a bill enacting feed-in tariffs in the US territory on May 16, 2004. Act 7586 is a greatly watered down version of the original proposal by Senator Craig W Barshinger. The act directs the territory’s utility to set the tariffs and otherwise administer the program. The tariffs must be approved by the Public Service Commission. Unlike many recent feed-in tariff proposals in North America, the Virgin Islands act includes other renewables an[more]
May 20, 2014, by Conor Ryan
Facing pressure due in large part to a pipeline of proposed PV installations and increasing electricity demand, the Philippine Department of Energy (DOE) is organizing plans to raise its feed-in tariff (FiT) cap to 10 times more than the current rate.
May 19, 2014, by Stuart Elmes
Since the domestic RHI launched in April 2014, I’ve been hearing people saying that the domestic RHI ‘isn’t such a good return as the feed-in tariff (FiT).
May 18, 2014, by Karl-Friedrich Lenz
Here is yet another reason why the reductions German energy intensive industry gets when paying surcharges are not subsidies, and therefore none of the EU Commission’s business.
May 14, 2014, by Erik Kwam
REACH’s wrapup summary of renewable legislation that was considered by Hawaii’s state legislature during its 2014 session, including 100% RE, storage, grid modernization, net-metering, and various renewable energy tax credits.
May 13, 2014, by John Parnell
The Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) could develop a new feed-in tariff (FiT) rate under plans putout for consultation on Tuesday.
News on Nuclear & Renewable Energy Policy
May 21, 2014,
The Fukui District Court ruled Wednesday that it will not allow the restart of two reactors at Kansai Electric Power Co.’s Oi nuclear plant, now under safety examination by Japan’s top nuclear watchdog. . . It is the first time since the Fukushima nuclear crisis erupted in March 2011 that a Japanese court has ordered a power supplier not to bring a nuclear plant online.
May 20, 2014, by Ture Falbe-Hansen
The Danish Energy Agency has published an energy-scenario report and five sub-analyses on the energy system of the future and the challenges that need managing up to 2050 as fossil fuels are phased out and replaced with renewable energy.
May 19, 2014, by Mitch Potter
A Canadian has discovered that radioactive trees aren’t decomposing, suggesting that fallout may be even more dangerous than we realize.
May 15, 2014, by Allie Kosela
Environmentalists are applauding a landmark Federal Court ruling that puts the brakes on building expensive and risky new nuclear reactors in Ontario.
News on Wind Energy
May 16, 2014, by Paul Gipe
Windpower Ownership in Sweden: Business models and motives, the new book by Tore Wizelius helps English-speakers understand how Swedes have taken a sizable ownership of wind energy in spite of their government. In this, his book can serve as an inspiration to community wind advocates worldwide who face many of the same challenges faced in Sweden.[more]
News on Solar Energy
May 10, 2014, by Karl-Friedrich Lenz
In comparison, the German Chancellor’s office (Bundeskanzleramt) has a 150 kW installation. That’s at least by a factor 10 more than what Obama has installed.
News on Household-Size (Small) Wind Turbines
May 16, 2014,
Evance have an innovative new windmill design 90% of the way through development and nearing the production stage, following the manufacture and supply of almost 2,000 of smaller windmills –between 10-20m tall – to Britain and locations across the globe from the USA and Madagascar over the past decade.
May 7, 2014, by Paul Gipe
Quiet Revolution, the one-time manufacturer of an architecturally dramatic helical wind turbine, filed for bankruptcy on 15 April in London.
News on Geothermal Energy
May 15, 2014, by Ari Phillips
However, developers say a lot of the uncertainty around geothermal in the U.S., and part of the reason it hasn’t grown much in recent years, is due to the unreliable nature of the Production Tax Credit (PTC) and Investment Tax Credit (ITC).
This feed-in tariff news update is made in cooperation with the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. The views expressed are those of Paul Gipe and are not necessarily those of ILSR.
~have a bright and sunny day~
Gathered and posted by sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker
Any of your questions/comments/suggestions will be welcomed at sunisthefuture@gmail.com
Please also get into the habit of checking at these sites below for more on solar energy topics:
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Tags: Allie Kosela, Ari Phillips, Bangladesh, Britain, Canada, Chernobyl, Conor Ryan, Craig W Barshinger, Danish Energy Agency, DECC, Erik Kwam, Evance, Feed-In-Tariffs, finance, Fukishima, German Chancellor, Germany, ghost forest, ILSR, Japan, John de Jongh, John Parnell, Kansai Electric Power Co, Karl-Friedrich Lenz, Mainichi, Marco Krapels, Mark Jacobson, Mark Ruffalo, Maury Markowitz, Mitch Potter, Oi nuke plant, Paul GIpe, Philippines, Public Service Commission, PV Tech, Quiet Revolution, solar, Stuart Elmes, Sun Is The Future, sunisthefuture, sunisthefuture.net, susan sun nunamaker, Sweden, tax credit, The Solutions Project, Tore Wizelius, Toronto Star, Ture Falbe-Hansen, Virgin Island, wind
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Dear Friends, Readers/Viewers, Fellow Solar Enthusiasts,
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Sun Is The Future (www.sunisthefuture.net) is very pleased to be able to share this interview of M. Toby D. Couture with our readers/viewers. We can learn much from this astute scholar of advanced renewable energy policy. His thorough examination of feed-in tariffs and overall renewable energy policy analysis are extremely insightful. We need more analysts such as M. Couture to guide us during our earthly transition toward the Renewable Energy Future. I am particularly optimistic with the “prosumer” concept mentioned in this video. I also liked his analogy of utility companies being equivalent to banks of financial services, becoming more of an intermediary between the electricity suppliers (from wide range of sources) and end-use customers. Finally, M. Couture reminds us the importance of encouraging environment to reduce risk for future growth potential of renewables. It is not often that during a conversation/interview of this duration (about 90 minutes) that I would be impressed with every point he’s made in his analysis. From his global perspective, we’ve come to appreciate the strength, weakness, and the reason behind various policies in different parts of the world. One cannot help but arrive at a sense of hope and optimism for our renewable energy future, if sufficient finance and policy are correctly in place as the motive force. Without further ado, I give you Toby D. Couture, below:
Besides being a Fulbright Scholar (2008-2009), Toby D. Couture had also received Contemporary Achievement Award from Mount Allison University (2012), Canadian SSHRC Scholarship, Baxter & Alma Ricard Foundation Scholarship, and A.H.Johnson Philosophy Award, you will find out more about his background, below:
Among his credentials:
1. Energy Analyst of Conservation Council of NB (2006-2007)
2. Energy & Financial markets Analyst of NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) (2008-2009)
3. Founder and Director of Energy Analysis of E3 Analytics (2009-2012)
4. Director of Renewable Energy at IFOK (2012-present)
5. Founder & Director of Renewable Energy (2014)
His Educational Background:
1. BA w/Distinction, Honours in Philosophy, Env. Policy & some Economics, from Mount Allison University
2. MA w/Distinction in Energy & Environmental Policy from Universite de Moncton
3. Studies in Renewable Energy Finance, Post-Master’s in Renewable Energy from Ecole des Mines de Paris, Sophia Antipolis
4. MSc w/Merit, in Financial & Commercial Regulation from London School of Economics and Political Science
Besides being an excellent speaker, M. Couture has also demonstrated, through his publications and reports, his impressive understanding of the integration of financial, political, and regulatory landscape of renewable energy. His publications are listed below:
1. The Rise and Fall of Oil (2011)
2. Analytical Brief on FITs vs. Auctions (2010)
3. Analytical Brief on Spain’s Solar PV Boom and Bust (2011)
4. Feed-in Tariffs: Arguments and Counterarguments (2010)
5. The Lesson From Spain (2013)
6. A Policymaker’s Guide to Feed-in Tariff Policy Design (2010)
Toby D. Couture now works at E3Analytics to help both private and public sector clients to navigate challenges in transitioning into an abundant, dispersed, and renewable energy resources.
To find out more about Toby Couture, his writings, and/or his ongoing projects, please visit: http://www.e3analytics.eu
Related articles:
1. Learning From Ed Regan & Mayor Pegeen Hanrahan About FIT (Feed-In-Tariff)
2.Further Updates To FIT (feed-In-Tariff) Worldwide
3.Incentive For Solar (15)-Feed-In-Tariff-US
4.Aussie’s Transition Into The Renewable Energy Age
5.Australian State Feed-In-Tariff
6.China Installed The Most Solar in 2013! China May Possibly Become The Cleanest Country On Planet Earth!
7.Why Should Utility Companies Consider Working With FIT (Feed-In-Tariff)?
~have a bright and sunny day~
Gathered, written, and posted by sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker
Any of your questions/comments/suggestions will be welcomed at sunisthefuture@gmail.com
Please also get into the habit of checking at these sites below for more on solar energy topics:
www.sunisthefuture.net
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Tags: Analytical Brief on FITs vs. Auctions, ANalytical Brief on Spain's Solar PV Boom and Bust, Conservation Council of NB, E3Analytics, Ecole des Mines de Paris, Feed-in Tariffs: Arguments and Counterarguments, feed-in-tariff, IFOK, London School of Economics and Political Science, Mount Allison University, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, NREL, policy, prosumer, Sophia Antipolis, Spain, Sun Is The Future, sunisthefuture, sunisthefuture.net, susan sun nunamaker, The Lesson From Spain, The Rise and Fall of Oil, Toby D. COuture, Universite de Moncton
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Dear Friends, Visitors/Viewers/Readers, (Please click on red links below),
 Solar Energy Reduces Carbon Emissions (credit: SEIA, with Ethelbert Reinhard Carpio) Sharing the 148-page National Climate Assessment (NCA) report that was released by a non-partisan committee of experts yesterday (May 7, 2014), warning us about the danger of climate change. The report concluded, “Although some additional climate change and related impacts are now unavoidable, the amount of future climate change and its consequences will still largely be determined by our choices, now and in the near future.” Seriously, we’ve all got to combine our efforts in combating pollution. This realization led me to begin Sun Is The Future in 2011, contributing my part to the picture of Solutions. I simply cannot think of any better form of energy than Solar Energy to resolve our earthly challenge of Pollution-Energy-National Security. U.S. solar industry has done its share in combating climate change and will continue to do so in the future.
According to SEIA:
Today, we’re generating enough clean, reliable electricity to power nearly 2.5 million homes. When it comes to greenhouse gas emissions, the 13 GW of solar currently installed in the United States generates enough pollution-free electricity to displace 14.2 billion pounds of coal or 1.5 billion gallons of gasoline. Put another way, it’s the equivalent of taking 2.7 million passenger cars off U.S. highways. That’s a huge plus for our increasingly-fragile environment.
Yes, Sun/Solar Is The Future and the sooner there are more of us coming to this realization the better chance we all have in combating our energy and pollution problem throughout our planet earth.
~have a bright and sunny day~
Gathered, written, and posted by sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker
Any of your comments/suggestions/questions will be welcomed at sunisthefuture@gmail.com
Please also get into the habit of checking at these sites below for more on solar energy topics:
www.sunisthefuture.net
www.instagram.com/sunisthefuture
www.pinterest.com/sunisthefuture
www.facebook.com/sunisthefuture
www.youtube.com/user/sunisthefuture
www.kiva.org/team/sunisthefuture
www.sunisthefuture.com
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Tags: energy, future, National Climate Assessment, NCA, Pollution, SEIA, solar, Solar Energy Industry Association, Sun, sunisthefuture, sunisthefuture.net, susan sun nunamaker
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Dear Friends, Visitors/Viewers/Readers, (Please click on red links below),
A quick note to share these 20 cities in USA that are leading in Solar, below:
 Cities Leading in Solar (These cities are pushing solar into the mainstream energy sector. Credit: Environmental California) HURRAY for ALL of them in helping to push Solar into the mainstream energy sector!!!
~have a bright and sunny day~
Gathered, written, and posted by sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker
Any of your comments/suggestions/questions will be welcomed at sunisthefuture@gmail.com
Related Post: Hurray For Solar Landfill; The Amazing EGSC (Exposed Geomembrane Solar Cover) ;Landfills+Community Solar=Great Opportunities & Savings.
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Tags: Albuqeurque, Austin, AZ, Boston, CA, cities, CO, Denver, FL, HI, Honolulu, IN, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, LA, Las Vegas, lead, Los Angeles, MA, NC, New Orleans, New York, Newark, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OR, Phoenix, Portland, Raleigh, Sacramento, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, solar, Sun Is The Future, sunisthefuture, sunisthefuture.net, susan sun nunamaker, TX
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Dear Friends, Visitors/Viewers/Readers, (Please click on red links below),
As a result of our posts on Landfills + Community Solar=Great Opportunities & Savings, and further investigation and requests made with FL-DEP (Florida-Department of Environmental Protection), I’ve received response from a very helpful Professional Engineer, Lee Martin (850-245-8734, Lee.Martin@dep.state.fl.us) of the Solid Waste Section of the FL-DEP, to help with navigation in obtaining some of the maps and charts available to general public at the web site of Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Engineer Lee Martin also clarified that the list I posted in Landfills + Community Solar=Great Opportunities & Savings is not all the closed landfills in Florida but all of our Class I (Subtitle D MSW) landfills in long term care and there is a significant difference. I’d like to mention the fact that Engineer Lee Martin was very careful in asking me to obtain permission from the Press Office (850-245-2112) of FL-DEP first before providing any detailed information. Below, are instruction under his guidance:
To continue navigation of our website in order to get a map of the Class I closed in long term care landfills please start on our web site at: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/waste/categories/solid_waste/default.htm and click on the link under Facility Search and Reports marked Solid Waste Facility Locator. This will open up Map Direct: Solid Waste. On the left margin click on Find Places, and then click on Filter Solid Waste Facilities. A popup window will open and allow you to select “Class I Landfill” under Class and “Closed, in LTC, with GW Monitoring” under Class Status, select these and click on the Apply Filter button. On the next popup window you are notified the filter has been applied, click on the Close button to view the map. In order to print the map as a pdf format file, click on the Print to PDF link at the bottom of the screen (see below) and follow the directions. Hope this helps, if you have any additional questions that I can help with please contact me as indicated below, Lee
 Class I Landfill, Closed LTC with GW Monitoring (credit: FL DEP)
Furthermore, Engineer Lee Martin also provided us, below, some important points for the landfill closure requirements for state of Florida, in case any of you out there should be interested in considering taking on any solar/wind projects utilizing any of the Florida landfills.
Thanks Susan, the reference for the landfill closure requirements/criteria is in Chapter 62-701.600(3)(g), Florida Administrative Code. A copy is available on line at: https://www.flrules.org/gateway/ChapterHome.asp?Chapter=62-701 and an extract is included below;
1. Landfills shall have a final cover designed to minimize infiltration and erosion, which shall include a barrier layer consisting of a soil layer, a geomembrane, ora combination of a geomembrane with a low permeability material. All geosynthetic and soil components used in the final cover shall meet the standards and specifications contained in subparagraphs 62-701.400(3)(d)1. and 2., (3)(d)5.-11., paragraph (e), and (f), F.A.C. For lined Class I and Class III landfills, the barrier layer shall have a permeability that is substantially equivalent to, or less than, the permeability of the bottom liner system. If the landfill uses a geomembrane in the bottom liner system, the barrier layer shall also incorporate a geomembrane. For unlined Class I landfills, the barrier layer shall have a permeability of 1 x 10-7 cm/sec or less. For unlined Class III landfills, the barrier layer shall have a permeability of 1 x 10-5 cm/sec or less. For unlined Class III landfills which accepted only yard trash, no barrier layer is required;instead, final cover shall consist of a 24-inch thick soil layer, or a 30-inch thick layer consisting of approximately 50 percent soil and 50 percent ground or chipped yard trash by volume, the upper six inches of which shall be capable of supporting vegetative growth.
2. If the barrier layer consists only of soil, it shall be at least 18 inches thick, installed in 6-inch thick lifts, and shall have a final, 18-inch thick layer of soil, or a 24-inch thick layer consisting of approximately 50 percent soil and 50 percent ground or chipped yard trash by volume, that will sustain vegetation to control erosion placed on top of the barrier layer.
3. If the barrier layer consists only of a GCL, a protective soil layer at least 24 inches thick shall be placed on top of the GCL with the upper six inches being able to sustain vegetative growth. In the alternative, the GCL may be covered with a 12-inch thick layer of soil that is then covered with a 15-inch thick layer consisting of approximately 50 percent soil and 50 percent ground or chipped yard trash by volume, with the upper six inches being able to sustain vegetative growth. The GCL shall be placed on a protective soil layer at least six inches thick. Material specifications and installation methods, which may include a drainage layer between the GCL and the protective soil layer over the GCL, shall be adequate to protect the barrier layer from root penetration, resist erosion, and remain stable on the final design slopes of the landfill.
4. If a geomembrane is used in the barrier layer, it shall be either HDPE or LLDPE with a minimum average thickness of 40 mils or PVC with a minimum average thickness of 30 mils, shall have chemical and physical resistance to materials it may come in contact with, and shall withstand exposure to the natural environmental stresses and forces throughout the installation, seaming process, and settlement of the waste during the closure and long-term care period. A protective soil layer at least 24 inches thick shall be put on top of the geomembrane. In the alternative, the geomembrane may be covered with a 12-inch thick layer of soil that is then covered with a 15-inch thick layer consisting of approximately 50 percent soil and 50 percent ground or chipped yard trash by volume, with the upper six inches being able to sustain vegetative growth. Material specifications, installation methods, and compaction specifications, which may include a drainage layer between the geomembrane and the protective soil layer, shall be adequate to protect the barrier layer from root penetration, resist erosion, and remain stable on the final design slopes of the landfill. This layer shall include topsoil or soils that will sustain vegetative growth.
5. The final cover design shall include an evaluation of the stability of the cover system and the disposed waste and shall be designed to meet the factor of safety criteria in subsection 62-701.400(2), F.A.C. This evaluation shall include an analysis of the potential for slides along the weakest interface of the final cover system and of the potential for deep seated rotational or translational failures through the waste and the final cover.
6. An applicant may use an alternate design for the barrier layer or parts of the barrier layer, or for the protective soil layer, upon a demonstration that the alternate design will result in a substantially equivalent rate of storm water infiltration through the final cover. Any alternate design shall be reviewed by the Department as part of its review of the closure design plan.
7. Nothing herein shall preclude the Department from requiring more stringent final or temporary cover designs in a permit or consent order if necessary to protect the public health or the environment because of the nature of wastes received or site specific geological or hydrogeological conditions, or if the landfill has not been adequately constructed, operated, maintained, or closed.
Hope this helps, if you have any additional questions that I can help with please let me know, Lee
Engineer Lee Martin apparently will be retiring from FL DEP within 3 months or so. So, if you need any additional guidance in the next three months, please refer to Lee Maritin, P.E., contact information: 850-245-8734, email: Lee.Martin@dep.state.fl.us Please contact me if you are reading this post after July, 2014 and want more guidance with landfill closure requirements. If so, email me at sunisthefuture@gmail.com for his updated contact information. Let’s hope that Engineer Lee Martin will consider consulting in the future, to guide rest of the world through all the requirements for closure of landfills in Floria in the process of covering more surface area with Solar/Renewables!
~have a bright and sunny day~
Gathered, written, and posted by sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker
Any of your comments/suggestions/questions will be welcomed at sunisthefuture@gmail.com
Related Post: Hurray For Solar Landfill; The Amazing EGSC (Exposed Geomembrane Solar Cover) ;Landfills+Community Solar=Great Opportunities & Savings.
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www.sunisthefuture.net
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Tags: class I, closure, community solar, DEP, Department of Environmental Protection, engineer, FL, Florida, landfills, Lee Martin, requirement, Solar Landfills, Sun Is The Future, sunisthefuture, sunisthefuture.net, susan sun nunamaker
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Dear Friends, Visitors/Viewers/Readers, (Please click on red links below),
In response to what I’ve discovered and posted in “Hurray For Solar Landfills!” and The “Magic of EGSC (Exposed Geomembrane of Solar Cover) Technology of Solar Landfills“, I would like to share the information obtained from FL DEP (Florida Department of Environmental Protection):
I am hoping to encourage residents of Florida to take advantage of the closed landfill surface area to protect our environment while generating solar power and reducing carbon footprint. Below is the link to all the closed landfills in state of Florida:
CLOSED LANDFILLS in STATE of FLORIDA
Combining what we’ve learned previously from Paul Spencer of Clean Energy Collective in our post “Chatting With Paul Spencer, President and Founder of Clean Energy Collective, On Community Solar Garden” and video below,
I hope many of you out there will be interested in taking the initiative to embark on the journey of establishing Community Solar Gardens/Farms (including/utilizing surface area of landfills) to reduce the cost of your future power bills. Potentially, millions and millions of dollars may be saved. If you need better understanding of what and how Community Solar Garden/Farm works, please feel free to visit various links at A. Start A Community Solar Garden/Farm available at Sun Is The Future.
~have a bright and sunny day~
Gathered, written, and posted by sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker
Any of your comments/suggestions/questions will be welcomed at sunisthefuture@gmail.com
Related Post: The Amazing EGSC (Exposed Geomembrane Solar Cover)
Please also get into the habit of checking at these sites below for more on solar energy topics:
www.sunisthefuture.net
www.instagram.com/sunisthefuture
www.pinterest.com/sunisthefuture
www.facebook.com/sunisthefuture
www.youtube.com/user/sunisthefuture
www.kiva.org/team/sunisthefuture
www.sunisthefuture.com
Homepage: http://www.sunisthefuture.net
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Tags: Clean Energy Collective, closed landfills, community, community solar farm, community solar garden, FL, Florida, landfill, Paul Spencer, solar, Sun Is The Future, sunisthefuture, sunisthefuture.net, susan sun nunamaker, technology
Posted in Business & Opprotunity, Editorial, News | No Comments »
Dear Friends, Visitors/Viewers/Readers, (Please click on red links below),
Recall our yesterday’s post on “Hurray For Solar Landfills“. It led me to discover an even more exciting video that I’d like to share with you, below.
In the video above you’re seeing a Conley(near Atlanta), Georgia (of USA) based landfill site being transformed from an operating landfill that has reached capacity into a commercial scale, solar energy generating facility. The amazing part is the technology of EGSC (Exposed Geomembrane Solar Cover) system that combines an enhanced final cover anchoring system and thin film photovoltaic solar panel attached to a geomembrane, resulting in an integrated final landfill cover system that allows a landfill owner to close a landfill while generating renewable electrical power.
The lack of topsoil or vegetative support above the geomembrane of a solar energy cover is actually a design strength over the traditional closure. The exposed geomembrane anchors directly into the landfill whereas a traditional Subtitle D closure drapes the geomembrane atop the landfill, holding it in place with soil layers that shift and erode over time. This fantastically flexible technology serves dual purpose of protecting the environment while generating solar power.
The 35-acre closure at Hickory Ridge Landfill Solar Energy Cover uses about 7000 solar panels to generate more than 1 MW of solar electricity, converting a landfill into solar park, transforming a liability into a revenue stream. The solar panel area of the closure is approximately 10 acres. The same EGSC technology is also used to perform partial closure at the Tessman Road Landfill in San Antonio, TX. Let’s hope that the potential benefits of this technology (EGSC) will also be realized elsewhere, in time:
- Decreased landfill post-closure care cost
- Rebates and solar incentives for project construction
- Solar renewable energy credits
- Sale of solar energy
- Carbon cap and trade credits
- Positive image of sustainability and energy independence
Apparently, the first design and installation of a solar landfill capping system (integrating an exposed geomembrane cap design and modern photovoltaic technology with a landfill closure) was first realized by HDR Engineering Inc.’s (HDR) in 2009, design of Republic Services at Tessman Road Landfill Solar Energy Cover in San Antonio, TX.
There’s much work waiting to be done. We have more than the surface area of all the rooftops, we also have all the closed/sealed landfills that may be used to generate solar energy/power. Combining our posts at April 30, 2014 and May 1, 2014, much work, opportunities, and rewards are awaiting for those who would take the initiative!
~have a bright and sunny day~
Gathered, written, and posted by sunisthefuture-Susan Sun Nunamaker
Any of your comments/suggestions/questions will be welcomed at sunisthefuture@gmail.com
Please also get into the habit of checking at these sites below for more on solar energy topics:
www.sunisthefuture.net
www.instagram.com/sunisthefuture
www.pinterest.com/sunisthefuture
www.facebook.com/sunisthefuture
www.youtube.com/user/sunisthefuture
www.kiva.org/team/sunisthefuture
www.sunisthefuture.com
Homepage: http://www.sunisthefuture.net
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Tags: EGSC, Exposed Geomembrane Solar Cover, GA, geomembrane, Hickory Ridge Landfill, landfill, solar, solar landfill, Sun Is The Future, sunisthefuture, sunisthefuture.net, susan sun nunamaker, Tessman Road Landfill
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