#Georgia Power's Community Solar Program

[solarpunkani]

hi would like to make this clear that this is gonna be an unhinged rant about my college classes.

For context, one of my classes is a semester-long group project (hell) and I pitched the idea of solar powered community fridges to my group and we rolled with it. Here's a post i made on it previously. We don't have to make the fridges themselves, basically just talk about the problem our concept addresses (food insecurity in this case) and how we think this concept would work and how, in a hypothetical reality where we made it real, we would test to see if it worked.

Anyways we had to post the rough draft of our presentations so people in other groups could see what we were doing and comment on them with their thoughts and all. Yknow. Classic 'college class discussion board have to reply to at least one project with quality feedback' stuff. And

Man.

I am so frustrated.

Highlights:

My group keeps insisting that we should have an app for the solar fridges. I don't know why they think app design needs to fit into community fridges but they put it into the draft posted to the forum.

In this case they proposed the app would be kinda like Instacart? Where people who want to donate to the fridges but don't have groceries on them and don't feel like going to get groceries can put in money and then people will then go buy the groceries to put in the fridge. Or use the funds to help with fridge maintenance. And the fridges would have 'QR codes, links, etc. to connect community members for the common cause of helping tackle food insecurity in the community.'

Lots of the comments were pretty good! People liked the idea. There were some concerns about insulation and keeping things cool with low energy cost (the program is online but the college itself is in Georgia USA so many people are in Georgia) but yknow.

But the frustrating part to me I guess is that a lot of people seem convinced that people would use the fridges 'unfairly' and that we'd need to find a way to restrict how much food people can take out or how many times they can use it or something. Which frankly in my opinion defeats the purpose of it being a community fridge. Here are some examples of things people have said so far (comments are due tomorrow evening but I'm mad now so I'm venting now):

One student said "How will you know if the pantry is being utilized fairly?" and "How will the app work? In a dream world, this might be a way to help with tracking and accountability. (Just a thought…) Maybe folks would need to sign up on the app, they get a code… and the fridge acts as a sort of vending machine to deliver what they need. This would give you data to measure success. :)"

Which. I just. This feels completely antithetical to the purpose of a community fridge??? Or a community anything???? Little free pantries and little free libraries don't operate on a 'you get a code to access it once' vending machine basis?? We even mentioned community farm stalls/community pantries in the draft write up! And showed examples!

Another student said "Great thoughts. I am concerned about one person taking all the food for themselves. It might be a great idea to have them in an enclosed area with access control through the app that would log and lock out people who are overusing the resource. Perhaps a barcode could be added to Apple Wallet to track each individual's arrival? Possibly having a mechanized lock and opening mechanism that would only allow each fridge to be open for a specific time before automatically closing and locking? Each scan would only allow access once each 24-48 hour period, preventing "password sharing.""

I cannot emphasize enough that this is the comment that has brought me here today because with all due respect what the flying fuck do you think is the point of a community fridge! I'm already prickly about the idea of limiting access to the fridge itself to only people with cellphones, but to this degree?! Like maybe its because I'm the one who came up with the concept and I care about terms like 'mutual aid' and 'community building' and 'judgement free accessibility to food' but have these people not heard of the concept of helping people?!?! With no strings attached?!? If someone takes all the contents of a community fridge or pantry--which, seriously, how likely is that--they're probably hungry and need it! The concept of putting community resources behind a lock and limiting accessibility is just repulsive to me???

Like someone else commented with this excellent point--"As several have addressed above, I am also wondering how would you monitor use? If you use the simplicity of the honor system, it could easily be taken advantage of. However, I feel like if you were to create some sort of access code, how is it to say that they people needing the use of the fridge will have access to the necessary technology to get the code? It's a tricky situation to think about." For the purposes of this hypothetical assignment where we'd need to track how many people are using the fridges? Yeah I guess we'd need to be able to track how many people use it and when. But in reality??? In real life reality where people are living and struggling and hungry??? I just don't really give a shit!! Helping five people is better than helping none, and locking access behind technology everyone pretends is universal but really isn't is not the way to help!

And of course one of my groupmates is already commenting on all these posts like 'oh! I really like the idea of restricting access to a code! :)' even when someone said 'hey my family struggled with food insecurity when I was a kid and I think this would be helpful but not if you could only access it with an app some of the most vulnerable citizens wouldn't be able to access it I wouldn't have been able to access it' my groupmate was still like 'oh but that wouldn't be a problem today now would it? :) Maybe we should make a way to get a code without downloading the app :)' like maybe there shouldn't be an access code in the first place?!?!

Like am I crazy or like. What the fuck. Again I am here so I don't blow up on a bunch of masters students in a discussion post but like UGH

"you gotta be able to gague if the people who're using it are the people who actually need it" food insecurity can look so many different ways for so many different reasons and you can't always judge by appearances and income levels who is struggling to feed themselves or their families!! There are people who have nice jobs who are struggling because they're caring for sick family members or kids or dealing with student loans or ANYTHING! There are people with nice clothes who are trying to decide between buying groceries and paying rent! There are people living in their cars or couch surfing looking for jobs who also happen to own an XBox or a Laptop!!! "Sorry you can't access the community fridge because you don't look poor and needy enough to me. but if you do, good news--you can only use it once every 48 hours so make it last!" Bullshit utter bullshit.

I talk to people in my life about things like community fridges and little free pantries and mutual aid and the like and people are always like 'ok but theres gotta be strings attatched' BUT ACTUALLY NO THERE DON'T GOTTA!!! Maybe we could change how we view our fellow human beings and stop assuming that everyone around you are greedy little demons looking to ruin everything good and that you are the only holy and righteous saint on the streets who understands the concept of 'community resources' and 'sharing' maybe??? It's like that post about community fruit trees where people are like 'oh but what if people steal all the fruit' like HELLO? how do you STEAL a PUBLICALLY ACCESSIBLE RESOURCE

I'm tired of this goddamn class I'm tired of this goddamn group project if anyone actually has the ability to make a solar powered community fridge you have to promise to keep it accessible and not put it behind locks and QR codes and limited access and facial tracking BS promise me promise me promise me

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

The new, shorter space race

Another race to space is on, but the competitors aren’t reaching for the moon. Instead, multiple national agencies and private companies across the world are aiming for the edge of Earth’s atmosphere. Launching satellites into this very low Earth orbit (VLEO) environment — the altitude between 60 and 280 miles above Earth — could solve spacecraft crowding in traditional orbits, according to Sven Bilén, Penn State professor of engineering design, of electrical engineering and of aerospace engineering. 

Bilén said satellites in traditional orbits face three challenges: crowding, lower resolution imaging and longer distances for data transmission to and from Earth. Orbiting closer to the ground helps satellites capture higher resolution images and send transmissions with shorter delays, improving both surveillance and communications applications, according to Bilén. The problem, though, is keeping satellites in VLEO.  

Bilén is the principal investigator on a $1 million grant through the Charge Harmony research program, an initiative facilitated by the Defense Sciences Office of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). His team, in collaboration with researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology, is in their second year of developing a novel thruster system to help VLEO objects stay in orbit.  

Bilén shared details of the research, which could address many VLEO challenges and help facilitate widespread adoption of the technology, in a Q&A below. 

Q: The idea of VLEO technology has been around for decades — why is it suddenly making headlines now? 

Bilén: Spacecraft crowding is quickly becoming a problem in low Earth orbit, with thousands of communications satellites like Starlink and OneWeb already in orbit and many thousands more to come. The growing density of these satellites increases the risk of collisions between satellites or orbital debris already in these orbits, which is why we are seeing this push for VLEO technology now, rather than 10 or 20 years ago.  

Additionally, due to their increased surveillance and communication capabilities, low-orbiting satellite platforms have the potential to become a lucrative business for the companies that can manufacture them, which is why we are seeing increased interest from the private sector. Advancements in electric propulsion over the last several decades have made the prospect of orbiting in VLEO technologically feasible, which also plays a role in the current interest in this technology. 

Q: What are the biggest problems facing VLEO technology today?  

Bilén: The biggest challenge of orbiting in VLEO is stayingin VLEO. At these altitudes, satellites orbit within the outer edge of Earth’s atmosphere, causing them to experience aerodynamic drag. This means any spacecraft or satellite at that altitude deorbits very quickly and requires a constant push from a thruster to stay in orbit. If you did this using traditional propulsion methods, you would quickly run out of fuel. However, if you capture the very thin air, known as “rarefied air” around the satellite, you can repurpose that as fuel. These thrusters are called air-breathing electric propulsion systems. 

Another major challenge is how power-starved these low-orbiting satellites are. The propulsion systems alone require a lot of power, which would normally be provided entirely by solar panels, but the lower the satellite’s orbit, the more the Earth blocks sunlight from getting to the satellite during a part of each orbit. Our research addresses both of these challenges.  

Q: Your team is currently researching a thruster technology that could revolutionize thruster systems. Could you explain what that entails? 

Bilén: My team — which includes Ethan Kravet, a doctoral candidate in aerospace engineering; John Auerbach, a graduate research assistant in aerospace engineering; Mitchell Walker, professor and head of the aerospace engineering department at Georgia Tech; Den Lev, aerospace engineering research engineer at Georgia Tech; and Julian Lopez-Uricoechea, a graduate student in aerospace engineering at Georgia Tech — is developing a self-neutralized air-breathing plasma thruster, a novel electric propulsion technology. This type of propulsion technology uses the surrounding air as a propellant; the air is collected, superheated with microwave energy and then expelled from a nozzle to generate thrust. Other VLEO thruster technologies incorporate an external device to neutralize their thrust-producing charged gas after it is expelled from the thruster, whereas our mechanism is inherently self-neutralizing. 

The most common type of electric propulsion device is the Hall-effect thruster, which normally relies on a complex series of electromagnetic interactions inside the propulsion system to produce thrust. In addition, the electron-emitting cathodes they use can erode in oxygen-rich environments like VLEO. Our thruster gets around these challenges by not requiring a cathode and by employing a thermal heating process to generate thrust. 

Q: What has your team achieved so far? What’s next? 

Bilén: The first year saw the development and testing of an entirely new type of thruster that utilizes thermal plasma generated by high-power microwaves to operate. We call the system the “air-breathing microwave plasma thruster” (AMPT) and held the first round of testing in vacuum chambers at Penn State and Georgia Tech. We collected thrust measurements and plasma diagnostics on this proof-of-concept laboratory prototype. According to our tests, the thruster can produce more thrust per kilowatt than typical electric propulsion thrusters. In some cases, the thrust-to-power ratio is hundreds of times higher than typical electric propulsion thrusters. 

Looking forward, at the request of DARPA, we are scaling the thruster system down in size so that it can fit on a smaller satellite platform. This scaled-down version of the AMPT is a refined design that could eventually be integrated with a VLEO satellite. Additionally, we are developing the concept of a satellite platform to support our thruster and explore practical mission applications. This proposed satellite will orbit lower than any satellite has before.   

Q: What do you believe is the most exciting thing about this technology? 

Bilén: The most exciting thing is the prospect of this technology being both the highest-flying air-breathing object and the lowest orbiting satellite. This technology could allow us to explore orbiting in a region of space where no satellite has before. 

IMAGE; A team of Penn State researchers are developing solutions to some of the biggest problems currently facing satellite technology with the help of a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency grant.  Credit Poornima Tomy/Penn State

[umangkumar919]

Perry's Approach to Sustainable Living in Georgia.

In the heart of Georgia lies the city of Perry, a community dedicated to embracing sustainable living practices. With a population that values environmental stewardship, Perry has become a shining example of how small towns can make a big impact on sustainability. From renewable energy initiatives to community-driven conservation efforts, Perry exemplifies what it means to prioritize the well-being of both people and the planet.

At the forefront of Perry's sustainable journey is its commitment to renewable energy in Georgia. The city has invested in solar power, harnessing the abundant sunlight that graces Georgia year-round. Solar panels adorn rooftops, capturing clean energy to power homes, businesses, and municipal buildings. By reducing reliance on fossil fuels, Perry not only decreases its carbon footprint but also contributes to a more resilient and sustainable energy grid.

In addition to solar energy, Perry promotes energy efficiency through various programs and initiatives. From energy-efficient appliances to weatherization assistance for low-income households, the city strives to make sustainable living accessible to all residents. By embracing energy conservation measures, Perry not only saves money on utility bills but also reduces overall energy consumption, furthering its commitment to environmental sustainability.

But Perry's dedication to sustainability extends beyond energy initiatives. The city recognizes the importance of preserving natural resources and protecting local ecosystems. Through partnerships with conservation organizations and grassroots efforts led by community members, Perry works to preserve green spaces, protect wildlife habitats, and promote sustainable land use practices. Whether through tree planting initiatives, wildlife conservation projects, or educational programs on sustainable agriculture, Perry is actively engaged in nurturing and safeguarding its natural environment.

Furthermore, Perry prioritizes sustainable transportation solutions to reduce emissions and alleviate traffic congestion. The city encourages alternative modes of transportation such as cycling, walking, and carpooling, while also investing in public transit infrastructure. By promoting bike lanes, pedestrian-friendly streets, and public transportation options, Perry not only reduces its carbon footprint but also enhances the overall quality of life for its residents.

Community involvement is at the heart of Perry's sustainability efforts. The city actively engages residents, businesses, and organizations in collaborative initiatives aimed at promoting environmental awareness and action. Whether through volunteer clean-up events, sustainability workshops, or community gardens, Perry fosters a sense of environmental stewardship and collective responsibility. By empowering individuals to take ownership of their environmental impact, Perry cultivates a culture of sustainability that permeates every aspect of community life.

Moreover, Perry recognizes the interconnectedness of social, economic, and environmental sustainability. The city prioritizes equity and inclusivity in its sustainability efforts, ensuring that all residents have access to clean air, clean water, and green spaces. By addressing issues of environmental justice and prioritizing the needs of marginalized communities, Perry strives to build a more equitable and resilient future for all.

As Perry continues to chart its course towards a more sustainable future, the city serves as a beacon of inspiration for communities everywhere. Through innovation, collaboration, and a steadfast commitment to environmental stewardship, Perry demonstrates that small towns can indeed lead the way in building a more sustainable world. By embracing renewable energy, promoting conservation, and fostering community engagement, Perry sets a powerful example of what it means to live in harmony with nature while creating a better tomorrow for generations to come.

In conclusion, Perry's approach to sustainable living in Georgia exemplifies the power of community-driven action and collective responsibility. By prioritizing renewable energy, conservation, sustainable transportation, and community engagement, Perry showcases the transformative potential of sustainable living at the local level. As other communities look to Perry for inspiration, they will find a model of sustainability that is both achievable and impactful, proving that together, we can build a brighter, more sustainable future for all.

[spacenutspod]

4 min readPreparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Pictured here from left to right, Zephyr Proffitt and Tayah Day of Red Mountain High School in Mesa, Arizona work on building their experiment during last year’s TechRise Student Challenge. Red Mountain High School NASA is announcing 60 winning teams for its third TechRise Student Challenge, a nationwide contest to engage students in technology, science, and space exploration. The student teams will work together to turn their proposed science and technology experiments into reality ahead of NASA-sponsored suborbital flight tests this summer. The challenge opened for submissions in August to students in grades six through 12 at U.S. public, private, or charter schools, including those in U.S. territories. The winning teams include more than 490 students representing 46 states and territories. Their experiments will fly on one of two commercial suborbital flight platforms: a high-altitude balloon operated by World View of Tucson, Arizona, or the Xodiac rocket-powered lander operated by Astrobotic of Pittsburgh. “Cultivating creativity and curiosity and inspiring students to pursue STEM careers is one of NASA’s most important missions,” said Prasun Desai, deputy associate administrator, Space Technology Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “TechRise is a unique opportunity that allows students to gain hands-on knowledge while developing real payloads for flight, and it’s an experience they can carry with them during their educational and early career journeys.” Winning proposals address a wide variety of science and technology challenges, including studying the effects of stratospheric conditions, such as solar and ionizing radiation on plant seeds; testing radiation shielding materials; and using sensors such as thermal cameras and lidar to map a simulated lunar surface.   A complete list of winning teams is available on the TechRise website. Each team will receive $1,500 to build their experiments, a flight box to house it, technical support from Future Engineers, and an assigned spot for their experiments on a suborbital flight test scheduled for this summer. The challenge is managed by NASA’s Flight Opportunities program, which rapidly demonstrates technologies for space exploration, discovery, and the expansion of space commerce through suborbital testing with industry flight providers. Experiments tested on the high-altitude balloon will experience approximately four hours of flight time at approximately 70,000 feet with exposure to Earth’s upper atmosphere, high-altitude radiation, and perspective views of Earth. During flight, they will experience the stratosphere’s unique thermal and atmospheric environment, providing conditions that ground-based testing cannot replicate. The high-altitude balloon will also allow payloads to observe the surface below them and collect data on land features such as vegetation and bodies of water.  Those tested on the lander will fly for approximately two minutes at an altitude of 80 feet over Astrobotic’s Lunar Surface Proving Ground, a test field designed to simulate the Moon’s surface, located at Astrobotic’s test site at the Mojave Air and Space Port in Mojave, California. During flight, payloads will be able to collect information on the features of the simulated lunar surface and discover hidden objects. Student experiments can also study the physics and characteristics of the lander’s flight environment.  “I am most excited about the hands-on experience that building the NASA TechRise experiment will offer my students,” said Amy Becker, TechRise educator lead for the winning team from Clear Creek Middle School in Ellijay, Georgia. “They will not only acquire technical knowledge but also learn essential skills like effective communication and critical thinking. The prospect of seeing their ideas materialize into a tangible project, one that will ascend about 70,000 feet into the stratosphere, is both thrilling and educational.”  A group of approximately 200 volunteer judges with expertise in engineering, space, and Earth science reviewed entries and selected the nationwide winners. Judges evaluated proposals based on experiment originality, its impact on education or society, feasibility within the allotted timeframe and budget, and the quality of the build plan. Criteria were also designed to encourage equitable student participation and geographic representation, and scoring included additional points for Title I-eligible schools. Managed by NASA’s Flight Opportunities program at the agency’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, and administered by Future Engineers, TechRise is designed to inspire a deeper understanding of Earth’s atmosphere, surface features, and climate. It also provides students the opportunity to learn more about space exploration, coding, electronics, and the value of test data. TechRise is one of many NASA Prizes, Challenges, and Crowdsourcing efforts within STMD offering opportunities to participate in America’s space program. Share Details Last Updated Jan 24, 2024 EditorDede DiniusContactSarah Mannsarah.mann@nasa.govLocationArmstrong Flight Research Center Related TermsArmstrong Flight Research CenterFlight Opportunities ProgramGame Changing Development ProgramSpace Technology Mission Directorate Explore More 4 min read NASA Invests in Small Business Tech to Advance Alternative Fuels, More Article 6 days ago 5 min read Robot Team Builds High-Performance Digital Structure for NASA Greater than the sum of its parts: NASA tests the capability of a system that… Article 7 days ago 5 min read Brr, It’s Cold in Here! NASA’s Cryo Efforts Beyond the Atmosphere Article 2 weeks ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center Space Technology Mission Directorate STMD Flight Opportunities NASA Prizes, Challenges, and Crowdsourcing

[solarliving]

DOE invests $61 million in ‘smart building’ energy efficiency projects

Follow @EngelsAngle <p>The U.S. Dept. of Energy is <a href="https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-invests-61-million-smart-buildings-accelerate-renewable-energy-adoption-and-grid" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">backing 10 energy efficiency pilot projects that aim to transform thousands of homes and workplaces into resilient smart buildings. <p>DOE is providing $61 million for the "Connected Communities" program, which will equip buildings with smart controls, sensors, and analytics to reduce energy use, costs, and emissions. <p>“From our homes to workplaces, this groundbreaking, grid-connected building technology will help reduce our impact while cutting energy bills, maximizing convenience, and propelling our efforts to reach a carbon-neutral, clean energy economy by 2050,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “These projects will help universalize technology that can maximize the efficiency and sustainability of America’s nearly 130 million buildings and make significant headway in the fight against climate change.”  <hr class="wp-block-separator is-style-wide"/> <p><strong><em>Read more: <a href="https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/energy-efficiency/analysis-lacking-energy-efficiency-efforts-undercut-state-climate-goals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Analysis: Lacking energy efficiency efforts undercut state climate goals <hr class="wp-block-separator is-style-wide"/> <p>Grid-interactive efficient buildings (GEBs) could deliver $100-200 billion in savings to the U.S. power system and cut CO2 emissions by 80 million tons per year by 2030, <a href="https://gebroadmap.lbl.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to a study conducted by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the Brattle Group. <p>So-called "<a href="https://www.energy.gov/eere/buildings/articles/first-smart-neighborhood-its-kind-southeast" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">smart neighborhoods" in Alabama and Georgia have used approximately 42-44% less energy than the current average all-electric home, the DOE added. <p>Projects selected: <ul><li><strong>Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. (New York City, Seattle, San Diego) will transform multi-family buildings in affordable housing developments into GEBs that will demonstrate different ways to decarbonize buildings, make them more resilient, and reduce utility bills. (Award amount: $5.27M)<li><strong>IBACOS, Inc. (NC) will deploy a coordinated control program to optimize the energy use of a comprehensive mix of distributed energy resources in 1,000 new and existing homes, including single-family and multifamily homes and both owner-occupied and rental properties. (Award amount: $6.65M)<li><strong>Open Market ESCO Limited Liability Company (MA) will bring the benefits of efficiency, demand flexibility, renewable generation, and energy storage with more affordable renovations in up to 20 low-to-moderate-income apartment communities. (Award amount: $6.65M) <li><strong>PacifiCorp (UT) will establish a program to manage solar photovoltaic, batteries, electric vehicle charging in a diverse community of all-electric buildings and a mass transit transportation center, equipped with the latest market-leading efficient technologies to optimize their collective energy use and provide grid services at scale.(Award amount: $6.42M) <li><strong>Portland General Electric (OR) will renovate over 500 buildings in North Portland’s historically underserved neighborhoods to reduce their energy burden with numerous energy efficiency measures and connected devices that provide the grid with a range on energy services. (Award amount: $6.65M) <li><strong>Post Road Foundation (ME, NH) will investigate the capacity of a novel Transactive Energy Service System to harmonize communications and optimize energy use among the distributed energy resources, local energy markets, and buildings of three rural communities. (Award amount: $6.65M) <li><strong>Slipstream Group Inc. (WI) will convert approximately 15 facilities in Madison, Wisconsin into GEBs that connect with nearby electric vehicle charging stations to establish a scalable business model for utilities to install demand flexibility and energy efficiency upgrades across multiple building sizes in public and private sectors.(Award amount: $5.18M) <li><strong>Spokane Edo LLC (WA) will unlock demand flexibility up to 2.25 megawatt (MW) using flexible loads in residential and commercial buildings augmented by distributed energy resources within Spokane, Washington’s Opportunity Zones of vulnerable populations. (Award amount: $6.65M) <li><strong>SunPower Corporation (CA) will build tomorrow’s homes today in two communities of all-electric homes in Menifee, California that meet DOE’s zero-energy-ready home qualifications and feature solar energy, home energy management systems, and community-scale battery storage. (Award amount: $6.65M) <li><strong>The Ohio State University (OH) will investigate the capacity of Ohio State’s existing on-campus connected community to provide essential but overlooked ancillary grid services from a diverse range of grid-interactive technologies in a cyber- and data-secure environment. (Award amount: $4.2M)  <p><strong><a href="https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/newsletters-2/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to Renewable Energy World’s free, weekly newsletter for more stories like this from Renewable Energy World https://ift.tt/3DRUSoU via <a href="http://milleniumseo.com/">Solar Energy Marketing Blog

[investmart007]

Georgia Power and United Renewable Energy™ Expand Community Solar Program

New Post has been published on https://is.gd/NIfW8J

Georgia Power and United Renewable Energy™ Expand Community Solar Program

COMER, Ga./ Sept. 12, 2018 (STL.News)– United Renewable Energy™ (URE™) is proud to announce the completion of a 2-Megawatt AC solar facility as the first installment of Georgia Power’s Community Solar program. This project is a win for all Georgia Power residential customers, as they are now able to source a portion of their energy use from a local, clean, renewable resource by participating in Georgia Power’s Community Solar Program. This is also a win for the Comer community and the facility land owner. Hosting a solar array is an ideal way for Scott and Patricia Carey to turn previously open pasture land into a revenue producing asset. The family farm is adjacent to a nearly 100-year-old country store, in an area known as Gholston’s Stand. This lightly rolling land turned out to be an ideal location to support solar. The project is owned by Georgia Power and was developed, designed and constructed by United Renewable Energy. The associated renewable energy credits (RECs) are retired on behalf of Georgia Power’s Community Solar Program participants.

“In the farming economy, where diversification is increasingly vital, solar projects use the sun and land to bring a stable income stream to landowners,” stated William Silva, CEO of URE™. “Georgia Power again proves to be the landowner and developer’s best choice to partner with on this exciting renewable energy project.”

This project is part of Georgia Power’s commitment to expand their Community Solar Program resources across the State. This is one of many solar initiatives by Georgia Power, making Georgia a nationally recognized top 10 solar state. For additional information about the new Community Solar program and to enroll, please visit the website at www.GeorgiaPower.com/CommunitySolar.

About United Renewable Energy

URE™ is an engineering, procurement, and construction firm developing utility photovoltaic farms and energy storage systems. URE™ focuses on creative design and implementation to deliver solar and storage projects with superior quality, performance, and safety at competitive costs. Learn more at www.u-renew.com.

Media Contact

Jakky Shanahan

678.881.0014 x708

jakky@u-renew.com

www.u-renew.com

_____ SOURCE: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/georgia-power-and-united-renewable-energy-expand-community-solar-program-300711192.html

[burninggiverunknown]

Independent Assessment Of Work Planning And Control At The - Home Inspection Services

Select an outside wall as well as shut off the circuit breaker or unscrew the fuse for any outlets in the wall. Make certain to evaluate the outlets to ensure that they are not "hot." Check the outlet by plugging in an operating lamp or boom box. When you make sure your outlets are not obtaining any electricity, remove the cover plate from among the electrical outlets and gently probe right into the wall surface with a thin, lengthy stick or screwdriver. A plastic crochet hook is specifically matched, as it will recover smidgens of any type of insulation product for very easy identification. If you come across a mild resistance, you have some insulation there. You can additionally make a small opening in a wardrobe, behind a couch, or in some other inconspicuous area to see what, if anything, the wall cavity is full of.

When the assessment mores than, your energy expert will confirm all pertinent info. The advisor may go over related program info as well as ask you to take part in a survey. Your energy consultant will provide you a Notification to Property owner consent type. If you're comfortable with the terms, authorize the kind to accredit the analysis. When the analysis is full, your power consultant might go over with you any kind of associated program details, potentially consisting of study demands.

To certify, Canadians need to acquire an EnerGuide evaluation before setting up any type of upgrades.

Adhering to a phone evaluation, you will arrange for a power auditor to come to your house to perform a basement-to-attic evaluation of your home.

We bring you healthy and balanced home power analyses to you in partnership with the Vermont Division of Health.

Numerous utilities provide professional power analyses at no or lowered cost to their consumers.

Also do not use any wood-fired or various other solid-fuel discharged appliances.

All information as well as pictures accumulated during the assessment are strictly safeguarded within the guidelines of all suitable personal privacy regulations. Photos will certainly be taken of the outdoors section of your residence, its mechanical systems, the attic room area and any kind of wood-burning appliances, if existing. These photos are for record maintaining as well as quality control objectives only.

Even More Means To Assist You Raise Your Regular Monthly Savings

Utilize this Homeowner Consent Formor Property Owner Consent Kind in Spanish. Residence Energy Analysis Rebate Overview Home renos on your horizon? Heatpump effectiveness remains to boost, making it an extremely reliable innovation. ENS_WebsiteIcons Residence Power Evaluation-- Realizing Financial Savings See how a young household gained from having a House Power Evaluation finished.

Your contractor will provide a report with the highest-priority healthy house renovations. Take concerning 5 minutes to uncover if a Home Power Audit is appropriate for you by finishing an online home power evaluation. See what Georgia Power is doing in the community as well as get the most up to date energy-saving tips, tools as well as offers.

What's Phantom Power As Well As How Can You Track It?

Whether you have your eye on solar energy, tidy electrical home heating, or are not sure where to begin-- a home energy audit and also testimonial will certainly obtain you there. 75% or more. off approved insulation improvementsRenters and also Income Qualified clients might be qualified for 100% off advised insulation upgrades. These programs are funded by the energy-efficiency fee on all customers' gas and also electrical bills, according to Rhode Island regulation. Have complete accessibility to your home and also the capability to mount suggested instant-saving products received. Home Efficiency A thorough method to improving your home's power performance. Islanders can access both the Federal government of Canada's Greener Residences Give and efficiencyPEI refunds.

Feel free to ask any kind of inquiries you have of your energy consultant. If they do not have specific solutions, they can aim you in the best direction or adhere to up with you later. Any type of other information pertinent to your house's power performance.

Many energies use specialist power analyses at no or lowered home inspections - alinspections.ca expense to their customers. Your self-assessment can help the auditor better examine your house, including concerns such as convenience and indoor air top quality, and possible areas for saving energy as well as money. A home power analysis, also known as an energy audit, can help you save energy as well as make your home extra comfy. Home energy evaluations are likewise required to access some effectiveness rebate programs like the Home Insulation Rebates. Make your home much more comfy and power efficient by keeping your important warm inside with heatpump, better insulation, draft-proofing, windows, doors, as well as various other upgrades.

A.L. Home Inspections

1372 Howlett Cir, London, ON, N5X 0K6, Canada

(519) 636-5710

[ninja-muse]

Science Fiction Recommendation Masterpost

$ for LGBT characters £ for characters of colour € for characters with disabilities * for problematic content ! for #ownvoices

(all based on my slightly spotty memory, so feel free to correct if I’ve missed something)

Does not include time travel, superheroes, or alternate history.

Classics

1984 - George Orwell

Winston is a patriot, until a chance encounter and his job altering history start him thinking. Big Brother, it turns out, isn’t acting in his best interests.

A Canticle for Leibowitz - Walter Miller

In the centuries after a nuclear war, a group of desert monks have devoted themselves to preserving scientific knowledge with the hope of someday rebuilding civilization.

The Chrysalids - John Wyndham *

In a Newfoundland rife with religious fundamentalism and genetic mutation, a boy, his cousin, and his sister must hide their telepathy or risk everything to live freely.

Dune - Frank Herbert $*£*

Even before fleeing to the open desert of Arakkis and its taciturn worm-riding nomads, Paul Atreides’ life was fraught with danger. Now he must use his understanding of people and politics to weather everything his world can throw at him, including sandstorms, a baron with a grudge, and those who want him to be a prophesied hero.

Foundation - Isaac Asimov

Hari Seldon has designed a program that predicts the paths of civilization. What better way to test it than to start a utopian colony at the furthest edge of known space?

Frankenstein - Mary Shelley

Victor Frankenstein is fascinated by anatomy and determined to prove resurrection possible. Once he succeeds, he’s equally determined to get as far from the sentient corpse as he can, when all the Creature wants is a hug and someone to talk to.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams

When Arthur Dent woke up, he thought the bulldozer levelling his house was the worst his day could get. By teatime, he’s halfway across the galaxy on a ship that runs on probability, with his alien best friend, the two-headed President of the Galaxy, and a depressed robot—and things are just getting started.

I, Robot - Isaac Asimov

A series of short stories that outlines the evolution of robotic technology and society around it.

The Planet of the Apes - Pierre Bowles

An astronaut crashes on an alien planet populated by sentient, speaking great apes. They put him in a zoo until he proves he’s not an animal. A brilliant examination of race and what it means to be human.

Space Opera

the Expanse series - James S.A. Corey $£€

Humanity has colonized the solar system, but hasn’t fixed its other problems. The Belters are disenfranchised and preparing a rebellion. Earth and Mars are in a paranoid arms race. Corporations can do just about anything they want. Throw in a terrifying virus, an alien threat, and a space crew who do the right thing and damn the consequences, and things are about to get very interesting.

Fortuna - Kristyn Merbeth - $ - *

Scorpia Kaiser is a screw-up, the family pilot, and out to prove she has what it takes to take over smuggling operations from Mama. Corvus Kaiser, exiled from his family to fight a war he doesn’t believe in, is finally coming home. Then a smuggling deal goes massively south and suddenly, what was going to be a difficult time becomes much, much worse.

the Saga series - Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples $£€

An inter-species family flees the military powers tearing the galaxy apart. Their luck goes up. Their luck goes down. They meet the best and worst the galaxy can offer—and through it all, a little girl grows up. A nuanced look at prejudice, hope, and love.

the Shieldrunner Pirates series - R.E. Stearns $£€

A lesbian couple arrives at the pirate base on Barbary Station expecting a welcome to the crew, but are assigned to take out the murderous station A.I. instead. As much about social skills and interpersonal dynamics as it is about guns and hacking.

the Vorkosigan Saga - Lois McMaster Bujold $*£€

How do you solve a problem like Miles Vorkosigan? He’s too smart for his own good, too impulsive and progressive for his military culture, surely too disabled to amount to anything. And he (and his accidental mercenary fleet) are going to prove everyone wrong. Dryly witty and generally feminist.

Horror, Apocalypses, and Dystopias

The Rampart Trilogy - M.R. Carey $£€

Koli wants more than his future offers, starting with becoming a Rampart, with control of ancient technology. His attempts to change his cards send him on an unforgettable journey of discovery.

Devolution - Max Brooks $£€

An elite sustainable community outside Seattle finds itself stranded after Mount Rainier erupts—and there are creatures in the forest. Hairy ones, with big feet.

The Girl with All the Gifts - M.R. Carey £

Melanie gets up, goes to school, eats her food, and idolises her teacher just like any pre-teen. However, when her school’s attacked by Hungries and she, her teacher, a doctor, and the surviving soldiers have to flee, Melanie begins to realise she’s … not exactly normal after all.

The Giver - Lois Lowry

When Jonah turns twelve, his regimented community assigns him to apprentice to the Keeper of Memories. The memories Jonah receives throw everything he knows into question, and he must choose between the quiet life laid out for him and the emotion and independence he’s discovering.

The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood

In a world where most women are sterile, Handmaids are stripped of their identity and given out as surrogate wombs. This is Offred’s story of oppression, resistance, and escape.

the Hunger Games trilogy - Susanne Collins £€

In an America where teens fight to the death for entertainment and the survival of their District, Katniss Everdeen volunteers—and finds herself the unwilling face of the rebellion.

Into the Drowning Deep - Mira Grant $£€ !

Was the terror on the Atargatis a hoax? Are there mermaids deep in the Pacific? A ship full of scientists has been sent to find out. They are not prepared.

the Newsflesh trilogy - Mira Grant $£€ *

A generation after the zombie apocalypse, humanity’s secure behind blood tests and heightened security and Georgia and Shaun Mason, and their Newflesh team, have been hired to blog the Presidential campaign, which is perfect until the first outbreak. Conspiracies, mad and sane science, and social critique ensue.

the Parasitology trilogy - Mira Grant $£€

Sal awoke from her coma to a family she didn’t remember, a body that wouldn’t respond, and restrictions on her autonomy that seriously chafe. Now she’s on her feet and resisting, but at the worst time. People are starting to die from their miracle-cure tapeworm implants and it’s looking like Sal’s implant might be … different.

the Passage trilogy - Justin Cronin £

A century ago, a virus turned most of humanity into bloodsucking monsters or food. Now the descendants of a group of survivors must strike out across a wasteland, looking for a safe new home. Better and darker than it sounds. Christian overtones.

The Space Between Worlds - Mikaiah Johnson $£ !

Cara’s climbed out of the toxic slums and into a job as a traverser, visiting parallel worlds and capturing data. She’s this close to having all her dreams—and then she uncovers a murder.

Other

Blindsight - Peter Watts

An independent observer is sent on a first contact mission, but the aliens and the secrets on board push him into a completely different role. About perception and ethics more than anything else, and I nearly “shelved” it in the horror section.

Congo - Michael Crichton £*

A team of scientists push deep into the African jungle in search of a society of mythical sentient gorillas, but the jungle pushes back.

The Diamond Age, or, a Young Lady’s Illustrated Primer - Neal Stephenson £€

An inventor misplaces a one-of-a-kind book. A girl from the slums finds it and it changes her life. A nearly Dickensian future full of hope, tenacity, vim, and nanotech.

Eifelheim - Michael Flynn

An alien ship crashes in the medieval Black Forest and the village priest, steeped in heretical philosophy and medieval science, must intercede between the survivors and the peasants who see only demons.

The Martian - Andy Weir £

Mark Watney wakes up to find he’s been left behind on Mars. Fortunately he’s a botanist, he’s smart, and he has potatoes. A thrilling survival story paired with hilariously explained science that will leave you believing it already happened.

Passage - Connie Willis €

Joanna Lander is a psychologist studying near-death experiences, which is hard when you never know who in the hospital will have one. When a new (and cute) neurologist finds a way to induce them, she turns to the closest subject she can find—herself. The most heart-wrenching of Willis’s novels.

Shine - Jetse de Vries, ed. £

An anthology of optimistic, uplifting science fiction, with stories ranging from space opera to solarpunk and everything in between.

Snowcrash - Neal Stephenson £

Hiro Protagonist is the hacker’s hacker. There’s a virus in the Metaverse that’s killing people and he’s on the case. At least when he’s not delivering pizza. Both glorious cyberpunk and a send-up of the same.

[civilcoconstruction]

Here’s How to Save on Home Remodeling in Atlanta

It’s easy to save on remodeling costs in Atlanta when you know a few tricks

You love your home, and you love living in Atlanta. But there may be some parts of your home that you don’t love. Or maybe you just bought a new home, and you know you want to update it to suit you. We see renovation projects in Atlanta at a wide range of costs. Often, homeowners want to maximize their scope on a minimal budget. Luckily, there are a handful of tricks that can help you save on remodeling in Atlanta. 

Sweeten matches home renovation projects with vetted general contractors, offering advice, support, and up to $50,000 in renovation financial protection—for free.

Remodel smaller and smarter

For years, one of the draws of living in Atlanta was that you could own a large house for the same—or less than—what you would pay in northern cities. Atlanta ranks number two in the United States in home sizes. In fact, Atlanta’s average home size is just under 2,000 square feet. But sprawl has its price, which means large homes and large remodels come with higher costs. 

Find ways to remodel that don’t involve creating a new foundation or building upward. If you can, stay within the existing footprint of the house. Explore rooms that are no longer used for their intended purpose and convert them. Tour the house with your contractor and find walls that you can open to expand two rooms into one large room.

Look into Atlanta’s green remodeling incentives

Green or eco-friendly remodeling helps the environment and can certainly help you save on remodeling in Atlanta. 

Many homeowners may not realize that they can take advantage of a host of green remodeling incentives. These incentives can reduce the cost of remodeling. Some of the incentives include tax credits, loan programs, tax exemptions, and rebates.

Speak to your contractor about your interest in green remodeling. You may also want to have an energy audit done before remodeling begins.

Tailor the HVAC to Atlanta’s weather

Heating and cooling are different in Atlanta than in other cities. Systems that work in Chicago, Los Angeles, or New York aren’t always applicable in Atlanta. 

In a city with fewer than 50 days per year below freezing, Atlanta homes don’t need the kind of robust furnaces or heat pumps found in other areas of the country. And maxing out your A/C isn’t always the answer, either! Your A/C should be tailored specifically to Atlanta’s weather and to your own house. Also, it’s smart to explore passive cooling methods with your contractor.

Make use of Georgia’s solar power and natural light

Atlanta is one of the sunniest cities in the United States, with at least 60% of the days per year being sunny. Use this to your advantage! Concentrate on improving windows on the south side of your house. Rooms that have plenty of large windows rely less on artificial light. This saves money on electricians’ costs and on the cost of extensive artificial lighting. 

At the same time, make sure that these windows have low-e solar coating. Add draperies to block sun during the brightest part of the day.

Remodel with mold in mind

Atlanta can get humid—extremely humid. Humidity that reaches 55% or more can lead to mold growth. Poorly vented crawlspaces, basements, and rooms are susceptible to mold growth. Not all mold is dangerous. However, some mold can be a lung irritant and can affect those with respiratory ailments.

Good remodeling work can be quickly undone by mold. To avoid mold growth, talk to your contractor about mold-inhibiting wall and ceiling systems, along with venting systems.

Refurbish, don’t replace

The days of tearing out everything and replacing it wholesale are long gone. Now, there is a smarter approach to remodeling that incorporates fixing items, not throwing them out. 

For example, you may decide to reface, rather than replace, your kitchen cabinets. Refurbishing cabinets, tubs, showers, floors, walls, and more keep these items out of the landfill and make your Atlanta remodel more affordable. 

Considering new doors for your kitchen cabinets? Get the lowdown on different cabinet door styles.

DIY projects in an Atlanta remodel

Not all of the work of your home remodel project needs to be done by the contractor’s workers. You can do a few things yourself in advance, or during downtimes. Sweat equity helps you save on remodel costs and make it all more affordable. Always coordinate in advance with your contractor if you plan to do DIY work. (Here’s what you can DIY and what should be left to the pros!)

Use durable imitation materials

You might really want that exotic hardwood flooring, but the price of it isn’t within your budget. Look for wood-look ceramic tile planks that look just like mahogany or other overseas hardwoods. Laminate and vinyl plank also look remarkably like real wood. Quartz and laminate countertops reliably imitate expensive marbles and granites. 

Wherever there is an expensive material, there is likely a far less expensive imitation material that you can use in your remodel.

Keep the plumbing in place

One rule of thumb for keeping bathroom and kitchen remodeling affordable: avoid moving the plumbing, if possible.

Whenever you move plumbing around, remodel costs rise. This doesn’t mean that you cannot change your shower, bathtub, or sink. You can replace or refurbish these items while keeping the core plumbing system where it is.

Shop around for the best contractor

Finding the best contractor for a remodeling project in Atlanta isn’t about finding the cheapest person. Instead, it’s about finding a person who can best bring your vision to light. Concentrate on finding a contractor who best matches your needs. You’ll also want to find a contractor who you work with well, and who you communicate well with. 

Get on the general contractor’s schedule—now

When you sign with a contractor for a home remodeling project, the contractor places you on their calendar. Being in the early queue means getting ahead of other clients, especially when there is overall high demand for home remodeling, labor, and materials. 

Ask your expert for remodeling advice

One of the upsides of hiring a general contractor is that you can take advantage of their knowledge and expertise. Feel free to ask for their advice…that’s why you hired them! Contractors can have years or decades of experience in construction and the right one will help you match your scope to your budget.

Ready to renovate? Sweeten can match you with our licensed, vetted general contractors in Atlanta.

—

Here’s where to splurge and where to save during a home remodel—room by room.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, scope, and style. Follow the blog, Sweeten Stories, for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation with Sweeten.

Source link

from CIVICLO Construction & Interior https://civilco.construction/heres-how-to-save-on-home-remodeling-in-atlanta/

[mujeeburrehman]

Here’s How to Save on Home Remodeling in Atlanta

It’s easy to save on remodeling costs in Atlanta when you know a few tricks

You love your home, and you love living in Atlanta. But there may be some parts of your home that you don’t love. Or maybe you just bought a new home, and you know you want to update it to suit you. We see renovation projects in Atlanta at a wide range of costs. Often, homeowners want to maximize their scope on a minimal budget. Luckily, there are a handful of tricks that can help you save on remodeling in Atlanta. 

Sweeten matches home renovation projects with vetted general contractors, offering advice, support, and up to $50,000 in renovation financial protection—for free.

Remodel smaller and smarter

For years, one of the draws of living in Atlanta was that you could own a large house for the same—or less than—what you would pay in northern cities. Atlanta ranks number two in the United States in home sizes. In fact, Atlanta’s average home size is just under 2,000 square feet. But sprawl has its price, which means large homes and large remodels come with higher costs. 

Find ways to remodel that don’t involve creating a new foundation or building upward. If you can, stay within the existing footprint of the house. Explore rooms that are no longer used for their intended purpose and convert them. Tour the house with your contractor and find walls that you can open to expand two rooms into one large room.

Look into Atlanta’s green remodeling incentives

Green or eco-friendly remodeling helps the environment and can certainly help you save on remodeling in Atlanta. 

Many homeowners may not realize that they can take advantage of a host of green remodeling incentives. These incentives can reduce the cost of remodeling. Some of the incentives include tax credits, loan programs, tax exemptions, and rebates.

Speak to your contractor about your interest in green remodeling. You may also want to have an energy audit done before remodeling begins.

Tailor the HVAC to Atlanta’s weather

Heating and cooling are different in Atlanta than in other cities. Systems that work in Chicago, Los Angeles, or New York aren’t always applicable in Atlanta. 

In a city with fewer than 50 days per year below freezing, Atlanta homes don’t need the kind of robust furnaces or heat pumps found in other areas of the country. And maxing out your A/C isn’t always the answer, either! Your A/C should be tailored specifically to Atlanta’s weather and to your own house. Also, it’s smart to explore passive cooling methods with your contractor.

Make use of Georgia’s solar power and natural light

Atlanta is one of the sunniest cities in the United States, with at least 60% of the days per year being sunny. Use this to your advantage! Concentrate on improving windows on the south side of your house. Rooms that have plenty of large windows rely less on artificial light. This saves money on electricians’ costs and on the cost of extensive artificial lighting. 

At the same time, make sure that these windows have low-e solar coating. Add draperies to block sun during the brightest part of the day.

Remodel with mold in mind

Atlanta can get humid—extremely humid. Humidity that reaches 55% or more can lead to mold growth. Poorly vented crawlspaces, basements, and rooms are susceptible to mold growth. Not all mold is dangerous. However, some mold can be a lung irritant and can affect those with respiratory ailments.

Good remodeling work can be quickly undone by mold. To avoid mold growth, talk to your contractor about mold-inhibiting wall and ceiling systems, along with venting systems.

Refurbish, don’t replace

The days of tearing out everything and replacing it wholesale are long gone. Now, there is a smarter approach to remodeling that incorporates fixing items, not throwing them out. 

For example, you may decide to reface, rather than replace, your kitchen cabinets. Refurbishing cabinets, tubs, showers, floors, walls, and more keep these items out of the landfill and make your Atlanta remodel more affordable. 

Considering new doors for your kitchen cabinets? Get the lowdown on different cabinet door styles.

DIY projects in an Atlanta remodel

Not all of the work of your home remodel project needs to be done by the contractor’s workers. You can do a few things yourself in advance, or during downtimes. Sweat equity helps you save on remodel costs and make it all more affordable. Always coordinate in advance with your contractor if you plan to do DIY work. (Here’s what you can DIY and what should be left to the pros!)

Use durable imitation materials

You might really want that exotic hardwood flooring, but the price of it isn’t within your budget. Look for wood-look ceramic tile planks that look just like mahogany or other overseas hardwoods. Laminate and vinyl plank also look remarkably like real wood. Quartz and laminate countertops reliably imitate expensive marbles and granites. 

Wherever there is an expensive material, there is likely a far less expensive imitation material that you can use in your remodel.

Keep the plumbing in place

One rule of thumb for keeping bathroom and kitchen remodeling affordable: avoid moving the plumbing, if possible.

Whenever you move plumbing around, remodel costs rise. This doesn’t mean that you cannot change your shower, bathtub, or sink. You can replace or refurbish these items while keeping the core plumbing system where it is.

Shop around for the best contractor

Finding the best contractor for a remodeling project in Atlanta isn’t about finding the cheapest person. Instead, it’s about finding a person who can best bring your vision to light. Concentrate on finding a contractor who best matches your needs. You’ll also want to find a contractor who you work with well, and who you communicate well with. 

Get on the general contractor’s schedule—now

When you sign with a contractor for a home remodeling project, the contractor places you on their calendar. Being in the early queue means getting ahead of other clients, especially when there is overall high demand for home remodeling, labor, and materials. 

Ask your expert for remodeling advice

One of the upsides of hiring a general contractor is that you can take advantage of their knowledge and expertise. Feel free to ask for their advice…that’s why you hired them! Contractors can have years or decades of experience in construction and the right one will help you match your scope to your budget.

Ready to renovate? Sweeten can match you with our licensed, vetted general contractors in Atlanta.

—

Here’s where to splurge and where to save during a home remodel—room by room.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, scope, and style. Follow the blog, Sweeten Stories, for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation with Sweeten.

Source link

source https://civilco.construction/heres-how-to-save-on-home-remodeling-in-atlanta/ from Civilco Construction & Interior https://civilcoconstruction.blogspot.com/2021/04/heres-how-to-save-on-home-remodeling-in.html

[destinymarketingsolutions]

Looking forward to 2021, Solar Justice & Climate Policy

Photo / Tim Greenway, Maine Biz

In the depths of a tough New England Winter, my spirit is lifted by knowing that every day we enjoy about two minutes more sunlight than the day before. Despite the incredible challenges of 2020, we begin the new year full of gratitude, hope and optimism for the future. As is so often the case in times of hardship, the challenges brought out the very best in us. I feel particularly grateful and proud of the 270 employee-owners of ReVision Energy, who demonstrated just how amazingly supportive and resilient a values-led, mission-driven, employee-owned business can be in times of turmoil.

ReVision customers also responded with grace, patience, and remarkable creativity to the unexpected schedule shifts, new communication formats, and myriad of rigorous personal safety protocols we put into place to operate safely in 2020. We’re proud that in addition to another record-breaking year for solar installations, we also provided 45,200 meals to families in need through our partnerships with local food banks. Thank you so much for your contributions to those efforts!

Despite significant disruption to residential construction in the spring, residential solar installations increased nationwide by nearly 10% in 2020. In an otherwise uncertain economy, the clean energy industry continues to be a bright spot for both investment and growth of high-quality local jobs.

In 2003, when ReVision Energy (then Energyworks) first opened its doors in Liberty, Maine with the mission “to help transition northern New England away from fossil fuels and to clean, local, renewable energy,” the words seemed grandiose and a little fantastical, even to us. But less than two decades later, the consequences of global carbon pollution from fossil fuels are ever more apparent. The need for aggressive action to address the growing climate crisis is more widely accepted; beneficial electrification and renewable energy are now universally understood as key tools that will get us there. In 2020 a new report from UC Berkeley found that it is not only possible to achieve 90% clean electricity nationwide by 2035, but it is demonstrably cheaper! Those findings were mirrored in a local analysis by Dr. Richard Silkman, which found that Maine can transition its entire energy economy to renewables by 2050 at a lower annual cost.

Through the global pandemic and massive economic disruption in 2020, clean energy has shown that it is here to stay. Despite significant disruption to residential construction in the spring, residential solar installations increased nationwide by nearly 10% in 2020. In an otherwise uncertain economy, the clean energy industry continues to be a bright spot for both investment and growth of high-quality local jobs. This is due to the increased understanding of the urgency for climate action, as well as increased cost effectiveness of renewable energy. Ultimately though it is the result of individual decisions from some of the most admired companies in our region, like Machias Savings Bank, WS Badger, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, as well as the hundreds of households who joined the ReVision Energy community as Solar Champions this year. Thank you for your leadership and investment in your own energy future!

While individual action is paramount, public policy continues to be critical to the clean energy transition.

Though national leadership was sorely lacking in 2020, and the federal government spent most of the year mired in partisan dysfunction, incompetence, and corruption, there are bright spots. We witnessed the first Climate Election of our lifetime, with thoughtful, comprehensive, and ambitious climate plans put forward by the Democratic challengers, including the eventual President and Vice President-elect. Exit polls from the November election showed that a majority of voters (68%) see climate change as a serious problem, giving the new administration a strong mandate for aggressive climate action. Thanks in part to that support, Congress included key climate provisions in the omnibus spending and pandemic relief bill that passed in December 2020 with strong bipartisan support. In addition to the critical extension of the Investment Tax Credit at 26% for solar and offshore wind, the bill also included a $35M investment in basic research, support for streamlined permitting, and a reauthorization of the Weatherization Assistance Program.

This propels us into 2021 with valuable momentum, though there is much work left to do. The new administration will inherit not only a worsening public health crisis but also an economy in peril. President-elect Biden has made it clear that while he understands climate as an issue for every part of government, he also understands that the path to rapid and sustained climate action requires a focus on climate policy by his economic team. Deployment-led clean energy innovation is good for American jobs and great for the economy. Biden’s plan to ‘build back better’ includes an investment of over $400B over ten years and a pledge to create up to 10 million new jobs supporting the clean energy transition, and to do so in a way that advances the equally important goals of social and racial justice in this country.

A few important climate and energy priorities outlined by the Biden-Harris team: 

Rejoining the Paris Climate Accord and re-establishing American leadership in global climate commitments at COP in 2021. Reversing many of the horrific environmental rollbacks of the last 4 years, rebuilding the capacity of the EPA to create meaningful regulation through science, and holding polluters accountable for the environmental damage they cause. Accelerating the deployment of clean energy technology, including goals of reducing carbon footprints of existing building stock by 50% by 2035, and supporting the installation of over 500,000 new public EV charging outlets by the end of 2030. Banning new oil and gas leases on public lands and permanently protecting the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Developing rigorous new fuel economy standards aimed at ensuring that 100% of sales for new light and medium duty vehicles will be zero-emission.

The prospects for this agenda depend not only on Executive branch leadership, but also on support from Congress, which looks more likely following this week’s historic Senate runoff in Georgia!

With the return of real leadership at the Federal level, local action in states and municipalities will continue to be critical, and 2021 promises to be a busy year for energy and climate policy there as well:

Maine

In Augusta we expect the Governor and Legislature to build on the early success of the bipartisan 2019 solar bills, and work to implement the recommendations of the excellent Climate Council report released in December. Of particular interest in that report are recommendations about continued investment in clean energy workforce development, modernizing the electric utilities, electrifying transportation, and facilitating investment through a Green Bank or Maine Clean Energy and Sustainability Accelerator. We also continue to be excited and impressed by the impressive collaborative work being done by the Cities of Portland and South Portland in the implementation of their One Climate Future plan.

New Hampshire

Unfortunately in the Granite State, utility lobbyists, fossil fuel interests, and their political allies in Concord continue to attack foundational programs for both energy efficiency and renewable energy. But even New Hampshire is not immune from the inexorable march of clean energy. A few of the State’s smaller utilities have begun innovative pilots around distributed energy storage, and we’re hopeful that these programs may expand statewide. We’re also cautiously optimistic about the bi-partisan proposals to make net metering more accessible to municipalities. And though far too modest in scale, we’re excited about recent net metering updates and the PUC grant program to support solar projects for low- and moderate-income customers. We at ReVision Energy are deeply committed to a just clean energy transition, and we are excited to bring the benefits of clean energy to historically marginalized communities.

Massachusetts

Massachusetts has started 2021 with a bang with the overwhelming approval of a landmark bipartisan and bi-cameral Climate bill, S2995, that has been nearly four years in the making. The bill establishes a statewide net zero emissions limit for 2050 and includes a process for review and renewal of interim goals every five years. The bill also increases the State’s Renewable Portfolio Standards, sets targets for the deployment of heat pumps and EV chargers, and promises continued investment in equitable workforce development programs. Though the legislature still has critical work to do in the coming months with respect to fixing the broken utility interconnection process and net metering for smaller projects, S2995 is a great start to the new year and a solid commitment to climate leadership in the Bay State.

Overall, the view to 2021 and beyond is an optimistic one.

The future we want for our region and nation and planet may not be promised, but it is ours to achieve. The climate emergency is the defining issue of our generation and is a monumental challenge, but it is not larger than the awesome power of human innovation, collaboration, and kindness. While our elected representatives can help make it possible, the policy work only matters if individual families, households, companies, nonprofits, faith groups, and other leaders continue to be the change they wish to see in the world by investing in their own renewable energy future. We are so grateful to have the opportunity to do this meaningful and important work together with all of you. And so tomorrow as you wake and greet the rising sun a minute or two earlier than you did this morning, we hope you’ll join ReVision Energy in continuing to fight to make New England a more just, equitable, sustainable place that we can be proud to leave to our children.

Happy New Year, solar champions!

Source: https://www.revisionenergy.com/blogs/looking-forward-to-2021/

The post Looking forward to 2021, Solar Justice & Climate Policy appeared first on Destiny Marketing Solutions | Houston SEO Company.

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[spaceexp]

NASA to Test Advanced Space Wireless Network and Device for Returning Small Spacecraft to Earth

ISS - International Space Station logo. 27 November 201

NASA launched the Technology Educational Satellite, or TechEdSat-6, to the International Space Station on Orbital ATK’s Cygnus spacecraft from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on Nov. 12. This bread loaf-sized satellite is part of a continuing series to demonstrate the "Exo-Brake" parachute device, advanced communications and wireless sensor networks. TechEdSat-6 was released into low-Earth orbit from the NanoRacks platform on Nov. 20, to begin a series of wireless sensor experiments which will be the first self-powered tests, expanding the capabilities of sensor networks for future ascent or re-entry systems. This is the fourth TechEdSat satellite carrying an updated version of the Exo-Brake that will demonstrate guided controlled re-entry of small spacecraft to safely return science experiments from space. “The Exo-Brake’s shape can be changed to vary the drag on the satellite. With the help of high-fidelity simulations, we will demonstrate a low-cost, propellant-less method of returning small payloads quickly, and to fairly precise locations, for retrieval,” said Michelle Munk, NASA’s System Capability Lead for Entry, Descent and Landing. “We are excited about tracking TechEdSat-6 as it re-enters the atmosphere.” While the goal of returning samples from the space station and orbital platforms is integral to the project, NASA seeks to develop building blocks for larger-scale systems that might enable future small spacecraft missions to reach the surface of Mars and other places in the solar system.

NASA to Test Advanced Space Wireless Network and Device for Returning Small Spacecraft to Earth

Video above: The TechEdSat-6 ExoBrake deployment on November 20, 2017. Video Credits: NASA. The Exo-Brake is funded by the Entry Systems Modeling project within the Space Technology Mission Directorate’s Game Changing Development program. Additional funding for the Exo-Brake is provided by NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley and the agency's Engineering and Safety Center in Hampton, Virginia. The TechEdSat series is a science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, collaborative activity that involves NASA early-career employees, interns and students from several universities including San Jose State University, California; the University of Idaho in Moscow; the University of California at Riverside; California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo; the University of Georgia in Athens; and Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. Game Changing Development program: https://gameon.nasa.gov/ CubeSats: http://www.nasa.gov/cubesats/ Small Satellite Missions: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/smallsats Ames Research Center: https://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/home/index.html Space Station Research and Technology: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/index.html International Space Station (ISS): https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html Image, Video, Text, Credits: NASA/Kimberly Williams/Ames Research Center, Silicon Valley, California/Kimberly Minafra. Greetings, Orbiter.ch Full article

[2whatcom-blog]

Might Air-Conditioning Repair Local weather Change

It is likely one of the nice dilemmas of local weather change: We take such consolation from air con that worldwide vitality consumption for that objective has already tripled since 1990. It's on monitor to develop even quicker by way of mid-century--and assuming fossil-fuel-fired energy vegetation present the electrical energy, that would trigger sufficient carbon dioxide emissions to heat the planet by one other lethal half-degree Celsius. A paper printed Tuesday within the Nature Communications proposes a partial treatment: Heating, air flow and air con (or HVAC) programs transfer plenty of air. They'll exchange your entire air quantity in an workplace constructing 5 or 10 instances an hour. Machines that seize carbon dioxide from the atmosphere--a creating repair for local weather change--also depend upon transferring giant volumes of air. So why not save vitality by tacking the carbon seize machine onto the air conditioner? This futuristic proposal, from a group led by chemical engineer Roland Dittmeyer at Germany's Karlsruhe Institute of Know-how, goes even additional. The researchers think about a system of modular elements, powered by renewable vitality, that will not simply extract carbon dioxide and water from the air. It could additionally convert them into hydrogen, after which use a multistep chemical course of to remodel that hydrogen into liquid hydrocarbon fuels. The end result: "Personalized, localized and distributed, synthetic oil wells" in buildings or neighborhoods, the authors write. "The envisioned model of 'crowd oil' from solar refineries, akin to 'crowd electricity' from solar panels," would allow folks "to take control and collectively manage global warming and climate change, rather than depending on the fossil power industrial behemoths." The analysis group has already developed an experimental mannequin that may full a number of key steps of the method, Dittmeyer says, including, "The plan in two or three years is to have the first experimental showcase where I can show you a bottle of hydrocarbon fuel from carbon dioxide captured in an air-conditioning unit." Neither Dittmeyer nor co-author Geoffrey Ozin, a chemical engineer on the College of Toronto, would predict how lengthy it'd take earlier than constructing homeowners might buy and set up such models. However Ozin claims a lot of the required know-how is already commercially obtainable. He says the carbon seize gear might come from a Swiss "direct air capture" firm referred to as Climeworks, and the electrolyzers to transform carbon dioxide and water into hydrogen can be found from Siemens, Hydrogenics or different firms. "And you use Roland's amazing microstructure catalytic reactors, which convert the hydrogen and carbon dioxide into a synthetic fuel," he provides. These reactors are being dropped at market by the German firm Ineratec, a derivative from Dittmeyer's analysis. As a result of the system would depend on superior types of photo voltaic vitality, Ozin thinks of the end result as "photosynthetic buildings." The authors calculate that making use of this technique to the HVAC in one in all Europe's tallest skyscrapers, the MesseTurm, or Commerce Honest Tower, in Frankfurt, would extract and convert sufficient carbon dioxide to yield at the least 2,000 metric tons (660,000 U.S. gallons) of gasoline a yr. The workplace house in your entire metropolis of Frankfurt might yield greater than 370,000 tons (122 million gallons) yearly, they are saying. "This is a wonderful concept--it made my day," says David Keith, a Harvard professor of utilized physics and public coverage, who was not concerned within the new paper. He means that one of the best use for the ensuing fuels could be to "help solve two of our biggest energy challenges": offering a carbon-neutral gasoline to fill the gaps left by intermittent renewables corresponding to wind and solar energy, and offering gasoline for "the hard-to-electrify parts of transportation and industry," corresponding to airplanes, giant vans and steel- or cement-making. Keith is already concentrating on a few of these markets by way of Carbon Engineering, an organization he based targeted on direct air seize of carbon dioxide for large-scale liquid gasoline manufacturing. However he says he's "deeply skeptical" about doing it on a distributed constructing or neighborhood foundation. "Economies of scale can't be wished away. There's a reason we have huge wind turbines," he says--and a purpose we do not need yard all-in-one pulp-and-paper mills for disposing of our yard wastes. He believes it's merely "faster and cheaper" to take carbon dioxide from the air and switch it into gasoline "by doing it an appropriate scale." Different scientists who weren't concerned within the new paper be aware two different potential issues. "The idea that Roland has presented is an interesting one," says Jennifer Wilcox, a chemical engineer at Worcester Institute of Know-how, "but more vetting needs to be done in order to determine the true potential of the approach." Whereas it appears to make sense to reap the benefits of the air motion already being generated by HVAC programs, Wilcox says, constructing and working the required followers isn't what makes direct air seize programs so costly. "The dominant capital cost," she says, "is the solid adsorbent materials"--that is, substances to which the carbon dioxide adheres--and the primary vitality value is the warmth wanted to get well the carbon dioxide from these supplies afterward. Furthermore, she contends that any obtainable photo voltaic or different carbon-free energy supply could be put to higher use in changing fossil-fuel-fired energy vegetation, to scale back the quantity of carbon dioxide entering into the air within the first place. "The idea of converting captured carbon into liquid fuel is persuasive," says Matthew J. Realff, a chemical engineer at Georgia Institute of Know-how. "We have an enormous investment in our liquid fuel infrastructure, and using that has tremendous value. You wouldn't have to build a whole new infrastructure. But this concept of doing it at the household level is a little bit fantastical"--partly as a result of the gases concerned (carbon monoxide and hydrogen) are poisonous and explosive. The method to transform them to a liquid gasoline is nicely understood, Realff says, however it produces a variety of merchandise that now usually get separated out in large refineries--requiring big quantities of vitality. "It's possible that it could be worked out at the scale that is being proposed," he provides. "But we haven't done it at this point, and it may not turn out to be the most effective way from an economic perspective." There's, nevertheless, an sudden advantage of direct air seize of carbon dioxide, says Realff, and it might assist stimulate market acceptance of the know-how: One purpose workplace buildings exchange their air so incessantly is solely to guard employees from elevated ranges of carbon dioxide. His analysis means that capturing the carbon dioxide from the air stream could also be one technique to minimize vitality prices, by lowering the frequency of air modifications. Dittmeyer disputes the argument that pondering large is at all times higher. He notes that small, modular vegetation are a development in some areas of chemical engineering, "because they are more flexible and don't involve such a financial risk." He additionally anticipates that value will develop into much less of a barrier as governments withstand the urgency of reaching a local weather resolution, and as jurisdictions more and more impose carbon taxes or mandate strict vitality effectivity requirements for buildings. "Of course, it's a visionary perspective," he says, "it relies on this idea of a decentralized product empowering people, not leaving it to industry. Industrial players observe the situation, but as long as there is no profit in the short term, they won't do anything. If we have the technology that is safe and affordable, though maybe not as cheap, we can generate some momentum" amongst people, a lot as occurred within the early levels of the photo voltaic trade. "And then I would expect the industrial parties to act, too." Read the full article

[lielectricians]

How Much Do Charging Stations Cost Brandamore Pa

Contents

Long-awaited chevrolet volt set

Solar costs pennsylvania

Kia motors announced

. ultra-high-priced stations

Pennsylvania stations … orlando

Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations in or near 19316 (Brandamore, PA) A comprehensive list of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in or near 19316 (Brandamore, PA) . Search and compare EV charging stations in communities across the U.S., and find a local station when you need to charge …

Nissan Leaf Charging Stations Perry Hall Md Ev Car Charging Station Ottsville Pa Chevy Volt Charging Station Price Chicago Il Mike Anderson Chevy offers a wide selection of 176 used and pre-owned cars, trucks and SUVs. We’ll find the used vehicle you need at a price you can afford. Chevrolet Volt Home Charging Station With the long-awaited chevrolet volt set to hit

Electric Vehicle Charging Station Cost. On average, installing an electric vehicle charging station costs around $1,100 to $1,200. This estimate includes $600 to $700 for the charging station itself, and $65 to $85 per hour in labor for the electrician to install the charging station.

Charge your EV with Solar – See how much solar costs pennsylvania (PA) Locations This is the list of all zip codes within Pennsylvania where you can see their EV charging stations report.

… at or below 60 kW pay half as much as folks charging above 60 kW. Stop in Georgia for an 8-cent (tier 1) or 16-cent (tier 2) top off (tier 1). Prices jump to 10 cents (tier 1) or 20 cents (tier 2) …

A baseball and a bat cost $1.10 in total. The bat costs $1 more than the ball. How much does the ball cost … and the University of Pennsylvania. They asked a group of participants how much they’d be …

The national average for installing a standard 240V electric vehicle charging station ranges between $407 and $942, while the median cost is $672 for a single one. Electric cars are becoming cheaper and simpler to develop, which means they are easier for everyday consumers to purchase.

Electric Car Home Charging Station Turner Or Minister for finance paschal donohoe flagged in his Budget 2019 speech that the 0 per cent benefit-in-kind (BIK) rate for electric vehicles will be extended for a period of three years. A BIK is a … kia motors announced a new program with Amazon for electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (phevs). customers

What needs to happen to close the charging gap? Standardize the charging coupler On top of the scarcity of charging stations, when drivers do find … on a charge, that means three hours of driving …

"We just do what we have to do," he said. ultra-high-priced stations are unusual, said Jana Tidwell, a spokeswoman for AAA Mid-Atlantic. Only 0.03 percent of pennsylvania stations … orlando have …

We do … station provider Car Charging Group is covering $1 million to cover all the costs associated with the Turnpike’s charging station installs. We believe some quick-charge stations, as well as …

The automaker also announced that it’s launching more powerful charging stations that could restore as much as 75 miles of range in just … Tesla says it will go 280 miles on a full charge, go from 0 …

Ev Car Charging Station Ottsville Pa Chevy Volt Charging Station Price Chicago Il Mike Anderson Chevy offers a wide selection of 176 used and pre-owned cars, trucks and SUVs. We’ll find the used vehicle you need at a price you can afford. Chevrolet Volt Home Charging Station With the long-awaited chevrolet volt set to hit showrooms later this year, GM has Nissan Leaf Home Charging Station Installation Minooka Il Explore charging and range capabilities of the 2019 Nissan LEAF. Learn more about, public charging locations, 62kWh battery availability, and more. Explore charging and range capabilities of the 2019 Nissan LEAF. Learn more about, public charging locations, 62kWh battery availability, and more. Skip to main content My Nissan … Pat Quinn recently announced an ambitious

Hence the stations that cost $3 per hour, costs $0.25 per mile of range. On the other hand the cars with a 6.6 kilowatt on-board charger (Ford Focus Electric and Coda Sedan), if charging at a station that costs $3 per hour, costs $0.12 per mile of range.

The home EVSE charger runs about $350 to $900 depending on how much power it’s designed to handle, conveniences like WiFi, and how long the charging cable is. Add in a skilled electrician and, depending on your situation, the electric car charger installation could cost another $1,000.

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[space-news]

A mechanical rover inspired by a Dutch artist. A weather balloon that recharges its batteries in the clouds of Venus. These are just two of the five ideas that originated at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, and are advancing for a new round of research funded by the agency. In total, the space agency is investing in 22 early-stage technology proposals that have the potential to transform future human and robotic exploration missions, introduce new exploration capabilities, and significantly improve current approaches to building and operating aerospace systems. The 2017 NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) portfolio of Phase I concepts covers a wide range of innovations selected for their potential to revolutionize future space exploration. Phase I awards are valued at approximately $125,000, for nine months, to support initial definition and analysis of their concepts. If these basic feasibility studies are successful, awardees can apply for Phase II awards. "The NIAC program engages researchers and innovators in the scientific and engineering communities, including agency civil servants," said Steve Jurczyk, associate administrator of NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate. "The program gives fellows the opportunity and funding to explore visionary aerospace concepts that we appraise and potentially fold into our early stage technology portfolio." The selected 2017 Phase I proposals are: • A Synthetic Biology Architecture to Detoxify and Enrich Mars Soil for Agriculture, Adam Arkin, University of California, Berkeley • A Breakthrough Propulsion Architecture for Interstellar Precursor Missions, John Brophy, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California • Evacuated Airship for Mars Missions, John-Paul Clarke, Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta • Mach Effects for In Space Propulsion: Interstellar Mission, Heidi Fearn, Space Studies Institute in Mojave, California • Pluto Hop, Skip, and Jump, Benjamin Goldman, Global Aerospace Corporation in Irwindale, California • Turbolift, Jason Gruber, Innovative Medical Solutions Group in Tampa, Florida • Phobos L1 Operational Tether Experiment, Kevin Kempton, NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia • Gradient Field Imploding Liner Fusion Propulsion System, Michael LaPointe, NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama • Massively Expanded NEA Accessibility via Microwave-Sintered Aerobrakes, John Lewis, Deep Space Industries, Inc., in Moffett Field, California • Dismantling Rubble Pile Asteroids with Area-of-Effect Soft-bots, Jay McMahon, University of Colorado, Boulder • Continuous Electrode Inertial Electrostatic Confinement Fusion, Raymond Sedwick, University of Maryland, College Park • Sutter: Breakthrough Telescope Innovation for Asteroid Survey Missions to Start a Gold Rush in Space, Joel Sercel, TransAstra in Lake View Terrace, California • Direct Multipixel Imaging and Spectroscopy of an Exoplanet with a Solar Gravity Lens Mission, Slava Turyshev, JPL • Solar Surfing, Robert Youngquist, NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida • A Direct Probe of Dark Energy Interactions with a Solar System Laboratory, Nan Yu, JPL "The 2017 NIAC Phase I competition has resulted in an excellent set of studies. All of the final candidates were outstanding," said Jason Derleth, NIAC program executive. "We look forward to seeing how each new study will expand how we explore the universe." Phase II studies allow awardees time to refine their designs and explore aspects of implementing the new technology. This year's Phase II portfolio addresses a range of leading-edge concepts, including: a Venus probe using in-situ power and propulsion to study the Venusian atmosphere, and novel orbital imaging data derived from stellar echo techniques -- measurement of the variation in a star's light caused by reflections off of distant worlds -- to detect exoplanets, which are planets outside our solar system. Awards under Phase II of the NIAC program can be worth as much as $500,000, for two-year studies, and allow proposers to further develop Phase I concepts that successfully demonstrated initial feasibility and benefit. The selected 2017 Phase II proposals are: • Venus Interior Probe Using In-situ Power and Propulsion, Ratnakumar Bugga, JPL • Remote Laser Evaporative Molecular Absorption Spectroscopy Sensor System, Gary Hughes, California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo • Brane Craft Phase II, Siegfried Janson, The Aerospace Corporation in El Segundo, California • Stellar Echo Imaging of Exoplanets, Chris Mann, Nanohmics, Inc., Austin, Texas • Automaton Rover for Extreme Environments, Jonathan Sauder, JPL • Optical Mining of Asteroids, Moons, and Planets to Enable Sustainable Human Exploration and Space Industrialization, Joel Sercel, TransAstra Corp. • Fusion-Enabled Pluto Orbiter and Lander, Stephanie Thomas, Princeton Satellite Systems, Inc., Plainsboro, New Jersey "Phase II studies can accomplish a great deal in their two years with NIAC. It is always wonderful to see how our Fellows plan to excel," said Derleth. "The 2017 NIAC Phase II studies are exciting, and it is wonderful to be able to welcome these innovators back in to the program. Hopefully, they will all go on to do what NIAC does best -- change the possible." NASA selected these projects through a peer-review process that evaluated innovativeness and technical viability. All projects are still in the early stages of development, most requiring 10 or more years of concept maturation and technology development before use on a NASA mission. NIAC partners with forward-thinking scientists, engineers, and citizen inventors from across the nation to help maintain America's leadership in air and space. NIAC is funded by NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate, which is responsible for developing the cross-cutting, pioneering, new technologies and capabilities needed by the agency to achieve its current and future missions.

[morganbelarus]

Smart City Tech Would Make Military Bases Safer

The last time the Pentagon directed all of its bases to raise their threat level, the danger came from an unlikely source: social media. That’s where accounts connected to ISIS posted the names and home addresses of US military personnel and encouraged terrorists to attack them. Military bases around the country began the methodical process of implementing stricter security. After countless meetings and thousands of checklists, the bases were ready.

WIRED OPINION

About

Ted Johnson (@DrTedJohnson) is a retired commander in the US Navy where he focused on cyber policy and operations.He is the defense and national security research manager at Deloitte’s Center for Government Insights.

But in times of crisis, seconds matter. The same connectivity that allows overseas extremists to make personal threats with the click of a button could also enable quicker, stronger, and more comprehensive security responses at the nation’s military installations. Put simply, a base that employs smart technologies is safer.

Of course, the promises of innovative technologies can sometimes be oversold or just plain wrong. But smart technologies are proven and offer significant advantages for military installations. The smart military base is overdue.

A smart base employs technologies—artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, machine automation and robotics, and data analysis, to name a few—to improve the quality and speed of its functions and services. Taken together, they collect and process large amounts of data that enable more economical operations and help military staffers make better decisions.

If a terrorist followed through on those threats to military staffers, a smart military base’s networked cameras and license plate recognition sensors would single out new visitors and direct them to entry gates with tighter security. In the worst-case scenario, a smart base could isolate the sound of gunfire and communicate its location to emergency responders on-base. An alert could be sent to everyone’s smart phones notifying them of an active-shooter and indicating which areas to avoid. Base officials could immediately lock down schools, daycare centers, and hospitals. And the data trail enables easier intelligence collection and prosecution.

Applying smart technologies to military bases is more than hypothetical. Army and Navy bases in Georgia recently opened smart energy solar plants that allow them to operate independent of the local power grid, a critical capability in an emergency. Fort Bragg is experimenting with driverless vehicles to transport wounded soldiers across base to rehab appointments.

Smart cities provide the model for smart military bases, since bases share many of the same characteristics as cities. In the past 10 years urban planners have emphasized technologies like sensors, data analysis, and smartphone apps, to catalyze cities’ advancement.

Columbus, Ohio recently won a $50 million grant from the US Department of Transportation to improve its transit infrastructure; in its proposal to the government, Columbus described how improving its traffic patterns and transportation could reduce infant mortality rates and improve access to health care for all. Other cities are also leveraging the Internet of Thingsto harness massive amounts of real-time data about traffic, crime, weather, energy consumption, and more to improve governance and quality of life.

Back to the military: The Department of Defense oversees hundreds of thousands of buildings across more than 5,000 locations on more than 30 million acres of land. The Government Accountability Office reports that DoD installations have a replacement value of $880 billion. So tremendous efficiencies can be realized from using technology to help monitor and manage power, water, and construction costs associated with such large holdings. For example, the Army’s smart energy program has reduced costs by nearly $150 million. Leasing unused base real estate returns money to taxpayers while also serving the community around the base, as the military has seen with the geothermal power plant at a Navy weapons station in California that contributes nearly 1.5 million megawatts-hours of electricity to the grid each year. And with the Trump administration looking to end sequestration and increase spending, now is the time to ensure deliberate and sustained investment in military installations are prioritized.

Beyond security and savings, technology can improve life on the base; sensors that can distinguish base workers and residents from transient personnel and visitors can help manage congestion during morning rush hour or large public events like airshows. Additive manufacturing technology, like the Navy’s Print the Fleet project, allows bases to use 3-D printing for quicker and cost-effective repair and replacement parts that can be produced on site. Sensors in garbage cans and on the shelves of the base grocery stores can help waste management personnel manage collections and automate commissary inventory requests. Innovative construction and urban planning technologies can help bases design mixed-use areas as well as avoid millions of dollars in environmental impact costs through the identification of sites that can be repurposed.

While technology can make military bases more efficient, smart devices do carry risk. Hackers have infected smart devices with viruses; they’ve taken over hotel lock systems with ransomware, and they’ve deployed IoT devices in massive distributed denial of service attacks. So introducing large numbers of wireless sensors and connecting them to the most vital parts of a military installation can seem counterintuitive, especially to military commanders who necessarily prioritize security over convenience and cost savings.

But security vulnerabilities are easily reduced by changing default passwords and encrypting data streams. Military bases, of course, will need more than good password practices. They’ll need to rigorously test devices before they can be put to use. But that shouldn’t be a barrier to adoption. Updating aging base installations with smart technologies to better protect and serve military members and their families is more than worth it.

In 1912, famed Italian electrical engineer Guglielmo Marconi declared, “The coming of the wireless era will make war impossible, because it will make war ridiculous.” Today, it’s clear his wires were crossed. Conflict remains very real, and military bases must keep pace with an interconnected world. The Trump administration’s defense strategy calls for increased infrastructure investment, and military installations must be high on the priority list. The smart military base can provide the security, resiliency, workability, and livability required to meet today’s threats and better serve its personnel and their families.

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