Hardy Legwin and Solar Energy

Madison Powers

February 17th, 2012

9:10 AM, Learning Skills Classroom 3

Today APES class had the opportunity to meet with the father of Proctor senior Jack Legwin, Hardy Legwin. Legwin works in the solar energy industry, starting a company with 2 other guys 6 years ago, with the mission to "make solar mainstream." What is the definition of mainstream to these men? One of his friends believed it was to get solar energy on the Monopoly board, which, on the new editions of Monopoly, it is already there. In fact, solar energy isn't even a new concept, Legwin said, but one that had roots back in 1884 ideas. 

Legwin discussed how solar energy from the sun is being wasted in the United States. He said that the Southwest has great solar insulation and potential, even the Northeast has potential, but we do not harness any of that energy. Germany has very little solar insulation, yet has over half the world's solar energy collection. Every day we lose so much energy, he says. Losing this energy is not good, for we could use it for so many things, such as electricity and heating water. 

A Solar Cell

There are two types of solar panels that Legwin's company installs: PV (photovoltaic) panels and solar hot water panels. Th solar hot water panel has a collector plate, where the water is heated, collected by a pump, then stored in a tank, where this heat is transferred into other water. This type of panel has a glass cover, with copper coated in a special insulator, and a water and glycol mixture is what gets heated up and is pumped through the system. There is also a heat exchanger attached to the tank, through which hot and cold water run through, transferring the heat from hot to cold. Copper is used because it is a very good conductor of heat, which is important when it comes to absorbing the sun's rays. "One of these collectors creates about 50 gallons of hot water per day," Hardy said, and the average person uses 20 gallons. 

Solar Thermal Panels

So what is the future for these thermal panels? The panels are said to have a 30 year life span, and potentially more after that, with the only maintenance being any damage or leaks. Legwin says, "Cost per panel has not changed much, there's not much driving the price down." While the price may not change, modifications can be made to increase the efficiency and output of the panels. For example, a vacuum tube is in the works which would prevent captured heat from leaving the tube. The current issue with these is that they last half as long, and cost twice as much as thermal panels. Another idea is to make smaller panels that can be mounted easily. These panels would be curved to concentrate the sun on one tube that contains oil, a liquid that can be heated to high temperatures. These small, curved panels could concentrate 7 suns worth of rays on the single tube! Quite impressive, if you ask me, and a great source of energy.

The second type of solar panel that Legwin's company works with is photovoltaic (PV) panels. These are the panels that are used to generate electricity. These silicon panels have two types of silicon, creating a layer. The sun excites these electrons creating a current between the layer, which is then converted into electricity. The power is DC power, which then goes into an inverter and is turned into AC power, where it can be sent through a transformer and onto the grid. Currently the panels on the market are only 12-22% efficient, though lab tests have been done on panels that are 50% efficient. "The big breakthrough in PV is going to be getting the panels more efficient," Legwin says. Another issue with PV panels is they only work well if the sun is shining. There is more production as the sun goes up, but if it's cloudy out, production goes down. "It works great when the sun is shining," Legwin told us, but these panels aren't as good as the solar hot water panels, he believes. The two advancements that will make PV panels better are efficiency and battery/storage capabilities, which currently are very little. 

PV Panels

Both PV and thermal panels are great sources of energy, and are definitely on the rise. 10% of US electricity comes from solar, and this number is going to grow as coal and nuclear become more expensive to maintain. Both of these create harmful emissions and neither is renewable like solar is. Since 2008, the price of PV electricity has dropped by over $4, and PV is only 3x less effective than thermal, and the gap will continue to decrease as technology increases. Legwin says, "Thermal gives a bigger payback that PV." While thermal may be better, PV can be used to sell electricity back to the utilities, and also offset things like an air conditioner. If you are using less energy than you collect, you can sell it back to utility companies or store it with batteries for another time.

Legwin and his company have had many projects where they have installed both types of panels. In Camp Lejeune, 2,300 hot water collectors were installed in homes. At the Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, NC, 100 collectors were installed on the roof in 2007. His current project is a thermal farm, where 2,100 collectors will be used to create hot water for a poultry plant. Guilford College had Legwin's company help them with their energy by installing thermal panels on many buildings. This save the company 20% on their energy bill. His company owns and maintains the equipment, and sells the energy generated at a set price for a 10 year period. This saves the school money in the long run and is a very good deal for the school. While Legwin's company does more with thermal, they have also done PV projects as well. They helped a capped landfill make use of its space by placing a solar farm with PV panels on it. The panels were mounted on concrete blocks so the landfill was not disturbed. This was a 5 megawatt project, which was pretty high at the time. Now, 5 megawatts of power is the standard for PV projects, and this number will continue to grow. 

Solar Farm

Solar energy as a whole will also continue to grow, along with wind energy in the United States, as states are requiring that certain percentages of their energy be renewable. The states will be the driving force behind the use of renewable energy. The other driving force will be the companies, such as Hardy Legwin's, that sell and manage these products. I believe that this is key in our current energy crisis and climate change crisis. New energy sources must be used before our current ones become obsolete. There isn't a better way to capture energy than solar, for it is more than abundant; you can place a solar panel just about anywhere and gather energy. Solar is one of the solutions to our problems, and we must embrace it and use it, make it "mainstream" as Hardy says.

The transition to renewable resources in the coming years will be important. My generation and the one before it must take action, for at our current rates of energy consumption and climate change, the world is going to crash and burn. Our generations must change the way we use energy by switching to a more efficient and safe source if we wish to preserve the Earth for future generations. We currently release ridiculous amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere with our use of oil and coal, but with the use of solar and other sources like wind and tides, we can reduce this amount of CO2, slow global warming, and preserve our resources. As Hardy Legwin concluded his presentation, "Nothing is as powerful as an idea whose time has come-Victor Hugo." This idea is solar energy, and its time is now.

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TED Talk: William McDonough

Madison Powers
APES
January 23, 2012

William McDonough and "Cradle to Cradle" Design

1) William McDonough states: “The fundamental issue is that, for me, design is the first signal of human intentions.” Do you share McDonough’s viewpoint? Explain and use an example of a design that supports your position.

I agree with McDonough's viewpoint that it is an issue that signals human intentions. Humans design things based on their needs and wants. Most of the time they are designed without the consequences in mind, because their wants outweigh the negatives. Take for example many of the large dams around the world or buildings in countries like Dubai. People's goals with the design is to do nothing other than to make it the biggest, and most expensive they possible can. All sorts of money was used to turn the deserts of Dubai into a city home to massive shopping malls and the world's tallest building. Clearly money wasn't in mind when the biggest building spree ever was brought to a halt and debt started to grow. Human intention with Dubai and dams like the 3 Gorges in China isn't how it is going to impact the environment and people involved, but to see how large of a product they can make. These projects are just a few examples of many that show design shows human intentions.

2) McDonough states: what we realize today is that modern culture appears to have adopted a strategy of tragedy. If we come here and say, "Well, I didn't intend to cause global warming on the way here," and we say, "That's not part of my plan," then we realize it's part of our de facto plan. Because it's the thing that's happening because we have no other plan.
 Do you agree with McDonough that we have a “strategy of tragedy” that is shaping the human condition? Why or Why not?

I do not agree with McDonough and don't believe that people today have a plan for tragedy. I feel that many people are completely oblivious to the tragedy that lies ahead of the world, and there is only a small portion of the modern culture that has started to adopt a "strategy for tragedy" while the rest are continuing on as they have planned. I do agree with the idea that "I didn't intend to cause global warming on my way here",  as I feel that it applies to a large portion of society. People are greedy and will do whatever they can for power and money, even if it means causing harm to the globe. People will always be power hungry and therefore they will do what is in their best interests so that they can succeed, regardless of the damage they cause. I do feel that the population with a plan for tragedy is increasing though, as awareness for this tragedy grows. More and more people are being informed about pollution, damaging the environment, limited resources, etc. The more people that know about these things, the better, for then the modern culture can form a "strategy for tragedy" as a whole, and many people will try to avoid this tragedy. I do feel that this point will come too late though, because at our current rate, I believe that we will hit this tragedy before people can figure out what to do about it.

3) McDonough believes that design determines our interactions with nature and how we value it. Is there evidence to support that view? Or does McDonough have it backwards, that nature actually shapes the way we design?

I believe that McDonough has it backwards, and that nature shapes the way we design. Many new buildings and products are being built with nature in mind, such as the cities he mentions in his speech. They are basically raising the natural land up a level, and using and eco-friendly cycle to maintain nature, without disturbing it too much. I feel that now that we must be more careful about our resources, pollution, and the earth's health, we are designing with nature in mind more than we used to. We are returning to the natural processes of the earth that promote its health instead of the often destructive ways of humans. Cars are now designed with nature in mind, same with plastics, buildings, etc. Nature seems to shape almost everything that is designed if the designers care about the earth's health even a tiny bit. They realize that they must design to protect and promote nature, instead of destroy it as they have in the past. McDonough's work is an example of this idea, for his work in cities and for major companies seems to be shaped by nature.

4) Explain what cradle to cradle design is. Describe and use an example of what the two metabolisms are and what they do.

Cradle to cradle design is design with the goal of "a delightfully diverse, safe, healthy and just world, with clean air, clean water, soil and power -- economically, equitably, ecologically and elegantly enjoyed, period." It is basically design with nature kept in mind, as to preserve it and help it continue to grow so we can have a healthy and safe world. Also in this design, everything is cycled, so that nothing is ever wasted, and these cycles can last forever. There are two metabolisms in cradle to cradle design. The first metabolism is the biological metabolism. The biological metabolism is the way that the nutrients of earth (water, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide) go through cycles so that they can be returned to nature safely. An example of a biological metabolism would be a biodegradable plastic, such as Nike's shoe soles. The plastic contains the biological nutrients, but they have been altered. The plastic can degrade back into the biological system and return to its original state, making it safe and healthy. The other metabolism is the technical metabolism. This is a closed loop system. Resources are circulated through an endless cycle of production, with as little waste as possible. The products are made with reuse in mind, they are broken down when their use is done, and then the resources are recycled and made into something new. An example of this would be Shaw Carpet. They have made a carpet that can be indefinitely reused. The nylon in it is broken down where it is then made back into carpets. Overall cradle to cradle design seems to be an excellent plan for the future if we plan to preserve the health and safety of the globe.

Flow: For Love of Water

Madison Powers
January 18th, 2012
Time/Location: 6:30-8:00 PM, Physics Classroom

Last night, January 17th, 2012,  I viewed the documentary Flow: For Love of Water, a 2008 film directed by Irena Salina. The film discussed the significance of water on Earth, how it is a dwindling resource, and how greed by many companies is making is even scarcer. There are currently wars over oil in the world, but as water's value becomes clearer, we may soon see wars over water. As one man in the movie, "The world is running out of water. People will do anything for water." Water is life. Nothing would exist without it; it is what allows us to survive. In a way, it is like blood pumping through the body. The Earth is one giant body, and it's heart pumps the "blood", or the water, through the body so that it can live. Our bodies are actually made of 70% water, so it is necessary for our existence.

The scary thing about water is that much of the water that we easily have at hand is potentially detrimental to our health. The United States does not keep track of sickness from water. There are many bugs living in water; viruses, pathogens, and bacteria are lurking right under out noses. There are over 116,000 synthetic chemicals in the world, and many of these can end up in our water. You may not realize it, but showering is one of the main exposures to these chemicals in water. Think about it: you are subjecting your entire body to whatever is in that water for 5-10 minutes a day. A bit scary isn't it? Even after these chemicals leave our body, they still come back to us. The waste from our body goes down the toilet, into sewage, which can seep into rivers and lakes. What do we get from these rivers and lakes? Drinking water. Essentially we are reabsorbing the chemicals we have excreted, and this cycle is endless. Atrazine, a chemical found in herbicides, has been found in drinking, ground, and surface water. This chemical has changed the gender of frogs, as studies by Tyrone Hayes found. It has also been attributed to lower sperm counts. This chemical gets to us through seepage into our drinking water. The chemicals that we use all the time are coming back to bite us.

The big three water corporations in the world are Thames Water, Vivendi, and Suez Water. The World Bank plays a large part in water, as well. These companies have tormented countries such as Bolivia, parts of Africa, and India with high prices for clean drinking water which the people cannot afford. In one place in Africa, people had to dam up a river because a slaughterhouse upstream was contaminating the water with blood, so much that it was red. People bathe in this water, wash clothes, and even drink it! Sewage in the water is also an issue in many of these countries.  It is so much of a problem that 1 in 5 Bolivian children die due to drinking dirty water. The reason that they must drink this water is because the World Bank has privatized water in Bolivia. Suez picked up the contract for Bolivian water, and it was very difficult for the people to access the clean, good water that they needed. Not only has the World Bank done this, but it has also been one of the main supporters for big dams. These dams help the World Bank make money, even though it destroys the land, but they cannot be sued for the damage. The dams stop organic matter flow, the matter ends up rotting, and is released as methane which impacts global warming. People are promised so much about the dams, but they just end up being displaced, and they don't get what they wanted. These corporations have a very negative impact on water in the world.

Suez plays a very large role around the world in water. In one place in Africa, Suez controls all of the clean water. People have to pay for the clean water, yet the prices that are charged are much more than many of the people make in a year. The prices of it increased when Suez came in, and the availability decreased due to the high price. The goal of Suez was to make people want to pay for clean water, but it was so expensive that they just go down to the river and get bad water, which is the source of all major diseases. "People are to pay, regardless of what they consume," one of the men high up in Suez said. People sit and wait at the faucet in town, all lined up, waiting to fill their containers up. Some days the water doesn't even turn on, some places they even have to pay. It is very limited, and because people believe that water is free from God, they get sick from the free river water. Because of this, up to 30,000 people a day die from water diseases.

In India, people were working towards cleaner water. The Ganges River in India is very important to both the people and the culture of India. When someone dies, the last thing to happen to their body is a drop of Ganges water is placed in their mouth. Unfortunately, the water of the Ganges, and much of the water in India is getting polluted. Not to mention, Suez charges people 10 times what they normally pay for water. But there is hope for water in India. Some ways to increase the cleanliness of the water have been implanted, such as using UV light to disinfect the water, ridding it of diseases like cholera. In one place, a UV plant was put in. There was one employee at the plant, and he was paid through the plant's income. People who bought water here paid a very small amount of money for clean water (only $2/year) which was manageable for many. One man even said the clean water has helped his business. He raises chickens, and before, when he used dirty water, many chickens would die, but now, using the clean water, this is no longer an issue. 300,000 people are supported by this plant, but many more need it.


Suez has had a very large grip on India, a man named Shri Rajendra Singh says. Suez told him and the people that the water was not theirs, nor were the rivers, and even the rain water was not his peoples. So Singh traveled to a very poor province in India. Here, there was very little water, people's crops and livestock was dying, and the situation seemed pretty grim. He and his people helped the village restore their old water harvesting structures. This process took some time, but eventually it paid off. The people started to harvest better crops because there was more moisture. Because farmers were getting more crops, they could send more crops to cities and everyone benefited.

The whole water industry is very intriguing. People take water for granted, but those days are running out. Some states in the US have less than 20 years of water left, and many rivers have stopped flowing to the sea. Could this water shortage be the 6th major extinction? Because water is dwindling, the industry for it has vastly grown, and water is a very strong investment. Bottled water is extremely popular, and many people prefer it to tap water. The interesting thing about bottle water is that it really isn't pure water. The FDA doesn't even know what is in bottle water. Some bottled waters have been found to contain chemicals like arsenic, bacteria, etc, while others have been found out to be tap water. In reality,  a lot of bottled water really doesn't come from where it says.

Nestle, a major bottled water company, has set up many plants around the country to pump water to sell. In one case in Michigan, the company was pumping over 450 gallons per minute out of the land there. This was lowering streams and lakes in the nearby area. Of course, Nestle didn't have to pay for this water at all, and ended up making $1.8 million per day off of it. One person of Michigan said that the people are just buying their own water, which is a fairly greedy method. People started to run out of water, and yet the company kept on pumping. Eventually they got around to protesting and signing a petition to get Nestle to stop. Nestle hired private investigators to confront petitioners for threatening the company. This case was brought to court, and Nestle won the appeal, but had to pump less. But this made a small difference, for Nestle opened another pump station in Everett, MI.

After watching the documentary, my view on water changed quite a bit. I think before I just took water for granted, as many other in the world due. We are consuming water at such as fast pace that it is dangerous for the Earth. Not only are we running out, but many people are only getting a glimpse at the clean water that we have left, because they do not have the money to pay for it. Protests over water, such as the ones in Bolivia, are most likely going to happen all over the globe. Its companies like Coke, Pepsi, Nestle, even the big companies like Suez, that are destroying communities and eventually controlling towns and cities, even countries, through water. This needs to stop, as I believe that water is for all people, as the documentary said, it is a "gift on Earth for life."

The future of water is in our hands. It is in the hands of my generation and the generations to come. We take so much of this "blue gold" from nature, yet we give nothing in return. Eventually this is going to catch up to us, and humans are going to be in deep trouble. Not only is water running out, but we are contaminating the water that we have left. Chemicals, bacteria, and disease are all present in our water. Humans are only damaging themselves by putting these things in their water, I believe. We must conserve water and keep it clean, because, "Without water, the Earth wouldn't be what it is." 

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