Environment

Under the Paris Climate Agreement of 2015, more than 190 countries pledged to keep the global temperature less than 1.5 degrees Celsius above the average during the preindustrial period of 1850 to 1900. This period was before humans altered the atmosphere and the climate by emitting billions of tons of fossil fuel emissions and other pollutants. The level was chosen because climate models indicated that warming further would greatly intensify extreme weather events, ecosystem losses, and even potential submersion of small island countries.

Electric vehicles are basically giant power banks on wheels. They swallow up lots of electricity at charging stations or home outlets in order to power the vehicle. However, in principle, they could also send back that stored up energy to power appliances and homes or even send it back to the grid to bolster the local utility. This sort of capability is called vehicle-to-everything, or V2X.

The offshore Revolution Wind project, located off the coast of Rhode Island, is nearing completion after nearly three years of work. The project is 95% complete, with 61 out of 65 turbines fully installed.

A new peer-reviewed study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology identified more than 15,000 chemicals that come in contact with food. Of that number, 1,222 are known to be associated with serious health risks including cancer and reproductive harm.

The elimination of federal tax credits for solar installations and electric cars have wreaked havoc with sales for these green energy technologies. The Republican Congress voted to have these credits expire at the end of last year. People raced to lock in good deals on both EVs and rooftop solar. Then, with the arrival of the new year, sales cratered – at least for a while.

The Himalayas, often called the “Third Pole,” are the lifeblood of South Asia. Home to some of the world’s largest glaciers, these mountains supply fresh water to rivers that sustain nearly two billion people. But climate change is accelerating the melting of Himalayan glaciers, threatening the region’s water supplies, agriculture, and energy systems. The warming climate is also making the mountain environment increasingly unstable.

The silicon solar cell was invented in 1954. In the 1970s and 1980s, solar panels first started appearing on roofs. But even by the turn of the century, the total global capacity was below 5 GW. Over the next decade, European and Japanese programs drove early adoption and by 2010, the global total was about 40 GW. The next decade saw dramatic reductions in the cost of solar modules and a period of rapid growth ensued.

Enhanced or next-generation geothermal energy has massive potential in the western United States. This energy source could provide hundreds of gigawatts of clean energy around the clock. Currently, there are only 4 gigawatts of geothermal energy being used nationwide.

Global sea-level rise is one of the greatest challenges of climate change. And for the more than half a billion people living in low-lying coastal areas, this threat is even greater.

Climate Solutions Week explores different environmental challenges and solutions including: a sustainable fashion runway, a how-to on disposing of refrigerators, a heat pump demonstration, and discussions about data centers.