Survey reveals broad support for solar projects among nearby residents

by Clarence Oxford

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Apr 26, 2024

A national survey conducted by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Michigan State University, and the University of Michigan reveals that Americans living close to large-scale solar (LSS) farms generally view them favorably. The survey, which queried nearly 1,000 residents within three miles of LSS installations, indicated that positive attitudes towards these projects are nearly three times more prevalent than negative ones.

This survey is notable as it represents the first nationwide, representative assessment of public perceptions towards solar developments. Among those surveyed, 42% supported further solar developments in their communities, while only 18% opposed more projects. Interestingly, over 80% of participants were initially unaware of the solar projects prior to their construction, and a third remained unaware until they participated in the survey.

Doug Bessette, an associate professor in the Department of Community Sustainability at Michigan State University, highlighted the generally positive feedback but noted challenges with larger projects and those located very close to residences. “The responses from residents were generally positive, which is good to see considering the amount of solar that is likely to be developed in the coming years,” Bessette said. “At the same time, we saw more negative attitudes associated with larger projects and somewhat less support amongst neighbors living really close, within a quarter mile of projects, so there’s a lot of work to be done.”

Residents showed a clear preference for using disturbed sites like landfills for future projects over farmland and expressed a strong desire for more community involvement in the planning process. Local hiring and ownership were also preferred. For accurate information on potential impacts, residents trust fellow community members, local organizations, and university staff the most.

Jake White, a doctoral student involved in the study, emphasized the importance of community engagement. “Our findings show that LSS neighbors want to be engaged more, with respondents strongly supporting increased opportunities for participation in planning processes,” White explained. “This demonstrates a big opportunity for improvement in LSS planning processes – hopefully leading to better outcomes for all.”

The survey also suggests that while there is substantial support for solar energy, significant efforts in community engagement and communication are necessary to enhance public acceptance and address equity concerns within future LSS projects.

“We were happy to see this last one,” Bessette noted.

Research Report:Perceptions of Large-Scale Solar Project Neighbors: Results From a National Survey

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Michigan State University

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Super grids could stabilize Caribbean power during hurricanes, study finds

by Clarence Oxford

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Apr 26, 2024

The potential for “super grids” to stabilize energy supply during hurricanes is being explored by researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

The Caribbean islands, traditionally reliant on expensive imported fossil fuels, are transitioning to harnessing local solar and wind resources. However, the prevalence of hurricanes poses significant challenges to solar power generation. Oak Ridge researchers have developed a detailed modeling method to anticipate the decrease in solar power output during stormy conditions and examined how interconnected grids could help mitigate these energy losses.

Rodney Itiki, the lead researcher, emphasizes the importance of such infrastructure planning to ensure consistent electricity access across the Caribbean, including 12 island nations and U.S. territories like Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. “The loss of the sun’s energy during hurricanes is likely to become increasingly important on islands like Puerto Rico, which declared a goal of converting to all-renewable energy by 2050,” said Itiki.

The team’s research involved simulating how various configurations of interconnected grids would sustain electricity availability during hurricanes. They analyzed scenarios where large hurricanes could disrupt power from solar plants while assessing potential solutions like laying high-voltage undersea cables.

“This is one of the major contributions of the research, because when we design the power system, we need to do it considering all possible cases – most of all, the worst-case scenario,” said Itiki, a postdoctoral research associate with ORNL’s Power Systems Resilience group.

Their simulations showed that a super grid connecting the U.S., Caribbean islands, and South America could enhance regional energy reliability. The most effective configuration was found to be a combined U.S.-Caribbean grid, whereas a standalone Caribbean grid was less effective due to the alignment of hurricanes with the islands.

Itiki’s inspiration for studying grid interconnectivity came from observing successful subsea electrical links like those between the United Kingdom and Germany. Following Hurricane Maria’s devastating impact on Puerto Rico in 2017, which resulted in prolonged power outages, he focused on the potential of connecting Puerto Rico’s grid with Florida’s.

Originally concentrating on wind energy, Itiki shifted to include solar power dynamics after improvements in turbine technology. His upcoming projects aim to merge his models of solar and wind energy to evaluate how super grids might broadly improve energy reliability in both the Caribbean and mainland U.S.

Itiki also underlined the need for more studies to explore the environmental and economic feasibility of installing undersea cables, though his current models offer valuable insights for planning and managing energy systems during severe weather.

Research Report:Method for Spatiotemporal Solar Power Profile Estimation for a Proposed U.S.-Caribbean-South America Super Grid under Hurricanes

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Oak Ridge National Laboratory

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Chinese astronauts repair space station’s solar wings after debris impact

by Simon Mansfield

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Apr 25, 2024

The crew of the Shenzhou XVII, stationed on China’s space station, successfully repaired damage to the core module’s solar wings caused by space debris. This repair was accomplished during the country’s inaugural mission involving extravehicular maintenance, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

The astronauts are set to return to Earth on April 30, following the completion of their tasks and the transition of responsibilities to the upcoming Shenzhou XVIII mission.

“The capacity to manage unforeseen challenges in space is a vital aspect of manned space missions,” stated Lin Xiqiang, the deputy director of CMSA, during a press briefing.

Lin explained that the space station’s core module, Tianhe, experienced a reduction in power after debris impacted the solar wing’s power cables. He also noted that the station has conducted several maneuvers to avoid collisions with space debris, a growing concern due to increased human activity in space.

The agency has improved its predictions of the space station and nearby orbital objects’ paths, enhancing its collision avoidance protocols and reducing false alarms by 30%, Lin detailed.

Future plans include using high-definition cameras on the space station’s robotic arm and cameras held by spacewalking astronauts to inspect and assess the external conditions of the station and the potential risks posed by small debris.

The next crew, aboard the Shenzhou XVIII, will focus on enhancing the station’s defenses against space debris by adding protective measures to external piping, cables, and essential systems during their spacewalks.

Additionally, the space station has implemented systems to monitor and pinpoint leaks and developed a pressure emergency response system, significantly extending the time astronauts have to address in-orbit issues.

The China Manned Space Agency continues to update orbital parameters on its website and maintains a safety communication protocol with other major space agencies to share timely information, Lin added.

Based on a Xinhua News Agency article

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China Manned Space Agency

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