Rē : The Regenerative School

The RēMind, No. 008: Innovations in Solar Energy

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In this week’s newsletter, we’re taking a look at a few of the many innovations emerging around solar energy.

Regenerative Energy is merging regenerative agriculture and renewable energy. Vattenfall is aiming to eliminate fossil fuels from our society in one generation by creating an integrated ‘agrisolar’ sector. The Cowessess First Nations of Canada have switched on their own solar project that will provide sustainable financing for community development. Pittsburgh International Airport has set up the first airport microgrid to provide a clean energy source. Solar Windows is working to develop a revolutionary paint application that could convert many existing buildings into energy generators.

Building an alternative energy infrastructure to power our world has been a holy grail for quite some time. Fossil fuels remain cheap, versatile and convenient— but the compounding harms of extracting and using fossil fuels have reached emergency level proportions. Opportunities to shift to other energy sources must come quickly and at scale. The innovative technologies and programs featured in today’s RēMind give us confidence that we can make the shift to renewable energy— if we raise our voices and push for change now!

-Ruth Sevigny, Editor

Updates from Rē:

Falling Into Balance

Rē extends a warm invitation to rēconnect mind, body and nature. Our ‘Falling Into Balance’ self-care retreat is slated for October 22-24th at Rē’s home-base in Tennessee.

Link to our sign-up page for details about this wholesome retreat for nourishing the divine feminine in each of us.

Here in Southern Tennessee we are preparing for you to come Fall into Balance before winter.

Join us and immerse yourself in the peaceful rhythms of the countryside, with camping accommodations and a nature-based program, including: guided meditations, yoga, Ayurveda lessons and practice—and a wonderful Ayurvedic menu!

We’re all here to hold space for you – Thana Nu of @nourish.me.wellness , @casmith0702 of @withinwellness_org and @ashleilaing of @re__the_regenerative_school – and guide you into balance.

Follow our link here for more info, contacts and signups!

https://regenerativeschool.org/retreat/

Regenerative Energy

The company Regenerative Energy is combining the best of regenerative agriculture practices with clean energy on the same land to beautifully benefit people, land the environment, and the economy.

When land and vegetation are managed properly, and in alignment with natural systems, we can revitalize soils, restore grassland ecosystems, increase biodiversity, sequester carbon, and improve water quality, all while keeping the land in agricultural production.

A frequent concern is large amounts of agriculture land that are being taken up by the alternative energy sector. New solar farms from companies like Google and Facebook work to reduce the carbon footprint of these companies, but occupy hundreds of acres of former farmland at each site.

Depending on how such projects are implemented, this could possibly present a mutually beneficial fusion of renewable energies and regenerative agriculture that increases and diversifies productivity.

By co-locating solar energy and regenerative agriculture, we create valuable environmental, social, and economic outcomes, above and beyond the significant positive impacts that a solar facility alone can produce. Together, we create more value for our customers and communities.

How do we create answers to our energy crisis that don’t create new problems, or indirectly add to the existing crisis? This work from Regenerative Energy is an important example of why it’s important to think holistically and integrate as many solutions and applications into one project as possible— stacking functions as permaculturalists like to say!

Learn more on their website here.

Vattenfall

Vattenfall’s goal is enable fossil free living within one generation— by interlinking solar energy production with the agriculture sector.

A pilot project by Vattenfall will provided useful data for the emerging ‘agrisolar’ sector. This will hopefully incentivize a wider adoption by conventional farmers, agricultural schools and governments to combine energy and food production on agricultural land.

“Swedish multinational power company Vattenfall has unveiled plans to carry out a four-year pilot project in the Netherlands, looking at how a specially designed solar farm can be combined with Dutch strip farming practices.”

Vattenfall said it was working on the project with “other parties,” and with the backing of the Dutch government, to show how a combination of smart solar and farming practices could maintain land for food production – even improve it, ecologically – and deliver another income source for farmers.

Read the article Can solar and farming co-exist?
Learn more on their website here.

Cowessess unveils new solar project, aiming to become the greenest First Nation in Canada

In Saskatchewan this past month, over 800 solar panels were installed and switched on for the Cowessess First Nation. This will provide renewable energy to five major buildings and allow the money saved on utility costs to fund various community development projects.

“We’re here to make sure we keep the Earth clean. You want to leave it cleaner than you found it, and renewable energy is really the most obvious path for us to continue on,” [community leaders] said.

David Kelly, CEO of SkyFire Energy, has worked with First Nations across Western Canada on installing solar panels as a way to build economic growth and jobs through renewable energy.

“First Nations have really adopted renewable energy as a good thing for the future, and a good thing for their people— providing employment, providing good jobs, and making it a better place for everyone,” Kelly said.”

As most indigenous nations principles employ a seven generations mindset, this solar project prioritizes future generations, with the hopes of inspiring the youth to possibly pursue a future in science and engineering.

Read the article here.

Pittsburgh International Airport is the first in the world powered entirely by a microgrid

Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) on Wednesday became the first airport in the world to be completely powered by a microgrid using photovoltaic solar and natural gas.

Airports across the country have been exploring ways to increase power resilience and reliability after several high-profile power outages resulted in thousands of canceled flights and passenger disruptions. PIT is going to break ground on building a new terminal project, creating smart power infrastructure it hopes can serve as a blueprint for others.

Read the article here.

As well, here’s an interesting supporting article on why airports are perfect microgrid and resilient power candidates.

What’s more, Pittsburgh isn’t the only that runs on solar power. Cochin International Airport in the state of Kerala in India has been running on solar for years and creates more than enough electricity for its own needs and actually sells its surplus to the grid. Regenerative innovation isn’t limited to North American and Europe! Read more here.

Solar Windows

The solar energy sector is aiming to diversify beyond panels as the sole mechanism for electricity generation. Technology is in development for many new products to transform light into energy. The humble, ubiquitous window is one area of focus.

What if windows could convert light into electricity? Energy producing windows could be placed everywhere— in skyscrapers, cars, homes, schools, etc. A new kind of paint being developed by SolarWindow aims to reduce the land usage challenge solar energy faces by turning existing buildings and objects into solar energy factories.

SolarWindow™ Technologies, Inc. is the developer of proprietary, transparent electricity-generating coatings, called “LiquidElectricity™”.

Our LiquidElectricity™ Coatings generate electricity by harvesting light energy from natural sun, artificial light, and low, shaded, or reflected light conditions. We apply ultra-thin layers of LiquidElectricity™ Coatings to rigid glass, and flexible glass and plastic surfaces where they transform otherwise ordinary surfaces into electricity-generating photovoltaic devices.

Our mission is to create SolarWindow™ products that produce extraordinary amounts of clean electricity, financially reward our customers, and benefit the environment.

Learn more on their website here.

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