Academic-Capital

San Diego is well on its way to becoming a city destined for environmental salvation. According to the non-profit Environment California Research & Policy Center San Diego Ranks second in the nation in terms of solar power usage. We are doing well in protecting our environment and ensuring a sustainable future. That doesn't mean we can't do more. Creating streamlined processes for solar power installation approval as well as encouraging higher levels of solar power reliance is beneficial for setting the framework for sustainable cities. If there are any unnecessary restrictions on installing solar panels it will raise the overall customer costs and slow the pace of solar integration. There are advantages to developing solar panels that include less reliance on outside sources of energy, lowering long-term costs, and reducing environmental costs. As more renewable sources are developed the city will lower its overall carbon footprint and slow its contribution to enviro

The cost of education is going up in San Diego and it has nothing to do with curriculum. According to an article in UT San Diego the cost of electricity for public schools in San Diego County bounced to $30 million ( 1 ). Over half of these school districts saw their electricity bills explode to over 43% in the past six months. Officials are upset as the costs are crushing their budgets and soaking up resources. An evaluation of the long-term nature of this problem and the possibilities of implementing solar panels is beneficial.  Installing solar panels on the roof and facilities of San Diego schools is not an impossibility as the idea as it has already been completed in Orange County Schools. The project costs $17 million dollars and is a 20 year commitment that generates 6.6 million kilowatt hours of solar energy per year that removes the equivalent of the pollution of 12,000 cars per year from the environment ( Yarbrough, 2010).  The benefits of solar program will ne

Energy conservation is still a hot topic and an important part of developing stronger, more efficient, and a more innovative economy that reduces potential solutions. Walmart has become more innovative by using solar panels on top parking spaces to provide better use of surfaces. Their goal is to have 100% renewable energy sources that cut back on other bills and problems.  At the end of 2013 the company had 335 renewable energy projects. They save the environment 2.2 kWh of energy globally that doesn’t need to come from oil, gas, coal, or other non-renewable sources. The projects are completed on a large enough scale that it is more cost effective than others. You may read more about their efforts at their site .  Walmart is at the forefront of encouraging sustainable energy development. Something likely reaching way back into the family’s farmer and conservation past. You will notice this as you drive or walk into the parking lot and see the carports that protect your

Sustainable technology is developing. As researchers put more energy into sustainable technology like solar panels they naturally become more efficient and cost effective.   Chemists led by Jianhui Hou from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and North Carolina State University created a polymer known as PBT- OP that, “ was not only easier to make than other commonly used polymers but showed an open circuit voltage value of 0.78 volts — a 36 per cent increase over the 0.6 volt average from similar polymers ” ( 1 ). This means that solar panels may soon be 30% more effective than in the past.   The discovery helps to retain more excitrons than in the past ( 2 ).   When electrons make their way onto the solar panel a certain amount of energy is lost in the transfer from the donor to the receptor. The new polymer will allow for a higher level of efficiency in transfer without as much loss. This may not be so exciting for some people. Yet if we think about the long term implication