Pandemic stay-at-home boredom is impacting me a bit. It has also been hard to keep focus. I have about 5 posts sitting in draft right now that I keep coming back to, making changes, adding, and then hitting writer’s block. My photography output is pretty low, even in digging back through my archives. Filling time with occasional physical labor, such as the constant battle of pulling poison ivy in our yard, working on our backyard water feature, or helping with some local river cleanups only goes so far.
Seeing solar installations around Michigan has always caught my interest. We don’t have many of them. On a whim, I decided to look up where some of Michigan’s largest solar installations were for some potential exploring via drone. I always seem to see them while driving on the highway en route to some other place, make a mental note I should go back, then forget about it. As it turns out, Michigan’s largest solar installations (we don’t have much) – was about a 45-60 minute drive away.
The above graph (edit: which does not appear mobile friendly – go figure US Gov’t) is from the US Energy Information Administration. It is an interesting site to explore if you are a data nerd like me. Indeed, Pandemic boredom can take you to some strange places – but this one I believe provides some value. Not many people bother to look up where the energy they use every single day comes from.
Michigan’s Energy Future
Michigan still has a LONG way to go to strengthen its renewable energy profile. Our state law only requires us to have 15%, a figure referred to as “laughably low” from one lawmaker, by next year. Much of the discussion now is what happens after next year once we level off at 15%. Some are pushing for 100% by 2050, others suggesting 25% by 2025 should be the next goal. That is quite far off from the needs set by the Paris Climate Agreement, where we should be reducing carbon emissions 15% every year to have any chance of meeting the 1.5 C target.
While I do like how these photographs portray a part of what our energy future needs to look like, they also serve as a reminder of the complexities and politics around energy investments – and how far we still have to go. With Michigan being in the top 10 states as far as population and energy consumption, we are far, far behind.
I’m always a sucker for aerial shots and these are great. I’ve considered getting a drone a couple of times but I don’t know I’d use one enough to make it worthwhile and I wouldn’t want to do it without, like you, becoming licensed/certified.
We have a number of solar farms I’m aware of in North Carolina but I don’t know what percentage of energy needs they supply. I’d think the further south one gets the more efficient solar becomes but I don’t know if that increased efficiency is large enough to make much of a difference. Average annual cloud coverage would probably be one of the more determining factors…but again I don’t know the figures on that. Obviously, there’s a lot I don’t know! Haha
You not alone in the pandemic struggle. I’ve begun more than the normal number of posts only to have them either die on the vine and be deleted or to linger weeks in draft limbo. And some of those that have made it to posted status maybe shouldn’t have. 🙂
It is pretty amazing how far drone technology has evolved in just 5 years or so. They practically fly themselves. And tech on new ones this year allows manned aircraft to be alerted of their presence, which is nice.
They definitely offer a perspective not possible (at least economically) many other ways, even if say it is only 20 ft off the ground.
As far as solar – you should be able to run some charts on your state at the link in the post if you are so inclined. 🙂 I know they do operate even with cloud cover, which we have plenty of in MI – and you can see that in the chart in months of reduced output. So clearly something is needed to supplement or store excess energy in the high production times.
You may already have seen this but on Netflix there is a series called Islands of the Future which is a documentary series about green energy and how it is being trialled in various locations around the planet. It includes wave devices. It is a fascinating look into this topic and even though it was done in 2014 I found it enlightening and rather well done.
Thanks for that suggestion Cedric. I’ll check it out.
Very cool fisheye view. We need to generate more clean and self reliant energy like solar and wind. Spoiler: windmills don’t cause cancer.
I’m intrigued by some of the devices made to extract energy from ocean wave movement. (Though I know nothing about what such devices might do to marine life).
I am curious about the hydro/wave devices also Howard. I believe they are in use in Europe somewhere. I heard otherwise on those windmills, but will take your word for it as you are the medical professional. 😉
Yes, the ‘wheeooo, wheeooo, wheeooo’ is completely benign ?.
Good to know doc! 🙂