LASA 2: Examining Your Community’s Source Of Energy

LASA 2: Examining Your Community’s Source of Energy

Identify three primary types of energy that powers your home as well as all of the homes in your community. Explain how the sources of energy you identified impact the environment. Consider the following: Does the use of these types of energy resource have a negative impact on the environment in your area? Does your community have nuclear waste to dispose of? Has your community always used these three power sources? If so, how do you feel this has impacted the environment over time? How much of an impact have these sources of energy had on local air and water quality? Considering the current source(s) of power available, determine how much energy your house uses each month. Calculate your annual usage for a year. Using this value, estimate the energy consumption for your community with the help of resources like the US Census Bureau.

Recommend a realistic renewable resource to power your community, based on your calculated power needs. Consider sources such as hydropower, solar power, wind turbines, and geothermal energy. Justify your choice based on resource availability, power generation capacity, and community energy demands. Address the realism of implementing this renewable source, community support, costs involved, environmental impacts, and which organisms would benefit from this transition.

Paper For Above instruction

The city of San Jose, California, is a vibrant urban area with a diverse energy profile that sustains its residential, commercial, and industrial sectors. A thorough understanding of the current energy sources, their environmental impacts, and the feasibility of renewable alternatives is crucial for developing sustainable practices. This essay explores the primary energy sources powering San Jose, their environmental repercussions, and a strategic plan for transition to renewable energy that aligns with the community's needs and environmental goals.

San Jose primarily relies on three major energy sources: electricity generated from a mix of natural gas, coal, and renewable resources; natural gas for heating and cooking; and solar power, which is increasingly integrated into the local grid. According to the California Energy Commission (CEC), about 35% of San Jose's electricity is derived from renewable sources, predominantly solar and wind, while the remaining is supplied from natural gas and coal-fired plants (California Energy Commission, 2021). Historically, the region's reliance on fossil fuels has contributed to significant environmental impacts, including air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and water use concerns associated with power plant cooling processes.

The environmental implications of these energy sources are profound. Natural gas combustion releases carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change, alongside methane leaks during extraction and transportation. Coal-fired power plants emit high levels of sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and particulate matter, exacerbating air quality issues in San Jose and surrounding areas. Although natural gas is cleaner than coal, it still contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and potential water contamination owing to hydraulic fracturing (fracking) practices. Solar and wind energy, on the other hand, are renewable and produce minimal emissions during operation, but manufacturing and installation processes have environmental footprints.

Regarding waste management, San Jose does not generate nuclear waste; the state relies primarily on renewable energy and natural gas. The historical use of coal and natural gas has increased atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases, impacting air quality and contributing to climate change at both local and global levels. Over time, persistent emissions have led to smog formation, respiratory problems, and water pollution from runoff of cooling waters. These cumulative impacts underscore the importance of transitioning to cleaner, renewable sources.

The average household energy consumption in San Jose can be estimated from utility bills. Assuming an average monthly usage of 600 kWh, the yearly consumption totals approximately 7,200 kWh. With an estimated 230,000 households in San Jose based on U.S. Census data (U.S. Census Bureau, 2022), the total community energy demand per year would be approximately 1,656,000,000 kWh. This substantial figure emphasizes the critical need for scalable renewable solutions to meet energy demands sustainably.

Considering the available renewable energy resources, solar power emerges as the most practical and suitable for San Jose. The region enjoys high solar insolation levels, averaging over 5.0 kWh/m²/day, which makes solar photovoltaic (PV) systems efficient and economically feasible (National Renewable Energy Laboratory [NREL], 2020). Additionally, the widespread rooftops and open spaces conducive to solar panel installation facilitate community-scale solar projects. While wind energy is viable in certain parts of California, local wind speeds are insufficient for large-scale deployment in San Jose. Hydropower is limited due to the lack of significant water bodies suitable for large-scale hydroelectric dams, and geothermal potential remains relatively low compared to other California regions.

Based on these considerations, solar power is the most realistic renewable resource for San Jose. A transition to a predominantly solar-based energy system would require significant investments in infrastructure, including widespread installation of rooftop and community solar arrays, grid upgrades, and energy storage solutions. The cost of such an upgrade varies but is estimated at billions of dollars initially; however, declining costs of solar panels and storage systems are making these investments increasingly attractive (Bloomberg New Energy Finance, 2021). Public support may be high due to environmental benefits and long-term cost savings, although some resistance may arise from those concerned about installation aesthetics or upfront expenses.

The environmental benefits of shifting to solar energy include substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, improved air quality, and lower water use compared to conventional power plants. Beneficiaries of this transition include local terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, which will experience less pollutant runoff and habitat disruption. Organisms sensitive to air and water pollution, such as amphibians, fish, and greenhouse-sensitive plant species, would benefit most from cleaner air and water conditions. Moreover, reducing dependence on fossil fuels aligns with global efforts to combat climate change and promotes sustainable urban development.

References

• Bloomberg New Energy Finance. (2021). Solar economics: Price declines and cost projections. https://about.bnef.com
• California Energy Commission. (2021). California energy overview. https://www.energy.ca.gov
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). (2020). Solar resource data. https://www.nrel.gov
• U.S. Census Bureau. (2022). American Community Survey data. https://www.census.gov
• California Air Resources Board. (2020). California's climate policies and impacts. https://ww2.arb.ca.gov
• American Solar Energy Society. (2019). Solar power prospects in California. https://www.ases.org
• Energy Information Administration. (2022). U.S. energy facts and figures. https://www.eia.gov
• Interstate Renewable Energy Council. (2020). Community solar best practices. https://irecusa.org
• Environmental Protection Agency. (2021). Greenhouse gas emissions data. https://www.epa.gov
• National Marine Fisheries Service. (2018). Impact of energy projects on aquatic life. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov