Sustainable Development (or Cheaper Energy for Everyone!) – Module 5 – Bernstein

The Cases

CASE 1: “Are solar cookers a viable, cost-effective alternative to traditional methods of cooking in Kenya?” (Kenya, Africa) from: http://personal.colby.edu/personal/t/thtieten/sol-ken.html

This case study is discussing solar power being a more viable and cheaper source of energy for cooking as opposed to the native peoples’ normal means (fuelwood). According to the study, “The average Kenyan spends about 40% of earned income on fuel, 74% of which is used for cooking. It is estimated that the average family will save 60% of its fuelwood by using solar cookers.” The cookers are easy to upkeep as they are made from cardboard and aluminum and also reduce the amount of respiratory infections due to smoke and flames from the fuelwood. The women appear to be very interested in the cookers which is a good sign; however, the new cookers may not work in the rainy season/cloudy weather and take significantly longer to cook – this may not be a bad thing though. Opening up the women’s schedules, they are free to use their time to care for children, improve agricultural practices, etc. Some say this is a stepping stone to bettering the lives of women across countries.

CASE 2: Smucker’s Energy LLC (Kinzers, PA) from: http://www.smuckersenergy.com/casestudy_RES.php

This case takes place in Pennsylvania, only about an hour from where I live. In this case, John Smucker is testing a new type of inverter in order to have a more efficient way to heat his family’s water and meet his household’s electric needs. These inverters work with solar panels to raise the amount of energy produced up to 10%; the advantage these inverters have over the old ones comes on cloudy days/panel failures: if one panel were to be shaded, it would no longer drag down the whole system’s production. Likewise, if a panel appears damaged, one can find the damage quicker and replace it in order to keep the whole system at maximum performance.  With this system, there is an inverter at every panel. This allows one to view down the the panel level. Beside saving money off the electric bill (the system is supposed to offset 100%+ of the electric use, the owner also receives a nice check of $4500 (producing 15,000 KWH/year at $0.30/KWH).

Connections?

The two cases connect to my local area (Bernville, PA) by saving money and using solar power. Energy companies in my area are sending free “energy-saving packs” (shower heads, lightbulbs, light-activated nightlights, etc.) in order to save energy and money. The local roofers are using solar panels for similar reasons. All three cases are good examples of Sustainable Development. Today’s huge need for energy has caused the carbon emissions to rise significantly; the new forms of energy lower emissions and are cheaper/healthier, thereby improving lives. While solar cookers may not catch on in Bernville, using solar panels to eliminate a home’s electric bill might. Examining the time and place is important as we are all in different development stages. Much like the lesson had said, there is no clear-cut line of development. Examining these different areas and cases and help us understand where we are heading next: Kenya, for example, may still be developing with their cookers, but perhaps they too will be focusing on solar panels for their homes in the future.