Solar Power for a Sustainable City

Imagine a city where all electrical energy is from clean, renewable resources.  Does this sound like an implausible idea?  Well, this vision of the future is already in existence today and in one of the most famous cities in the world – Seville, Spain!  Seville is the fourth largest city in Spain and has been in the global eye for millennia.  It is where Ferdinand Magellan began the first voyage around the world and where the famous opera Barber of Seville calls home.  However, what makes it remarkable today is that it is almost entirely powered by solar energy!

How It Works

Seville gets over 3,000 hours of sunlight each year, which makes it a perfect place for solar energy.  The process works by focusing large mirrors called heliostats on a receiver which heats water into steam as it travels into a drum.  This is used to propel massive turbines creating electrical energy before being condensed back into water and beginning the trip all over again.

A solar tower power plant

The Solucar Complex

The Solucar Complex is where Seville will get all of its energy needs from.  It uses a wide range of technologies including solar towers and troughs.  As newer technologies are discovered, they have been incorporated into each new plant within the complex.  Its construction began in 2004 and the first tower, the PS10, began operations in 2007.

History

While the current Solucar Complex generates 180 megawatts (MW) of power, it has been a process to get there.  In addition, the total scope of the complex is only halfway built!  By the end of completion, it will have the capacity to generate power all of Seville, a city at almost 750,000 people.

The PS10 Solar Power Plant was the first completed portion of the complex, finished in 2007.  Capable of generating 11 MW or approximately 3% of Seville’s power needs.  This plant consists of 624 mirrors that heat water in a central unit and is the world’s first commercial solar tower. 

However, this was nowhere near enough for true power independence and a progression toward renewable sources.  The PS20 Solar Power Plant was added in 2009, capable of 20 MW.  It has double the number of mirrors and represents the 2^nd generation of solar technology which means that the energy conversion rate is higher as well.  It is the most powerful solar tower in the world.

The PS10 and PS20 towers

Combined, these towers account for 10% of Seville’s power requirements.  As of 2010, the construction of Solnova 1, 3, and 4 have massively boosted the complex’s capacity.  These are trough style parabolic mirrors that track the sun as it moves across the daytime sky.  Each of the three plants generates 50 MW, boosting the total capacity of the current complex to 180 MW or 60% of Seville’s power needs.

Future

There are still three more plants that are set to be completed in 2013.  There is the AZ20, a solar tower similar to the PS20 that will generate 20 MW of power.  There are also the Solova 2 and 5 trough plants, each with another 50 MW like their predecessors.  In all, this brings the total to Seville’s required 300 MW of power, all from solar energy!

The Solnova plants in front of the PS10 and PS20 towers

Benefits

The Solucar Complex is responsible for the creation of 1,000 jobs in construction and another 300 in operating the various plants.  It is estimated that over the course of the complex’s 25 year life expectancy, it will prevent 600,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere per year.  This amount of carbon dioxide reduction would be similar to the amount that could be processed by almost 1.5 million trees!

Abengoa Solar

Abengoa Solar have been involved in the construction and operation of the Solucar Complex since its inception.  They operate a total of five complexes throughout Spain and one in Algeria.  They are involved in the expansion of these current complexes as well as new projects in the United States and United Arab Emirates.  They are also involved in complex operations in Chile and Mexico as joint projects with other companies.

The Green Revolution

Many other cities all over the world are joining the revolution to attain their energy needs from 100% renewable, non-polluting resources and it doesn’t just stop at solar.  Wind, hydro, and other energy alternatives are constantly being researched and improved to increase energy conversion rates and to make it affordable.  This is also the plan followed by new urban planners for new cities and growth. 

What makes Seville so unique is that they are actively building infrastructure for their city rather than buying offsets from other areas.  Essentially, their power grid is unique for their citizens.  As the sustainable movement continues to evolve, so too will new ideas on how to make it possible.

Sources: Abengoa Solar, Andalucia, Estela Solar, NREL, EERE, Power-Technology, ENS-Newswire, Indigo Guide, Destination 360, Bytelib

Greencyclopedia Staff Picks

Check out our top 10 staff picks or read our previous post for your reader's choice favourites! Click the links to read more.

Sustainable Agriculture -what it is and how you can support it

What is a "carbon footprint", and what does it mean to be "carbon neutral" or"carbon negative"?

African Solar Lanterns

Solar Success - how companies are making solar power affordable

Renewable Energy Documentaries

28 Ways to Build a Green Lifestyle

Farm-To-Table: Local Sustainability

Ocean Power

Wind Energy in the Home

Green Leaders

Sustainable Urban Planning

What is Urban Planning?

Urban planning is the branch of architecture dealing with the design and organization of urban space and activities, including the physical arrangement of the cities and the condition they are in. Cities have employed planners to lay out their infrastructures for years and, like many professions, urban planning has developed over time to reflect the changes in our society and our planet.

Historically, urban planning was primarily concerned with the placement of certain things near other things (i.e. a waste treatment plant should be far away from an elementary school, but a park could be nearby). As the awareness of climate change has grown, and a general shift has been made to a more eco-friendly way of life, urban planning can now take sustainability to heart and begin building greenest cities from the ground up.

How can a city "Go Green"?

These days it’s hard to say exactly what makes a city “green”. As creativity and innovation thrive, new and better ways to live environmentally friendly are constantly being revealed. Any step in the right direction is a good one and, lucky for us, there are many ways for our cities to show their green sides.

Clearing the clutter

Urban sprawl is the uncontrolled spread of urban development into neighboring areas; much like organizing your closet or defragmenting your computer, putting stuff where it belongs can greatly increase the available space you have by maximizing the space you use. Urban planning that reduces sprawl is considered green because it increases the density of city infrastructure and fits the same amount of “city” into a smaller area. Cutting back sprawl can positively impact a city’s sustainability in a number of ways:

Wildlife Refuges

When a city is compact, land that would have otherwise been used by sprawl is left in a more natural state. This provides opportunities for wildlife habitat and also acts as a reserve for native plant species. Available wildlife habitat keeps wildlife and humans both safer, and interactions to a minimum. The forests and vegetation that grow on this land will also act as a natural water filtration system and a carbon sink.

The city of Seattle, Washington comprises over 54,000 acres of land; of this, more than 6,000 acres is green space. The city’s Urban Wildlife and Habitat Management Plan lays out guidelines for managing land such that crucial wildlife habitat is left undisturbed. Land that is considered to be of particular importance for wildlife is acquired by the city to prevent its development, and green spaces are linked whenever possible.

Food Security

In addition to threatening natural ecosystems, urban sprawl threatens farmland. As the need for growth in the city centre pushes the city limits outwards, productive farmland is bought up and developed for other uses.  This increases a city’s dependence on food grown out of town or overseas.  When food isn’t grown locally, it requires large input of energy (usually in the form of fossil fuels) to transport it to where it will be consumed. 

To help protect farmland, the Town of Oliver, BC, collaborated with Land and Water BC to create the Wine Village and Kettle Valley Railway Plan. The plan conceptualizes a compact, pedestrian-friendly village with mostly multi-family dwellings. Surrounding the village is fertile wine country, agrotourism to which is marketed by the village in order to give agriculture in the area a boost and ensure continued production.

Fossil Fuel Use

It’s not just food that uses up fossil fuels to get around!  When a city begins to sprawl, opportunities to take alternate forms of transportation begin to diminish. People become reliant on their cars to get around, since walking, cycling, or public transit are often no longer viable options. Air quality suffers, as does the health of the individual who is now hopping in their car instead of hopping on their bike.

BedZED, short for Beddington Zero Energy Development, is a multi-use planned community in London, England.  It includes both residential and commercial spaces, and has been built to be carbon neutral.  Ideally, workers in the office space would live in the residential buildings and be able to walk neatly to work. 

Affordability

Another unfortunate, and probably less thought-of, effect of urban sprawl is its effect on our pocket book.  Whenever new housing developments or commercial properties are built, the infrastructures to support them need to follow.  Tax payers end up footing the bill for extra roads, sewers, water, and electric that wouldn’t be necessary in a more compact city layout. 

In Vancouver, BC, zoning bylaws were amended in 2009 to allow a secondary dwelling structure on many previously single-family lots. The secondary “laneway” house can be as large as 750 square feet, depending on the size of the lot. Laneway houses can be used as guest houses, as in-law suites, or as rental properties to increase the homeowner’s income. 94% of lots outside of Vancouver’s downtown core were affected by the zoning change. The potential for increasing residential without rebuilding is huge, and all without creating the need for new roads or sewers.

Where to start?

For the city that’s ready to make the first step, there are many resources available to help. British Columbia’s Ministry of Community Development has published an e-book, A Guide to Green Choices, aimed directly at communities looking to improve. The BC Climate Change Council offers Sustainability Facilitators and planners free of charge to local BC community governments.  Outside of BC, consultants such as PlanGreen will help communities establish policies and meet their environmental goals. 

What can I do?

There are lots of things you can do to help your community reach its green goals!

Contribute to infilling

Infilling is the process of increasing the density of a city by replacing or adding to existing developments. Infilling reduces urban sprawl and helps to prevent habitat loss and unnecessary infrastructure. You can help in a couple of ways:

• Consider a dwelling in a multi-family development, such as a condominium or a town-home.
• Give tiny houses a chance! In areas where lane-way houses are allowed, consider downsizing your life and living in a tiny house or a small house.  Seven hundred and fifty square feet may seem small, but a tiny house done right can pack a lot of house into a little space. Check out the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company to see floor layouts of dwellings under 900 square feet.

Make yourself more food-secure

Food security is a term that’s used when talking about how stable our food supply is. When food is shipped in from overseas, it is not a secure food system. Something like a fuel shortage or a political disagreement can disrupt shipment and leave us hungry. To help make yourself more food secure, try some of these ideas: 

• Support local farmers. Farmers markets are a great place to buy produce, and they’re a lot of fun, too. Supporting our local farmers ensures they are there when we need them.
• Grow your own food if it’s possible. Find a community garden, or dig a plot in your backyard. Even a container on your patio helps a little.  Looking for more space to grow or have space to spare? Maybe a yard-sharing program is for you. Yard sharing programs connect people who need space and people who have unused property. In Metro Vancouver, you can check out Sharing Backyards. 

Plan your commute

• Live as close to work as you can. If you can walk or cycle to work, you are not using any fossil fuels. You’ll find you also free up all sorts of time if your commute is suddenly cut in half.
• Use public transit if you can
• Is there an option for you to telecommute? Take it whenever possible, even if it’s only one day a week, every little bit helps.
• If you can’t manage without your car, carpool! If it’s an option for you, you could also consider vehicles that use alternate forms of energy, such as natural gas or electricity.     

Be part of the solution

Most importantly, get involved! It’s your community, make it into what you want it to be. Stakeholders of the Resort Municipality of Whistler, BC, together with municipal staff, created a document they called the Whistler Environmental Strategy (WES). While the Municipal Council didn’t endorse the project, the resulting document has still influenced the decision-making process within the municipality. Several areas of environmental concern outlined in the WES have been further investigated and included in budgets and plans. Your voice can only be heard if you say something.

Sources: Seattle.gov, Coach House Builders, Plan Green, CSCD, Infrastructure, Vancouver, Wallpapers, Tumbleweed Houses, Blogspot Image, Macleans, CSCD

Eating Green Across America: Los Angeles

As America's second largest city, with its West Coast mentality, green city initiatives, and former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger quoted as stating "The future is green energy, sustainability, renewable energy", there is understandably a significant green-conscious community. Many LA restaurants offer an eco-friendly dining experience, however, in the home of the Hollywood film industry where not everything is as it seems, it is not uncommon for restaurants to make such claims to lure in eager unsuspecting diners. With so many patrons seeking out locally sourced, organically grown, and sustainably raised foods, readers are encouraged to do their due diligence. Here are few eco-friendly food options we're keen to trust:

Tender Greens

6290 Sunset Boulevard

Hollywood, California

(323) 382-0380

www.tendergreensfood.com

With several locations scattered across southern California, Tender Greens appears to be one of the most dedicated organic and environmentally conscious restaurants around. Just how dedicated? Their online menu indicates where each specialty ingredient in each dish comes from! Crunchy lettuce from Scarborough Farms, blue cheese from Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company, and chorizo from Espinola Meats - it's all there. For all the micro managers out there, each ingredient even links to the website of the producer, and it doesn't end there. For all the health nuts, Tender Greens also provides a menu calorie counter. So, for example, if one was to order roasted roma tomato soup with basil oil to start, the marinated flat iron steak as a main, with a side of baby spinach with cabernet vinaigrette, one should expect to take in about 570 calories, 33 grams of fat, 27 grams of carbohydrates, and 44 grams of protein, not to mention 83% RDI of vitamin C, and 43% RDI of iron.

O! Burger

8593 Santa Monica Boulevard

Los Angeles, California, USA

(310) 854-0234

www.oburger.net

Much like the first moon landing, O! Burger has staked their flag to the claim for being the first totally organic burger joint in the Los Angeles area. Everything from their meat patties and buns to their ketchup and fries are certified organic. Their website even provides useful information pertaining to the various benefits of organic foods as well as further information as to steps they've taken to insure that their restaurant is as green as it gets. The most amazing part is that it's actually really affordable!

Sage Organic Vegan Bistro

1700 West Sunset Blvd

Los Angeles, California, USA

(213) 989-1718

www.sageveganbistro.com

Sage serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner and offers a wide variety of dishes from burgers, wraps, and salads to curries, pastas, and mushroom steaks. They make a point of offering a seasonal menu that is prepared in conjunction with the help of local farmers as includes ingredients that are organically grown and pesticide free.

Forage

3823 West Sunset Boulevard

Los Angeles, California, USA

(323) 663-6885

www.foragela.com

Don't worry, they do the foraging for you! This restaurant's claim to fame is in finding the best locally raised meats and organically grown vegetables. The owners of Forage promote sustainable dining practices as an essential component of building a better world. The menu changes depending on the quality and availability of seasonal ingredients, with a choice of about 3 or 4 appetizers and an equivalent number of mains, and you can determine just how much protein you want - choosing from small, medium, or large to reduce waste.

Life Food Organic

1507 Cahuenga Blvd

Los Angeles, California

(323) 466-0927

www.lifefoodorganic.com

More of a vegetarian health food store than a restaurant, Life Food offers smoothies, soups, salads, and desserts in their café. They also sell packaged raw foods and supplements all while taking a very earth-conscious approach to their ingredients and packaging. A great place to eat and shop, one could make a pleasant afternoon out of a trip to Life Food Organic.