Green Grid Radio

Engaging and transformative reporting on the environment, energy, and sustainability

Tag Archives: Renewable Energy


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S3E2: A Breezy Introduction to the Basics: Wind Energy 101

SWEPThe SWEP team working on installing a wind anemometer at the Berkeley Marina (Image attributed to SWEP, 2013)

This past Thursday, the Green Grid Radio team spoke with Dr. Jeff Mirocha, a scientist at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. We were also joined by guest panelist Aaron Burdick, a graduate student in Stanford’s Civil and Environmental Engineering Department. We’ve explored a lot of issues related to wind energy technology on the show in previous episodes, but this time we went back to the basics to gain an understanding of some oft overlooked fundamentals. What are the mechanics of making electricity from wind? How efficient is wind energy? What kinds of engineering challenges are wind engineers currently working to overcome?

Aaron provided many insights about the topics discussed with Dr. Mirocha, and shared his experience working with the Stanford Solar and Wind Energy Project (SWEP).

Note: During the show, we mentioned that wind energy delivered about 6% of America’s electricity in 2012. After the show aired, we found that as of 2012, wind energy comprised 6% of American electricity generation capacity, but only delivered about 3% of American electricity that year. We apologize for the error!

Listen here:


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S2E8: Reason for Hope: Fitting Biodiversity Conservation into Solar Development Plans

This past Thursday on Green Grid Radio, we turned to a subject few consider when thinking about the viability of different types of renewable energy: impacts on birds and other wildlife. Garry George, Renewable Energy Project Director at Audubon California, joined us to discuss how solar and wind energy development projects impact biodiversity, as well as how Audubon works with renewable energy developers to reduce this impact as much as possible. We learned about some exciting partnerships and developments, such as the Working Lands Program, the Department of Energy and Interior’s final plan for solar development in the west, and ways to move forward in the transition to renewable energy without threatening endangered wildlife. We were also joined by panelist Chase Mendenhall, a Ph.D candidate in Stanford’s Center for Conservation Biology. Chase shared his perspective on the efforts to conserve wildlife in human-dominated areas, his environmental philosophy, and some interesting implications of his research in countryside biogeography. If you missed it live, please enjoy this week’s episode below!

S2E8: Reason for Hope: Fitting Biodiversity Conservation into Solar Development Plans

Garry George, Audubon. Photo credit: AT&T

Listen here:


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Coming up in S1E9: The Big Season Finale (Dec 11th, 2012 at 1-2PM PST)

On Tuesday December 11 we’re rounding of the first season of Green Grid Radio with a big finale! The show will feature highlights from the first season such as climate change discussions with Rt. Honorable Helen Clark and Philip Duffy, the possibilities stemming from green buildings and solar panels and much more. Some of our favorite guests Rob Best, Andrew Ponec, and Tim Burke are coming back to the studio to provide the voice of the Stanford community. Your hosts, Adam Pearson and Erik Olesund, will tie things together and perhaps give you a sneak peak of what is to come in Season 2. So tune in on Tuesday from 1-2 PM at 90.1FM or kzsulive.stanford.edu for a show filled with goodies!

Season 1 Finale Flyer


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S1E5: Clean Local Energy Accessible Now

Craig Lewis, founder and Executive Director of the Clean Coalition, joins us to speak about smart grids, legislation for clean, local, accessible energy, and regulation in favor of distributed generation.

Student panelists Erik Olesund and Shankhayan Dutta from the department of Management Science and Engineering at Stanford University discuss some of the policy proposals made by Lewis and provide listeners with their personal favorites for increasing the penetration of renewables on the grid in the future.

Hosted by Adam Pearson and Kara Fong.

Shan and Erik

Craig Lewis, Shankhayan Dutta and Erik Olesund in the studio at KZSU.

Listen here:

To listen to the full interview with Craig Lewis, head over to our archive of recordings.


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Coming up in S1E5: Clean Local Energy Accessible Now

In the upcoming episode of Green Grid Radio Craig Lewis, founder and Executive Director of the Clean Coalition, joins us to speak about smart grids, legislation for clean, local, accessible energy, and regulation in favor of distributed generation. The Clean Coalition’s mission is to accelerate the transition to local energy systems through innovative policies and programs that deliver cost-effective renewable energy, strengthen local economies, foster environmental sustainability, and enhance energy security. Active at local, state, and national level, the non-profit influences and promotes policies that can result in a timely transition to clean energy and yielding economic benefits.

As always the episode will feature a summary of the latest Energy in the News as well as some comments from a panel of Stanford students. Tune in on Tuesday November 6, 1-2PM PST at 90.1FM or at kzsulive.stanford.edu. The episode will be made available here at greengridradio.org or via our iTunes podcast shortly after the airing.


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S1E4: Clean Energy in the State of California

Laura Wisland, Senior Energy Analyst at the Union of Concerned Scientists, visits Green Grid Radio to discuss state policies that would effectively increase the amount of renewable energy used in California.

Student panelist in this week’s episode is Amit Desai a PhD student in Materials Science & Engineering and Vice President of Outreach for the Stanford Energy Club.

Listen to this episode:

 

Student panelist Amit (left) and Nick together with Laura Wisland in the studio (right).


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S1E3: Green Buildings, Oil Hegemony, and “Dodo Sapiens”

Eric Corey Freed, author and organic architect, speaks on green buildings, oil companies, and what he calls “dodo sapiens.” Student panelist Jacob Schaffert discusses his thoughts on energy efficiency and sustainability initiatives in local government.

Presented by Adam Pearson, Nick McIntyre and Sophia Vo.


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Coming up in S1E3: Green Buildings, Oil Hegemony, and “Dodo Sapiens” (Oct 16th, 2012: 1-2pm PST)

This week on Green Grid Radio architect Eric Corey Freed join us. Freed is a thought leader, writer, and speaker inviting the public to reassess how much we need the millions of barrels of oil we use and why he needs to ask clients if they want carcinogenic chemicals in their home interior. Freed is well-known for best-seller, Green Building & Remodeling for Dummies, among three other well-received books. The Organic Architect sits on the boards for multiple architecture, sustainability, and green buildings organizations, including West Coast Green. He is a founding member and current Chair of the Coachella Valley branch of the US Green Building Council.

Freed will give us the rundown on green buildings, current technology, and low-energy design, in addition to some humor about our generation’s shortcomings. Listen in Tuesday Oct 16th at 1pm PST for the Green Grid Radio season’s third episode! Watch out for us on twitter (@greengridradio) if you want the latest news and info.

Adam


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S1E2: Integrating Wind and Variable Resources in a Renewable Power Future

Mark Z. Jacobson, Stanford Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering, stops by Green Grid Radio to discuss his plan for a renewable energy future. Jacobson emphasizes that in order to reach popular consensus in support of a clean energy world, we must push for energy education for the public. Topics of conversation also includes black carbon’s relationship to climate change, “beefing up” transmission lines, and how a wind/water/solar world could reduce global energy consumption by 32%, and emissions by 100%.

Presented by Adam Pearson, Nick McIntyre and Sophia Vo.


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Coming up in S1E2: Integrating Wind and Variable Resources in a Renewable Power Future (Oct 9th, 2012: 1-2pm PST)

Greetings,

This week on Green Grid Radio we’ll be hosting Professor Mark Z. Jacobson. Jacobson is a major force at Stanford pushing thinkers to reassess how much of the world can be powered by renewable energy (spoiler alert: all of it). Jacobson is a Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Director of the Atmosphere/Energy program, Senior Fellow at the Precourt Institute for Energy, and a Senior Fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment. Professor Jacobson has published textbooks on air pollution and global warming, as well as atmospheric modeling. Jacobson’s work on energy resources, climate, aerosols, and atmospheric forcing has been published in numerous journals, and recently he worked with activist/actor Mark Ruffalo to publish a Huffington Post column and deliver a google talk in support of his vision for a clean world.

Jacobson’s recent Global Warming and Air Pollution textbook

Jacobson will be speaking a bit about the feasibility of his Wind Water Solar plan, and how variable resources can be effectively incorporated into our grid system. Tune in Tuesday Oct 9th at 1pm PST to listen live to our second episode! As always, keep up with us on twitter (@greengridradio) for show updates and other interesting articles and info.

Adam


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S1E1: Renewable Energy at Stanford and Beyond

Stanford students speak about their renewable energy projects. Panelists discuss “Is the energy problem a behavioral problem?” and “How do we get Americans to use less energy or produce less waste?”

Guests: Derek Ouyang and Rob Best from Stanford’s Solar Decathlon team and Tim Burke from Engineers for a Sustainable World.

Presented by Adam Pearson, Nick McIntyre and Sophia Vo.


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Coming up in S1E1: Renewable Energy at Stanford and Beyond (Oct 2nd, 2012: 1-2pm PST)

It is with great pleasure that I announce this update on behalf of the Green Grid Radio team. This Tuesday, Oct 2nd, 2012 from 1-2pm will be the inaugural episode of the show. The topic of the show will be “Renewable Energy at Stanford and Beyond.” We’ll discuss ways that Stanford students are leading projects related to renewable energy and sustainable design. Our guests will be Stanford students Derek Ouyang, Tim Burke, and Rob Best, representing the Stanford Solar Decathlon team and the Stanford chapter of Engineers for a Sustainable World. They will certainly bring a unique perspective to the airwaves when they answer questions about their current projects and broader energy concerns.

Perspective drawing of the Stanford Solar Decathlon house

Schematic from Engineers for a Sustainable World’s current Anam City (Nigeria) project

To stream the show live, tune into KZSU Stanford at 90.1 FM in the San Francisco Bay Area. Alternatively you listen on your computer at kzsulive. Remember to keep checking the Green Grid Radio homepage for an archive of the show, available at a later date. And make sure to follow us on twitter (@greengridradio) for show updates and other interesting articles and info. Tweet at us during the show and we may pose your question to our guests!

Green on,

Adam


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The Show..

Welcome to the Green Grid Radio website.

My name is Adam and I’m the host and creator of the program. I’ve been involved in radio at KZSU Stanford for a long time now – since fall of 2008. As an undergraduate I explored the form of a(n experimental) music show extensively, and I even managed KZSU from 2011-2012. I finally decided it was time to merge my two passions: radio and sustainable energy.

The program is a weekly interview, panel, and news show on the Californian and American transition to renewable electricity sources. This will include discussions of utility-scale wind, solar, and geothermal facilities, energy efficient buildings, and transportation technologies. Guests on the show will run the gamut from Stanford professors to industrial professionals to environmental conservationists.

There’s a lot of programming out there in the same sphere, so how will my show be different?

  • 1) The structure. Each month, we’ll focus on an umbrella subject and broach the topics from many different perspectives. As mentioned, different stakeholders will provide their perspectives on what is coming, what is important, and what is feasible.
  • 2) Current events. The show will incorporate recent policy debates and technological improvements to consider the future of the energy source/field. For example, one could imagine the Production Tax Credit will feature prominently in wind conversations.
  • 3) Guests. We won’t be shy in bringing in faculty, researchers, and other high-level thinkers in these worlds. It’s nice to hear industry spokespeople, but the show will be rooted in science, and not in buzz words and vague jobs projections.

If you have any questions, suggestions, or you’d like to participate on or contribute to the program, feel free to email me: adam [at] kzsu [dot] stanford [dot] edu.