Apple Server Farm

Earlier this summer, Apple selected Maiden, North Carolina, as the future location of a massive new server farm. Mass speculation continues to this day over its purpose (re: with no search engine, what's it for?) - iPhone Apps? Cloud computing services like MobileMe or the iTunes store?

Regardless of its unannounced purpose, here's what we know from published reports.

Size.

183 acres. Development of the one billion dollar, 500,000-square foot building was scheduled to begin as early as August, but we've yet to see any word that construction has broken ground.

Energy Use.

The numbers on this, unfortunately, are all over the map. It's hard to tell which sources are speculative...so, a few key points.

1. A similar 174 acre server farm built in California uses 180 megawatts of energy, enough to power all the homes in Honolulu. But that was back in 2002.


2. The buildings need to stay around a temp of 68 degrees, so air conditioning in these buildings, especially in the South, are large power drainers.


3. From Data Center Knowledge: County officials have also been working with T5 Mission Critical Facilities, a company formed recently by former members of the data center practice at the Staubach Company. T5 is developing a site near Route 321 in with an existing 150,000 powered shell with up to 120 megawatts of power available for a single large user. The company says the power from Duke Energy is priced at 3.8 to 4.4 cents per kWh.

(so, by this estimate, they'll at least be taking in 120 MW at a negotiated price)
4. A large water project in nearby Hickory will also help cool the plant.
5. Another interesting quote about location and energy use:
   "That parcel was a winner because it has access to large amounts of power and water and both primary and backup supplies of each, he said.
   
   That redundancy will be key to keeping Apples' many computer servers powered and cool, even if there is a storm or water-line break.
   
   A 36-inch water line from Hickory runs 2,000 feet from the site and a new, smaller loop line in the same area will provide backup service. Duke Energy also has two major lines running south from Hickory and north from Lincolnton.
   
   The data center will use about 20 megawatts annually – enough to power 16,000 homes."
   

Do we have smart grids in NC?

Yes.

To start things off, let's first mention that promoting smart grid technologies is a Sierra Club priority, and let's then define (as best we can) what's being talked about: think of the smart grid as two-way communication between the utility and energy users (homes, in the general sense, but appliances to be more specific). Smart grids build off something called Advanced Metering Infrastructures, which allow wireless communication between utilities and energy meters, so that utilities can offer demand response services, i.e. asking consumers to use less at certain times to prevent blackouts. Utilities have been emphasizing and constructing AMI for years, so that system is largely in place and ready for expansion in much of the country.

The aforementioned is more or less agreed on, but when "we need a smart grid" hits the airwaves and RSS feeds, politicians and utility representatives and environmental advocates can be talking about very different things at the levels involved, i.e., the utility or distribution system, the customer, and the transmission infrastructure. There's a great write-up of this by some professors at Carnegie Mellon.

On to North Carolina.

Working example. There are several initiatives in both the eastern and western part of the state that have smart meters and AMI inititiatives. But there's a lot of info out there on Duke Energy's program in Charlotte. From a CNET article on Duke's Charlotte pilot program:

Consider Duke Energy's smart-grid trial in Charlotte, N.C. A substation--the point that distributes electricity from long-haul transmission lines to a neighborhood--is equipped with 213 solar panels and a large battery. About 100 households have smart meters and in-home energy management tools.

When the sun is shining, the 50-kilowatt solar array makes electricity for the homes in the neighborhood. It also feeds the battery, giving the area a few hours of backup power in the case of an outage and a buffer to draw from during peak times. Consumers can take part in demand-response programs, too, to get a reduction on their electricity bill.

One of the more aggressive utilities in this area, Duke plans to have millions of smart meters installed in homes over the next two years. In addition, it envisions putting sensors along power lines, and networking gear, such as routers, in substations and transformers. In people's homes, individual appliances like water heaters could eventually be networked as well.

The project reflects how the utility industry seems to be following the path of the computing industry, which went from centralized processing with mainframes to a much more distributed and varied architecture.

You can read more about the project in the Triangle Business Journal.

Research. Last fall, NC State announced plans to house a national research center for smart grid technologies, aiming to develop the "Internet of Energy" (the center site).

Earth Hour

Turn out. Take action. Be part of this historic event.

March 28, 2009, 8:30 pm local time

The World Wildlife Fund is asking individuals, businesses, governments and organizations around the world to turn off their lights for one hour – Earth Hour – to make a global statement of concern about climate change and to demonstrate commitment to finding solutions.

So far, 850 cities in the US have signed up to participate but as of today, only the cities of Charlotte, Winston-Salem, Carrboro, Dillsboro and Lincolnton from North Carolina are registered participants.

We need other NC organizations to step up! It's easy and all you have to do is go to http://www.blogger.com/www.earthhourus.org and register.

Let's fill up that map on the Earth Hour website!

Solar Power on Tour

Did you have the opportunity to see the solar power bus tour that stopped in downtown Raleigh? It was pretty exciting! When I stopped by there were a couple dozen people stopping to take pictures or be in a picture and to learn more or record their thoughts about global warming. The next event will be Clean Energy Solutions to Global Warming Rallly: Congress must take action! next Sunday, October 5th from 2-4 pm on the Capital building front lawn.

There are so many innovative ways to address the problems Global Warming is causing and it is exciting to see so many people taking this initiative!

Net Metering in NC - "F"

Did you know you can help solve our energy needs and reduce your power bill by selling electricity back to the grid? Well, in some states you can. But not so much in North Carolina, which received a failing grade for policies discouraging individuals and small business participation in solving our energy needs.

That could be about to change. Next week, the NC Utilities Commission will hold public hearings on the state's so-called “net metering policies” - one in Raleigh, one in Charlotte. For more info, click here.

Charlotte meeting October 2 7:00pm

Mecklenburg County Courthouse [google map link]

Courtroom 6350, 832 4th St

Raleigh meeting September 30 7:00pm

Dobbs Building [google map link]

Commission Hearing Room 2115, 430 N. Salisbury St.

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Please email Mike Spradlin in the Chapter office if you plan to attend. With our friends over at the NC Sustainable Energy Association, we'll provide you with talking points and background info.

Green Jobs Now

The National Day of Action: September 27, 2008. Hosted by the WE campaign, 1Sky, and Green for All.

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Green job fairs in the Triangle Area:

Raleigh, NC
Green Jobs Now- 09/27

Raleigh, NC
Eat GREEN, Work GREEN, Vote GREEN!!- 09/27

Durham, NC
Green Jobs Now!- 09/27

Carrboro , NC
Are You Ready for The Green Economy? Town of Carrboro Green Jobs - 09/27

Growing a Just, Green Economy

Where: Durham, NC
When: September 20, 2008 8:00AM - 4:00PM
Register: http://events.greenjobsnow.com/greenforall/events/show/6042

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This is a conference on September 20th at NC Central University in Durham North Carolina. Featured speakers include Majora Carter, founder and former Executive Director of Sustainable South Bronx, and Rev. Dr. William J Barber II, President of North Carolina's NAACP branch.

Failing Wind

Over at Environment 360, an impressive account of wind's US potential has just gone up. In the article, you'll find information on the hurdles currently facing wind; a history of renewable energy opposition in our federal legislature; and an economic consideration: 120,000 wind and solar jobs, and 19$ billion, will disappear if the renewable energy tax credits are ushered out of existence this year.

In NC, there are a lot of financial incentives to invest in greener technologies. The clean(er, relatively) energy sector stands to become a large piece of our economic pie: solar fields across the state, wind in the mountains and off the coast, etc. One hopes that federal legislators will have the wherewithal to recognize the opportunity to keep a good thing going, eg. the renewable energy tax credits, which should be extended, not used as a political wedge issue in an election year.

N(Y)C

NC leadership can learn a thing or two from NY Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

At the National Clean Energy Summit, the mayor announced PLAN NY, which will foster the switch to renewables and grow green infrastructure right in NYC; plans are in place for windfarms off the coast and solar fields just outside the city. The mayor also called for federal leadership on building a national grid for renewables; oil magnate T. Boone Pickens stressed similar needs for leadership, and Al Gore reiterated that a renewables grid could be finished in ten years.

More interesting proposals resounded at the meeting, such as eliminating carbon emissions for all new buildings by 2030.

Conservation vs. Clean Energy

An interesting article ran in the Chicago Tribune this morning. To cherry-pick:

Unlike offshore drilling and other oil and gas ventures in which developers and environmentalists are obvious adversaries, renewable energy is increasingly pitting two kinds of green advocates against each other as the nation seeks alternative sources in the face of record oil prices and global warming...

In making the shift to renewable energy - for instance, in capturing and delivering the immense solar capacity of the Mojave Desert - a new type of infrastructure will have to be built: the energy has to make it from the solar field to the living room, obviously. This fact is routinely annoying to conservationists, who would see their beloved wild spaces,or their communities, untouched by drilling equipment, wind turbines, or power lines.

The article tails off at the end, and doesn't really ask the probing questions one would like. How will conservation concerns affect the national energy debate? What is better: installing solar panels on buildings, where deliverability (meaning the energy transport infrastructure) is higher, or installing solar panels in the desert, where open skies bring more energy?

Still, this reviewer finds the article's impetus pretty important. How "green" are we going to be?

Al Gore on Rising Energy Prices

(text available at wecansolveit.org)

Can't drill out of an energy crisis

I'm pretty sure the following is an okay cross-section of the offshore drilling debate:

Here and here (News and Observer), here and here (Washington Post)

Much of the current discussion tying offshore drilling to the cost of gas is erroneous. Media outlets regularly cite polls that claim large numbers of Americans support offshore drilling. Those same polls, however, see a plummet in support whenever they include the (correct) disclaimer that offshore drilling will not affect prices at the pump, now or in the immediate future.

Should the federal moratorium be lifted, fuel prices won't drop for several years, and when that day finally comes, at best (and this is tenuous) there will be a per gallon savings of roughly a few cents (3.99/gallon vs 3.96/gallon).

What's more, the international market determines oil prices (for a primer on how and why, read this). With booming economies in China and India, the price of oil will not lessen as industrial and personal demand skyrockets across the world. Only a serious commitment to renewable energy will bring energy costs under control. A clean energy initiative will create new jobs and make us more energy independent and flexible in times of economic duress.

Oil Magnate Sees Value in Wind

Even the oil-inclined are seeing the value in wind energy, with magnate T. Boone Pickens quickly becoming the public face of a new initiative to lower US energy dependence. You can check out his interview with Katie Couric (note: only half is about energy; the other half concerns his political contribution history) or his website PickensPlan.com.

While NC Sierra Club isn't prepared to comment on all of his proposals, there are a few things well worth a nod:

1. He's in it to make a profit. What's more, his venture will supply 4,000 kw from a corridor capable of producing 400,000 kw. What to take from this: even captains of industry can see a new market (untapped) that is capable of supplying 20% of the nation's energy by 2020.
2. Wind is clean.

Top Reasons Not to Lift the Offshore Drilling Moratorium

Today, H2806 Offshore Drilling was introduced on the House floor. This resolution urges Congress to give North Carolina the choice to allow drilling on our coast.
The Sierra Club has supported the long standing Offshore Drilling Moratorium for many reasons, here are a few:

1) Drilling operations are harmful to marine environments. Toxic hydrocarbon waste in the form of drilling cuts and muds are inevitable byproducts of drilling. This gas based waste rapidly penetrates fish and other marine life thereby causing disturbances in their vital systems. Coastal marsh and wetlands are composed of still water, so toxins will not be easily flushed out.

2) A substantail portion of North Carolina's tourism industry is based on healthy and beautiful beaches. North Carolina is ranked the sixth most popular state for tourism, attracting 49 million visitors a year. In 2002, $12.538 billion of the state’s total $12.6 billion tourism revenue was generated in the eight counties bordering the Atlantic.

3) Gas prices would be insignificantly affected. Oil is a global commodity that's price is determined on international markets. Therefore, the average American consumer will see little if any savings at the pump. For example, the House Committee on Natural Resources Majority Staff reports that the number of US drilling permits have increased by over 361% between 1999 and 2007, yet gas prices have been and still are dramatically rising.

4) Offshore drilling distracts us from the real problem- our crippling dependence on oil. Alternative energy sources and better fuel economy are the real solutions to the problem.

Energy Prescriptions for a Healthier Budget

In this day and age of $4 dollar a gallon gas and increasing food prices there is a way to lower your household expenses. You can drastically cut your electric bill by following some simple procedures. There are literally hundreds of ways to lower your electric bill; but, for the sake of this article we will only describe two.

Your heating/air conditioning system uses the most electricity in your house. If you set your thermostat at 78 or 79 degrees in the summer you will save thirty to seventy dollars per month depending on the size of your house. Over a five month period that works out to 150 to 450 dollars.

There are some people who may not be comfortable at those temperatures. If you do this for a week or two weeks you will find your body will rapidly acclimate to this change. You can also use your ceiling fans or other fans to help circulate air and make rooms cooler.

Using compact flourescent light bulbs or cfl's will also reduce your electric bill. They are slightly more expensive to purchase; but they will save you money in the long run. They use one-fourth the electricity of a regular bulb and they last eight or nine years.

By using these two procedures and others we have managed to cut our electic bill in half. The money we are able to save is a big help in paying our increased gas and food costs.

Marvin Woll,
NC Sierra Club Volunteer

Energy-Climate Debate

Recently, an emissions bill before Congress died a legistative death. While said bill may not have had the emissions targets many wanted, it was important for obvious reasons. Whether or not it was effective is now moot.

You can watch the US Senate Debate on DotEarth.

Other countries are playing hardball. Japan recently announced its plans to slash 80% of all carbon emissions by 2050, vowing to usher in a "low-carbon revolution." Read about it here (AP), here (BBC), here (Reuters UK), and read of its far-reaching economic and environmental implications here (The Australian).

Wind Energy Can Supply 20% by 2030

Read this report - a US Dept of Energy analysis on the capabilities of wind, which finds that 20% of all US energy needs could be supplied by wind sources by the year 2030. The report is, forgive me, a breath of fresh air.

Think of the ramifications if the US Govt actually pursued and encouraged wind technologies...

- 25% cut in carbon emissions, as old-school power plants fall off the grid
- decreased water consumption by utilities (a liferaft to NC, if ever we needed one)
- new wind- and green-related jobs

Unfortunately, the analysis is not a committment, only a hard look at the possibilities of wind.

One more boon to consumers:

- no rising fuel prices