Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

  • Shop
  • Subscribe to BMG
  • Contact
  • Log In
  • Front Page
  • All Posts
  • About
  • Rules
  • Events
  • Register on BMG

MIT Energy Hackathon: Rebuilding Energy Infrastructure in the Caribbean After the Hurricanes

October 31, 2017 By gmoke

The content committee for the MIT Energy Hackathon, November 3-5, has accepted my challenge on “Rebuilding Energy Infrastructure in the Caribbean After the Hurricanes.” With luck, an extremely
knowledgeable and expert team of MIT and other students will study this question and propose solutions.

My cunning plan is to see whether Hackathon weekend can snowball into a global brainstorm on the topic, sorta kinda like a World Game or World Peace Game for all those who want to participate, “for the benefit of all who will allow the benefit of all,” as my friend Milt Raymond used to say. I think renewables are mature enough and affordable enough now to be a feasible alternative to the fossil fuel economy if you start from scratch. And there are islands like Barbuda and areas of Puerto Rico which are doing just that. This is an opportunity to design an accelerated renewable transition, something that was already buiding before disaster struck.

Here is the challenge proposal I submitted:

Challenge: How do we rebuild the energy systems of Puerto Rico, the American and British Virgin Islands, and the other countries and islands whose infrastructures have been destroyed by this season’s hurricanes so they are subject to less damage the next time a hurricane or other natural disaster comes?

This challenge has to think along a variety of different scales and situations. The island of Barbuda experienced 95% destruction of their infrastructure for their population, around 1800. The United States Virgin Islands of St Croix, St Thomas, and St John also experienced wide-spread devastation for their population of about 106,000 people. Puerto Rico with a population of around 3.5 million is in a similar situation compounded by their existing economic debt crisis.

Is it useful to think from the individual on up, from small community microgrids that have the ability to stand-alone as well as connect to a larger grid, to start from the existing grid on down, repairing what already existed and changing as little as possible? What are the options, what are the possibilities, what are we missing as we go about this task which means the survival of many?

Background:
Solar Electric Light Fund is helping to distribute solar lights and chargers for Puerto Rico (https://www.generosity.com/emergencies-fundraising/solar-light-and-communications-for-puerto-rico–2). This is an individual person or family solution. Can it be integrated into a kind of local microgrid which might also include bicycle chargers for AA, motorcycle, and car batteries?

Sunnyside Solar of Brattleboro, VT, a long-time solar installer, is fund-raising for community-scale solar electricity and water supply
https://www.gofundme.com/ngwbw-solar-generators-for-puerto-rico

The Coastal Marine Resource Center through Resilient Power PR is building mobile solar relief hubs, based upon their experience in NY’s Rockaways after Hurricane Sandy, as phase one of a project that they plan to develop for 100 mobile solar hubs so that each of the 78 communities in Puerto Rico will have at least one solar relief hub available, leading to solar for every home in Puerto Rico
http://resilientpowerpr.org/resilientpr/

Tesla (and other renewable energy companies) are helping to restore power and services
https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/talkingtech/2017/10/26/tesla-delivers-solar-power-puerto-rico-hospital/802216001/
https://cleantechnica.com/2017/10/25/tesla-sonnen-working-overtime-power-puerto-rico/
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/10/2/1703392/-Germany-steps-up-to-help-rebuild-power-grid-in-Puerto-Rico-s-emergency-relief-centers
https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/the-solar-industry-wants-to-help-puerto-rico

Experts are rethinking hurricane disaster response and infrastructure rebuilding, given the technologies now available and their relative costs compared to older energy infrastructure:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/role-solar-industry-rebuilding-after-disasters-jigar-shah/
http://getenergysmartnow.com/2017/10/04/what-might-a-solar-disaster-4r-package-costlook-like-for-puerto-rico/
http://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/353144-puerto-rico-needs-a-new-energy-grid-not-just-repairs-to-the-old
http://mitsloan.mit.edu/newsroom/articles/in-puerto-rico-a-foundation-changes-course-to-rebuild-after-maria

There is even already an MIT student response:
https://github.com/SoPR/maria-tech-brigade-effort/wiki/50w-Solar-Panel-Setup-to-Charge-Phones-Batteries

Existing Knowledge Base:
Islands Energy Program
https://www.rmi.org/our-work/global-energy-transitions/islands-energy-program/
“We aim to accelerate the transition to renewables in 10 island Caribbean countries, install 95 megawatts of renewable energy, and leverage $300 million in financing for island energy projects by 2020.”
This is a project of the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI) and Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) in partnership with Caribbean Electric Utility Service Corporation (CARILEC) (http://www.carilec.org) including Anguilla, Aruba, Bahamas, Belize, Colombia (San Andrés and Providencia), Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Turks and Caicos, and The Seychelles which has been underway for some time.

Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) http://www.cdema.org/

The DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy has an Islands Energy Playbook
https://www.eere.energy.gov/islandsplaybook/

Finally, MIT’s D-Lab has their Off-grid Energy Checklist
https://d-lab.mit.edu/off-grid-energy

Final statement: Can we reimagine the Caribbean energy infrastructure in such a way that we can rebuild from this season’s hurricanes with the result that the people of the Caribbean will not suffer as they are now suffering? Can we provide a hardened and resilient energy system that is close to 100% renewably powered, wherever possible, at an affordable cost that will support the present standard of living and industry and, perhaps, provide the power for much higher standards of living and more robust industries?

Please share widely!
fb-share-icon
Tweet
+2
0

Filed Under: Editor, User Tagged With: disaster, electricity, energy, hackathon, mit, renewables, solar, wind

Recommended Posts

  • No posts liked yet.

Recent User Posts

Predictions Open Thread

December 22, 2022 By jconway

This is why I love Joe Biden

December 21, 2022 By fredrichlariccia

Garland’s Word

December 19, 2022 By terrymcginty

Some Parting Thoughts

December 19, 2022 By jconway

Beware the latest grift

December 16, 2022 By fredrichlariccia

Thank you, Blue Mass Group!

December 15, 2022 By methuenprogressive

Recent Comments

  • blueeyes on Beware the latest griftSo where to, then??
  • Christopher on Some Parting ThoughtsI've enjoyed our discussions as well (but we have yet to…
  • Christopher on Beware the latest griftI can't imagine anyone of our ilk not already on Twitter…
  • blueeyes on Beware the latest griftI will miss this site. Where are people going? Twitter?…
  • chrismatth on This site (will be disabled on) December 31, 2022I joined BMG late - 13 years ago next month and three da…
  • SomervilleTom on Geopolitics of FusionEVERY un-designed, un-built, and un-tested technology is…
  • Charley on the MTA on This site (will be disabled on) December 31, 2022That’s a great idea, and I’ll be there on Sunday. It’s a…

Archive

@bluemassgroup on Twitter

#mapoli

headlineoptics Headline Optics @headlineoptics ·
3 Apr

OTR: Diana DiZoglio discusses potential retaliation from Mass. Legislature over audit https://www.masspolicyreport.com/2023/04/03/otr-diana-dizoglio-discusses-potential-retaliation-from-mass-legislature-over-audit/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter @masspolicy #MApoli #Massachusetts

Reply on Twitter 1642902408245420032 Retweet on Twitter 1642902408245420032 Like on Twitter 1642902408245420032 Twitter 1642902408245420032
masspolicy MassPolicyReport @masspolicy ·
3 Apr

Mass. Conservatives Win Big in Second MassGOP Caucus: Crush Baker 2.0/Establishment Candidate https://www.masspolicyreport.com/2023/04/03/mass-conservatives-win-big-in-second-massgop-caucus-crush-baker-2-0-establishment-candidate/ #Massachusetts #MApoli #bospoli #MassPolicyReport

Reply on Twitter 1642902143123202050 Retweet on Twitter 1642902143123202050 Like on Twitter 1642902143123202050 Twitter 1642902143123202050
sabadosama Lindsay Sabadosa @sabadosama ·
3 Apr

A huge pleasure to join @RepDylan as he launched the #Massachusetts Friends of UK Legislative Caucus at the home of the @FCDOPeterAbbott. It was wonderful to talk about how we can collaborate to benefit constituents and deepen long-standing ties! #mapoli

2

Reply on Twitter 1642900909020569600 Retweet on Twitter 1642900909020569600 Like on Twitter 1642900909020569600 Twitter 1642900909020569600
theaaholcomb Thea Holcomb @theaaholcomb ·
3 Apr

If you're familiar with #mapoli I have questions for you!

My intern is applying for an internship there - obvs I'm thrilled. 😊 What should she know about how the MA legislature is staffed? What other essential knowledge would you pass along?

Reply on Twitter 1642899676125970436 Retweet on Twitter 1642899676125970436 Like on Twitter 1642899676125970436 1 Twitter 1642899676125970436
masspolicy MassPolicyReport @masspolicy ·
3 Apr

Mounting evidence that the citizens of MA are over taxed https://www.masspolicyreport.com/2023/04/03/mounting-evidence-that-the-citizens-of-ma-are-over-taxed/ #Massachusetts #MApoli #bospoli #MassPolicyReport

Reply on Twitter 1642898875705970690 Retweet on Twitter 1642898875705970690 Like on Twitter 1642898875705970690 Twitter 1642898875705970690
erintiernan Erin Tiernan @erintiernan ·
3 Apr

It's April in #mapoli which means budget season is in full swing. The House will soon pitch a tax relief proposal alongside their 2024 fiscal plan.
- @MBTA staffing shortage cou;d keep trains from running on time
- Auditor DiZoglio won't back down
https://masster-list.com/2023/04/03/massachusetts-house-tax-package-could-be-a-tango-with-healey/

Reply on Twitter 1642898790221770752 Retweet on Twitter 1642898790221770752 1 Like on Twitter 1642898790221770752 Twitter 1642898790221770752
Load More

From our sponsors




Google Calendar







Search

Archives

  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter




Copyright © 2023 Owned and operated by BMG Media Empire LLC. Read the terms of use. Some rights reserved.