#renewablefuture

Baobab Waterfall, Madagascar by Ahmad Eghtesad,

The island is rich in natural resources and unique biodiversity, yet severe energy shortages leave a vast majority of the population without electricity. This energy crisis contributes directly to economic hardship and rising crime rates, leading to severely overcrowded correctional facilities. This project seeks to address these interconnected crises through a radical architectural intervention that turns a societal challenge into a profound economic opportunity.

The core structural form of the complex is heavily inspired by the native Baobab tree, a national symbol of Madagascar known for its ability to store water and sustain life in the harshest environments. Mimicking the tree’s thick trunk and sprawling, protective canopy, the central building functions as a multi-story administrative and living hub rising high above the tropical landscape.

The floating design proposes a massive and continuous system of deep-ocean waterfalls, generating renewable electricity on a scale akin to natural wonders. By engineering a colossal, circular marine infrastructure, ocean water is funneled directly into subterranean turbines deep below the surface. This dual-function structure acts simultaneously as a highly efficient green power plant and a monument. The sweeping cascades protect a lush, palm-fringed central sanctuary from the open sea, creating a spectacular landmark designed to draw global eco-tourism.

ai feels invisible because you only see the final answer on your screen, not the giant physical system running underneath it. every prompt relies on servers, cooling systems, power grids, rare metals, and nonstop energy use. ai may feel like vapor, but its environmental impact is very real.

ai uses a lot of resources because modern models are so large. training them can take weeks of nonstop computation. this requires electricity, water, hardware, and maintenance. even everyday use consumes meaningful energy because data centers must stay online at all times to respond to billions of requests.

researchers usually agree that ai’s carbon footprint comes from four main areas.

training is the most energy intensive part because the models need to process enormous amounts of data.

inference is the energy used every time someone asks a question or generates content. it is smaller per use but happens millions of times per day.

data centers generate heat and need huge amounts of water and electricity to stay functional, so cooling is required

chips require mining, metals, manufacturing, and shipping.

the energy impact depends heavily on where data centers are located. regions powered by fossil fuels create higher emissions, while regions with renewable energy lower the impact. water usage matters too because many cooling systems rely on evaporative cooling, which consumes large amounts of water each day. ai is not unique in this; streaming, gaming, and cloud storage also use these systems, but ai is growing fast enough to raise sustainability concerns.

carbon markets come into the picture as a tool governments and companies use to reduce emissions. a carbon market lets organizations buy and sell allowances for the amount of carbon they emit. when ai companies participate, it can push them to reduce energy use or switch to renewable sources in order to stay under emissions limits. carbon markets also raise funding for environmental projects that theoretically offset the emissions produced by training and running models. the challenge is that offsets do not always match real-world reductions, and not all carbon credits are equally effective.

making ai more sustainable is possible. there are several strategies researchers and companies are exploring.

designing smaller and more efficient models that require less computation.

powering data centers with renewable energy instead of fossil fuels.

building data centers in cooler climates to reduce the need for artificial cooling.

improving chip design so each unit uses less power during training and inference.

using liquid cooling systems that conserve water and energy.

requiring transparency reports so users know the environmental cost of the tools they rely on.

"Enviornmental campaigners have welcomed Labour’s decision to lift the Tories’ ban on new onshore wind developments.

In one of the new government’s first acts, the department for energy and net zero confirmed that future projects will be treated in the same way as other planning applications.

Energy secretary Ed Miliband said: “The onshore wind ban has been in place for more than nine years. We’ve been in government 72 hours, we’ve lifted it.

“That’s the pace we’re going to move at. We’ve got to become a clean energy superpower for energy independence, to cut bills, to create good jobs and tackle the climate crisis. We’re getting on with it.”

“By harnessing the country’s vast renewable power potential, the new government is staking its claim as a global leader in the green energy transition.”

Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed the change as she also announced major changes to the planning system to allow the building of more homes as part of the government’s moves to boost economic growth."

Arkkitehtiuutiset 8/2019

Uusi kampuskortteli Väre sijaitsee Otaniemessä metroaseman yhteydessä, vastapäätä Alvar Aallon suunnittelemaa vanhaa päärakennusta eli nykyistä kandidaattikeskusta. Otaniemen kampuksella merkittävin uusiutuvan energian lähde on maalämpö. Väreen alle toteutettiin 74 maalämpökaivoa, jotka ulottuvat 320 metrin syvyyteen. Ne tuottavat vuodessa 1700 MWh energiaa, joka kattaa noin 80% rakennuksen lämmitysenergian tarpeesta ja 95% kesäisestä jäähdytyksestä (800 MWh). Maaperä toimii lämmön kausivarastona. Kesän jäähdytyksessä kerätty lämpö ajetaan lämpökaivoihin ja hyödynnetään talvella lämmityksessä. Vastaavasti talvella lämpöpumput viilentävät kalliota, mitä hyödynnetään kesällä viilennyksessä. Lämmönkeruuputkistoon on ujutettu valokaapelia, jonka avulla voidaan seurata tarkasti keruunesteen lämpötiloja. Saadulla tiedolla voidaan optimoida järjestelmän toimintaa. Vären katoille on sijoitettu 1000 neliötä aurinkopaneeleja, jotka tuottavat 5% rakennuksen tarvitsemasta sähköstä.

(Sorry it's late, I got sick)

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1. Restoring an unsung hero

“"We are aiming to restore a significant area of seagrass around Nova Scotia, rebuilding these ecosystems and doing it in a climate-smart way," says Derek Tittensor, head of the FOME research group and a professor of biology at Dalhousie. "Importantly, we are also integrating Indigenous and scientific knowledge of these remarkable ecosystems through a two-eyed seeing approach.””

2. Four super-rare quolls caught sneaking around Australian wildlife sanctuary

““We had a mysterious case of cat-trap tampering whereby the traps were closed, the bait was gone but no culprit inside,” explains AWC Field Ecologist, Erin Barritt. [… T]he opportunistic little mischief-makers were juvenile western quolls, the first to be born on the sanctuary in 100 years.”

3. LGBTQ+ parents are raving about ‘accessible’ gender-neutral children’s book What Makes A Baby

““Overall I think this is a great book and a great representation of what inclusive media can look like. It incorporates a variety of perspectives and experiences to make something that is accessible to everyone.” The LGBTQ+ community – with parents in particular – praised “the accuracy of the terminology”, with one writing: “Human anatomy isn’t too much for children to learn and this book makes it so accessible for them to learn!””

4. Switch to green wastewater infrastructure could reduce emissions and provide huge savings according to new research

“Researchers have shown that a transition to green wastewater-treatment approaches in the U.S. that leverages the potential of carbon-financing could save a staggering $15.6 billion and just under 30 million tons of CO2-equivalent emissions over 40 years.”

5. Millions Offered Up To Create New Disability Employment Models

“[Projects] can focus on increasing access to advanced technology careers, using advanced technology to support youth or adults with disabilities to access competitive integrated employment or helping justice-involved youth with disabilities gain employment. In addition, projects can look at early intervention and workforce reintegration strategies for those with acquired disabilities or efforts to reintegrate disconnected individuals with disabilities into the workforce.”

6. Laser-Treated Cork Absorbs Oil for Carbon-Neutral Ocean Cleanup

“Cork comes from the bark of cork oak trees, which can live for hundreds of years. These trees can be harvested about every seven years, making cork a renewable material. When the bark is removed, the trees amplify their biological activity to replace it and increase their carbon storage, so harvesting cork helps mitigate carbon emissions.”

7. This boat runs on 100% renewables. Can it help clean up bigger ships?

“For the past seven years, Energy Observer has traveled around the world, serving as a floating test bed for zero-emission technologies that can propel boats and ships — without spewing any of the nasty pollution that comes from running diesel engines. […] The project’s leaders say they’re now ready to focus their efforts on cleaning up much larger and dirtier types of vessels, including cargo ships.”

8. 1,000 oceanic manta rays seen in the Maldives

“With 1,000 individuals in its waters, the Maldives is home to the world’s third largest population of giant mantas (it also has the most reef mantas (Mobula alfredi) in the world, with over 5,000 individuals).”

9. Service Finalizes Land Protection Plan for Expanding Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge

“Plan aims to deliver in-perpetuity conservation of up to 700,000 acres of land for benefit of migratory and resident wildlife. […] "These vast grassland landscapes provide essential habitat for wildlife while also providing benefits like clean water filtration and carbon sequestration, which are essential for both the environment and human well-being."”

10. Medicaid Officials Remove Barriers For Those With Disabilities

“In addition [to grace periods for submitting paperwork], states will no longer be allowed to conduct renewals any more than once every 12 months and they will be barred from requiring in-person interviews for people with disabilities, among other changes.”

And a bonus article to make up for posting late: Gay Furry Hackers strike again!