What is Sustainable?
Sustainability refers to the ability to maintain or continue a particular process, activity, or system over the long term without causing negative impacts on the environment, economy, or society.
It is about balancing the needs of the present with the needs of future generations, while preserving the natural resources and ecosystems that support life on our planet.
Sustainability encompasses three main pillars: environmental, economic, and social sustainability. Environmental sustainability is about preserving the natural resources and ecosystems that we depend on, such as clean air, water, and soil.
Economic sustainability is about creating a viable and prosperous economy that benefits both current and future generations. Social sustainability is about promoting social justice, equity, and well-being for all members of society, while protecting cultural heritage and diversity.
Sustainable practices are those that promote sustainability by reducing environmental impacts, conserving resources, and promoting economic and social well-being. In agriculture, sustainable practices may include using organic farming methods, conserving water, reducing pesticide use, promoting biodiversity, and supporting local communities.
What is Sustainable Agriculture?
Sustainable agriculture is a farming system that aims to provide food and fiber while minimizing negative impacts on the environment, supporting rural communities, and promoting economic and social well-being. It involves using practices that maintain soil health, conserve water, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and promote biodiversity.
Sustainable agriculture seeks to balance the needs of food production with the need to preserve natural resources and ecosystems for future generations. This means that it focuses on long-term sustainability rather than short-term profit maximization.
Some examples of sustainable agriculture practices include using crop rotation, reducing tillage, integrating livestock, using cover crops, and using natural pest control methods. Sustainable agriculture also involves reducing waste and using resources efficiently, such as by recycling nutrients, conserving water, and minimizing energy use.
Sustainable agriculture aims to create a resilient and sustainable food system that meets the needs of present and future generations, while protecting the planet and supporting the well-being of rural communities.
Benefit of Sustainable Agriculture
Sustainable agriculture offers numerous benefits that can have positive impacts on the environment, society, and the economy.
Here are some of the key benefits of sustainable agriculture:
Protecting the environment: Sustainable agriculture practices prioritize the conservation of soil, water, and biodiversity. By using methods such as conservation tillage, crop rotation, and integrated pest management, farmers can reduce soil erosion, conserve water, and limit the use of pesticides and fertilizers, which can have negative impacts on the environment.
Improving food security: Sustainable agriculture can help to increase the productivity and resilience of agricultural systems. This can contribute to greater food security, particularly in developing countries where small-scale farmers rely on their land for food and income.
Enhancing rural livelihoods: Sustainable agriculture can provide economic opportunities for small-scale farmers by improving their productivity and access to markets. This can help to reduce poverty and increase the economic resilience of rural communities.
Mitigating climate change: Sustainable agriculture practices, such as conservation agriculture and agroforestry, can help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural sector. This can contribute to global efforts to mitigate climate change.
Supporting biodiversity: Sustainable agriculture can help to conserve and enhance biodiversity by promoting the use of diverse crops, livestock breeds, and management practices that support ecosystem services.
Sustainable agriculture offers a range of benefits that can contribute to a more resilient, equitable, and sustainable food system. By adopting sustainable practices, farmers can improve their livelihoods, protect the environment, and contribute to global efforts to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges.
Sustainable Agriculture in the World
Sustainable agriculture is becoming increasingly important around the world as people recognize the need to balance food production with the long-term preservation of natural resources and ecosystems.
Here are some examples of sustainable agriculture practices that are being used around the world:
Organic farming: Organic farming uses natural methods to produce food without relying on synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. Organic farmers use practices such as crop rotation, composting, and natural pest control methods to maintain soil health and promote biodiversity.
Conservation agriculture: Conservation agriculture involves reducing tillage and using cover crops to conserve soil moisture, prevent erosion, and maintain soil health. This approach can also help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and sequester carbon in the soil.
Agroforestry: Agroforestry involves integrating trees into farming systems to provide multiple benefits such as soil conservation, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration. Trees can also provide additional sources of income through the production of fruits, nuts, and timber.
Precision agriculture: Precision agriculture uses technology such as GPS, drones, and sensors to optimize the use of resources such as water, fertilizer, and pesticides. This can help to reduce waste and improve yields while minimizing environmental impacts.
Sustainable livestock production: Sustainable livestock production involves using practices such as rotational grazing, feed management, and manure management to reduce the environmental impacts of livestock production. This approach can also improve animal welfare and support rural livelihoods.
Sustainable agriculture practices are being used around the world to promote food security, protect natural resources, and support rural communities.
Country with best Sustainable Agriculture in The World
Here are 50 countries recognized for their sustainable agriculture practices, sorted by region:
Europe
Austria Belgium Denmark Finland France Germany Greece Ireland Italy Netherlands Spain
Sweden Switzerland United Kingdom
Sustainable agriculture in Europe refers to the practice of cultivating crops and raising livestock in a manner that minimizes negative impacts on the environment, while promoting economic viability and social well-being. European countries have been actively promoting and implementing sustainable agriculture practices to address various challenges, including climate change, biodiversity loss, soil degradation, and water scarcity.
One of the key aspects of sustainable agriculture in Europe is the reduction of chemical inputs, such as pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. European farmers have been encouraged to adopt organic farming methods, which rely on natural processes and biological diversity to maintain soil fertility and control pests and diseases. Organic farming certifications and labels have been established to help consumers identify and support sustainable agricultural products.
America Region
Canada Mexico Argentina Brazil Chile Colombia Costa Rica Cuba Ecuador Peru Uruguay
Sustainable agriculture in the Americas region refers to the practice of cultivating crops and raising livestock in a manner that promotes environmental stewardship, economic viability, and social well-being. The Americas region encompasses North, Central, and South America, each with its unique agricultural systems and sustainability challenges.
One of the key aspects of sustainable agriculture in the Americas is the promotion of conservation practices. These practices focus on soil conservation, water management, and biodiversity conservation. Soil erosion is a significant concern in many parts of the Americas, and sustainable agriculture encourages practices such as cover cropping, contour plowing, and terracing to reduce soil erosion and improve soil health.
Water management techniques, including efficient irrigation methods and water recycling, are also promoted to ensure responsible water usage. Moreover, sustainable agriculture in the Americas seeks to preserve and enhance biodiversity through the protection of native habitats, implementation of agroforestry systems, and conservation of genetic resources.
South Africa Tanzania Uganda Zambia
Sustainable agriculture in Africa refers to the practice of cultivating crops and raising livestock in a manner that promotes environmental conservation, economic development, and social equity. Africa faces various challenges, including climate change, land degradation, water scarcity, and food insecurity, which makes the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices crucial for the continent’s future.
One of the key aspects of sustainable agriculture in Africa is the promotion of agroecological practices. Agroecology emphasizes the integration of ecological principles into farming systems, focusing on enhancing soil health, biodiversity conservation, and natural pest and disease control. It encourages the use of organic fertilizers, crop rotation, agroforestry, and water conservation techniques to improve productivity while minimizing environmental impacts.
Asia
China India Indonesia Israel Japan Malaysia Nepal Philippines South Korea
Sri Lanka Thailand
Sustainable agriculture in Asia refers to the practice of cultivating crops and raising livestock in a manner that ensures environmental sustainability, social equity, and economic viability. Asia is a vast and diverse continent with a wide range of agricultural systems, and sustainable agriculture practices vary across different countries and regions.
One of the key aspects of sustainable agriculture in Asia is the promotion of agroecological practices. Agroecology emphasizes the integration of ecological principles into farming systems, focusing on enhancing soil health, biodiversity conservation, and natural pest and disease control. This approach encourages the use of organic fertilizers, crop rotation, agroforestry, and other techniques to improve soil fertility, conserve water, and reduce the reliance on chemical inputs.
It’s important to note that sustainable agriculture practices can vary widely within each country and region, and this list is not exhaustive.
FAO Role in Sustainable Agriculture
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has a crucial role in promoting sustainable agriculture globally. Here are some of the ways FAO contributes to sustainable agriculture:
Promoting sustainable farming practices: FAO provides technical assistance to governments and farmers to help them adopt sustainable farming practices. This includes promoting agroforestry, conservation agriculture, and integrated pest management, which can improve soil health, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and increase crop yields.
Improving food security: FAO works to ensure that people have access to safe and nutritious food by promoting sustainable agriculture. This includes providing support for small-scale farmers and promoting local food systems.
Addressing climate change: Agriculture is a major contributor to climate change, but it is also vulnerable to its impacts. FAO works to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture and helps farmers adapt to the impacts of climate change.
Promoting biodiversity: FAO recognizes the importance of biodiversity for sustainable agriculture and works to promote the conservation and sustainable use of genetic resources for food and agriculture.
Supporting sustainable fisheries and aquaculture: FAO works to promote sustainable fisheries and aquaculture practices, including the development of guidelines for responsible fishery and aquaculture practices.
FAO plays a critical role in promoting sustainable agriculture by providing technical assistance, promoting best practices, and working with governments, farmers, and other stakeholders to ensure that agriculture contributes to food security, biodiversity conservation, and climate change mitigation and adaptation.
World Sustainable Agriculture – FAO Data
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is a specialized agency of the UN that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. FAO provides data and information on world sustainable agriculture through various reports and databases.
Here are some key facts and figures:
Hunger: According to FAO’s latest report on The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (2021), around 768 million people (9.9% of the global population) were undernourished in 2020. This represents an increase of around 118 million people since 2019.
Agriculture: Agriculture is a crucial sector for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). FAO estimates that the global population will reach 9.7 billion by 2050, and the demand for food is expected to increase by 50%. Sustainable agriculture is essential to meet this demand while protecting the planet’s natural resources.
Land Use: FAO estimates that about 70% of the world’s land is used for agriculture, forestry, and fisheries. Agriculture is the primary land-use sector, accounting for 50% of the world’s habitable land.
Water Use: Agriculture accounts for around 70% of global freshwater withdrawals, making it the largest user of water resources. FAO recommends the adoption of sustainable water management practices, such as drip irrigation and rainwater harvesting, to reduce water waste in agriculture.
Climate Change: Agriculture is both a contributor to and a victim of climate change. According to FAO, the sector accounts for about 25% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Climate change also affects agriculture through increased temperatures, changes in rainfall patterns, and extreme weather events.
Sustainable Agriculture: FAO promotes sustainable agriculture practices that are environmentally friendly, socially equitable, and economically viable. Examples include agroecology, conservation agriculture, and integrated pest management.
Organic Agriculture: According to FAO, organic agriculture is a holistic production management system that promotes and enhances agro-ecosystem health, including biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity. Organic agriculture accounts for around 1.5% of global agricultural land, with the highest shares in Europe and Latin America.
These are just a few key facts and figures on world sustainable agriculture based on FAO data. For more detailed information, please visit the FAO website.
World Sustainable Agriculture – FAO Statistic
Here are some FAO statistics related to world sustainable agriculture:
In 2019, the world’s farmers produced 2.8 billion tons of food, which is equivalent to 2.5 trillion kilocalories per person per day. However, about 811 million people still suffered from chronic undernourishment.
In 2018, around 570 million farms worldwide were family-owned and operated. These farms accounted for 90% of the world’s farms and produced 80% of the world’s food.
About 60% of the world’s agro-biodiversity has disappeared since the 1900s due to changes in land use, population growth, and changes in food systems. This loss of biodiversity reduces the resilience of ecosystems and puts food security at risk.
The world’s forests provide essential ecosystem services, including climate regulation, water supply, and biodiversity conservation. However, the world’s forests are still being lost at a rate of 10 million hectares per year, mainly due to agricultural expansion.
In 2020, 43 countries reported that they were experiencing food crises, with a total of 155 million people facing acute food insecurity. Conflict, climate shocks, and the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic were the main drivers of food insecurity.
In 2018, organic agriculture accounted for around 1.5% of the world’s agricultural land, with the highest shares in Europe and Latin America.
Sustainable agriculture practices, such as conservation agriculture and agroforestry, have been shown to increase crop yields and improve soil health, while reducing the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers.
These are just a few examples of FAO statistics related to world sustainable agriculture. For more detailed information, please visit the FAO website.
World Sustainable Agriculture – FAO Policy and Regulation
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency that works towards achieving food security for all and promoting sustainable agriculture. In order to promote sustainable agriculture, the FAO develops policies and regulations that guide agricultural practices around the world.
One of the key policy documents of the FAO related to sustainable agriculture is the “The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. This agenda recognizes the crucial role of agriculture in achieving sustainable development and calls for an integrated approach to address the interconnected challenges of eradicating poverty, ensuring food security, and promoting sustainable agriculture. The agenda also emphasizes the need to protect the environment and combat climate change.
Another important policy document of the FAO is the “Global Action Plan for Agricultural Diversification”. This plan aims to promote the diversification of agricultural systems in order to enhance their resilience to environmental and economic challenges, and to increase their productivity and profitability. The plan also recognizes the importance of empowering small-scale farmers and promoting their participation in decision-making processes.
In terms of regulations, the FAO develops and promotes the implementation of international standards and guidelines related to agriculture. For example, the FAO develops and promotes the implementation of the “Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries”, which provides guidelines for sustainable fishing practices. The FAO also develops and promotes the implementation of the “International Plant Protection Convention”, which aims to protect plant health by preventing the spread of pests and diseases.
FAO plays an important role in promoting sustainable agriculture through the development of policies and regulations that guide agricultural practices around the world.
Conclusion for Sustainable Agriculture in The World
Sustainable agriculture is crucial for ensuring food security and reducing the negative environmental impacts of agricultural practices. It involves using farming techniques that promote soil health, conserve water, and minimize the use of harmful chemicals.
Sustainable agriculture also promotes biodiversity and supports rural communities.
Many countries around the world have made significant progress in promoting sustainable agriculture through policy development, education, and research. However, there is still much work to be done to ensure that sustainable agriculture is adopted on a global scale. Governments, farmers, and consumers all have a role to play in promoting sustainable agriculture and reducing the negative environmental impacts of agriculture.
Sustainable agriculture offers a path towards a more environmentally and socially responsible food system that can help us to address the challenges of climate change, food security, and rural development.
https://www.exaputra.com/2023/05/50-country-with-best-sustainable.html
Weather Guard Lightning Tech
Blade Breaks at He Dreiht, Suzlon Posts Record Quarter
A V236 blade fails during construction at He Dreiht. Plus a 53 GW US wind forecast, Suzlon’s record quarter, and what turbine noise really measures.
Sign up now for Uptime Tech News, our weekly newsletter on all things wind technology. This episode is sponsored by Weather Guard Lightning Tech. Learn more about Weather Guard’s StrikeTape Wind Turbine LPS retrofit. Follow the show on YouTube, Linkedin and visit Weather Guard on the web. And subscribe to Rosemary’s “Engineering with Rosie” YouTube channel here. Have a question we can answer on the show? Email us!
The Uptime Wind Energy podcast, brought to you by StrikeTape. Protecting thousands of wind turbines from lightning damage worldwide. Visit striketape.com. And now your hosts
Allen Hall: Welcome to the “Uptime Wind Energy” podcast. I’m your host, Allen Hall, and I’m here with Matthew Stead, Yolanda Padron, and Rosemary Barnes. And to lead off this week, s- there’s been some trouble in the North Sea. On July 22nd, a blade failed on one of the turbines at EnBW’s 960-megawatt He Dreiht offshore wind farm.
Uh, EnBW spokesperson said there were no injuries, thank goodness, and that the authorities were notified immediately, which is generally the case in Europe. They’re very safety conscious, of course. But the machine was a Vestas V236, which is a– that 15-megawatt offshore turbine that Vestas is offering. And He Dreiht is where the platform [00:01:00] has made its debut.
So Vestas and EnBW are working together on an investigation, an RCA, a- along, uh, looking at the environmental impact because parts of the blade landed in the water. And the, the images I saw online were like a sheer web that was being pulled in onto a ship, so big pieces of blade. Uh, there’s gonna be 64 of these turbines going into that wind farm, but this is probably a little bit of a weird thing because it does seem like that the wind farm is under construction when the blade broke, which is not the first time this has happened, right?
That we’ve seen blade breaks at, uh, Vineyard Wind and at Dogger Bank on the GE side. Is this just a construction issue, Yolanda, you think? Or is it some sort of, uh, vibration that’s happening during construction that’s putting extra stress on the blades?
Yolanda Padron: We were talking about it a little bit offline and how it might be a loading [00:02:00] issue because it’s not, uh, it’s not in the optimal operating, uh, conditions, right?
Uh, but this is– It’s– I don’t like that it’s becoming a trend more than an anomaly from what we’ve seen on this podcast. Uh, Matt, I know you work a lot in solutions, right? What, what would you recommend people start doing?
Matthew Stead: Yeah. I think, um, more and more there’s ways of just checking out, you know, pre-construction, um, you know, some of the vibration modes, some of the unusual, um, wind loading when it’s in standstill, you know, different yaw angles and so forth.
So there, there’s more and more ways of, um, checking out what the blade is doing when it’s in those unusual, um, sort of pre-con, pre-operation phases. So, um, you know, for instance, um, we do know that there is some sort of sometimes edgewise or flatwise vibration, which, um, you know, maybe is not normal, um, and maybe could be, be [00:03:00] thought about in a bit more detail.
Um, certainly I know there are some research organizations which are looking into this and also, you know, things like blade twists. Um, so what is actually happening in terms of the, um, the twisting of the blade along, along its axis.
Allen Hall: I think the last time this happened, I remember going back and looking at patents about how to protect the blades during this construction phase.
So you wanna prevent the blade from generating lift from sideways winds pretty much. So the designs that I saw were like putting like a, a netting across the blade to disrupt the airflow so that it wouldn’t generate lift. But I haven’t really seen that implemented. Maybe it is being implemented, but these loads are a little odd, right?
I, I, I’m wondering if there’s any IEC certification test that looks into them, uh, just because it’s, it’s happened a couple of times now, more than a handful.
Matthew Stead: We, we saw, um, we saw that picture of some blades on the ground. [00:04:00] You remember they were in storage. Um, there was a, a strong wind that came across them when they were in storage, and there was some, some flutter and, you know, some, some damage it caused, uh, even when they were on the ground.
Um, yeah, I think just thinking out loud, you know how on some, you know, wind stacks and, or, you know, turbine stacks and, um, you know, poles, you know, exhaust stacks. Sorry, that’s the word I’m looking for. Exhaust stacks. They have the, the spiral around it. You know, it’s for around vortex shedding. So maybe it’s an opportunity for, for Rosie to jump in here and, uh, and comment.
But, um, maybe we can put like vortex, uh, spiral vortex, um, you know, dissipators on the, on the blades before they’re fully commissioned.
Rosemary Barnes: So it’s cer- certainly not a, a matter of the design just being a little bit wrong, right? That would mean that it would last for a, for a while and then And then break. But it, it also, it could be several things.
It could [00:05:00] have been a manufacturing defect, a bad one. It could have been transport damage. Tho- those are two other things. It could have been, yeah, you know, like a, a new design feature or material that performed massively differently under real loads than what it did, um, you know, in their computer models and in their coupon tests and in their, um, static tests, fatigue tests that they did.
It could be any of those things. Sometimes you do see problems where technically you’re not supposed to leave the rotor locked out for any period of time because it is not designed for the off, off-axis weird loads that you can get when the blade is oriented in a suboptimal way compared to the wind.
And there have been instances where it’s like technically, you know, that was in the instruction manual, however, nobody ever followed it, and it’s only under extreme circumstances where that actually is severe enough to break it. There, there can be instances like that [00:06:00] where I would say that it- it’s pretty difficult/impossible to actually design s- for safety during any conceivable series of events during installation.
The way that you would do it would be to make sure that the blade can handle any wind load and, you know, up to the maximum gust at any, at any time in any position. But having, you know, done a little bit of work, um, on blade design in my past, it is massive. That is just a massive, massive load that is y- it will never see in its lifetime.
You would have such heavy, expensive blades if you actually designed it like that. Um, and so yeah, the That, that would be probably the most charitable reason for a failure where nobody really did their job wrong. It’s just kind of like some bad luck that happens every now and then.
Allen Hall: Well, it does seem like there’s a trend there between Dogger Bank, Vineyard Wind, [00:07:00] some of the things we’ve seen in China.
During the construction phase, those turbines are very vulnerable and the, the blades can break. Aren’t there extra precautions that could be put in place? Like, you, you could obviously do weather forecasting, and I know that that’s done, but it does seem like it’s, uh, such a consequential problem to have a blade break on a turbine in the North Sea, near Germany.
Like, that, that’s just bad PR. Even if you have all the engineering precautions in the world there, you would still maybe play it a little bit safer so this wouldn’t happen?
Rosemary Barnes: It’s really hard. Like I said, if you want to design it so that a blade won’t break under these, like, really unusual set of operating conditions that happen during construction, not during– Like, during operation it has to be able to handle whatever is thrown at it, like, no doubt.
Um, everybody agrees on that, including, you know, certification bodies. But during installation, yeah, if you want your blade to be able to handle anything that [00:08:00] that area can throw at it, even, you know, one in 50, one in 100 year storm that comes up unexpectedly, I personally think I haven’t done the optimization.
I wouldn’t be surprised if people had. In fact, I would be surprised if they hadn’t. But I bet that it will cost more to design every blade to withstand that than it would to lose the occasional one, you know, one out of What is it? Like one out of 500 blades or something this happens to, one out of 1,000?
I, I, I don’t know, maybe even less, less than that. Um, you know, so it’s, I don’t know how much these blades cost new, but, you know, say a few hundred thousand. Uh, it’s just, it’s gonna be it, it’ll be more cost-effective to lose the odd one every now and then. And like you say, it’s bad PR, but, um, I don’t know.
Is it that, like- It- … things, things happen, things break sometimes. Um, yeah, I don’t know. Is the PR that bad? I’m not sure.
Matthew Stead: So [00:09:00] I, I’ve got a question and, um, you know, on LinkedIn, you know, you see whenever there’s a, um, whenever there’s a failure on L- um, e- everyone posts about it.
Rosemary Barnes: Condition monitoring would’ve stopped this.
If there had only been condition monitoring that, that turbine, then they wouldn’t have had a blade break during construction. That’s why I’m so hesitant to, to, you know, make any calls now ’cause I don’t wanna sound like one of those
Allen Hall: LinkedIn losers. LinkedIn loser.
Rosemary Barnes: I learned that the last, um, root cause analysis, like, you know, catastrophic blade failure, um, the last one that I, uh, yeah, got approached to work on, I was told y- you know, like half a dozen different companies have approached us after they saw this in the news.
So people are ambulance chasing. I’m like, “Oh my goodness, should I, should I be ambulance chasing? Is this a new, a new thing that I should be doing?”
Allen Hall: Let’s take a quick break and when we come back, a fresh forecast says the United States is building more wind than anyone expected As wind energy professionals, staying [00:10:00] informed is crucial, and let’s face it, difficult.
That’s why the Uptime podcast recommends PES Wind magazine. PES Wind offers a diverse range of in-depth articles and expert insights that dive into the most pressing issues facing our energy future. Whether you’re an industry veteran or new to wind, PES Wind has the high-quality content you need. Don’t miss out.
Visit peswind.com today. Well, here’s a number that runs against the mood of the industry. Wood Mackenzie now expects the United States wind industry to add more than 53 gigawatts of capacity by 2030. That is a 5% increase over the previous quarter’s five-year forecast, and the reason is really straightforward.
Shovels are in the ground. Developers pushed to start construction ahead of the July safe harbor deadline, and firm turbine orders reached 1.1 gigawatts, five times the level of a year earlier. So demand is holding up too, [00:11:00] led by a 1.9 gigawatt deal between Google and Xcel Energy. So the One Big Beautiful Bill, or OB3 as I’ve heard it called more recently, is driving wind energy installations up for the time being.
This is somewhat of a positive measure. Does it demonstrate in, in sort of uncertain terms that wind is still a choice for a lot of energy developers?
Yolanda Padron: I mean, we’ve still seen a lot of wind developers continue on, right? And just maybe put something further back down the timeline than they initially would for, for a new project.
Uh, but I, I don’t know. I kind of equate this to, like, you know when there’s, like, a massive sale or something on a, at a store where it’s like, “Everything must go”? And I feel like everybody was just kind of leaning towards that in the short term, and then there’s probably gonna be a lull, [00:12:00] and then just go back to, things will probably just go back to normal, I think.
Matthew Stead: My, my take is that if I had a spare few billion dollars, um, and I was in the energy market I would be building wind solar and battery. And so I would see it continuing
Allen Hall: The existing Department of War review, this is that are not being completed, so it’s holding up a number of projects. That’s gonna eventually hit the courts.
I know it’s in the courts right now. I’m– At least that seems to be some of the news about it, and my guess is based on previous history in the courts is that they’re gonna force the Department of War to either finish the analyses and make some sort of proclamation or to allow them all to pass through.
Uh, just put a stay on the, in the Department of War. I’m not sure how that works because I’ve never heard of that happening in the past, but w- you know, we’re in new times [00:13:00] obviously. But if they, if the courts were able to tell the Department of War to stand down and let the developers go, that would be very interesting.
I think you may see some more activity in wind and that was, you know, off the table just a couple of weeks ago. Is, is that the feeling? I, I know that there’s also some larger discussions. I was listening to this discussion from an MIT analysis about how wind is gonna suffer because solar is so cool and battery is the hot thing.
But in reality, good luck, right? I think you have to have all of the above scenario to get your projects done. If you can’t rely on gas turbines, you better be looking for every possible electricity-generating piece of equipment you can get your hands on right now.
Yolanda Padron: Do you guys think it’s gonna be one of those things where the US kind of turns away from its traditional cowboy-like way of approaching wind [00:14:00] turbines?
Or at least like blades, you know? Because there’s gonna– there seems to be a lot more I, I don’t know if a lot more restrictions, but a lot more implementation of those restrictions on the operation of wind turbines, um, just like from bird monitoring and just a lot of issues that you might see on a wind site that maybe people didn’t care too much to look at before.
Allen Hall: Well, the argument that MIT was making was operating wind turbines is harder than running a solar farm, which generically is true early on. I think that’s probably true. But from what I see from solar farms and hear from operators, solar farms are not easy either. They have their own problems like fire, hail, uh, yeah, bad inverters, electrical problems, animals eating the wires.
Like, everything comes with this set of issues that it has to work through. But wind’s been going a little bit longer. I feel [00:15:00] like there’s an infrastructure there that solar is just now developing, and the history from large solar developments like in, in Spain has not been great over time. And Australia’s sort of a little bit of a different case, Rosemary, where most of the solar in Australia is put on top of people’s roofs.
But is there a real advantage to solar and battery over wind?
Rosemary Barnes: I think yes. I think it’s