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Green Mobility in Freiburg
 Sustainability 

 Sustainable Transportation 

By Putra
4 minutes read

Introduction Green Mobility in Freiburg

Freiburg, a picturesque city nestled in southwestern Germany, has gained international recognition for its pioneering efforts in sustainable transportation. 

With a strong commitment to environmental conservation and quality of life, Freiburg has become a model for green mobility. By prioritizing public transport, promoting cycling and walking, adopting renewable energy solutions, and implementing innovative policies, the city has transformed its transportation system into a shining example of sustainability.

Green amd sustainability Transportation System

1. Efficient Public Transportation:

Freiburg’s efficient and well-integrated public transportation network plays a central role in its sustainable transportation initiatives. The Freiburg Verkehrs AG (VAG) operates an extensive tram and bus network, connecting the city and its surrounding regions. 

The comprehensive coverage, frequent services, and seamless ticketing systems encourage residents and visitors to opt for public transport over private cars, reducing traffic congestion and carbon emissions.

2. Cycling and Pedestrian-Friendly Infrastructure:

Freiburg has long been hailed as a cycling paradise, thanks to its extensive network of cycling paths and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure. 

The city has invested in dedicated cycling lanes, bike parking facilities, and traffic-calmed zones, making it safe and convenient for cyclists and pedestrians to navigate the city. Freiburg’s commitment to active transportation has led to a vibrant cycling culture and reduced reliance on cars for short trips.

3. Renewable Energy-Powered Transport:

Freiburg has embraced renewable energy solutions to power its transportation system. The city operates electric buses, trams, and trains, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and minimizing carbon emissions. 

Freiburg has also established charging infrastructure for electric vehicles (EVs) and incentivized their adoption through reduced parking fees and tax benefits. By embracing renewable energy in transportation, Freiburg showcases its commitment to a clean and sustainable future.

4. Urban Planning for Sustainable Mobility:

Freiburg’s urban planning approach focuses on creating livable neighborhoods that promote sustainable mobility. The city’s compact and mixed-use developments encourage residents to walk or cycle for daily activities. 

Moreover, Freiburg has implemented car-free zones and restricted vehicle access in certain areas, creating pedestrian-friendly spaces and reducing noise and air pollution. By designing neighborhoods that prioritize sustainable mobility, Freiburg enhances the quality of life for its residents.

5. Innovative Policies and Education:

Freiburg has implemented innovative policies to further promote sustainable transportation. The city offers financial incentives for purchasing bicycles, provides subsidies for public transport passes, and implements parking policies that discourage private car use. 

Additionally, educational campaigns and initiatives raise awareness about sustainable mobility choices and encourage behavioral changes among residents, reinforcing the city’s commitment to sustainable transportation.

Efficient Public Transportation in Freiburg

Efficient Public Transportation in Freiburg

Freiburg, Germany, was widely recognized for its efficient and sustainable public transportation system. Freiburg is a city known for its commitment to environmental protection and sustainable urban planning. 

Here are some key features of Freiburg’s public transportation system:

1. Trams: Freiburg’s tram network is the backbone of its public transportation system. The city has an extensive network of trams that serve various neighborhoods and connect key areas within the city and its suburbs. 

Trams are a reliable, frequent, and efficient mode of transport, making them popular among residents and visitors.

2. Bus Network: In addition to the tram system, Freiburg has a well-developed bus network that complements the tram lines. Buses serve areas that may not be directly accessible by trams and provide connectivity to more remote neighborhoods.

3. Integrated Fare System: Freiburg operates an integrated fare system that allows passengers to use a single ticket for both trams and buses. This makes transfers between different modes of transportation seamless and convenient for passengers.

4. Sustainable Initiatives: Freiburg’s public transportation system aligns with the city’s sustainability goals. The use of electric and energy-efficient vehicles, coupled with eco-friendly practices, contributes to reducing the city’s carbon footprint and promoting cleaner air.

5. Cycling Infrastructure: Freiburg is also known for its bicycle-friendly infrastructure. The city has an extensive network of bike lanes and paths, making cycling a popular and eco-friendly option for commuting and getting around.

6. Pedestrian Zones: Freiburg has designated pedestrian zones in the city center, encouraging people to walk and reduce the use of private vehicles for short trips.

7. Park and Ride (P+R) Facilities: To further encourage public transportation use, Freiburg provides Park and Ride facilities at strategic locations. These facilities allow commuters to park their cars and easily access the tram or bus network.

8. Efficient Timetables: Freiburg’s public transportation system operates on reliable and frequent timetables, making it convenient for passengers to plan their journeys.

9. Student-Friendly: Freiburg’s public transportation system is particularly popular among students, given the city’s status as a university town. Many students rely on public transit for their daily commutes to and from the university campus.

Freiburg’s efficient public transportation system has played a crucial role in reducing traffic congestion, improving air quality, and enhancing the overall quality of life for its residents. 

The city’s commitment to sustainability and smart urban planning has made it a model for other cities seeking to develop eco-friendly and efficient public transportation networks.

Conclusion Green Mobility in Freiburg

Freiburg’s unwavering dedication to sustainable transportation has made it a global leader in green mobility. 

Through its emphasis on efficient public transport, cycling and pedestrian infrastructure, adoption of renewable energy solutions, urban planning for sustainable mobility, and innovative policies and education, 

Freiburg has created a city that prioritizes the environment and the well-being of its residents. 

As cities worldwide strive to tackle climate change and improve urban mobility, Freiburg’s success story serves as a valuable source of inspiration and guidance, demonstrating that sustainable transportation is both achievable and essential for building vibrant, livable, and environmentally friendly cities.

https://www.exaputra.com/2023/07/green-mobility-in-freiburg.html

Renewable Energy

New Jersey’s Electricity Rate Crisis Is A Perfect Storm for Wind Energy

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Weather Guard Lightning Tech

New Jersey’s Electricity Rate Crisis Is A Perfect Storm for Wind Energy

New Jersey ratepayers received an unwelcome surprise in June 2024 when electricity rates jumped between 17 and 20 percent virtually overnight. But behind the dramatic increase is a much larger story about the challenges facing renewable energy deployment, grid modernization, and the future of power generation across the PJM Interconnection region—one that has significant implications for the wind energy industry.

According to Kyle Mason, Associate Planner at the Regional Plan Association, the rate spike stems from record high prices in PJM’s annual capacity auction, which secures power for peak grid loads. PJM operates the grid for New Jersey and 12 other states, covering over 60 million people. The capacity market’s unprecedented pricing “trickled down to increased electricity rates for New Jersey rate payers,” Mason explained.

Listen to the interview here

Old Grid, New Demands

“We have a very old grid, and we’re trying to update it in real time,” said RPA’s Robert Freudenberg – while bringing more energy onto the system. “It’s like trying to build the plane while you’re flying it.”

Freudenberg, Vice President of the Energy & Environment Program at RPA, described the crisis as a convergence of multiple factors: the grid’s age presents challenges, the interconnection process has slowed dramatically, and demand is skyrocketing.

The interconnection queue process, which once took a few years, now stretches across many years. According to Mason, as of April of last year, over 200 gigawatts of projects sat waiting for study in the interconnection queue, with approximately 98 percent comprising solar, wind (both onshore and offshore), and storage. Even if only half of those projects eventually come online, Mason noted, “it would markedly improve the rate situation.”

Unprecedented Demand Growth

The energy demand situation is compounded by explosive load growth, driven largely by artificial intelligence and data centers. Mason noted that current projections show load growth reaching five percent annually—levels, he said, “we have not seen…since air conditionings were invented.”

These aren’t small facilities. “The industry is seeing massive, massive expansion of data centers,” Mason said. “Not just small data centers that we saw expand during the years leading up to the dot-com bubble, but rather these massive hundred-plus megawatt data centers,” primarily concentrated in Northern Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.

By 2030, data centers alone could account for 10 to 12 percent of electricity demand on the PJM grid—a staggering figure that underscores the urgency of bringing new generation capacity online quickly.

Offshore Wind “Ideal Solution” for Energy Island

New Jersey, the most densely populated state in the country, uses more energy than it produces. Thanks to that distinction and its geographic constraints, it’s referred to as an “energy island”- where wind represents an ideal solution for large scale generation.

The state had plans for approximately five gigawatts of offshore wind capacity, including the 1,100-megawatt Ocean Wind project, which has since been abandoned. Federal policy shifts have further complicated the landscape, effectively putting offshore wind development on ice across the region.

Freudenberg pointed to the South Fork Wind farm off Long Island as proof of concept.

“If you look at the data from that, [South Fork] is performing very well. It’s reliable,” he said, noting it put a thousand people to work and stabilized rates for customers.

Grid Reliability Challenges

Adding another layer of complexity, PJM recently implemented stricter reliability rules that dramatically reduced the amount of generation qualifying as reliable.

“The buffer dropped from about 16 gigawatts of supposedly reliable energy sources to about 500 megawatts when the reliability requirements were issued,” Weather Guard Lightning Tech CEO and Uptime Podcast host Allen Hall notes in the interview.

“Many fossil fuel plants face reliability concerns during extreme weather events, extreme cold events,” Mason explained. That made the older plants ineligible to enter PJM’s capacity market under the new rules. That caveat simultaneously removes baseload capacity while renewable projects remain stuck in the interconnection queue.

New Jersey's Electricity Rate Crisis Is A Perfect Storm for Wind Energy

Is PJM’s Progress Too Little, Too Late?

PJM has made some progress addressing interconnection challenges. Working with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the grid operator implemented a new cluster study process that prioritizes projects on a “first ready to serve basis” rather than first-come, first-serve. Mason reported they’ve already studied over 40 gigawatts of energy, “and that’s starting to get built,” Mason said.

“But there’s the question of whether that can outpace the rising demand,” he said.

On transmission infrastructure—a critical bottleneck for wind energy—the average timeline to build high voltage transmission lines stretches to 10 years. Mason noted projects face “years and years just to get the materials to build power plants, and then 10 years with permitting costs and supply chain issues and permitting timelines to build the transmission wires.”

Policy Recommendations: States to Lead the Way

Despite federal headwinds, Freudenberg urged states to maintain momentum on offshore wind.

“States need to keep the charge on for offshore wind. They need to keep the fire burning for it,” he said, recommending that states prepare transmission infrastructure and work with developers so projects can move forward quickly when federal policy shifts.

New Jersey has taken some positive steps, recently announcing its Garden State Energy Storage Program that targets over two gigawatts of storage capacity and releasing grid modernization standards for utilities.

Of course, when utilities are required to modernize, rate payers usually foot (most of) the bill. Still, having an available, reliable energy supply is the first order of business.

For wind energy operators and stakeholders, the New Jersey situation illustrates both the critical need for renewable generation and the complex policy, infrastructure, and market challenges that must be navigated to deliver it.

As Freudenberg summarized: “The ingredients here are so good for offshore wind. Everything… the proximity, the wind speeds. All we have to do is build those things and connect them into our grid and we’ve got a lot of power.”

The question is whether policy will allow that to happen before the grid crisis deepens further. We’ll be watching closely!

Listen to the full interview with Allen Hall, Joel Saxum, Kyle Mason and Robert Freudenberg here and subscribe to Uptime Tech News, our free weekly newsletter, today!

Image: PJM https://www.pjm.com/-/media/DotCom/about-pjm/pjm-zones.pdf

https://weatherguardwind.com/could-wind-energy-reduce-new-jersey-electricity-rates/

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Renewable Energy

Chopin — Music that Inspires

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There’s a story behind the piece below, Chopin’s “Heroic” Polonaise, performed by Vladimir Horowitz, the pianist most people deem to be the world’s top interpreter of Chopin.

Frederic Chopin was born in 1810 near Warsaw, Poland, and was known as a child prodigy as a pianist and composer by the time he was six or seven.

Russia had long ruled Poland, but in the 1820s, Russian rule grew more arbitrary, and secret societies were formed by Polish intellectuals in several cities to plot an insurrection. In November 1830, Polish troops in Warsaw rose in revolt.

Chopin moved to Paris shortly after his 22nd birthday, where he would spend the rest of his life composing, teaching, and concertizing, but his love for his native land remained fierce.

But what could he do? Chopin was a small and sickly person, barely five feet tall, perhaps 90 pounds in weight. He certainly couldn’t be a physical part of an uprising, but he could inspire his native Poles with his compositions.

There are a few good examples of his works along these lines, but the Heroic polonaise stands by itself. When I hear it, a single word comes to fore: bravery.

Enjoy, and don’t be embarrassed if you have goosebumps.

Chopin — Music that Inspires

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Renewable Energy

Doing What’s “Right” Is More Controversial than it Seems

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Some of us are looking for a single, simple statement to encapsulate what is going so wrong in America today, and perhaps it relates to what Aristotle says at left here.

Even the MAGA folks think that what they’re doing is “right.”  By this I mean white supremacy, mass deportation of immigrants (with or without due process), the rejection of science, and so forth.

Doing What’s “Right” Is More Controversial than it Seems

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