One Last Dam Thing

Bonjour from Dinard, France! We’re using a French keyboard, which is making Peter nauseous even though he’s not the one typing! We’re estimating that this post will take at least twice as long as the others to write, due to the strange arrangement of keys.

Anyway, we arrived at the world’s smallest airport last night, where there aren’t any gates or even a terminal, really. Just a sort of holding area before you walk onto the tarmac and board the plane (or vice versa). The arport also did not have any sort of currency exchange (bureau de change) or ATM. That meant that we were stuck in semi-rural France with several British pence coins and a 5 Euro note given to us by Michaela and Darren. We had to plead with the taxi driver – who assured us he spoke “beaucoup” English but then proceeded to speak only in French – to take us to an ATM. Thankfully, he was very agreeable, and everything worked out fine. We woke up this morning and had the typical French breakfast of coffee and croissants – quite a far cry from the English breakfast of egg, bacon, baked beans, sausage, fried bread, tomatoes, and mushrooms. (Fear not – we did not eat that breakfast every day in the UK!)

After breakfast, we set out to walk to Le Barrage de la Rance, a dam that makes electricity. When the tide comes in, the water flowing underneath it spins turbines to create electricity. The dam then holds back the water during low tide so that, as it flows back out to sea, electricity is again created. This form of energy production is very predictable (unlike wind) and absolutely renewable, since you’re guaranteed high and low tides every day. It’s very expensive to build a dam like this, but once it’s in place, it can create electricity for a long time. This barrage has been in use since 1967, and judging by the number of wires coming from it, it is a vital part of the electricity grid in the area.

Getting to the barrage proved to be more difficult than we anticipated. After walking about 3 miles, we got as close to it as possible but backed off when our only option was to walk along the very narrow shoulder of a 50mph road. This meant that Peter wanted to venture onto private property to get photos, which Erin was vehemently against. We settled for some great video shots from a close-by beach but couldn’t get any dam close-up photos.

We walked back into Dinard along a gorgeous coastal path and found lunch at a sidewalk cafe. Contrary to lunch in the States, a proper midday meal here is a multi-course operation. And, it being France, the food was amazing.

It’s been an eye-opening journey. In terms of official research, the contrast between new and old technology has been striking. I’m not sure there are many other places in the world where you could see a centuries-old hydro-powered mill alongside something as cutting-edge as the Wave Dragon. When talking to people, it’s apparent that the majority favor the use of renewable energy, as long as it does not seriously compromise their current standard of living (for example, many people are rightfully concerned that wind turbines will interfere with their radio and TV reception). It’s also become apparent that, when implementing renewable energy, governments need to allow for public input, examine possible environmental consequences, and have a plan for reducing carbon-emitting coal and natural gas facilities.

On a personal note, we have been struck by the size of the average car in Europe. Most people drive a vehicle smaller than Erin’s 2000 Toyota Corolla, and yes, these drivers often have 4 people in their cars! SUVs are a rarity, meaning that cars are obviously not a status symbol. Indeed, efficiency seems to be the most important component when purchasing a car. This has left us asking why. Why do we in America need big cars? Why are we okay with spending a huge amount of money on gas for cars that get low gas mileage? Why don’t we as a nation care about this?

And on an unrelated side note: we drove 1300 miles in the U.K. (many of which were on winding, and sometimes scary, narrow roads) and didn’t see one accident. This a far cry from the typical New England (or New Jersey) driving experience. The Brits, on a whole, are much more reserved, cautious, and polite drivers.

And this brings us to the end, at least for now. This is our last post during the trip; tomorrow we take a train from the neighboring city of St. Malo to Paris.

Thanks for reading. See you back in the States!

Too Bad They Haven’t Found A Way To Turn Rain Into Electricity

Well, this is our final post from the U.K. We’re in Stansted Airport, where Internet time costs a whopping one pound (that’s two dollars!) for every 10 minutes – so this will be quick!

It rained the entire morning (as, in fact, it has rained every single day that we’ve been here) as we drove the M40 back to Heathrow. We then hopped on a bus to Stansted, where we encountered the craziest, most congested airport either of us has ever experienced. People stand in massive clumps, staring at the departure board, waiting for their flight to be listed. You cannot just check-in at any point; you have to wait until about 2 hours before your flight, and then you’re told at which counter to check in. So then you join a massive hoard of people jockeying for a place in the check-in queue.

Peter got a chance to dust off his rusty French skills when he called our hotel to tell them we’d be arriving late. After planning the entire conversation out in his head (in French, of course – and after consulting a newly-purchased French phrase book), he got half-way through his first sentence, and then copped out with a, “Parlez-vous anglais?” Luckily, the hotel employee was very friendly and understanding, and even referenced James Bond in the conversation! We’re looking forward to checking out the tidal barrage along the Rance River in Dinard, France. It’s one of the oldest tidal power facilities in the world.

A tout l’heure!

PS – They have awesome food – and we’re totally serious – at Stansted airport. So if you’re ever in the mood for a little airport craziness, check it out!

A Wave of Energy

Yesterday, we met up with Iain Russell, the head of Wave Dragon, U.K.  This tidal energy generator uses the power of ocean waves to create electricity. As Iain explained it, the inventor developed the idea after watching waves crash on and drain through coral. The Wave Dragon is a 900-foot wide floating steel-reinforced concrete machine with a 300-foot adjustable “beach” in the middle. As waves approach the Dragon, they’re guided into this beach and crash up over it. They then drain down through six turbines, thus creating several megawatts of electricity. The beauty of this design is that it is incredibly durable and there are very few breakable moving parts. If something does break, the engineers can just remove a turbine and drop a new one in. Oh, and one other very cool thing: The engineers control the movement of the Wave Dragon by sending it text messages! You can find out more about the Dragon here.

We also must mention the site of our meeting with Iain. We had lunch at a small country tea room, which was incredibly charming and unlike anything we’ve ever experienced. The food was great – we had garlic bread, pasta carbonara, and a green salad. Fabulous!

We then headed down to a Days Inn in Stratford-Upon-Avon, and we’ve written this post from the public library in Stratford, just down the street from Shakespeare’s birthplace! Tonight we’re flying to Dinard, France, and hopefully we’ll be able to find an Internet cafe there tomorrow evening.

Recharged at the Centre for Alternative Technology

We quickly realized after writing yesterday’s post that we were completely fried. After a quick trip around the small city of Aberystwyth – which included the requisite visit to castle ruins – we decided to do “take away” for dinner. So we got ourselves some salads, a couple sandwiches, and a fruity drink and headed back to our cosy B&B. We chowed down on dinner while watching our favorite (or should I say “favourite”) British tv show – Golden Balls. It’s a game show too elaborate to explain here, but we’re already plotting how to import it to the States.

Our plan worked, and we awoke this morning recharged! We had an interesting breakfast conversation with the only other guest at our B&B. He was fascinated with the American West – he knew the names of all the cowboys at the OK Corral (and was even wearing a Doc Holliday t-shirt) – and he had some…shall we say politically incorrect views of American Indians, no doubt formed by his idolization of John Wayne and Bonanza.

We left the B&B – after taking a picture of the farm goat who reminded us of Lucy – and headed north for Machynlleth (mack-UHN-kleth), where the Centre for Alternative Technology is located. This Centre is located high up a mountain in an old slate quarry. Its mission is educate people about sustainable living and alternative energy.

To get up the mountainside to the Centre, there is a hydro-powered train. Visitors load into one car at the base of the site while another car at the top of the hill fills its base with water. When the car at the top becomes heavier than the visitors’ car, the bottom car slowly rises up the mountain. On their way down, the cars also use regenerative breaking, creating extra electricity for the Centre.

Once on top of the mountain, we realized that the Centre really practices what they preach. The centre is mainly powered by solar panels, a few wind turbines, biofuel, and hydro-electric. Some bathrooms use rainwater both in the toilets and faucets, while other restrooms turn the waste into compost. There were many middle school aged student groups touring the centre while we were there, and the kids seemed quite grossed out by both the smell and the thought of human waste being reused.

Speaking of student groups, a place like this would be great in the states. There were many hands-on displays where students could generate electricity by making waves, spinning turbines, and controlling the amount of sunlight falling on solar panels. Peter especially enjoyed climbing inside the hub of a wind turbine!

Much of the information presented matched what we have learned so far on our trip: wind power is cheap and easy to install, the power of the waves is a great way to make electricity, and improving the  heating and cooling efficiency of all types of buildings is a sure way to reduce carbon emissions. However, we both recognized the definite bias of their campaign.  While the Centre produces a lot of electricity on-site (and even sells any extra electricity they produce), they still must supplement their energy needs from the national grid. Their yearly goal is to sell more than they take, but it is unclear if they have achieved this goal. Some exhibit boards had doomsday-type proclamations, including one which forecasted war and abject poverty for all. This same exhibit board said that if the world embraced alternative energy sources, no one would be poor and every human would have more than enough electricity. While engaging, this hyperbole can give students a sense of hopelessness and reduce their desire to change.

We’re now tucked in a mountain valley in far northern Wales. (Luckily our lodge has free internet access in the communal lounge, which we’re enjoying while a guest’s child watches the Simpsons over and over again – they love the Simpsons here!) Outside, the wind is whipping down the valley, and we can just barely make out the peaks of the slate mountains around us. Hopefully the weather will clear tomorrow so we can take some pictures.

Possible Problems

At the end of the day yesterday, we were left wondering if wind energy is all that it’s cracked up to be. We met with an anti-wind activist who made several points that we hadn’t considered. First, she mentioned that coal and natural gas plants continue to operate at full capacity anywhere that wind turbines are constructed, including Denmark (which has the most turbines of any country). This means that the construction of the turbines has not yet caused a decrease in the amount of carbon emissions. She also provided us with information about the negative effects that the turbines have on the health of both humans and wildlife. Lastly, the British government gives utility companies that operate wind farms roughly $100 for every megawatt of energy that they produce. This has inevitably led to some corrupt doings. She told us of one farmer who used a diesel generator to make the turbines spin so that he could receive the government money. She was very generous and provided us with several print resources that can be used in the classroom next year. This activist is not affiliated with any organized anti-wind organization, but she is staunchly anti-wind. While it was great to talk to her and hear that side of the issue, we recognize that it would probably help our research to gather information from pro-wind activists, such as local conservation groups.

This morning, we left Swansea and drove to Aberystwyth. We took an inland route down some tiny winding roads with breathtaking vistas that only Erin admired. (Peter had to keep his eyes on the road!) We easily found our B&B, which occupies the top floor of a family home on a 22-acre farm, and we’re now enjoying free Internet access at the Aberystwyth library. We’ll be in north Wales for a few more days, which will hopefully include more wind turbines!

And for those of you who are wondering: yes, everyone is just as nice over here as Christian Perry.

Can You Read A Map?

Last night, after we settled into our inn in Swansea, we set out for Penarth, a suburb of the Welsh capital, Cardiff, to meet up with Tom Anderson, a wind power activist. (Peter works at King with Christian Perry, a friend of Tom’s.) Up until this point, we had become somewhat cocky about our abilities to read maps, follow directions, and arrive easily at our destination. As previous posts have shown, cockiness always leads to misfortune. On our way to meet Tom at an Italian restaurant, we became dreadfully lost and ended up in downtown Cardiff when we should have been in the city center of Penarth. Countless phone calls to Tom – thank goodness we invested in a cell phone – proved fruitless as we attempted to find our way out of Cardiff and into Penarth. We even ignored his instructions at one point to “stay put” so that he could come and find us. We finally heeded Tom’s advice and parked in a vacant car park (parking lot) of a football (soccer) stadium. Tom found us there and led us to safety and really good pizza. (That would be Italy-style pizza – super thin crust, just a hint of mild tomato sauce, prosciutto, fresh mozzarella and rocket [arugula] - absolutely out of this world.) We had a wonderful dinner with Tom and his girlfriend, Breige, and it was nice to hang out with other people (not that we aren’t enjoying spending time with each other, because we are!).

Tom and Breige are activists in the Scarweather Sands Windfarm project.  This project proposed 30 off shore wind turbines, located about 3 miles from the shores of Cardiff and Swansea.  They lobbied against the installation of this site for many reasons.  First, it would have been a major eyesore for residents of the area and it could have negatively impacted tourism and surfing (Tom and Breige are semi-pro surfers).  Secondly, and more importantly, they were not impressed with the way in which the project went forward.  While the company proposing the site, United Utilities, formed an assembly to gauge public opinion, lawmakers went against the residents’ opposition and gave the “green light” to the project.  Furthermore, the scientific analysis of the environmental impact on the area completed by United Utilities was poorly done, and, quite frankly, not very scientific (our innkeeper in Swansea gave me a copy of the analysis). 

In my opinion, this situation represents a worst case scenario for wind power.  Its massive scale might set a precedent for what is acceptable, and open the door for larger and more intrusive sites. Furthermore, the poor relationship between the utility company, the government, and the local citizens set up a negative working relationship, giving green power a bad name.

We’re off to interview some pro-wind and anti-wind activists.  More updates to come!

Of Castles, Windmills and British Food

Sorry again for the lag between posts. Since we’re driving to so many places in order to get to remote sites not regularly frequented by public transit, we don’t always have time to search out an Internet cafe.

Anyway, on with the update!

On Sunday, we drove from Exeter to Tintagel (tin-TAJ-uhl), which is in Cornwall, on the southwestern coast of Great Britain. We chose Tintagel because of its proximity to Delabole, a village that has a 21-turbine wind farm. On the road to Tintagel, we caught our first glimpses of turbines as we traveled past the Cold Northcott wind farm. These giant turbines were spread across a private farm. Placing wind turbines (and one in the UK does NOT call them windmills, unless one wants to be met with a quizzical stare) on private farms is common because they disrupt only a small portion of the farmer’s land, and the utility companies are willing to pay a significant price to rent the land.

Once settled at our B&B in Tintagel, we talked with our innkeeper about wind farms. We asked him about the process by which a wind farm site is constructed, and he said that there is sometimes a public hearing, but often the public’s opinion does not carry significant weight. Town councils often override residents’ opinions. He spoke of a situation in the Scottish highlands, where an entire island is being converted to a wind farm. This island had been a popular tourist attraction for many British citizens, and residents of the area were concerned that this disruption of landscape could jeopardize their livelihood. However, local concern was overridden, because the British government has quotas to meet with regard to renewable energy, and the construction of this farm would help to satisfy that quota. By 2010, 10% of the UK has to use renewable energy.

We also visited the Delabole wind farm site, a distance of about 4 miles from Tintagel. Despite the hair-raising drive (picture yourself driving through a labrynth on a road that is 10 feet wide with 8-foot hedges on either side), we arrived at the Delabole site unscathed. This site has 10 giant turbines that can each produce 400kW of electricity for a total of 4.0MW of electricity, which can power roughly 4,000 homes (the average home requires 1kW of electricity a day). On the crest of an exposed hillside, the site was quite windy, and all the turbines were functioning. This was the first time we were able to get up close and personal with the turbines, and the sound was unique. They sound sort of like the whir of a washing machine combined with an intermittent high pitched tone. (We do have the sound on both audio and video, so you might just be lucky enough to see or hear them for yourself when we get back to the States!) On the premises of this wind farm was a large visitor center that had been built in attempt to make the site a tourist attraction. However, the center went bankrupt because of lack of interest.

We drove back to Tintagel and fully immersed ourselves in the lore of King Arthur. We first took a walk along the coast, down a path with tiny ponies (of which Peter is terrified–who knew?) and out to a cliff jutting over the sea. Then we climbed down the hill to Merlin’s Cave, where apparently Merlin did some sort of magic for King Arthur. (Or where a writer decided, several hundred years after King Arthur supposedly lived, that it would be a good setting for a magician, and so Merlin was invented.) From this cave, we climbed an incredibly steep staircase (picture steps that were approximately 6″ deep and 18″ high) to the ruins of an ancient castle. Peter amused himself by investigating the thousand year old latrine (a toilet jutting out over the cliff).

We hiked back up to the town and had dinner at Ye Old Malthouse. Peter had the decidedly un-British meal of a panini with ham, Cornish cheese, and pineapple, and Erin ordered steak and ale pie, a British standard. Surprisingly, the steak and ale pie was not a pie at all but tender pieces of steak swimming in a rich onion gravy accompanied by a fluffy roll, new potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, and swede (similar in taste to a turnip or parsnip). The steak and ale was one of the best things we’ve eaten so far. Really, all that talk about terrible British food isn’t very accurate. Except, perhaps, where breakfast is concerned. The standard hotel fare of the ”Full English Breakfast” consists of a fried egg, baked beans, a cooked plum tomato, mushrooms, bacon, sausage, toast, and tea or coffee. It’s a bit much for us, though we have eaten it a time or two!

We packed up the car during one of the worst rain storms Britain has seen recently and headed off for Wales. The drive took about four and a half hours – most of which was on the motorway – and we drove through some severe rainfall. The flooding in central UK may have made international news; it’s certainly the biggest story on the BBC (along, of course, with Paris Hilton’s release from prison).

Sorry for the delay in posting. We tried to use the Internet yesterday in Lyndhurst, but several angsty British teens were monopolizing the hotel’s one public computer. So that means we have a few things to update you on–none of which are really about renewable energy!

Yesterday we drove from Lyndhurst to Stonehenge, where we fully realized for the first time that we are, in fact, tourists. Despite the hoards of people wandering mindlessly listening to their free audio guides (yes, you could, at points, count us among those hoards–the audio guides were actually pretty informative), it was an incredibly impressive site. The sheer size of the stones–called sarsons–and their arrangement/design/assemblage are mind-boggling. The cloudy skies and treeless rolling landscape (plus thousands of goats and cows) gave the entire site a mystical air. And the Druid procession–complete with 40 modern Druids wearing capes and wielding staffs–certainly added to the atmosphere.

We then drove to Exeter, a distance of about 90 miles. Erin foolishly predicted that we would arrive in Exeter within two hours, a boast that soon proved to be a jinx. All throughout our travels, particularly on non-motorway roads (the British motorway is akin to an American turnpike), we wondered what one would do if one’s tiny British car broke down, since there are no shoulders. The answer is: one would be forced to stop one’s car on the roadway, thus causing a more than three mile and one hour traffic jam. Traffic notwithstanding, we eventually arrived in Exeter, tired, smelly, and hungry. Though the downtown is a bit of a maze, we serendipitously stumbled upon our hotel, a great little B&B recommended by Let’s Go. Our room was the only one on the top floor, and we had our own porch overlooking the rolling hillside of west Exeter. Now’s a good time to mention that we stupidly forgot our camera cable at home, which means we’re unable to upload any photos – at least until we go to a well-equipped Internet cafe. So our descriptions will have to suffice.

This morning, still in Exeter, we visited St. Peter’s Cathedral, a medieval church that was built in 1156 and survived the extensive bombing that occurred in the city during World War II. (We just passed a section of the main thoroughfare, High Street, that had been completely destroyed and was rebuilt during the early ’50s.) This cathedral is almost impossible to describe–huge, gorgeous, and full of intricate carvings.

We’re about to head out of Exeter, and if all goes according to plan, today will be the first day that we see wind farms! We’re headed to Cornwall, on the southwest coast of England. Perhaps we’ll run into King Arthur!

Peter & Erin’s Random Learnings

• The British don’t use bars of soap. They use shower gel.
• Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, and Gloria Estefan are ubiquitous. Surprisingly, James Blunt is not.
• If someone tells you it might “chuck buckets,” bring an umbrella.
• When crossing the street, look right, look left, look up, and look down. Because, as an American, you’re never quite sure from which direction the traffic is coming.
• Advice from a British motorist: “If it feels wrong, then you’re doing it right.”
• The British generally do not wear t-shirts with writing. Americans do. Only Americans. So when dining in a nice restaurant, do not wear your Moss Mountain Project t-shirt.

More Fuel For The Fire

Today was the last day of the Energy 2007 Conference. Presentation topics included renewable energy technology and fuel. Many of the participants had left the conference early, so there was only a small group of us left. Nonetheless, many of the presentations were interesting and informative and will be particularly useful for class next year.

• An Irish scientist studied the use of geothermal heating. In Maine, this technology is currently being used in large buildings such as the Bowdoin College dormatories. However, in Maine, a deep well is drilled, and water is pumped down, warmed by the earth’s natural heat, and brought back to the surface, where it is used to heat buildings. This Irish scientist discovered a way to bury water pipes one meter beneath asphalt parking lots. The black tar raises the ground’s temperature by up to 4C. As a result, when the water arrives at the building’s heating system, less energy is required to heat the water to the desired temperature.
• One of the most important presentations that I saw was given by an Australian engineering professor. He believes strongly in problem-based learning, and he has seen the benefits of having students complete hands-on projects. Naturally, I saw the connection to expeditionary learning. His students are designing a biodiesel motorcycle. They’re responsible for all steps in the design process including arranging funding, marketing the product, designing the engine, and building the motorcycle. During next year’s expedition, I hope to communicate with this scientist and to possibly have his students become “design mentors” to King students.
• A Canadian governmental scientist gave a presentation on the harmful effects of residential woodstoves. Heating your house by wood is not a very efficient process. In fact, only 1% of Canada’s energy comes from wood. However, residential wood burning is responsible for 30% of the fine particle polution in the air. I was surprised by this information and concerned, too, since I burn at least a cord of wood each winter to offset natural gas heating costs. This Canadian scientist is designing and installing lower-polluting woodstoves.
• Another presentation was given by a Japanese high school teacher. He challenges his students to design vehicles that use Sterling engines. These engines use compressed hydrogen or helium gas; as a result, they have zero carbon emissions. In addition, he developed a modification to Sterling engines that improves their performance.

Overall, attending this conference was very beneficial. I was able to learn about new technologies and theories surrounding renewable energy. I was also able to make contacts with academics that I hope to talk with during the next school year. It was also fun to be back in the “science world,” where someone presents his/her experiment and others question, critique, and comment on the report. I was happy to see that some of the things we do in my classroom are also done by professional scientists. They always start their reports by describing the problem they hope to investigate. They then describe their methods and show graphs of the results. Finally, they describe their conclusions and propose future work on the topic.