What is PSU's vision to align ‘Sustainability’ research and educational programs with the quickly escalating public & private sector demand for technology research innovation, skilled graduates and thought leaders pursuing various angles around the societal imperative of ‘Sustainability’?
See recording for President Barron's reply.
President Barron, as implied by the video we viewed, should Penn State specifically position and brand itself as the world’s leading SUSTAINABLE Energy University?
See recording for President Barron's reply.
I would be interested to hear your views on the potential role that advanced nuclear reactor technology can play in providing a green, clean energy future, and in particular how Penn State could participate in helping that promising part of the energy solution become a reality.
See recording for President Barron's reply.
What direction are you hoping to see from the incoming Biden administration when it comes to support for energy- and environmental-related research and education?
See recording for President Barron's reply.
Esther Obonyo: We expect the renovation of buildings for resource efficiency to be one of the major initiatives supported by the post-recovery stimulus package.
Dr. Barron, what do you feel is the one most important message on energy which we can convey to our external public stakeholders while we interact with them during our ongoing Extension and Outreach programs?
See recording for President Barron's reply.
To add to a previous question, the solar industry is growing despite regulatory impediments in Pennsylvania. If all of the solar currently in the queue in PA were to be built today, it would supply 5% of PA’s power, covering approximately 40k acres of land and employing thousands of Pennsylvanians. Will you commit to a significant increase in educational and workforce training for that industry through faculty hires in teaching and research faculty as well as outreach and extension staff in the next two years?
See recording for President Barron's reply.
Much of this presentation has focused on the technical and business contributions at PSU which are impressive but what are we willing to do about issues of accessibly and equity? Those are questions that demand social science and humanities disciplines contributions. How is Penn State going to include those areas particularly in regard to international work?
Esther Obonyo: For the Global North, the building sector’s desired outcome of growing the renovation rates from 2% to 5% annually predicates on the participation of researchers from the social sciences and humanities. In the Global South we have a big interest in adapting and transferring learnings of things that have not worked in terms of making building related interventions human-centered. We are also believe that valuable insights can be extracted from the kind of frugal innovation that occurs in the Global South. All these efforts require a transdisciplinary approach.
What is Penn State doing (or planning to do) to advertise as well as strategically organize/support the existing educational programs related to energy?
Bruce Logan: We have completed a review of renewable energy courses and will set up a forum on energy education to discuss moving forward for the larger energy topics. I hope to see a university committee specifically addressing this question of organizing and supporting these educational programs.
Where can we find the recording?
Energy University Community Forum #1 Recording
Isn’t a hot world incompatible with nuclear—nuclear also uses a lot of water.
Bruce Logan: It is true that nuclear power plants consume water for cooling purposes, as do coal, natural gas, and biomass combustion for electricity. In the US 48% of water use is for power plant cooling. Water use can be greatly reduced at a power plant using cooling towers (large towers you see at many plants). But the water use is not eliminated.
Is international collaboration a focus of this initiative? In some ways universities in Asia and Africa are on the cutting edge of energy sustainability because they are in dynamic markets.
Esther Obonyo: We have strategic partners in both Asia and Africa. Within the Global Building Network, we know that the bulk of new construction between now and 2050 will occur in the Global South. We cannot reach our decarbonization targets without embracing the development priorities and of Asia and Africa. We also have reinforcement from Global Programs. Rob Crane is currently leading conversations on Strategic Partnerships in Africa
Rachel Brennan: Rob Crane is also leading discussions on strategic partnerships in Latin America.
How does PSU intend to fund the initiatives for CO2 reductions, as PSU is currently committing to and trying to implement unfunded mandates?
Esther Obonyo: Within the Global Building Network, we are doing resource mobilization through joint proposal development. These are for submission to the NSF, NIH and foundations. We welcome anyone who wants to participate in our resource mobilization efforts.
Much of University Park's energy needs is still steam-based which is fossil fuel and CO2 intensive. How does PSU plan to transition away from this steam dependence?
Bruce Logan: While true, great progress has been made in purchasing solar electricity (meeting ~25% of Penn State’s energy demand). The replacement of the coal plant on the main campus with natural gas has cut emissions. There are ongoing discussions now on how to go further. In the future fossil fuel does not have to be eliminated if sufficient CO2 sequestration can be achieved.
How does this information reach small towns committed to using diesel generators for peak shaving, put in gas lines in 2019? No interest in building efficiency and no sustainability program or goals?
Esther Obonyo: Some of the initial work has leaned heavily on partnerships with our Commonwealth Campuses. Through the synergies with Penn State New Kensington, for example, we identified an opportunity to advance the multiple benefits of energy efficiency with community development. They have several old buildings with households experiencing energy burden as well as poor health outcomes. We are working with them to identify pathways for making the renovations work for the community through addressing all these issues. We are also having similar dialogues with Penn State Beaver campus that revolve around unlocking multiple benefits of renovations.
Regarding the potential of biofuels, what role can PSU's "Energy University" vision play to drive innovation around anaerobic digestion technologies to accelerate the potential of sustainable "Renewable Natural Gas" (RNG) & subsequent negative GHG emissions (a 'Drawdown' solution). RNG technology research & innovation strikes me as the birth of a 'Sustainable' industry similar to how long-reach horizontal drilling technology innovation unlocked the potential of shale gas globally in the O&G industry.
Tom Richard: Over the last several years the fastest growing sector of biomass energy has anaerobic digestion to produce renewable natural gas. In 2019 I mentored a team of Drawdown Scholar students on this topic and their work helped us win a new USDA grant with Iowa State, of which Penn State’s share is $4 million over the next five years. Stay tuned! C-CHANGE: https://cchange.research.iastate.edu/
For Seth Blumsack: Do you have or would you consider working on energy in regard to Sub-Saharan Africa?
Seth Blumsack: If you are already working there, what are your activities?
Lee Kump: AESEDA has a number of new MOUs with institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa around energy, environment and health. Please contact Greg Jenkins in Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences.
Esther Obonyo: Energy insecurity and problems connected to indoor pollutants arising from the use of wood fuels systems are one of the priority areas of need. In the Spring Semester we hosted one of the finalists for the Million Cool Roof Challenge. He is based in Kenya. In addition to supporting new activities, we can also help with the dissemination of learnings. In Fall 2020, we co-hosted a Webinar where the Executive Director of the UN HABITAT was the keynote speaker. Sub-Saharan Africa is a big part of their portfolio. The synergy with the UNEP-led Global Alliance for Building Construction is relatively new. We welcome additional input as we shape that partnership. We also welcome initiatives that are led by other people.
For Rachel Brennan: Is there any active research into carbon sequestration at Penn State, in College of E, EMS, etc?
Question was relayed to Bruce Logan: Yes, we have researchers studying natural carbon capture and sequestration (NCS) in biomass (part of my talk), carbon capture by engineering means, and CO2 sequestration through injection of concentrated CO2 solutions. We need to do more in this area due to its importance for the future carbon emissions balance. We will not eliminate fossil fuel use and the excess CO2 already in the atmosphere will also need to be reduced, so capture and sequestration technologies are essential to address climate change.
A study demonstrated that only 12% of US adults could pass a basic energy literacy quiz. Policy makers at the state and local level are drawn from the general population so we may assume that their energy literacy mirrors or may be slightly better than the average adult. Can we imagine ways to enhance energy literacy among policy makers who are making decisions that have long range and lasting impacts?
Eric Reinhard: There is a very successful model of policymaker education in the social science and health space that could perhaps be leveraged for energy and climate issues. https://www.research2policy.org/
Seth Blumsack: On education for policymakers, we have periodically run continuing ed sessions for regulators, legislators, judges, etc. on how energy systems work and why that is relevant for legal and regulatory decisions. This hasn’t been a formal and regular program but has been useful.
Esther Obonyo: Within the Global Building Network, we are leveraging synergies with organizations that have boots on the ground to identify opportunities for developing education modules that address the needs of the locals. Our synergies with the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy provides some pathways for generating the kind of educational content that can resonate well with policy makers. We are also partnering with the Philadelphia Energy Authority and the City of Pittsburgh.
Bruce Logan: We also need to educate students at Penn State on these energy topics so that as alumni they can help to increase energy and climate change literacy. We are working on it!
There has been limited discussion of environmental justice in the presentations so far. How will PSU work to integrate EJ concerns into the Energy University?
Esther Obonyo: Addressing issues related to energy burden, energy insecurity and all the problems linked to poor performing buildings that adversely impact low-income households and vulnerable populations is a priority for the Global Building Network. Doing this right will require an increased participation of underrepresented groups. This Webinar (Diversity in Positions of Influence – BRE Trust) which featured the Executive Director of UN Habitat exemplifies some of the initiatives we have underway in our effort to address this need in an inclusive and participatory manner.
To Bruce Logan: On the collaborative efforts you're promoting on energy transitions, green hydrogen surfaces as an important component. Europe in some ways seems to be taking the lead. Do you see the PSU initiative partnering closely from the beginning with European academic and industry voices?
Jacqueline O'Connor: One of the H2 technologies that's a focus of Bruce's Consortium for Integrated Energy Systems is gas turbines. At Penn State, we have a close relationship with all the major manufacturers and their reach is international. You are correct, however, that we're definitely play catch up in the US!
Bruce Logan: We are doing some work on H2 here at Penn State, but we could be doing more. We do look forward with partnering for more effective solutions to green hydrogen production. It is needed particularly for energy storage, large vehicle transportation, and fertilizer production.
Tom Richard: We have an informal collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy in Germany. The leader of their hydrogen program has visited Penn State twice and there is much we can learn from them.
Can someone talk more about the resources or infrastructure at Penn State that will help the ideas that we come up with, get out of the university and become real (commercial) solutions?
Lee Kump: We are expanding partnerships with external stakeholders and research partners, including some alums in high places in the energy sector. As we shift focus toward solutions, those partnerships will facilitate those translations.
Tom Richard: Specific resources include Invent Penn State and the Office of Industrial Partnerships.