Monday, May 26, 2014

Learning about biomass and green growth

After a weekend exploring Copenhagen, it was time for us to get down to business and do some learning.
After a weekend exploring Copenhagen, it was time for us to get down to business and do some learning.

Today the group attended two lectures at the Niels Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen.

In the first lecture, green growth's principals and goals were explained and discussed. Green growth is a policy strategy designed by a coalition of countries that are focused on developing renewable energy. It has a very global focus, and the participants include countries like South Korea, Kenya, and Denmark, as well as groups such as the UN, EU, and OECD. The U.S. is not very active in green growth, unfortunately.

The second lecturer discussed the benefits of using biomass as a form of renewable energy. We learned about how implementing more efficient agricultural and waste disposal techniques could drastically decrease a country's dependence on fossil fuels.

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Our group also toured another incinerator plant just outside Copenhagen. This plant can convert one ton of waste to 2 and 2/3 mega-watt-hours of electricity. One hundred people help operate the plant. Constant operation is crucial, for the plant supplies electricity to two nearby hospitals.

incineratorplant.JPG

Outside the plant. We've got some goons in the back row.

The rest of the evening will be spent as free time in Copenhagen. I'm going to go rent a bike for the evening!