Loop City and Energy Efficiency
In the Loop City segment, Bjarke Ingles brings up the subject of energy efficiency by describing how development of the new transit system would combine Sweden’s hydro-electricity and Denmark’s wind power. This combination of power grids would in turn create a continuous loop of energy supplying both regions with alternating power sources thereby reducing the likelihood of brownouts or blackouts.
As summer begins to heat up, we are reminded that power drain is a major source of concern for most urban areas. The great northeast blackout in 2003 affected more than 55 million people in densely populated areas, such as Cleveland, Baltimore and New York. A computer failure in an already stressed and deteriorating system caused one of the most widespread power outages in history.
Since the blackout urban areas have ramped up contingency plans for the possibility of future events, including increased training of emergency service providers, harsher penalties for price gauging during times of crisis and emergency alert systems that run on alternative power. Energy saving campaigns were also implemented with media reminders to individuals and business owners to set their thermostats higher in the summer months and lower in the winter months, to buy new, energy-saving CFL light bulbs and to provide incentives to those who purchase energy-saving appliances with cash refunds. Other reminders to limit energy consumption have become commonplace.
Do you think your community is doing enough to prevent another power failure like the northeast blackout? What are some measures you take on a daily basis to limit your energy consumption?
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- groups:
- Urban Mobility, Urban Mobility 2011
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- DominicBlackwellCooper
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