The city of renewable energy
In the country of the denial of climate change as we confirmed in the article when Donald Trump prohibits the expression "climate change" in his administrations or of disheveled fracking. There is a small city of about 43,000 inhabitants that is the sustainable energy paradise, the population is only supplied by energy generated by renewable sources. We are talking about the city of Burlington, located in the northeastern United States.
It all started a few years ago with the purchase of a small hydroelectric plant on the Winooski river that provided 7.4 MW. This is where one of those feats began to unfold that many of us would like to participate in, try to source only from renewable energy sources.
Of course it has not been a bed of roses as the administration has verified several times, but one of the pillars to achieve the objective has been citizen participation at all levels, both of social and personal commitment, as well as continuous participation.
Today this city is considered one of the best places to live in the United States and is confirmed by numerous guides in the United States.
Today the city can boast of an energy combo that includes biomass (45%), hydroelectricity (30%), wind (24%) and solar (1%). Although obviously for energy peaks it is necessary to use non-renewable sources.
Yes, it is true that if we look from the perspective of constructive criticism, the use of biomass has an undoubted advantage, being in a rural area, given access to a fuel at a very low cost that is also incentivized for farmers to contribute material. . An undoubted advantage that from a large city it may not be feasible to achieve that 45% supply by biomass in a consistent way.
An interesting infographic provides us with data on the estimated costs for energy efficiency improvements in a Burlington family home:
Some experts influence that the initiative is being viable due to a social issue, although obviously the administration must bet 100% on this project, the kit of the question has been to permeate the entire lifestyle of its inhabitants.
We must remember that, Following a study by the Pew Research Center, it seems that 65% of Americans believe that alternative energies such as solar and wind should be prioritized, compared to 27% who believe that they should focus on oil, coal or natural gas.
More information in the article on Trump's follies against renewables.
The professor of Ecological Economics at the University of Vermont, Taylor Ricketts, emphasizes that … “There is nothing magical about Burlington. Nature has not given us more hours of sunshine, stronger winds or more powerful rivers than in other places. So if we can do it, so can others ”.
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