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                                                                                                                                                                                                                       SUBSCRIBE                   PREVIOUS ISSUES​

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​​​​Simply Solar?

​At first glance, the Executive Order 14057​ requirement of reaching 100% carbon pollution-free electricity (CFE) by 2030 may seem like it needs a mostly engineering-based solution. Given that, on average, 59% of the electricity in the US is currently generated from coal or natural gas, one could imagine that converting this portion of the grid to renewables like solar energy would solve this issue.¹ While this approach would undoubtedly help and switching to renewables represents an important step on the journey, there is a balance all solutions must strike between engineering-based and social-based action.

When exploring solar solutions, an important factor to consider is solar irradiance. This is a unit which represents the amount of solar energy a specific region receives based on its geospatial location.² While solar power can benefit any location, places with higher solar irradiance values receive more energy per area per second than others. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the United States reaches its yearly solar irradiance peaks in June-July and its yearly lows in December-January. On average, the highest solar irradiance values in the nation lie in the southwest, in states like Arizona, California, Nevada and New Mexico, while the lowest lie in the northeast, in states like Maine, Michigan, New York and Vermont.³

The solar irradiance values for the various NIH campuses across the United States range from 4.00 to 4.75 kWh/m2/day, making NIH campuses and the surrounding regions adequate candidates for solar.⁴ In terms of reaching 100 percent CFE, solar is a key component, but the entire solution will need added elements.

In order to compensate for the amount of electricity used at the NIH Bethesda Campus in FY2022, nearly every square inch of the campus and up to 7% of additional land would need to be covered with solar panels.⁵ That would be almost 670,000 panels installed, turning the Bethesda Campus into the biggest solar farm in the East Coast!⁶ Even at Rocky Mountain Laboratories, an NIH location with some of the lowest annual energy consumption amounts, over 35,000 solar panels would need to be installed to completely cover electricity demands. This would also cover almost half of the campus.⁷

Solar energy is one of the most versatile and accessible renewable energy sources available and its use is necessary to meet our energy and environmental needs. The key to transforming solar energy from a sustainable investment to the central factor in a CFE energy portfolio is by coupling it with commitments to reduce the amount of energy consumed. Practicing proper electronic stewardship, using our equipment as efficiently as possible and choosing to purchase energy-efficient options reduces the overall energy demand, which reduces the amount of solar needed to cover that energy demand.⁸ Creating a culture at the NIH that prioritizes energy efficiency through best management practices will reduce energy consumption, making it more feasible to utilize engineering solutions, including solar, to meet the NIH energy demand. Balancing engineering-based and social-based action is the most efficient path towards positive progress in our environmentally conscious journey.​​

​Spotlight                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

The NIH Green Labs Program with Bani Bhattacharya ​Bani Bhattacharya, the NIH Environmental Management System (NEMS) Program Manager in the Division of Environmental Protection, has been spearheading the NIH Green Labs Program since its early inception in 2016. Over the years, Bani has been able to improve awareness of environmental efforts by promoting and refining this self-assessment tool.​ LEA​RN MORE​​​​

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​	Phantom Loads and Vampire Power ​ ​It is a commonly held misconception that phantoms and vampires only come out during Halloween. But all throughout the year, many appliances at home, in the office and especially in lab spaces may have ghastly energy use tendencies.​ LEARN MORE​​

NEMS Training                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
Did you know? ​October is Energy Awareness Month, when we prioritize saving electricity! To learn more about energy conservation​​​​​​​, please visit the NEMS Training webpage to view a short (20 minute) NIH environmental awareness training video.