Watt's in the News? - Volume 24

As we work with students in the Information Age, it is easy to look up details/answers that have a specific answer. To help them develop more problem solving and critical thinking skills, facilitating discussions of topics like this that aren't as easily answered can lead to interesting and sometimes eye-opening conversations with students. In a lot of cases, we simply take things for granted and don't give a lot of thought to what's behind the scenes. Again, taking a step back to help students see connections in the bigger picture and involving local resources can be time well spent.

Published: May 16, 2023

Here are some additional articles with updates on some of these projects, such as the Grain Belt Express. As described in these articles, the environmental studies/approval process often followed by challenges in the courts can stretch these projects out for years before ground is ever broken to begin construction. With the large amounts of federal funding being directed at renewable energy projects through the recent Inflation Reduction Act, students will see another example of a Commoner’s Law of Ecology – “Everything is connected to everything else.”

Grain Belt Express, a four-state power line project, may finally pass in Missouri (stltoday.com)

Mountain Valley pipeline at a stalemate: What’s next? - E&E News (eenews.net)

Iowa Supreme Court blocks law favoring in-state electric grid developers | Reuters

Follow-up ideas:

Distributed generation (on-site) vs Centralized Generation as described in the articles above:

Distributed Generation of Electricity and its Environmental Impacts | US EPA

Understanding the Difference Between Distributed and Centralized Generation - Technical Articles (eepower.com)

This information is a good introduction to the NC3 Data Analytics certification #2 – Energy Analysis & Sustainability in Buildings.

Have a great week!