Solar Panel Proposal for Trenton, NJ Government Buildings

Introduction: Population and Problem

In recent years, climate change has received increasing attention around the world, with national leaders convening for special meetings on the topic of the environment and how to protect it. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in late 2015 is the most notable example, with representatives from every country — from Vladimir Putin of Russia to Barack Obama of the United States — agreeing to a global initiative to move their respective countries toward the adoption of clean energy in the coming years (Robbins, 2016). It may therefore be said without doubt that people globally are noticing climate change and its effects and taking part in the solution to stem the tide of global warming. It is also clear, as research indicates, that companies such as Solar City are dedicated to advancing the interests of solar energy and changing our world for the better. As its Chief Executive Officer, you work with governments to encourage and aid the progression of solar installation, creating a new renewable source of energy that decreases the burning of fossil fuels and lowers carbon emissions in the environment. This is a sound method for advancing the directives of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

One problem area that has come to our attention is Trenton, New Jersey. New Jersey continues to depend on fossil fuels for energy. While energy is vital in everyday life and in the broader economy, local governments should be aware of the alternatives available to them as they look toward implementing a clean energy policy in accordance with the guidance suggested by United Nations member states. A popular argument against transitioning from traditional energy sources to clean energy is that such a change would lead to worker layoffs and further damage the American economy. Although many employees currently make a living from fossil fuels, we are inevitably creating our own destruction by relying upon them. Moreover, the closing of one sector does not mean that another cannot open to replace it. As the world turns toward clean energy, more jobs can open in the solar power sector. This is precisely where Solar City comes into play.

Solar panels have been proposed as a remedy to the destruction caused by fossil fuels. Implementing solar panels is beneficial in multiple ways: it reduces the use of fossil fuels, saves money, and represents the future of energy. PV Magazine, a newsletter covering all photovoltaic market technology, announced that "SolarCity closed on a $188 million financing of residential solar projects through its renewable energy tax equity program with Bank of America Merrill Lynch and another unnamed investor" (Rosellund, 2016). That deal was made at the same time the company sealed another $150 million deal with Credit Suisse. In short, Solar City is putting people to work and helping to create a world that is more energy-efficient, greener, and cleaner.

Solar City is well known as a leading innovative financer of solar development. Its main goal is to implement a better source of energy in order to reduce emissions and save money. With the research presented below, it is clear that this project will further reinforce Solar City's vision of safeguarding the environment, improving people's lives, building a diverse and inclusive workplace, strengthening communities, and helping those in need around the globe (Rive, 2015). Solar City's high interest in renewable energy sources, its focus on engineering for system optimization, and its commitment to confronting climate change make it an excellent candidate to support a proposal to help Trenton, New Jersey retrofit its existing government buildings with solar panels in order to reduce the city's carbon emissions and dependence on fossil fuels for energy.

Climate Issues and New Jersey's Energy Challenge

Why Trenton, New Jersey? For one, Trenton is already promoting the use of solar power through its Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SREC) program, which allows solar energy providers to claim credits that can be used to generate income from utilities companies. For another, New Jersey is well aware that it is fast approaching a crisis point: "Unless New Jersey acts decisively to reduce energy demand and increase the supply of low-carbon-emitting, reliable and reasonably priced energy, the state faces an increasingly costly and unsustainable energy future" (NJLM, 2015).

The burning of fossil fuels causes the release of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and chlorofluorocarbons — greenhouse gases that pollute the air. According to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (2012), approximately 90% of New Jersey's greenhouse gas emissions are caused by the burning of fossil fuels, which is also responsible for 30 million metric tons of carbon dioxide produced each year from energy generation. Many greenhouse gases remain in the atmosphere for long periods of time (Environmental Protection Agency, 2014), and the two main contributors of carbon dioxide are electricity generation and transportation — both significant factors in Trenton. According to the EPA (2014), "electricity and transportation emit about 38% and 32% of carbon dioxide, respectively." Even after emissions cease, elevated atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations will persist for hundreds of years. Carbon dioxide emissions are directly correlated with global warming. As Vogt (2012) noted, "climate change has many growing dangers; global warming is not fiction, but science." With the right science and the right support, New Jersey's dependence on fossil fuels can be corrected.

Significance and the Case for Action

New Jersey is also significant as an east-coast state where energy reform has been a major policy platform in recent years. By helping the state and its capital city to reform the way they use energy, an example can be set for the rest of the country and the world, demonstrating that energy and environmental concerns can and should be just as important to local and state governments as issues of crime, economics, and pensions. As it now stands, New Jersey's dependency on non-renewable resources, rather than renewable sources such as solar panels, makes it part of the problem. As NASA's climate research explains, "over the last century the burning of fossil fuels like coal and oil has increased the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂). This happens because the coal or oil burning process combines carbon with oxygen in the air to make CO₂" (Global Climate Change, 2005).

In order to keep the Earth viable, it is imperative that action be taken. "The burning of coal emits between 1.4 and 3.6 pounds of carbon dioxide per kilowatt, whereas solar energy only emits 0.07 to 0.2 pounds of carbon dioxide per kilowatt" (Benefits of Renewable Energy, 2015). That is a drastic difference that can only aid the environment. In 2015, the United States produced a total of 1,925 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, and 71% of that total came from burning coal. It is clearly a major contributor to the emission of dangerous greenhouse gases, making the switch to renewable energy essential. Fortunately, New Jersey has committed to lowering these emission levels by 80% by 2050 (Andrews, 2007), signaling that the state is ready and willing to make a change — which means now is the time to act.

Climate change also poses unacceptable risks to economies and security (Vogt, 2012). According to the United States Department of Commerce (2013), the repair and response cost for Hurricane Sandy alone was approximately $36.9 billion. A majority of those expenses were directed toward construction — individual assistance, housing, business recovery, schools, and labor. Furthermore, in the midst of that spending, many people lost their jobs as businesses were destroyed and roads were blocked. Gas stations could not be restocked, and transportation across the state became impossible. If action is taken now, new jobs can be brought to areas where they are currently scarce. Trenton, New Jersey could be the very first step in a long line of clean energy interventions.

Literature Review: Research, Tax Incentives, and Models of Success

The first solar panels were created in the mid-1950s by Bell Labs. The idea was to create a renewable energy source that was clean: solar panels absorbed light from the sun and converted it into energy. Since the 1950s, solar energy has grown into a substantial market (Davis, 2007). Not only has solar power advanced in the intervening decades, but the cost of producing solar energy has decreased significantly, making it an affordable and attractive alternative to burning fossil fuels (Denholm et al., 2013).

Numerous studies have examined the application of solar power in urban settings. The study by Freitas et al. (2015) examines the potential of using solar power in cities, which are identified as "complex environments, where solar radiation is unevenly distributed, especially since urban features started to propagate more and more vertically" (p. 915). The 2D and 3D models used by the researchers to represent how solar energy can be harnessed in cityscapes is an effective tool for city managers and policy-makers contemplating the implementation of solar energy in urban areas. The study is helpful in pointing out that the means to understand how to harness energy even in challenging settings is available, thanks to advancements in modeling, technology, and innovation.

The study by Redweik, Catita, and Brito (2013) examines a method for assessing solar potential in urban areas by analyzing the roofs and facades of buildings. Models are created using digital elevation models from LiDAR data, and shadow calculations for direct light and the sky view factor are used to determine the approximate amount of diffuse radiation. The study finds that building facades constitute a substantial area for urban solar power potential. This supports the proposal to bring solar power to the urban setting of Trenton, New Jersey, reinforcing the idea that roofs and facades of government buildings in Trenton can serve as suitable platforms for renewable solar energy panels.

The study by Santos et al. (2014) shows that before applying solar energy processes to urban areas, managers must first understand how solar systems are geographically distributed in the region. The study finds that tall buildings are well-suited for producing electricity for a city and that the best vantage points for converting facades and roofs into solar power generators can be assessed using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data. The cumulative statistics resulting from these models provide information about a city's photovoltaic (PV) potential and inform city managers about whether solar energy would be a fruitful investment for that particular setting.

Each of these studies is helpful because it shows how models can be applied to gauge the feasibility of using solar power in a city like Trenton. There are also additional reasons supporting solar power in the city, including the concept of tax incentives. In New Jersey, the Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SREC) program falls into this category. The program stipulates that if a solar power system produces 1,000 kWh, the producer receives a credit added to their account. These credits are accumulated and then sold to utilities companies, which count the solar energy producer's output as income (Climate Action Plan, 2010). Thus, the city of Trenton already promotes the use of solar energy through its tax incentives program. The city also offers Cleaner Renewable Energy Bonds, which amount to a low- or no-interest loan for solar power providers to install solar energy equipment. Investing in solar energy in Trenton, New Jersey is therefore a project strongly promoted by the city itself as well as by the state.

Examples of successful solar power implementation have already been documented in other areas. In Union County, more than 20 solar panels were installed at zero cost to state taxpayers across more than 40 buildings and open-air lots, with total power output surpassing 3 megawatts — enough electricity for roughly 700 homes (Hutchins, 2011). If this much electricity can be generated from the surfaces of just 40 buildings and lots, far more could be generated by utilizing all available surface area. These panels also help cut costs: more than $4 billion will be saved as a result of this clean energy usage (Hutchins, 2011).

Nearby Delaware has seen similar results. Sixteen thousand solar panels were installed over a 20-acre area, producing more than 4 megawatts of power — equivalent to eliminating the carbon emissions of over 1,000 cars (Delaware Ranked Seventh in the Nation for Solar Energy, 2014). The advantages of implementing solar power panels in regions that can sustain them are clear: the approach is both cost-effective and environmentally responsible.

The 21st century presents new challenges that are both aesthetic and environmental. The concept of collaborative consumption and the share-space economy can support the infrastructural framework for this pursuit. Sustainability and renewable energy are important topics for the next generation, and the collaborative consumption model is a crucial one in today's business world, with companies such as Airbnb, Uber, and Zipcar serving as examples of how entities and individuals can work together to share spaces and purposes for outcomes that benefit all.

The collaborative consumption model fits well with the concept of using existing government buildings as platforms for energy-producing solar panels. This approach is collaborative in the sense that no new infrastructure is needed — no laying of new groundwork or developing new systems. The infrastructure is already in place; all that is required is for it to be outfitted with panels that can be constructed and attached to both roof surfaces and facades, anywhere the sun's rays can reach. These buildings can serve the purposes of local government while simultaneously doubling as energy-producing partners. This is a truly collaborative, share-space economy project that the next generation can be proud of.

In this model, what is consumed less is energy — specifically, the burning of fossil fuels for electricity — and what is utilized more is existing space already present throughout the city. This is what "going green" means in practice, and it is at the heart of the eco-friendly system that the next generation will need in order for the planet to continue to function effectively (Botsman, 2010).