LightWorks Blog

Youth Town Hall: Weigh In on Arizona’s Energy Future
Wednesday, October 5, 2011

In partnership with Arizona State University and Maricopa Community Colleges, the Arizona Town Hall debuts its “Youth Town Hall” as an extension of its nearly 50 year old town hall event.

Photo Credit: Pink DispatcherPhoto Credit: REChargePhoto Credit: ScitizenPhoto Credit: Fast Company

This is a fantastic opportunity for students to voice their concerns about Arizona’s energy future. Students are the future leaders, and this rare opportunity will allow current industry leaders to interact with them and gain personal insight into the emerging thoughts and ideas of this next generation of leadership. Students are a key demographic group, and they offer a fresh and alternative perspective.

Arizona Town Hall addresses the state’s most pressing issues and is the leading incubator of solutions to these issues. Twice per year, the Town Hall convenes to focus on topics of direct relevance, and is attended by a variety of leaders across many different professions and political affiliations. Participants utilize this time to develop courses of action, and Town Hall staff then work to foster the implementation by relevant organizations statewide.

“With the launch of the Youth Town Hall, we’re taking a bold new step to see to it that Arizona’s future leaders are given a stake in that future today, and a voice in the process that will one day be theirs to oversee.” – Arizona Town Hall

The event will take place on October 12, 2011 from 4:00 – 8:30 p.m. at ASU’s Tempe Campus. Please view the flyer below for more information.

The event is FREE, but registration is required. Register here.

Learn more about the “Youth Town Hall” event.

We hope to see you all there!

 

Arizona BioEnergy Dome Creates "Eternal Springtime" in Navajo Nation
Friday, August 5, 2011

In the small Navajo town of Nataanii, Arizona there sits a white orb. It is a bioenergy dome, an anonymous gift given to the Navajo people. The dome is a second prototype of its kind created by Oregon-based Pacific Domes International. The dome offers sustainable solutions for both food and energy.

Photo Credit: Terra Noticias

Here is how it works: the algae and duckweed create biomass through solar energy conversion. The dome itself maintains an interior “eternal springtime” climate and has consistent, natural sunlight. Harvested plants are composted through a methane digester, and the methane is fed into a noise-free “Bear Genset” which then converts the thermal heat into kW energy. The by-products are cycled back into the dome as plant fertilizer. The only emissions, CO2 and water vapor, are also cycled back into the dome as plant food. The dome only requires an hour of maintenance once or twice per day and can be adjusted to fit specific energy needs. Additionally, inventor Rudy Behrens was a recipient of the “Best Renewable Energy Award” at the New Jersey Technology Council Venture Conference.

The Navajo Bioenergy Dome is already producing astonishing results. The pod is completely self-sustaining, and when used at full capacity, the dome has the ability to produce about 11 pounds of organic vegetables per day, about 100-150 pounds of fish per year, and enough methane to power a modern home. There are multileveled trays of hydroponic vegetables used to supply food for fish in the pond. The fish farm, unlike most, is self-cleaning and does not require chemicals. Together, the fish and vegetables supply a clean and consistent food source for the reservation.

Photo Credit: Truman Anderson

Rex Lee Jim, Vice President of the Navajo Nation, is excited about the opportunities the dome presents. He hopes it will bring a more ancestral diet to the reservation, and provide a way to move younger people away from junk food while also creating a renewable, sustainable power source.

 

 

Student Entrepreneurs and Sustainability—It’s the Perfect Mix
Thursday, July 28, 2011

 



The NCIIA Open Minds 2011 Conference, held in Washington DC this year, is a public exhibition where students from all over can demonstrate their talent. This conference involved teams from Purdue University, Duke University, John Hopkins University, and of course, Arizona State University, to name a few.

ASU students showcased two energy products, one of which is being tested in Domeabra, Ghana. The first of the two products is a Gel-Fuel stove that uses ASU-produced ethanol which allows it to burn cleanly. The main objective of this prototype is provide a clean burning stove that decreases health risks and the environmental impact, thus providing a more sustainable way of living.

The second product is called the Twig Light and produces clean electric light from current waste energy like twigs. The Twig Light is comprised of a thermoelectric generator, a combustion chamber in the upper section, and a pan of water in the lower section. Material such as twigs are placed into the upper chamber and heated, providing a temperature difference between the upper and lower sections. Once this occurs, the thermoelectric generator starts and sends a current that powers the light.

Combining young entrepreneurship and sustainability seems to be a match made in heaven. Phil Weilerstein, Executive Director if the NCIIA, believes that society has a strong need for young entrepreneurs. He stated that "The need for innovation and entrepreneurial engineers is at an all-time high…NCIIA is looking forward to applying its expertise to helping universities build cultures of innovation on their campuses, and to supporting the entrepreneurial endeavors of engineering students and faculty."

Solar Cooling System Used at Phoenix Light Rail Station
Tuesday, July 12, 2011

During the summer months, it seems Arizona residents try desperately to hold onto their sanity as temperatures reach almost 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Stepping out into the scorching weather is something we try to avoid at all costs, but for those who ride the light rail to get to and from places, it's unavoidable. Not only do riders have to walk through the heat to get to the light rail station, but they also have to wait while beads of sweat form on their faces.

Who's Going Solar in AZ?
Monday, June 27, 2011

The Valley of the Sun is quickly raising awareness about the power of solar and residents, businesses, schools, and even professional sports teams are doing their part to power this state with solar energy. Here are a few examples of solar power being implemented in different areas around the state:

 

Diamondbacks Chase Field

At Chase Field, a new solar array has been constructed outside of the building, providing customers shade while buying their ticket and electric car charging stations and battery storage. These solar panels were built in order to reduce the amount of energy that the stadium used, so now baseball fans can watch the game and go green while doing it.

Anzio Landing

Anzio Landing in Mesa has become the first fully solar powered restaurant in Arizona. One of the main attractions of this restaurant is the solar powered covered parking. This family restaurant wanted to do what they could to reduce their impact on the environment and lower their energy bill—and they did just that. Their $1.3 million dollars in energy savings makes them a energy leader in the restaurant industry.

Buckeye Elementary School District

What better way to teach students about green energy than by using it in their schools? The solar panels used in every school in the district will cover approximately 70% of districts energy usage. The solar panels will be used mainly on the covered parking areas, but Buckeye Elementary will be having panels installed on the roof as well.

White Stallion Dude Ranch

One of the places you would expect to exclude solar is a ranch, but the White Stallion Dude Ranch in Tucson is now powering 30-40% of their facility with solar. The ranch plans to expand their energy efforts and turn their ranch into an eco-paradise for ranch lovers.

Arizona State University

ASU has gone above and beyond when it comes to researching and implementing renewable energy right on campus. Faculty, as well as students, are becoming involved in this movement. Research labs, clubs, and initiatives like ASU Lightworks are all working together to spread the news about renewable energy and powering our Earth from the sun.

From installing solar panels in several buildings on campus to hosting presentations to educate others about sustainability, ASU is doing everything to become the face of solar in Arizona.


 

ASU and UA Team Up on ARID Raceway Algae Test Bed
Monday, January 9, 2012

Arizona State University (ASU) and the University of Arizona (UA) have joined forces through ASU’s AzCATI facilities to expand algae biofuel research through the ARID Raceway open test bed site located in Tucson.

ASU Energy Club Students Speak Up About “Arizona’s Energy Future”
Tuesday, February 28, 2012

On February 2nd, the ASU Energy Club partnered with Arizona Town Hall, bringing an ASU energy-concerned student presence to their “Arizona’s Energy Future” road show as part of their inaugural town hall event. Stemming from the Youth Town Hall discussion on October 12th, which was open to all college and high school students across the state, this event was created to further address student concerns and provide them with an outlet to express their opinions on the future of energy in Arizona.