“when they are gone from nature, we will have already worked to preserve them,” says jóhanna erla, the director of marketing at the perlan museum. a year ago, the perlan opened its ice caves exhibit – even integrating snow and ash from nearby volcanoes into that first-ever indoor glacier replica. but soon, ice caves like the perlan’s may be all that’s left for visitors. in 2003, iceland held a funeral for okjökull, the country’s first glacier to vanish from climate change. researchers estimate that by 2200 almost all of them will be gone. 

historically a geological menace for icelandic settlers, these icy goliaths have recently become a growing major attraction in the country’s robust tourism economy, along with providing the backbone of its energy infrastructure. but iceland’s population is over 4 times smaller than the number of international visitors, and the tourism boom comes at a carbon cost: despite iceland’s comparatively low greenhouse gas emissions, which advance global warming, visitors to iceland contribute to a surprisingly high proportion of iceland’s carbon emissions. with so much on the line, an uncertain future leaves the tourism industry scrambling to decide how best to share the experience of their glaciers before they’re gone.

iceland’s glaciers grew over thousands of years as layers of snow compressed under their own weight to form hulking, crystalline expanses of ice, streaked with remnants of volcanic ash. encompassing 11% of the country’s land, glaciers once posed a danger to early icelandic settlers as they melted seasonally, flooding valleys and creating torrential rivers that restricted travel. now, they captivate more than an estimated million visitors a year with their signature, ethereal blue glow. such nature-seeking tourists provide 39% of the country’s gdp and support almost half of its jobs. and in a country that boasts almost 100% renewable energy, more than 70% of it comes from hydropower that relies on water from glacier melt.

“the future is pretty scary, safe to say,” says andri gunnarsson, the chairman of the icelandic glaciology society and manager of hydrological and glaciological research at landsvirkjun, the national power company of iceland. “[iceland’s glaciers] will disappear. there’s no more uncertainty; it’s just about the timing.” as their glaciers vanish, iceland’s energy landscape, tourism attractions, and economy will have to adapt.

along with facilitating seasonal field work, gunnarsson leads guests and scientific researchers on seasonal glacier expeditions in iceland. from huts maintained by the glaciological society, researchers can get up close to glaciers to track their melt while in dialogue with people outside academia, like artists. for gunnarsson, engaging different parts of society with the reality of the climate crisis is an important step toward educating the public.

“we know the data but scientists aren’t always the best people to tell a story,” he says, while acknowledging the complexity of having visitors travel from abroad for his expeditions. “you want people to witness climate change, but at the same time it’s fueling the climate crisis.”

this irony is not lost on the country’s officials. “you can’t really compare anything called tourism in my youth with what it is today. it’s just changed so dramatically,” says Ólöf Ýrr atladóttir, former director general of icelandic tourism. in her 10 years as director, atladóttir often puzzled over how to solve the tourist industry’s crowd-management issues. during her tenure, she says she contemplated a disneyland-like approach to managing crowded natural tourist attractions. many popular sites, such as hot-steam geysers, glaciers, and volcanos, are dangerous for visitors in such large numbers, she says. by curating the experience more, she believes visitors would get a safer and more sustainable experience.

“people travel because they want to have an expression of freedom, and we have to maintain that,” atladóttir said. “but if i was a glacier, how would i look at what is happening?” according to the iceland monitor, more than 80% of tourists rent cars during their stay and arrive by plane or ship, which are high emission methods of travel.

now running and operating her own travel agency, atladóttir says losing glaciers would be complicated for the economy and come with difficult consequences for the country. but in the face of inevitable change, atladóttir advocates for future planning that considers potential new attractions that melting glaciers might reveal, such as river rafting. “conservation sometimes is looking at nature as a static thing, but glaciers have always grown, receded and changed,” she says. “you have to think, are you preserving [nature] just because you happen to be there and you like the way it is?”

at the perlan museum, the world’s first attempt at preserving the experience of a glacier proved tricky. to test such a large ice structure, the museum used a decommissioned fishery warehouse freezer, mimicking the layer-by-layer compression of snow that forms real glacier ice. although the museum opened six years ago, due to logistics and covid-19 related challenges, the ice caves exhibition has only recently celebrated one uninterrupted year of operation. the completed exhibit is held inside one of the six water tanks that the museum is built on, and features real snow from the nearby bláfjöll mountains, and volcanic ash sourced from eyjafjallajökull, a volcano that last erupted in 2010. 

today, visitors can descend into a blue-ice series of tunnels under the perlan for a completely instagrammable glacier experience. along with touchable recreations of glacier moss and frigid temperatures, visitors can pose at the selfie station or on the “game of thrones”-inspired ice-throne before ascending out of the exhibit into a climate change exhibition on glacier melt.

“of course it’s going to be different, because you aren’t actually going there. because not everyone can,” says erla, the director of marketing at the perlan. “it’s about learning, getting a sense of the deep cold and experiencing the inside of the cave.” even while real glaciers exist, she says visitors come to ice cave for its accessibility. due to the danger of visiting real glacial ice caves, such as unpredictable weather and rough terrain, erla says going to an ice cave may not be safe for all tourists. located near travel ports in reykjavík and running on renewable energy, the ice caves exhibit also provides a glacier experience at a relatively low carbon cost.

while some glacier hiking tour companies may be utilizing a “see them before they’re gone” strategy in their marketing, erla says the perlan is only in the business of education. like gunnarsson, she views the experience of a glacier as an important part of understanding their significance. “i don’t think climate change is a selling point. i think it’s just reality,” she says, noting that artificial ice caves could eventually replace lost glaciers as a tourist attraction. at the perlan, visitors can also experience other recreations of nature, such as a virtual northern lights show or learn about the great auk, a now-extinct icelandic bird.

glaciers were historically “just a part of the landscape,” but as awareness of climate impacts has increased among the population, erla, gunnarsson, and atladóttir all say that they have become an important icelandic symbol. “just look at our flag,” erla says. “it represents ice, fire, and water. it’s part of the country.” 

for atladóttir, thorough future planning by icelandic officials is a critical, and historically overlooked, key to developing sustainable tourism that can recover after glaciers melt. but with planning, she believes the country can be resilient to a glacier-less future. “it is sad,” she says. “but it is a reality. and you adapt to that and then you find beauty in something else.”

editor’s note: lindblad expeditions, our planet forward storyfest competition partner, made this series possible by providing winners with an experiential learning opportunity aboard one of their ships. all editorial content is created independently. we thank lindblad expeditions for their continued support of our project.

in the heart of cameroon’s wild expanse, a chorus of life echoes through the trees of mefou park, located south of the country’s center region, bearing witness to an extraordinary tale of compassion and resilience. at the helm of this story stands ape action africa, an organization that is at the frontline of forest and biodiversity conservation, working to rewrite the fate of endangered primates orphaned by the sinister illegal bushmeat and pet trades. with a steadfast commitment to conservation, they’re not only saving lives, but changing the narrative of biodiversity preservation.

as the sun rises over the horizon, the sanctuary comes to life with a symphony of sounds, resounding tales of resilience, and second chances. sights and trails greet visitors fortunate enough to step into this haven. among the towering trees and lush foliage reside the voices of survival, the beating hearts of almost 300 rescued primates. chimpanzees, gorillas, and small monkeys are given a new chance on life, nestled within the protective embrace of ape action africa, a stark contrast to the horrors they’ve endured. 

“for every individual who is found, rescued and brought here, it is estimated that up to 10 adults died in the wild, with whole families being wiped out to supply the illegal bushmeat trade. and this is not just a cameroonian problem. it is an international problem,” communications coordinator at ape action africa, jo gaweda said.

she stressed the need to protect gorillas, which are classified as an endangered species by the international union for conservation of nature.

growing challenges in ape conservation

gaweda spoke of their close collaboration with the cameroonian government through the ministry of forestry and wildlife, where the ministry confiscates the orphans and hands them over to ape action africa to bond with a new family. 

“this is our 27th year of operation,” she said, a testament to their enduring commitment. however, she expressed a deep concern that “we do not want to be growing, but every year we receive more orphans, meaning we have to build more forest enclosures for individuals who have been taken from their natural home – the wild.” she suggested that their growth is not by design, rather necessity as each year ushers in a new wave of orphans and drives them to build more enclosures and secure additional funding to ensure these innocent lives are safeguarded.

powered by community and solar energy

amidst the heartwarming tales of rescue, the innovative use of solar-powered electric fences shines through as visitors tour the sanctuary. ape action africa’s embrace of sustainable technology underscores their commitment to preserving both the lives of primates and the planet. these solar powered fences portray cutting-edge solutions to energy challenges such as access to electricity. 

ape action africa’s impact extends beyond enclosures and energy sources. their reach is felt through the hearts and minds of local communities. the organization’s dedication to empowering locals and alleviating poverty is revealed in gaweda’s words. 

“we employ over 50 local cameroonian staff members and much of the food we provide for the primates is purchased from local farmers,” gaweda said. the international union of forest research organizations has recommended that in an effort to alleviate poverty, governmental policies should not only focus on agriculture, infrastructure, and cash transfers, among others, but also take into consideration the role of forests.

ape action africa also amplifies their conservation efforts through educational programs where their staff members visit local schools and teach the children about conservation, igniting the flames of awareness on the invaluable role these species (primates) play as the “gardeners of the forests,” gaweda stated. she further explains that by educating the younger generation to preserve forests, we preserve biodiversity.   

this transformative education sets the cornerstone for building a future where humanity and nature coexist in harmony. forests are not only home to more than three-quarters of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity and a force in tackling climate change, they also intersect with livelihoods by providing food and medicine to more than 1 billion people.

a hopeful future for cameroon’s apes

as the sun sets over the sanctuary, it casts a warm glow of hope for primates as they see the engraving on ape action africa’s wall. 

“for those who made it to mefou, you are safe now. for those who sit, waiting, imprisoned, we will find you. for those who live wild and free, we will keep you there.” 

despite all the conservation efforts, gaweda still strongly believes that “in an ideal world, we wouldn’t need sanctuaries. i’d be happier if the animals we rescue had been able to stay in the wild. at ape action africa, we try to create a semi-wild space where our rescued primates can live in new family groups in a forested environment as close to their natural habitat as possible.”

the organization doesn’t just rescue and care for primates, they nurture a legacy of compassion and resilience that connects different worlds. according to gaweda, “we receive a good number of both national and international visitors at the sanctuary every day,” inviting everyone to play a part in primate conservation. 

after spending a few years in cameroon, gaweda, a british national, affirmed that “cameroon has an incredible natural heritage worthy of protection.”

at a time when conservation and climate are topical as the world struggles to reach zero carbon emissions, ape action africa emerges as a beacon of hope. through their efforts, they are not just saving primates, they are sowing the seeds of future harmony with nature. the sanctuary acts as a living classroom, where generations learn to coexist with wildlife.

“if the world cannot protect and save primates from extinction when they are so similar to us, then i don’t think there is much hope for other species,” gaweda said.

if you are interested in adopting one of the orphan primates, or want to help sustain the conservation efforts of ape action africa, visit www.apeactionafrica.org/donate to make a donation. 

despite accounting for less than 5% of the world’s population, the united states consumes 17% of the world’s energy, ranking second only to china in terms of energy consumption. this energy releases greenhouse gases, as evidenced by the average 7.4 billion barrels of petroleum used in the u.s. on a single day. projects such as revolution wind are working to combat this dependence on fossil fuels through clean and reliable wind energy.

expanding wind energy in the northeast

according the company’s website, the project surrounds the construction of 100 turbines off the coast of rhode island, which would provide 400 mw of energy to rhode island and 304 mw to connecticut. according to ryan ferguson, communications advisor and public affairs lead at Ørsted, the project will create 1,000 jobs, power 70,000 homes with clean energy, and replace millions of tons of carbon emissions, equivalent to removing 60,000 cars.  

“revolution wind farm will be one of the nation’s first commercial-scale offshore wind farms,” ferguson said. “this is a big win, and i am excited to see the change that is inspired by revolution wind.”

nicolas lombardo, a student representative of uconn’s carbon reduction group, sees connecticut’s embrace of renewable energy as a significant stride in the right direction. from crowdfunding initiatives aimed at sustainability to comprehensive action plans and tangible sustainable practices, the state is making commendable progress.

“greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide, are released into the atmosphere with the burning of fossil fuels, and this in turn is trapping heat and increasing the temperature of the planet,” lombardo said. “renewables use natural and replenishable resources like the sun and wind, and they are a necessity if the world wants to slow the worst impacts of the climate crisis.”

in december 2018, connecticut proactively advanced the revolution wind project by preemptively buying 200mw through a long-term power purchase agreement, authorized by the public utilities regulatory authority (pura), with eversource and united illuminating. additionally, the state’s department of energy and environmental protection (deep) provided project developers the green light to initiate negotiations for an extra 100mw power purchase agreement with the region’s power distribution firms.

the revolution wind project is just the first step in connecticut’s ambitious agenda to have 100 percent of the state’s electricity sourced from zero-carbon resources by 2040. governor ned lamon recently expressed enthusiasm for collaborating with neighboring states, massachusetts, and rhode island, to continue working towards a more sustainable and economically successful future.

“we’re going to be purchasing wind power together, bringing down costs, allowing us to get more economies going forward,” governor lamont said during a zero-carbon press conference. “that will be a significant piece of our energy future.”

challenges and concerns for marine life

despite the considerable potential benefits that the revolution wind project promises, concerns have been raised regarding the potential impact on marine life. 

hannes baumann, ph.d., associate professor of marine sciences at the university of connecticut, specializes in anthropogenic changes in our oceans and coastal waters. he, like other scientists and environmental activists, fears that human construction in marine habitat may pose risks to marine life. according to baumann, the turbines pose special risk to the sand lance, an eel-like fish that relies on the same coarse grain sand habitats that are ideal for turbine construction.

“we used a computer model to simulate where the sand lance settles, and it was found that they drift to areas being constructed for wind farms,” baumann said. “the study found that there is a potential overlap concern between the offshore wind park and these very important fish which are a crucial food source for marine life.”

baumann also addressed concerns regarding both the impact on migratory birds and the high voltage cables on the ocean floor and the impact that could have on the orientation of organisms that use magnetic fields. while he does support the push for renewable energy, baumann is concerned that there may not be enough research being done.

kim sawicki, president of sustainable seas technology, is also concerned about the environmental impacts, but her priority is aiding those whose voices often go unheard. 

“the wind farm is going to displace fish for sure, but i think those fish will be fine,” sawicki said. “my concern is with the local fisherman. this is their livelihood, and it is at risk since the turbines are being built in their leading fishing areas they have utilized for decades.”

environmental impact mitigation efforts

while Ørsted and eversource state that they are aware of the environmental impacts revolution wind could create, both organizations assure that they have taken the necessary measures to mitigate any negative consequences the wind farm may have. 

jennifer delony, regional director of offshore wind at the environmental league of massachusetts, said there is a very lengthy and legal process when it comes to the construction of wind farms.

“i cannot stress enough the amount of time, energy, and people that have gone into ensuring that there are no severe impacts on local marine life,” delony said. if it was not a low-incident issue, the project would never have been approved. any impacts that were identified are constantly under surveillance by experts in the marine biology field.”

sam salustro, vice president of strategic commutations at the business network for offshore wind, believes that the backlash towards revolution wind largely stems not from marine conservationists, but rather from people who are against the concept of wind farms entirely.

“anything that happens in the ocean is going to impact marine life in some way, but revolution wind farm is not going to have a dangerous or severe impact on marine mammal life,” salustro said. “this is what a concentrated misinformation campaign looks like and it is driving confusion and doubt about offshore wind’s environmental record.”

looking toward a clean energy future

as connecticut looks towards a clean energy future, the revolution wind project represents a significant step forward in achieving this goal. despite Ørsted and eversource’s efforts to ensure that the revolution wind project is constructed with marine biodiversity as a top priority, there are still concerns about the impact this project could have on local marine life and the jobs that depend on those potentially displaced fish.

according to ferguson, revolution wind and the safety of marine life are not on opposite ends of a spectrum, but rather are intrinsically connected by a greater threat.

“the biggest threat to the ocean environment is the adverse effects of warming oceans and climate change,” ferguson said. “revolution wind is a critical piece of the fight against climate change and mitigating those harmful impacts.”

specifically, it seeks to discover if a heat pump is a more sustainable hvac (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) option than its counterpart, a traditional gas boiler. the irish government has proposed the national retrofit plan which is centered around a recommendation for installing 400,000 heat pumps in ireland’s residences. 

what are heat pumps?

heat pumps rely on renewable energy sources, and use geothermal heating techniques to regulate the temperature of buildings. a traditional gas boiler, which is most commonly used in irish homes, derives its energy from natural gases and fossil fuels.

when considering sources of energy that are used to power heat pumps versus boilers, one might conclude that a heat pump is definitively the more sustainable option. this is because, at face value, a heat pump may seem like the more environmentally friendly option; it uses renewable, natural resources to derive its energy whereas a traditional boiler uses natural gas.

this conclusion is echoed in an article from the international energy association (iea) noting the benefits of installing a heat pump in replacement of a traditional boiler. however, this conclusion is formed only by looking at the operational emissions associated with the two products.

in actuality, there are many more lifecycle emissions associated with sourcing the materials, constructing the systems, transportation to the site, etc. utilizing this concept in order to determine the entire emissions associated with a construction project is known as life cycle analysis. 

understanding the full life cycle story

my research project applied lca to one archetype of irish housing, a detached house. a detached house is a single-family, free-standing home that is typically more than one story tall.

three scenarios were studied to see which retrofit type had the most lifetime carbon emissions. a retrofit is a home energy upgrade that enhances the energy performance of a home.

a deep retrofit involves a holistic approach, considering the entire building as one structure, and carrying out multiple energy upgrades at once. a shallow retrofit is a smaller-scale alteration where only a few energy-saving measures are taken. the scenarios studied were:

1. deep retrofit – heat pump
2. deep retrofit – condensing gas boiler
3. shallow retrofit – condensing gas boiler

the emissions were estimated using an early-stage whole life carbon (wlc) calculation tool that is being developed by the irish green building council. inputs into the wlc tool differed between case studies.

examples of parameters input into the tools include the weights of heat pumps, boilers, ventilation systems, and radiators. the full methodologies used are described in the report linked below. the calculation tool is still being developed and would benefit from further maturation before it is implemented on a larger scale.

while the numerical results were not reliable, the trend of the results was clear: there are greater life-cycle emissions associated with a deep retrofit heat pump renovation than a deep or shallow retrofit condensing gas boiler renovation. 

the trend observed was also consistent with results obtained from a study performed by an external consultant for the research group that i worked under. in both studies, the deep retrofit heat pump renovation had greater lifecycle emissions than the gas boiler renovation for both retrofit types.

additionally, both deep retrofit renovation types were higher than shallow retrofit. this is interesting, as the intention of heat pumps and deep retrofitting is to decrease operational emissions. however, both of these solutions lead to greater lifetime emissions. while this should not discourage transitions to greener alternatives, developers should prioritize advancements to these approaches in order to achieve the desired result of lower lifecycle emissions.

a global trend

this problem is not unique to ireland. all over the world, homeowners are transitioning their traditional hvac systems to heat pump systems, citing environmental benefits. an article from canary media states that heat pump sales in the u.s. surpassed conventional gas furnaces for the first time in 2022. as the technology continues to advance, it will be crucial to continue to evaluate the entire lifecycle emissions of heat pumps in comparison to conventional methods, and identify areas for improvement of the products and construction process.

there are some organizations around the world that are working to make heat pumps that have lower lifetime emissions. as mentioned in the iea article, a research project in germany has successfully tested a prototype of a heat pump that uses six times less refrigerant (a major emitter throughout the heat pump’s lifecycle) than standard systems.

the article also mentions an eu initiative, repowereu, which aims to make the supply chain for heat pumps more sustainable. these initiatives address the manufacture and maintenance of the heat pump alone; lca also considers emissions from the construction aspect of the retrofit, maintenance of the hvac system throughout the building’s lifetime, and the disposal of materials at the end of the building’s lifecycle.

this conclusion can change the way that construction professionals view future renovations. while work is being done to reduce the emissions of heat pumps, considerations should be made with regard to the entire picture of a heat pump retrofit. as the industry turns to alternatives to fossil fuels, the entire lifetime emissions associated with alternative options should be considered. 

click here to read the full report.

the höegh esperanza, sprawling the length of three football fields, is what’s known as a floating storage and regasification unit, or fsru. it’s a modified tanker ship that sails to different countries where it converts liquefied natural gas, or lng, from transport ships back into a gaseous state. this gas can then be injected into natural gas pipelines. 

in an effort to get by without russian pipeline gas, cut off after russia’s invasion of ukraine, germany is turning to lng imported from countries like the united states. to some climate advocates, however, this amounts to investing in fossil fuel infrastructure when germany is trying to move toward a carbon-free future. 

german leaders say new lng terminals will be used to bring in green hydrogen

the worry is that this could further bind germany to fossil fuels and the greenhouse gas emissions that are accelerating climate change. europe’s largest energy consumer, germany has made a commitment to becoming greenhouse gas neutral by 2045.

german leaders have promised that the new infrastructure will eventually be used to import hydrogen fuel, which does not emit greenhouse gasses, as part of a transition to a decarbonized energy sector. but some clean energy experts question the feasibility of such a conversion.

germany plans to rent at least six floating terminals. the esperanza, the first, arrived in wilhelmshaven in december. the german government has leased it for 10 years, according to a statement from höegh lng, the company that owns the ship.

“today we are making a very important step towards energy security in germany,” robert habeck, the german vice chancellor and minister for economic affairs and climate action, declared when the esperanza arrived. “this shows how much germany can get done within only a few months when it is necessary.”

the leased terminals can sail elsewhere once they are no longer needed. the crux of concern is that germany also plans to build several permanent onshore lng terminals. these could become prematurely obsolete if germany stops using them in favor of renewable energy, said rainer quitzow, a political scientist at the research institute for sustainability in potsdam. 

the alternative, he said, is that “the powers that be put so much pressure on the government that rather than creating a stranded asset and devaluing that asset for the owners, they just continue using it [to process lng] anyway,” quitzow said.

if that happens, he warned, it could cause germany to remain dependent on fossil fuel longer than planned, in a so-called “lock in” effect.

katharina grave, a spokeswoman for germany’s ministry for economic affairs and climate action, said the permanent terminals are necessary because the government believes the floating terminals alone will not make up for the cutoff of russian gas.

“there are not endless amounts of them, and they are quite expensive to hire,” grave said. “so for the future, those fsru ships will be step by step replaced by lng ships that feed into fixed terminals, and then these terminals will also be used to get hydrogen into the system.”

hydrogen fuel can be used to store and transport energy. there are multiple ways of producing it, including by partially combusting fossil fuels. but under germany’s national hydrogen strategy, adopted in 2020, the government regards only “green hydrogen,” generated with renewable energy, to be sustainable in the long term. 

green hydrogen is created by using renewably generated electricity to split water molecules in a process known as electrolysis. this hydrogen can then be combined with oxygen in a fuel cell to generate electricity, which produces only harmless water vapor as a byproduct. 

germany ultimately plans to use hydrogen to power industries that are otherwise difficult to decarbonize, including shipping, aviation and emission-intensive industrial processes. 

“hydrogen is such a precious thing,” said franziska müller, a professor of political science at the university of hamburg who studies the social and environmental risks of hydrogen production. “in germany, it’s sometimes called the champagne of the energy transition because it’s so difficult to produce, and so expensive also.” 

the authors of the national hydrogen strategy note that germany will likely have to import much of the hydrogen it will need from abroad.

grave said the permanent lng terminals would be constructed to be “hydrogen ready,” but when asked what percentage of the facilities’ components would need to be adjusted, she said she was unsure. she did not give a target date for the switch to hydrogen, saying that germany was still working on that part of its strategy.

simon den haak, a spokesman for the dutch energy company gasunie, said that lng terminals can easily be converted if they are built with hydrogen in mind. gasunie is a partial owner of a planned onshore lng terminal in brunsbüttel, germany. “some valves may need to be replaced, but the basic construction of the terminal can be easily adapted,” den haak said in an email.

green energy experts have doubts about plan’s feasibility 

a study published last year by the fraunhofer institute for systems and innovation research in karlsruhe highlights several major barriers to converting lng terminals to hydrogen terminals. 

liquefied hydrogen is extremely difficult to transport. it must be kept at minus 253 degrees celsius to remain a liquid, and to date only one prototype liquid hydrogen import terminal has been built, in kobe, japan. the study found that many parts of an lng terminal would have to be replaced for it to be capable of handling liquid hydrogen. even if its storage tank, the most expensive part of the terminal, were built from hydrogen-compatible steel, the study found, components comprising only 50 percent of the initial investment in an lng terminal could be reused in the conversion.

another option is to import synthetic natural gas, or sng, which is made by combining hydrogen with carbon dioxide. because sng is chemically identical to conventional natural gas, lng terminals can be used to import it without any significant alterations. the synthetic fuel can then be used the same way natural gas is or turned back into hydrogen. 

but to be carbon-neutral, the carbon dioxide used to produce the sng must come from a non-fossil fuel source like organic waste or be captured from the air. the fraunhofer study says that carbon-neutral sng is currently “entirely hypothetical” because of the high costs associated with those processes.

a third option is to import a hydrogen derivative like ammonia, which is produced by adding nitrogen to hydrogen. the ammonia can then be turned back into hydrogen, used to make fertilizer or burned as its own carbon-free source of power.

the fraunhofer researchers found this to be a realistic option for importing hydrogen through the lng terminals. liquid ammonia is much easier to transport than liquid hydrogen. although some parts of an lng terminal would still need to be replaced, the study estimates that if the terminal’s storage tank were made from ammonia-compatible material, around 70 percent of the investment in the terminal could be reused.

“at least for some of the onshore lng terminals currently planned in germany, a conversion to ammonia seem(s) realistic and likely,” jakob wachsmuth, one of the study’s authors, said in an email.

however, the researchers found significant challenges to importing ammonia. one is how to transport this corrosive and toxic substance from the terminal. there is currently no ammonia pipeline network in germany, and road transport is heavily regulated. 

another option is to turn the ammonia back into hydrogen at the terminal by using so-called ammonia “crackers,” which decompose the ammonia back into hydrogen using high temperatures in the presence of a metal catalyst. but these are costly and energy-intensive and don’t yet exist on an industrial scale.

for these reasons, the natural resources defense council, a u.s.-based environmental group, is skeptical about the feasibility of making lng terminals “hydrogen ready.”

“the speed and scale at which countries are beginning to lean into shaky and expensive, supposedly ‘hydrogen-ready’ lng transport methods are cause for concern,” ade samuel and rachel fakhry, two policy experts with the group, wrote in a blog post. “policymakers should instead lean into tried-and-true solutions such as renewable energy, energy efficiency and electrification while prioritizing locally produced green hydrogen for targeted sectors.”

andrzej ancygier, a senior policy analyst for the international think tank climate analytics, said that germany should not build onshore terminals at all and just rely on the floating terminals.

ancygier predicts the country will be able to get by with the floating facilities until it can fully switch to renewable energy. he says there is no point in building permanent lng terminals if, as he believes, there will soon be little demand for natural gas in europe. 

the energy crisis set off by the war in ukraine has made people reluctant to depend on natural gas, which was once seen as a bridge to renewable energy, he notes. 

“this perception is gone,”  ancygier said. “people are scared of gas now.”

for a company focusing on wind power, it is no surprise that flower turbines chose lubbock, texas, as its home in the united states. lubbock regularly ranks in the top 10 windiest cities in the united states according to data reported by noaa. when this energy start-up blew into town, their mission was simple: democratize clean energy and give people more control over the source of their electricity. the inventors of a tulip-shaped wind turbine, flower turbines, are aiming to reimagine the technology of small wind.

flower power

small wind is about harnessing the power of the wind, locally. small wind systems are designed to be a way for everyday consumers to green up their power usage. energy.gov estimates that small wind systems could cut the average consumer’s electricity bills by 50%-90%. 

dr. daniel farb is the ceo of flower turbines and a strong advocate of small wind technology. 

traditional, fan-style wind turbines generate a few complaints: bird collisions, disruptive noise, and degradation of the visual appeal of natural landscapes are commonly cited as inhibitors of wind power. flower turbines, however, solve some of these issues attached to traditional wind farming. 

“they have low noise, actually – no noise, and they are bird-friendly,” dr. farb says.

near silence and bird-friendliness are achieved because tulip turbines operate on the vertical axis as opposed to the horizontal axis that the traditional, fan-style turbines use.

along with being safe for wildlife and non-disruptive to human ears, flower turbines pride themselves on being aesthetically pleasing as well. dr. farb says that he wants their turbines to be more like works of art themselves. 

“we are intending to use it to make a statement about climate change and so forth, through art,” dr. farb explained, “it’s a kind of ecological art.” 

the turbines come in three sizes and a customizable variety of colors.

most of flower turbines’ work has been in europe. they are two-time winners of the dutch sustainability award for their small wind contributions. 

“we’ve done a lot of encouragement of e-bike charging systems by selling combined wind and solar e-bike chargers to a lot of municipalities,” dr. farb says. 

dr. farb helped create and patent the “cluster effect” used by flower turbines. when grouped together, energy production efficiency increases. groups of tulip turbines can make their neighbors perform 20%-50% percent better. 

“we can have more zoom and less room,” dr. farb says. “in other words, by putting them together, we make better use of limited space in a small world.”

dr. farb explained that because of this effect, in certain parts of the world, small wind turbines can produce more energy per square foot than solar panels. the ability to place tulip turbines in groups and on roofs or the ground creates the opportunity for small wind farms in urban spaces. 

“i believe that now, we are the only small wind company that could scale into a large global company and make a significant impact on renewable energy the way that solar has grown,” dr. farb says. 

small wind in action

implementation of small wind systems shows great promise for building off-grid systems in rural areas or supplementing traditional energy sources in urban areas. 

researchers at texas tech university are putting small wind systems to the test in a project aimed at decentralizing the utility system. lead principle investigator brian ancell helped bring the home utility management system, or hums, to life in 2018. 

“the whole idea of the project is centered around the fact that centralized utility systems are really vulnerable to things like climate change and disasters, either natural or manmade,” ancell says. “we’re trying to develop a residential decentralized system where the house itself can produce a good amount of its own power and a good amount of its own water.”

the hums house includes a three-kilowatt, residential-grade wind turbine. ancell says the cost for the small wind system was $6,000-$7,000 when it was initially installed. while it does generate power, wind energy is a variable energy source. 

“the small turbine itself can’t really power a whole lot at a given instant in time, but storing the power in a battery for people to use later is the key,” ancell says.

the house uses a combined small wind and solar power system to provide as much sustainable energy as possible, but it is not aiming to be a completely off-grid system. 

“we know that a fully islanded house with no connection to any grid supplies probably also won’t work,” ancell says. “the idea is that the centralized grid will have to provide much less than it does today – it’ll be much more sustainable and much more reliable.” 

one of the main focuses of the hums house is a guidance system that learns the energy production and consumption trends of the house. it then guides homeowners on how to maximize their energy capture, storage and usage.

“the system provides guidance that tells you how much money you’ll lose or how much money you’ll save based on changing habits – essentially based on what you’re getting from the wind turbine and the projection of how much power you’re going to be using,” ancell says. 

the biggest factor to implement this technology is reducing the cost of battery storage. ancell is optimistic that the costs are going to come down enough in the near future that implementing small wind residential energy will become cost-effective.

these outdoor adventures, though, have been disturbed by the newly implemented liquified natural gas (lng) terminal right off shore. the terminal, which looks like a large ship, is used to unload the cargo and hold the imported lng.

while kayaking, moosmann has to keep her guiding light dimmed. the terminal, on the other hand, “glows like tokyo or times square,” she said. the walks are now peppered with the smell of diesel and construction-like noises above four decibels each night.

“you see it wherever you travel around here. what used to be darkness is a bright glow in the sky,” moosmann said.

moosman and her wife, gabriela rieberer, are just two of many hooksiel residents whose dark nights were transformed by liquefied natural gas (lng) terminals in germany, as the country faces an ongoing energy crisis due to the war in ukraine. 

hooksiel residents previously voted against the placement of an lng terminal in 2020, according to moosmann. most voters, including moosmann and rieberer, said no to industrializing the harbor. reiberer said living near a terminal now, after years of fighting against one, is “heartbreaking.”

“they said we have no choice. we’re in a war,” rieberer said. “so what do you say? it’s fear mongering.”

moosmann and rieberer sang along with scores of neighbors and protestors as the first lng shipment arrived earlier this year. the terminal receives supercooled and pressurized gas in a liquid state. once lng is regasified at room temperature, it can be used to generate electricity, heat and fuel buildings.

breaking up with russian energy

at the time of the russian invasion into ukraine, almost 40 percent of germany’s gas was coming from russia, according to christian von soest, the head of peace and security research programming at the german institute for global and area studies. 

the two countries’ natural gas relationship lasted for almost 50 years. 

berlin began purchasing more natural gas last year starting feb. 24 from norway, the united states and the united arab emirates. germany broadly reduced its gas purchases from russia by about 20 percent last year. 

the german government scrambled to facilitate the infrastructure for lng, building its first floating terminal in record time, opening it on nov. 15, 2022. there are now five leased german lng terminals both on- and offshore and talks of more.

globally, lng trade was expected to grow by 5 percent in 2022, according to the international energy agency’s report last october. this creates a direct impact on areas like hooksiel.

community members push back

“our progress is torn to pieces,” said stefanie eilers, a conservationist in wilhelmshaven.

germany has also temporarily reactivated old oil- and coal-fired power stations as well as extended the use of the country’s last three nuclear power plants until mid-april.

climate change advocacy groups and scientists opposed this extensive expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure.

“there is no need for lng terminals in germany,” said reinhard knof, who operates a statewide environmental group in schleswig-holstein. “it’s bad for the climate and it’s bad for the area.”

knof noted the effects on the tourism industry as well. people are not able to enjoy a peaceful vacation at the beach if their view is an lng terminal that pollutes the air and water. the legal noise level at night around the baltic sea is zero decibels, according to sauerwein. noise in the area has increased to four decibels since the construction of the terminals.

“we’re going to lose (the tourists),” knof said. “the minister of agriculture and environment said they don’t know from where the noise is coming. this is a wonderful joke.”

liquified natural gas and the bigger picture

lng has a bigger greenhouse gas footprint than ordinary gas. the power source needs to be chilled to minus 259 degrees fahrenheit, shipped and turned back into gas, which creates more carbon and increases the potential for methane leakage. small amounts of lng molecules are converted back to its gaseous form as the lng carrier is shipped and absorbs heat from outside air. the regasified molecules are often directed to power the ship’s engine, but the transportation still has the potential to worsen climate change.

even more so, inhaling lng and associated vapor may cause a loss of consciousness or even death when a victim’s lungs are filled with insufficient amounts of oxygen, according to philadelphia gas works. many governments globally, however, tout lng as not harmful to the environment.

“the new developments pose a real threat to the environment,” said rainer sauerwein, an environmental activist. 

but there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight for rieberer and moosmann, or other german residents. the german government is allowing permits as part of the acceleration of the use of natural gas until 2043. rieberer said this has gone forward without any environmental consultation.

“the technology has not yet been sufficiently researched and tested,” said rita fette, who lives near the wadden sea. “i am concerned about the continued existence of the wadden sea and its creatures.”

at the end of 2022, germany’s re supply & trading signed a 15-year contract with sempra infrastructure to purchase approximately 2.25 million tons of lng per year. this equates to about 30 cargoes of lng, or 3 billion cubic meters of natural gas, per year. operations are expected to start during 2027.

agencies like the germany federal ministry of economic affairs and climate action, see the use of gas as a “bridge” toward more sustainable resources.

“we can only set the framework,” said press officer katharina grave. “as long as gas was cheap there wasn’t a large push to [set up greener infrastructure] fast. obviously it takes time.”

sauerwein said that the consumption of gas shows how little the government cares about the issue.

“we’ve never had such an increase in environmental destruction as we’ve had now,” he said.

this story was featured in our series, a greener zeitgeist: medill reports from germany.

eleven years ago, unity college, a small environmental college tucked into the woods of rural maine, became the first institute of higher education in the country to divest, scrubbing their finances clean from fossil fuels. with the help of climate activist bill mckibben and activist groups, unity college’s story started a movement. today, over 100 schools are divested or in the process of divesting from fossil fuels. from private, wealthy goliaths such as harvard and yale to the entire california public college system, fossil fuels are out the door. 

on this planet forward audio story, i talk to the former president of unity college about how divestment works and the story of how his school became the first to do it. also, he happens to be my dad.

as an engineer he focuses both on energy balancing models, as well as marine energy in the arctic and heating. this field of work aims to develop energy systems for non-integrated electric grids and their associated oil-based heating systems. this work encompasses rural communities such as the one where bond is from and overall, he joins a broader effort to seek possible energy solutions for alaskans and beyond.

bringing energy to everyone

“rural communities are often disproportionately affected by prices that they don’t have control over such as the price of fuel,” bond says. “the highest price i’ve personally seen was $12.00 gallon for gasoline and small price increases or what most of urban america sees as small price increases those are often exponentially growthed (sic) out to rural communities,” bond says. asides from his current career, bond’s creative outlet and knowledge can also be found on social media like his tiktok account, @thatoneyuk, where he speaks on energy and how it’s used in the arctic.

although his work is mostly contained in data sheets, numbers and equations, his ancestral ties to the land, and the lifelong connection to his indigenous identity make this work important. by looking at different communities along the coast of alaska, he makes the determination of, “…whether or not if (the communities) would be a good candidate for something like wave or tidal energy and determining what size of technology would work for that community.”

bond continues to explain that much of this decision-making entails energy balancing modeling, as he usually receives data, “….from a community looking at their need versus what’s available to them in renewable energy resources such as solar, wind, wave, anything else.” with this amount of responsibility and community trust that is placed into bond’s hands, it’s his unique approach to stem that allows him to navigate this space.

bond describes this method as being a community focused stem approach “…that includes being mindful of listening to whatever community that we’re working with, making sure that we don’t make uninformed assumptions.” much like indigenous communities elsewhere, this is strongly reinforced when cultural sites and traditional gathering areas are brought into the picture.

this also includes being aware of the indigenous knowledge that people in the area have, as this form of expertise represents the ancestral ties to the land. bond puts it this way: “i view it as indigenous people were doing science before it was formalized. what my job is now i’m doing all the formal things. i am finding the efficiency of this turbine given these flow parameters those are even standardized. i have to follow a certain equation.”

with the onset of western knowledge, indigenous people have formalized their own form of knowledge by its ancestral tongue. bond defined it as “word of mouth and by trusting what the elders say to do, because they learned from their elders and that knowledge has been tried and trusted and true over thousands and thousands of generations.”

a community endeavor

the second part of this method also includes the community itself as they belong in the process as well. by adding different but impactful perspectives to each project, people, such as community leaders, can express what they know from their lived experience. bond explains that they, “…know so much more about their community then we do, and they can give us feedback. we know all the science and math, we know things like power factor, and we know things about efficiency, but the ultimate goal is for the community to benefit the most with both of our shared knowledge bases.”

it’s this communal approach to energy development in rural communities of alaska that will go farther than any imposed climate solution that doesn’t include the people living in that particular area or have traditional ties to.

both the environment and people benefit from this approach as communities have the possibility to enjoy a reduced cost of living. bond references a study that was completed on a “…community in southwest alaska where individuals reduced their spending on heating fuel. because of a thermal battery technology, they were able to spend more time and more money living a more traditional gathering lifestyle.” he continued to explain, that they were “…able to go out berry picking or go out hunting more and living in a way that aligns with their cultural values.”

this is most important when climate change is “…changing the energy environment that people live in,” said bond. “it’s changing the way resources are up here.”

because climate change is so heavily researched by western science, which has experienced continued reinforcement of indigenous knowledge, the phenomena, at its core, can bring people back to their universal values.

as bond says, “we have what’s important to us. many indigenous people have very strong cultural values. we should be able to live out those cultural values, right? one of those things that impede people’s cultural expression is cost of living. why does it matter? shouldn’t we try to make our lives and other people’s better? shouldn’t things get easier as our humanity ages? and that is based on the fact that we should care for other people. at the end of the day, we should care for other people just as much as we do for ourselves and our family.”

the 330-foot-long, hydrogen cell powered sailing vessel is proposed by the veer group, a bahamas-based company committed to zero carbon emissions. the design was approved by the american bureau of shipping.

“if there was a desire for this in the great lakes, it would just make me super happy to be able to fulfill that,” said veer ceo danielle doggett.

whether such vessels will someday enter the great lakes is uncertain. but interest is high in decarbonizing shipping. globally, the shipping industry’s 100,000 vessels are responsible for 3% of carbon emissions, according to maersk mc-kinney moller center, a nonprofit research company affiliated with the mærsk shipping company that is committed to decarbonizing the maritime industry.

the past and future of shipping

the maritime administration recently announced a study to explore low carbon options for shipping on the great lakes. the group, which includes the international council on clean transportation, the american bureau of shipping and others, is looking at alternative fuels and power.  the study will examine environmentally friendly fuel alternatives like biofuel and how to incorporate different power systems, like hydrogen fuel cells, into great lakes shipping, according to a press release.

combustion engines have dominated the shipping industry since the 1930s. veer is looking to bring sailing cargo back, doggett said. the company seeks funding to begin an 18-month build and have two vessels sailing by 2024 and six by 2026.

greenhouse gas emissions significantly contribute to climate change. they increase global temperatures, weather variability and air pollution. the great lakes have seen the effects of emissions from increased flooding, algal blooms and soil erosion.

“veer sail ships in the great lakes would make a lot of sense,” doggett said.

one reason is that veer’s plans are consistent with the clean shipping goals of the u.s. and canada, doggett said. another component for the great lakes is that the hydrogen fuel cells produce freshwater. it would be nice to excrete freshwater into a freshwater lake rather than into the ocean, doggett said.

growing up around the great lakes ships in kingston, ontario, inspired her field of work, she said.

addressing climate change and its effects

cleaner shipping comes at a crucial time for action, said university of michigan naval architecture and marine engineering professor matthew collette.

in 2021, the u.s. joined a united nations coalition to reach net zero emissions. the executive order emphasized the goal to reach net zero carbon emissions from federal operations by 2050. reaching zero means replacing energy sources that produce man-made emissions with renewable energy sources, like solar and wind power.

“if we want to be at zero carbon by 2050, the decisions we make in the next five years are really going to shape what fuel will become dominant,” collette said.

great lakes vessels primarily see the impact of climate change through variability in lake levels, extreme cold weather and major weather events, said jim weakley, president of the lake carriers’ association, a group participating in the maritime administration study.

“if the levels are low, or lower than normal, for each inch of water we lose as much as 270 tons of cargo per vessel load,” said weakley, whose organization moves over 90 million tons of cargo throughout the great lakes each year.

the group wants to reduce the risk of climate change and is open to using veer group vessels once they are sailing, said debra dicianna, director of environmental affairs for the lake carriers’ association.

but using the existing ships on the great lakes would be better, she said.

“with our membership and their existing fleet, they are doing well at hauling the cargo that they need to,” she said.

all about balance

veer’s sailing vessels may be part of the solution, collette said. but figuring out a balance of technologies and fuel is the way to a more sustainable future.

“we don’t have a single winning technology today that everyone is pointing to and saying this is the way forward,” he said.

while veer’s methods may not be in the cards for the great lakes for another few years, the idea of sail-assist to reduce emissions is relevant today, collette said.

it is easier to update existing great lakes vessels by adding sails or replacing combustion engines with a lower sulfur level fuel cell, he said.

“adding sails to existing ships might reduce emissions from 10% to 30%, he said. “but i think we are also going to have to figure out a zero carbon fuel source for them.”

alternative fuels that don’t involve burning a hydrocarbon include methanol, ammonia or hydrogen, collette said.

“i think there’s a lot of work to be done on figuring out which one of those will be the most effective,” he said.

decarbonizing great lakes shipping may require multiple approaches.

“we need to make sure we are taking a holistic view of minimizing our impact on the lakes and the people who live around the lakes,” collette said.