Challenges and Solutions in Renewable Energy and Transport Systems

Study Notes

Mojave Desert in the US is a fragile ecosystem with wildflower fields, Joshua trees, and now increasing numbers of solar farms
Environmental activists and local residents express concerns over solar farms causing deforestation and disrupting ecosystems
Solar farms take up valuable agricultural land and are mostly built in rural areas, deserts, and croplands
According to a study, over half of utility scale solar facilities were placed in deserts and another third in croplands
Building large-scale solar farms in rural areas means bulldozing land, disrupting plant and animal growth and migration patterns, and causing resistance from locals
Agrovoltaics is an emerging solution that allows for agricultural use between solar panels and preserves some farmland
Parking lots cover over 5% of developed land in the US and could play a role in helping to fix solar's land problem by installing solar panels as canopies
In 2023, France will require that outdoor car parks with more than 80 spaces cover at least half their surface area with solar canopies
The biggest obstacle to installing solar panels on parking lots is cost, but research shows it can be profitable in areas with high solar flux
Walmart Supercenters have the potential to generate 11.1 gigawatts of solar power, and solar parking lots can provide shade to cars and create opportunities for power sales and local microgrids
Solar canopies are part of a larger toolbox to address solar's land scarcity problem and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.- Brown fat is located down the spine and in some areas within the belly.
Warming brown fat around neck vessels heats up blood, which goes to the brain.
Brown fat depots in shoulders heat blood quickly and gets pumped to the rest of the body, serving as the first line of defense against cold.
Babies are born with a lot of brown fat, making up about 2-5% of their body weight.
Peak age for brown fat is in the teen years, and older people have less of it due to age and muscle loss.
Exposing oneself to cold temperatures increases brown fat volume.
Brown fat doesn't only keep you warm; it also correlates to lower risk of diabetes and heart disease.
Studying brown fat through cold exposure is challenging due to the difficulty of dosing cold.
Mirabegron, a medication approved to treat overactive bladder, can activate brown fat.
Top Gun: Maverick features a fabricated scene with the "Darkstar" plane using hypersonic technology.
Al Nelson, the sound designer on Top Gun: Maverick, worked to make the sound design feel real and intense.
The US once had the biggest and most well-funded rail network in the world but has fallen behind in train travel.
Railroads were built by "robber barons" who were ruthless, anti-labor, and corrupt.
The federal government instituted regulations to prevent rail companies from raising fares or changing service without permission.
Passenger trains were less profitable than freight trains, and when rail companies suffered, the government created Amtrak to take over passenger service.
Amtrak was designed as a for-profit corporation but received only $40 million in its first year of operation.
Amtrak's budget for the year 2022 was $2.3 billion, while the federal highway budget for the same year was $64.3 billion.
Amtrak has received far fewer subsidies than the interstate highway system.
The second leg of the journey involves a private room with a hidden sink.
Long-distance train trips produce 37% less emissions than taking a flight.
Trains are much safer than cars.
Amtrak offers the ability to relax, read, take a nap, and enjoy the scenery.
Amtrak is perpetually underfunded.
The journey from Los Angeles to New York takes about 72 hours and 17 minutes.- The speaker had a pleasant experience traveling on Amtrak, despite some initial hiccups.
Amtrak covers approximately 21,000 miles of passenger rail in the US.
There are sparse coverage routes with some areas, such as Wyoming and South Dakota, not having any trains.
If the US government were to invest more in Amtrak, it could revolutionize long-distance travel.
Former Amtrak President Graham Calder believed that the American public was the only one who could save Amtrak by expressing their desire for it.
The speaker enjoys the long train rides, listening to Phoebe Bridgers and looking out the window.

Description

Explore the challenges and emerging solutions in renewable energy, such as the impact of solar farms on ecosystems and the potential of agrovoltaics and solar canopies. Learn about brown fat, its function in the body, and potential health implications. Delve into the history, funding, and potential of Amtrak in revolutionizing long-distance travel in the US.