Author: Philip Piletic - Organic Lifestyle Magazine

Elon Musk, the visionary billionaire CEO of Tesla and SolarCity, says that the revolutionary new “Gigafactory” now under construction can serve as a model for transitioning the world to sustainable energy. In an interview in the short film, Before the Flood, he states:

“We actually did the calculations to figure out what it would take to transition the whole world to sustainable energy… and you’d need 100 Giga factories.”

For utilities and grid operators, the technology is designed to enable remote-aggregated control of solar battery systems. I urge anyone reading this who is responsible for managing grid operations, and who is interested in procuring capacity, reactive power, or voltage management services deep in the distribution system to contact us.”

Tesla’s batteries also give energy users the ability to go completely off the grid using clean renewable energy.

With the goal of reducing dependence on fossil fuels and halting climate change, Musk’s company, SolarCity, has revolutionized the rooftop solar industry. It has become the largest supplier of solar power for homes and businesses in the United States. Just a month after Google invested $300 million in the company, SolarCity activated a fund that included an investment from Credit Suisse, which is expected to finance more than $1 billion in commercial solar energy projects.

Businesses and government organizations are able to access SolarCity’s DemandLogic energy storage system. That access enables them to reduce their energy costs by using stored electricity during times of peak demand. Remote communities that are vulnerable to frequent power outages that result in higher energy costs can also access the company’s GridLogic micro-grid service.

Musk is urging other large companies worldwide to invest in building Giga factories of their own. “If the big industrial companies in China, the U.S., and Europe…do this then collectively we can accelerate the transition to sustainable energy. And if the government sets the rules to favor sustainable energy, we can get there really quickly.”

There are a number of things about Tesla’s Gigafactory that are well worth emulating.

The Model

Located in Sparks, Nevada, on Electric Avenue, Tesla’s Gigafactory is one of the largest structures ever built. At approximately 6 million square feet, it covers 126 acres. Multiple levels could expand its square footage to up to 15 million square feet. Employees there call it the “alien dreadnaught.” Musk estimates that by 2020, the factory will house 6,500 employees.

The good news for those employees is that the heavy lifting and transport will be done by mobile robots called automated guided vehicles (AGVs). They navigate by following magnetic tape on the ground and are equipped with sensors and a laser guidance system. Much of the repetitive motion work of battery building will be assisted by robotic arms.

To reduce the environmental impact of excavation and building, the factory is diamond-shaped. It is also aligned with true north to allow daily operations to take full advantage of solar panels and GPS capabilities. The design allows it to be powered entirely by sustainable energy sources. For the first time, all the processes required to build batteries will be in a single factory. Rail cars will transport raw materials straight into one end of the factory, and finished batteries will emerge at the other end.

Musk estimates that by 2020, the factory will be able to produce more lithium-ion batteries than all of the worldwide battery makers combined were able to produce in 2013. Further, he estimates that the price of those batteries will be reduced by approximately 30%. In practical terms, that means that the cost of the eco-friendly Tesla Model 3 will be priced at just $35,000.

In an effort to further encourage the use of solar energy worldwide, in 2015, SolarCity purchased ILIOSS, a company in Mexico that specializes in solar installation for commercial and industrial projects. According to research data, demand for solar power by commercial and industrial interests in Mexico are expected to increase over 1000% by 2020. According to a company spokesperson, “Mexico’s combination of high electricity rates, favorable solar economics, and massive solar resources makes it one of the most promising solar markets in the world.”

South Australian companies have been promised governmental support in transforming the country’s energy infrastructure to include solar energy. Energy storage capability is essential for replacing aging coal and gas plants. Towards that end, Musk recently issued a promise of his own via Twitter, namely that he could build a battery storage farm there within 100 days – or it would be free.

Global Solar Expansion

While the world’s first Gigafactory will be in the United States, there are a number of other countries leading the way in making the transition to solar energy. In 2016, Portugal was the first country to be completely powered by sun, wind, and rain for 107 hours. Coopérnico has already installed its seventh photovoltaic facility on Portugal’s southern coast.

Germany ranks first in renewable energy, leading the world in solar PV capacity. It has met as much as 78 percent of its daily demand for electricity from renewable energy sources.

China is also a world leader in renewable energy. In 2014, China had the highest installed wind energy capacity and the second highest installed solar PV capacity. These efforts demonstrate China’s commitment to reducing dependence on coal and improving air quality. Sun-drenched Morocco holds the title for the largest solar power plant in the world.

Critics of solar energy point to higher unemployment rates caused by the closure of coal plants. However, with a few economic adjustments, the global transition to sustainable energy, coupled with technological advances such as robotics, may well result in everyone being able to work less and enjoy life more.

Sources & Further Reading:

Living in the big city does not have to cause your green thumb to wilt. In fact, urban gardening projects are becoming more popular in these modern times, whether the gardening is done indoors, on a small patio outdoors, or the roof of the building in which you live.

Whether your passion is exotic fruit trees, herbs, or growing your own vegetables, there is something for everyone who likes running their fingers through a fresh bag of potting soil. The following tips will breathe new life into your big city gardening project.

Save on Gardening Containers

If you think you need to go out and buy a ton of planting pots to start your urban garden, you’ll appreciate these cost-saving alternatives, many of which you probably have on hand:

Plastic bottles from drinking water, fruit juice, and other liquids. Rinse the bottles thoroughly with plain water, and cut off the tops where the bottles start to narrow.
Plastic containers from yogurt, spreads, nuts, and other food items. Wash the containers, put the tops in the recycle bin, and you’ve got pots.
Buckets that are cracked or have lost their handles. A severe crack can be mended with tape while a minor crack will be useful for drainage.
A shallow wading pool. Have fun by planting your crops in concentric circles or a spiral from the inside out.
Hanging flower pots left over from seasons gone by. They’re ideal for vertical gardening and can be placed on the ground, too.
Plastic kitchen bowls and cups. Turn items you’re likely to discard due to appearance into containers where something green will grow.

It is important to drill holes through the bottoms of containers that don’t already have them to allow drainage of excess water which might otherwise cause roots to rot, destroying the plant.

These and many similar items are easily modified for gardening purposes. A large low-rimmed plastic tub or storage container will also work for potting multiple plants in the same container. One thing you need to take into account, other than the obvious factor of plant size, is that different plants need different amounts of mulch. Choose plants accordingly and make sure the pot has enough space to spread the mulch nice and even. Organic mulches provide extra benefits. They add valuable nutrients and promote soil micro-organism activity for overall plant health.

The Role of Light in Your Plant’s Development

One of the critical, dynamic factors involved in indoor and outdoor plant growth is lighting. It is important to remember that different plants have different lighting requirements. According to the University of Illinois, plants exhibit three types of responses to light.

The first of these responses is photosynthesis. This process is how plants convert light into storable chemical energy necessary for a plant’s survival.

The second of these responses is phototropism. In the process of phototropism, plant growth hormones build up on one side of a plant’s stem. This buildup causes it to tilt in the direction of available sunlight.

The third reaction is photoperiodism. This fascinating response is controlled by a pigment in the leaves called phytochrome. The pigment changes form to determine how a plant will developmentally respond to receiving red light during dark periods. In short, this means that a plant has a reproductive cycle that reacts to the changes in the lengths of day and night.

What does all of this mean for your success with urban gardening? Here are a few tips and takeaways.

Know the light needs of the plants you’re growing. Most plants require full sunlight, especially if they are bearing fruit. The best place for fruit and veggie plants is outside. If you’re committed to growing them indoors, a bay window facing the sun might suffice. Otherwise, you’ll need to install grow lights.

On the other hand, a wide range of plants such as climbing hydrangea, Japanese rose, and columbine prefer partial to full shade. These do very well indoors near a window or glass door or outside where they get limited direct sunlight during the day.

The stems of plants growing near a window or against an outdoor wall might start bending toward the light. To keep the plant growing straight with a stem that is robust all around, rotate its container 90 degrees each day.

Any fruit-bearing plant will produce more abundantly with grow lights. The best solution is LED grow lights that use far less energy and create much less heat than conventional grow lights.The better you understand the role light plays in a specific type of plant’s development, the easier it will be to customize the light intake for each one.

Organizing Your Gardening Tools

When your space is limited, it is best to keep all your big city gardening tools organized for easy access. Here are three tool organizers used by urban gardeners:

A small wooden box or crate repurposed for your tools.
A pegboard on the wall, inside or outdoors, that also has floor space.
A small gardening cart with a handle that includes storage inside and a lid for sitting on as you prune, pull weeds or pick fruit.

With Limited Space, Think Vertical

Depending on your living arrangements, you may have lots or very limited space for your big city garden. Urban-based agricultural projects range from expansive green roofing designs to a single square foot outdoors or an indoor garden. Fortunately, the ongoing development of urban gardening techniques means that just about anyone living in the city can have the thrill of making something grow! One of the most popular trends is known as vertical gardening, and you’ve got interesting options:

Use trellises for tomatoes, beans and other vine plants to climb and produce.
Arrange rows of hooks on a privacy fence or the outside wall of your home. For example hang one row at one meter and a second row at two meters. Hang baskets from the hooks, and use the top row for plants requiring full sun. The lower row will be ideal for plants preferring partial shade.
In similar fashion, attach rows of planting boxes to a fence or wall, and select appropriate plants for each row.

Create your Own Compost

Today’s urban lifestyle is often a green one, and making the most of leftover food scraps is part of it. Your local gardening centre will have home composting bins, most of which come with complete instructions, and the few additional supplies you’ll need.

Ideal items for home composting include:

Fruit and vegetable scraps.
Bread and similar products.
Coffee grounds and tea bags.
Grains.
Leaves that drop or are pruned from your plants.

Items you should not compost include:

Meat and meat products including bones, fat, skin. Fish or fish waste.
Dairy products.

Those who want to take home composting to the next level might consider using a composting toilet. That’s right, humanure, as many call it, is ideal for use in an urban garden! Composting toilets mean that waste isn’t really a waste after all.

Besides saving space, there are additional benefits of vertical gardening. Because the plants are elevated, weeding them and picking fruit and flowers is done without stooping. Inspecting for insects, pruning and weeding are less of a chore, too. There is little waste of fruit, since it won’t sit on the ground where it can rot, be eaten by pests, or be overlooked under foliage.

Conclusion

With the price of food constantly increasing, many residents of big cities are turning to gardens to reduce their grocery bills. Others simply appreciate the benefit of unadulterated, fresh, organic produce as a key component to a nutrient-dense diet. Whatever your reason for starting your big city garden project, knowing how to grow your own food is always a good skill to develop. You never know when it might come in handy.

Could Gigafactories Power the Whole World?

The Model

Global Solar Expansion

Sources & Further Reading:

Useful Tips for Growing Food in the Big City

Save on Gardening Containers

The Role of Light in Your Plant’s Development

Organizing Your Gardening Tools

With Limited Space, Think Vertical

Create your Own Compost

Conclusion

Recommended Reading:

Sources & Further Reading: