This section of the Energy Information Clearinghouse
highlights projects, programs, and activities that foreshadow
a cleaner and green energy future for Cape Cod, Martha’s
Vineyard, and Nantucket. Visit The
Energy Future for more detail.
Eco-Roof
Thatching
represents an attractive and sustainable roofing solution.
This thatched roof, gracing a barn in Yarmouthport, transforms
an invasive wetland plant (Phragmites sp.) into a useful,
biodegradable shelter. |
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Plentiful Stock
Organized
consumers with discerning eyes and tight buildings can rely on
wood and other bioenergy resources to lower their bills, decrease
their reliance on fossil fuels, and reduce their emissions footprints.
Wood must be purchased early and in bulk – preferably from
vendors who participate in sustainable harvesting programs – and
it must be burned in modern stoves to heat efficient built environments.
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Sites of Inspiration
Solar photovoltaic
installations near the Gay Head lighthouse and elsewhere represent
visible indicators of progress as the
Vineyard Energy Project pursues an island-wide goal of “energy
independence within a generation”—and sets an example
for Cape Cod, Nantucket, and the rest of the nation. |
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Modest Start
Cape Cod's first
grid-tied turbine went online in June 2005 at Cape Cod Tech
in Harwich, successfully concluding an installer's workshop.
A second small wind installation, this time at Upper Cape Tech
in Bourne, is planned for
May 15-20, 2006, through another workshop organized by Cape
& Islands Self-Reliance. |
(Credit: Megan Amsler, Self-Reliance)
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Making
Waves
According to a recent study by the Electric Power Research Institute
(EPRI), a 100-MW "wave farm" of Pelamis energy conversion
devices sited off the Cape Cod National Seashore could prove
commercially feasible in the relatively near term. EPRI is currently
assessing the feasibility of a tidal energy project in the Muskeget
Channel between Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket.
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Cleaner
Holidays
Seasonal displays brightened by light-emitting diodes, rather
than conventional bulbs, can spread cheer while reducing electricity
bills. |
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The
Solar-Powered Lawnmower
Temporary electric fencing keeps the sheep in, the predators
out, and the grass down at the Audubon sanctuary in Cummaquid,
helping protect habitat for threatened birds.
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Gas
Fast
Kathleen Tyger Wright parked her car for the month of July 2005
to reduce her energy footprint. She estimates $55. in savings
on fuel costs, more than 663 lbs in reductions of greenhouse
gas emissions, and many hours of inner peace from reduced personal
reliance on foreign oil.
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2004 Honda Civic Hybrid
Gary Mazo and his
daughter, Sara, are all smiles in front of their 2004 Honda
Civic hybrid. Savings at the fuel pump - almost $3000 over 12
months. Federal tax break - $2500. Reduced emissions of pollutants
and greenhouse
gases and decreased reliance on foreign oil - priceless.
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The Carrot Car
A visionary drawing
by Zachary Hesse in May 2004, when he was in Grade 2 at Barnstable
- West Barnstable Elementary School. |
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U.S.
Coast Guard - Air Station Cape Cod Fuel
Cell Installation
A fuel cell converted natural gas into both electricity and
heat, delivering cleaner energy to hangars, administrative buildings,
and the barracks at U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod. Unfortunately,
this demonstration unit failed in fall 2005. |
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The
Race Point Lighthouse
Photovoltaic
panels harness the sun’s energy at the Race Point Lighthouse
in Provincetown. This off-the-grid solution powers the lighting
system and water pumps at the historic lightkeeper’s house.
It also decreases reliance on a noisy and costly diesel-fueled
generator—enhancing visitor experiences and reducing both
energy costs and harmful emissions.
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Credit: Cape Cod Chapter of the American
Lighthouse Foundation
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Green
Building
The Woods Hole Research Center’s state-of-the-art building
integrates green design practices, high-efficiency construction,
and advanced mechanical systems with solar and geothermal energy
technologies. Once the planned installation of a wind turbine
is completed, the building will operate without requiring fossil
fuels, and it will infuse the local distribution grid with green
electrons. It already provides scientists and other staff with
a comfortable working environment—and it is improving
both the regional and global environments.
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Credit: Cape Cod Center
for Sustainability
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Windy
& Free
A whipping flag, a soaring kite, and a full sail are evidence
of the abundance of wind in the Cape & Islands region. The
wind energy resource here is among the best in the United States,
and it is orders of magnitude greater than regional demand for
electricity—giving Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard,
and Nantucket a unique opportunity to improve economic, environmental,
and social conditions while achieving a measure of energy independence.
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Credit: Charlie
Powicki
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Cleaner
Transportation
The Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority's Shuttle Bus burns
propane rather than gasoline, the number of hybrids and other
alternative fuel vehicles on local roadways is growing, and
collaborative efforts to implement smarter and cleaner regional
transportation systems are making significant headway. The new
Flex-Route on the Outer Cape represents the best example. |
Credit: Cape
Cod Regional Transit Authority
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