Browsing by Subject "Southeast"

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    A Geospatial Approach to Siting Wind Right in the Southeast
    (2021-04-29) Feng, Xueying; Li, Shawn
    While installed wind turbine capacity continues to increase in the United States, a noticeable void exists in the Southeast due to a combination of poor wind resources, competing energy sources, and political opposition. As manufacturers develop turbines with a higher hub height to harness faster and smoother wind resources, many, including The Nature Conservancy, anticipate significant wind development in the Southeast. The identification of low environmental impact areas will not only lower the risk of project development but will also enable the identification of priority areas for transmission and distribution infrastructure. To capitalize on the opportunity to site wind right from the beginning, this study uses a GIS-based exclusion category approach to identify areas where installed wind power capacity is least likely to disrupt wildlife and sensitive habitats. The geospatial model creates maps where environmental and technical areas that are unsuitable for wind farms are removed. The model considers a sequence of five categories of land exclusion criteria. The resulting geospatial product suggests that even after removing sizable areas from consideration, there is significant land for wind development to meet the energy and climate needs of the Southeast region.
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    Analysis of Climate Adaptation Strategies for Southeast U.S. Coastal Cities
    (2008-04-25T01:45:18Z) Reeves, UllaBritt
    The realities of climate change are no longer future predictions to address in years to come. Impacts to Southeast coastal communities from rising sea levels, strange weather, and stronger storms caused by a warming planet are occurring today. Trends in scientific measurements clearly indicate that temperatures are rising, sea ice is melting, and storm intensity is increasing. The Southeast coastline is particularly vulnerable to these changes and local communities are the first to feel the impacts and address the needs. Yet many conversations about adaptation to climate change impacts are only occurring at high levels of government concerning international issues. Local decision-makers in the Southeast U.S. need tools to identify strategies that will provide adequate protection to their citizens as well as to manage environmental quality and prepare for any uncertainties. This Master’s project identifies primary and secondary climate change impacts to coastal areas of the Southeast U.S. A preliminary analysis was conducted to identify the societal implications incurred from impacts and the specific sector of society to which those impacts correspond. A resiliency criterion analysis was then created to qualitatively examine climate adaptation response strategies through three core evaluation mechanisms: adequate adaptive capacity, environmental sustainability, and the win-win nature of measures. To test the usefulness of the resiliency criteria, sea level rise response strategies were analyzed. Methods for this project included an extensive literature review of scientific findings as well as in-depth interviews with nine professional experts in the fields of government, academia, and coastal environmental non-profit organizations. The results of the criteria analysis indicate that measures receiving a “very high” ranking thoroughly meet the resiliency goals of maximizing human safety, community protection, environmental sustainability, and flexibility. Measures ranking “low” or “very low” fail the resiliency criteria in two or more categories and likely contribute to environmental degradation. Reviewing adaptation strategies for resiliency is an effective determination of strategic response initiatives. Creating communities resilient to climate change will require local officials to utilize tools such as this to choose optimal adaptation strategies.
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    Smart Microgrids to Improve Reliability and Resiliency of Power Supply in the Southeast
    (2023-05-01) Pumarejo Villarreal, Jose Eduardo (Puma)
    Extreme weather events in the Southeast have frequently caused significant damage to the power grid, leaving millions without electricity for extended periods. Despite substantial investments, vulnerabilities stemming from the centralized nature of the system remain unresolved. However, the implementation of decentralized smart microgrid technology presents a potential solution to mitigate the impacts of extreme weather events and enhance power supply reliability and resiliency. Microgrids, which consist of interconnected loads and distributed energy resources, can operate in coordination with the main grid or independently. Each microgrid requires a customized approach to design, installation, and management. Although smart microgrids can improve power supply reliability and resiliency by up to 60%, their high costs often render projects financially unfeasible. To accelerate the adoption of microgrids in the Southeast, clear state-level regulations, standardized guidelines for electric utilities, and economic assessments of resilient infrastructure are needed. Additionally, exploring the establishment of a Southeast ISO could facilitate the replication of successful practices from regions like California, Texas, and New York.
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    The Browning of Threat: The “Unintended” Aftermath of Immigration Enforcement in a New Destination Community
    (2018) Arriaga, Felicia

    My dissertation is a mixed-methods approach to investigate how local law enforcement implements federal immigration enforcement programs throughout the state of North Carolina. I’ve spent time as a participant observer as well as conducted formal and informal follow-up interviews with attendees at 287(g) Steering committee meetings and/or persons previously involved with each program in each of the following counties: 1) Henderson County, 2) Gaston County, 3) Cabarrus County, 4) Wake County, and 5) Mecklenburg County. I’ve supplemented this information with archival data from counties during their adoption phase of the 287(g) program and incorporated related immigration information when relevant.

    In this research, first, I document how various entities became crimmigration entities. Second, I theorize how these partnerships became normalized in order to protect a variety of white interests. Lastly, I focus on how this one program might be situated within a broader framework, which attempts to define immigration enforcement practices at the local level.

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    Wood Energy in the Southeastern United States: A Strategy for Sustainable Growth
    (2009-04-24T15:03:11Z) Palange, David
    Economic and environmental concerns over fossil fuels are placing the Southeast United States in a position to expand its use of wood biomass for energy. The region’s productive forestland, growing population, and wood products industry can help provide a sustainable, diverse and abundant supply of woody biomass much of which is currently unutilized. While federal and state policies are steering the use of wood toward large-scale production of cellulosic ethanol and electricity in the Southeast, the generation of thermal energy, the most efficient use of wood, appears to be undervalued. Three market segments that can benefit economically from biomass thermal energy are highlighted: institutions, agriculture, and industry. These segments are selected based on sustainability criteria that include a rapid payback period, high demand for thermal energy, efficient use of woody biomass, proximity to fuel source, and potential for repeatability across the region. Sensitivity analyses and case studies are used to support these findings. Critical factors for implementation of biomass thermal energy in the Southeast are also identified, revealing key economic, political and social barriers and drivers. Central barriers include the lack of a formal biomass market, competition with conventional fossil fuels, and poor public perception of wood energy. Drivers that favor the expansion of wood energy systems are renewable energy tax credits, an established forestry infrastructure, and the mutual relationship between biomass removal for energy and forest management practices. The findings can be used to support government, business, and agricultural clients that are looking to invest in affordable and renewable energy projects.