Our speaker last week was Barbara Jones with Ely Climate Group. She expressed thanks and appreciation for the work we do with Rotary and inviting her to speak.
- PhD Physics University College London
- Postdoc at University of Minnesota
- 1980 - 2007 Professor of Physics University of California San Diego, specialty astrophysics and physics education
- 2007 retired to Ely
- Interests include hydroponic gardening and 3D printing in addition to work with the Ely Climate Group
Speaker Highlights
Climate change review:
Climate change is here. It is happening now and happening all over the world. More than 70% of Americans agree with this statement.
As fossil fuels are burnt, they put more Co2 and methane into the atmosphere that traps more heat and the temperature rises. The average temperature of the earth has been stable over the last 10,000 years or so, since the last ice age ended making a 1.5 degree fluctuation a huge difference compared to the stability of the past.
The average temperature determines our weather patterns, where crops grow and where we want to live. Fluctuations in weather with temperature increases are more substantial.
The heat engine that drives our weather system is powered by the difference in temperature at the equator compared to the poles. It moves the jet stream which drives our weather. Weather systems come in from the west and go out from the east.
In a stable situation the jet stream is in a nice smooth flow. If the heat engine loses power, because the poles are warming up the jet stream isn't always a smooth loop and does loop de loops and can get stuck. This creates the potential for heavier rain in a short period of time rather than across weeks which may cause flooding, and wild fires happen during the longer hot periods causing drought periods and add to wild fire risk.
What is being done?
In Minnesota, the goal is to have 100% clean fuel by 2040. Coal and gas powered plants are being phased out. Gas is being used for higher demand times rather than base load power. The nuclear plants are being extended through 2050. We have two plants in Minnesota. The plants are heavily maintained, provide fossil free power. There are no Co2 emissions from the plants.
What does the Ely Climate Group do?
- Monthly meetings open to everyone provide education. They are held above the Napa store, on Zoom, and recorded and put up on YouTube for later viewing
- 20 - 30 people at each meeting
- The next meeting is March 11, the topic is Grand Rapids' 14 acre solar powered array and how it was developed
- Other meetings have covered heat pumps, home solar power and associated rebates, recycling electronic waste, electric vehicles, nuclear power, etc.
- There is a core group of about seven individuals who work on more focused projects
- Solar for schools
- A pre-proposal has been submitted by the school for a solar array
- If successful, 40% will be funded by the State Legislature and 40% by the Department of Commerce (Inflation Reduction Act) with 20% covered by the school
- The power generated will be sold back to Minnesota Power or the Ely Utility to cover their 20% over five years
- The solar array itself lasts 25 - 30 years providing funding for the school to use as they deemed necessary after their 20% commitment is paid
- Schools in NE Minnesota have arrays in place already
- As a constraint, the school curriculum must include how solar power is used and generated
- Ely Green Step City Program
- Ely joined in 2014, updated membership in 2016 and again in 2024 with the city forming a Green Team as part of the Projects Committee
- The Green Team will begin meeting in March 2025
- There are members from the Ely Climate Group, Ely City Council and other city committees and commissions
- It is run through the University of Minnesota extension and Clean Energy Resource Team (CERTS)
- They have experts who can do energy audits on city buildings to offer energy suggestions that will save the city money and be more energy efficient
- They provide resources for ideas from experts who have worked with other communities
- Collaborate with:
- Citizens Climate Lobby
- Climate Gen (Will Steger's organization)
- Clean energy resource teams out of the University of Minnesota
- National Resources Defense Council out of Washington D.C. (summer visitor)
- Interest out of the Cities who are interested in what rural cities are doing and offering support
What's next?
- Green Team begins meeting in March
- Ely Climate Group continues to meet
- Minnesota has a moratorium on new construction of nuclear power plants that has been in place for 30 years
- There is legislation proposed to lift the moratorium
- Existing plants may remain in place until 2050
- There is interest in smaller modular reactors that require less permitting than construction of nuclear plants
- Currently less expensive to build wind and solar energy options
For more information:
Thank you to Barbara for presenting Ely Climate Change information to the club.
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