An artist’s rendering of the underwater kites as they could appear in the first commercial scale ocean current energy conversion plant off the coast of Wales. (Image: Minesto)
They look like the kind of winged contraptions imagined by animation film director Hayao Miyazaki, but these experimental generators could represent the next wave in renewable energy.
With what amounts to one of the biggest-ever European investments in ocean energy, the first commercial scale underwater “kite” power plant is being built off the coast of Holyhead, Wales.
Stefan Björklund
Tidal energy is sort of an underwater version of wind energy, explains Stefan Björklund, an assistant professor in machine design at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. Björklund has done work in other ocean energy projects, and is now involved in the 10 megawatt Deep Green plant being built in partnership with Swedish marine energy company Minesto and civil engineers McLaughlin & Harvey. Deep Green recently secured EUR3.5 million from KIC InnoEnergy, and an additional EUR13 million from the European Regional Development Fund.
These underwater, winged turbines are anchored below ocean’s surface. And in the same way a kite flies faster than the wind, their speed exceeds the speed of ocean currents by a factor of between 8 and 10, Björklund says. “You keep the kite moving in a figure eight pattern, to keep up the high speed.”
The ocean currents — which flow at depths of 60m to 120m off of Holyhead — are relatively slow, at between 4-9km/ h. But they’re also steady and water is much denser than air, which means it provides much greater constant force.
Electricity is produced in the generator, and transmitted through a cable in the tether attached to the wing. The electricity continues in sub-sea cables on the seabed to the shore. The 500kw kite designed by Minesto has a 12m wingspan and must be anchored at a minimum depth of about 60m, to ensure that ships can pass above them.
Unlike windmills however, underwater kites do not need gears — though Minesto’s director of ocean operations, Ted Rosendahl, says the company is still considering the gearbox option in the process of optimizing their generators.
Björklund explains the challenge with gears: “When working with generators, it’s always good to have high speed. With wind power you need a gearbox to increase the speed of the generator, and that’s become a problem for the wind industry. Windmills need big parts because the torque through the system is much higher.”
The KTH team is performing mechanical simulations and calculations for subsystems of the kite, with most of the work beginning next year.
So by 2019, a 10 megawatt power station should up and running, with a field of kites gliding in figure eights on the ocean floor — a scene so whimsical it could come from a Miyazaki film. Except harvesting ocean energy is not as effortless as it looks.
“There are many attempts to harvest energy from the sea, such as wave conversion. And it’s always very difficult,” Björklund says. “The environment out on the sea is very harsh, and they always find problems when they try to put inventions in the sea.”
Unlike the struggles of indigenous people in the Americas, the plight of the Sami people is little-known, even among the populations of Sweden, Norway, Finland and Russia, where their ancient territory lies. (Photo: Ernmuhl at lb.wikipedia [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons)If you don’t live in the Nordic countries, it’s quite possible you’ve never heard of the Sami — an indigenous people of the European Arctic, whose reindeer-herding culture has remained pretty much unchanged for tens of thousands of years.
With their colorful, traditional embroidery, reindeer skin moccasins and wigwams, the Sami bring to mind some of the native people of North America. But in contrast to the struggle of the Native Americans, the plight of the Sami people is little-known, even among the populations of Sweden, Norway, Finland and Russia, where their ancient territory lies.
For the past several years, the Sami of northern Sweden have been embroiled in a fight to preserve the forests where they graze their reindeer in the winter. For the Sami, it’s not just about protecting nature — a threat to the forest is a threat to their way of life and culture, and they have invoked the International Labour Organization’s convention on the rights of indigenous peoples to bolster their case.
Theirs is one of the cases KTH researcher Vania Ceccato discusses in her newly-released book, Rural Crime and Community Safety, which explores a number of topics, including violence against women, farm crimes, youth-related issues and crimes against the environment and wildlife.
Which brings us to the Sami’s protests near the isolated community of Jokkmokk.
The book includes a photo depicting a Sami protester getting carried off by the police during a demonstration against mining operators who have been prospecting in the forests where the Sami’s reindeer range. The image is loaded with contradictory messages, in Ceccato’s mind. An expert on the subject of situational conditions of crime, she considers these protests a form of law enforcement, because they’re aimed at prevention of harm to the environment and wildlife crime; and yet, the participants find themselves in conflict with official local law enforcement.
“For me there is no contradiction between the work of the police and the activists,” she says. “Institutionally they represent different groups, but to some extent they are representing some similar interests — the protection of the environment from harm and environmental crime. This calls for new ways of looking at crime prevention in small rural communities and the challenges they face.”
Outsiders can be forgiven for assuming the Swedish public has rallied behind the Sami — after all, Swedes are noted for their promotion of human rights worldwide.
But, as Ceccato’s book — and numerous news articles — illustrate, it’s clear that’s not happening.
One of the problems may be that in Sweden, like most places, city people by and large aren’t all that concerned about the problems rural people face. As a native of Chicago, a sprawling megalopolis in the middle of America’s Grain Belt, I completely understand the preoccupation with urban issues. Which is why I too feel ashamed when Ceccato reminds me of the consequences this kind of attitude leads to.
One of her points is that crime prevention practices have to be less urban-centric. “The Sami are alone in this, and they are pitted against mining companies, local landowners and the local people who depend on the jobs that mining produces.”
Or as one Sami protester is quoted in the book: “In Sweden we denounce the oppression of indigenous people in other countries, but oppress its own indigenous people.”
Ceccato says the case illustrates how difficult it is to put the goal of sustainable development into practice in remote places. But, “people shouldn’t feel they need to choose between survival and environment. This situation pits ‘locals’ against each other”.
The actions of the protesters take on greater importance considering how difficult it is for the authorities to prevent ecologically harmful and criminal activities, such as chemical pollution, deforestation and illegal hunting. Attempts to build a case in Sweden against such activities often run up against other interests, as well as what are referred to as “local traditional practices”, she says.
“The process of finding out, recording, investigating, prosecuting and sentencing these crimes are selective across Sweden,” she says. “Environmental inspectors have a key role in detecting and providing evidence of the problem so that prosecutors can be prepared to ‘make a case’. If this chain fails, it is likely that the case is closed. Although crime registers show an increase in environmental crimes recorded in Sweden, only a few criminals have been sentenced to prison.”
She says the Swedish public is simply neglecting the issue. “Why are we completely blind to these issues that we probably are more keen to see in other countries?” she asks. “Maybe it’s harder to deal with it here because then we have to deal with these big guys, some of whom are local, these mining interests.”
According to the Swedish Geological Survey, Sweden is by far the largest iron ore producer in the EU and is also among the foremost producers of base and precious metals. The industry is critical to the Swedish economy, and thousands of jobs are at stake in the north. So, perhaps people living in Sweden’s major cities find the issue too complex for them to take sides.
But Ceccato says that turning a blind eye to the Sami’s complaints amounts to handing companies tacit consent to explore the wilderness for potential mining operations. And, that’s a problem.
“This explorative use imposes a threat to the forest and to Sami way of life and culture,” she points out. “This may not be a crime yet; but evidence shows no doubt that harm is under way, as expressed by Sami protesters. ”
The controversy reminds Ceccato of American children’s author Dr. Seuss’ environmental fable, “The Lorax”, in which a lone figure pleads unsuccessfully against a businessman intent on exploiting a natural habitat. In the end nothing is left but a polluted wasteland.
“The Lorax speaks for the trees, who have no voices of their own,” Ceccato says. “And the Sami are fighting for their culture. Some of the actions of the mining companies do not reach the point of being a criminal act, but there is a clear environmental harm and that, for me, is enough to take action.
“It doesn’t have to violate the criminal code for us to react.”
Which reminds me of Dr. Seuss’ lines from the “Lorax”:
“Now that you’re here,
the word of the Lorax seems perfectly clear.
UNLESS someone like you
cares a whole awful lot,
nothing is going to get better.
It’s not.”
Almost just in time for Back to the Future Day, I got a look at the Ikea catalog of the future — sort of. The home furnishing company has partnered with the KTH Royal Institute of Technology’s research centre, Mobile Life, to envision the ways Scandinavian design can fulfill the promise of our digitalized world. When you can connect everything, what can you do?
For one thing you can offer all sorts of subscription-based business models that consumers will probably eat up. Like the drone that monitors, tends and waters your home garden; or the bookshelf that you design yourself and can be 3D printed in your living room, then fed a steady stream of books, films, news and other content via subscription.
Looking through this mock catalog, you get a better appreciation of how connectivity can transform domestic life. It’s part of a Swedish government-funded project report called Consumer-Facing Internet of Things, in which Mobile Life, Ikea, Wireless@KTH, Ericsson and a number of others collaborated.
Some of the things I’ll order if they actually materialize as real products:
“Semi-organic “moss”-like carpet that grows slowly over your existing flooring while also producing environmental cleansing and scrubbing characteristics.” Actually, believe there are parts of our house where this is already beginning to happen, though unfortunately without the cleansing and scrubbing part. Totally weird and fascinating. Who can resist?
Bottomless bottles of shampoo and conditioner. Well, not exactly, but the subscription kit would provide an organic starter compound that re-grows and replenishes the shampoo and conditioner naturally, “through safe, secure biosynthesis and genetic regeneration.” Perfect for people like me who always knock the shampoo bottle over, or who use just too much damned shampoo.
A kitchen prep counter that provides “precise, friendly, sensible instructions for measurements, volumes, directions and lively anecdotes helping you prepare a wide range of recipes from around the world.” Kind of like having my mom hovering behind me every time I cook — minus the prying questions about my personal life. It also comes with a complete library of “Scandinavian specialties and sauces.” Hopefully there will be a button where you can reset that library from “Scandinavian” to “Italian”.
A mattress that adjusts moisture, temperature, pliability, thickness and density, “based on your preferences, ambient temperature, calendar and intimate body biometrics”. I’ll just let those last three words sink in … You may enter your inevitably hilarious comments below.
The other big thing about this is the idea of offering a way for consumers to now “‘share your life data’ to help advance the world.”
Your intestine is home to tens of trillions of microbes of at least 1,000 different species. So it’s no wonder we’re just beginning to understand all the ways they affect our physiology and health.
Here are four things you might not have known about your gut bacteria, courtesy of KTH research.
Babies need exposure to their mother’s gastrointestinal bacteria to prevent allergies. A 2013 study from KTH found that children born via Caesarean section run a higher risk of developing allergies due to a lack of bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. In particular the babies in the study lacked the bacterial group Bacteroidetes which, according to the research team’s earlier observations, are associated with protecting against allergies.
Fibre is chopped up by your gut flora. The complex carbohydrates called xyloglucans account for a quarter of the dry weight of fruits and vegetables. That’s the stuff you need in your diet, but you also depend on a class of gut bacteria called Bacteroides ovatus in order to break down these sugars, according to a study done here. Harry Brumer from the KTH School of Biotechnology says this “crucial part of our digestive toolkit” is possible because of a sequence of genes the researchers discovered, which enables Bacteroides ovatus to chop up xyloglucans. So be nice to your Bacteroides ovatus.
Obesity, fatty liver disease, diabetes and other metabolism disorders are linked to gut bacteria. Gut bacteria consume an amino acid called glycine that is needed to synthesize your body’s main antioxidant, glutathione. A lack of it in your liver or colon can spell trouble. A KTH researcher found that glycine levels were lower in lab mice that didn’t have gut bacteria, suggesting that the microbiota regulate the levels of glutathione in these critical organs.
Your intestine protects your brain. Obviously, your brain takes care of your gut, because you’re smart, and you read about eating healthy (and given the choice between broccoli quinoa salad and a Chicago-style stuffed sausage pizza, you know which to order, right?). But did you know that even before you were born, microbiota has been protecting a critical part of your brain? The blood-brain barrier acts like a filter to protect the brain from harmful substances; and according to tests done on lab mice, exposure to the mother’s gut bacteria is necessary to making sure it’s impermeable, according to research at KTH. And as you go on in life, this impermeability is preserved by your gut microbiota. Now you know. So, go on and enjoy that piz… I mean, broccoli!
By Deskmag (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia CommonsIs office design getting “sexy”? Christina Bodin Danielsson seems to think so — insofar as designers are beginning get excited about what goes into making good working environments.
Bodin Danielsson is a researcher at Stockholm’s KTH Royal Institute of Technology School of Architecture & Built Environment and Stockholm University’s Stress Research Institute, who just co-published a study showing that certain office designs breed discontent among co-workers. I caught up with her recently to talk more about how design affects work.
Are there any changes in office design over the last decade that you find particularly striking?
In general employers and management are showing a greater interest in office design, but also in the work environment. They see office design as a way to reinforce one’s brand — both internally and externally. And there is a greater awareness of the physical work environment as a tool to motivate people, and to prevent workers from getting sick. When I started, work environment was considered boring — now it has become “sexy”, so to say. Good work environment and attractive office design are no longer seen as mutually exclusive.
It seems like there are a lot of reports about how detrimental open office spaces are for productivity, and the theme that keeps emerging is a lack of perceived privacy. What’s your take on this?
Yes, studies have shown that unwanted sound, or noise, reduces productivity by about 30 percent, depending on the cognitive demands of the work people are doing. In open plan layouts there is a greater risk of noise problems, but research also shows that social coherence and affinity increases, too. However, this depends very much on the quality of the design and choice of office type.
Are there some positive trends in office design?
Yes. There is a growing awareness of the importance of a good work environment, that a good work environment does not have to be ugly. The reduced emphasis on face time (thanks to ICT) is also good; it gives the individual more personal control. Productivity no longer requires being in the office all the time.
What is one of the most ambitious and exciting design concepts you are aware of?
There are a few new, interesting office designs emerging now — I discuss these in detail in a newly-published book called “Vad är ett bra kontor?” (editor’s note: that’s Swedish for ‘What is a good office?’). But basically, I find the project office and the lean-based office design to be the most interesting office designs at the moment combined with the new approach applied to cell-office that is coming now.
Noise seems to be one of those things that management doesn’t think about until a new office space is up and running, then it’s kind of a situation where people either thrive on it or hate it. What are some of the innovative approaches you’ve seen for dealing with noise?
There are different solutions to this – you can have people that need to talk go to specific areas that allow talk, you can also work with different types of material in flooring and ceiling that absorbs noise. How you group people is also very important – all different dimensions have to be considered.
There’s also so-called “sound showers” where you can stand and have a telephone conversation or, if you have larger sound shower, where you can have furniture set up inside. The idea is that you don’t need to design a room to make a space that absorbs sound. But to be honest, the old solutions are not bad. The problem is that designers don’t know how to use them, that is, how to design in order to make a good sound environment, so to say. In my opinion this is a very important problem among architects and interior designers.
Cube farms are popular in the US, but not here. What’s going on with that?
We see cubicle often in American and British office environments – there privacy is a big thing. Mainly because management have a greater need for surveillance in these culture, as there is less trust between employer and employees there. Status is in these countries also highly related to physical privacy, much more there than in Scandinavia.
Also it might be more important there since the physical work environment often is bad in offices in both the US and UK. In Scandinavia, a lot of money has been put into the physical work environment; however, in the US and UK what’s more important is a bigger pay cheque. There is also traditionally more focus on the work group in Scandinavia than on the individual.
Journal of Environmental Psychology
Volume 42, June 2015, Pages 161–171
Christina Bodin Danielssona, Lennart Bodinc, Cornelia Wulffd, Töres Theorella
DOI:10.1016/j.jenvp.2015.04.004
Author
