Page 24 - GB Building Science Ebook 2019

04 SIX CHANGES

HVAC: CHANGING

WITH THE CLIMATE

Sudden Impact. The rate at which heat pumps are replacing window air conditioners and old heating equipment can scarcely be overstated. Municipal
planners are racing to create local guidelines for installation.
O UNDERSTAND CHANGES IN HEATING and cooling a State that has been dogged for decades by anti-solar legislation.
equipment, start with the bigger picture of energy trends But it’s not just Florida that’s going solar. From Massachusetts
and Climate change. A momentous change is taking place, to California, renewable power installations and solar job growth
although the media, and the biggest stakeholders seem to far outpace fossil fuel-related occupations. In Nevada, NV Energy
Tbe largely in denial. The age of fossil fuel is ending, and the recently announced construction of what will be the largest solar
age of 100 percent renewable electricity is well under way. array in the U.S, at 690 megawatts. They’re actually working on
What are the signs? There are many. First, solar installations three new solar projects that will produce 1200 megawatts of power,
are becoming larger, better funded and capable of competing with with almost 600 megawatts of battery storage. The battery storage
natural gas plants. To offer just two such examples, a new 1,000-acre component is key, because it allows solar to keep the power on when
solar farm planned for Crystal River, Florida, will produce about the sun’s not shining.
150 megawatts. This plant’s real significance is its location—near a Then there’s the Climate Change wild card. Public officials have
decommissioned nuclear power plant, and not far from two natural begun to take action related to this issue. Nevada, for example, has
gas power generators. Clearly, solar is making its move. And that’s not mandated a 50% renewable energy portfolio by 2030. Indiana has
the only action in Florida. Across the state in Jacksonville, Jinko Solar begun to put the brakes on gas even more aggressively. Regulators just
has built an expansive new plant (third largest in the U.S.) where it refused a permit for a utility to build a new natural gas plant, noting
expects to produce vast numbers of PV panels. And this comes from as part of their decision that solar electric will soon supplant gas.

24 BUILDING SCIENCE SPECIAL REPORT: SIX WAYS CONSTRUCTION IS CHANGING