October 17, 2014
Data: Mitigate the Climate Change
Climate change is no longer a phantom. It is becoming real throughout the world. Therefore, there is a crucial need for assessing the policies in this regard. This past summer, I interned for the Renewables Unit of the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, where I was responsible for collecting and analyzing biomass tonnage reports. Currently, a small percentage of electricity in Massachusetts is generated from burning trees (biomass) to feed the generators. The new trees are grown after the removal of the old ones. In that case, biomass is considered renewable energy. However, after careful analysis, it is obvious that, while trees are burning, a significant amount of CO2 is generated. New policy is needed to discourage the burning of trees to incentivize alternative energy sources. Thus, drawing necessary data on produced biomass is critical for making new policies towards a greener future. Designing and implementing this type of policy requires careful data collection, identification of necessary characteristics of biomass and final analysis and recommendations.
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