The Appalachian Voice
Appalachian State University Competes in European Solar Decathlon
By Chelsey Fisher After winning “People’s Choice” in the 2011 U.S. Solar Decathlon, Appalachian State University has been chosen to take their ideas across the ocean. ASU — one of three universities chosen from the United States — will pair with Université d’Angers in France to compete in the 2014 European Solar Decathlon, which will…
Read MoreReaping Renewable Rewards
Governments and utilities offer a variety of incentives to assist residents and businesses in the transition to renewable energy. Below is a sampling of federal, utility and state policies. Find more clean energy and energy savings incentives at dsireusa.org. Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit Technologies Eligible: Various solar systems, wind, geothermal heat pumps, fuel…
Read MoreBio-energy Creates A Mass of Questions
By Jason Reagan Biomass: it’s a new word but an ancient energy source. For much of the world, the practice of gathering energy from organic material — the “bio” in “biomass” — is an everyday affair. Worldwide, about 146 billion tons of biomass are produced every year. However, the growing interest in biomass as an…
Read MoreBeyond Renewable: The Cutting Edge in Energy
By Chelsey Fisher The use of clean energy has increased in the nation since 2005, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. While renewable energy is mostly used in more traditional ways, such as powering homes or businesses, in recent years U.S. researchers have dug up new ways — from wave energy to micro-cell technology…
Read MoreCharlottesville Expands Electric Vehicle Initiative
By Chelsey Fisher Throughout many large cities in Appalachia, electric vehicle chargers are increasing in availability near car dealerships, highways and tourist attractions, making it easier for owners to travel in the area. Charlottesville, Va., is one such city promoting electric vehicles. Charlottesville’s first experience with electric vehicles started in 2012 when the city received…
Read MoreAlmost Always Sunny in Appalachia
Whether through a power plant or from the home, solar energy’s future is bright By Matt Grimley In a meeting earlier this year with U.S. Department of Energy employees, the secretary of energy was blunt about solar power. “I would argue that the scale and time frame of the impact of solar technology is underestimated,”…
Read MoreSpreading Knowledge of Appalachian Wildflowers
By Chelsey Fisher Rita McKinney has always had a passion for wildflowers, particularly rare North Carolina orchids. Starting in the 1980s, her personal work with a greenhouse led her to contact other horticulturalists, and eventually to volunteer in the horticulture department at Mayland Community College’s Spruce Pine campus. When the former lab instructor left in…
Read MoreOtterly Amazing: Resilient Mammals Stage an Impressive Comeback in Appalachia
By Chelsey Fisher With short legs, a slender body, webbed toes and a generally friendly personality, American river otters are one of the most charismatic creatures in the country. These four-foot-long mammals once flourished in the eastern part of the United States, including Appalachia. But as America rose in population, so did the amount of…
Read MoreGoforth Creek: A Trail in Peril
By Joe Tennis Practically every other day, especially in summer, you can find 33-year-old Zack Dunn dipping his feet in the waterfalls of Goforth Creek. “We’re out once, twice, maybe three times a week,” says Dunn, a resident of Benton, Tenn. “It can be 100 degrees out here, and you can come here, and it…
Read MoreGrowing Community in the New River Valley
Story and photos by Molly Moore From a curvy, two-lane road roughly four miles from downtown Blacksburg, Va., Arlean Lambert’s property is easily recognizable. Three solar panels are mounted by a pond in front of her ranch-style home. A verdant perennial garden alongside the home, flanked with a trellis covered in hardy kiwi, completes the…
Read More