The increased risks of climate change are forcing communities to rethink how they meet their energy needs. In this project, we investigated the feasibility of integrating a small modular nuclear reactor (SMNR) at WPI for both research and power generation. During this investigation, we conducted interviews, directed a survey, and viewed carbon emissions data. By analyzing this information, we found that implementing an SMNR would benefit the institution by providing additional research opportunities and reducing overall emissions through the cogeneration of heat and electricity in a safe manner by utilizing SMNR technology as soon as 2026, when it is predicted to be commercially available.
People With Disabilities (PWDs) face a four-fold higher risk of death from climate emergencies, yet largely lack any meaningful inclusion in municipal climate vulnerability planning. This project maps out a strategy to increase PWD inclusion in a Massachusetts government agency, the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) program providing municipalities with climate resilience technical assistance, funding, and guidelines, currently undergoing a 5-year update. Over 95% of Massachusetts’s municipalities participate in this program, so changes to this one entity are disseminated throughout the state. While this project was in its intermediate stage, sharing this project’s early findings and resources led to strong interest being expressed in increasing PWD inclusion by an MVP program official.
All of this project’s resources are offered for MVP’s consideration, as well as for climate planners and activists in other locales, including: recommendations; resources; existing examples from a few locales; and best practices that provide PWDs with equal access to the interventions and protections in climate resilience planning programs. In addition, the researcher draws on PWD expertise to develop a single document showing how multiple specific climate hazards affect accessibility needs for a wide range of functional limits and disabilities.
A gap in the literature is described in detail: there is no widely used, comprehensive system to describe varied types of functional limits and disabilities, despite those in current use being rejected by PWD experts, or else having either excessive or insufficient detail to be suitable for resilience planning.
The report includes input by policy experts with disabilities on how best to identify, and plan to remove, specific barriers for PWDs with varied functional limits and requirements. The project also connected PWD climate activists with the MVP program. While the project is currently focused on the specifics of Massachusetts, it could be adapted to serve the needs of other locales with relative ease, and these resources will be made available to interested parties.
Perceptions of climate change vary in the agricultural demographic as only around half of the farmers believe in human-induced climate change (Arbuckle et al., 2015). Through the creation of a pamphlet, based on psychological principles to maximize impact, we aim to alter unproductive perceptions of climate change. Changing perceptions, we hope to inspire action and lessen our impact on climate change one demographic at a time.
Sources: Arbuckle, J. G., Morton, L. W., & Hobbs, J. (2015). Understanding Farmer Perspectives on Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation: The Roles of Trust in Sources of Climate Information, Climate Change Beliefs, and Perceived Risk. Environment and Behavior, 47(2), 205–234. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013916513503832. ​
We are perfecting a technology that will extract rare earth metals from magnet scrap because rare earth metals are in short supply in the United States. 95% of rare earth metal production is carried out in China, and right now, there are no U.S. producers. The only non-Chinese producers are Estonia, Vietnam, and Thailand- a small market.
We are looking to build a start-up in the U.S. to fill the vacuum, and part of our research is to prove that out.
Our current response to climate change has been through broad-spectrum electrification, as seen in electric vehicles, through the use of energy storage technology. However, to enable the long-distance travel required for freighting and aviation, the energy density of hydrocarbon fuels have yet to be beaten. We can leverage organic wet wastes to produce renewable, low carbon intensity biofuels using hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL).
With relative maturity on the benchtop, dozens of economic analyses have been performed to elucidate HTL’s viability. These economic analyses assume case-by-case plant design solutions, which are time and resource intensive. This talk will present a model developed to drastically shorten this economic viability screening time using only the results of a single experiment to expedite widespread deployment of HTL.
Lignin is a natural aromatic biomacromolecule that exists as the second most abundant polymer. Its phenolic structure makes it a potential renewable source for organic compounds, especially those containing electron rich aromatic rings. However, valorizing lignin has presented a huge challenge owing to its recalcitrant nature. Co-solvent enhanced lignocellulosic fractionation (CELF) is an advanced biomass pretreatment technique that gives us a clean lignin byproduct. Depolymerizing CELF lignin via hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL), which is a green wet-based thermochemical conversion technique, produces aromatic hydrocarbon-rich biocrude or phenolic monomer chemicals. Hardwood derived CELF lignin yields approximately 52wt% of biocrude with valuable monomers like guaiacol, syringol, creosol, butylated hydroxytoluene, etc. Further processing and upgrading of biocrude could lead to production of usable biofuels.
This is a model for a centralized hub to accumulate student transportation emissions data. The goal is to inform the populace of the carbon footprint that their transportation choices leave, while providing other greener alternatives to choose from.
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<p><strong>Abstract:</strong> The goal of our project was to create a plan and set of materials for the nonprofit Sustainable Nantucket to use to negotiate with the Nantucket Board of Health and other entities for the approval and implementation of a mobile poultry processing unit (MPPU) to encourage sustainable poultry farming on Nantucket. We observed an MPPU in operation on Martha’s Vineyard and evaluated regulations, farmer interest, operational logistics, and estimated costs on Nantucket. We concluded there is sufficient farmer interest to proceed and recommended the type of MPPU Sustainable Nantucket should consider purchasing and implementing. We developed a financial plan, operating manual, and other materials to help Sustainable Nantucket achieve regulatory approval at the state and local levels.</p>
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<p><strong>Abstract:</strong> The project will improve a local sustainability certification, “Hecho en Monteverde” (HEM). The certification will foster long-term economic resilience through circular and orange economies. The project made the current certification criteria more measurable, feasible, and relevant for food sector businesses. Thirty-three interviews with food businesses, applicants, HEM administrators, and associated organizations informed and reviewed revisions. The twenty-three new food sector criteria can model criteria revisions for other sectors and areas of concern. HEM needs to replicate this criteria revision process and improve application accessibility/marketing.</p>
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