Would a monkey or a turtle know what an albedo number is?

We all know that labelling renewable energy technology in the form of wind and solar as ‘new’, doesn’t fit. It’s been around for many years and it works. Indeed the rate at which technology is currently developing means we can safely call the concept of solar and wind energy in its current form, ‘old’ technology rather than new.

However, research into renewables continues apace so there are elements of renewables that are being developed such as improvements in the performance of solar panels or turbines. Research into the application of reflective surfaces is a relatively new area for solar for example. ‘Albedo’ is a Latin term meaning ‘whiteness’ and is the measure of the diffuse reflection of solar radiation measured on a scale from 0 (a black surface that absorbs all incident radiation) to 1 (a surface that reflects all incident radiation). Research is being carried out into which vegetation should be planted to maximise the albedo number in fields with solar panels so that bifacial panels (panels that absorb light on both sides) can perform at the highest levels. It might not be vegetation that does the best job of course - a recent study found that laying rolls of aluminium foil under your bifacials would be best!

The point of this note is that what some people consider ‘new’, others think of as ‘old’. Many people are afraid of change so withdraw from the ‘new’ and that happens in local government as it does elsewhere. Those people reading this will fall into the category of those who know, but more importantly, appreciate, the difference.

Back to the wildlife. Monkeys are highly social and are able to learn from each other by interacting and copying behaviour. Turtles on the other hand are self-isolating creatures that spend years alone even abandoning their nests and leaving their eggs to hatch on their own. 

Would a monkey or a turtle know what an albedo number is? Of course not – what kind of a daft question is that! But if they did…a monkey would tell its mates and the message would spread quickly but sadly the turtle wouldn’t have anyone to tell so no other turtles would find out!

The message is let’s all act like monkeys. Tell your colleagues that solar and wind is not new and should be embraced, that the council probably has the assets to take advantage of it, that if they need help they can get it from APSE Energy and the clincher - that it will generate some income as well as electricity, probably large amounts of money.

There are monkeys out there already – those who are actively talking about and acting on renewables – but what about the turtles!

Or maybe you’re a platypus? – look it up.