Project 2
Student id: p22
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<DOC>
<docHead>
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<title>Individual Assignment for Project 2</title>
<author xml:id="p22">Matt Parlon</author>
<version n="3" date="2016-08-08"/>
</docHead>
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<pub_init_proposal>
<cover_page>
<title> Bringing Solar to Boston </title>
<author> Matt Parlon </author>
<submit_date> 8/15/2016 </submit_date>
<audience> Mr. Marty Walsh </audience>
</cover_page>
<tbl_cont>
<section n="1">1.0: Abstract </section>
<section n="2">2.0: Background </section>
<section n="3">3.0: Purpose </section>
<section n="4">4.0: Approach </section>
<section n="5">5.0: Feasibility </section>
<section n="6">6.0: Conclusion </section>
</tbl_cont>
<intro type="abstract">
<!--attribute options: ltr_int, exec_sum, abstract-->
<p> As it stands, Massachusetts is one of the nations<note type="instructor" resp="#kgs"
>nation's</note> foremost clean energy friendly states. One would infer that
Boston, the state capitol, would lead the way and set the example for the rest of
the Massachusetts. Boston is a diverse, growing city and its energy policy should
reflect that. By decentralizing the energy generation of Boston, the associated
financial gain can be properly distributed across all income levels. By providing a
tax credit equal to 25% the value of the investment associated with using solar
energy, Boston could greatly reduce its load on the grid and its yearly carbon
emissions. <note type="instructor" resp="#kgs">really nice mix of concrete proposal
(25%) and appeal to logos (Boston should be leading in this area)</note></p>
</intro>
<background>
<p>
<crnt_cond> Currently, there are several federal and state incentives associated
with meeting a portion of ones energy demand with solar energy. The Federal ITC
reimburses investors of photovoltaics with a tax credit equal to 30% of their
invested capital. In Massachusetts, there is a SREC (Solar Renewable Energy
Credit) that also provides money to counter the required upfront investment
associated with solar. Net metering allows generators of solar energy to sell
their excess energy back to the grid at a price that is slightly less than what
the grid charges to supply energy.
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</crnt_cond>
</p>
<p>
<subj_hist> Sustainability focuses on the environmental, social, and economic costs
associated with actions. However, in terms of getting people to adopt a
movement, economic terms seem to be the most persuasive. Providing an incentive
that is able to put the social and environmental externalities associated with
the burning of fossil fuel into economic terms allows for a more fair comparison
of energy generation techniques. The Daily Climate reported, <q>"Coal plants
place a disproportionate burden on poor and largely minority communities,
exposing residents to high levels of pollutants that affect public
health"</q>. It is easy to see that, without taking the cost of
externalities into account, people that compare things strictly economically
will not change their ways and distributed burdens will continue to go largely
ignored. <!-- can include <q> element(s) for quoted material -->
</subj_hist>
</p>
</background>
<purpose>
<p>
<scope type="what"> Providing an incentive that will allow for greater adoption of
solar energy generation techniques will benefit all in the target area as well
as surrounding communities. There are many advantages to going solar that span
all facets of society. </scope>
<!--attribute options: what, who, when, where-->
<objective> Boston should provide a citywide financial incentive to people that
adopt photovoltaic-based energy production methods.
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</objective>
<goal> By using more photovoltaics, Bostonians would decrease their carbon
footprint, increase consumer awareness, and start to mitigate the health
concerns associated with air pollution from fossil fuel burning facilities.
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</goal>
</p>
</purpose>
<approach>
<!--attribute options: execution, action-->
<p>
<execution> Understandably, there will be some push back to this proposal. This is
due to the fact that to generate the necessary capital to supply a PV tax
credit, some will have to be charged more than their current electricity rate.
However, by increasing the cost of energy generated from fossil fuels, Boston
would be forcing people who contribute to the pollution of the environment pay
for the cost of this externality. This price correction would not be large
because the number of ratepayers using fossil fuel generated energy is so much
greater than those that would receive the benefit of this incentive that their
rate would not increase greatly. As more and more people go solar, the ratio of
ratepayers funding the incentive to those benefiting would decrease. For this
reason, there will be an obvious reason to join this program as early as
possible. That being said, this also adds the constraint that this incentive
program is to be reevaluated over time as not to eventually have an unfair
burden on those that do not adopt this program. <!--text here-->
</execution>
</p>
<p>
<action> Immediately, a citywide incentive program should be brought to town council
and be introduced to the public. As public meetings evaluate this proposal, a
community-specific program will be hashed out that would incorporate the desires
of the citizens and give lawmakers greater insight as to how smaller communities
react to such energy credit programs. Community insight will also be able to
help establish an appropriate time period for this incentive regime. </action>
</p>
</approach>
<feasibility>
<!--attribute options: economic, social, environmental-->
<p>Environmental</p>
<p>
<environmental><note type="instructor" resp="#kgs">the feas. section, I think, is
the strongest of the doc</note> Per unit area, solar panels can offset more
carbon emission than a tree. This is the justification most solar developers use
to clear-cut a wooded area to replace it with panels. However, if Boston were to
adopt a greater solar incentive program, panels would be used on rooftops,
bridges, and as parking overhangs. Since such a large portion of Boston is
covered with impermeable surfaces, panels would not be displacing any carbon
sequestering organisms and would also deplete the solar radiation that is
constantly being absorbed by the dark roofs and streets of Boston. </environmental>
<!--text here-->
</p>
<!--attribute options: economic, social, environmental-->
<p>Social</p>
<p>
<social> There are many links associated with air pollution and mental health.
NaturalNews outlines this issue by stating that <q>"While previous studies have
linked urban air pollution to type 2 diabetes and increased blood sugar
levels in pregnant women, among other ailments, new research suggests that
poor air quality might also be responsible for reducing children's IQs,
affecting their ability to learn and access information"</q>. By allowing
residents to stop contributing to the pollution of their own air, Boston will be
promoting greater mental health that disproportionately affects those living in
poorer communities who bear the brunt of this pollution. The other health
affects associated with air pollution would also start to be remediated by the
reduction in energy demand from the grid. <!--text here-->
</social>
</p>
<!--attribute options: economic, social, environmental-->
<p>Economic</p>
<p>
<economic> By allowing individual households to produce their own energy and sell
the remainder back to the grid, Boston could help to decentralize wealth and
help those living in poverty to overcome their current financial problems. <pb/>
Adopting solar will also prove beneficial to those in the large rental market of
Boston. As landlords compete for tenants, a large group will be drawn to
apartments and offices that can boast a renewable energy connection. These
landlords may also be able to pass along a portion of there electric savings to
their tenants. <!--text here-->
</economic>
</p>
</feasibility>
<conclu>
<p> Boston is among the worlds most educated and diverse cities. Logic would indicate
that such a city should have an energy policy that reflects its communities. I
propose that a 25% tax credit be issued to Bostonians who adopt rooftop solar energy
generation. This credit, partnered with other government incentives will allow a
wider range of society to save money, reduce pollution, and increase awareness
through solar. <!--text here-->
</p>
</conclu>
<references>
<citation n="" style="APA"> Wilson, J. (2015, May 31). Why cities make people stupid:
Air pollution significantly reduces children's IQ, study finds . Natural News.
Retrieved from
http://www.naturalnews.com/049903_air_pollution_city_life_intelligence.html </citation>
<citation style="APA"> Israel, B. (2012, November 16). Coal plants smothering
communities of color, report finds . The Daily Climate . Retrieved from
http://www.dailyclimate.org/tdc-newsroom/2012/11/coal-power-injustice </citation>
</references>
</pub_init_proposal>
<docReview>
<reviewer type="peer" xml:id="w28">Sam Wagner</reviewer>
<report type="peer" resp="#w28">
<p>The first draft of this proposal looks very in depth at the cost/benefit relationship
associated with the use of solar power in the city of Boston. Although the
introduction does provide a good overview of the situation surrounding the proposed
project, I don’t know if it makes the actual project itself completely clear.
Consider ending your introduction with a decisive and direct statement of what needs
to be done. The background section felt very informative but could maybe use a
little bit of historical context about solar power used in cities elsewhere or in
Boston in the past. I really appreciated the structured layout of the feasibility
section of this proposal. I think that it addressed each subject in a very relevant
manner. However, I think as far as ease of reading, maybe include a statement or
something at the beginning of each readability section so that the reader knows and
can appreciate the fact that you are touching on all three of these areas; social,
environmental and economic.</p>
<p>At times throughout the document the word choice becomes a bit repetitive. When this
is the case, maybe consider breaking down your statements into smaller sentences to
determine if that information is entirely relevant in that section or if it might
work better in another section. Also if you are going to link back to previously
stated information consider referencing that earlier statement. This will add
purpose to your statements and make your argument more clear. </p>
</report>
<reviewer type="instructor" xml:id="kgs"/>
<report type="instructor" resp="#kgs">
<p>A few things that are really going well here: 1) the connection between the abstract
and conclusion; 2) the use of both technical/statistical arguments along with other
rhetorical appeals aligns with how your group presented the genre as both for
planners and myriad other uptaes; 3) the feasibility section is comprehensive and I
can imagine it being re-purposed to turn it into a presentation for a town meeting
or some other genre. One question I have regards the sources you used: both look
like they are from websites (rather than, say, peer reviewed research journals. Is
this typical of the genre? How likely are your readers to take seriously these
sources? Would other sources imbue you, the rhetor, with more ethos?</p>
</report>
</docReview>
</DOC>