Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Robert Ferry @robertferry.bsky.social · 2h

It should also be used sparingly because each generative visual— while it may not represent reality—has a real impact on the environment and you may be unwittingly stealing someone else’s art until you take it forward by “hand” and make it your own.

Robert Ferry @robertferry.bsky.social · 2h

I think A.I. can be a useful design tool for early exploration and iteration. To spark new ideas and fusions. I even think it’s fine to post A.I. art online. But it crosses the line for me when it is presented falsely as reality and thousands of people comment on it thinking it’s real.

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Robert Ferry @robertferry.bsky.social · 2h

Oh I agree! As you know, I spend most of my time working to get well-designed, artful, and engaging clean energy projects built IRL. I think that is why I’m probably so offended by these A.I. versions that claim to tell a story that is false with no real human creativity or ingenuity underlying it.

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Robert Ferry @robertferry.bsky.social · 2h

That is my problem. I only jump in when I have to. The content seems to be high-performing and gets a lot of engagement. The slop accounts wouldn’t post if it didn’t. So on a systems level, there sure is a lot of bad information being spread among the population.

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Robert Ferry @robertferry.bsky.social · 11h

It would be funny if it were not all so misleading and harmful.

It distracts from real world clean energy and sustainable design projects that are in fact way cooler and more interesting.

It also does a disservice to the green movement by making it all seem so patently ridiculous and stupid.

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Robert Ferry @robertferry.bsky.social · 11h

Even when the A.I. slop machine gets some of the news right (agrivoltaics are a great option—they just don’t look like this) it gets the illustration of the idea wildly wrong, which I can only imagine makes people laugh at and dismiss what are actually viable solutions. How is that tractor…what?

A.I. generated image that shows a farmer trying to drive a tractor between rows of solar panels that are too close together to work for agrivoltaic farming.

“German farmers have adopted an ingenious system known as agrivoltaics, where solar panels are installed above farmlands... See more
Engineering Facts”

“In Germany, farmers install solar panels above crops to simultaneously generate energy and grow food. This 'Dual harvest' approach enhances sustainability without reducing farmland.”

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Robert Ferry @robertferry.bsky.social · 11h

I’m sorry DIY Generator. This is not what wave energy looks like and boulders are not alternators.

A.I. generated image that claims to explain wave energy. It doesn’t. The closest might be an oscillating water column but that isn’t this either. This is just some mechanical components somehow shoved inside a rock.

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Robert Ferry @robertferry.bsky.social · 11h

Have you been on any Meta platforms lately? For people like me with a pattern of interest in sustainability it is 99% A.I. slop with crap like this.

No. Greece is not installing wind harp powered street lights.

A.I. generated image of street lamps ostensibly powered by sound art wind harp installations. Readers come away with the false impression that something like this is possible. It’s not. But other even better things are!

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Robert Ferry @robertferry.bsky.social · 15h

The Land Art Generator Initiative (LAGI) has many more examples of renewable energy projects that are designed to be beautiful places for people.

Land Art Generator Initiative

Together with communities, the Land Art Generator Initiative (LAGI) designs and deploys solar power and other renewable energy installations as beautiful places for people and economic development dri...

landartgenerator.org

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Robert Ferry @robertferry.bsky.social · 23h

Island nations like Fiji can increase resilience and create economic opportunities through decarbonization. Having contributed almost nothing to global warming, Fiji is tragically bearing much of the climate risks. A transition away from reliance on imported fossil fuels may be part of the solution.

Fiji's Story of Energy is Just Being Written - Land Art Generator

How can Fiji transition to 100% clean energy? Fiji’s 20-year National Development Plan calls for all power to be generated from renewable sources by 2030 and to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Lik...

landartgenerator.org

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Robert Ferry @robertferry.bsky.social · 23h

To each according to their paper-pushing abilities.

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Robert Ferry @robertferry.bsky.social · 23h

Solar energy landscapes are most successful when they become more popular with the neighbors over time. When they offer shared co-benefits like community agriculture, walking trails, and shaded playgrounds. Then the next project will be that much easier to permit.

Be smart developers!

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Robert Ferry @robertferry.bsky.social · 23h

Some simple design decisions that share land with solar power production and native meadows can even improve the efficiency of the overall installation by keeping the modules cool compared to panels on a gravel lot behind a fence.

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Robert Ferry @robertferry.bsky.social · 23h

There are plenty of solar energy landscapes that have been designed to be efficient power generators while also living on as thoughtful contributions to the built and natural environments where they are installed. This is a slide from a presentation we give with some examples.

ENERGY LANDSCAPES
An emerging field in landscape architecture is the design of energy
landscapes. Subtle design decisions can maintain efficient energy
production while considering the perspective of human and animal
habitation, ecosystem services, and urban wilderness. Consider including a landscape architect on the team through RFP requirements who can collaborate with the developer. Every site is unique!

Consider ways of allowing the public to experience the energy landscape as part of a walking or biking trail.

Design decisions can be as simple as maintaining native prairie grasses, and wildflower meadows, and pollinator habitats. These will also keep the solar modules cool and operating at peak efficiency.

Consider staggering edges and allowing public park areas and mini forests to flow through the fields of solar modules.

Lift solar modules above the ground to create protected paths and shades public spaces.

Mix up the layout with west-east facing “corrugated” arrangements. These can be just as efficient and help to expand the supply curve.

Images in red-line circles show examples of solar power installed in thoughtful ways.

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Robert Ferry @robertferry.bsky.social · 1d

Every poorly executed solar project becomes a point of friction for future deployment. If you are developer, consider hiring a landscape architect and creating opportunities for new public spaces in and around your project. PV modules are not inherently ugly and they're completely safe to be around.

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Robert Ferry @robertferry.bsky.social · 1d

Won’t be long now until our use of gas peaker plants is only required on rare occasions.

landartgenerator.org/blagi/archiv...

The clean energy transition in three charts
On the left is the way California supplied power in 2022. By 2024 (middle chart) we can start to see the impact of more solar and battery storage on the grid. Carry this trend forward to see the future of electricity. Data from www.caiso.com.
https://landartgenerator.org/blagi/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Electricity-Supply-01.jpg

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Robert Ferry @robertferry.bsky.social · 1d

It is metaphorically apt that all of the photos in SCOTUS articles lately show it under construction, like it is falling apart and in need of repair.

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Robert Ferry @robertferry.bsky.social · 1d

César de la Fuente looks for solutions to antibiotic resistance in ancient archaea. The work could end up saving humanity from drug-resistant infections. Because the compounds are naturally occurring they should not be patentable, but to get any investment in trials they must show patentability. 🤷‍♂️

An Off-The-Grid Nobel Win, And Antibiotics In Ancient Microbes

Podcast Episode · Science Friday · 10/11/2025 · 19m

podcasts.apple.com

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Robert Ferry @robertferry.bsky.social · 1d

“Or let's take a look at AI, perhaps the only healthy part of the US economy right now. Its possible trickle-down effects appear limited to construction of buildings to house not human beings in desperate need of housing, but machines, machines to help people cheat at homework and to automate jobs.”

Dig: From Fiscal Austerity to Monetary Abundance w/ Melinda Cooper

Podcast Episode · Jacobin Radio · 10/10/2025 · 2h 18m

podcasts.apple.com

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Robert Ferry @robertferry.bsky.social · 1d

If you’ve already been to the Prado and seen the Garden of Earthly Delights. That experience will fill you with happiness of the awe and wonder variety.

Robert Ferry @robertferry.bsky.social · 1d

I feel like such a loser for always being honest when applying for a mortgage.

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Reposted by Robert Ferry

Dustin Mulvaney @dustinmulvaney.bsky.social · 1d

For more details about why this confounding of issues is problematic, and whats needed for rapid phase out of fossil fuels, see:
rooseveltinstitute.org/publications...

A Progressive Take on Permitting Reform: Principles and Policies to Unleash a Faster, More Equitable Green Transition - Roosevelt Institute

In this report and corresponding fact sheet, authors Johanna Bozuwa and Dustin Mulvaney outline a progressive alternative to permitting reform, one that focuses on increasing public capacity for plann...

rooseveltinstitute.org

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Robert Ferry @robertferry.bsky.social · 1d

Even in a “pro-natalist” conservative culture, ensuring polluters can profit is more important than knowing whether pollution is contributing to lower fertility rates.

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Robert Ferry @robertferry.bsky.social · 1d

“One of my previously published studies found that for every additional 10 micrograms of particulates per cubic meter of air there was a corresponding 10 percent increase in infertility risk.”

She Found a Link Between Air Pollution and Infertility

www.nytimes.com

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Robert Ferry @robertferry.bsky.social · 1d

Every well-designed solar project is a sexy billboard for approving more clean energy projects.

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