Energy

Energy Sources and Uses Coal - Oil - Natural Gas Nuclear Power Conservation Solar Energy
Photovoltaic Cells

Fuel Cells Energy From Biomass Energy From Earths Forces

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Conserving Energy
Minimize use Use energy more efficiently Cogeneration - use waste heat from industry to heat water and generate electricity

Buying energy-efficient appliances can cut your energy consumption considerably.

Heat Losses

High heat losses = white, red, orange

(Miller 2006)

Increasing Home Insulation

Standard Insulation in U.S. homes = R-12 R-19 Super-Insulated Homes = R-25 R-60 Super-insulated homes in Sweden use 90% less energy for heating and cooling than typical homes in the U.S.

Mesa Verde NP (SW USA) many energy efficient features

Domestic Energy Efficiency

Earth-sheltered house in Taos, New Mexico

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Renewable Energies: SOLAR ENERGY

Average amount of solar energy arriving on top of the atmosphere is 1,330 watts per square meter.
Amount reaching the earths surface is 10,000 times more than all commercial energy used annually.
Until recently, this energy source has been too diffuse and low intensity to capitalize for electricity. 7

Solar Energy
Passive Solar Heat - Using absorptive structures with no moving parts to gather and hold heat.
Greenhouse Design

Active Solar Heat - Generally pump heat-absorbing medium through a collector, rather than passively collecting heat in a stationary object.
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Passive Solar

Active Solar

Underground massive heat storage unit

Concentrating Solar Power (CSP)

Solar Power Towers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PS10_solar_power _tower.jpg

Solar troughs

Parabolic Dishes

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Moody _Sunburst.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dish_St irling_Systems_of_SBP_in_Spain.JPG

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Solar Ponds

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Ocean Thermal Electric Conversion (OTEC) Plant

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Average Daily Solar Radiation

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Photovoltaic Cells
During the past 25 years, efficiency of energy capture by photovoltaic cells has increased from less than 1% of incident light to more than 10% in field conditions, and 40+% in laboratory conditions.

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Photovoltaic Cells
However consider energy needed to produce cells (1970s required as much energy to produce cells as they could produce in their 20 yr lifetime)! Also total emissions were about 2x that emitted by other power plants 10 yrs ago. LIFE CYCLE ANALYSIS
But today lower emissions produced by PV cells for equivalent amount of energy produced by other power plants (2-11%).
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Photovoltaic Cells
Invention of amorphous silicon collectors has allowed production of lightweight, cheaper cells. dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC or DSC) relatively new class of low-cost solar cell, that belong to the group of Thin film solar cells (3rd generation technology) ????

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Costs for alternative and renewable energy sources have dropped in recent years and the efficiencies have increased.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PVeff(rev110707)d.png

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Storing Electrical Energy

Electrical energy storage is difficult and expensive.
Lead-acid batteries are heavy and have low energy density. (lithium ion better)
Typical lead-acid battery sufficient to store electricity for an average home would cost $5,000 and weigh 3-4 tons.

Pumped-Hydro Storage Flywheels

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Fuel Cells
Fuel cells - use ongoing electrochemical reactions to produce an electrical current Oxygen, hydrogen Reformers Efficiency- 70% theoretically but practically around 40-45%?

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Fuel Cell Electric Car

Typical fuel cell efficiency is 40-45%.

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BIOMASS
Wood provides less than 1% of US energy, but provides up to 90% in poorer countries.
1,500 million cubic meters of fuelwood collected in the world annually.
Inefficient burning of wood produces smoke laden with fine ash and soot and hazardous amounts of carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbons (silent killer). However it produces fewer sulfur gases, and burns at lower temperature than coal therefore fewer NOx.
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Fuel wood Crisis in Less-Developed Countries

About 40-50% of the worlds population depends on firewood and charcoal as their primary energy source. Supplies diminishing
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Using Dung as Fuel

Using dung as fuel deprives fields of nutrients and reduces crop production. When cow dung is burned in open fires, 90% of the potential heat and most of the nutrients are lost. 24

Swedish workers harvesting marsh reeds for biomass energy

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 Modern waste-processing facilities may convert organic waste into methane (biogas) using microorganisms in digestion chambers.

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Using Methane as Fuel

Anaerobic Fermentation

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Alcohol from Biomass

Ethanol - grain alcohol Methanol - wood alcohol Gasohol - a mixture of gasoline and alcohol reduced CO emissions Biodiesel plant oils (10% methanol) Ethanol production could be a solution to grain surpluses or a competition for grain. Both methanol and ethanol make good fuel for fuel cells.
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Water Power
Stored form of solar energy hydrologic cycle is driven by the sun Hydroelectric power plants use water that falls from reservoirs behind high dams Provides 10% of US electricity supply, 25% of global power

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Energy from the Earths Forces

Hydropower Water power produces 25% of the worlds electricity (10% US). ?Clean, renewable energy Dams - social and ecological damage
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Disadvantages of Hydropower
Increased loss of water to evaporation Human Displacement Ecosystem Destruction Flooding of large tracts of land Sedimentation Herbicide Contamination Nutrient Flow Retardation CO2 emissions Block the migration of fish (salmon, sturgeon) Alters river ecology and destroys wetland habitat

Future growth of large-scale water power will be limited Many existing dams may be removed to restore ecosystems and species

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Wind Power
Historically used by sailing ships, and windmills to grind grain and pump water Wind power is one of the fastest-growing sources of energy, doubling nearly every three years

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 Wind results from differential solar heating of the Earth surfaces. Abundant in coastal and offshore areas, plains, ridges, mountain passes The U.S. produces 6700 megawatts (MW) per year, mostly in California. World production of wind power in 2005 was about 47,300 MW, of which about two thirds was in Europe. Increasing by about 30% per year, and can be produced at 5c per kWh competitive with natural gas powered electricity

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Disadvantages of Wind Power

Bird and bat deaths from collisions with blades Interrupt view in remote places or destroy sense of isolation Cannot place w/i 70 km of military airbases, etc Sources vary geographically

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Geothermal Energy
Natural heat from Earths interior. Can be converted to heat buildings and to produce steam for generating electricity. Total worldwide production is approaching 9000 MW - less than 0.15% of the total energy supply

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 Have long life-span and no mining needs, so little waste disposal, but
potential danger of noxious gases, and noise problems from steam valves.
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Tidal Energy
Requires a high tide/low-tide differential of several meters Saltwater flooding behind the dam and heavy siltation Locations w/ large waves? Concerns over hydrological changes to estuary, and restriction of fish movements
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Wave Power!!

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Promoting Renewable Energy

Distributional Surcharges
Small charge levied on all utility customers to help finance research and development.

Renewable Portfolio
Mandate minimum percentage of energy from renewable sources.

Green Pricing
Allow utilities to profit from conservation programs and charge premium prices for energy from renewable sources.
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Loss of power in transmission: Move from Centralized to Decentralized power systems?

Small scale micropower systems Less losses in long transmission Fewer people affected by blackouts Less vulnerable to terrorism and other disasters 44

Careek Park? Oberlin Coll 79% less Energy Roof solar cells Landscape-berm, trees on N Interior-wood, carpet Living MachineH2O purification Pond-irrigation water Lighting-facing 45 sun

Carbon Capture Sequestration (CCS)

Coal gasification with CCS is promising. It does drastically reduce CO2 but also is linked with an increase in air pollution (SOx, NOx)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Carbon_sequestration.jpg

Nuclear Energy Development Roadmap

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:GenIVRoadmap.jpg

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Steps to Energy Conservation

Limit fuel use by walking, bicycling, taking a bus or train, car-pooling, or purchasing a hybrid vehicle Turn off lights when not in use and fit compact fluorescent lamps Take shorter showers to conserve hot water Put on a sweater and turn down the thermostat in winter Choose energy-efficient appliances Switch to solar power in homes and offices.
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Present

An Alternative Energy Future?

Future?

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Energy Sources and Uses: Fossil Fuels (Coal, Oil, Natural Gas) are non-renewable and we need to decrease our dependence on them. Nuclear Power has many disadvantages but with todays technology and the future? Conservation can/should be practiced at all levels from individuals to governments. Solar Energy is becoming more economical. Fuel Cells can help us decentralize power and perhaps be used in vehicles. Energy From Biomass can help us decrease use of fossil fuels now and is carbon neutral relative to inputs of CO2 from fossil fuels. Energy From Earths Forces (hydro, wind, tidal, wave, geothermal) can help decrease our dependence upon fossil fuels but even with better technology these energies may still be limited spatially and/or temporally. 50

Summary: