Energy Concerns… and Sustainable Solutions

1. Energy Concerns… and Sustainable Solutions Chapter 15-16

2. “Clean Coal” • Reduce emissions of ash, sulfur, metals and greenhouse gases from coal burning • Scrubbers, synthetic natural gas, particulate collectors • Carbon Capture and Storage • Capture carbon emissions and store them underground or in the ocean • Still in early stages of development • Required by Clean Air Act amendments and EPA to mitigate effects from climate change

3. Nuclear Accidents • Three Mile Island (1979, Pennsylvania) • Partial meltdown in one of the cores • Overheating due to lack of coolant • Small doses of radiation released (no major concerns) • Containment building held most of the radiation • Resulted in sweeping changes in how nuclear plants are run • Chernobyl (1986, Ukraine) • Meltdown result from flawed nuclear design • Fire released massive amounts of radiation into the environment • 30 people died, 100 got radiation sickness • 18 miles surrounding the plant were evacuated (exclusion zone), and still empty today • Won’t be safe for human life for the next 20,000 years • Fukushima (2011, Japan) • Three of the six nuclear reactors melted down after being hit by a tsunami • Massive amounts of radioactive water the most pressing concern • May be leaking into Pacific Ocean • 12 miles surrounding the plant were evacuated (exclusion zone)

4. Tar Sands • Deposits of heavy crude oil (bitumen) mixed with sand, clay, and water • located in Alberta, Canada • Located under 54,000 sq. miles of forest and peat bogs, with an estimated 1.7 trillion barrels of oil • Use either hot water extraction (in-situ) or open-pit mining • Environmentally destructive! Similar concerns with mining ore • http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/video/player#/?titleID=canadian-oil-sands&catID=1

5. Keystone Pipeline • A proposed oil pipeline that will run from Alberta to Nebraska, eventually reaching the Gulf Coast • Projected to increase jobs (maybe) • Reduce dependence on foreign oil (sort of) • Oil from tar sands (increased risk of spill) • Oil companies set to make BILLIONS from this pipeline • Cost 5.4 billion to construct • President Obama is still debating the decision for approval…will sign as long as “doesn’t significantly exacerbate the climate problem” • Approval of the project is incredibly controversial • Supporters argue that the tar sands will be developed no matter what • Opponents argue that the environmental impacts are too great

6. Fracking • Hydraulic Fracturing • Injecting water deep into the shale rock formations to release natural gas. • Allows access to hard to reach deposits • Concerns about water quality and possible cause of earthquakes • EPA to release report on impacts…late 2014 • Expected that natural gas will replace coal and oil as the largest source of energy

7. Dams • Three Gorges Dam (Yangtze River, China) • 98 Terawatt hour (TWH) • Completed 2012 • Controversial due to ecological damage (landslides), flooding of cultural areas, and displacement of upwards of 1.3 million people! • Itaipu Dam (Paraná River, Paraguay/Brazil) • 98 TWH • Guri Dam (Caroní River, Venezuela) • 53.41 TWH • Tucuruí Dam (Tocantins River, Brazil) • 41 TWH • Grand Coulee Dam (Columbia River, WA USA) • 20 TWH • http://geography.howstuffworks.com/7143-china-three-gorges-dam-video.htm

8. Energy Efficiency and Waste • Eliminating waste can help us save money, reduce dependence on foreign sources of energy, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. • This is done by improving energy efficiency of the products we use • Measure of how much work we can get from each unit of energy we use • 84% of all commercial energy is wasted. About half of that is due to degrading energy quality (second law of thermodynamics) • Poorly insulated buildings, fuel efficiency in cars, lighting, furnaces…etc.

9. Fuel Efficiency • Transportation accounts for 28% of the US energy usage (66% of oil usage) • Government mandated fuel efficiency standards • Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE), implemented in 1975 to improve fuel economy of cars and light trucks • No increase in these standards until 2008 • Goal to be 35.5mpg by 2016 • Standards are much higher overseas • “Gas Guzzler Tax”—assessed on vehicle manufacturers for cars that fall below the CAFE standard (22.2 mpg)

10. Hidden costs in the price we pay per gallon of gasoline • Government subsidies (we pay about $1.50 to $2 less than gas should cost) • Lobbyists argue to keep gas taxes low, benefits oil companies and hides environmental costs from the consumer **Norwegians pay nearly $10 per gallon for gas. It isn’t subsidized by the government…instead they use the money to fund FREE college education and infrastructure development. - would it be worth it?

11. Invest in alternative energy vehicles • Hybrids: use two or more distinct energy sources to run • Ex. Prius (combustion engine and electric motor); flex-fuel vehicles (gasoline and ethanol (biofuel)) • Plug-in hybrids: plug into electrical grid to recharge batteries, when charge depleted small internal combustion engine is used to recharge the batteries • Ex. Chevy Volt • All electric vehicles: propelled by electric motor and rechargeable batteries • Ex. Nissan Leaf, Tesla • Hydrogen fuel cell cars: internal combustion engine burns hydrogen as a fuel source • Many car companies are testing cars that use this fuel source…not currently available to the public • Encourage mass transit use • Bicycles

12. Building Design • Adjusting building construction and design could ultimately save 30-40% of the energy used globally • “green architecture” • Face windows to maximize solar energy • Living roofs (plants on roof) • White colored roofs (reflect light) • Superinsulation (prevent heating loss)

13. Current Buildings • Insulate and Plug Leaks • Holes and cracks let heat escape in winter or enter during summer…leads to excess heating/cooling • Cheapest way to save money • Energy Efficient Windows • Double pane windows…cuts heat losses • Stop heating and cooling losses • Repair leaky heating and cooling ducts • Light colored roofs, living roofs • Heat houses and water more efficiently • Use efficient furnaces and water heaters • Energy Efficient Appliances • Adjust temperature and operating settings • Energy Efficient Lighting • Use compact fluorescent bulbs instead of incandescent

14. Sustainable Solutions • Revise policy on energy sources • Improve energy efficiency • Include environmental costs into pricing • Subsidize renewable sources • Educate others!