Exponential Functions and

The Global Energy Crisis

Maria HernandezNCSSM

hernandez@ncssm.edu

M.Hernandez TCM 2010

M.Hernandez TCM 2010

NCSSM Summer Symposium - Summer 2009 Focus: The Global Energy Crisis

Interdisciplinary symposium for NCSSM online students: Math, Biology and Humanities

Dr. Everett I. Baucom: “Do We Have an Energy Crisis”Deputy Director of NSF Science and Technology CERSP, UNC

Research Triangle Energy Consortium – (RTEC)US Department of Energy, Duke University, UNC – Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University, North Carolina Central University, University of Florida and Research Triangle Institute.

Motivation for the Lab

M.Hernandez TCM 2010

In the average U.S. home, lighting accounts for about 20% of the electric bill.

Americans can save money and protect the environment by installing more efficient lighting. The easiest way to start saving energy is to change out the light bulbs in your current fixtures.

To provide energy for our future energy needs we need to consider better energy efficiency and conservation.

M.Hernandez TCM 2010

We will explore how replacing traditional incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs can

save energy, decrease CO2 emissions andsave money.

M.Hernandez TCM 2010

Some questions to consider:1. Suppose everyone in the US replaced an

incandescent 60 Watt light bulb with a 15 Watt CFL bulb. Assume each bulb is on for 4 hours per day.

a. How much energy would we save in one year?

Let’s do the math…

M.Hernandez TCM 2010

Environmental Benefits“ Over half of the electricity in the U.S. is generated by coal-

fired power plants.  The abundance of coal in the U.S. makes it one of the cheapest energy sources for power plants.  The problem is that in addition to generating cheap electricity, coal-fired power plants also release massive amounts of carbon dioxide, the greenhouse gas linked to global warming.

By replacing a few incandescent light bulbs with

energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs, you havean important role to play in the fight against global warming. ”

From One Billion Bulbs – Changing the world one bulb at a time http://www.onebillionbulbs.com/Learn

M.Hernandez TCM 2010

Some questions to consider (continued):b. How many coal powered plants is our energy savings equivalent to? (Assume a 500 Mega Watt coal powered plant)

Let’s do the math…

M.Hernandez TCM 2010

c. How much could we be saving in terms of CO2 emissions if we adopted this practice?

Assume that a 500Mw plant uses 250 tons of coal per hour and that coal is 65% carbon. The atomic weight of carbon is 12 and the molecular weight of CO2 is 44.

M.Hernandez TCM 2010

d. Since the population of the US is increasing exponentially, our energy savings would also increase exponentially if we replaced an incandescent 60 Watt light bulb with a 15 Watt CFL bulb each time we added a member to the household. How much energy would we save 10 years from now in 2020?

e. The savings you calculated for the year 2010 and the year 2020 are significant.

◦ How much total energy would we save over the 10-year time span (count from the beginning of 2010 to the end of 2020)?

◦ How many coal powered plants is that equivalent to? ◦ How much could we be savings in terms of CO2 emissions?

◦ How much money would we save over the 10-year period?

SUM OUR SAVINGS

M.Hernandez TCM 2010

M.Hernandez TCM 2010

CO2 Emissions: Keeling curve – data analysis http://cdiac.ornl.gov/ftp/trends/co2/maunaloa.co2

Using re-expression to find models for renewable energy production data

Other Energy Math Problems

M.Hernandez TCM 2010

CO2 Emissions

Data Problems

M.Hernandez TCM 2010

Measuring the Growth of Wind Energyfrom the renewable energy data book: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

M.Hernandez TCM 2010

Dr. Everett I. Baucom: Deputy Director of NSF Science and Technology CERSP, UNC http://www.nsfstc.unc.edu/

National Renewable Energy Lab http://www.nrel.gov/learning/Basics of Renewable Energy - Videos

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Data Book

Mauna Loa Data Set for Keeling Curvehttp://cdiac.ornl.gov/ftp/trends/co2/maunaloa.co2

Hot, Flat, and Crowded by Thomas Friedman

Our Choice: A Plan to Solve the Climate Crisis by Al Gore

Resources and Further Explorations

M.Hernandez TCM 2010

Educators Fellowship Program-Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Program

http://www.triangle-coalition.org/ein.htm

US DOE ACTSAcademies Creating Teacher Scientists http://www.scied.science.doe.gov/scied/ACTS/about.htm

Opportunities for STEM teachers:

M.Hernandez TCM 2010

Now go change your light bulbs….

“The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (the ‘Energy Bill’), signed by the President on December 18, 2007 requires all light bulbs use 30% less energy than today’s incandescent bulbs by 2012 to 2014. The phase-out will start with 100-watt bulbs in January 2012 and end with 40-watt bulbs in January 2014. By 2020, a Tier 2 would become effective which requires all bulbs to be at least 70% more efficient (effectively equal to today’s CFLs).”

Possible extension: Explore how much energy we can save by switching to LED lighting.