“We are most fortunate to be living in a brief, bright interval of human history made possible by an inheritance from half-a-billion years of oil-forming Earth processes. We rarely give thought to the greatly depleted balance in the oil account we are leaving to future generations. When checks can no longer be written against that inheritance, world economies and lifestyles will undergo great changes. Life will go on, but it will be quite different from the present. Most people living today will see the beginning of thosetimes.”

Dr. Walter Youngquist, Geotimes, 1998

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Fossil Fuel Era

Energy to Power the World: III

Alternative Energy sourcesCan they make up for declining oil production?

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Alternative EnergyNuclear

Is Nuclear Energy renewable? No!! Why not?

Sustainable/renewable Conservation Solar Wind Biomass Geothermal Hydro

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Nuclear EnergyPros

No carbon emissions Generates good amount of electricity

Cons Potential for catastrophic radioactive event Nuclear waste High cost

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True costs? Environmental damage: tailings, runoff, health

issues from U mining (200 million tons of tailings today) $billions

Storage of reactor waste $35+ billion

Decommissioning (tearing down, disposing of old plants – last only 30 years) $200 billion to $1 trillion

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Nuclear EnergyThe NEW nuclear?

Bill Gates and Toshiba http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/

energy/nuclear/4273386

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Sustainable Energy

ConservationSolar EnergyEnergy from BiomassEnergy from the Earth’s ForcesResearch in Renewables

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Conservation Like in water resources movie, where every

gallon of water conserved is equivalent to a new water source, every kilowatt of energy conserved is the same as a new energy source

Utility companies have found that conservation costs $350/kW; new coal plant $1000/kW

Superinsulated houses (i.e. Sweden) need 90% less energy

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Solar Power

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Active Solar System

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CS Fig 20.12

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Wind PowerPros

Played big role in settling Great Plains Potential to supply 1.5 times current

national electricity use Usually located in places impractical for

residential useCons

Affects scenery Harms birds

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BiomassPros

Renewable Supports farmers Addresses transportation needs

Cons Habitat loss Efficiency Water use

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Fig. 20.30

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High Temperatures nearer tosurface in geologically activeareas, like volcanic chains

Can also have smaller scale systemsfor heating/cooling your house, as thetemperature of the ground deeper than 6-10 feet doesn’t change much

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Geothermal Pros

Very efficient Small environmental footprint Addresses home heating needs Large plants could be made to generate electricity

http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2007/geothermal.html

Cons High cost of installation

The higher fossil fuel prices rise, the quicker the pay off

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Hydro Power

Pros of big dams Cheap electricity

Cons of big dams Environmental effects

Advantages of small turbines Submerged in stream; do not block navigation Can operate under low-flow conditions Don’t interfere with fish movement If stream runs year round, cheaper than solar or

wind

Figure 20.26

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Comparing Energy Intensities

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Role of Government Provide incentives to make transition to

renewables sooner than later Transition will be smoother

The End

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