Energy Literacy

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Energy Literacy

• Understanding the Energy Picture
• Part One Our Energy Sources

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Our Energy SourcesIn the U.S. we rely on these
10 sources of energy

• Renewable
• Biomass
• Geothermal
• Hydro
• Solar
• Wind

• Non-Renewable
• Coal
• Natural Gas
• Petroleum
• Propane
• Uranium

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U.S. Energy Sources
Source EIA
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NYS Energy Sources
Biomass
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Coal

• 270 years of domestic supply at current rates.
  (Ref NEED Energy Infobooks)
• U.S. has 27 of the world supply. (Ref NYSERDA)
• 53 of U.S. electricity. generation comes from
  coal. (Ref NYSERDA)
• 13 of NYS electricity is generated from coal.
  (RefNYSERDA)

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Uranium

• U.S. has 3 of the world supply (Ref OECD/IAEA)
• 20 of U.S. electricity generation comes from
  uranium. (Ref U.S. EIA 2004)
• 25 of NYS electricity is generated from uranium
  (RefNYSERDA 2004)

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Natural Gas

• U.S. has 3 of the world supply (Ref EIA)
• 18 of U.S. electricity production comes from
  natural gas (NG). (Ref U.S. EIA 2004)
• 17 of NYS electricity is produced from NG
  (RefNYSERDA)

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Hydropower

• 7 of U.S. electricity is generated by
  hydropower. (Ref U.S. EIA 2004)
• 17 of NYS electricity is generated by
  hydropower. (RefNYSERDA)

Niagara Hydropower Facility
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Solar

• Produces less than 1 of U.S. electricity. (Ref
  U.S. EIA 2004)
• Solar panels produce no emissions when generating
  electricity.
• Intermittency and cost are issues. While gains
  have been made, solar is still expensive compared
  with other technologies.

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Wind

• Generates less than 1 of U.S. electricity. (Ref
  U.S. EIA 2004)
• Wind is fastest growing energy source (by ).
• Generated over 17 billion kilowatt-hours in the
  U.S. in 2005, enough electricity to power 1.6
  million homes.
• NY is home to the largest wind farm east of the
  Mississippi (Maple Ridge Wind Farm)

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Petroleum

• 5 of the world supply is in North America
• 67 of U.S. petroleum use is for gasoline.
• The U.S. imports 58 of the petroleum it
  consumes.

(Ref U.S. EIA 2004)
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Biomass

• Supplies us with more energy than any other
  renewable source.
• Biomass is organic material made from plants and
  animals. It contains stored energy from the sun. 
  
• Includes wood, agricultural wastes, municipal
  solid waste, biofuels, and methane gas from
  decomposition.

Waste to Energy Plant
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Energy Literacy

• Understanding the Energy Picture
• Part Two How We Use Energy

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What Are the 5 Main Things that Energy Helps Us
Do?

• Make Heat
• Make Things Move
• Make Light
• Make Technology Work (electricity)
• Make Things Grow

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(Ref U.S. EIA 2004)
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We Utilize Energy for These End-Uses

• Electricity 38.9
• Heat 33.2
• Transportation 27.7

The remaining of our energy supply (mainly
petroleum and natural gas) is used as feedstock
for plastics, fertilizers, and other products.
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We rely on our energy systems to provide these
services.

• It is important for us to have secure, affordable
  sources of energy that minimize our impact to the
  environment.

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Electricity
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(No Transcript)
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Where Does Electricity Come From?
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NYS and US Electricity Generation by Source
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True or False?
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The worlds electricity consumption is
predicted to increase by 100 in the next 25
years."
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The Facts

• The worlds electricity consumption will
  increase dramatically due to
• Increased world population
• Increased demand in the U.S. and other developed
  countries
• Increased demand from developing countries, such
  as China and India.

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Heat
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Heat for Our Buildings Heat for Industry

• Used in our homes, businesses, and industry
• Availability and reliability of the sources we
  use for heat are necessary for energy security.
• Heat provided for industrial processes accounts
  for about 22 of our total energy consumption.

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How NYS Heats
NYSERDA Patterns and Trends, Dec. 05
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Ref http//www.eia.doe.gov/oil_gas/natural_gas/in
fo_glance/natural_gas.html
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Transportation
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Energy Sources we Use in the Transportation Sector
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Its clear that we are highly dependent on
petroleum.How reliable is this source in the
long term?
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Where are the oil reserves?
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Rising Gasoline Prices

• EIA, 7/11/06

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What is Peak Oil ?

• When the global production of oil peaks laws of
  supply and demand dictate that prices will rise.
• When that point will be reached is an issue of
  hot debate.
• Since our economy relies heavily on petroleum
  (not just for transportation, but many essential
  products) this situation could have serious
  consequences.

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(No Transcript)
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True or False?
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The U.S. consumes 10 of the worlds oil.
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The Facts

• The U.S. consumes almost 25 of the worlds oil.
• World oil consumption 84 million barrels per
  day
• US 20.8 million barrels/day
• Projected to rise to 26.1 in 2025
• NYS 0.9 million barrels/day
• EIA, 2004, Patterns and Trends, NYSERDA

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Gasoline/Diesel Alternatives

• Ethanol
• Fastest growing alternative.
• In U.S., most is derived from corn.
• Need engine designed to utilize E85 (85 ethanol
  15 gasoline).
• E10 already used as gasoline additive in many
  parts of the country.
• Biodiesel
• Drop-in replacement for diesel.
• Most is produced from soybeans.
• Can be produced from waste vegetable oils.

Starch
Ethanol
Soybeans
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Gasoline/Diesel Alternatives

• Natural Gas
• Used in city buses, fleet vehicles
• Propane
• Lowest emissions of fossil fuels.
• Used in indoor applications.
• Hydrogen
• Needs modified engine or fuel cell
• New infrastructure needed
• If produced from renewables could be lowest
  emission fuel.

CNG Bus
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Car
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How do you feel about our level of energy
security? What, if anything, should we be doing
to increase it?
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Energy Literacy

• Understanding the Energy Picture
• Part Three Environmental Impacts of Our Energy
  System

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Environmental Impacts of Developing Energy
Resources

• All energy sources impact the environment.
• Some make a more significant impact than others.

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Environmental Impacts

• Fossil Resources
• Coal, Petroleum, Natural Gas

• Cars and power plants emit CO2 and smog-forming
  chemicals.
• Coal plants emit mercury, CO2, sulfur and
  nitrogen oxides.

• Habitat Loss
• Spills

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Environmental Impacts

• Uranium

Yucca Mountain, NV. Proposed high level
radioactive waste repository.

• Disposal facilities must safely store waste for
  thousands of years.
• Transport of waste creates opportunities for
  release of radiation.

• Habitat Loss
• Radioactive Tailings

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Environmental Impacts

• Uranium

• Though precautions are taken, plants have
  potential to release radiation.
• Plants do not emit CO2.

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Environmental Impacts
Renewables

• Solar
• Produces no emissions when generating
  electricity.
• The manufacture of Thin-film pv technology uses
  chemicals such as cadmium.
• Wind
• Produces no emissions when generating
  electricity.
• Concerns in areas where there are high
  concentrations of birds or bats.

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Environmental Impacts
Renewables

• Hydro
• Produces no emissions when generating electricity
• Dams along both coasts of North America have
  reduced salmon populations by preventing access
  to spawning grounds.

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Burning Fossil Fuels is Affecting Earths Climate.

• There is CO2 in the air naturally. It keeps the
  planet warm enough to sustain life.
• CO2 is released when fossil fuels or biomass
  (such as wood) are burned.
• Too much can cause problems for our climate.

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What is Global Climate Change?
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(No Transcript)
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CO2 Concentrations
2100 (current trend)
750 ppm
500 ppm
Threshold
2006
370 ppm
280 ppm
1800
(Refs UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change, The Carbon Cycle, Wigley, Schimel,
Environment 12/04, Science 8/13/04, others)
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CO2 Emissions Worldwide
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U.S. CO2
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What impacts are we seeing?

• Since the Industrial Revolution
• 25 increase in CO2 concentrations
• 1.4o F Rise in average temperature of the earth.
• Sea level has risen 4 to 8.
• Increased precipitation in certain countries and
  drought in others.
• Increased frequency of extreme precipitation
  events.

(Refs NASA, Climate Change 1995 The Science of
Climate Change, Union of Concerned Scientists,
Journal of Climate 7,Bulletin of the American
Meteorological Society 77, Nature 384, others)
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Melting Arctic Ice Cap
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Future Climate Predictions

• By the end of the century
• Surface temperatures to rise by an additional 1.8
  6.3o F
• Most studies project a probable sea level rise of
  about 1 foot, but it could be two feet or more.
• CO2 concentrations to rise to 500ppm? 550 ppm?
  600ppm?

(Refs NASA, UN Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change, U.S. EPA, Science 307)
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What each of us can do

• Use public transportation more.
• Buy wind power and other renewable energy from
  your power company, or purchase Green Tags.
• Buy a hybrid-electric car, an alternative-fuel
  vehicle, or a car that gets higher gas mileage.
• Use energy efficiently at home
• Replace regular light bulbs with compact
  fluorescents.
• Insulate and air seal your home.
• Turn the heat down or the AC up when youre not
  at home.

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Can you imagine a future where we have energy
security, economical energy sources, and
increased environmental quality?What does it
look like?