Energy and 🅱️ociety Presentations

What was the solution to the near-destruction of the power grid after Hurricane Maria?

split the region into mini-grids; invested in batteries for energy storage; invested into solar energy/prosumerism; formed underground power lines

Creative Destruction

the hypothesis that the creation of new products and production methods simultaneously destroys the market power of existing monopolies

China consumes as much ___ as the rest of the world combined

coal

MGX Minerals

leading producer of lithium from wastewater

What is ITER?

one of the world's largest current energy projects launched in 1985 and located in Southern France. Goal is to build world's largest tokamak (A magnetic fusion device designed to prove that of fusion could be a large-scale and carbon-free source of energy)

Photolysis

process of using light energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen gas. Potential for producing no greenhouse gases but inefficient and expensive

FERC Order 888/889

promoted wholesale competition in the US power grid system

How does climate change threaten the power grid?

rising sea levels; energy demand to cool homes/overloading of the grid; storm surges; wildfires; flooding could damage underground wires

What would a "Modified monopoly market" consist of for the power grid?

1)There is a cap on the number of companies that can enter the GRID per state. 2)Companies chosen to stay are those where the sources come from power producers with highest efficiencies of production. 3)Antitrust measures would still be carefully placed so that there is no abuse of market power for consumers.

IPCC recommends limiting warming to....

1.5°C

Global Fossil Fuel subsidies are ___, or 2.5% of global GDP.

1.9 trillion

3 important factors for PV cells

1.High power conversion efficiency 2.Low materials usage 3.Low manufacturing cost

How does underground mining work

1.Set of entries driven into coal 2.Several machines used to extract coal (Undercutting, drilling, blasting, loading, roof bolting)

How does surface mining work

1.Topsoil Removed 2.Drill/Blast Strata over the coal seam 3.Remove extra material (spoil) 4.Drill/Blast coal seam 5.Refill blasted area with spoil and grading 6.Spread topsoil over the area 7.Plant vegetation to control erosion and water run-off

How much arable land will be lost to climate change?

1/3 of it

•Methane has a ___ lifespan in the atmosphere compared to carbon dioxide which has a 100-year lifespan.

10-year

How many coal miners were there in 2017?

11,600. Lowest # since 1890s

Energy usage of polyester

112MJ/kg

Energy use from drying clothes?

114.23 MJ

Median home size in 1976: Median home size in 2017:

121 square m. 220 square m.

Methane makes up what % of greenhouse gases?

14%

Russia population

144.5 million

China has ___ renewable energy patents

150,000

__% of the world's insecticides are used on cotton

16

Amount of water used per kg of polyester

17.2 kg of water

2012-2017, employment in the Coal, Gas, and Other Mining Sector dropped by ___

17.3%

Regions of Russia and the Arctic are warming up to ___ times faster than the rest of the planet.

2.5

Clothing industry is responsible for ___% of all annual industrial pollution and __% of total carbon emissions

20%; 10%

•Germany plans to decommission all nuclear power plants by ___

2022

Coal makes up __ of US electricity

25% (down from 48% in 2008)

In 2016, the transport sector contributed ___ of total EU-28 greenhouse gas emissions.

27%

China produces ___ of the world's carbon emissions

28%

___ states have a renewable portfolio standard

29

How many economists signed the Economists' Statement on Carbon Dividends?

3,558 U.S. economists

Emissions per kg of polyester

3.2 g of water vapor 2.31 kg of CO2 19.4g of NO2 18.2g of carbon monoxide

Dyeing, smoothing, bleaching process requires __ amt of energy

30.8 MJ/kg

Energy breakdown of clothing manufacturing

33% for finishing processes 47% for fiber to fabric construction 20% for fabric manufacturing

____ of all microplastics in the oceans come from the laundry of synthetic textiles

35%

For the clothing industry, setting an industry-wide renewable energy target at 60% by 2030 would yield a __ reduction in climate change and a __ reduction in freshwater consumption

39%; 16.9%

China is home to ___ of the world's largest dams and is the world leader of hydropower in 2014

4/10

SUVs make up how much of cars sold?

40%

European electric grid breakdown

40% FF, 30% Nuclear, 30% Renewable

According to IPCC: Need to reduce CO2 emissions __% from 2010 levels by 2030, reach 'net zero' by ____

45% reduction, reach net zero by 2050

Energy requirements of weaving

45.36 MJ/kg

How much would it cost to upgrade America's grid?

5 trillion

Why did Trump pull us out of the paris accord in 2017?

○Massive Job Loss (Specifically in the Fossil Fuel Industry) ○US is being punished too harshly economically ○Giving competitive edge to China and other rivals in terms of fossil fuels

Energy Policy Act of 2005

Directed the Energy Secretary to conduct a research and development program—in consultation with other federal agencies and the private sector—on technologies related to the production, purification, distribution, storage, and use of hydrogen energy, fuel cells, and related infrastructure

Who introduced the Green New Deal?

Senator Edward J. Markey and AOC (inspired by the Sunrise Movement)

History of ITER

began during Reagan-Gorbachev meetings. Original members included the EU, Japan, the USSR, and the USA. China and South Korea joined in 2003, followed by India in 2005.

How much has the world already heated?

by 1 degree celsius

China plans to put in a ___ to reduce its reliance on coal

cap and trade system

Clathrate Gun Hypothesis

the popular name for the hypothesis that states that rising seas temperatures and changing sea levels could cause the rapid release of methane from these methane clathrate compounds. Shallow-water clathrates are especially vulnerable

What did the clean air act do?

established National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)

Impact of climate change in Australia

extreme brushfires; damage to ecosystems (ie coral reefs); rising sea levels; damage to fishing industry in the future

Permian-Triassic Extinction

formed the boundary between the Permian and Triassic geologic periods, was the Earth's largest known mass extinction event. 96% of marine species, 70% of vertebrate species went extinct. 57% of all biological families and 83% of all genera went extinct

Why is carbon burial not economically feasible?

govts aren't investing in it;

Thermolysis

heating water at extremely high temperatures through fossil fuels, nuclear reactors, or solar energy to break down water into hydrogen and oxygen gas. Can produce greenhouse gases but is most common form of production (natural gas reformation)

Impact of climate change in sudan

heavy rains and flooding; severe sandstorms; displacement as a result

Effect of consumer subsidies

lower final price of fossil fuel products below market price

What is the MethaneSAT ?

a satellite that would be able to track methane released by the oil and gas industry.

Woolen garments produce ___

methane

Biological processes of hydrogen production

microbes (i.e. bacteria) can produce hydrogen through biological reactions using sunlight or organic matter. Abundant domestic resource but rates of hydrogen productions needs to be improved

The california electrical crisis caused

a suspension of US energy restructuring (happened in the middle of a switch away from regulation)

Nord Stream 2

natural gas pipeline from Russia to Germany

LEED qualifications

small home size, sustainable location, building orientation, passive solar energy-wide eves, white roofs, stormwater runoff reduction, water usage reduction, rainwater capture, LED lights, renewable energy systems

Methods of hydrogen production

thermolysis, hydrolysis, photolysis, biological processes

Energy to produce 1 kg of knitted fabric?

2.56MJ of energy

European grid connectivity issues

-Smart grid/appliances needed (so far more proactive than USA) -Kosovo/Serbia demonstrate fault of interconnectedness -Cyber security (again much more proactive than USA)

___ individual fibres can be rinsed off a single synthetic garment when washed once

1,900

Russia GDP

1.578 trillion USD (1.8% of World GDP)

____ states have net metering rules

39

Where is solar most popular?

California

Which country produces the most wind energy?

China

2019 Puerto Rico energy use

•40% petroleum •39% natural gas •18% coal •2.3% renewables

Estimated cost of constructing hydrogen fuel station may vary from ____

$1 million-$3 million

●US spent ___ on fossil fuel subsidies in 2015 when taking into account environmental and health impacts (Coady)

$649 billion

●Nigeria exports the vast majority of its natural gas in the form of

LNG.

How much would it cost NOT to upgrade America's grid?

-Currently 2 trillion/20 years to maintain at old condition -35 billion per year and rising of economic costs of having old grid

Summer 2019 Siberian fires

-Caused by unusually hot weather, dry thunderstorms, and strong winds -Since July, over 3 million hectares of forest have burned: an area approximately the size of Belgium -The fires are estimated to have produced 100 megatons of CO2 in just under two months.

Advantages of hydrogen economy

-Clean source of renewable and sustainable energy -Does not produce harmf ul emissions -Immensely reduces pollution -Can be produced from numerous sources -Efficient energy source

How does the US use energy?

-101.3 quadrillion Btu in 2018 -11.5 quadrillion Btu in renewable sources -8% of renewable energy consumption came from solar power

In 2018, US department of energy announced:

-39 million in funding for hydrogen research -Improve Storage, Electrolyzer Technology, Cost, Performance, Durability -Looking to use hydrogen gas as a storage solution for excess wind and solar energy

Solar plus storage

-A solar-plus-storage system is essentially a battery that is charged by the solar energy, rather than putting the electricity directly back onto the grid. -As of 2017, the only utility-scale solar-plus-storage system was a 13 MW PV plant with 52MWh of storage (located in Hawaii) -To implement this storage technique on a large scale would cost millions -According to a December 2016 report, capital costs per MW installed of battery storage are between $3.5 million and $7.5 million, but costs are decreasing rapidly as lithium ion battery costs decrease

Adsorption method of lithium extraction

-Adhesion of atoms, ions, or molecules from a gas, liquid, or dissolved solid to a surface -This process creates a thin film of the adsorbate on the surface -Lithium-selective ion exchange sorbents placed in a brine containing lithium -Lithium ions rise to the surface and can be condensed and collected -Downside: Sorbents are very expensive

CSP (concentrated solar power) storage

-An easier solution to storage is a hybrid configuration that features mainly solar power with a fossil fuel backup -CSP plants can store thermal energy in the same fluid they use to produce electricity; the heated fluid goes to either energy generation or storage tanks. One example is molten salt. -This provides benefits similar to pumped hydroelectric storage's ability to only generate electricity in periods of high demand. -Current solution to storage, but has heat transfer inefficiencies

Heliogen

-Bill Gates invested in a project involving CSP and artificial intelligence. -Uses AI to focus hundreds of mirrors to one single point, enabling it to reach the temperatures necessary for industry -The challenge is getting companies currently using fossil fuels to make the investment... but in the long run this process will be cheaper and cleaner because the fuel would be free

Evidence of conflict resolution in ITER?

-Broader Approach Agreement (2005) -agreed to norms of intl collaboration

How to forestall sea level rise through technology?

-Building sea walls and drainage systems can help communities continue to function (Costly to build and maintain; Can disrupt natural motion of the sand and waves) -Create natural infrastructure -Natural structures such as barrier islands, oyster and coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass, and salt -Move populations inland

Sudan's initiatives to stop impact of climate change

-Drought-resistant crop varieties -More efficient irrigation technologies -Improved crop-storage -Construction of more wells and water reservoirs. -Education of communities concerning the planting of trees and effects of desertification (i.e. The Great Green Wall)

Puerto Rico Energy Public Policy Act

-Ends PREPA's energy monopoly and decentralize the control of energy -Set limits on the cost of energy (no more than $0.20 per kWh) -Pave the way for prosumers to join the energy economy -Phase out coal plants by 2028, transition to using renewables exclusively by 2050 -Joins Atlanta, DC, Chicago, Hawaii and California

2019 US power grid attack

-Firewalls accessible from the internet were rebooting and going offline -Another attack could cause massive power outages

Disadvantages of hydrogen economy

-Hydrogen is not naturally occurring on Earth -Fuel Cells Output-input cannot be much above 30% vs. advanced batteries have cycle efficiency above 80% -Low density and low boiling point increase energy and storage costs -Expensive to produce and difficult to transport -Fossil fuels are most common way of producing hydrogen

●Public Utility Commission (PUC) & Public Service Commission (PSC)

-Independent regulatory agencies appointed by the state legislature -manage generators and transmission lines

Problems with the grid in other countries

-India: Voltage trips link in Northern Grid → 680 million lose power -China: Grid underconnected, enough power but cannot reach coast efficiently -Japan: Two separate grids with different frequencies

What has germany done to create a hydrogen economy?

-Invest $110 million per year to test new hydrogen technologies on industrial scale applications -Pledged to cut CO2 levels in half by 2030 (compared to 1990 levels)- influenced by Paris Agreement -Hydrogen demand expected to increase by 37% in 2030 in transportation and industry sector

Drawbacks of the EU

-Limited span of power and control -Can only pass laws only if the treaties allow it -Member states can veto taxations

Solvent method of lithium extraction

-Lithium is a very soluble element. -In solvent extraction, a lithium brine is dissolved into a solution of kerosene and an extractant. -This separates all of the ions in the brine. -The extractant is much more selective to the lithium than the sodium and magnesium ions. -The lithium bonds to the extractant and is able to be removed pure of the other molecules in wastewater -Downsides: very corrosive and damages expensive equipment.

Relationship between methane clathrates and deepwater drilling

-Methane hydrates are very commonly formed during deep water drilling operations -Reservoir gas can flow into the well bore and form the hydrate when coming in contact with the water -These hydrates can block the pipeline and other equipment -They can also rise with the mud or other discharged fluids -Pressure decreases as ocean depth decreases, so the crystal structure can dissociate back into methane gas and water -The rapid gas release causes a large increase in pressure, which can cause a pipe blowout

Challenges of Puerto Rico energy going forward

-Money: Solar panels on at-risk homes would cost $1.4 billion -Redesigning the entire grid is estimated to cost $26 billion -Policy: Puerto Rico would need to redefine the role of energy in its economy -PREPA may become privatized, potentially causing rising energy prices -Time: The plan to rebuild the grid could take up to 10 years. There may need to be a bridge energy source in the meantime -Government: US territory, under control of Congress, lacks representation in federal government

Why do 27% of Russians support climate change melting the arctic?

-More hospitable climate and land for agriculture. -Reduction of sea ice will create new arctic sea lanes for trade between East Asia and Europe, significantly decreasing travel time. -An estimated that 13% of the world's conventional oil reserves and 30% of natural gas reserves are stored beneath arctic ice. Continued melting of arctic ice would grant access to these reserves.

Job outlook in Appalachia now

-Natural gas production increasing despite low prices -Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio are among the top 7 reserves of natural gas -industry has shifted to professional services over manufacturing

Ice loss in Russia

-Near the Russian-Mongolian border, researchers monitoring melting ice patches have discovered artifacts dating back 3,000 years, indicating the length of time since the ice last melted. -Beginning in 1990 and as of 2016, the nearby Altai Mountain Range had lost 35% of its persistent snow and glaciers. -This October, the Russian Navy confirmed the discovery of five new arctic islands, revealed by melting glaciers.

What is Tuvalu's response to environmental crisis?

-Official programs with countries such as FIji, Australia and New Zealand have been established to help relocate Tuvaluans in case of emergency. -Plant-a-tree programme established by government -Community water tank projects and seawall construction. .

USA power grid issues

-Old -Above ground -Weather/Solar Flares -Analog -Too interconnected? -Jurisdiction distribution may impede development

Australian govt's 2017 plans for reducing climate change impact

-Reducing emissions by 5% below 2000 levels by 2020. -Reducing emissions by 26 to 28% below 2005 levels by 2030. -Doubling Australia's renewable energy capacity to be achieved in 2020 which is driving innovation, creating jobs and providing a cleaner future -Encouraging the uptake of renewables through the Renewable Energy Target to deliver over 23% of Australia's electricity supply in 2020. -Helping improve energy productivity by 40%, by 2030.

How much renewable energy does Puerto Rico use?

-Renewables only account for about 2.4% of energy; 2 power plants on the island (oil and coal)

Membrane technologies extraction of lithium

-Reverse Osmosis -Water molecules naturally travel across certain membranes. -These membranes are chemically designed to "filter out" certain molecules as the water carries them through the membrane. -Reverse osmosis carries the brine through the membrane, separating the lithium ions. -Nanofiltration (bonding) -Reactive chemicals in filters are designed to bond with lithium molecules or non lithium molecules when passed through thus separating lithium ions. -The most successful method today for extracting lithium from wastewater.

Issues with current PV panels

-Silicon has inherently poor light absorption and complex processing -Shavings of silicon called kerf are produced when creating the ideal shape of PV cells, and this wasted material increases cost -Efficiencies only into 15 - 25% have been reached -Some newer alternatives rely on rare earth metals -Once photovoltaics reach a certain saturation in the market, it becomes unprofitable to invest in more of them

Statistics about solar energy and jobs

-Solar Energy currently accounts for about 1.5% of US electricity production -In the US, Solar Energy generation is estimated to be about 62.5 Gigawatts (about 12 million average households worth) -Jobs have grown 160% in the last decade

Chemical precipitation extraction of lithium

-Subject Brine to series of solar pond evaporations -Concentrates the lithium -Remove salts (NaCl, KCl, Sulfate, etc) and other solids (Mg, Ca, etc) -React the lithium with sodium carbonate at 80-90° C to produce Lithium Carbonate -Redissolve Lithium Carbonate and use an ion-exchange process to remove impurities -End result: battery-grade lithium -Downside: Process is very time-consuming

What is the solar resource?

-The energy density of solar radiation is approximately 1368 W/m2 at the earth's surface -The amount of collectible solar radiation depends on time of day, geographic location, season, weather, and local landscape -Example (according to calculations made by the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture): the sunlight falling on Texas at noon is equivalent to 301 times the output of all the power plants in the world

Regarding solar power, where should the US invest?

-Thin film photovoltaics that use earth-abundant materials -Government investment in small scale experimental plants focusing on solar power -High temperature and experimental concentrated solar power -Improving the systems of solar power to make solar more competitive to fossil fuels -Carbon Tax- an incentive to switch to solar power

How do pv cells work?

-Use semiconductors to transfer the energy from a photon into electricity -Each PV cell has electrons that are discharged from their orbitals upon exposure to light -The semiconductor, usually silicon, is doped with other elements (often phosphorous and boron) to create an energy gap that allows the electrons to produce energy.

pumped hydroelectric storage

-Water is pumped up into the basin behind a dam to generate electricity at a later time, about 80% efficient -Currently the most popular energy storage method in the US -It's another method of storing that is less costly up front than batteries -Capital costs for pumped storage projects are $1.5 - 2.5 million per MW, a third of battery solutions -As of 2017, there were 43 pumped hydroelectric storage projects providing some 23 gigawatts

North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC)

-delegates authority to 8 regional reliability councils -ensures companies adhere to standards

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)

-oversees electrical grid -Resolve disputes among different market participants on the grid

How can clothing corporations lessen environmental impact?

-produce less clothing -use sustainable materials (Citric acid, Dextrose from corn, Recycled synthetic, Organic cotton) -use renewable resources for energy

How can governments regulate the clothing industry?

-reform taxation to reward fashion companies that design products with lower environmental impacts -stimulate markets for more sustainable resources like recycled and organic fabrics -facilitate collaboration between fashion retailers, water companies, and washing machine manufacturers to improve the issue of microfibre pollution

What environmental issues are facing Tuvalu?

-saltwater intrusion that has destroyed crops -cyclones/drought -coastal erosion and sea level rise

Sea level rise in Miami

-sea levels have risen 4 inches since 1994 -sea levels expected to be 14-26 inches higher from 1992 by 2060 -leads to erosion, saltwater intrusion, storm surge; impacts Everglades

Emissions from 1 kg of knitted fabric?

0.64kg of CO2 1.84g of particulate matter, 3.84 g of NO2 3.96 g of SO2

Sea level on average has risen ____ in the past 100 years

5-8 inches (13-20 cm)

CO2 emissions per ton of spun cotton fiber

5.89 kg

Energy use of cotton?

55 MJ/kg of fibre

○oil and natural gas export revenue, accounted for ____ of Nigeria's total government revenue in the year of 2014.

58%

Energy use from washing clothes?

62.16 MJ

Germany is __ largest consumer of energy in the world

6th; 5th in oil and 4th in coal

World population?

7.590 billion

○According to the China National Petroleum, more than ___ of China's crude oil supply in 2018 came from imports.

70 percent

Solar prices have dropped by ___ in the last decade

70%

Breakdown of US electricity grids

70% FF, 20% Nuclear, 10% Renewable

About ___ of U.S. coal mines are in KY, WV, and PA, but they are relatively small. Over ___ of coal production is west of the Mississippi River

70%; 55%

___ metric tons of methane are released into the atmosphere from the oil and gas industry.

75 million

____ of Democrats are totally in favor of proposals to reduce use of fossil fuels as opposed to __ of Republicans (McCarthy)

80% of dems 37% of republicans

the "use" phase of clothing is responsible for __

80% of the carbon footprint

Typical family uses ___ gallons of water per day

80-100

Total industrial waste in clothing manufacturing

809.4 pounds

World GDP?

85.8 trillion USD

Germany has ___ out of 705 of the seats in the EU Parliament

96

Copenhagen accord

A 2009 agreement between the United States, China, India, Brazil, and South Africa to cut emissions (though not to legally binding amounts). The agreement also promises aid to developing countries to support green development. Emissions goals for China: Decrease carbon intensity 40% to 45% by 2020 (compared to 2005) Add 40 million hectares of forest cover, and add stock up 1.3 billion cubic meters by 2020 (compared to 2005)

Nikola Tesla & George Westinghouse power grid

AC based; voltage can be stepped up or down by transformers

Impact reductions per 100 shirts entering the used clothes business

Acidification: 28% Nutrient enrichment: 25% Natural gas consumption: 15% Crude oil consumption: 15% Waste: 30%

False ceiling

An additional suspended ceiling below the true original ceiling forming a concealed space. reduces the volume of space needing cooling

Impacts of climate change in America

CA wildfires; rise in precipitation and warming across the country; future floods and droughts

Energy Policy Act of 1992

Calls for Development and implementation of a comprehensive research, development, and demonstration program for fuel cells

Which country is the world's leading producer and consumer of solar pv?

China

What will be ITER's next milestone?

December 2025: First Plasma

How has hydrogen policy changed under Trump?

Energy efficiency and renewable energy has had its funding slashed dramatically (63.3% cut for hydrogen and 69.0% for renewables overall) ● Despite these significant cuts in funding, the Department of Energy remains outwardly supportive of hydrogen based technologies

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

Expanded incentives to encourage the installation of fuel cells and hydrogen fueling infrastructure

California's hydrogen initiatives

Former California Governor Jerry Brown funded renewable energy initiative ○ $ 900 million zero-emission vehicle plan ○ Funding for 200 hydrogen stations by 2025 ● Automaker-subsidized fuel is a way to transition to hydrogen fuel ○ California provides prepaid cards for 3 years of fueling, up to 15,000 miles ○ Goal is subsidies will lead to hydrogen becoming a financially viable fuel source

Ukraine cyber attack, 2015

Hackers compromised systems of 3 companies and disrupted energy supply to end users

How many miles of high voltage power lines are there in America?

Nearly 160,000 miles

Is it true that the Paris Accords caused job loss?

Not really, because: ●Currently there are twice as many solar power jobs as coal jobs. ●According to Abigail Hess of CNBC, two of the fastest growing jobs in America right now are solar PV installers and wind turbine service technicians ●By committing to Paris Agreement, American jobs would gain a major boost

How does fusion work?

Nuclear Fusion produces energy by joining two lighter nuclei, releasing binding energy in the process. In principle, any nuclei lighter than iron can be fused and release energy. Requires energy to push nuclei close enough together to fuse: high temp, confinement thru gravitational, inertial, or magnetic

Spectrum of grid connectivity

Overconnected: US/EU/India Underconnected: China/Japan Solution: Split the middle (Texas interconnection, maybe microgrids for cities)

Russia CO2 emissions

Per Capita: 11.9 metric tons (240% of Global Average) -- 1,700,000 kt, aka 4.7% of Global Emissions

Annual CO2 emissions of world?

Per Capita: 4.98 metric tons -- 36,100,000 kt total (2014)

Why is polyester bad?

Polyester production emits volatile organic compounds such as acetaldehyde and dioxins. threat to ozone and human health

potential causes of Permian Triassic extinction

Possible causes include one or more meteor impacts, large volcanic eruptions, and huge releases of underwater methane (methane clathrates)

The Global Climate Risk Index 2019 revealed that ___ has been the country/territory most affected by impacts of weather related events such as storms, floods, and heatwaves.

Puerto Rico

Logistics of Puerto Rico's energy transformation

Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority released plans to add over 2,220 MW of solar and 1,080 MW of battery storage to meet goals. This will phase out the coal and oil imports the island currently uses. Liquified natural gas will be used during the transition.

China's energy efficiency policies reduced how much CO2?

Reduced 3.5 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (GtCO2)

Energy and water required for non-wovens?

Requires 611 cubic meters of water and 111.7 MJ of energy

Solutions for PV problems

Research is being done to produce thinner silicon wafers, which will increase light absorption. "half cut cells" improve solar performance. This can be done with laser cutting, rather than traditional wire cutting. "half cut cells" are more efficient by a few percentage points: More physically durable (crack resistant) Half cut cells are wired in series like normal PV cells, so if one cell in a row is shaded, there is a significant reduction in the current that is run through by the entire panel (watts = current x volts). However, because there are twice the number of rows, less power will be lost when a single cell is shaded. More efficient laser cutting also reduces kerf, which can lower the cost due to better material use

Russia's paris agreement stipulations

Russia pledged to reduce emissions to 25-30% below 1990 levels by 2030.

President of the European Commission

Ursula von der Leyen

Heat island statistics

White surfaces reflect 90% of sunlight Fresh asphalt reflects only 4% White surfaces can reduce heat island effects of buildings by a third.

microgrid

a grid for a village (or other small community), not connected to the main grid. Application: in PR after hurricane maria

Eco-friendly ways to improve corporations

change to LED, digitize, allow work from home; this improves productivity and saves money too

2 types of solar energy in US

commercial and residential

Why is drycleaning bad?

contains halogenated compounds such as tetrachloroethylene (TCE), which have relatively high toxicity and are persistent pollutants when released

Impacts of climate change in Brazil

desertification; loss of forest; temperature extremes; heavy rains and drought

How can govt intervention help the planet?

land use (conserving forests); subsidies for sustainable production; gas taxes

Methane clathrate

large amount of methane trapped within a crystal structure of water, similar to ice; 1 mole of methane for every 5.75 moles of water

Edison's power grid

original power grid for the US; DC based

Brazil generates how much energy from hydropower?

over 70%

Polyester is made as a byproduct of __

petroleum products

No Fossil Fuel Money Pledge (No More)

pledge that politicians can take saying they won't take over $200 from fossil fuel PACs or lobbyists

Effect of producer subsidies

preferential treatment for fossil fuel exploration/extraction. ○Explicit subsidies - direct payments, tax exemptions, low-interest loans ○Implicit subsidies - government guarantees for procurement contracts, research subsidies

Electrolysis

process of using electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen and then collecting the hydrogen and oxygen gases at two separate electrodes. Produces zero greenhouse gases if produced from renewable source of E but requires a lot of energy

aldicarb

toxic pesticide strong enough to kill a human

How have politics affected Brazil's environmental concerns?

turbulent political events such as a presidential impeachment, widespread economic crisis and a major political corruption scandal, have led to concerns that progress on climate and energy policy is slowing

Reverse Stack Effect

using insulation to Block the thermal transfer of solar radiation from entering into the Cool Room from above. Heavy cold air leaks out of the building, pulling in warm air

Current environmental issues in Puerto Rico?

water warming and ocean acidity; dry soils and less freshwater; future sea level rise and increased natural disasters/mosquito-borne illness

Three Gorges Dam

world's largest dam in China

Fracking financial concerns

§Dependency on oil price §100 fracking firms went bankrupt after 2014 price crash, defaulting on >$70b of debt §Fracking cost-per-barrel $40-90, higher than traditional oil drilling §Uncertainty about profitability §From 2007-2017, frackers spent $280 billion more than the value of the oil & gas they sold §Largest 29 overspent by $6.7 billion in 2018 §Corporate compensation isn't tied closely to profits (weakens profit incentive) §Firms valued on multiple of acreage owned (rather than multiple of profits) §High decline rates §Fracking well production falls by as much as 70% after the first year (~5% for conventional wells) §New drilling (and thus capital) constantly needed §Declining tier 1 acreage; depletion

Environmental concerns of fracking

§Depends upon use of fossil fuels, stigmatized and movement away is possible in near future §Resource use—water and sand §Groundwater contamination §From hydrocarbons and hazardous chemicals (linked to cancers & nervous, endocrine, immune system problems) §340 leaks & spills in CO have reached groundwater; 161 instances of drinking water well contamination in PA (2008-2012) §Natural resource damage §Converts natural land to industrial areas, damage to waterways & fish, wastewater ponds §Infrastructure strain §Roads, public services like housing §Earthquake concerns §Wastewater injection wells are known to increase risk of earthquakes due to pressure on faults

Fracking's rise

§Fracking technology around since 1940s, George Mitchell pioneered modern method in late 90s §Took off in mid-late 2000s due to high oil prices and then low interest rates §2015 industry net debt of $300 billion—quadrupled over 10 years §Borrowing money was cheap

Oil Shale vs Shale Oil

§Oil shale: Rock with kerogen stored inside it. Requires heat (>780K) in oxygen-free environment to convert to oil ("retorting"). Not economically feasible §Shale oil ("tight oil"): Rock with refinery-ready oil stored inside it. Permian, Bakken, etc. are shale oil plays. More expensive to produce than conventional oil. Important use of fracking

Chesapeake Energy

§One of the first big fracking companies, once second largest producer of natural gas in the US §CEO Aubrey McClendon was highest paid Fortune 500 CEO in 2008 §Made a lot of money flipping acreage §Currently has $10 billion of debt

Shale gas

§Similar to shale oil §Natural gas trapped in rock that's difficult to access §Wet or dry: mostly methane (dry) or including natural gas liquids (NGLs; wet) §More expensive to produce than conventional natural gas §Another important use of fracking

How does directional drilling work?

§Two techniques: Point drill bit in desired direction and drill in a straight line, Or use a bend at the drill bit to manipulate the angle. §This involves advanced tech (mud motors, whipstocks, bottomhole assembly, 3D measuring tech, special drillbits). §Horizontal wells increase well production by as much as 20x. Often overlooked as a major catalyst of the shale revolution

Puerto Rico Energy Public Policy Act

•40% renewable 2025 •60% renewable 2040 •100% renewable 2050

European Union goals for 2050

•80% of electricity generation to come from renewables •Energy import dependency to fall from 55% to 20% •Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80-90% •Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transport by 60%

Hurricane Maria's effects

•Hit Puerto Rico as Category 4 with 155-mph winds •Damage to infrastructure •FEMA failures in response •Official death toll 64; study estimates 4,600 deaths resulted from the hurricane

Concentrated solar power

•Involves the concentration of sunlight to a point, commonly with the use of mirrors •In a solar power system, the concentrated light heats a substance used to run an engine and generator •For industry, the energy does not need to be converted to electricity, but cement, glass, steel, etc. require incredibly high temperatures that were unsustainable in common models. Currently only supports 10% of solar energy production

•Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA)

•Public monopoly •Filed for bankruptcy July 2017 (hurricane, poor rate collection, heavy management turnover, lack of maintenance) •Relies on fuel imports for most of electrical needs

Germany's Green Initiative

•Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 95% •Reduce energy consumption by 50% •Produce 100% of electricity from renewables •Reduce primary energy consumption in buildings by 80% •Reduce final energy consumption from transport by 40%

Germany's energy goals as of 2010

•Reducing CO2 emissions 40% below 1990 levels by 2020 •Increasing the relative share of renewable energy in gross energy consumption to 18% by 2020 and 30% by 2030 •Increasing the relative share of renewable energy in gross electrical consumption to 35% by 2020 • Germany is also trying to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the waste sector through a ban on the landfilling of untreated waste which helps to reduce methane emissions

Jones Act

•Requires all goods ferried between US ports be carried on ships built, owned, and operated by Americans •Island loses $537 million per year

How many times to u need to use a cotton bag worth it?

■7,100 uses

Corporations' responses to US pulling out of climate accord

■Walmart - Project Gigaton initiative that aims to reduce CO2 emissions globally by one billion metric tons before 2050 ■General Motors' purchased 200 megawatts of wind energy for its Ohio and Illinois plants, achieving 20% of its target to use only renewable energy sources by 2050 ■Mars has launched a $1 billion sustainability plan, targeting a 70% reduction in greenhouse gases.

How do renewable portfolio standards work?

►Directed toward renewable energy as a whole usually ►Some specify solar energy in particular ►Consists of a goal, either a production total (in MW or GW) or % of total energy production, by a certain year ►Puts pressure on utility companies (either all utilities or only investor-owned) to look into increasing their green energy output

How does net metering for solar work?

►Every home has a power meter reflecting how much energy they use ►Moves in a certain direction when the home uses grid energy ►When that home has its own source of generation (e.g. solar), the meter moves the other way if they are producing more than using ►Homes with solar energy can make profits! ►Can also use "virtual net metering" ►Policy Variance: ►Mandates allowing net metering ►$ rates given for excess energy

How much energy did solar comprise in the US in 2018?

►Made up only 1.5% of total Electricity generation in 2018 ►Makes up over 2% of new added capacity in the past year, from 0.1% in 2010

Most important solar policies

►Net Metering ►Renewable Portfolio Standards ►Tax Credits

How do tax credits work?

►There are tax credits that help owners of solar energy on both federal and state levels ►Tens to hundreds of varied types of incentives that exist in each state (California alone has 218) ►Main focus: Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) ►Residential and commercial ►Current administration is rolling it back

What are the 3 power grids?

○ The Western Interconnection ○ The Eastern Interconnection o The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT)

Global economic effects of efficient fossil fuel pricing

○28% fewer carbon emissions ○46% fewer deaths due to air pollution ○Increase government revenue by 3.8% of GDP

What is a tokamak?

○An experimental machine designed to harness the energy produced during the fusion of atoms ○Like other power plants, heat produced in the fusion reaction will produce steam and then electricity ○First developed in the 1960s ○ITER will be the world's largest tokamak

How to extract lithium from brines?

○Chemical precipitation ○Solvent extraction ○Adsorption with inorganic ion exchange sorbents ○Concentration with membrane technologies

Underground mining harm to communities

○Dangerous profession (explosions, Black Lung) ○Abandoned mines harm water sources ○Mine fires; methane released

What is FERC?

○FERC = principal economic and policy regulator within DoE

How has the rate of sea level rise accelerated in recent years?

○From 1900-1990, rate rose from 1.2-1.7 mm per year ○In 2000, rate rose to 3.2mm/year, and it is currently 3.4mm/year

What's the problem with france's nuclear energy?

○Many nuclear reactors reaching end of lifetime

2 main causes of sea level rise?

○Melting glaciers and ice caps: ■Melt due to warming air, warming water, and from breaking off into ocean ■Warm water from below thins ice, leaving it more prone to breakage ■Mountain glaciers ○Physical expansion of water ■As global temps rise, so does the temperature of the ocean ■Warmer water causes seawater to expand--simple chemistry ■Responsible for ⅓ sea level rise to date

What will happen if we hit 2 degrees?

○Number of people facing water scarcity doubled ○30% loss to coral reefs ○50% loss to fisheries ○10 million more people affected by sea level rise

Paris agreement expectations vs reality

○Pledged: $100 Billion annually ○Reality: $48 Billion annually

What are ITER's specific project goals?

○Produce 500 MW of fusion power ○Demonstrate the operation of the integrated technologies of a fusion power plant ○Achieve a deuterium-tritium plasma in which the reaction is sustained through internal heating ○Test tritium breeding ○Test the safety of a fusion device

North American Electric Reliability Corporation Critical Infrastructure Protection Standards

○Protection against cyber attacks ○Audited by Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Surface mining harm to communities

○The EPA has found that surface mining runoff contaminates and depletes water sources ○Spoil is often disposed of in surrounding valleys; methane released

Timeline of Appalachian coal

●1700s → Appalachian coal mining is officially recognized ●1870s → commercial coal production begins "in earnest" ●1910s → 100,000 West Virginian miners produce 90 million tons of coal per year ●1940 → 140,000 (~⅓ of WV's workforce) = employed as miners

Energy stats of France

●2nd largest energy consumer in Europe ●2nd largest producer of nuclear power ●Largest net exporter of electricity ○Low cost of generation ○Makes 3 billion euros (3.3 billion USD) per year ●Low domestic energy resources ○Depends on imports for fossil fuels ■Oil = primary import → major refining industry

How do renewable energy portfolio standards work?

●A portion of electricity sold or capacity installed must be renewable ●RPS usually go hand in hand with tax breaks ●Best practices ○Steady ramp up ○Long duration ○Enforceable ●Grid integration and transmission capacity are still problems

How are china and india countering climate change?

●According to the World Resources Institute, China, one of our biggest rivals, is actually investing more into renewable resources ●Currently spending around $32 billion on renewable research, almost double what the US is currently spending ●Another major emitter and competitor, India, is investing billions of dollars into booming solar and wind industries, according to the Climate Action Tracker

Goals of Green New Deal

●Achieve net-zero greenhouse emissions in the United States ●Create millions of high wage jobs ●Update United States infrastructure to the 21st Century ●Secure appropriate living conditions for all United States citizens ●Promote justice and equality, especially for indigenous people ●Proposes to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by 40 to 60 percent from 2010 levels by 2030 as well as net-zero global emissions by 2050

Economics of carbon capture tech

●Carbon Engineering is currently pursuing enhanced oil recovery projects and production of synthetic fuels from the captured CO2 ●The viability of these projects will be determined by the price of carbon, government policy, and the price of electrolysis ●Government regulation such as California's low carbon fuel standards causes oil companies to pursue carbon efficient methods of production therefore enhanced fuel recovery is a promising way to meet these new standards ●Furthermore 70% of the cost of the AIR TO FUELS process is from electrolysis which currently costs $25/GJ of hydrogen ●However current estimates suggest that this number could fall below $15 by 2025 ●In addition to this plant Carbon Engineering also plans on starting projects in British Columbia and California ●As this technology improves and more government environmental standards are put into place this technology will become more economically competitive providing the opportunity for these direct air capture plants to be built around the world

Air to fuel technology

●Carbon Engineering's AIR TO FUELS technology takes the captured CO2 and uses it to produce clean synthetic fuels that can be used in transportation ●First renewable energy is used to split hydrogen from water through electrolysis, this hydrogen is then combined with the captured CO2 to produce synthetic crude oil ●This oil is then processed to produce synthetic gasoline, diesel, and other fuels which can be used, without modification, by existing car, truck, and airplane engines ●This synthetic fuel is cleaner than fossil fuels therefore burning it results in less carbon emissions ●These fuels can be produced with 100 times less land than biofuels ●Since the CO2 being released was captured from the atmosphere, use of this synthetic fuels is a carbon neutral system with no net carbon emissions

Cons of cap and trade

●Central planning would likely lead to economic inefficiency ●Difficulties associated with allowance allocation

How does the US protect its water supply?

●Clean Water Act (CWA) ●Marine Protection Research and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA) ●Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) ●Shore Protection Act (SPA)

Obama's cafe policy

●Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) program ●Strict guidelines on auto manufacturers in terms of fuel mileage ●Required automotive makers to make their vehicles with the "highest feasible mileage" for the next 10 years ●Obama made mileage requirements mandatory in January 2017, towards the end of his tenure

Cons of carbon capture policies

●Does not directly get rid of fossil fuels ●Faces many technology challenges

Economic opportunities created by the paris accords

●Economists in association with the NYU School of Law estimate that there are $49 billion in benefits associated with the Clean Power Plan, Obama's contribution to the Paris Agreement ●By 2030, it is estimated that the Paris Agreement will garner $29 trillion in global economic benefits ●US would miss out on major opportunities if they were to leave

What are recent energy regulations in France?

●Energy and Climate Change Law 2019 ○Transition to renewables ●Waste disposal ○Waste Management Act (1991/2006) ○National Radioactive Waste Management Agency ■Bure underground rock laboratory ●Emissions: Kyoto Protocol ●Energy usage ○National Energy Efficiency Action Plan (NEEAP) ■Consumption targets: Energy Transition Act of 2015 ■Building laws/Low-emission cars

Cons of carbon tax

●Faces substantial political opposition ●Does not guarantee a certain level of reduction

What does energy star do?

●Government backed symbol for energy efficiency ●Inform consumers and businesses on energy efficiency ○Promote energy efficient buildings, products ●Reduce consumption and environmental effects

Pros of cap and trade

●High popularity ●Reduces carbon emissions to a predetermined level

Projections for future sea level rise

●If we continue current greenhouse gas emissions, expected to rise 2-3 feet by the year 2100 ●Most conservative estimates say 1ft, most aggressive estimates say 6 ft

Future of carbon capture tech

●In May Carbon Engineering announced plans to partner with Oxy Low Carbon Ventures, a subsidiary of Occidental to build a direct air capture plant ●This plant will be located in the Permian basin in Texas and is expected to capture 1,000,000 tonnes of CO2 per year to be used in enhanced oil recovery projects ●Construction of this plant is set to begin in 2021

How does carbon capture technology work?

●In post-combustion carbon capture, CO2 is removed from flue gases after the fuel is burned to produce energy ●CO2 is absorbed by the solvent monoethanolamine (MEA) ●Some of the plant's steam is used to provide energy to break the bonds between the CO2 and the amine ●CO2 is now available for sequestration ●Overall 24% parasitic energy loss at 90% capture ○Steam to stripper reboiler ○Electricity to compressors and blowers

For the Malaysia presentation, what were the three ways of cooling the room that didn't work? (because costs were too high)

●Insulating the ceiling. ●Painting the factory roof white. ●Installing a suspended drop ceiling.

Effect of monopoly on Mexico's energy grid

●Introduction of Monopoly facilitated the reach of electricity to more remote areas in the country and increased the affordability of the commodity since its creation on 1937. ●Citizens are limited on the sources they can buy from in terms of clean materials (i.e. hydroelectric, solar,etc). ●Internationally, Mexico is not up to date with technological and efficiency standards.

Wastewater from fracking

●Largest volume byproduct: 21 Billion barrels in the US per year ●Naturally Occurring water comes out of the ground along with the extracted oil and gas. ●Combined with frac fluid, salt, industrial chemicals, hydrocarbons, radioactive material, and other heavy metals. ●Disposal: Evaporation ponds, direct injection, or re-use

Why are cyber attacks becoming more common?

●Less workers for manual operation, resulting in more computer based systems ○Operating systems are becoming more common, facilitating access for hackers ●Industrial control systems in power plants which monitor and control sensitive processes have also changed ○In the past the systems were "air gapped" or closed off from one another ●Now, they are often connected via the internet ○It is cheaper and more efficient but renders the systems more vulnerable to cyber attacks

What is lithium used for?

●Lubricating Greases ●Metallurgy ●Ceramics and Glass ●Air Purification ●Optics ●Nuclear ●Medical Uses (mood stabilizer) ●Batteries and Electronics

"Conclusion" of the boot experiment

●My idea would very slightly warm up the boot, but this heat would be basically nothing and definitely would not be noticable. ●The boot would not be useful at all.

How does geological storage of carbon work?

●Once the CO2 has been captured from the air it can be pumped and stored deep underground in geological formations called saline aquifers ●This storage process is low risk and can successfully sequester carbon for millions of years ●Carbon dioxide can also be injected into existing oil reservoirs to significantly increase the amount of oil that can be extracted ●Both these processes result in "negative emissions" as they are able to permanently remove CO2 from the atmosphere

Pros of carbon capture policies

●Politically palatable ○Smaller threat to special interests (coal miners, etc.) ○Mitch McConnell backed a Democrat CCS bill

How did Trump reverse the cafe policy?

●President Trump in April 2018 dismantled restrictions set by Obama, leading to a lawsuit from several state attorney generals ●Instead proposes Safer Affordable Fuel Efficient (SAFE) Vehicle Rules, similar to Obama's rules but less stringent on automotive manufactures ●Believes new rules can save US economy $500 billion

Pros of Carbon Tax

●Price mechanism leads to low potential economic inefficiency ●Directly attacks fossil fuels

Clean Power Act

●Proposed by President Obama as the United States's national contribution to the Paris Agreement ●Directly targeted the emissions of fossil fuel plants rather than targeting state's emission in general ●Attempt to direct efforts of companies towards renewable solutions ●Stalled in the Supreme Court in 2016, says all legal issues need to be resolved before Act can be enacted

Green New Deal

●Proposed by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Senator Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts ●Seeks to eliminate all emissions in the US by 2050 ●Deal is non-binding, even if passed ●Lacks bipartisan support

How the magnet shoe was supposed to work

●Put a small coil of wire in a shoe and connect it to a circuit ●Have a small magnet ball in the copper coil that is free to move from side to side. ●If the magnetic flux is changing electricity will be induced which will cause the wire to slowly heat up. 1.A ball moving inside the magnet would have to create a change in the magnetic flux. 2.The current produced would have to be enough to actually heat up the boot.

Specific solutions proposed as part of the GND

●The United States Government must evaluate and take into account the environmental costs of current laws, new policies, and ensuring that frontline communities are not directly affected. ●Research and Development for renewable energy sources ●Protecting public lands, waters, and oceans ●Repairing the United States Infrastructure while eliminating greenhouse gas emissions ●Building and upgrading the power grid to a "smart" grid ●Fixing both the agricultural and transportation sector to eliminate as much greenhouse gas emission as possible ●Suggestion of low-tech soil carbon storage

What happened when we JOINED the paris agreement?

●US joins Paris Agreement in November of 2016. ●Main Goal: Keep the temperature rise to under 2 degrees. ●Requires nations to put forward best efforts through Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) ●This includes reporting emissions frequently.

Describe America's transmission lines

●USA power transmission grid consists of approximately 300,000 km of lines ●Overhead and Underground ●Aluminum alloy and reinforced with steel ●Networked so any particular node in this system (known as a "bus") will have at least two incident lines

Stage 1 cyberattack

●designed to gain information ○Information may be stolen or deleted

Significance of Nigeria?

●largest economy and the richest oil resource centre of the African continent.

Stage 2 cyberattack

●may result in temporary loss of power or physical damage to equipment