ESCI 409 FINAL EXAM

What is 'peak load' and what challenges does it pose for renewable technologies? renewables be used to reduce 'peak load'?

- Peak load is basically when the energy demand (amount needed of any type) is higher than what we have to actually supply - when the amount that we need is higher than the amount that we can supply- this is sustained for a long time - Likely at this point that renewables alone cannot handle the peak load -the renewable tech are going to have to be used in conjunction with the non renewables that we have now, in order to not reach that peak load as quickly -renewables are used to reduce the peak loak - RN if we only used the renewables we would not work

What are the environmental and societal impacts of the Three Gorges Dam?

- Reduced bridge clearances in lower Yangtze, shifting sand bars will make navigation more difficult, lock systems untested

How does stream load affect the Three Gorges Dam and what is China doing to address this issue?

-0.5-1 billion tons of sediment pass through the Yangtze River each year, will eventually fil up the river -China decided to build more dams

What are three types of oil traps?

-4 types -Petroleum gets trapped by the structure of the earth (the types of rocks) -Think about petroleum greology lab -Structural vs. stratigraphic traps -Types: o A simple fold trap o Fossilized coral reef o Salt dome o Fault trap -How the petroleum gets stuck in between two rocks basically

Explain the concept of 'reserve growth' and how it relates to the formation of new petroleum resources.

-A reserve is any type of petroleum somewhere that we know where it is: we know its there, whether it is feasible or not -The concept of reserve growth is : reserves will grow or decreases due to the cost to get it out, if we have the technology to get it out, the feasibility, government consent. -Relates to the formation of new petroleum resources: technology is getting better, and cheaper, which can help us find new petroleum resources

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the Cape Wind project's location?

-Advantages: very windy, so it is easy to put them as it is not too off shore -Disadvantage: expensive to start up, impacts view of wealthy neighbors

How is coal formed? Be specific. Draw a diagram.

-Before the dinosaurs, many giant plants died in swamps (300 mil years ago), over millions of years, the plants were buried under water and dirt (100 mil years ago), heat and pressure turned the dead plants into coal. -Find diagram online -3 steps - time pressure heat and organic

Since 1850, the energy consumption patterns in the US have changed dramatically. Briefly describe these changes (from both technical and societal perspectives).

-Big societal shift in 1850 -What used to be main source of energy? -Coal rose, petroleum, natural gas -Still reliant on same resources? -How have renewables helped? We are leaning more towards renewable because coal pollutes air

Given that millions of people are affected by large floods, what are some long-term alternatives to building large dams?

-Dredge out the sediment

What are the environmental and societal benefits of the Three Gorges Dam?

-Flood control, power production, helped to improve navigation

What attributes of oil makes it such an appealing energy source?

-Found in many places (the ocean, big), large global market to sell, easy to store and transport, cheap. -You can store and transport it physically and tangibly

What is the main technical challenge facing the production of electricity from geothermal in the Northeast US?

-Fuel diversity: the northeast is reliant on natural gas for heating needs, and basically it is more economically feasible to use natural gas than geothermal right now

Describe the different forms by which geothermal energy is harnessed?

-Geothermal energy: energy that comes naturally from the earth -2 types oProduction of Electricity: Yosemite (ex)- where natural energy from earth, we harness that steam, goes through a turbine, generates electricity oThermal Energy: you create a well you dig down into earth and u actually use the heat of the earth to create electricity

What conditions are most favorable for the generation of electricity from a geothermal resource?

-High heat flux (the ground cannot be cold, need steam or heat coming), needs to be an area where it is east to drill a deep well.

Of the 100 Quads of energy produced annually in the US, approximately how much reaches an end user?

-Lost energy vs. useful energy -42.8%- about 40-45% reaches an end user

With regard to Hydroelectric energy, what is the difference between High Head/High Power and Low Head/Low Power?

-Low Head/Low power: Large volumes of water that require large turbines to efficiently convert the water into energy -High Head/ High power: smaller volumes of water produce equivalent amount of energy

What is a potential use of methane hydrates?

-Methane hydrates: what we think of as dry ice, but methane hydrates the way that they occur is in thermofrost areas (solid frozen soil), if you let it warm up, it releases methane (CH4) as it heats -We can take the gas and harness it as energy because methane is a powerful gas -Methane is a greenhouse gas- 23 ish more effective greenhouse gas than CO2- could be a potential deferent from using them

What geographic regions in the world are expected to have the greatest amounts of undiscovered petroleum (recoverable oil and gas)? What policy implications does this have for the United States?

-Middle East and Russia -It is recoverable, and we don't know if it is there now but we think so -Implications of US: we are going to have to be friendly to these countries to be able to use their oil

What is the main technical challenge that Solar and Wind must overcome before being able to replace the use the natural gas and goal?

-Need optimal weather conditions. Storage of energy also a large challenge (must be stored in a battery)

Explain the term "peak oil"? Is it inevitable? Why or why not?

-Peak oil is when the global production of oil reaches a max rate, after which production will decline -After it reaches the peak oil rate, the production will decline, there is no more oil -This is inevitable because oil petroleum itself is a non-renewable resource

Describe one of the main obstacles to the development of the Cape Wind project?

-People think it is aesthetically displeasing -Costs -location

What is non-conventional oil, give three examples?

-Petroleum that comes from or is extratcted by using techniques that are not traditional methods (aka ocean drilling) -Ex oTar sands ♣Immature oil ♣Hasn't been sitting there long enough for us to take it out in a conventional way ♣Steam it up and heat it up so we can extract it oOil from fracking ♣Porosity and permeability ♣When the oil is in the rock, but is not permeable (the pores in the rock are not interconnected) ♣We break the pores in the rocks and extract the oil oUltra-Deep Water Drilling ♣Drilling where the ocean is below 5000 feet ♣Expensive - Tough to see where actually drilling- need radar

Describe one way in which Hydropower may be able to help address the challenge described above. What are some limitations in this strategy?

-Power from water -Large volumes of water move rapidly to produce energy (good thing) -Not dependent on the weather -Limitations: can still drought, power must be used near where it is generated

What is the difference between primary, secondary, and enhanced recovery?

-Primary: recovery using drilling and pumping (conventional) -Secondary: pumping water into a reservoir to fill empty pore spaces and buoy oil up -Enhanced: most expensive/difficult- altering the properties from the rocks that contain oil, to make it more conducive so we can extract the oil out : adding chemicals, breaking it etc.

What are the pros and cons of installing a geothermal heating system in your home?

-Pros: lower operating costs, clean energy, old and new construction -Cons: Not a DIY project, not many people install geotherm systems, disruptive to landscape to install

What physical quantity does the area beneath 'Hubberts Curve' represent?

-Represents: Approximation of the production rate of a resource over time -Can be used for any resource- usually used for oil

What is Carbon Capture and Sequestration? What are the benefits of this technology and some of the remaining challenges?

-Sequestration: is keeping it out of atmosphere -Large power plants that are creating fossil fuels (fossil fuel power plants) -A large waste product of these plants is carbon dioxide -Instead of going into environment they have an area to capture the CO2 and then they transport to storage site further away, where it gets deposited into the ground (in area where it will not enter atmosphere), so we do not contribute to climate change -Benefits: not letting it into atmosphere, not effecting global warming -Challenges: very expensive to do so

What are "tar sands"? What is the major policy decision currently facing the U.S. related to tar sands?

-Tar sands: this immature oil, not easy to extract, we have to inject steam into it so we can distract it. -Policy: Key stone XL Pipeline: problem is that it goes through native land, it is expensive, it goes all the way from Mexico to Canada, political implications

What are some of the sources of revenue that can help to finance a renewable energy system?

-Tax credits, sell your energy back to the grid.

What is 'fracking' and how has it affected states in the Appalachia region of the US?

-The process of injecting liquid (most likely water) at a high pressure into subterranean (way below water table) rocks, boreholes etc. to force open existing fissures (pores) and extract oil or gas. -Appalachia region: the fracking itself isn't affecting much because below water table, so not contaminating ground water. -It could contaminate when gas comes back up and could break

Why is the coal production expected to peak later than oil? What impact is projected coal production likely to have on climate?

-This is because we don't use coal as much anymore as when we discovered (1850s) because it is polluter -We are using oil more, and there is less of it, so it is going to peak first -Coal is not as versatile or convenient as oil -Oil will get used first then coal -Impact: air pollution because the burning of coal produces CO2(greenhouse not good for climate), and it produces sulfur dioxide and becomes apart of the atmosphere and rains out and goes into soil and it effects marine animals and the food industry.

What areas tend to have the greatest potential for generation of electricity from wind?

-Windy spots -Usually off the coast of areas because that is where wind whips in -Also in the mountains where there is that gradient of wind (wind tunnel)

What are two primary barriers to wider adoption of geothermal heat pump systems?

1.Drilling to sufficient depths, 2.Generating permeability to circulate the fluids (the hot material down there to harness energy)

What are Renewable Portfolio Standards and why are they important?

Renewable portfolio standards are regulations that require more energy be produced from renewable sources - It is important because it is essential for us to keep renewing energy

How has the percentage of renewable energy production changed over the past two decades?

There has been an increase of renewable energy prod- it has approx. doubled