Alternative Energy Alternative to What?. The story so far… We divided history into: PHASE 1: when all energy was local and renewable (wind, water, etc.)

Alternative EnergyAlternative to What?

The story so far…• We divided history into:

• PHASE 1: when all energy was local and renewable (wind, water, etc.)

• PHASE 2: The growing reliance on non-local, non-renewable fossil fuels such as coal, oil.

• And we said, you cannot build an economy and society on an energy source that will not be there

• And the public is very scared by Nuclear.

So, what else is there?• There is a field that goes back to

PHASE 1: Local and renewable, but uses many new technological advances.

• So, “alternative” generally means an alternative to fossil fuels.

• What are these “alternatives?”

– WindWind– Water (hydro and tidal)Water (hydro and tidal)– GeothermalGeothermal– SolarSolar– Agro-fuels (methane)Agro-fuels (methane)

• These are all renewable (though, These are all renewable (though, remember, in Nature’s terms, remember, in Nature’s terms, everythingeverything is renewable.) is renewable.)

A Reminder• The fact that these resources are

local and renewable, does not mean they are equally available everywhere.

It all comes down to one thing…• Virtually all of these, like nuclear Virtually all of these, like nuclear

power, burning coal etc., now, are power, burning coal etc., now, are ultimately in the business of ultimately in the business of generating electricity, generating electricity, but without but without the necessity to involve the necessity to involve combustioncombustion to produce heat—steam—rotation.to produce heat—steam—rotation.

So, we are looking for?• A source of electricity without

combustion.

• One approach is to find something that can produce continuous movement that can drive a turbine.

1. Wind• We can construct modern windmills,

which are far more efficient than the ancient ones, and the rotation of the blades generates electricity.

• This electricity can be fed into a grid, used locally, or stored.

They do not have to be on land…• Some of the most reliable winds and

breezes come off the sea.

Tidal energy.• As a result of the pull of the moon,

the sea rises and falls, and this involves a huge amount of energy.

• Why not capture some of this?

This prevents storm surges (and flooding), controls flow, generates electricity and acts as a bridge.

Tidal energy 2• There are other ways to capture the

energy of the tidal flow.

Hydro-power• This relies on the ability to drop

water from a great height over a short distance, and run the water over a turbine.

Problem here is, how many sites are there like this? Would the environmentalists ever allow you to build there?

Geothermal energy• This comes directly from the heat

beneath the surface of the earth. Normally, that is not very close to the surface, but sometimes…

Problem here is—only a few places (like Iceland) have this type of geology

Solar energy• Of course, ultimately, all energy is

solar.

• What we mean here is to convert the energy of the sun directly into electricity.

• Many of you have solar-powered calculators, which are a small example of this technology at work.

Solar energy (cont.)• (4) Direct conversion to electricity

• - photovoltaic cells --sunlight excites electrons in semiconductor film which induces them to move, causing a current

• (i) presently very expensive

• (ii) highly inefficient

• -- 20-30% conversion of energy to electricity

• -- requires large collector banks

Problems: What happens when the sun don’t shine? How much ground can you cover with these things? How do you keep them facing the sun? How much does it cost?

A Possible New Energy Technology• We know: The Facts on Fuel Cells and

EVs

What is a fuel cell?• Fuel cells are a technology used to create

electricity by combining hydrogen gas with oxygen from the air. Like a battery, these cells convert chemical energy directly into electricity. But a fuel cell does not need to recharged because, as long as it is supplied with hydrogen, it will continue to produce electricity.

A Possible New Energy Technology• What are the sources of hydrogen?• Hydrogen can be produced from gasoline,

ethanol, natural gas and methanol. It can also be produced from water by electrolysis.

• Can hydrogen be produced by any renewable resources?

• Not yet, but it may be possible to produce hydrogen from wind and solar power in the future.

• What are fuel cells used for?• Fuel cells are currently being used to power

motors in electric powered vehicles, also called EVs.

A Possible New Energy Technology• What are current disadvantages to

fuel cells and electric vehicles?

• Challenges include:

• Finding safe ways to store hydrogen.

• Reducing the cost of electric vehicles.

• Creating durable vehicles.

• Developing an infrastructure for fuel cell power, particularly filling stations that offer hydrogen.

So, why don’t we switch now?• There is no immediate and visible There is no immediate and visible

advantageadvantage as there was when coal as there was when coal replaced wood, oil replaced coal, or replaced wood, oil replaced coal, or nuclear being 1,000,000 times more nuclear being 1,000,000 times more efficient than coalefficient than coal

So why don’t we switch now?– The cost of fossil fuels is artificially The cost of fossil fuels is artificially lowlow– The “sunk costs” of fossil fuel The “sunk costs” of fossil fuel

infrastructureinfrastructure– The Public “discounts” the future The Public “discounts” the future

because it sees no “crisis”because it sees no “crisis”– ““Spikes” in existing energy prices often Spikes” in existing energy prices often

followed by fall (think of gasoline)followed by fall (think of gasoline)– The existing energy industry in a major The existing energy industry in a major

political influence (the “political influence (the “EnronEnron” crisis of ” crisis of 2002)2002)

– The intermediate role of conservation, The intermediate role of conservation, which is, perhaps, a which is, perhaps, a more immediatemore immediate concern?concern?

$32 billion bid made for Texas utilityLargest private buyout in history is proposedBy David Koenig

Associated Press       DALLAS — Texans weary of high electric bills and environmentalists who fought TXU Corp.'s plans for more coal-fired power plants offered only muted criticism Monday of the proposed takeover of the state's largest electric utility.       David J. Phillip, Associated PressTXU Corp. plant is located near Fairfield, Texas. Private equity firms aim to buy Texas' largest electricity producer.      If federal regulators and TXU shareholders approve the $32 billion bid, the investor group led by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. and Texas Pacific Group will pull off the largest private buyout in history.      The buyers promised to cut electric rates by 10 percent, saving residential customers $300 million per year, and freeze those prices until September 2008. They also extended an olive branch to environmentalists by agreeing to drop plans for eight of 11 proposed new coal-burning power plants and make other green concessions.      While some environmentalists and civic leaders hailed the decision to drop most of the coal plants, others vowed to keep fighting to block the company from building the three coal plants that the buyers wanted to keep.

The Key is the Cost and Availability of Oil and Gasoline• The infrastructure for extracting,

processing and transporting oil & gas is already built and paid for. A “sunk cost”

• The “alternatives” have high start-up costs

• The Public does not perceive an “energy crisis” as such. A crisis would mean rapid and sustained price rises, rationing, shortages etc., and we do not see that.

• So, the change is more likely to come through the environmental consequences of burning so much fossil fuel.

So, what would make us change?• If there was a If there was a sustained crisissustained crisis that that

convinced the public that it was not convinced the public that it was not wise to continuewise to continue

• This could be of the shortage, price, This could be of the shortage, price, or secondary-consequences type or secondary-consequences type (air pollution or global warming)(air pollution or global warming)

• The shortage could be resource-The shortage could be resource-based or political, but it would have based or political, but it would have to be repetition or systemic declineto be repetition or systemic decline

• The price would then make The price would then make alternatives attractivealternatives attractive

• OR—the government could OR—the government could intervene to change prices by:intervene to change prices by:– Buying exclusively Buying exclusively – SubsidizingSubsidizing– Clear Policy LineClear Policy Line– Taxing (e.g. Carbon Tax)Taxing (e.g. Carbon Tax)