OFFICE OF SCIENCE
Energy Research in the GeosciencesEnergy Research in the Geosciences
Teaching About Energy in Geosciences Courses: Teaching About Energy in Geosciences Courses: Current Research and Pedagogy Current Research and Pedagogy
May 17, 2009May 17, 2009
Nicholas B. WoodwardNicholas B. WoodwardGeosciences Research ProgramGeosciences Research ProgramOffice of Basic Energy SciencesOffice of Basic Energy Sciences
ororGeosciences Research in EnergyGeosciences Research in Energy
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Laptops Users BewareLaptops Users Beware
NY Times – Lithium: February 3, 2009 In Bolivia, Untapped Bounty Meets Nationalism
By SIMON ROMERO
UYUNI, BOLIVIA — In the rush to build the next generation of hybrid or electric cars, a sobering fact confronts both automakers and governments seeking to lower their reliance on foreign oil: almost half of the world’s lithium, the mineral needed to power the vehicles, is found here in Bolivia — a country that may not be willing to surrender it so easily.
Japanese and European companies are busily trying to strike deals to tap the resource, but a nationalist sentiment about the lithium is building quickly in the government of President Evo Morales, an ardent critic of the United States who has already nationalized Bolivia’s oil and natural gas industries.
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What Kind of Energy?What Kind of Energy?
LightHeat
TransportationOther …?
Where? Why?
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Energy Research Objectives?Energy Research Objectives?
Energy Security:Issues - Coal is domestic, significant hydrocarbon imports
Answers – Hybrid Vehicles, Coal to Liquids, Oil/Tar Sands
Energy and Environmental Quality:Pollution Control –
Issues – Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act
Answers – NG fired power plants, CAFÉ standards, Hybrid Vehicles, Zero Emissions Vehicles
Climate Change –Issues – Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Answers – Non-Greenhouse gas emitting power, Zero Emission Vehicles
Industrial Approach over 40 Years – Efficiency – pollution/emissions not created need not be cleaned up
or have cost penalties.
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Trends in EnergyTrends in Energy
Bulk Commodity Based Energy to Technology Based Energy
Distributed Energy to Centralized Energy to Distributed Energy
Fireplaces to 1000Mw Electric Power Plants to Solar Cells or Ground Source Heat Pumps on Homes
Distributed Energy to Centralized Energy
Horses to Cars to Mass Transit
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Energy sources and consumption sectors in the U.S.Energy sources and consumption sectors in the U.S.
U.S. Energy Flow, 1950 (Quads)U.S. Energy Flow, 1950 (Quads)At midcentury, the U.S. used 1/3 of the primary energy used today At midcentury, the U.S. used 1/3 of the primary energy used today and with greater overall efficiencyand with greater overall efficiency
~ 34 Quads of ~ 34 Quads of EnergyEnergy12” TV, no interstate system12” TV, no interstate system
DomesticProduction:71.7 Quads
Imports:34.6 Quads
Consumption:101.6 Quads
Adjustments ~1
Exports5.4 Quads
En
erg
y S
up
ply
(Q
uad
s)
En
erg
y C
on
sum
pti
on
U.S. Energy Flow, 2007 (Quads = Quadrillion BTU = 10U.S. Energy Flow, 2007 (Quads = Quadrillion BTU = 101515 BTU) BTU)About 1/3 of U.S. primary energy is importedAbout 1/3 of U.S. primary energy is imported
~ 100 Quads of ~ 100 Quads of EnergyEnergy
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Supply107
Quads
U.S. Energy Flow, 2007 (Quads)U.S. Energy Flow, 2007 (Quads)85% of primary energy is from fossil fuels85% of primary energy is from fossil fuels
Domestic67%
Imports33%
Residential
Commercial
Industrial
Consume102
Quads
Nuclear 8%Renewable 7%
Fossil85%
Transportation
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U.S. Energy Flow, 2006 (Quads)U.S. Energy Flow, 2006 (Quads)>70% of primary energy for the transportation sector>70% of primary energy for the transportation sector
and >60% of primary energy for electricity generation/use is and >60% of primary energy for electricity generation/use is lostlost
Source: LLNL 2008; data are based on DOE/EIA-0384(2006). Credit should be given to LLNL and DOE. 10
Centuries of Fuel Usage in North America Centuries of Fuel Usage in North America
Wood
HydroelectricPower
Coal
Petroleum
Natural Gas
Nuclear Electric Power
1650 1700 1750 1800 1850 1900 1950 2000
10
20
30
40
0
Qua
drill
ion
Btu
U.S. Energy Consumption by Source
Watt Steam Engine, 1782
Incandescent lamp, 1870s Four-stroke
combustion engine, 1870s
CP-1 reactor, 1942REA, 1935
Jet engine,1930s-40s
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“Economic/Energy” Geology
Metals plus Coal
plus Petroleum
What Will the21What Will the21stst Century Bring? Century Bring?2121stst century technologies will exert control at the atomic, molecular, and nanoscale levels. century technologies will exert control at the atomic, molecular, and nanoscale levels.
Wood
HydroelectricPower
Coal
Petroleum
Natural Gas
Nuclear Electric Power
1850 1900 1950 2000
10
20
30
40
0
Qua
drill
ion
Btu
There are 2 imperatives for change in the 21st century:
Solid-state lighting and many other applications of quantum confinement Peta-scale computing
Environmental impacts of fossil fuels
Bio-inspired nanoscale assemblies – self-repairing and defect-tolerant systems.
Mn
MnMn
Mn
O
OO
O
OO
Mn
Mn
MnMn
O
OO
O
2H2O 4H+ + 4e-
photosystem II
World-wide supply and distribution of petroleum reserves
High Tc superconductor
plus Nuclear fuel/ nuclear waste
CCSCCS
Source: LLNL 2008; data are based on DOE/EIA-0384(2006). Credit should be given to LLNL and DOE. 13
Fuel
Fu
el
Switc
hing
Switc
hing
Fuel
Fu
el
Switc
hing
Switc
hing
End-
use
End-
use
Effic
ienc
yEf
ficie
ncy
Car
bon
Cap
ture
and
C
arbo
n C
aptu
re a
nd
Sequ
estr
atio
nSe
ques
trat
ion
Electric Electric Energy Energy StorageStorage
Zero
-net
-em
issi
ons
Elec
tric
ity G
ener
atio
nZe
ro-n
et-e
mis
sion
s El
ectr
icity
Gen
erat
ion
Con
serv
atio
nC
onse
rvat
ion
Key RD&D StrategiesKey RD&D Strategies
Climate/Environment ImpactsClimate/Environment Impacts
Electricity Electricity Distribution Distribution
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Example of energy lost during conversion and transmission. Imagine that the coal needed to illuminate an incandescent light bulb contains 100 units of energy when it enters the power plant. Only two units of energy eventually light the bulb. The remaining 98 units are lost along the way, primarily as heat.
Overall Efficiency of an Incandescent Bulb Overall Efficiency of an Incandescent Bulb 2% 2% Lighting accounts for Lighting accounts for 22% of all electricity usage in the U.S. 22% of all electricity usage in the U.S.
No energy “loss” value assigned to getting the coal from the ground to the power plant (mining, transportation, etc)
Waste heat
Waste heat
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Other Kinds of Energy?Other Kinds of Energy?
Element World Production Material Needs for 20GW/yr
% of Current Prodcution
Indium 250Mt/a 400Mt/a 160%
Selenium 2,200 MT/a 800 MT/a 36%
Gallium 150 MT/a 70 MT/a 47%
Tellurium 450 MT/a (2000 MT/a unused today)
930 MT/a 38% of total
Cadmium 26,000 MT/a 800 MT/a 3%
Also of interest are Neodymium (for high performance permanent magnets in motors), Indium (transparent conducting oxide for flat panel displays, etc.), Gallium (used in a variety of solid state lighting devices), Gadolinium (potentially of use in high performance magnetic refrigeration), Cobalt (also used in some Li ion batteries), Samarium (used in SaCo permanent magnets with better temperature characteristics than NdFeB), etc.
Elemental Needs for large scale Photovoltaic production in the U.S.
Source: LLNL 2008; data are based on DOE/EIA-0384(2006). Credit should be given to LLNL and DOE. 16
Fuel
Fu
el
Switc
hing
Switc
hing
Fuel
Fu
el
Switc
hing
Switc
hing
Car
bon
Cap
ture
and
C
arbo
n C
aptu
re a
nd
Sequ
estr
atio
nSe
ques
trat
ion
How Will Geosciences Influence Energy Technology?How Will Geosciences Influence Energy Technology?
Climate/Environment ImpactsClimate/Environment Impacts
Water Resources for Electricity GenerationWater Resources for Electricity Generation
New Energy MineralsNew Energy Minerals
Find
New
Res
ourc
es, e
x. C
oal B
ed M
etha
ne, M
etha
ne H
ydra
tes
Find
New
Res
ourc
es, e
x. C
oal B
ed M
etha
ne, M
etha
ne H
ydra
tes
Water for biofuelsWater for biofuels
Waste DisposalWaste DisposalComputersComputersSolar cellsSolar cellsFuel RodsFuel Rods
Produced WaterProduced WaterCO2CO2
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One Strategy: Emphasize Climate Change MitigationOne Strategy: Emphasize Climate Change MitigationStabilization Wedges: Pacala and Socolow Stabilization Wedges: Pacala and Socolow
Challenge for COChallenge for CO22 Stabilization for Kids and Lawmakers Stabilization for Kids and Lawmakers
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7 wedges are needed to build the stabilization triangle. Each avoids 1 billion tons of carbon emissions per year by 2055
Stabilization Wedges:Stabilization Wedges:Two Emission Scenarios Define the Stabilization TriangleTwo Emission Scenarios Define the Stabilization Triangle
Emissions-doubling path
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The Wedge Stabilization Game PiecesThe Wedge Stabilization Game Pieces
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An Energy Challenge
breakthroughs needed x2-5 increase in battery energy density
x10-20 increase through chemical storage + fuel cells
Energy/weight
Energ
y/v
olu
me
0
10
20
30
0 10 20 30 40
Energy Storage Density gasoline
batteries
supercapacitor
s
• Store intermittent solar and wind electricity
• Electrify transportation with plug-in hybrids and electric cars
batteries: 30-50x less energy
density than gasoline
beyond batteries: chemical storage + fuel
cells = electricity
impossible dream: x10 improvement
ethanol
combustion
electrical storage
methanolhydrogencompounds (target)
compressed hydrogen gas
chemical +
fuel cells= electricity
electro-chemical storage
chemical storage
http://www.sc.doe.gov/bes/BESAC/Meetings.html#0209 George Crabtree presentation
21For details on the assumptions underlying the options, go to www.wri.org/usenergyoption
Power Sector (this size corresponds to 20 B kWh)
Transport Sector (this size corresponds to 100,000 barrels of oil per day)
Another Strategy: Focus on Both Energy Security and on ClimateAnother Strategy: Focus on Both Energy Security and on Climate
Positive ClimateCharacteristics
21
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Why Study Science?Why Study Science?
George F. Will, Thursday, May 22, 2003(from his comments on When Krakatoa Blew by S. Winchester)
“Geology has joined biology in lowering mankind's self-esteem. Geology suggests how mankind's existence is contingent on the geological consent of the planet. Although the planet is hospitable for the moment, it is indifferent -- eventually it will be lethally indifferent -- to its human passengers.”
1998 House of Representatives Committee on Science Report:
“the role of science has evolved to emphasize economic development, independence, and the ability to address issues in our country - and in the world that have scientific and technological solutions”
Rick Weiss, Washington Post, April 10, 2005
“… Americans have lost sight of the value of non-applied, curiosity driven research – the open-ended sort of exploration that doesn’t know exactly where it is going but so often leads to big payoffs…. Why should we care about this demand for results before the research begins?....Because our knowledge of the world and our support of knowledge for knowledge’s sake is a core measure of our success as a civilization.”
Utilitarian Catastrophic
Inspirational
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Key Science Education QuestionsKey Science Education Questions
What do we want our students to know ?Why do we want them to know it ?
What would motivate students to pursue this field of study?
Do we provide maximum information and hope some sticks, or
Do we provide the bare bones and demand it all sticks?
Undergraduate level objectives ?Graduate level objectives?
Career level objectives?
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Improving Energy EducationImproving Energy Education
Public outreach to demonstrate importance of research related to:
• Energy efficiency and conservation• Green energy technologies• Improvements of existing fossil fuel and nuclear power systems• Greenhouse gas emission reductions
Modify traditional disciplinary system at University level (such as Geology) to a more integrated, multidisciplinary approach (Energy Systems)
Provide training and inspiration for the next generation of scientists, engineers, policymakers, and citizens
CURE NIMBYCURE NIMBY
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Department of Energy New ActivitiesDepartment of Energy New Activities
2009 Office of Fossil Energy Budget – ARRA 2009 – • $20M to be available for Geologic Sequestration
Training
2010 DOE Budget• RE-ENERGYSE (Regaining our ENERGY Science and
Engineering Edge)
The Department will launch a comprehensive K-20+ science and engineering initiative, funded at $115M in FY 2010….See Energy.Gov 2010 Budget for details
Illumination of the Night SkyIllumination of the Night Sky2/3 of the U.S population has lost naked-eye visibility of the Milky Way2/3 of the U.S population has lost naked-eye visibility of the Milky Way
http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/view_rec.php?id=1438l26
Where to from here?
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Web resources:
http://www.science.doe.gov/SC-2/Deputy_Director-speeches-presentations.htm
http://www.sc.doe.gov/bes/bes.html
http://www.sc.doe.gov/bes/archives/summaries.html
http://www.sc.doe.gov/bes/reports/list.html
http://www.fossil.energy.gov/
http://www.eere.energy.gov/
http://www.eia.doe.gov/
http://www.energy.gov/sciencetech/carbonsequestration.htm
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Geosciences Research Program 2007Geosciences Research Program 2007
DePaolo, D. and Orr, F., 2007, Basic Research Needs for Geosciences Workshop, Office of Basic Energy Sciences; http://www.sc.doe.gov/bes/reports/files/GEO_rpt.pdf
Thank You