Our energy future

There is no doubt our planet is warming. Poles are melting and extreme weather events are already occurring.

If we replace all of the US coal plants we can avoid the worst effects of climate change. James Hanson

US energy consumption:Only 16% comes from C02 free sources.

Energy production comparison • Wind farm: 44 turbines 101 MW • Solar- US Solar largest plant 354 MW • Nuclear 800 MW • Gas Powered electric 1000 MW • Coal plant 600 MW • Hydroelectric Aswan Dam 2.1GigaW MW= Mega watts = I million watts Gigawatt = 1 billion watts 1,000 megawatts = power to supply 1 million homes Only if the plant is operating at peak power 100% of the time. Winds vary, solar works only on sunny days, and coal plants shut down for maintenance, etc. �

2007-House with solar panels meet 1/3 of electrical needs, Oregon 2007-House with solar panels meet 1/3 of electrical needs, Oregon. Cost $27,000-30,000.00 source: energy company agent.

soon available -more efficent and less expensive solar soon available -more efficent and less expensive solar * Thin film solar - currently being installed in some areas http://www.nanosolar.com/technology • Cylindrical Solar- light weight, low cost and fast, easiest installation of any solar technology. http://tinyurl.com/6hvwtjy

Coal Plants 610 plants in the US =54% of our electricity. We must replace these to avoid the worst of climate change. James Hanson

Coal Mining Appalachia • Toxic ash-piles up at sites, have not developed a secure way to dispose of it. Arsenic, lead manganese, mercury and other toxins. Stored at the plant, put in land fills or some is used to make cement. • 129 million tons of coal ash is generated in the U.S. each year. • Contaminants: arsenic, lead, cadmium, mercury, selenium • Disposal- landfills or storage on plant site - some ash used in Portland cement.

1000 mw natural gas fired plant Montana 1000 mw natural gas fired plant Montana. Natural gas releases half as much C02 as coal. It currently is the preferred source amongst power company.

Drilling for Natural Gas Fracking Blasting deep underground shale deposits with water, sands and chemicals. Problem- polluted ground water from methane released by explosions, and suspicions of contaminations from chemicals used in fracking. Needs research.

Replacements Wind Oregon 338 turbines 845mw. Built by S Cal Edison. Covers 30 square miles in Morrow and Gilliam co.

Solar 5-1 = # of acres to produce 1mw of energy Thermal solar tower in Seville, Spain 12,000 homes 340 mw

New Solar designs Sterling engine solar generator

Nuclear US nuclear plants- 104 most built in the 1950’s No energy policy in place to replace them.

Oil- Canada oil tar sands mining US oil sources Saudi Arabia 22%, Nigeria 22% Venezuela 19% Canada 17% & Norway 5%US-34%.

Drilling off Brazil New reserves are off shore drilling 4 miles Deep. Gulf spill was 1 mile down.

The Old Nuclear. Spent fuel rods toxic 10,000 yrs Nuclear accidents Caused by pump Failure. All plants located near H20

Spent fuel rods radioactive for 10,000 yrs Stored in nuclear plants Not in steel containers just a big water bath. Responsible for the severity of Japan’s meltdown. Dry storage of nuclear rods after 5 Yrs in water bath at Nuclear plant

This technology is ready to go. Fast Breeder Reactors This technology is ready to go. These use spent fuel rods As energy source, and also create more fuel. 1,000 years worth of energy using this method. Technology is already developed & ready to go. Big & expensive, uses water to cool

The New Small Nuclear NuScale 45 mw Hyperion 25 mw Terrapower- No pumps http:// www.nuscalepower.com liquid metal coolant powered with low level no pumps -ready 2017 http://tinyurl.com/24ody radioactive wastes http://tinyurl.com/3qru5sa Research is ongoing to develop a means of burning a greater percentage of energy and reduce toxicity. only 10% of energy is utilized in traditional rods.

Choices for the future We need C02 emission free fuels NOW. Solar and wind currently do not have the energy intensity need to replace fossil fuels. Will we abandon nuclear after Fukushima as happened after Chernobyl We will have to develop every option available to us!