Chapter 9 Energy

In 2009, China became the world’s number one consumer of energy. While the country consumes more energy in absolute terms, it comes nowhere close to outconsuming the United States on a per capita basis. More than four times the population of the United States

Maximum power consumed globally at any given moment: roughly 12.5 terawatts (TW) By 2030: 16.9 TW If planet were powered entirely by wind, solar, geothermal, tidal, and hydro power something interesting occurs…. Global power consumption would presently be only 11.5 TW.

If we invest heavily in wind power, won’t world be blanketed with windmills? Footprint of the 3.8 million turbines needed to supply over half of the total future global energy demand is less than 50 square kilometers. Roughly half the size of Denver! Stick with fossil fuels, demand by 2030 will rise further than with renewables, which require some 13,000 new coal plants (and additional mining).

Wind Doesn’t Blow All the Time Smart mix of renewable energy sources will ensure something is always blowing, shinning, turning, etc. Coal plants are not online all the time either. –Average US coal plant offline 12.5 percent of the year for scheduled and unscheduled maintenance –Newest-generation wind turbines: 2 percent on land and 4 percent at sea –Photovoltaic systems: about 2 percent of the year

Clean Coal According to industry-sponsored American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, “Clean coal technology refers to technologies that improve the environmental performance of coal-based electricity plants. These technologies include equipment that increases the operational efficiency of power plants, as well as technologies that reduce emissions.”