Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Chapter 16

Core Case Study: Iceland’s Vision of a Renewable-Energy Economy  Has 20 active volcanoes  Has no fossil fuel deposits: imports oil  Supplies 75% of its primary energy and almost all of its electrical energy using two renewable energy sources: geothermal energy; hydroelectric power  2003: World’s first commercial hydrogen filling station  2003–2007: three prototype (hydrogen) fuel-cell buses  2008: 10 Toyota Prius hydrogen-fueled test vehicles  By 2050: Plans to become first country to run entirely on renewable energy

We Waste Huge Amounts of Energy  Energy conservation A decrease in energy use based primarily on reducing unnecessary waste of energy  Energy efficiency Measure of how much work we can get from each unit of energy we use

We Waste Huge Amounts of Energy  Best way to conserve energy is to increase efficiency  84% of all commercial energy in U.S. is wasted:

We Waste Huge Amounts of Energy  Best way to conserve energy is to increase efficiency  84% of all commercial energy in U.S. is wasted: 41% wasted unavoidably (2 nd law of thermodynamics) 43% wasted unnecessarily (inefficiency of devices, etc.)

Four widely used devices that waste energy: 1.Incandescent light bulb (90-95% wasted energy) Replace with fluorescent or LED lights 2.Internal combustion engine (94% wasted energy) Replace with fuel cells 3.Nuclear power plant (92% wasted energy) Replace with wind and solar cell farms to produce electricity 4.Coal-fired power plant (75-80% wasted energy) Replace with wind and solar cell farms to produce electricity

Comparison of the Net Energy Efficiency for Two Types of Space Heating

We Can Save Energy and Money: Industry (30% of world’s energy consumption) 1.Cogeneration or combined heat and power (CHP) 2 useful forms of energy are produced from the same fuel source

We Can Save Energy and Money: Industry (30% of world’s energy consumption) 1.Cogeneration or combined heat and power (CHP) 2 useful forms of energy are produced from the same fuel source 2.Replace energy-wasting electric motors 3.Recycling materials

We Can Save Energy and Money: Industry (30% of world’s energy consumption) 1.Cogeneration or combined heat and power (CHP) 2 useful forms of energy are produced from the same fuel source 2.Replace energy-wasting electric motors 3.Recycling materials 4.Switch to higher-efficiency fluorescent and LED lighting

We Can Save Energy and Money: Industry (30% of world’s energy consumption) 1.Cogeneration or combined heat and power (CHP) 2 useful forms of energy are produced from the same fuel source 2.Replace energy-wasting electric motors 3.Recycling materials 4.Switch to higher-efficiency fluorescent and LED lighting 5.Convert outdated and wasteful electrical grid system with more efficient one

We Can Save Energy and Money: Industry (30% of world’s energy consumption)

We Can Save Energy and Money: Transportation (2/3 of U.S. oil consumption) 1.Increase CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Energy) standards 2.Encourage fuel-efficient cars: Hybrids and plug-in hybrids

Average Fuel Economy of New Vehicles Sold in the U.S. and Other Countries

We Can Save Energy and Money: Transportation (2/3 of U.S. oil consumption) 1.Increase CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Energy) standards 2.Encourage fuel-efficient cars: Hybrids and plug-in hybrids 3.Encourage energy-efficient diesel cars 4.Further development of fuel cells 5.Use ultralight composite materials for cars

Solutions: A Hybrid-Gasoline-Electric Engine Car and a Plug-in Hybrid Car Has a small gas-powered motor Electric motor run by battery 45 mpg; 65% less CO 2

Solutions: A Hybrid-Gasoline-Electric Engine Car and a Plug-in Hybrid Car Has a small gas-powered motor Electric motor run by battery 45 mpg; 65% less CO 2 Has a smaller gas-powered motor Battery for electric motor can be recharged by plugging into outlet 100 mpg

We Can Save Energy and Money: New Building Design (green architecture) 1.Orient building to maximize or minimize exposure 2.Focus light on work stations 3.Make use of natural lighting

We Can Save Energy and Money: New Building Design (green architecture) 1.Orient building to maximize or minimize exposure 2.Focus light on work stations 3.Make use of natural lighting 4.Natural ventilation 5.Recycled building materials

We Can Save Energy and Money: New Building Design (green architecture) 1.Orient building to maximize or minimize exposure 2.Focus light on work stations 3.Make use of natural lighting 4.Natural ventilation 5.Recycled building materials 6.U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)

A Green or Living Roof in Chicago, IL (U.S.)

We Can Save Energy and Money: Existing Buildings (retrofitting older buildings) 1.Insulate and plug leaks 2.Use energy-efficient windows 3.Stop other heating and cooling losses

A Thermogram Showing Heat Loss Around Houses and Stores

We Can Save Energy and Money: Existing Buildings (retrofitting older buildings) 1.Insulate and plug leaks 2.Use energy-efficient windows 3.Stop other heating and cooling losses 4.Heat houses more efficiently 5.Heat water more efficiently

We Can Save Energy and Money: Existing Buildings (retrofitting older buildings) 1.Insulate and plug leaks 2.Use energy-efficient windows 3.Stop other heating and cooling losses 4.Heat houses more efficiently 5.Heat water more efficiently 6.Use energy efficient appliances 7.Use energy efficient lighting

Individuals Matter: Ways in Which You Can Save Money Where You Live

Commercial Energy Use by Source for the World and the United States

TRUE or FALSE  Using RENEWABLE ENERGY does not harm the environment…

TRUE or FALSE  Using RENEWABLE ENERGY does not harm the environment…FALSE!!!

Generating Costs of Energy Types Generator TypeMean Cost (¢ per kWh) Passive Solar0.01 Wind Energy0.03 Geothermal Power0.08 Hydroelectric Power0.09 Active Solar0.10 Hydrogen Fuel Cell0.10 Natural Gas0.11 Coal Power0.12 Biomass0.13 Biofuel0.20 Nuclear Power0.23 Photovoltaic0.26

Solutions: Passive and Active Solar Heating for a Home Home absorbs and stores heat from sun directly Must be well-insulated No pumps or fans needed Special collectors contain heat- absorbing fluid (like antifreeze) Fluid absorbs energy from sun Fluid is pumped throughout house

Passive Solar Heating

Rooftop Solar Hot Water on Apartment Buildings in Kunming, China

Commercial Solar Power Tower Plant Near Seville in Southern Spain  Solar Thermal System Concentrates energy from sun to heat water and produce steam, which turns turbine, which generates electricity World leaders: Germany, Spain

Photovoltaic Cells  Cells are thin wafers of silicon (semiconductor) w/ trace metals  Sunlight strikes cells – emit electrons – produce electricity  World leaders: Germany, Japan, China

Solutions: Solar Cells Used to Provide Electricity for a Remote Village in Niger Solar Cells Used to Provide Electricity for a Remote Village in Niger Solar Cell Power Plant in Arizona

Solar Innovations  Solar Roadway Solar Roadway

Solar Innovations  Transparent Solar Cell Transparent Solar Cell

Total Costs of Electricity from Different Sources in 2004 Very Expensive!!!

We Can Produce Electricity from Falling and Flowing Water  Hydroelectric Power How it works: 1.The flow of water from higher to lower elevations (in rivers and streams) is controlled by dams 2.Water (stored in reservoirs) flows through huge pipes – spins turbine – generates electricity World’s leading renewable energy source of electricity production World’s leaders: Canada, China, Brazil, US, Russia

Negative Environmental Effects of Hydropower – James Bay Project (Quebec)  Diverted 4 major rivers, which caused:  Geological tremors  Extreme fluctuations of water levels Submerged boreal forests Increased decomposing organic matter, which caused high mercury levels Destroyed salmon spawning patterns Thousands of caribou deaths each year Destruction of habitats, such as migratory waterfowl

Using Wind to Produce Electricity Is an Important Step toward Sustainability  Wind Power How it works: Wind turns turbine directly – generates electricity Turbine can be as tall as 30 stories, but shorter ones are being used in smaller spaces Offshore wind farms are increasing in number 2 nd fastest growing source of electricity World’s leaders: Germany and US

Solutions: Wind Turbine and Wind Farms on Land and Offshore

We Can Get Energy by Burning Solid Biomass  Solid Biomass - Made from plant materials (wood, agricultural wastes) and animal wastes Examples: wood, charcoal, animal manure Can be burned directly for heating, cooking, industrial processes Can be used to generate electricity

We Can Get Energy by Burning Solid Biomass

 Liquid Biofuels Produced from plants and plant wastes Used in place of petroleum-based diesel and gasoline Two major types: 1.Biodiesel 2.Ethanol

We Can Get Energy by Burning Solid Biomass  Liquid Biofuels  Two major types: 1.Biodiesel Produced from soybean oil, sunflower oil, vegetable oils from restaurants European countries produce 95% of world’s biodiesel

We Can Get Energy by Burning Solid Biomass  Liquid Biofuels  Two major types: 1.Biodiesel 2.Ethanol Made from fermentation and distillation of sugar in sugar cane and corn Used directly in flex-fuel cars Can be mixed with gasoline to make gasohol for use in conventional engines Brazil is largest producer

Getting Energy from the Earth’s Internal Heat  Geothermal Energy  Heat stored in soil, underground rock and fluids in Earth’s mantle  World leaders: U.S. and Philippines

Natural Capital: A Geothermal Heat Pump System Can Heat or Cool a House 1.Geothermal Heat Pump  Closed loop of buried pipes that circulate fluid  Utilizes temperature differences of house and earth to heat during winter and cool during summer  Considered to be the most effective, e nergy-efficient, reliable, environmentally-clean way of heating and cooling a space Depth ft

Natural Capital: A Geothermal Heat Pump System Can Heat or Cool a House Depth ft

Natural Capital: A Geothermal Heat Pump System Can Heat or Cool a House 2.Hydrothermal Reserves  Deep well drilled to extract steam from the earth’s mantle  Used to heat buildings and spin turbines to generate electricity  Iceland (20 active volcanoes) - 80% of its electrical energy and hot water

Hydrogen Is a Promising Fuel but There Are Challenges  Fuel Cells  Combine H 2 gas and O 2 gas to produce electricity

A Fuel Cell Separates the Hydrogen Atoms’ Electrons from Their Protons  How it works: 1.Cell takes in H 2 gas, separates e - s from p + s 2.e - s flow through wires to produce electricity 3.p + s pass through a membrane, combine with O 2 to form H 2 O 1 3 2

A Fuel Cell Separates the Hydrogen Atoms’ Electrons from Their Protons  Cars, trucks and buses (w/small fuel cells) have been developed, but not massed produced  Large fuel cells can provide heat and energy for buildings and industry  World’s leaders: Japan, US, Canada 1 3 2

Choosing Energy Paths  General conclusions about possible energy paths: Gradual shift to smaller, decentralized micropower systems  Combination of improved energy efficiency and transition to a diverse mix of locally available renewable energy resources How? Use natural gas in during the transition. Fossil fuels will still be used in large amounts-why? Low prices and high abundance.

Solutions: Decentralized Power System