1. Our energy future

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

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

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

5. Energy production comparison • Wind farm: 44 turbines 101 MW
• Solar- US Solar largest plant 354 MW
• Nuclear MW
• Gas Powered electric MW
• Coal plant 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. �

6. 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, source: energy company agent.

7. 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 • Cylindrical Solar- light weight, low cost and fast, easiest installation of any solar technology.

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

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.

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

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

14. New Solar designs
Sterling engine solar generator

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

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

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

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

19. 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

20. 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

21. The New Small Nuclear
NuScale 45 mw Hyperion 25 mw Terrapower- No pumps
liquid metal coolant powered with low level
no pumps -ready radioactive wastes
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.

22. 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!