1. ENERGY & THE ENVIRONMENT ENVS 001 Presentation October 30, 2002 Dr. Saleem H. Ali Saleem.Ali@uvm.edu

2. What is Energy? The capacity to do “work” => energy is transferred when a force causes acceleration –Force = Mass X Acceleration unit: Newton four kinds: gravitational, electromagnetic, weak and strong nuclear forces –Work = Force X Distance unit: Joule –Energy = Capacity to do Work same unit as work: Joule, also: calorie, kwh, BTU –Power = Energy / Time unit: (kilo)watt

3. Reminder: The Laws of Energy Energy can neither be created nor destroyed: it can only be converted from one form to another When energy is converted from one form to another, the “quality”, some of the useful energy is always converted to a worse “quality” energy: entropy rises

4. Basic kinds of useful energy: – nuclear: fission and fusion –chemical: burning fuel (coal, gas, oil, biomass), batteries – electricity: Aha! – kinetic: hydropower, wind, waves, dynamos – thermal (heat): geological, solar – light: solar

5. Efficiency of Energy How much useful work is the input of energy providing? –Highly contextual: are you using a light bulb for light or heat? –Can the loss be recovered for other useful activity? –What is the system’s “net” energy? –Transmission woes: moving towards micropower

6. Energy as a “Service” The reorganization of companies is happening

7. The Dilemma of Dams Renewable, no greenhouse gas emissions but …… –Displacement of people –High capital cost (net energy calculation) –Submergence of ecosystems –Coal versus Dams: The US and China History of the Bureau of Reclamation The Three Gorges Project

8. Laws and Decision-makers No direct laws on Energy conservation Conservation is through programs in other environmental laws: e.g. clean air act Energy market laws do exist: Managed by The Federal Energy Regulatory Commision: FERC: www.ferc.gov