OFFICE OF SCIENCE

Energy Research in the GeosciencesEnergy Research in the Geosciences

Teaching About Energy in Geosciences Courses: Teaching About Energy in Geosciences Courses: Current Research and Pedagogy Current Research and Pedagogy

May 17, 2009May 17, 2009

Nicholas B. WoodwardNicholas B. WoodwardGeosciences Research ProgramGeosciences Research ProgramOffice of Basic Energy SciencesOffice of Basic Energy Sciences

ororGeosciences Research in EnergyGeosciences Research in Energy

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Laptops Users BewareLaptops Users Beware

NY Times – Lithium: February 3, 2009 In Bolivia, Untapped Bounty Meets Nationalism

By SIMON ROMERO

UYUNI, BOLIVIA — In the rush to build the next generation of hybrid or electric cars, a sobering fact confronts both automakers and governments seeking to lower their reliance on foreign oil: almost half of the world’s lithium, the mineral needed to power the vehicles, is found here in Bolivia — a country that may not be willing to surrender it so easily.

Japanese and European companies are busily trying to strike deals to tap the resource, but a nationalist sentiment about the lithium is building quickly in the government of President Evo Morales, an ardent critic of the United States who has already nationalized Bolivia’s oil and natural gas industries.

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What Kind of Energy?What Kind of Energy?

LightHeat

TransportationOther …?

Where? Why?

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Energy Research Objectives?Energy Research Objectives?

Energy Security:Issues - Coal is domestic, significant hydrocarbon imports

Answers – Hybrid Vehicles, Coal to Liquids, Oil/Tar Sands

Energy and Environmental Quality:Pollution Control –

Issues – Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act

Answers – NG fired power plants, CAFÉ standards, Hybrid Vehicles, Zero Emissions Vehicles

Climate Change –Issues – Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Answers – Non-Greenhouse gas emitting power, Zero Emission Vehicles

Industrial Approach over 40 Years – Efficiency – pollution/emissions not created need not be cleaned up

or have cost penalties.

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Trends in EnergyTrends in Energy

Bulk Commodity Based Energy to Technology Based Energy

Distributed Energy to Centralized Energy to Distributed Energy

Fireplaces to 1000Mw Electric Power Plants to Solar Cells or Ground Source Heat Pumps on Homes

Distributed Energy to Centralized Energy

Horses to Cars to Mass Transit

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Energy sources and consumption sectors in the U.S.Energy sources and consumption sectors in the U.S.

U.S. Energy Flow, 1950 (Quads)U.S. Energy Flow, 1950 (Quads)At midcentury, the U.S. used 1/3 of the primary energy used today At midcentury, the U.S. used 1/3 of the primary energy used today and with greater overall efficiencyand with greater overall efficiency

~ 34 Quads of ~ 34 Quads of EnergyEnergy12” TV, no interstate system12” TV, no interstate system

DomesticProduction:71.7 Quads

Imports:34.6 Quads

Consumption:101.6 Quads

Adjustments ~1

Exports5.4 Quads

En

erg

y S

up

ply

(Q

uad

s)

En

erg

y C

on

sum

pti

on

U.S. Energy Flow, 2007 (Quads = Quadrillion BTU = 10U.S. Energy Flow, 2007 (Quads = Quadrillion BTU = 101515 BTU) BTU)About 1/3 of U.S. primary energy is importedAbout 1/3 of U.S. primary energy is imported

~ 100 Quads of ~ 100 Quads of EnergyEnergy

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Supply107

Quads

U.S. Energy Flow, 2007 (Quads)U.S. Energy Flow, 2007 (Quads)85% of primary energy is from fossil fuels85% of primary energy is from fossil fuels

Domestic67%

Imports33%

Residential

Commercial

Industrial

Consume102

Quads

Nuclear 8%Renewable 7%

Fossil85%

Transportation

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U.S. Energy Flow, 2006 (Quads)U.S. Energy Flow, 2006 (Quads)>70% of primary energy for the transportation sector>70% of primary energy for the transportation sector

and >60% of primary energy for electricity generation/use is and >60% of primary energy for electricity generation/use is lostlost

Source: LLNL 2008; data are based on DOE/EIA-0384(2006). Credit should be given to LLNL and DOE. 10

Centuries of Fuel Usage in North America Centuries of Fuel Usage in North America

Wood

HydroelectricPower

Coal

Petroleum

Natural Gas

Nuclear Electric Power

1650 1700 1750 1800 1850 1900 1950 2000

10

20

30

40

0

Qua

drill

ion

Btu

U.S. Energy Consumption by Source

Watt Steam Engine, 1782

Incandescent lamp, 1870s Four-stroke

combustion engine, 1870s

CP-1 reactor, 1942REA, 1935

Jet engine,1930s-40s

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“Economic/Energy” Geology

Metals plus Coal

plus Petroleum

What Will the21What Will the21stst Century Bring? Century Bring?2121stst century technologies will exert control at the atomic, molecular, and nanoscale levels. century technologies will exert control at the atomic, molecular, and nanoscale levels.

Wood

HydroelectricPower

Coal

Petroleum

Natural Gas

Nuclear Electric Power

1850 1900 1950 2000

10

20

30

40

0

Qua

drill

ion

Btu

There are 2 imperatives for change in the 21st century:

Solid-state lighting and many other applications of quantum confinement Peta-scale computing

Environmental impacts of fossil fuels

Bio-inspired nanoscale assemblies – self-repairing and defect-tolerant systems.

Mn

MnMn

Mn

O

OO

O

OO

Mn

Mn

MnMn

O

OO

O

2H2O 4H+ + 4e-

photosystem II

World-wide supply and distribution of petroleum reserves

High Tc superconductor

plus Nuclear fuel/ nuclear waste

CCSCCS

Source: LLNL 2008; data are based on DOE/EIA-0384(2006). Credit should be given to LLNL and DOE. 13

Fuel

Fu

el

Switc

hing

Switc

hing

Fuel

Fu

el

Switc

hing

Switc

hing

End-

use

End-

use

Effic

ienc

yEf

ficie

ncy

Car

bon

Cap

ture

and

C

arbo

n C

aptu

re a

nd

Sequ

estr

atio

nSe

ques

trat

ion

Electric Electric Energy Energy StorageStorage

Zero

-net

-em

issi

ons

Elec

tric

ity G

ener

atio

nZe

ro-n

et-e

mis

sion

s El

ectr

icity

Gen

erat

ion

Con

serv

atio

nC

onse

rvat

ion

Key RD&D StrategiesKey RD&D Strategies

Climate/Environment ImpactsClimate/Environment Impacts

Electricity Electricity Distribution Distribution

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Example of energy lost during conversion and transmission. Imagine that the coal needed to illuminate an incandescent light bulb contains 100 units of energy when it enters the power plant. Only two units of energy eventually light the bulb. The remaining 98 units are lost along the way, primarily as heat.

Overall Efficiency of an Incandescent Bulb Overall Efficiency of an Incandescent Bulb 2% 2% Lighting accounts for Lighting accounts for 22% of all electricity usage in the U.S. 22% of all electricity usage in the U.S.

No energy “loss” value assigned to getting the coal from the ground to the power plant (mining, transportation, etc)

Waste heat

Waste heat

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Other Kinds of Energy?Other Kinds of Energy?

Element World Production Material Needs for 20GW/yr

% of Current Prodcution

Indium 250Mt/a 400Mt/a 160%

Selenium 2,200 MT/a 800 MT/a 36%

Gallium 150 MT/a 70 MT/a 47%

Tellurium 450 MT/a (2000 MT/a unused today)

930 MT/a 38% of total

Cadmium 26,000 MT/a 800 MT/a 3%

Also of interest are Neodymium (for high performance permanent magnets in motors), Indium (transparent conducting oxide for flat panel displays, etc.), Gallium (used in a variety of solid state lighting devices), Gadolinium (potentially of use in high performance magnetic refrigeration), Cobalt (also used in some Li ion batteries), Samarium (used in SaCo permanent magnets with better temperature characteristics than NdFeB), etc.

Elemental Needs for large scale Photovoltaic production in the U.S.

Source: LLNL 2008; data are based on DOE/EIA-0384(2006). Credit should be given to LLNL and DOE. 16

Fuel

Fu

el

Switc

hing

Switc

hing

Fuel

Fu

el

Switc

hing

Switc

hing

Car

bon

Cap

ture

and

C

arbo

n C

aptu

re a

nd

Sequ

estr

atio

nSe

ques

trat

ion

How Will Geosciences Influence Energy Technology?How Will Geosciences Influence Energy Technology?

Climate/Environment ImpactsClimate/Environment Impacts

Water Resources for Electricity GenerationWater Resources for Electricity Generation

New Energy MineralsNew Energy Minerals

Find

New

Res

ourc

es, e

x. C

oal B

ed M

etha

ne, M

etha

ne H

ydra

tes

Find

New

Res

ourc

es, e

x. C

oal B

ed M

etha

ne, M

etha

ne H

ydra

tes

Water for biofuelsWater for biofuels

Waste DisposalWaste DisposalComputersComputersSolar cellsSolar cellsFuel RodsFuel Rods

Produced WaterProduced WaterCO2CO2

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One Strategy: Emphasize Climate Change MitigationOne Strategy: Emphasize Climate Change MitigationStabilization Wedges: Pacala and Socolow Stabilization Wedges: Pacala and Socolow

Challenge for COChallenge for CO22 Stabilization for Kids and Lawmakers Stabilization for Kids and Lawmakers

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7 wedges are needed to build the stabilization triangle. Each avoids 1 billion tons of carbon emissions per year by 2055

Stabilization Wedges:Stabilization Wedges:Two Emission Scenarios Define the Stabilization TriangleTwo Emission Scenarios Define the Stabilization Triangle

Emissions-doubling path

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The Wedge Stabilization Game PiecesThe Wedge Stabilization Game Pieces

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An Energy Challenge

breakthroughs needed x2-5 increase in battery energy density

x10-20 increase through chemical storage + fuel cells

Energy/weight

Energ

y/v

olu

me

0

10

20

30

0 10 20 30 40

Energy Storage Density gasoline

batteries

supercapacitor

s

• Store intermittent solar and wind electricity

• Electrify transportation with plug-in hybrids and electric cars

batteries: 30-50x less energy

density than gasoline

beyond batteries: chemical storage + fuel

cells = electricity

impossible dream: x10 improvement

ethanol

combustion

electrical storage

methanolhydrogencompounds (target)

compressed hydrogen gas

chemical +

fuel cells= electricity

electro-chemical storage

chemical storage

http://www.sc.doe.gov/bes/BESAC/Meetings.html#0209 George Crabtree presentation

21For details on the assumptions underlying the options, go to www.wri.org/usenergyoption

Power Sector (this size corresponds to 20 B kWh)

Transport Sector (this size corresponds to 100,000 barrels of oil per day)

Another Strategy: Focus on Both Energy Security and on ClimateAnother Strategy: Focus on Both Energy Security and on Climate

Positive ClimateCharacteristics

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Why Study Science?Why Study Science?

George F. Will, Thursday, May 22, 2003(from his comments on When Krakatoa Blew by S. Winchester)

“Geology has joined biology in lowering mankind's self-esteem. Geology suggests how mankind's existence is contingent on the geological consent of the planet. Although the planet is hospitable for the moment, it is indifferent -- eventually it will be lethally indifferent -- to its human passengers.”

1998 House of Representatives Committee on Science Report:

“the role of science has evolved to emphasize economic development, independence, and the ability to address issues in our country - and in the world that have scientific and technological solutions”

Rick Weiss, Washington Post, April 10, 2005

“… Americans have lost sight of the value of non-applied, curiosity driven research – the open-ended sort of exploration that doesn’t know exactly where it is going but so often leads to big payoffs…. Why should we care about this demand for results before the research begins?....Because our knowledge of the world and our support of knowledge for knowledge’s sake is a core measure of our success as a civilization.”

Utilitarian Catastrophic

Inspirational

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Key Science Education QuestionsKey Science Education Questions

What do we want our students to know ?Why do we want them to know it ?

What would motivate students to pursue this field of study?

Do we provide maximum information and hope some sticks, or

Do we provide the bare bones and demand it all sticks?

Undergraduate level objectives ?Graduate level objectives?

Career level objectives?

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Improving Energy EducationImproving Energy Education

Public outreach to demonstrate importance of research related to:

• Energy efficiency and conservation• Green energy technologies• Improvements of existing fossil fuel and nuclear power systems• Greenhouse gas emission reductions

Modify traditional disciplinary system at University level (such as Geology) to a more integrated, multidisciplinary approach (Energy Systems)

Provide training and inspiration for the next generation of scientists, engineers, policymakers, and citizens

CURE NIMBYCURE NIMBY

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Department of Energy New ActivitiesDepartment of Energy New Activities

2009 Office of Fossil Energy Budget – ARRA 2009 – • $20M to be available for Geologic Sequestration

Training

2010 DOE Budget• RE-ENERGYSE (Regaining our ENERGY Science and

Engineering Edge)

The Department will launch a comprehensive K-20+ science and engineering initiative, funded at $115M in FY 2010….See Energy.Gov 2010 Budget for details

Illumination of the Night SkyIllumination of the Night Sky2/3 of the U.S population has lost naked-eye visibility of the Milky Way2/3 of the U.S population has lost naked-eye visibility of the Milky Way

http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/view_rec.php?id=1438l26

Where to from here?

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Web resources:

http://www.science.doe.gov/SC-2/Deputy_Director-speeches-presentations.htm

http://www.sc.doe.gov/bes/bes.html

http://www.sc.doe.gov/bes/archives/summaries.html

http://www.sc.doe.gov/bes/reports/list.html

http://www.fossil.energy.gov/

http://www.eere.energy.gov/

http://www.eia.doe.gov/

http://www.energy.gov/sciencetech/carbonsequestration.htm

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Geosciences Research Program 2007Geosciences Research Program 2007

DePaolo, D. and Orr, F., 2007, Basic Research Needs for Geosciences Workshop, Office of Basic Energy Sciences; http://www.sc.doe.gov/bes/reports/files/GEO_rpt.pdf

Thank You