Suited Energy Source for

The Current or Future

Society
(Alternate Energy Sources for the 21st Century)

Engr. Majid Ali

Students of MS Electric Power and Energy Engineering
School of Science and Technology, University of Management and Technology

Problem & Opportunity

Several

Problems

Air & water pollution

Health effects of pollution
Oil depletion/ imports
Global warming from CO2
One

Solution

Renewable energy
sources cause minimal
pollution, dont cause
global warming and are
locally available

Pollution

US power plants emit 18 million tons of SO2 per year +

NOx, particulates, carbon monoxide, mercury and lead

Energy production & use also contribute to Water

pollution

Houston has been in violation of federal air quality

standards since they began in the 1970s

The Houston/Galveston area must be in compliance by

2007 because we were designated as a "severe" ozone
area.

Some Energy Statistics

The

US uses of
the worlds energy
The US pays
more than
$5 billion for
imported oil
each month

Global Warming

Throughout history, the earth has been

much colder, and at times warmer, than it
is now
But climate change is occurring 100s of times
faster than these natural changes
CO2, CH4, N2O, O3 and soot all cause warming

Global average air temperature has risen

1F in the past 50 years
But, this has already resulted in melting ice
sheets, migration of animals and more
severe weather

Whats the Alternative?

And whats the hold up?

Renewable energy generally

cost more than conventional
fossil fuel energy systems

Solar 11 - 40 /kWh
depending on the
technology

Wind 5 - 15 /kWh from

large wind turbines

But what if you consider the big picture?

There are lots of

Alternatives
Nuclear
Hydroelectric
Wind
Solar
Wave
Tidal
Geothermal
Bio-mass
Helium 3 (from the moon)

Wind

Wind turbines modern windmills

have become quite efficient and cost
effective in windy areas

Solar Electric

Solar Photovoltaic (PV)

panels generate electricity
directly from sunlight with

special materials

Solar electricity can

also be generated from
the suns heat instead
of burning fossil fuels

Solar Thermal

Heat from the sun can be

used to heat water, houses,
pools, in industry and to
generate electricity

Passive Solar

Uses sun angles,

shading and
thermal storage

Daylighting is using
natural sunlight
instead of electric
lights

Solar Cookers

Many different
designs

Can improve health &

reduce deforestation
in developing
countries

Solar Cars?
Hybrid and Electric
cars are coming
Why not solar
charge them?

Water Energy

Hydro-electric, wave, tide

Geothermal & Bio-mass

A Future Hydrogen
Economy?
Solar energy can
split water into
hydrogen & oxygen
A fuel cell can make
electricity from
hydrogen and
oxygen, making
water
A completely clean,
renewable cycle

Future of Energy

The transition of energy from

conventional, fossil fuels to cleaner
renewables will take decades
natural gas will survive for years
Al Gore, global warming advocate
pushes for no fossil fuels in the
next 8 years, but renewables,
conservation, and efficiency are
still developing and must change
from ~4% to over 90% in a short
time

Future of Energy

Electrical grid must change to

carry renewable energy from
resource to load centers (cities)
Rechargeable vehicles are as
clean as the utility source, which
will shift from coal to renewables
due to politics, ideology, and
good practices

Future of
Renewable Energy

Wind power continues to grow at ~30% - 40%

per year
As turbines become more widespread, the
pushback against them fades
Solar energy responds to cheaper solar
modules and government subsidies
Geothermal heat pumps operate more
efficiently and standard heat pumps have
fittings for adding a ground source/sink loop
Biofuels develop at commercial levels, and
engines are redesigned to accept these fuels
Hydroelectric systems are added at the <30
MW size as economics win over NIMBY and
viewscape protests

Future of
Renewable Energy

Ocean tidal, wave and current energy

develops for coastal areas
Current
energy
devices
provide
technology for river and some stream
energy extraction
Distributed energy from rooftop solar
water and electrical systems reduce
need for transmission line installations
Nuclear fission spent fuel is recycled to
make additional fuel (not really a
renewable)
Nuclear fusion remains a 30-year
technology

Conclusions

Humans must have air, water, food, and energy

Fossil fuel pollution may increase Green House Effect
believed to cause global warming
Future cars likely will be plug-in hybrids running
occasionally on CNG, bioethanol or biodiesel for long
trips; design options based upon area
Trains will replace aircraft for civilian long trips (price,
convenience, and harassment factor)
Renewable energy offers a long-term, sustainable
approach to the Worlds energy needs, but costs more
Cost decreases plus fossil fuels increase in price
Economics drives the selection process and short-term
(first cost) thinking leads to disregard of long-term,
overall cost --- this attitude must change!
Increasing oil, natural gas, and coal prices will ensure
that the transition to renewable energy will occur

Thank you!
Questions? ? ?
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