Physics 80 - Energy and the Environment

“We need an energy bill that encourages consumption.”

President Bush, Sept. 23, 2002, Trenton, New Jersey, speech

Image from www.doonesbury.com

Money makes the world go around, but energy makes it go a whole lot more pleasantly. Imagine life in the modern world without gasoline for transportation, natural gas to heat water and living space, and electricity for countless conveniences of modern life. Unfortunately, we are using up nonrenewable energy resources at an alarming rate, with significant impacts on the global environment.

The present U.S. economy depends critically on the steady availability of high-quality fossil fuels. Global identification of these sources has peaked and global production will peak in this decade, if it hasn't already. What does the future hold?

Some Questions

What fraction of U.S. and world electricity is generated by renewable sources? How rapidly is it increasing and what policies are likely to produce the most rapid growth in renewable electricity production? Do geothermal sources hold significant promise, or should we concentrate on solar and wind? What about ocean currents or OTEC?
How much of the American Southwest would need to be covered in solar cells to supply the electrical needs of the country? When production costs are included, are solar cells a net energy producer or consumer?
Many scholars and entrepreneurs have argued that this century must see the petroleum economy transform into the hydrogen economy. Is this realistic? Are fuel cells the answer for transportation needs, or are there still significant technological challenges to their widespread deployment? How are we going to produce all the hydrogen needed to power that brave new economy?
The United States has extensive deposits of coal, enough to last for hundreds of years. But burning coal puts carbon dioxide and other pollutants into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming. It is also impractical for transportation unless it can be processed to produce liquid fuel. Are coal liquefaction and gasification promising technologies, or should we focus on more sustainable alternatives?
We have long known that the deuterium in sea water could satisfy human needs for energy for thousands of years if we can develop controlled fusion. How likely is it that we will harness fusion power in the next thirty years? Ever?
Gasoline hybrid engines have arrived on the market in the past several years and achieve unprecedented fuel economy. Lexus has just introduced a hybrid SUV that gets the mileage of a reasonably efficient passenger car and superior performance. Should the U.S. Government take a more active role in encouraging improved mileage standards? Alternative technologies? Would improved electric vehicles using recent advances in battery technology succeed in the American or foreign marketplaces? Should the U.S. adopt European and Japanese-style fuel taxes to encourage conservation?
What is the current rate at which the U.S. Government subsidizes fossil fuels?

Course Outline

The course will address the sources and uses of energy in the US and world society, and how the availability and side effects of energy consumption influence the human condition. In particular, the course will examine

world and domestic energy use trends and their relationship to standards of living;
per-capita energy use and population trends in under-developed and developed countries;
types of energy resources, their geopolitical distributions and expected lifetimes;
the technological and scientific basis of energy extraction from various resources, including hydrocarbons, solar, hydro, wind, and nuclear;
the associated environmental impacts of such conversion and use;
the economic costs associated with each type of energy; and
political and safety concerns associated with each resource.

Assignments and Requirements

The course will require the synthesis of alternative perspectives and the prioritization of disparate goals and competing values; e.g., economic development versus environmental degradation, energy independence versus energy costs, conservation and increased efficiency versus development of new resources.

Consistent punctual attendance and participation
Presentation of a summary of assigned reading, accompanied with appropriate questions for class discussion.
One 70-minute interactive class presentation, to be done in pairs. The format of this presentation will perhaps evolve during the semester; see the presentations page for details.
Occasional (1 to 2-page) essays, to be submitted electronically on the Sakai site
A longer paper (12-20 pages) analyzing the issues listed above as they pertain to a particular energy technology, resource, or policy

Textbook

The required text for the course is Sustainable Energy: Choosing Among Options, Tester, Drake, Driscoll, Golay, & Peters (MIT Press, 2005) -- available in Huntley Bookstore.