View
215
Download
0
Category
Preview:
Citation preview
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY FOR A WARMING PLANET
Jack Parker, Professor Emeritus Environmental Science, Chemistry Florida International University
GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
Ocean Degradation/Pollution
Tropical Deforestation,
Endangered Species
Water and Food
Resources
Population Growth
ENERGY AND
CLIMATE
CHANGE
{}
TROPICAL DEFORESTATION(ABOUT 15% OF GHG EMISSIONS)
Beef Cattle Grazing
Logging/Paper
Soybean production
(food/animal feed)
AMAZON: droughts/wildfires
in 2005/6: more CO2 than 10yrs of sequestering
SAVE THE RAINFOREST!
THE HOCKEY STICK GRAPHNATURAL VARIABILITY??
DENIALISTS: No Warming Last Decade DISINFORMATION CAMPAIGNRoyal Society of London: criticized Exxon's funding of "organizations misinforming the public about the science of climate change"
1
UP 1.6OF IN LAST 50 YRS
• LAST 12 MONTHS: WARMEST EVER RECORDED• 4 OF THE 5 WARMEST YEARS IN LAST DECADE
Up 4oC or 7oF more by 2100------>
THE CLIMATE CRISIS
MAJOR FEEDBACKSCurrent (In Models)
Melting Glaciers/Sea Ice +
More water vapor +
Future (NOT in Models) Methane from
Permafrost & Seabeds +
More clouds + or –
Climate Change Science U.S. NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES:A strong, credible body of scientific evidence shows
that climate change is occurring, is CAUSED LARGELY BY HUMAN ACTIVITIES, and POSES SIGNIFICANT RISKS FOR A BROAD RANGE
OF HUMAN AND NATURAL SYSTEMS
97% OF RESEARCH CLIMATE SCIENTISTS SURVEYED SAID HUMANS ARE CAUSING
GLOBAL WARMING
OBSERVATIONSENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
SURPRISES:RECENT INCREASE IN EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS
AUSTRALIA
500 YEAR FLOOD
FLOODING IN PAKISTAN(2010 AND 2011)
EXPECT MORE PRECIPITATION IN SHORT PERIODS
THAILAND 2011
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS:WORSE THAN WE THOUGHT!
ANTARCTICA WARMING
ARCTIC SEA ICE NEW ALLTIME LOW 2012
WHAT HAPPENS IN THE ARCTIC DOESN’T STAY IN THE ARCTIC!
EXTREME HEAT, DROUGHT, FIRE
JULY 2011:Oklahoma & Texas Hottest monthly temperature ever recorded
July 2012: United States Hottest month ever recorded
2011/12: United States Hottest 12 months ever recorded
Worst Heat/Drought and Wildfires
since 1930’s
BALLPLAYER ON STEROIDS
SEA LEVEL RISE NEXT TWO DECADES
Well-field Area
MIAMI BEACHFLOODING
FROM SFWMD
FLORIDA 2080?
Saltwater Intrusion, 2009
OCEAN and COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS
“FUNDAMENTAL AND IRREVERSIBLE TRANSFORMATIONS”
Temperature up over 1oF Ocean Acidification
impact on calcifiers Rapid decline in
Phytoplankton
CORAL REEFS
BLEACHING
MANGROVES
SOLUTIONS80% REDUCTION IN CO2 BY 2050
MIAMI-DADE 2% SOLUTION
<------Avoiding Dangerous Climate Change------>
Up 4oC or 7oF more by 2100------>
HIGHEST PRIORITY: STOP BURNING COAL
REPLACE WITH CHP AND NATURAL GAS
FRACKING
CLEAN COAL??? WHEN???
REDUCE NON-CO2 GHG’S(OFTEN MORE EASILY REDUCED THAN CO2)
METHANE Landfills
• Recycle• Compost• Methane capture
Meat production
Eat less beef!
REDUCE TROPICAL DEFORESTATION
“Save the Rainforest”
SOOT From cooking,
waste burning, forest fires, diesel engines, ocean ships
20% REDUCTION IN SOOT & CO2
FOOD/YARD WASTES
PERSONAL CO2 EMISSIONSCARBON FOOTPRINT
UNITED STATES
20% of World’s Emissions
22 TONS
CO2/person/year
Car ~ 7 tons CO2/yr
Airplane ~ 2-3 tons CO2/yr
House ~ 13 tons CO2/yr
WORST IMPACTS ON POOREST COUNTRIES, WOMEN, FOOD SECURITY
DROUGHTS INAFRICA
IMPACTS ON WORLD FOOD SUPPLY
CARBON OFFSETS SOLAR ELECTRIC LIGHT FUND (SELF.org)
SOLAR IRRIGATIONHaiti: Solar Electricity and Lighting for Partners in Health Clinics
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURESUSTAINABLE COFFEE
FAIR TRADED/ORGANIC/SHADE GROWN
Reducing pesticides and fertilizers: Reduces
fossil fuel inputs/water pollution Use agricultural waste
to make BIOCHAR
BIOCHAR
…BUY LOCAL
URBAN SUSTAINABILITY
ELEVATED BUS
URBAN DESIGNTREE-SHADED SIDEWALKS
BIKING/WALKING GREEN ROOF
BUSTUBE CURITIBA
REDUCING YOUR TRANSPORTATION CARBON FOOTPRINT
NEW U.S. Standards27.5mpg 35.5mpg by 2016
54.5mpg by 2025
Average Car ~1#CO2/mile Conservation
Empty the trunk Inflate to max psi on tire
(usually 35psi) Combine trips
Car/Truck Purchase: each extra mpg:
700#CO2/yr
2010 Prius-50 mpg
2012 PRIUS PLUG-IN HYBRID ~90MPG
BIKE SHARING
CITY CAR
REDUCING THE UHI
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY COMMUNITY HOMESTEAD
WHITE REFLECTIVE ROOFSAND ENERGY EFFICIENT LANDSCAPING
AUTOMOBILE FUEL ALTERNATIVES??
Canadian Tar Sands—low net energy, high pollution, high CO2
Hydrogen Car NOT an energy source, 30 X
more costly Not within 20 yrs, maybe never;
need fuel cell breakthroughs High pollution if made from coal Clean and renewable if made
from solar/wind
Biofuels—Ethanol, Biodiesel
SUSTAINABLE BIOFUELS
Substantial reductions in CO2 emissions
Use plant/agricultural Wastes or algae grown in eutrophic water
Minimal competition
with food production Uses sustainable
agriculture, preserves
soil
CELLULOSIC ETHANOL PLANT
ALGAE IN WASTEWATER
SUSTAINABLE ELECTRICITYEnergy Efficiency
and Conservation Cogeneration--
Combined heat and power—80 GW
Biomass—Agricultural and municipal wastes, wood
WindSolar—local and
utility scale Geothermal
Ocean Energy—Tidal, Waves
EFFICIENCY/CONSERVATIONTHE GREENEST ENERGY
Saves money Lowers trade deficit and increases national
security Increase in jobs (particularly local jobs)
Energy Efficient Lights CFL LED
HANDOUT ON RESIDENTIAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Hot Water: Low-flow Showerhead, Solar
Electronics/Computers/Cable Boxes: turn off when not used
Energy-efficient Appliances:
1. FRONT-LOADING CLOTHES WASHER2. REFRIGERATOR3. DISHWASHER
Reduce Air Conditioning by 50%
SMALL, HIGH-EFFICIENCY (SEER 16) AIR CONDITIONER White Reflective Roof or Radiant Barrier More Insulation and weather-stripping Plug Duct Leaks A.C Thermostat up 1oF (saves ~5%) Ceiling Fans
(particularly in bedrooms)
ENERGY EFFICIENT
LANDSCAPING
ENERGY-EFFICIENT LANDSCAPINGREDUCES AIR-CONDITIONING BY 20-40%
Drought-resistant Shade Tree: 60#CO2/yr sequestered BUT 600#/yr if energy-efficient landscaping
Plant on East, South and West so that MATURE CANOPIES ARE ADJACENT TO BUILDING
WALL UP TO 25oF COOLER
6o cooler
WIND ENERGY
Increasing almost 30%/yr for last two decades, very large potential
World: 240,000MW, most in Europe, China, and U.S. (Texas, Mid-west)
Major advances in Carbon-fiber blades,Variable speed turbines, Tubular towers
Low Environmental Impacts (birds, aesthetics) Renewable and NO CO2 Costs: 6-10c/kwh, boon to
ranchers
OFFSHORE
WIND & SOLAR WERE TWO THIRDS OF NEWEUROPEAN POWER, 2011
SOLAR HOT WATER & ELECTRICITY
SOLAR PV CELLS Increasing about 40%/yr, Minimal environmental impacts,
NO CO2 But High Costs/Low Efficiency:
12c/kwh 26c/kwhZero-energy Habitat-For-Humanity House
SOLAR HOT WATER
GREEN JOBS
CENTRALIZED SOLAR(10-15c/kwh)
Photovoltaics Concentrating Solar
Power/Solar Thermal trough systems, dish/engine systems,
and power towers.
SOLAR ENERGY AND CHEMISTRY
SOLAR LEAF (Silicon Wafer)
H2O O2 + H2
ORGANIC SOLAR CELLS8% EFFICIENT
Global Warming is
“BREATHTAKING OPPORTUNITIES DISGUISED AS INSOLUBLE
PROBLEMS” John Gardner,
Founder, Common Cause
IMPACT ON HURRICANES
IMPACTS ON AGRICULTURE
Longer growing season in cold areas
More frequent heavy down-pours
More intense droughts, heat waves
More pest, weeds
SUMMER 2012
WIND ENERGY: KITE,ROOFTOP AND SKYSCRAPER WINDMILLS
Urban Ecologyparking lots, EMPTY MALLS
CITIES AND CLIMATE CHANGE
URBAN TREES AND SUSTAINABILITYSOCIAL JUSTICE AND EDUCATION
Florida Urban Forestry Council Award: Outstanding Tree Advocacy Group
Health Impacts
GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
Ocean Degradation/Pollution
Tropical Deforestation,
Endangered Species
Water and Food
Resources
Population Growth
ENERGY AND
CLIMATE
CHANGE
{}
Recommended