Alternative Energy: Net Energy Analysis, Conservation, Pollution and Water

Summary: This article was about hydraulic fracturing also called fracking which is used in drilling for natural gas. The passage discusses the benefits and drawbacks of using fracking, and brings up the question of whether we should be using this method to collect natural gas.

Terms:
Fracking- hydraulic fracturing in rock that allows natural gas to be harvested with the use of water.

Discussion:
1. What are the main concerns of the anti-drilling groups?
The main concerns are the harmful chemicals that are used in fracking and also the destructive effects that drilling into the earth has on the environment as well.

2. What are the main concerns of the pro-drilling groups?

the major concerns of the pro-drilling groups are finding ways to harvest the natural materials from the earth more efficiently in order to gain the most profit, and following state regulations.

Questions:

What are some of the benefits of banning hydraulic fracturing?
Why are some of the chemicals used in fracking?
Is hydraulic fracturing really necessary? Are their any alternatives?

Relocalization in Cuba and Ireland

Summary: The Kinsdale article was a very in depth evaluation of Ireland's current energy plan for a more efficient future. Whats beneficial about this energy action plan is it will not only boost Ireland's economy and help the environment, but it will benefit the world as a whole if we follow this country's example. I was impressed to see how well thought out the energy plan was, right down to how it will affect the housing and Health care.
The article about Cuba was about how the country is surviving with low oil supplies and how they have turned to using every resource to its full potential; making sure not to waste anything that could be recycled and reused. The entire culture has been transformed to not be so dependent on oil and has reaped the economical benefits.

Terms:
Peak Oil- The point in time when the maximum rate of oil production occurs. This will be the point in our history where we start running out of oil and be forced to find a new energy source.
Decentralized agrarian society- a closely governed agricultural based society with a limited dependence on oil.

Discussion:
How Did the Cubans effectively handle the collapse of the Soviet Union and the loss of fossil fuel imports?
They found a new way to survive without a dependency on oil by being more efficient and cutting down on how much fossil fuel emissions they produce that pollute the atmosphere.

After reading the TC Local Plan or the Kinsdale Relocalization Plan do you think relocalization is an effective response to reduce energy availability? What are the merits? What are the drawbacks?
After reading the Kinsdale Relocalization Plan, i believe that relocalization is an effective response to reduce energy availability, but it is really only the beginning of what we should be doing to protect our environment. The benefits are that this will reduce our dependency on fossil fuels and benefit our global economy as a whole. The drawbacks are it is a temporary fix, and it is just a plan and has not been put into action yet.

Questions:
1. How are the changes in housing beneficial for Cuba's economy? for Ireland's?
2. How will the introduction of alternative fossil fuels improve Ireland and Cuba's economy even more?
3. What are some of the major benefits of relocalization?

Eating Fossil Fuels: The Food System

Summary: Oil, Food and the Coming Crisis in Agriculture
This reading was about our dependency and consumption of oil and other natural energy resources as a human race. It discusses how oil is an issue for countries all over the world, and is often so expensive that it causes massive damage to an economy. This passage also perdicts the collapse of our current system of agriculture as it is entirely dependent on industrial goods that consume fossil fuels. North Korea is the main example used, as their agricultural economy has collapsed because of their thirst for oil and heavy consumption of natural resources. Their example is a model that heads as a warning to other countries to not take advantage of what they have, as it might backfire on them in the end.

Terms:
Hydrocarbons: an organic compound consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon.
Liquid Natural Gas: natural gas, mostly methane that is liquifyed so it can be easily stored and transported.

Discussion:
How have fossil fuels added to the dangerously vulnerable situation of modern agriculture?
They have aided the destruction of our enviornment, and industralization has fueled the need to harvest more and more fossil fuels even though our natural supply is running low. The more fossil fuels we produce, the more we damage our land and ruin the ability of plants and crops to grow.
What lessons, if any, can the US learn from North Korea's agricultural collapse? Not to exploit our natural resources to the point of destruction of our land, which will cause our economy to collapse.
Questions: When did humanity really start exploiting oil resources?
When industralization took off in the early 1800's.

Who accurately predicted when the United States' dependence on oil would peak? When was this?
A petroleum geologist named Dr. M. King Hubbert. He perdicted that american oil dependence would peak in 1970.
What is an example of a widely used product that comes from natural gas?
Artificial fertilizers used in agriculture are produced by the hydrocarbons that come from natural gas.

Joyride: Energy Culture, streetcars cars and suburbs.

Summary: The reading for this week was about how we as Americans take our fossil fuels and other natural resources for granted because we have become so accustomed to luxury items such as automobiles, trolleys and train cars. So accustomed in fact, that they have become apart of our culture and often vital components of daily life. The passage starts off with an example of the American dream and how we view modern machines as items that give us a ticket to freedom from our everyday lives. It then goes on to discuss how machines used in transportation have evolved throughout history(from the early 1900's til today) and how this impacted our culture, economy and standard of living. During wartime, automobiles and other modes of transportation were very important. Even the materials they were made out of were just as important in a time where the economy was suffering.

Terms:
Electric streetcar- an early form of modern transportation, also known as a cable car, developed in the late 19th century in San Fransisco, California as efficient public transportation.
Technocentric Economy - our society's dependence and reliance on technology.
Federal Housing Administration (FHA)- the largest insurer of mortgages in America developed in the 1930's.

Discussion:
How did the car/tractor shape American culture and American's lifestyle?
The automobile changed American culture by starting off as a private luxury and transforming into a public necessity. It has become permanently meshed into our culture; through train cars transporting our food and other goods from place to place, to machines and cars harvesting food and making sure people get to where they need to go.
How did energy contribute to the post-WWII housing boom and suburban development?
Energy has contributed to the industrialization of the United States by producing its own energy and materials such as petroleum and other metals on American soil, allowing us as a nation to accumulate a vast income and jump-start our economy to make room for other luxuries such as suburban development.
Questions:
Who invented the electric streetcar?
Frank Julian Sprague; a former follower of Thomas Edison.
How did automobiles and other machines like it affect agriculture?
It allowed farmers to harvest crops more efficiently and at a faster rate, but machines were costly to maintain and often caused farmers to be trapped in debt.

What era did suburban expansion really take off in the United States?
The 1950's and 1960's.

New Advancements in Technology

Summary of Chapter 6: Transportation and Information

This chapter was about the new advancements in technology that came from the production of fossil fuels in today's modern age. There is a list of these new innovations in chapter six, which include steam engines in trains, fission reactors, aluminum, airplanes, pipes as well as computers, the television and cars. The purpose of this chapter is to conclude the text and show all of the uses of products powered by fossil fuels.

Terms:

Fission Reactor- a device that converts energy into various forms such as heat and power.

Embourgeoisement- the process of becoming middle class in various cultures and social situations.

Dreadnoughts-a large battleship used predominantly in the twentieth-century.

Discussion:
How might better transportation make an economy more efficient?

Better transportation would make an economy more efficent because if we could create our own energy without doing significant damage to the environment, and ultimately give the ecomony the stimulation it needs to get out of the recession. Better transportation over the years has also benefited the economy by allowing us to gain access to certain natural resources and knowledge not previously attainable.

How can better communications be used to reduce energy use?

Talking on the cell phone instead of driving somewhere to talk with someone is a great example of more efficent energy use, because it uses less fossil fuels and energy. This reduction of energy useage can be practiced by everyone, is as simple as cutting back on how much power we use everyday.

Other Thoughts:

What is the most prominent invention mentioned in chapter six still in use today?

In my opinion, the invention used the most in today's society is aluminum. This is because it is used in a variety of machines and inventions that have revolutionized the way we live today.

What new idea was invented by James Watt? How did this machine revolutionize methods of transportation? The steam engine; this machine inspired modern innovations such as internal combustion engine as well as other mechanisms in use on automobiles.

Where are oil tankers shipping the most oil?

Between the Persian Gulf and Japan.

Chapter Five

Fossil-Fueled Civilization

Summary: This chapter makes the transition from pre-industrial society to the modern age of fossil fuels and electricity. It discusses the impact of these fossil fuels on the economy, especially coal, oil and natural gas. How these energy resources are used and how they are collected using massive amounts of machinery and power is mentioned here, as well as some inventions that resulted from their introduction into society (trains, turbines, reactors, motors, airplanes and blast furnaces). Newly used matter such as aluminum, nuclear power and nitrogen are also discussed towards the end of the chapter.

Terms:

Tankers: Ships designed to transport and carry bulk liquids like crude oil.

Turbine: a machine which uses an engine to convert the energy from natural resources like wind and water into power.

Steam Turbogenerator: a turbine using steam connected to an generator to create useable energy.


Discussion

Why are hydro turbines and nuclear reactors and fertilizer in the chapter on fossil-fueled civilization?

Because they are vital resources of power that have fueled our need for energy in times where fossil fuels are becoming increasingly difficult to produce without distributing massive damage to the atmosphere.

What tends to happen to the thermal efficiency of power systems over time?

They are steadily increasing in efficency with new technology available to us today.

What is the purpose of transmission towers?

To transport electricity to millions of people all over the country in a efficent and fast manner.

Which energy resource mentioned in chapter five is most prominently used today?

Electricity.

What is the purpose of the blast furnace?

To aid in the production of metals such as iron.

Pre-industrial Societies

Chapter Four Summary:

This chapter was about the society and cultural practices which were in existance before the age of industry. It starts off by discussing the lifestyle of the hunter gatherers and the birth of agriculture and goes on to explain how traditional agriculture and labor started. The use of cattle, horses, wood charcoal and straw is also mentioned as well as the valuable energy produced from their usage. More advanced sources of energy are discussed later on in the reading (such as harnessing the power of wind and water in the form of the waterwheel and windmill) and the reading concludes with an emphasis on the importance of metals like copper, iron and steel. It is clear that kinetic energy was a vital component of everyday life during this era of world history.

Terms:

Biomass- composed of living or previously alive matter; a renewable energy source.
Shifting Agriculture - land is cultivated temporarily while soil is fertile.

Discussion:

What is the ultimate source of energy in a pre-industrial society?
kinetic energy; especially from wind, water and physical labor.

What is an example of an innovation within pre-industrial societies?
The waterwheel, windmill and sailboat.

What disadvantages do you perceive in the energy sources available to pre-industrial societies?
slow moving, not readily available for use at all times.

How did livestock benefit pre-industrial societies in terms of energy?
Horses and Cattle provided power for mills, plows and assisted in the cultivation of the land.

What Crops were considered the most valuable at that time?
Wheat, sugarcane and grain.

Looking back from today's modern society, which invention was the most advanced for it's time?
The waterwheel because it would revolutionize the way we harness energy.

Acid Rain in Upstate New York Summary.

This article was about acid rain in the Adirondack region of upstate New York. It describes an area that was known to have acidic qualities to the water since the 1970’s and has been surveyed since the 1980’s to monitor its progression. The article discusses an experiment done in a specific area of the mountain region where the chemistry of the mountain streams we analyzed and proven acidic by the Base - Cation Surplus.

Acid Rain in China Summary.

This article was about the history of acid rain in China. It discusses the prominent presence of acid rain because of the country’s heavy dependency on coal and the high amounts of carbon dioxide the material produces. It also discusses the different chemicals that are in acid rain and where these chemicals are most prominent.

Terms

Base-Cation Surplus (BCS) – the amount of acid normalized in water.

Discussion

There are similar chemicals that are making up the acid rain and waste-water such as carbon dioxide, alkaline dust, SO2 and NO2. The differences are that China’s acid rain has a higher acidity. The main contributors of acid rain are pollutants such as coal and oil. The lowest pH measured was in upstate New York between October 27th and 30th 2003. The measure was 5.58 L. The major impacts of acid rain are ozone depletion and the destruction of natural resources. The main focus of acid rain research is finding ways to neutralize the acidic water and make it less hazardous for the environment. Scientists have introduced base chemicals into the atmosphere in attempts to reduce the volume of acid. The solution to the problem of acid rain will come from more efficient ways to harvest energy and less carbon dioxide emissions.

How does acid rain affect forest health?

The high acid content in rain water decreases plant growth.

How does the acid affect the water?

The acid in acid rain takes the nutritious qualities out of the water and does more destruction to the matter it comes into contact with than good.

In your opinion, which issue is more important to address; air pollution or acid rain?
Both are of equal importance; however this may vary depending on the location.

How to Clean Coal

How To Clean Coal Summary

This article discusses whether or not coal is a practical resource to use because of all the carbon dioxide emissions that it produces which are extremely harmful to the environment and cause global warming. The article discusses how coal is easy to use because it is found in many places across the globe, but when processed causes catastrophic damages worse than oil such as smog, mercury pollution and acid rain. A solution that was recently suggested is instead of pumping the carbon dioxide into the atmosphere store it under the ground. The different types of coal and their affects on the environment are also discussed (peat, sub-bituminous, anthracite, exct.) as well as other alternatives to burning coal like gasifying the coal and maintaining it underground. It is also suggested that carbon free coal could be produced as an extra energy resource. The only problem with the gasification is just how reliable the storage areas are, and of course how the cost of storing the carbon dioxide would affect our economy.

Terms
Dragline – heavy excavation equipment used to mine coal and tar sands.
Gasification – a process that turns carbon materials like coal into carbon monoxide and hydrogen. This is done by reacting raw materials with high temperatures and oxygen or steam.
Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) – The process of which coal is turned into gas.

Discussion:

Is the Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) coal plant the solution to global warming? To CO2 emission reduction? To energy shortage? Reason (explain) your answers by using advantages and disadvantages of this technology.

Yes I believe that the IGCC is the solution to global warming. It will significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere and create a whole new source of energy (the gasified coal). It is beneficial because it drastically reduces the harmful emissions into the atmosphere as well as reduces the likelihood of smog and acid rain occurring. Its disadvantage is it is costly and it would be difficult to store that amount of carbon dioxide in the ground without any problems with leakage. An increase of natural sequestration would also be a plus. A carbon dioxide leakage would be the only disadvantage as all the extra CO2 would spill back into the environment and increase global warming.

What negative effects does injecting CO2 into the ground have on the atmosphere?

If injected into an insecure area such as an old coal mine there could be a leakage of carbon dioxide into the air.

Does Coal look like it will still be used by future generations? If so why?

Yes if it can be cleaned and gasified. Because it would utilize all the coal that we already have and dispose of the extra carbon dioxide in a efficient manner.

Which Countries rely on coal the most?

China, South Korea, India and Japan.

Marcellus Shale: First Reading

Summary: Marcellus Shale

This article was about the importance and significance of Marcellus shale in the United States and its recent job of supplying the country with vast amounts of natural gas. It discusses the location of the greatest deposits of Marcellus Shale, which can be found in the Appalachian Mountains and the recent difficulties that have challenged the people in charge of mining for the Shale as the amount of Shale being found increases. The article ends with discussing the impact that drilling for the Marcellus Shale has on communities and public utilities such as tap and well water.

Terms

Marcellus Shale – The Sedimentary rock formation which contains great amounts of natural gas and is located in the Appalachian Mountains.

Hydrocarbons – found in numerous natural gasses, consists entirely of hydrogen and carbon.

Proppant – a sand-like material usually mixed with water and used in hydraulic fracturing.


Discussion

What is the single most important problem (Strongest argument) that supports the opposition to gas-drilling?

The most important problem is the drilling’s impact on the environment (cleaner energy) but how to harvest this energy without tainting the water supply is the real issue.

What did you think about the credibility of the used resources? Do you question any of them?

The resources seem reliable; however I question the reference from Penn State University as it looks like more of an opinion piece rather than fact.

What is misleading about figure 7?

You believe the substance in the picture to be the proppant; not the gel used to carry it.

Where is the Marcellus Shale most prominent?

Marcellus Shale is found mainly in the Eastern part of North America, the largest deposit lies in the Appalachian mountain region.

Is there a safer way to drill without disturbing the public water supply?

The safest way to do this, in my opinion is to drill in locations that do not have a community well or public water lines on site. Drilling near water only risks contamination. Although this is an easy and inexpensive fix, it can be inconvenient.

Class Observations and Other Thoughts

Today's first class introduced us to some geological aspects of the Fossil Age, starting with a discussion on energy. This mapped out some sources of power we use such as Chemical energy, electrical energy, heat energy and Nuclear energy. This was helpful because not only did it describe the different types of energy, but it also went further to explain why its usage is important on a global scale and laid the groundwork for what we would be learning about for the week.

Another enjoyable aspect of the lesson was examining the different types of coal which were on display. I didnt really know all that much about the coal making process, but I certainly had a better understanding of the purposes of the different types of coal after this lesson. It was interesting to see the organic matterial in the rock and feel the groves and texture of the stone. The transformation of the matter from plant remains to a hard carbon dense substance was clearly evident as we looked from piece to piece.

The article we read that night discussed the sedimentary rock formation of Marcellus Shale, found primarily on the east coast of the U.S. This natural resourse was vital in supplying the country with natural gas, but was causing a problem with communities at the same time. Upon learning the reason for the conflict, which involved tainting public utilites such as the community water supply, I decided to do some research to explore the topic further. I was suprised to see that there were plenty of solutions, some as simple as using non-toxic drilling fluids, which would all provide excellent results and solve the problem entirely, but most drilling companies simply were not taking notice, or unwilling to pay the extra cost for new materials. If they spent the extra money to fund these changes, it would benefit them in the long run and help save our environment from obtaining more unnecessary damage.