1. Energy, Power, Transportation, and the Future

2. Solar Energy • Small portion of energy • Two main types • Photovoltaic cells • Convert solar radiation into DC using semiconductors • Active solar collectors • Convert solar energy into usable light, heat, cause air-movement for ventilation or cooling using fans and pumps to increase usable heat in a system • Cost and efficiency • Solar Lighting • Collectors -> Fiber optic cables • Satellites on the moon -> microwaves -> recievers

3. Wind Energy • Largest growing in the past 10 years • Wind Farms – collection of turbines used to create electricity • Development • Low wind speeds • Creating more electricity = lower cost of each watt

4. Ocean Energy • Tides • Waves • Temperature Differences • Development • Asia and Europe

5. Bioenergy / Biomass • Most widely used renewable energy source • Supplies 3% of US energy demands • Generates energy by releasing energy stored in organic materials • Used for • Transportation fuel, electricity generation, industrial heat, and chemical production • Development • Biorefineries • Convert organic materials to fuels, chemicals, and other products

6. Fossil Fuels • Main source of current energy • Development • Designing a future zero-emission coal power plant • FutureGen Plant • Will create electricity and hydrogen gas from coal

7. Saving Energy Air Leaks in a Home • Infiltration – cold air forcing its way into a home through cracks and other penetrations • reduced by sealing cracks with caulk, foam, etc

8. Saving Energy Heat Loss Through Walls – Insulation • Conduction – the transfer of heat from a molecule to molecule, straight through a material of group of materials • R-Value – a materials ability to resist heat flow by conduction

9. Efficiency • Nanotechnology – smaller, more powerful, less energy consumption • Super computer processors • Computer Control – energy will be distributed as needed to certain areas eliminating waste • Electricity grids

10. Batteries • Paper Batteries • Ultrathin dry batteries • Contain zero chemicals • Can be printed on paper • Future use • Powering Cell Phones and Laptops

11. Fuel Cells • Function • Hydrogen atoms through a catalyst. • The catalyst frees the electrons from the hydrogen. • The remainder of the hydrogen atom passes through a membrane on the positive side of the cell. • The electrons pass through an electrical circuit to the positive side creating electricity • Never lose power so long as they have hydrogen • Supplying hydrogen is the hard part

12. Propulsion Technology • Land Transportation • Hybrid Vehicles – electric and gasoline engines • Space Travel • Solar Sails – large sails that operate on the principle that light exerts a small force on the object it touches. The more light collected the greater the “push”

13. Future of Land Transportation • Safety will be continually improved in land transportation vehicles • Crashworthiness – the ability to handle and provide safety during an accident • Intelligent Vehicle Initiative • Vehicle warning systems • Enhance the vision of the drivers • More stable vehicles

14. Future of Land Transportation Infrastructure – roadways, bridges, ramps, and other structures that make up the highway and roadway system Smart Road – future highway infrastructure that will communicate with vehicles and help to control the speed, braking, and steering of the vehicles

15. Future of Water Transportation • Water transportation currently carries 95% of freight which is going to triple in the next 20 years • Canals • Locks • Computer technology • Docking • Loading and unloading

16. Future of Air Transportation • Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS) • Goal to reduce overcrowding by better utilizing smaller regional and rural airports • Use of air taxi’s • Mach 1 • Breaking the sound barriers creates a noise heard on land.

17. Future of Space Transportation • Space Tourism • Vehicles under testing • Space plane – an airplane/space shuttle that will be reusable and more cost efficient than space shuttles • Suborbital flight – 62 miles above the earth • Space elevator – cablelike structure with cars attached, extending from earth to space