Alternative Energy

1. Alternative Energy Standard 8 Science, Technology, and Society

2. Reasons to switch to alternative energy • Global Warming • Oil reserves are running out while demand is going up • Dr. Colin Cambell, “It’s quite a simple theory and one that any beer drinker understands. The glass starts full and ends empty and the faster you drink it the quicker it’s gone.”

3. Reasons continued….. • In Kuwait last year, a journalist found documents suggesting the country’s real reserves were half of what was reported. • Iran this year became the first major oil producer to introduce oil rationing - an indication of their administration’s view on which way oil reserves are going. • We are taking out oil at a terrifying rate and a reduction of as little as 10 to 15 per cent could cripple oil-dependent industrial economies. In the 1970s, a reduction of just 5 per cent caused a price increase of more than 400 per cent.

4. Options • Electric Hybrids • Bio-Diesel • Hydrogen Fuel Cell

5. Hybrid Basics • Hybrid cars mix gasoline engines and electric motors • The electric motor is used during acceleration • The hybrid vehicle is best suited for stop and go city driving in vehicles such as taxies and buses. A typical hybrid car has improved fuel efficiency in this type of driving. Highway driving is much different. The car must haul the heavy batteries and the fuel economy of a hybrid car on the highway is worse than that of a similar conventional car.

6. Types of cars • The Toyota Prius was one of the first and had a fuel economy of 52-mpg city and 45-mpg highway • In 2004 Ford came out with the Escape and was the first SUV Hybrid, the 2-wheel drive version gets 36-mpg city and 31-mpg highway. 4-wheel drive version get 33-mpg city and 29-mpg highway • In 2009 Honda will release the FIT Hybrid. Rumor has it that the FIT will be the only car priced under $16,000 that will have a fuel economy estimated around 60-mpg.

7. Common Misconceptions • Hybrid batteries don’t last very long. • People have to charge the batteries. • Hybrid drivers have to sacrifice performance

8. Federal Incetives

9. Bio Diesel Basics • A domestically produced, renewable fuel. Biodiesel is not only better for your engine, its better for the enviroment and the economy. It results in a substantial reduction of unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and particulate matter. Every gallon you pump puts money into local agriculture and the domestic economy, rather than going overseas..

10. 2 Types • B20- 20% biodiesel, 80% petroleum diesel (most common) • B100- pure biodiesel

11. Problems with Biodiesel • Disadvantages of using biodiesel produced from agricultural crops involve additional land use. • Transportation & storage of biodiesel require special management. Some properties of biodiesel make it undesirable for use at high concentrations. For example, pure biodiesel doesn't flow well at low temperatures, which can cause problems for customers with outdoor storage tanks in colder climates. • It has to be transported by truck or rail, which increases the cost. • What do the semi trucks that transport it use for fuel? Or what about the machinery used in transporting the soybeans used to make the biodiesel?

12. Hydrogen Fuel Cell • Emission Free • Silent • Hydrogen is one of the most abundant elements on the planet

13. Pros • Hydrogen is colourless, odourless and entirely non-polluting gas. • Water vapor is the exhaust when combusted in air. This eliminates the direct production of exhaust gases that lead to smog, and carbon dioxide emissions that enhance the effect of global warming. • Hydrogen is the lightest chemical element and has the best energy-to-weight ratio of any fuel. Because of this, hydrogen can be economically competitive with gasoline or diesel as a transportation fuel. • Hydrogen can be produced anywhere; it can be produced domestically from the decomposition of the most abundant chemical on earth: water. • Consequently, countries do not have to rely on OPEC countries for fossil fuels. Hydrogen can be produced from domestic sources and the price can be established within the country.

14. Cons • There is currently a lack of infrastructure and distribution network required to support the widespread use of hydrogen as a fuel. It would cost a lot of money and energy to build hydrogen plants and to replace every car and bus with a hydrogen engine and fuel tank. • Hydrogen is complicated to handle, store, and transport. It requires heavy, cumbersome tanks when stored as a gas, and complex insulating bottles if stored as a liquid. If it is needed at a moderate temperature and pressure, a metal hydride absorber may be needed. • Transport is also a problem, because hydrogen leaks effortlessly from containers, reducing the efficiency of the fuel. These hassles make hydrogen power very expensive. • Current efficient fuel cell designs are expensive since they need Platinum as a catalyst. If we were to replace every Internal combustion engine with a Fuel cell then we could potentially use all the Earth's Platinum reserves in two years. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oy8dzOB-Ykg

15. Some different options • Solar Power- Venturi’s Eclectic • The four-person ride boasts a 22-horsepower purely electric engine, is powered by liquid-cooled NiMH batteries, and can reach a top speed of nearly 32mph. It gets its charge from wind gusts and 8.2 square feet of solar cells atop its roof • Scheduled for production in June 2007, this oh-so-green automombile will run you around $30,000

16. Plug-In battery powered cars

17. Salt Water • http://ecoble.com/2007/12/02/five-of-the-worlds-weirdest-alternative-fuel-sources/

18. Reasons we haven’t switched already • Corporate ties on capitol hill • The influence of the oil company is very apparent in Washington. • Dick Cheney was CEO of Haliburton oil company, During Cheney’s time in office, the company landed $2.3 billion in government contracts, and $1.5 billion in government financing • National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice was a director at Chevron. She had a oil tanker named after her • Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neil was CEO of Alcoa prior to his entry into the bush cabinet • Commerce Secretary Donald Evans was CEO of the oil company Tom Brown Inc. • Another quote from Dr. Cambell “When I was the boss of an oil company I would never tell the truth. It’s not part of the game.”

19. April 1, 2008 • Top oil executives tried to explain to a House panel why they need $18 billion in subsidies when their companies together made a record $123 Billion • "On April Fool's Day, the biggest joke of all is being played on American families by Big Oil," Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., • Markey wanted to know why the companies aren't investing more in energy projects other than oil and gas — or giving up the $16 Billion tax break so the money could be directed to promote renewable fuels and conservation and take pressure off oil and gas supplies. • For example, the top four companies together have only invested $3.5 billion in solar, wind and biodiesel projects. • Stephen Simon of Exxon Mobile replied “Exxon is spending $100 million on research into climate change at Stanford University, but current alternative energy technologies just do not have an appreciable impact in addressing the challenge we're trying to meet."

20. In Conclusion • The bottom line is that we need to change are ways before its too late. Our oil reserves are running out and were heading into a situation that we will not be able to control. Hopefully the public realizes this and tries to change it before society gets thrown into turmoil.