mike lubell, american physical society: lean and clean: equipping modern manufacturers
DESCRIPTION
On Friday, March 19, Alliance staff and industry experts discussed energy efficiency's role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the industrial sector.TRANSCRIPT
Efficient EnterprisesPowering American Industry
Michael LubellAmerican Physical Society
&Department of Physics, CCNY
March 19,2010
What We Will Cover
• Climate change science: a primer
• Energy policy: a prudent approach
• Energy efficiency: now and in the future
• Climate change R&D: a way forward
• Electricity production: an observation
The Greenhouse EffectSimplified Picture
The Greenhouse EffectMore Complete Picture
Climate ChangeWhat We Know Well: Settled Science
• Absorption of IR by greenhouse gas molecules
• Increase of atmospheric CO2 due to human activity
Climate ChangeWhat We Know Less Well
• Temperature of the Earth and correlation with CO2
Climate ChangeWhat We Know Even Less Well
• Climate models
–Global
–Local
–Predictability
–Confidence
Climate ChangeBut What We Also Know Well
• Dwell time of CO in the atmosphere
Climate ChangeBut What We Also Do Know Well
• Dwell time of CO2 in the atmosphere: hundreds of years
• Compare ozone hole and dwell time of Freon
Climate ChangeBut What We Also Know Well
• Dwell time of CO2 in the atmosphere: hundreds of years
• Compare ozone hole and dwell time of Freon: decades
And Even with the Ozone Hole…
Note: 1 Dobson Unit = 0.01 mm
Energy Policy
Climate Change & Energy Security
Energy Policy
Climate Change & Energy Security
• Energy Efficiency– Prudent policy
– It costs the economy nothing to deploy existing technologies
– But we must invest in research to develop future technologies
A Promotional Announcement
www.aps.org/EnergyEfficiencyReport/
Energy Policy
Climate Change & Energy Security
• Climate change R&D– White House roadmap: $15 billion/yr federal R&D
investment needed to achieve 83% target reduction by 2050
– Unfortunately existing climate bills virtually ignore research We will never reach the target!
Energy Policy
Climate Change & Energy Security
• Some ideas for funding climate change R&D– Five percent of total carbon allowances issued
annually should be dedicated to funding basicresearch and long-term applied research to helpachieve the 83% carbon reduction goals.
– The Secretary of Energy should prepare a long-term research plan and provide annual updates toassure targets are met.
– To the maximum extent practicable, multiyearprojects should be fully funded at their initiationwith reviews of projects taking place annually.
Energy Policy
Climate Change & Energy Security
• Some ideas for funding climate change R&D– Funds should be used for competitively awarded
research in the following areas:» New lower, or zero, carbon emission energy resources
and technologies, including increased efficiency.
» Improved methods for capturing and sequesteringgreenhouse gases.
» Climate change research, including its modeling andmonitoring.
» The economic, behavioral and social factors affectingconsumer energy use.
One More Issue – Renewables in Brief
• Sources of electric power: load classification
– Coal: base load
– Nuclear: base load
– Hydro: base load
– Natural gas: “peaker” as currently used
– Wind: intermittent
– Solar: intermittent
• Fundamental requirements for wind and solar scale-up
– Grid
– Electricity storage
What We Covered
• Climate change science: a primer
• Energy policy: a prudent approach
• Energy efficiency: now and in the future
• Climate change R&D: a way forward
• Electricity production: an observation