peak oil, ecological engineering, indigenous knowledge: problems, opportunities, ideas
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Peak Oil, Ecological Engineering, Indigenous Knowledge: Problems, Opportunities, Ideas. Jay Martin Food, Agricultural & Biological Engineering Ohio State University. Special Thanks to Charlie Hall, SUNY-ESF. Peak Oil: It happened, as predicted in the US. King Hubbert. Laherrere 2006. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Peak Oil, Ecological Engineering, Indigenous Knowledge:
Problems, Opportunities, Ideas
Jay Martin
Food, Agricultural & Biological Engineering
Ohio State University
Special Thanks to Charlie Hall, SUNY-ESF
Peak Oil: It happened, as predicted in the US
King Hubbert
Laherrere 2006
(Campbell, 2009)
Global
Currently, we use 2-4 times more oil each year than we find
1. Decreasing oil production and increasing demand.
2. Declining Energy Return on Investment (EROI)
3. Low EROI of alternatives
Three convincing points: Importance of “Peak Oil”
DEFINITION of EROI
Energy return on investment for an activity:
Energy delivered to society
EROI = __________________________
Energy put into that activity
(Hall, 2008)
Global Global Energy Energy TroubleTrouble
Oil and NG = >55% Energy Supporting Society
Lower Lower Energy Energy FutureFuture
The design of ecosystems for the mutual benefit of humans and nature. (Mitsch and Jogensen 1989)
Solutions to environmental problems would be grounded in the technology from natural systems so that the human engineering required would be supplementary rather than primary (Odum 1963)
FromSecondaryTreatment
Nitrification Denitrification Settling River
Pumps &Fuel & CO2
ChemicalsC o n v e n t i o n a l M e t h o d
W e t l a n d M e t h o d
Ecological Engineering: Wastewater Treatment
Ecological Engineering Research Addressing Peak Oil Problems
Presentations from the 2012 AEES meetingResearch Areas Presentations
Stream Mgt. & Restoration 18Wetlands & Water Treatment 17Rain Gardens & Storm Water Mgt. 8Agroecosystems & Food Prod. 8Restoration Degraded Sites 7Coastal & Lake Mgt. & Restoration 5Energy Generation & Digesters 4Social Ecological Systems 4Developing Countries/Intl. Apps. 4Sustainability Analysis 3Climate Change 2+Eco. Eng. Education 1Miscellaneous 1
???
Ecological Engineering Research Addressing Peak Oil Problems
Presentations from the 2012 AEES meetingResearch Areas Presentations
Stream Mgt. & Restoration 18Wetlands & Water Treatment 17Rain Gardens & Storm Water Mgt. 8Agroecosystems & Food Prod. 8Restoration Degraded Sites 7Coastal & Lake Mgt. & Restoration 5Energy Generation & Digesters 4Social Ecological Systems 4Developing Countries/Intl. Apps. 4Sustainability Analysis 3Climate Change 2+Eco. Eng. Education 1Miscellaneous 1
???
AEES Conferences:Educational & Fun
• Great Talks & Posters• Certificate of Eco. Design• Field Trips: Mud Volcanoes!• Great music: Sophistafunk• Good food & breaks• Student design competition
AEES 2013 June 9-12
Stream Mgt. & Restoration (18)
• Ecosystem services: Restoring & Maintaining
• Two stage Ag. drainage ditches
• Nutrient cycling/removal
• Designing for climate change impacts
• Case studies of specific sites
Wetlands & Water Treatment (17)• Treating agricultural runoff
• Distributed wastewater systems
• Design to remove pharmaceuticals
• Largest stormwater treatment wetlands in Canada & Europe
• Algal-based treatment systems
Rain Gardens & Stormwater Mgt. (8)
• Nutrient & water retention
• Retrofit gardens
• Rainwater harvesting
• Green roofs
• Porous pavements
Agroecosystems & Food Production (8)
• Recycling of materials
• Rainwater harvesting for food production
Restoration of Degraded Sites (7)• Tar Sands sites• Mining sites• Ecosystem design
(willows, other species)
Restoration of Degraded Sites (7)Big Scales-Big Impacts
Fracking
Tar Sands
Restoration of Degraded Sites (7)Big Scales-Big Impacts
End Pit Lakes
Coastal & Lake Mgt./Restoration (5)
• Impacts of green infrastructure
• Engineered reefs
Energy Generation & Digesters (4)
• Low costs digesters
• Biodegradation of Plastics
Social Ecological Systems (4)
• Interdisciplinary advantage
• Linkages between humans and ecosystems
International Applications (4)• Appropriate Technologies
• Technology Transfer
Lake Erie Algal Bloom
Sustainability Analysis (3)
• Emergy/Energy analyses
• Prepare for future with declining resources
Climate Change (2+)• Ecosystems for cooler urban areas
• Ecosystem services from urban forests
Indigenous KnowledgeTraditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK)
Chief Oren LyonsOnondaga Nation Iroquois Confederacy
3000-4000 years!
Ecological Engineering &Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK)
Ecological Engineering 45 (2012) 30-44
Ecological Engineering 36 (2010) 839-849
NSF grant Stewart Diemont et al. 2012
TEK: PhilosophyTEK: Philosophy
• Ecosystem & connections: “No such thing as nature that exists independent of humans and their activities” (Pierotti and Wildcat 2000)
– “Conservation through use”
• Uncertainty and unpredictability are intrinsic to all ecosystems. “Control” is impossible. TEK adaptive over time.
• Long-term vision– A failure of current resource managment is a lack of attention to long-
term implications.– Iroquios- seventh generation
• Similarities with Ecological Engineering & Systems Ecology
Corn Production ComparisonCorn Production ComparisonAll flows in are 10All flows in are 101414 sej/ha/yr sej/ha/yr
Cornproduction
RenewableResources
Non-renewableResources
PurchasedResources
6.52.2
121
130
R
F
N
YPolyculturalproduction
RenewableResources
Non-renewableResources
PurchasedResources
32.30.5
2.93
35.7
R
N
F
Y
Kansas, Conventional Mexico, Indigenous
ConventionalIndigenousPercent Renewable Energy 5% 91%Emergy Sustainability Index 0.06 116
Terre PretaTerre PretaSoil BuildingSoil Building
Terre Pretawebsite
Scarborough et al. 1991
Tikal, Tikal, Guatemala:Guatemala:Catchments & Catchments & ReserviorsReserviors
“Some older ways, persisting in cultural memory, may be needed again when times of lower energy return” (Odum 2007)
Conclusions
1. Peak Oil will result in a lower energy future.
2. Ecological Engineering can help with designs based on ecosystem processes and renewable energy.
3. Traditional Ecological Knowledge can inspire designs for future.
4. Come to AEES 2013 at Michigan State (June 9-12)
Conclusions
(Odum, 1996)
Ecological Engineering Can Help
How Can TEK Help?How Can TEK Help?Example: Water ManagementExample: Water Management
• Problems: Water scarcity and Stormwater runoff
• Design urban areas to capture and reuse stormwater
• Past cultures adapted to climate change with water catchment and this is advocated for our future (Pandey et
al. 2003)
http://econ.worldbank.org
Energy Prices
Other Prices and “Peaks”
Natural Gas: Declining EROI
Coal: US and China
US Oil Field SizeUS Oil Field Size
0
20
40
60
80
1900 1920 1940 1960 1980
Millions of barrels
Why helpful for Ecological Why helpful for Ecological Engineering?Engineering?
design ecosystems for the mutual benefit of humans and nature.
Why helpful for Ecological Why helpful for Ecological Engineering?Engineering?
Indigenous cultures relied on renewable energies to design ecosystems for the mutual benefit of humans and nature.
Storage Producer Consumer
Switch Tranaction Interaction Heat Sink
Constant ForceSource
Flow LimitedSource
Combined Units Showing Interior Details
Petroleum production in Norway in 1970 – 2008
EROI Example:
Energetic cost of petroleum production in Norway in 1991 – 2008
Grandell, 2011
EROI of Norwegian petroleum production in 1991 – 2008
EROI for Norwegian oil has declined by half in 11 years
EROI for Oil: US and other
Mayan Chultunes: Water capture & Mayan Chultunes: Water capture & storagestorage
Matheny et al. 1983
Change of Direction in Change of Direction in Information FlowInformation Flow
“People from an industrial-agricultural region who go to a low energy country to advise on improving agriculture can help only if there is a cheap fuel supply for another zone of fossil fuel agriculture.As fuel prices rise and fuel use decreases, the advice will come in the opposite direction.” Odum 2007
GreenRevolution
2010…
TEK “can speed … emergence of agroecological principles, … and biodiversity conservation … in industrial and developing countries” – Miguel Altieri
Miscellaneous (1)
Deploying Four-legged Engineers: Giant Tortoises on Pinta Island, Galapagos
Elizabeth Hunter, SUNY-ESF
Global Global Energy Energy TroubleTrouble
Oil and NG = >55% Energy Supporting Society
Lower Lower Energy Energy FutureFuture
Hallock, 2011
United Kingdom (Low-DP50-5 - 2012 scenarios N)
0
300
600
900
1200
1500
1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045
Million barrels / year
Actual Demand
Projected Demand"Production Forecast - High-EUR
"Production Forecast - Mid-EURProduction Forecast - Low-EUR
Actual Production