SINCE THE DAWN OF THE 20TH CENTURY, COAL, OIL, AND OIL S STEPCHILD, NEW FORMS OF ENERGY GENERATION ARE BEING REINVENTED OR NEWLY

Transcription

1 SINCE THE DAWN OF THE 20TH CENTURY, COAL, OIL, AND OIL S STEPCHILD, GASOLINE, HAVE POWERED THE WORLD. YET, AS THE 21ST CENTURY BEGINS, QUESTIONS ARE BEING RAISED ABOUT THE SUSTAINABILITY AND POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL COSTS OF CARBON-BASED ECONOMIES. NEW FORMS OF ENERGY GENERATION ARE BEING REINVENTED OR NEWLY DEVELOPED. WIND POWER, SOLAR POWER, AND BIOMASS THE CONVERSION OF VEGETATION AND WASTE TO FUEL COULD DEVELOP INTO MAJOR ENERGY RESOURCES. IN ADDITION, THE INCREASINGLY EFFICIENT STORAGE OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY IN BATTERIES OR FUEL CELLS MAY SOMEDAY DELINK TRANSPORTATION FROM GASOLINE. 1

2 SOLAR OLAR ENERGY ENERGY, A A FAMILIAR FAMILIAR TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY WORLDWIDE WORLDWIDE, IS IS TAKING TAKING NEW NEW FORMS FORMS. THESE HESE SUN S RAYS ON SOLAR CELLS, MAKING THOSE CELLS PRODUCE ARE ARE ATTEMPTS ATTEMPTS TO TO MAKE MAKE IT IT MORE MORE MORE ELECTRICITY. EFFICIENT EFFICIENT AND AND TO TO LOWER LOWER THE THE PARABOLIC TROUGH CAN FOCUS LEFT: A COST COST OF OF THE THE ELECTRICITY ELECTRICITY IT IT SUNLIGHT ON A FLUID-FILLED COMPETE COMPETE WITH WITH FOSSIL FOSSIL FUELS FUELS. STEAM DRIVES AN ELECTRIC GENERATES GENERATES, SO SO IT IT CAN CAN THE HE SOLAR SOLAR CONCENTRATOR CONCENTRATOR PICTURED PICTURED HERE HERE USES USES 2 DISH MIRRORS TO FOCUS THE PIPE TO MAKE STEAM. GENERATOR. THE

3 MODERN HOUSES WASTE LOTS OF ENERGY, BUT HUMAN INGENUITY CAN DESIGN A MORE EFFICIENT HOUSE. 1. PRODUCE GARDEN. 2. SUMMER SUNSHADE. 3. RAINWATER COLLECTION FOR TOILETS AND GARDENS. 4. PHOTOVOLTAIC PANELS. 5. SOLAR WATER HEATER. 6. WIND TURBINE. 7. SOIL-FILLED ROOF, WITH PLANTS. 8. AIR INTAKE FOR SEALED HOUSE. 9. ROOF VOID, CONTAINING ENERGY SYSTEMS. 10. VENTILATION TUBING. 11. WOOD PELLET STOVE FOR WINTER. 12. SUPERINSULATED WALLS. 13. THERMAL-MASS WALLS AND CEILINGS, WHICH RETAIN HEAT IN WINTER AND COLD IN SUMMER. 14. GREENHOUSE. 15. GLASSED SOUTH-FACING SUNSPACE, FOR WINTER WARMTH (MINIMUM GLASS ON NORTH SIDE PREVENTS HEAT LOSS). 3

4 WINDMILLS IN THEIR CURRENT FORM DATE FROM THE MIDDLE AGES, WHEN THEY WERE USED TO GRIND GRAIN. NOW THE TECH- NOLOGY IS UNDERGOING A REVIVAL AS NEW MATERIALS MAKE ELECTRICITY-GENERATING WINDMILLS A REALITY. THE ONE IN THIS PICTURE WAS HOISTED NEAR GREAT FALLS, MONTANA, IN GROUPED TOGETHER IN WINDY AREAS, THEY CAN GENERATE A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF KILOWATTS, AND WILL BE PART OF THE RENEWABLE ENERGY MIX IN THE FUTURE. THE BLADED GENERATORS ARE ALREADY BECOMING FAMILIAR SIGHTS IN THE UNITED STATES AND EUROPE. 4

5 MODERN TRANSPORTATION CONSUMES ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF ENERGY, MOSTLY FROM PETROLEUM PRODUCTS. YET, PETROLEUM EMISSIONS CONTRIBUTE TO GLOBAL WARMING; IN ADDITION, THE SUPPLY OF PETROLEUM IS LIMITED. SCIENTISTS ARE WORKING TO DEVELOP MORE ENERGY-EFFICIENT FORMS OF TRANSPORTATION. ABOVE: THE NEW BOEING 787 DREAMLINER JET USES COMPOSITE MATERIALS IN ITS STRUCTURE, FOR LIGHTER WEIGHT AND INCREASED ENERGY EFFICIENCY. THE SEARCH IS ON THE WAY FOR ENERGY-EFFICIENT AND LESS POLLUTING GROUND TRANSPORTATION AS WELL. THEORETICALLY, IT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE TO USE BATTERIES, WHICH STORE ELECTRICITY, OR FUEL CELLS, WHICH CREATE ELECTRICITY, TO POWER CARS AND OTHER VEHICLES. YET, IMPROVED ELECTRICITY STORAGE AND GENERATION REQUIRE TECHNOLOGICAL BREAKTHROUGHS. PROGRESS IS BEING MADE. ABOVE, LEFT AND RIGHT: ELECTRIC SCOOTERS BY VECTRIX. ABOVE CENTER, A ZAP ELECTRIC CAR, THE XEBRA, WITH A HUMOROUS RENDERING OF ITS POWER CORD. 5

6 THE SEARCH FOR A FUEL TO REPLACE OR SUPPLEMENT GASOLINE IS ONGOING. THE UNITED STATES HAS ABUNDANT SUPPLIES OF CORN (MAIZE), AND ETHANOL MADE FROM CORN IS BLENDED WITH GASOLINE TO POWER CARS. CELLULOSIC ETHANOL CAN BE MADE FROM PLANT MATTER SUCH AS SWITCH GRASS OR TREES. BIODIESEL CAN BE MADE FROM LOTS OF THINGS, INCLUDING SOYBEANS (TOP), AND MAY BE LESS POLLUTING THAN REGULAR DIESEL. HYDROGEN DERIVED FROM GASOLINE CAN PROVIDE ENERGY FOR THE NON-POLLUTING FUEL CELL (BELOW). WE ARE FAR AWAY FROM EFFICIENT PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF HYDROGEN, HOWEVER. 6

7 NUCLEAR ENERGY IS CONTROVERSIAL, OWING TO PAST ACCIDENTS AND TO PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DISPOSAL OF NUCLEAR WASTE. NONETHELESS, ADVANCED SOCIETIES MAKE EXTENSIVE USE OF IT. WITH THE SEARCH FOR ALTERNATIVES TO CARBON-BASED FUELS FOR ENERGY PRODUCTION, DESIGNERS ARE TRYING TO COME UP WITH BETTER, SAFER NUCLEAR ENERGY FACILITIES, INDICATED IN THE HOPEFUL JUXTAPOSITION OF SUNFLOWERS WITH COOLING TOWERS BELOW. ABOVE: COAL IS POLLUTING WHEN BURNED FOR POWER. THIS ARTIST S DRAWING OF A FUTURISTIC COAL GASIFICATION PLANT DRAMATIZES THE SEARCH TO BURN COAL CLEANLY AND EFFICIENTLY, BY SEQUESTERING ITS CARBON DIOXIDE BYPRODUCT UNDERGROUND. 7

8 THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE NATURAL AND MAN-MADE WORLDS IS AT THE HEART OF GREEN TECHNOLOGY, BUT MUCH IS NOT YET UNDERSTOOD. WE KNOW THAT FORESTS AND PLANTED LAND CAN ABSORB CARBON DIOXIDE, AND RELIEVE THE ATMOSPHERE OF AIR POLLUTION - BUT HOW MUCH? CYCLICAL INTERACTIONS JOIN MAN AND NATURE. PLANT MATTER BECOMES MANUFACTURED GOODS, AND WHEN THESE GOODS BECOME WASTE PRODUCTS IT IS POSSIBLE TO RECYCLE THEM OR BURN THEM FOR ENERGY, ALONG WITH RAW BIOMASS. SOME FORMS OF SLUDGE RUNOFF CAN FERTILIZE MORE AGRICULTURE. OTHER RESIDUE BASED ON MINERALS OR PETROLEUM CAN BE RECYCLABLE INTO ENERGY OR INTO PRISTINE MATERIALS. AS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ADVANCE, THERE WILL BE MORE RECYCLING AT MANY LEVELS. 8

9 INCREASINGLY, AS THE ENVIRONMENT BECOMES MORE OF AN ISSUE, GREEN TECHNOLOGY IS BECOMING PART OF DAILY LIFE. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDER- ATIONS ARE NOW PART OF ADVANCED ENGINEERING. IN THE NEXT SEVERAL DECADES, CONSUMER GOODS WILL BE SHAPED PROFOUNDLY BY THIS TREND. CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM LEFT: ELECTRIC ROBOT LAWNMOWER, ELECTRIC CHARGER THAT CAN BE CHARGED BY FOOT CRANK OR SOLAR POWER, RECYCLED PRINTER INK CARTRIDGE, NON-TOXIC INSECTICIDE, SOLAR CELL- PHONE CHARGER, VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND (VOC)-FREE PAINT, SINGLE- HOUSE ELECTRICITY GEN- ERATOR THAT ALSO HEATS WATER. CENTER: WORKERS INSTALL THERMAL GLASS WINDOW. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, GEORGE CLACK; EXECUTIVE CHIEF, MILDRED SOLA NEELY; EDITOR, PAUL MALAMUD; ART DIRECTOR / DESIGNER, THADDEUS A. MIKSINSKI, JR.; PHOTO EDITOR, MAGGIE SLIKER; PICTURE CREDITS FROM TOP TO BOTTOM ARE SEPARATED BY DASHES, FROM LEFT TO RIGHT BY SEMICOLONS. PANEL 2: COURTESY SOLFOCUS PHOTO COURTESY RANDY MONTOYA/SANDIA NATIONAL LABORATORIES. PANEL 3: COURTESY ZED FACTORY SUNPOWER CORPORATION. PANEL 4: AP IMAGES (5). PANEL 5: BOEING IMAGES (4) VETRIXUSA CORPORATION (2); COURTESY JAPWORLD. COM. PANEL 6: COURTESY NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY (NREL) COURTESY PACIFIC NORTHWEST NATIONAL LABORATORY (PNNL) CHARLIE NEIBERGALL/AP IMAGES J. PAT CARTER/AP IMAGES; COURTESY NREL; DARRON CUMMINGS/AP IMAGES STEVE YEATER/ AP IMAGES; USED WITH PERMISSION FROM CNET NETWORKS, INC CNET NETWORKS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED; JOE RAEDLE/GETTY IMAGES. PANEL 7: COURTESY U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (2) COURTESY AREVA NP INC. AP IMAGES; COURTESY AREVA NP INC. PANEL 8: COURTESY OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY COURTESY PNNL. PANEL 9: CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: COURTESY BETTER ENERGY SYSTEMS BARBARA J. PERENIC/AP IMAGES; COURTESY YOLO COLORHOUSE COURTESY MAYTAG CO COURTESY OF CLIMATE CONTROL ENERGY, LLC, MEDFIELD, MA, USA ; ROBOMOW PHOTO BY AMES F. TIEDEMAN, II COURTESY FREEPLAY ENERGY COURTESY OFFICE DEPOT COURTESY GREEN LIGHT. 9 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE / BUREAU OF INTERNATIONAL INFORMATION PROGRAMS