Jim Gilbertson

Alexandria Moeller

Andrew McConville

JINDREX

ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENTThe Global Landscape

Wisconsin Energy

-We burn significantly more coal than other states, over 50% more in 2008. However, as a result, the state consumes less petroleum, natural gas, renewable, and nuclear energy. The state also imports electricity generated in other states or Canada and transmitted via high voltage transmission networks. In general, Wisconsin’s energy is derived from the same sources as other states, so the energy issues in Wisconsin are the same energy issues facing the rest of the nation.

-Approximately 10 percent of all electricity sales in Wisconsin must be from renewable resources by 2015.

We have an Impact

-The pH of the upper ocean has declined as the additional CO2 in the atmosphere slowly equilibrates with seawater.

-Fertilizer use for agriculture in the central part of the USA has increased nitrogen runoff to the Mississippi River drainage, supporting algal blooms in the Gulf of Mexico that decrease oxygen concentrations and create large dead zones.

-It is clear that human activities now modify the large natural systems that operate at global scale.

Resources, Conversions, Sustainability

-Current estimates indicate that the population of the planet will peak in the middle of this century at about 9 billion people. Feeding, clothing, and housing all of us will be a significant challenge, as will supplying the fresh water, heat, lights, and transportation we will need

-Sustainable energy systems are those that provide sufficient energy services and also minimize long-term impacts – a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged

THINGS TO DO:

Efficient conversions and end uses

If energy technologies hat exist now or can reasonably be expected to be developed in the normal course of business are fully deployed, 25%–31% less primary energy would be used by the US economy in 2030, and the cost of deploying the technologies would be more than paid for by savings on energy costs.

Globally, the most cost-effective options for reducing GHG emissions include improving insulation, increasing the efficiencyof commercial vehicles, and replacing existinglighting with high-efficiency lighting

THINGS TO DO:

Conserving Energy

-Advanced communications and control technology can play a role in conservation by providing real-time pricing and emissions signals, optimizing heating and cooling in buildings, and providing “intelligent” transportation systems that increase transit efficiency.

-Increasing the fraction of energy supply coming from sustainable energy flows rather than stored resources stored energy resources are those for which the replacement rate is lower than the rate of use. Any stored resource, therefore, has some limit on total use(even coal), though the availability of the resources might not be the factor limiting total use.

THINGS TO DO:

Conserving Energy

-A transition away from relying so heavily on stored reservoirs of energy (e.g., fossil fuels) to using sustainable energy flows such as solar and wind power that reduces GHG emissions will put us on a more sustainable energy pathway.

-Abundant sustainable energy resources are available. However, there are many barriers in terms of efficiencies, impacts, and costs that will have to be overcome. Doing so will require worldwide focus on the challenge

Accounting for the costs of obtaining materials-Materials play a critical role in the systems that provide energy to industry and society. More importantly, the energy costs of these materials can have serious effects on these integral systems. For example, although PV efficiency is increasing as research into system configurations continues, the energy cost of securing materials is increasing as well

-For now, obtainingn materials of high purity relies mostly on nonrenewable sources of fuel, the energy costs of which are also likely to increase

Life-cycle Assessment

-Evaluates the environmental impacts of a product or process over its entire life cycle. Specifically, the

five steps considered are raw-material acquisition or extraction, material processing, product manufacturing, use, and recovery and retirement. An optional transportation stage can also be added. In contrast, the latter type of assessment considers the required materials and energy resources (inputs) of a process to estimate the resulting

-Environmental emissions (outputs).enable the comparison of products that perform the same function (e.g., paper versus plastic versus canvas bags) and can evaluate design alternatives for the same product (e.g., plastic versus aluminum foil for yogurt-container lids).

-Closed-loop recycling is when materials within products or component parts are reprocessed prior to reentering the same manufacturing process.

-Open-loop recycling instances in which a material from one life cycle is directed into the processing phase of another product life cycle. -- common for plastic materials, since the integrity of the plastic declines each time it is reprocessed and, therefore, the plastic is down cycled

ENERGY SOURCESNonrenewable

Petroleum and natural gas

-Petroleum and natural gas have been the core of energy production in developed countries.

-Oil and natural gas will continue to supply a majority of our energy in the near future.

-Production will be from natural sources of petroleum, coal, and natural gas.

Nuclear Power

-Nuclear power has been a reliable source of electricity in many countries for decades.

-It will be an essential component of the mix of energy sources required to meet environmental goals.

-These include reducing greenhouse-gas emissions, reducing the dependence on fossil fuels, and enabling global access to energy.

-Such efforts will provide opportunities to address broader challenges associated with nuclear energy, including public opinion and the investment risks associated with building new nuclear power plants.

Wisconsin Energy

-Wisconsin currently derives its energy from petroleum, natural gas, coal, nuclear fission, and renewables such as wood, wind, and solar power.

-Wisconsin’s energy needs are constantly evolving and the energy sources that meet those needs are evolving as well.

-Until recently, Wisconsin was reliant almost entirely on traditional energy sources to meet its needs.

-However, new developments in technology and increasing concerns over traditional sources have led the state to review alternatives and consider its options for the future.

BREAKDOWN OFWISCONSIN ENERGY SOURCES

ENERGY SOURCESRenewable

Solar Energy

-Utilization of solar energy is a viable, environmentally conscious solution to the growing global demand for energy.

-One benefit for photovoltaic (PV) solar energy systems in Wisconsin is that the annual peak of the solar resource (and a PV system’s output) occurs on sunny summer days.

-This corresponds exactly with utilities’ highest energy demand periods – and their highest energy charges.

-During Wisconsin’s winter, especially in November and December, there is less sun, an average of only 2.5 hours of sun per day available to power PV systems. However, on clear days with snow cover, there is up to a 60% output increase from light reflected off snow. (And the efficiency of crystalline PV cells is improved in the cold)

Wind Energy

-During the last 30 years, wind energy technology has emerged as the leading renewable alternative to electrical power production from fossil fuels.

-Advanced technology and manufacturing innovations have helped the cost of wind energy drop, thus positioning wind energy to be directly competitive with fossil-fuel power generation.

-Wind power is derived mainly from large turbines that are pushed by air currents to generate electricity.

Wood Energy

-In addition to reliance on fossil fuels, Wisconsin has also used a renewable energy source since territorial days − wood

-Perhaps the oldest energy source, not just in Wisconsin, but on the planet, wood still enjoys widespread use today.

-In fact, wood is currently the main source of renewable energy consumed in Wisconsin, although it is losing ground to more modern alternatives such as solar and wind power, and is dwarfed by the use of traditional fossil fuels.

Wisconsin Energy

-In 2011, 8.4 percent of Wisconsin's net electricity generation came from renewable energy resources, split among conventional hydroelectric power, biomass, and wind.

-However, coal has dominated electricity generation in Wisconsin; in 2011 it provided 63 percent of the State's net electricity generation.

ENERGY EFFICIENCYEnergy

Resource Availability

-Global distribution of fuel sources is distributed unevenly

-Fuel locations are being depleted faster than new sources are being discovered.

-Resource availability impacts corporations in the market and governments through conflicts of control.

-Lack of resources drives innovation to conserve.

-Conservation not only reduces consumption but leads to a cleaner environment.

-Increased efficiencies in recourse management leads to cost reduction of goods and services.

Lighting

-Artificial lighting contributes to 19% of global energy use.

-Incandescent bulbs only convey 5% of electricity to light, 95% is heat.

-Compact fluorescent bulbs only convert 20% electricity to light.

-LED lighting hopes to be 55% efficient in converting electricity to light over the next few years.

Insulation

-Residential and commercial buildings use 66% of electricity produced.

-Proper insulation can reduce a homes heating consumption by 90%.

-Insulation can be applied to the obvious walls and roofing, but also windows and appliances such as the oven, refrigerator, washing machine and hot water heater.

-Insulation is a two way street, keeping heat in during the winter and out during the summer.

TOP INDUSTRIAL ENERGY CONSUMERS (TRILLION BTU)

Petroleum and Coal (6,799) Chemicals (6,465) Metals (2,508)Paper (2,363)Nonmetallic mineral products (1,059)Food (1,123)Transportation (429)Wood Products (377)Plastic Products (351)Electronic Products (201)