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THE ROLE OF SCIENCE IN INFORMING ENERGY LEGISLATIONNovem Auyeung2010 Econ CampOct. 13, 2010
What is your science background?A. I took science classes in high school.B. I took science classes after high school.C. I took science classes after college.D. I get my science news from the general news
media (e.g., newspapers, radio, TV news).E. I get my science news from scientific
magazines, science/technical mailing lists, scientific organizations, or radio shows and websites devoted to science news (e.g., Science/Nature, AAAS, Science Friday, Scientific American)
Science & Energy
Science provides us with valuable information on: How we can produce energy
Science & Energy
Science provides us with valuable information on: How we can produce energy Location and abundance of energy
Science & Energy
Science provides us with valuable information on: How we can produce energy Location and abundance of energy Environmental and public health
consequences (externalities) of producing energy from different sources
Consequences of energy use Fossil fuels
Air pollution Water pollution Climate change
Wind energy Bird deaths
Solar energy Health problems
during manufacturing
Nuclear energy Nuclear waste disposal
Hydroelectric power Harms fish populations Reduced water quality
Consequences of energy use Mercury
Coal contains trace amounts of mercury that are released when coal is combusted
©USGS
Consequences of energy use Mercury
Coal contains trace amounts of mercury that is released when coal is combusted
Over 90% of Indiana’s electricity comes from coal
Consequences of energy use
http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=2099
Consequences of energy use
http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=2099
Consequences of energy use Mercury
Coal contains trace amounts of mercury that are released when coal is combusted
Over 90% of Indiana’s electricity comes from coal
Precipitation in Indiana contains concentrations of mercury that harm wildlife and sometimes people
Consequences of energy use Climate change quiz (true or false):
1) The greenhouse effect is harmful.2) Climate change is caused by natural processes.3) Scientists are still debating the causes of climate change.
The greenhouse effect keeps our planet warm enough to support life.
Humans are a part of nature. Scientists account for geological, ecological, and
human drivers of climate change in their analyses. Based on multiple, independent lines of evidence, they find that the human activities dominate.
(Karl et al. 2006) (Forster et al. 2007)
The majority of scientific experts and scientific organizations agree on the causes of climate change.
(Anderegg, WRL et al. 2010.)
List of scientific organizations that are convinced of the role of human activity (e.g., fossil fuel combustion and deforestation) in climate change:• 32 national science academies• American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)• American Chemical Society (ACS)• American Geophysical Union (AGU)• European Science Foundation• Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies• National Center for Atmospheric Research• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)• Royal Meteorological Society
Science can tell us consequences of different amounts of pollution Science can provide us with probabilities and
information for risk management. Economists can provide us with cost estimates for quantifying risk. Policies are made based what level of risk is acceptable.
Science & Energy
Science provides us with valuable information on: How we can produce energy Location and abundance of energy Environmental and public health
consequences (externalities) of producing energy from different sources
How we can minimize the negative consequences of energy production
Making energy clean and green
Energy conservation Green building technology and industry Weatherizing homes Compact fluorescent light bulbs Improving public transportation
Cleaner energy Emerging renewable energy industry, especially in
China and Europe Energy from waste
Anaerobic digester for West Lafayette’s own wastewater treatment plant
Making energy clean and green
(Energy Information Agency, DOE 2007)
Fossil fuels:US$5.5 billionRenewables:
US$4.9 billion
Bibliography
Anderegg, WLS, JW Prall, J Harold, SH Schneider. 2010. Expert credibility in climate change. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science: http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2010/06/04/1003187107.abstract
Energy Information Agency, DOE. 2008. Federal Financial Interventions and Subsidies in Energy Markets 2007. Executive Summary: http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/servicerpt/subsidy2/index.html
Forster, P., V. Ramaswamy, P. Artaxo, T. Berntsen, R. Betts, D.W. Fahey, J. Haywood, J. Lean, D.C. Lowe, G. Myhre, J. Nganga, R. Prinn, G. Raga, M. Schulz and R. Van Dorland, 2007: Changes in Atmospheric Constituents and in Radiative Forcing. In: Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Solomon, S., D. Qin, M. Manning, Z. Chen, M. Marquis, K.B. Averyt, M.Tignor and H.L. Miller (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA.
Karl, TR, SJ Hassol, CD Miller, and WL Murray (eds). Temperature trends in the lower atmosphere: Steps for Understanding and Reconciling Differences. Climate Change Science Program and the Subcommitte on Global Change Research, Washington, DC.
Extra notes
Making energy clean and green
(Energy Information Agency, DOE 2007)
It’s real
©NASA
Making energy clean and green
$18.2 billion (in 2009)According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance
(Environmental Law Institute 2009)
Location & Abundance of Energy
Fossil fuel reservesFormation of fossil fuels
from organic matter (e.g. swamp forests &
plankton)
Extraction & consumptionof fossil fuels
Location & Abundance of Energy
Fossil fuel reserves
Extraction & consumptionof fossil fuels
~1.3 trillion barrels of oil- 35 billion barrels/year+ 31.4 million barrels/year*
*Assumes recovery rate of oil from organic matter is 0.009% (Dukes 2003), total marine production per year is 48.5 PgC (Field et al 1998) and oil very optimistically takes only 1000 years to form .
Formation of fossil fuelsfrom organic matter
(e.g. swamp forests & plankton)
Pop Quiz: What is science?
True or False:1. Science is about testing and proving
hypotheses.2. Scientific knowledge can only be
generated through experimentation.3. A scientific hypothesis is an “educated
guess”.
Pop Quiz: What is science?
True or False:1. Science is about testing and proving hypotheses.
False – Hypotheses are only disproven.
2. Scientific knowledge can only be generated through experimentation. False – Scientific knowledge can be generated through
model systems, computer models, observational data.
3. A scientific hypothesis is an “educated guess”. False – Hypotheses are testable answers to scientific
questions. If a “guess” is not testable, then it is not a hypothesis.
