Why do we need
clean energy
Name: Mena Jorree
Email mena.jorree@gmail.com
School: City College Academy of the Arts
Steps of the PPA
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Define the Problem
Gather the evidence
Identify the Causes
Examine an existing policy
Develop Solutions
Select the best solution( Feasibility Vs. effectiveness)
Define the Problem
• Pollution caused by fossil fuels
Fossil fuels—coal, oil, and natural gas—are America's primary
source of energy, accounting for 85 percent of current US fuel
use.
Global Warming
• Among the gases emitted
when fossil fuels are
burned, one of the most
significant is carbon
dioxide, a gas that traps
heat in the earth's
atmosphere.
• Over the last 150 years,
burning fossil fuels has
resulted in more than a 25
percent increase in the
amount of carbon dioxide
in our atmosphere.
• Since reliable records
began in the late 1800s,
the global average surface
temperature has risen 0.51.1 degrees Fahrenheit
(0.3-0.6 degrees Celsius).
Global Warming
Global Warming
• If carbon dioxide levels
continue to increase, the
planet will become warmer in
the next century.
• Projected temperature
increases will most likely
result in a variety of impacts.
Such as sea-level rise due to
the warming of the melting of
glaciers. Countries below sea
level are at greatest treat.
• More extreme weather
events. And inland
agricultural zones could suffer
an increase in the frequency
of droughts.
Air pollution
• Clean air is essential to life
and good health. Several
important pollutants are
produced by fossil fuel
combustion: carbon
monoxide, nitrogen
oxides, sulfur oxides, and
hydrocarbons. In addition,
total suspended
particulates contribute to
air pollution, and nitrogen
oxides and hydrocarbons
can combine in the
atmosphere to form
tropospheric ozone, the
major constituent of smog.
Air Pollution
• Carbon monoxide is a gas
formed as a by-product
during the incomplete
combustion of all fossil
fuels. Exposure to carbon
monoxide can cause
headaches and place
additional stress on
people with heart
disease. Cars and trucks
are the primary source of
carbon monoxide
emissions.
Air Pollution
• Sulfur oxides are produced by the
oxidization of the available sulfur
in a fuel.
• Nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides
are important constituents of acid
rain. These gases combine with
water vapor in clouds to form
sulfuric and nitric acids, which
become part of rain and snow.
• As the acids accumulate, lakes
and rivers become too acidic for
plant and animal life. Acid rain also
affects crops and buildings.
• Finally, fossil fuel use also
produces particulates, including
dust, soot, smoke, and other
suspended matter, which are
respiratory irritants. In addition,
particulates may contribute to acid
rain formation.
Water and Land Pollution
• Production, transportation,
and use of oil can cause water
pollution. Oil spills, for
example, leave waterways
and their surrounding shores
uninhabitable for some time.
Such spills often result in the
loss of plant and animal life.
Coal mining also contributes
to water pollution. Coal
contains pyrite, a sulfur
compound; as water washes
through mines, this
compound forms a dilute acid,
which is then washed into
nearby rivers and streams.
Water and Land Pollution
• Coal mining, especially strip
mining, affects the area that is
being mined. Characteristically,
the material closest to the coal is
acidic. After the mining is
completed, the land will remain
barren unless special precautions
are taken to ensure that proper
topsoil is used when the area is
replanted. Materials other than
coal are also brought to the
surface in the coal mining process,
and these are left as solid wastes.
As the coal itself is washed, more
waste material is left. Finally, as
the coal is burned, the remaining
ash is left as a waste product.
Thermal Pollution
• During the electricitygeneration process, burning
fossil fuels produce heat
energy, some of which is used
to generate electricity.
Because the process is
inefficient, much of the heat
is released to the atmosphere
or to water that is used as a
coolant. Heated air is not a
problem, but heated water,
once returned to rivers or
lakes, can upset the aquatic
ecosystem
Gather the Evidence
• The U.S. uses fossil fuels to generate more than 2/3 of its
electricity. 51% is generated with coal, 15% is generated with
natural gas, and 3% is generated with petroleum.
In 1999, electric power plants produced approximately 2.2
billion tons of carbon dioxide, 12 million tons of sulfur dioxide,
and 7 million tons of nitrogen oxides.
The average coal-fired power plant is only 1/3 efficient,
meaning 2/3 of the energy in the fuel is wasted.
U.S. Census Records
Gather the Evidence
This graph, based on the comparison of atmospheric samples contained in ice cores
and more recent direct measurements, provides evidence that atmospheric CO2 has
increased since the Industrial Revolution. (Source: NOAA) Industrial Revolution.
(Source: NOAA)
Gather the Evidence
Sea level rise
• Global sea level rose about 17 centimeters (6.7 inches) in the
last century. The rate in the last decade, however, is nearly
double that of the last century.
Ocean acidification
• Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the acidity of
surface ocean waters has increased by about 30 percent. This
increase is the result of humans emitting more carbon dioxide
into the atmosphere and hence more being absorbed into the
oceans. The amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by the upper
layer of the oceans is increasing by about 2 billion tons per
year. NOAA
Burning fossil fuels releases significant quantities of carbon dioxide, aggravating climate
change. Although it gets less attention these days, combustion also emits volumes of
pollutants, which can cause a variety of illnesses. The most extensive consequences
across the U.S. are noted below.
Health Burden Caused by Particulate Pollution from Fossil-Fueled Power Plants
Illness
Mean Number of Cases
Asthma (hospital admissions)
3,020
Pneumonia (hospital admissions)
4,040
Asthma (emergency room visits)
7,160
Cardiovascular ills (hospital
admissions)
9,720
Chronic bronchitis
18,600
Premature deaths
30,100
Acute bronchitis
59,000
Asthma attacks
603,000
Lower respiratory ills
630,000
Upper respiratory ills
679,000
Lost workdays
5.13 million
Minor restricted-activity days
26.3 million
Identify the Causes
• The United States consumed a total of 6.87 billion barrels
(18.83 million barrels per day) in 2011 and 7.0 billion barrels
(19.18 million barrels per day) of refined petroleum products
and biofuels in 2010. For both years, this was about 22% of
total world petroleum consumption
http://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.cfm?id=33&t=6
Identify the Causes
Fossil fuels are relatively cheaper and readily available.
• Fossil fuels are cheaper and can be more efficient compared
to alternative energy sources such as solar panels.
Identify the Causes
World’s machines are built to run on fossil fuels
The United States and most of the world’s machines are
built to fossil fuel economy. Our automobiles, trains and
planes are fueled almost exclusively by petroleum products
like gasoline and diesel. A huge percentage of our power
plants use oil, natural gas and coal for their fuel.
Identify the Causes
More Choice In Transportation
• Stop cutting public transit funds and invest in mass transit,
building of railways and other infrastructures to make it more
accessible to the people.
• According to a new report, switching to public transportation
would save the average driver a whopping $10,120 a year.
Evaluate an Existing Policy
Support Clean Energy Tax Credits
Appropriate government incentives can be an important tool to
speed deployment and reduce costs for clean energy
technologies.
In recent years there has been federal support for renewable
resources like wind and solar power. However, the government
still continues to give larger subsidies to continue the mass
production of coal, natural gas, and nuclear power.
UCS ( union of concerned scientists) experts work to identify and
promote practical, cost-effective energy policies that emphasize
renewable energy, increase energy efficiency, and decrease our
use of coal and other fossil fuels.
Evaluate an Existing Policy
The government needs to a fair and stable federal tax policy for
renewable energy that will attract new investments and
maintain the strong growth that renewables have experienced
in recent years.
The Production Tax Credit (PTC)—a federal incentive that
provides crucial financial support for the first ten years of a
renewable energy facility's operation—offers a striking example
of the benefits, and challenges, of establishing smart
government policies for renewable energy.
Develop Solution
Smart Energy Solutions: Strengthen Policy
• We need smart energy solutions that provide reliable and affordable
electricity, contribute to a strong economy, and do not compromise our
health or our climate. No single energy technology can accomplish all of
this. The answer lies instead in a diverse energy strategy that focuses on
practical, cost-effective solutions with the greatest potential to move the
country toward a clean, sustainable energy future.
Emphasize Renewable Energy
• Renewable energy is reliable, affordable, and beneficial for our health, our
economy, and our climate. The United States has vast wind, solar,
geothermal, and other renewable resources to reliably meet our energy
needs well into the future.
• UCS supports a range of initiatives to speed the deployment of the most
promising and cost-effective renewable technologies.
Develop Solution
Enhance Policies that Increase Energy Efficiency
• If we use energy more efficiently, we need less of it in
the first place. Improving the efficiency of our power
generation—along with increased efficiency in buildings,
appliances, and electronic devices—can continue to
provide us the same level of services, comforts, and
conveniences, while creating significant energy savings
that would allow us to safely and reliably shut down old,
dirty power plants.
• http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/smart-energysolutions/
Select best solution
• Now that we have go through many possible effective
solutions, Complete the worksheet to come up with the best
solution.
• 1. Write down the problem
• 2. look over the solutions above and summarize them in your
own words
• 3. Which of the solutions discussed above do you think will
work best? Keep in mind that your solution must be the most
effective and feasible at the same time (explain on the next
slide).
Use the work sheet below as a guide.
Select best solution
What is feasibility?
• Will your policy cause a lot of money to put in place?
• See link – Select Best Solution
• Effectiveness refers to the likelihood that your policy will
produce results that lessen the problem.
Select best solution
FEASIBILITY
HIGH
HIGH
MEDIUM
EFFECTIVENESS
LOW
MEDIUM
LOW
Make sure that
You select the most
Feasible solution,
Yet the most
Effective solution.
Select best solution
• The best solution is ___________________________
• Support your answer.
Links
• http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energychoices/coal-and-other-fossil-fuels/the-hidden-cost-offossil.html
• http://www.fuelfromthewind.com/pollution_%26_stats.htm
• http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=graphicscience-health-care-burden-of-fossil-fuels
• http://climate.nasa.gov/evidence