The document discusses energy issues in the United States and strategies to address them. It notes that the US heavily relies on non-renewable fossil fuels that cause pollution and climate change. Various energy sources like coal, oil and gas are examined in terms of their environmental impacts. The goals of securing energy supply, improving efficiency and reducing pollution are outlined. Actions at the federal, state and individual level to transition to cleaner energy and more sustainable practices are also reviewed.

1. PLANNING FOR
ENERGY
Session 16 / Kangjun Choi

2. What is Energy?
Energy is power that allow residents to maintain
post-industrial lifestyle in developed countries
by activating factories, cars, and home
appliances.

3. What are the energy issues?
 The U.S. relies heavily on nonrenewable
fossil fuel energy which causes climate
change, soil, air, and water pollution.
 The Federal government does not have a
clear national energy policy.
 U.S. Coal Power Plants produce more than
100 million tons of potentially toxic coal
ash each year.

4. What are the energy
issues?(Cont.)
 A Pond with decades of coal ash broke
through a dam & spilled over 300 acres at the
Kingston Fossil Plant in December 2008.
 According to the International Energy
Agency, the U.S. is poised to overtake
Saudi Arabia as the world’s leading oil
producer by 2020.
 More than 160-million-gallon of oil from the
2010 BP Deepwater Horizon blowout in the
Gulf of Mexico devastated coastal
ecosystem.

5. Goals
o Securing affordable long-term energy
supplies
o Becoming more energy efficient
o Conserving on the use of energy
o Reducing energy related pollution

6. U.S. Energy Sources
13.84
27.8
20.6
8.05
2.67
3.78
2012 U.S. Energy Production by Source
Crude Oil
Natural Gas
Coal
Nuclear
Hydropower
Biomass
U.S. Energy Administration, Annual Energy
Outlook, 2014

7. Oil
 Refining petroleum into gasoline & burning
gasoline in motor vehicles creates air & water
pollution.
 Horizontal drilling & hydraulic fracturing
allowed to extract 6.4 million barrels a day.
 Costs of guarding international oil supply
routes are not being paid by consumers.

8. Natural Gas
 Produces ~ ½ as much in carbon dioxide
emission as coal.
 Cheap & Abundant reserves in U.S.
 More than ½ of U.S. residences are being
heated with natural gas.
 U.S is leading producer of natural gas.
 Natural gas is a potent greenhouse gas, ~20
times more concentrated than carbon
dioxide.

9. Coal
o The largest coal reserves are in U.S.
o Coal mining process pollutes soil & water with
acid mine drainage & methyl mercury.
o Burning Coal threats human health by
emitting nitrogen dioxide & sulfur dioxide.
o 1.016 billion tons were used for 39% of total
electricity & 20.6% of total energy needs in
2012.
o Coal mining is declining due to the price of
natural gas.

10. Nuclear
 The U.S. has more nuclear power plants
than any other country.
 Nuclear power plants last 60 ~ 80 years and
need to be monitored and protected from
natural disasters to prevent radiation leaks.
 The plutonium that fuels nuclear plants is
one of the most hazardous substances on
earth.

11. Hydropower
 The U.S. has more then 4,000 hydroelectric
dams.
 They generated fairly inexpensive electricity
(~2.67% of total energy needs) in 2012.
 They also decreased fish runs and flooded
millions of acres.
 Several older dams have been dismantled
since the late 1990s.

12. Biomass
 Biomass is energy from plant and animal
products.
 Burning harvest slash & lumber pieces
 can generate electricity & air pollution
 Extracting methane from decomposing organic
matter
 can generate electricity & carbon dioxide from
daily farm & landfills
 Extracting ethanol from corn
 can be used to power cars, but economically not
practical. It yields lower miles than gasoline & the
ratio of energy returned from the ethanol to the

13. U.S. Energy Consumption by
Sector
17.61
30.54
20.1
26.77
2012 U.S. Primary Energy Use by Sector
Commercial
Industrial
Residential
Transportation
U.S. Energy Administration, Annual Energy
Outlook, 2014

14. The Federal Government
 Offers subsidies for oil & gas development,
wind & solar installations, and creation of
ethanol from corn.
 Provides tax breaks for oil & gas development.
 Four federal agencies are dealing with
energy issues. (the DOE, the EPA, the BLM,
and the U.S. Forest Service)
 Promoted energy loans for development of
efficient heating systems & hybrid cars.
 Can make an agreement on the mix of
energy sources.

15. The Department of Energy
 Founded in 1977.
 Prefers to focus on greater energy production
& efficiency rather than energy conservation.
 Working to
 reduce dependence on imported oil.
 promote energy efficiency in homes & buildings.
 develop technologies that increase the
production of domestic oil and natural gas.
 develop clean coal technology, carbon capture,
nuclear fusion, the safe disposal of nuclear waste.
 Regulate the transmission & sale of natural gas,
oil and electricity.

16. Environmental Protection
Agency
 The EPA has set energy & fuel efficiency
standards for electrical appliances and
conducting the Energy Star Program.
 The EPA has not yet defined coal ash as
hazardous waste.

17. The U.S. Forest Service
 Monitors private energy companies which
are extracting coal, uranium, oil, and gas from
national forests.

18. The State Governments
 Adopted renewable portfolio standards that
require utilities to acquire a certain proportion
of their energy supplies from renewable
sources.
 State energy offices
 have promoted energy efficiency &
conservation programs for new energy
resource development.
 Identify energy loss & recommend investment
 Provide low-interest loans & tax credits for
energy-saving projects

19. Building Codes
o Require new commercial, residential, and
public buildings
o Alterations to existing buildings to meet energy
efficiency standards
o Help building owners conserve energy & save
money

20. The Local Government
 Zoning ordinances can promote national
security & economic sustainability by
allowing mixed-use development around
public transportation.
 Subdivision regulations can require
vegetative buffers around buildings to
reduce cooling needs.
 Can incorporate energy planning into the
comprehensive planning process.

21. Land Use Patterns
o Sprawling
relies heavily
on private
motor
vehicles
o Compact
encourages
walking,
biking, public
transportatio

22. Individual level
 https://youtu.be/0bKh79SrdIE

23. Case Study: Stairs vs Elevator
 Last semester, I climbed stairs instead of taking
elevators and counted times that I used stairs
instead of an elevator for 13 weeks.
 I was living on the third floor on my residence
hall. So, I counted numbers when I passed
third floors.
 I developed my leg muscles and reduced
electricity fee, the local communities’ fossil
fuels, coals, and air pollution.
 The elevator which is located in my previous
residential hall is a hydraulic elevator with 3,500
lbs. of capacity.
 It takes 2,021 kilowatt per hour. Michigan's
electricity costs 13.60 cents/kWh for residential

24. Case Study: Stairs vs
Elevator(Cont.)
 Michigan's electricity cost (13.60 cents per 1
kilowatt per hour) times the elevator’s electric
usage (2,021 Kilowatt) is $274.86.
 It is the price of operating the elevator per
hour. The elevator takes 30 seconds from
first floor to third floor.
 Therefore, the elevator can take me from the
first floor to the third floor 120 times in an
hour.

25. Case Study: Stairs vs
Elevator(Cont.)
 Single operation cost of the elevator was $2.29
(274.86/120=2.29).
 I went up and down stairs 1,914 floors and chose
climbing stairs instead of taking elevators 638
times.
 $1461.32 was saved. (638*2.29=1461.32)
 A single operation of the elevator from third floor
to first floor takes 16.84 Kilowatt.
 Since I didn’t take the elevator for 638 times,
10,743.92 kilowatt is
saved.(16.84*638=10,743.92)

26. Case Study: Stairs vs
Elevator(Cont.)
 A ton of coal creates 2,460 kWh.
 4.4 tons of coals were saved.
(10,743.92/2,460=4.4)
 Coal combustion emits 2.07 pounds of
carbon dioxide per kWh.
 22239.91 pounds of carbon dioxide were
not emitted into the atmosphere just because I
did not take elevators for 13
weeks.(10,743.92* 2.07= 22239.91)

27. Case Study: Stairs vs
Elevator(Cont.)
Total 638
Michigan's electricity costs 13.6Cents/kWh
The elevator’s electric consumtion
2,021
Kilowatt
The price of operating the elevator per hour 274.86Dollars
The speed from 1st to 3rd 30Seconds
An hour 3,600Seconds
The elevator's number of operation in an hour 120Times
The costs of a single operation 2.29Dollars
Total number of floors 1,914Floors
The money saved 1,461.32Dollars
The electric consumtion of a single operation 16.84Kilowatt
The total saved electric energy 10,744.98Kilowatt
The electic energy created by a ton of coals 2,460Kilowatt
The number of coal saved 4.4 Tons
Coals' cabon dioxide emission per kilowatt 2.07Pounds
The number of preserved carbon dioxide emission 22,242.12Pounds