Lecture 32 Summary and Notes

Some question for the day...

1. What does the KPCS's data suggest about its own inadequacy to provide transparency in diamond sourcing?

2. According to the EIA AEO 2011, most new electricity power generation capacity between 2010 and 2015 is expected to come from what type what source? What about 2020-2035?

3. What is tidal generation? What are the to basic types of tidal generation plants and how do they work? Given the current location of operating tidal generation infrastructure, what are the characteristics that you would look for when siting future tidal projects? What are the advantages and disadvantages of tidal power? Why is there so little tidal power generation throughout the world right now? When it comes to electricity generation, what is the difference between controllability and predictability? Which is more difficult to accommodate?

4. What are the advantages and disadvantages specific to wind-powered electricity generation? When a renewable/alternative/green energy generation method is described as non-polluting, what does this mean? Why is time scale important in discussions about the predictability of electricity generation technologies such as wind and solar? Why are aesthetic arguments against wind power misguided (at least according to Prof. Low)? Should the Washington Monument be removed to prevent bird deaths? What are some of the specific considerations that you would make when siting a windmill or windfarm? Why are distribution and transmission important considerations? What does the EIA AEO 2011 say about expected growth in wind power in the next few decades?

5. What does the EIA AEO 2011 say about expected growth in geothermal power in the next few decades? What are some of the advantages and disadvantages specific to geothermal power? How does a geothermal plant work? What specific characteristics of the subsurface geology are required for geothermal plant to work well? Where (geologically and geographically) would you expect to find these conditions?

For Monday, please read How many gallons of gasoline would it take to charge an iPhone?, a December 14, 2011 post by Ken Cohen on ExxonMobil's Perspectives blog and Natural Gas Vehicles Driven to Outpace Oil by Ken Silverstein in Forbes.