The Changing Availability of Energy with the Promise of Coal and Algae - Mechanical, Aerospace & Structural Engineering

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Mechanical, Aerospace & Structural Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis

The Changing Availability of Energy with the Promise of Coal and Algae

By Dr. David Summers
Curators' Professor of Mining Engineering, Adjunct Professor Nuclear Engineering
Missouri University of Science and Technology

Thu, Feb 12, 2009 2:30 PM

Location: Cupples II Room 100

Abstract: The recent rise in the price of oil and natural gas, only tempered temporarily by the global recession, marked the time where production of these fuels from fossil sources is globally peaking. Some of the evidence for this, and the problems for example in the long-term production of natural gas in the United States will be addressed as part of the establishment of the current picture of global energy supply. Energy use is frequently divided into that needed for electric power generation, and that required for transportation. The majority of electricity in this country is produced from coal-fired and nuclear power plants and the reasons for that continuing will be discussed. In regard to liquid fuels, while some productivity gains can be expected for corn-based ethanol, some of the external issues (as well as the those of effective production) will likely make this less promising than currently anticipated, as a future source of significant volume. The potential for algae as a source of biofuel has been shown potentially possible, but production issues with surface growth may impose some limits. Some of the advantages to considering the use of unused underground space for algal culture will be presented.

Mechanical, Aerospace & Structural Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis
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