A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF FOSSIL ENERGY RESOURCES AND ALTERNATIVES

A major problem in relating the energy crisis to students and the general public is a lack of awareness of the various energy options. This presentation is designed to provide background information for teachers and others that interact with the general public. I will discuss the commercial energy production and the traditional fossil fuel resources and projected reserves in oil, natural gas; coal and nuclear power and the relationship of these resources to modern consumption including the advantages and disadvantages of additional development. Non-traditional sources and available reserves of these fossil fuels, e.g. tar sands, oil and gas shales, coal bed and biomass methane, methane hydrate and available reserves will also be discussed where appropriate.

With the recognition of a finite future supply of fossil fuels, significant interest has been generated on renewable energy sources. The advantages and disadvantages of renewable non-fossil energy sources, e.g. wind, solar, wave, hydropower (both traditional and low-flow in-stream units), and tidal energy as well as high and low temperature geothermal (groundwater heat pump), with limitations on their use, will be discussed. Additional “blue sky” sources, e.g. the Hyperion Nuclear Battery, Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) and energy storage systems e.g. EEStor, lithium ion batteries, multiple use technologies e.g. solar power electricity with byproduct hydrogen production, acoustic production of hydrogen and development of hydrogen and other chemical fuel cells will be described along with the present status of development, deployment and commercialization of the processes.

Discussion of biofuel production and sources, along with the advantages and disadvantages of diversion of major land, chemical and agricultural resources to the production of biofuels, will conclude the presentation. Some recommendations on developing energy independence will be included in the summary statement.