Energy and Environment Perspectives

Abstract

The inevitable increase in population and the economic development that must necessarily occur in many countries have serious implications for the environment, because energy generation processes (e.g., generation of electricity, heating, cooling, or motive force for transportation vehicles and other uses) are polluting and harmful to the ecosystem.

Study Questions/Problems

• 2.1 What is the relationship among the use of renewable energy sources, environment, and sustainability?

• 2.2 What is the relationship among energy efficiency, environment, and sustainability?

• 2.3 Give a definition of sustainable energy engineering.

• 2.4 Enumerate and describe briefly the fundamental energy sources on earth.

• 2.5 Explain the nature of biomass energy.

• 2.6 Calculate the reaction enthalpy of glucose formation process by photosynthesis, according to the reaction $6{\hbox{C}}{{\hbox{O}}_2} + 6{{\hbox{H}}_2}{\hbox{O}}\buildrel{{{\rm LIGHT }}}\over{-\!\!\!-\!\!\!\rightarrow}{{\hbox{C}}_6}{{\hbox{H}}_{{12}}}{{\hbox{O}}_6} + 6{{\hbox{O}}_2}$.

• 2.7 Calculate how many kilograms of green wood produce the same amount of energy as 1 kg of dry wood. Calculate how many cubic meters of green wood are equivalent in energy terms to 1 cubic meter of dry wood.

• 2.8 Make a prediction of world coal consumption by 2100, based on linear extrapolation of statistical data. Compare the linear prediction with that given by Eq. (2.1).

• 2.9 Explain the oil peak theory by Hubert.

• 2.10 What are the main environmental impacts of energy generation and utilization?

• 2.11 Explain the global warming effect.

• 2.12 Explain the acid precipitation formation and its environmental effect.

• 2.13 Comment on the energy efficiency impact on the environment.

• 2.14 Using the case study 2.10 as guideline, try to quantify the environmental benefit of cogeneration of power and heat within a geo-economic region.

• 2.15 Comment on the impact of distributed energy systems on sustainability.