ENEP250 Final Exam

you got this babe you can do it

Why is nuclear energy not considered renewable?

Why is nuclear energy not considered renewable?

finite amount of fissile material found on Earth

Which isotope of Uranium is used in nuclear reactors?

Uranium-235

What is an Ethane Cracker?

A facility where ethane from natural gas is processed into ethylene

All of the following are benefits of conventional oil and gas EXCEPT…

oil and gas are not vulnerable to international supply disruptions

What are problems associated with mountain removal?

• mining companies cut down trees prior to explosion

• toxic waste from mountaintop removal can be used as ‘fill’ to fill waterway valleys

• destroys mountain ecosystems via explosives

Why is conventional oil drilling theoretically better than unconventional oil drilling?

limited land disruption

Costs of fracking are…

• boomtown effect

• seismic activity link

• methane leakage and burnoff

• NOT lease income for local land owners

What type of coal is used most for energy production?

Bituminous

What type of coal has the highest carbon concentration?

Anthracite

What is the precursor to coal?

Peat

Where is the majority of anthracite mined in the US?

Pennsylvania

How is cogeneration more energy efficient than traditional power generation?

generates electricity and heat at the same time

What is a power plant peak load?

periods of highest demand

What offers “baseload” capacity for utilities?

hydropower

What refers to the max amount of output a power plant can produce at a given facility?

nameplate capacity

What percentage of energy is wasted, either as heat or due to inefficient design?

84%

Examples of legal basis for environmental law

• interstate commerce clause

• necessary and proper clause

• NOT equal protections clause

Energy Efficiency Resource Standards are adopted by who?

state governments

What is seen as a problem with the Paris Accords?

legally binding, but doesn’t impose penalties

The major areas of Environmental Policy are…

• Natural Resources Management

• Pollution Control and Environmental Quality

What percentage of the world’s hydropower has been harnessed due to its limitations?

only 13%

Challenges of Wind Energy

• “not in my backyard movement

• requires constant wind to be an efficient as possible

• US electric grid is almost non-existent in high wind speed area

Why is Net Energy Yield Important when considering renewable energy?

if an energy resource has a low energy yield, it cannot effectively compete in the market and must be subsidized.

What is the total energy minus the energy needed to find, process, extract, and distribute the resource?

the net energy yield

Advantages of Wind Power

• high net energy yield

• low electricity costs

• widely available

• NOT a variable source of energy

What are the twin pillars of sustainable energy?

• Renewable energy and

• Energy conservation & efficiency

Population threats to Greater Sage Grouse

• habitat loss

• west nile virus

• climate change

• NOT water pollution

Under the Endangered Species Act, which of the following are protected?

• Extinct Species

• Endangered Species

Why is the Endangered Species Act so controversial?

Determinations are solely made based on the best scientific and commercial data available

What are the three challenges of operational integration for wind or solar?

• Limited infrastructure 

• Wind and solar energies are variable

  • Meaning they are not consistent or dispatchable (what you have is what you got, and you will oftentimes need a backup source)

• Wind and solar energies are difficult to store

  • Larger, more efficient batteries are expensive and take longer to make

What does PURPA stand for, and give an overall summary of how PURPA relates to renewable energy

• PURPA: Public Utility Regulatory Policy Act

• Summary: created a market for independent power producers, IPPs, and requires utilities to buy power from QFs at the avoided cost of generating additional power

  • Cannot discriminate against where the power is coming from in regards to small vs. larger facilities

List and BRIEFLY describe three pros and cons of biomass

• Pros:

  • Biofuels and their feedstocks can be produced almost anywhere (promoted energy independence)

  • Grasslands and forests are not cleared for feedstock crops

  • Easy to store, transport, use, and integrate into existing systems

• Cons

  • Widespread deforestation (mainly caused by agricultural expansion)

  • Release of soot from burning both fuelwood and charcoal causes health issues

Describe the winter and summer demand curve. Explain the differences

• WINTER

  • double peak curve for morning and evening peaks based on home heating use

• SUMMER

  • single peak that rises during the day, peaking in late afternoon due to AC use
    

Hydropower: Advantages and Disadvantages

• Advantages

  • high net energy yield

  • large untapped potential

  • low cost electricity

  • low emissions of CO2 and other air pollutants

• Disadvantages

  • large land disturbance and displacement of people (Grand Coulee example)

  • extra land degradation across transmission corridors

  • disruption of downstream aquatic

Solar Thermal: Advantages and Disadvantages

• Advantages

  • high potential for growth

  • no direct emissions of CO2 and other air pollutants

  • lower costs with natural gas turbine backup, and source of new jobs

• Disadvantages

  •  low net energy yield and high costs

  • needs backup or storage system on cloudy days

  • requires high water use

  • can disrupt desert ecosystems

Give an overview of what Kelly discussed in her research and how it can be related back to Delaware.

• Kelly’s Research focuses on petrochemicals and plastic production, with a focus on the processing aspect.

• A petrochemical is a chemical that is derived from oil and natural gas, while an ethane cracker describes a facility where ethane from natural gas is processed or “cracked” into ethylene.

• The process begins with natural gas taken to a processing plant, where methane gets filtered out and goes to a separate facility where they separate ethane.

• Ethane then goes to distribution and ethane cracker facilities.

• At the ethane crackers, the ethane is taken and put through the engineering process, coming out with plastic nurdles that are sent to downstream manufacturing to make plastic bags, containers, etc.

• There are quite a few environmental implications that come with this process, including human health risks for fenceline communities, more plastic waste through more plastic production, and increased demand for oil and gas, emitting greenhouse gasses.

• In Delaware specifically, Kelly talked about the plastic resin identification codes, and how different facilities accept different codes. For Delaware, codes 1, 2, 4, 5, and 7 are accepted, while 3 and 6 are not. We must pay attention to what we are recycling to ensure it is acceptable in Delaware!

What are the benefits and disadvantages of Collaborative Governance? List 3 of each

• Advantages

  • Reduced “stalemate” or constant back and forth suing 

  • Improved relationships and trust between involved parties which lead to voluntary actions and agreements.

  • Expanded participation (involved more perspectives and therefore more likely to encompass wide variety of stakeholders)

• Disadvantages

  • Timely process (why  would this be a disadvantage)

  • Need All parties should be willing to participate to work

    • If one person refuses to cooperate, the whole process is stonewalled

  • The solution will not please everyone, as it is based on compromise

List 3 common strategies for Environmental policy. (6 possible answers)

1. None - Possible to argue self-regulation/volunteerism/rely on market forces will solve issue

2. Education and Outreach. Teach public the importance of environment and how to care for it.

3. Standards and Enforcement. 

4. Market Tools and Incentives (more market-friendly than Standards + Enforcement). These include subsidies, tax externalities, cap + trade systems

5. Establish common property Rights/Institutions

Give at least two reasons why the US uses fossil fuels more than renewable energy and two challenges associated with the increased use of renewable energy.

• Fossil fuels

  • The US has abundant supplies of  fossil fuels

  • They are low-cost

• Renewables

  • Expensive need subsidies

  • Not available all the time (24/7)

  • Dependent on wind and sun or water that are impacted by climate change

  • needs lots of space

Why is net energy yield significant?

A resource with a low net energy yield can not compete and needs government subsidies. Energy sources with low yields have difficulty competing with less expensive fossil fuels. For example, Nuclear energy has enormous upfront costs and waste storage. Pros are C-free electricity and high power output vs cons in U is nor-renewable, upfront cost, waste

What is the difference between mitigation and adaptation? Give an example

• Mitigation is an action that reduces emissions 

  • Ex. EV (electric cars)

  • Clean energy (windmills)

  • Energy efficiency such as LED lights

  Adaptation is an action to manage the risks associated with climate change

  • Disaster management plans (evacuation upgrades, notification policies local and state disaster plans)

  • Flood protection (restore wetlands, raise buildings)

  • Infrastructure upgrades (flood control barriers)