Energy Systems and Sustainability

by Boyle, Godfrey; Everett, Bob; Ramage, Janet

• ISBN13: 9780199261796
• ISBN10: 0199261792
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-12-04
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

Today energy and sustainability are areas of primary concern throughout the world. Energy Systems and Sustainability provides a thorough introduction to the economic, social, environmental, and policy issues raised by current systems of energy use. In addition, it describes the key physical and engineering features of these systems. The book begins with an introductory account of the present world energy situation. This is followed by chapters explaining basic energy concepts and describing the magnitudes and patterns of human energy needs. The central part of the book deals with the historical evolution and present status of conventional fossil- and nuclear-fueled energy systems. These systems, along with hydropower and traditional biofuels, currently supply the majority of the world's commercial energy. In addition, a section on economics describes the basic methods by which the monetary costs of energy are calculated, and discusses the external costs of energy production. The concluding sections deal with the sustainability problems associated with both fossil and nuclear fuel use, and possible solutions using new technological developments. Energy Systems and Sustainability is the only text on the market to provide a fresh, contemporary perspective on energy and sustainability for an undergraduate audience. It is ideal for courses in energy, sustainable development, environmental science, and architecture. FEATURES Includes extensive coverage of the important concepts and issues behind modern energy production Provides detailed descriptions of the main methods used to produce energy today Lavishly illustrated with full-color photographs and diagrams Presents in-depth case studies and further explanations on more advanced topics in boxed sections throughout the text

Author Biography

Godfrey Boyle is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Design and Innovation and co-director of the Energy and Environment Research Unit at the UK Open University. Dr Bob Everett is a Lecturer in the Department of Design and Innovation and a member of the Energy and Environment Research Unit at the UK Open University. Dr Janet Ramage is a visiting Lecturer in the Department of Design and Innovation and a member of the Energy and Environment Research Unit at the UK Open University.

Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTORY OVERVIEW
1.1 Introduction	3	(3)
Why sustainable energy matte	3	(3)
1.2 Definitions: energy, sustainability and the future	6	(1)
1.3 Present energy sources and sustainability	7	(16)
Fossil fuels	7	(9)
Nuclear energy	16	(3)
Bioenergy	19	(2)
Hydroelectricity	21	(2)
Summary	23	(1)
1.4 Renewable energy sources	23	(11)
Solar energy	23	(5)
Indirect use of solar energy	28	(3)
Non-solar renewables	31	(3)
Sustainability of renewable energy sources	34	(1)
1.5 Energy services and efficiency improvement	34	(13)
Energy services	34	(2)
Energy efficiency improvements	36	(10)
The rebound effect	46	(1)
1.6 Energy in a sustainable future	47	(7)
Changing patterns of energy use	47	(2)
Long-term energy scenarios	49	(5)
References	54	(3)
CHAPTER 2 PRIMARY ENERGY
2.1 World primary energy consumption	57	(4)
What is primary energy?	57	(1)
What is energy consumption?	57	(1)
'Energy arithmetic'	58	(1)
Watts	59	(1)
Kilowatt-hours	59	(2)
2.2 Quantities of energy	61	(3)
Units based on oil	61	(2)
Units based on coal	63	(1)
The BTU and related units	63	(1)
The calorie and related units	63	(1)
2.3 Interpreting the data	64	(2)
Definitions	64	(1)
Conversions	64	(1)
Conventions	65	(1)
2.4 World energy sources	66	(4)
International comparisons	69	(1)
2.5 Primary energy in the UK	70	(5)
Britain's changing energy scene	72	(2)
Renewables in the UK	74	(1)
2.6 Primary energy in Denmark	75	(4)
Renewables in Denmark	78	(1)
2.7 Primary energy in the USA	79	(4)
Renewables in the USA	82	(1)
Review	83	(1)
2.8 Primary energy in France	83	(2)
2.9 Primary energy in India	85	(3)
Renewables in India	86	(2)
2.10 Summary	88	(1)
References	89	(4)
CHAPTER 3 WHAT DO WE USE ENERGY FOR?
3.1 Primary, delivered and useful energy	93	(2)
3.2 The expanding uses of energy	95	(14)
Food	96	(1)
Fertilizers	97	(3)
Domestic energy	100	(4)
Industry	104	(3)
Transport	107	(1)
Services	108	(1)
3.3 Energy uses today	109	(16)
The energy balance for the UK	109	(9)
International comparisons	118	(3)
Comparisons of delivered energy	121	(4)
3.4 Conclusions	125	(2)
References and data sources	127	(1)
Further reading	128	(2)
CHAPTER 4 FORMS OF ENERGY
4.1 Introduction	130	(1)
4.2 Kinetic and potential energy	131	(5)
4.3 Heat	136	(1)
4.4 Electrical energy	136	(4)
Electrons	138	(2)
4.5 Electromagnetic radiation	140	(5)
4.6 Chemical energy	145	(3)
The nuclear atom	147	(1)
4.7 Nuclear energy	148	(3)
Protons and neutrons	148	(1)
Isotopes	149	(1)
The nuclear force	149	(1)
Radioactivity and fission	150	(1)
4.8 Energy and mass	151	(1)
4.9 Summary	152	(1)
References	153	(1)
Further reading	153	(4)
CHAPTER 5 COAL
5.1 The fossil fuels	157	(1)
5.2 From wood to coal	158	(5)
The early years	158	(2)
The Industrial Revolution	160	(2)
The nineteenth century	162	(1)
5.3 The resource and its use	163	(8)
Types of coal	163	(3)
Reserves and production	166	(4)
The uses of coal	170	(1)
5.4 Coal combustion	171	(5)
The composition of coal	171	(1)
The combustion process	172	(1)
Proximate analysis	173	(1)
Combustion products	174	(2)
5.5 Fires, furnaces and boilers	176	(7)
Power station boilers	177	(4)
Flue gases	181	(2)
5.6 Summary	183	(1)
References	184	(3)
CHAPTER 6 HEAT TO MOTIVE POWER
6.1 Introduction	187	(1)
6.2 Steam engines	188	(9)
The Early Years	188	(2)
Savery and Newcomen	190	(4)
James Watt	194	(3)
6.3 The principles of heat engines	197	(5)
Carnot's law	198	(1)
The Carnot engine	198	(2)
Atoms in motion	200	(2)
Heat flow	202	(1)
6.4 The age of steam	202	(7)
Improving the efficiency	203	(2)
Mobile power	205	(4)
6.5 Steam turbines	209	(6)
Steam, speed and rpm	209	(2)
Parsons' turbo-generator	211	(4)
6.6 Power station turbines	215	(7)
The turbines	216	(2)
A 660-MW turbine	218	(4)
6.7 Futures	222	(1)
References	223	(4)
CHAPTER 7 OIL AND GAS
Part 1 Oil and gas as primary fuels	227	(35)
7.1 Introduction	227	(1)
7.2 The origins and geology of petroleum	228	(2)
7.3 The origins of the oil and gas industry	230	(6)
Petroleum for illumination	231	(3)
Petroleum for transport	234	(1)
The natural gas industry	235	(1)
7.4 Finding petroleum	236	(9)
How do we get it?	238	(2)
Where do we get it?	240	(5)
7.5 Refining and products	245	(5)
Introduction	245	(1)
The fractions	246	(1)
Getting more of what you want	247	(1)
The many products - a summary	248	(2)
7.6 UK demand for oil products: past, present and future	250	(4)
Introduction	250	(1)
Time comparison, 1967 and 2000	250	(4)
7.7 UK demand for gas: past, present and future	254	(4)
Measurement	254	(1)
Demand by sector	254	(4)
7.8 Why so special?	258	(3)
Cheap and readily available	258	(1)
Indigenous production/security of supply	258	(1)
Convenience and ease of use	258	(1)
Clean to burn	259	(1)
Ease of distribution/storage/portability	260	(1)
Energy density	260	(1)
7.9 Substitutes for oil and gas?	261	(1)
Part 2 Oil and gas as secondary fuels	262	(33)
7.10 Introduction	262	(1)
7.11 Obstacles to coal conversion	262	(3)
Technology	262	(1)
Environment	262	(1)
Conversion efficiencies	263	(1)
Cost and price	263	(1)
Capital cost	264	(1)
Summary	265	(1)
7.12 Gas from oil	265	(1)
7.13 Oil from gas	266	(1)
7.14 Gas from coal	267	(6)
A little history	267	(3)
Gas from coal - the future	270	(3)
7.15 Oil from coal	273	(5)
Oil from coal - the future	277	(1)
7.16 Non-conventional sources of petroleum	278	(4)
Introduction	278	(1)
Oil shale	278	(2)
Tar sands	280	(1)
Heavy oil deposits	281	(1)
Summary	282	(1)
7.17 The wider future	282	(9)
Introduction	282	(2)
Lesson from America	284	(2)
First America... now the world	286	(4)
Beyond Hubbert's peak	290	(1)
References	291	(4)
CHAPTER 8 OIL AND GAS ENGINES
8.1 Introduction	295	(1)
8.2 The petrol or spark ignition engine	295	(90)
The birth of the car engine	298	(4)
The motorization of the US	302	(1)
Aircraft petrol engines	303	(1)
Compression ratio and octane number	304	(1)
Lead additives	304	(81)
8.3 The diesel engine	385
Diesel power for ships	306	(1)
Diesel engines for road, rail and air	307	(2)
8.4 Petrol and diesel engines - reducing pollution	309	(5)
Emissions from petrol engines	311	(3)
Obtaining best efficiency	314	(1)
8.5 The gas turbine	314	(8)
The German jet engine	315	(1)
The British jet engine	316	(2)
Post-war developments	318	(1)
Modern jet engines	319	(2)
Industrial gas turbines	321	(1)
Improving power and efficiency	321	(1)
Gas turbines for cars	321	(1)
8.6 The Stirling engine	322	(5)
Principles	323	(1)
The Philips engine	324	(1)
The quest for the Stirling car engine	325	(2)
8.7 Conclusion	327	(2)
References and sources	329	(1)
Further Reading	329	(4)
CHAPTER 9 ELECTRICITY
9.1 Introduction	333	(1)
9.2 Making electricity in the nineteenth century	334	(14)
Batteries and chemical electricity	334	(1)
Magnetism and generators	335	(2)
The rise of electric lighting	337	(2)
AC or DC?	339	(4)
High voltage or low voltage?	343	(4)
Metering and tariffs	347	(1)
9.3 The continuing development of electric lighting	348	(5)
Gas fights back	348	(1)
Improving the incandescent light bulb	348	(1)
The fluorescent lamp	349	(3)
The light emitting diode (LED)	352	(1)
9.4 Electric traction	353	(5)
Electric trams and trains	353	(2)
Battery electric vehicles	355	(2)
Electric transmissions and hybrid electric drives	357	(1)
9.5 Expanding uses	358	(7)
Telecommunications and information technology	358	(3)
Cooking and heating	361	(1)
Refrigeration	362	(2)
Electric motors everywhere	364	(1)
Where electricity is used today	365	(1)
9.6 Large scale generation	365	(6)
Thermal power stations	365	(4)
Hydroelectricity	369	(1)
Combined heat and power generation	369	(2)
9.7 Transmission and distribution	371	(4)
The National Grid	371	(2)
Coal by wire	373	(1)
The Channel link	374	(1)
The grid today	374	(1)
9.8 Running the system	375	(6)
What exactly is being optimized?	376	(1)
Ownership of the system	377	(1)
Balancing supply and demand	377	(2)
Peak demands and pumped storage	379	(1)
The privatized UK system	380	(1)
9.9 The dash far gas	381	(3)
9.10 Electricity around the world	384	(6)
United Kingdom: a summary	385	(1)
United States of America	385	(1)
France	386	(1)
Denmark	387	(1)
India	388	(2)
9.11 Conclusion	390	(1)
References and sources	390	(2)
Further reading	392	(3)
CHAPTER 10 NUCLEAR POWER
10.1 Introduction	395	(1)
10.2 Radioactivity	396	(6)
Alpha particles	397	(1)
Beta particles	397	(2)
Gamma particles	399	(1)
Radioactive decay and half-life	399	(1)
An effect without a cause	400	(2)
10.3 Nuclear fission	402	(3)
Experiments with neutrons	402	(1)
Fission	402	(3)
10.4 1939-1945: reactors and bombs	405	(6)
The first reactor	405	(3)
New elements	408	(2)
Atomic bombs	410	(1)
'Swords into ploughshares'	410	(1)
10.5 Thermal fission reactors	411	(11)
The reactor core	414	(1)
Structures	414	(1)
Safety	414	(2)
Types of thermal fission reactor	416	(6)
10.6 Nuclear fuel cycles	422	(5)
Mining and extraction	422	(1)
Enrichment and fuel fabrication	423	(1)
Spent fuel	423	(4)
10.7 Fast reactors	427	(2)
The liquid-metal fast breeder reactor	428	(1)
10.8 Power from fusion	429	(4)
Approaches to a fusion reactor	431	(2)
References	433	(1)
Further reading	434	(1)
Useful web sites	434	(3)
CHAPTER 11 THE FUTURE OF NUCLEAR POWER
11.1 Introduction	437	(1)
11.2 Reasons for decline	438	(9)
Nuclear accidents	439	(3)
Nuclear economics	442	(4)
Nuclear decline worldwide	446	(1)
11.3 Nuclear power: a long-term answer to climate change?	447	(9)
Nuclear wastes	449	(1)
Uranium reserves	450	(4)
Stretching reserves: the fast breeder reactor	454	(1)
Nuclear fusion: the ultimate answer?	455	(1)
11.4 New nuclear developments	456	(12)
Safer nuclear power	457	(3)
Waste management and reprocessing	460	(4)
Cheaper nuclear power	464	(2)
Development issues and proliferation	466	(2)
11.5 The future: conflicting views	468	(2)
11.6 Conclusion	470	(1)
References	471	(6)
CHAPTER 12 COSTING ENERGY
12.1 Introduction	477	(1)
12.2 Energy prices today	478	(4)
Petrol and diesel fuel	478	(1)
Domestic energy prices	479	(1)
Industrial energy prices	480	(2)
12.3 Inflation, real prices and affordability	482	(7)
The value of money	482	(5)
Affordability and fuel poverty	487	(2)
12.4 Investing in energy	489	(20)
Price and cost	489	(1)
Balancing investment against cash flow	490	(3)
Discounted cash flow analysis	493	(16)
12.5 Real world complications	509	(3)
Security and diversity of supply	509	(2)
Externality costs of pollution and disaster	511	(1)
New technologies, economies of scale and 'market washing'	511	(1)
12.6 Conclusions	512	(2)
References	514	(1)
Statistical data sources	515	(1)
Further reading	516	(3)
CHAPTER 13 PENALTIES: ASSESSING THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH IMPACTS OF ENERGY USE
13.1 Introduction	519	(1)
13.2 Classifying the impacts of energy use	519	(4)
Classification by source	519	(1)
Classification by pollutant	520	(2)
Classification by scale	522	(1)
13.3 Household-scale impacts	523	(2)
Wood burning in developing countries	523	(2)
13.4 Workplace-scale impacts	525	(6)
Biomass harvesting and forestry	525	(1)
Hydro and wind power	525	(1)
Coal, oil and gas	525	(2)
Nuclear power	527	(4)
13.5 Community-scale impacts	531	(6)
Urban air pollution in developed countries	532	(4)
Urban air pollution in developing countries	536	(1)
Community impacts of hydroelectricity	536	(1)
13.6 Regional-scale impacts	537	(2)
Acid deposition	537	(1)
Public impacts of nuclear power	537	(2)
13.7 Global-scale impacts	539	(6)
Global climate change	539	(6)
13.8 Accidents and risk	545	(8)
13.9 Comparing the impacts of electricity generating systems	553	(8)
13.10 Comparing the external costs of electricity generating systems	561	(4)
13.11 Summary and conclusions	565	(1)
References and further reading	566	(7)
CHAPTER 14 REMEDIES: MAKING FOSSIL FUEL USE MORE SUSTAINABLE
14.1 Introduction	573	(1)
14.2 Reducing pollutant emissions from fossil fuel combustion	574	(3)
Fuel switching	574	(3)
14.3 Capturing and sequestering carbon emissions from fossil fuel combustion	577	(7)
Carbon sequestration in forests	577	(1)
Carbon capture and sequestration beneath the earth's surface	578	(2)
Ocean sequestration of carbon	580	(4)
14.4 The fuel cell: energy conversion without combustion	584	(3)
Fuel cell types	586	(1)
14.5 A fossil-fuel based hydrogen economy	587	(7)
Hydrogen storage and use in transport	590	(2)
Hydrogen safety	592	(2)
14.6 Can fossil fuel use be made more sustainable?	594	(2)
References	596	(1)
Appendix A	597	(4)
A.1 Orders of magnitude	597	(1)
A.2 Units and conversions	598	(2)
Reference	600	(1)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS	601	(6)
INDEX	607