February 2017 Chapter Event

Many of the most important decisions about our energy future depend on decisions by laypeople and non-energy professionals.  SW Ohio AEE developed its Pros & Cons Of Our Energy Sources program with hopes of attracting not only energy professionals, but also non-professionals and students.  The presenter is John Robbins, a frequent instructor of energy-related continuing education courses in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.  This shortened presentation of Pros & Cons is part of University of Cincinnati's graduate seminar series for environmental engineering students. 

 

Pros & Cons Of Our Energy Sources begins with an overview of current and forecast energy supplies and usage trends, including the ongoing rise in natural gas supplies and the steady increase in demand for electricity.  Varying "capacity factors" are compared among conventional and alternate energy sources for generating electricity.  Energy usage trends in residential and commercial are compared, including metrics used to compare energy usage per square foot and per occupant in buildings and homes.  Emissions from conventional energies are also compared.  CO2 emissions are compared for each energy source, including CO2 averages per kWh.  CO2 volumes and averages per person depend on "electric fuel mixes" so vary according to the differing fuel mixes as well as differing energy usage characteristics of different states.

 

The presentation ends with focus on choices we all can make about how we use energy.  Robbins uses data from EIA and his own company's energy surveys to show the very wide ranges of energy used by Americans.  He also shows that contribution ratios and costs for converting to renewable energies like solar substantially favor those who use the least energy.  In summarizing the evaluation criteria for all our major energy sources, efficiency and conservation are included.  They appear to be the most positive energy choices with the best ratios of pros to cons.