Scientists Fear Methane Emissions from Oceans & Tundra due to Warming
Warming of the Arctic ocean over the last 30 years has triggered the release of methane from seabed sediments, according to U.K. researchers. During a recent Arctic survey, scientists from the National Oceanography Centre Southampton (NOCS) found more than 250 plumes of methane gas bubbles rising from the seabed in one area, at depths of about 500 to 1600 feet.
The scientists believe the methane is being released from methane hydrates, which are becoming unstable in the warming conditions. Methane hydrate is an ice-like substance composed of water and methane that is stable in conditions of high pressure and low temperature – huge amounts of methane hydrate are expected to be present in the seabed sediment. The researchers say that most of the methane currently being released from the seabed is dissolved in the seawater before reaching the atmosphere, although they believe periods of more vigorous outflow of methane are possible. See the NOCS press release.
Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas, 25 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. Scientists fear that more widespread warming could release tens of thousands of tons of methane per year. Even if it doesn’t reach the surface, it will contribute to the ongoing acidification of the ocean.
The U.K. findings seem to confirm a new study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which found that methane is likely spewing into the oceans through vents in the sea floor. The MIT researchers also note that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently observed a plume of gas rising to 4,600 feet above the seabed off the coast of Northern California. The plume was recorded for five minutes before it disappeared, and it was believed to be a plume of methane gas bubbles coated with methane hydrate. See the MIT press release.
Meanwhile, NOAA scientists are concerned about potential releases of methane and CO2 from melting tundra in the Arctic. Billions of tons of carbon are buried in the frozen Arctic tundra, and as the tundra heats up, scientists expect it to produce CO2 and methane, but they aren’t sure which will be dominant. To find out, NOAA recently teamed up with the U.S. Coast Guard to operate air-sampling devices aboard a C-130 aircraft that’s conducting bimonthly flights from Kodiak Island, which is south of Anchorage, to Barrow, which is at the northernmost tip of Alaska.
Methane emissions in one area of Alaska were recently found to be increasing, but NOAA isn’t sure yet whether those emissions were from natural sources or from human activities, such as oil drilling. The flights will continue through November, providing a clearer picture of air emissions in the Arctic. See the NOAA press release.
Reports Find Huge Potential to Cut Energy Use in the US
The US could reduce non-transportation energy consumption by 23% by 2020 by adopting energy efficiency technologies, according to a McKinsey & Company report. It notes that an estimated $520 billion up-front investment (not including program costs) would eliminate more than $1.2 trillion in wasteful energy use, while avoiding 1.1 billion tons of GHG emissions.
Barriers to energy efficiency gains include the need for significant up-front spending in exchange for long-term benefits; the fragmented nature of such efforts that keep it from being a priority (because of the 100 million locations and billions of devices in residential, commercial, and industrial settings); and the difficulty of tracking and verifying energy that is not consumed.
To overcome those barriers, the McKinsey report calls for an overarching national strategy that recognizes energy efficiency as "an important energy resource"; launch a wide array of proven and emerging approaches to efficiency; identify methods for significant up-front funding for efficiency investments; stronger bonds among utilities, regulators, government agencies, industries, and energy users; and fostering innovation in advanced energy efficiency technologies. See the summary of the McKinsey report, which links to the executive summary and the full report.
But what about energy use in transportation? "Moving Cooler: An Analysis of Transportation Strategies for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions," released in July, concludes the US could cut GHG emissions from transport to 24% below projected "baseline" levels by 2050.
The findings, presented by the Urban Land Institute and sponsored by a number of federal agencies and other groups, determined that a wide range of approaches are needed to cut GHG emissions in transportation. These include changes to current transportation systems and operations, travel behavior, land use patterns, and public policies and regulations. The biggest reductions would be through local and regional regulations that increase the cost of driving alone, regulations that reduce and enforce speed limits, "smart growth" strategies that reduce travel distances, and multimodal strategies that expand travel options, such as mass transit systems. See the Moving Cooler press release (PDF 61 KB) and Web site.
EPA Sets Stricter Standards for Energy Star Televisions
TVs will soon need to be 40% more energy efficient than conventional models to achieve the Energy Star label. Currently, Energy Star-qualified TVs use about 30% less energy. EPA’s new requirements take effect May 1, 2010. According to the EPA, if all TVs sold in the US met the new requirements, residents would save $2.5 billion annually in energy costs.
An even stricter threshold takes effect May 2, 2012 – achieving a 65% savings over conventional TVs. In setting the higher standard, the EPA struggled with the option of limiting the size of TV screens, because the energy consumption of TV screens tends to be proportional to their area.
According to the EPA, U.S. consumers are expected to buy over 19 million TVs with screens larger than 40 inches in 2010, and the steady shift toward big-screen TVs could increase household energy use. But rather than explicitly restricting the screen size, the EPA set a maximum power use of 108 watts when the TV is on. That will limit the number of big-screen TVs that qualify for Energy Star, but the EPA notes that some TVs available today measure larger than 50 inches and already meet the higher standard. Energy Star is a joint program of DOE and the EPA. See the EPA press release, the Energy Star website for TVs, and the new TV specifications.
DOE Finalizes $535 Million Loan Guarantee for Solyndra
DOE finalized a $535 million loan guarantee for Solyndra, Inc., a Fremont, California, company that manufactures innovative solar PV panels. It is the first guarantee using ARRA funds, and the first from DOE since the 1980s.
The funds will finance construction of the first phase of Solyndra’s new manufacturing facility, which will be able to produce 500 MW of solar panels a year. Solyndra estimates the new plant will initially create 3,000 construction jobs and will lead to as many as 1,000 jobs once the facility opens, in addition to hundreds of new jobs throughout the country for solar installers.
The facility will employ a new, innovative process for manufacturing Solyndra’s solar panels. Solyndra deposits thin films of copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) on the inner surface of glass tubes, which are then hermetically sealed on both ends with metal caps. The glass tubes are then assembled into large, flat solar panels.
The cylindrical design enables the CIGS material to capture direct, diffuse, and reflected sunlight, allowing the panels to be mounted flat and close together. This makes greater use of the rooftop area than a traditional flat solar panel, which is typically mounted in racks that tilt the panels toward the sun. The design also allows air to flow through the panels, keeping the operating temperature down and reducing wind loads, which in turn makes installation easier. Solyndra’s panels will be primarily used in the fast-growing market for solar systems installed on large, flat rooftops. See the press releases from DOE and Solyndra, the Web site for the DOE Loan Guarantee Program, and Solyndra’s overview of its solar panel technology.
Tiny Algae Loom Large in Biofuel Pilot Projects
The production of biofuels from algae gained new prominence this summer when ExxonMobil announced it will invest up to $600 million in the technology. ExxonMobil and Synthetic Genomics Inc. (SGI) formed a R&D alliance to explore production of biofuels from photosynthetic algae.
Photosynthetic algae-such as single-celled "microalgae" and blue-green algae-are organisms that use sunlight to convert CO2 into cellular oils and long-chain hydrocarbons which can be processed into fuels and chemicals. SGI researchers are working on finding, optimizing, and engineering superior strains of algae – to develop systems for large-scale cultivation of algae and conversion of the organisms’ products into biofuels. ExxonMobil expects to spend $300 million on the project internally, while potentially awarding more than $300 million to SGI. See the press releases from ExxonMobil and SGI.
Many small startup companies are exploring the production of biofuels from algae. Two examples are Aurora Biofuels, Inc., which has been cultivating algae in Florida since August 2007, and LiveFuels, Inc., which started up a pilot plant in Brownsville, Texas, this August. Aurora Biofuels cultivates algae in open ponds of seawater, harvests it "in an energy-efficient, cost-effective manner," and converts it into biodiesel. The company announced in March that it is successfully producing biodiesel to standards set by ASTM International, a world-recognized organization for standards development, achieving consistency in fuel quality during its trial. The company plans to begin commercial production in 2012.
LiveFuels is also using open saltwater ponds at its Texas facility, using 45 acres of ponds to grow algae. But instead of mechanically processing the algae, LiveFuels is allowing filter-feeding fish and other aquatic herbivores to feed off the algae. The company then extracts the fish oil from the fish for conversion into biofuel and other products. LiveFuels plans to eventually develop commercial facilities along the coast of Louisiana, using agricultural pollution from the Mississippi River as nutrients for the algae. See the Aurora Biofuels press release and Web site and the LiveFuels press release (PDF 255 KB).
US, Australian Advanced Geothermal Projects Face Setbacks
Efforts to develop and commercialize a new type of geothermal energy, called Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS), are facing technical setbacks in both the US and Australia.
EGS involves injecting water at high pressure into deep, hot rock formations to fracture the rock, creating either a new geothermal reservoir of hot water embedded in hot rock or expanding an existing geothermal reservoir. But drilling into hard rock at high temperatures and pressures has always presented technical challenges. As previously reported in this newsletter, Geodynamics, Ltd. of Australia finally completed drilling the wells for its EGS project early last year, after encountering drilling problems over the course of nearly 5 years. See the January 2008 article from this newsletter.
Last week, AltaRock Energy Inc. announced that it suffered similar difficulties in drilling a well for a demonstration EGS project at The Geysers, an existing geothermal resource in northern California. Citing "geologic anomalies," AltaRock announced it’s giving up on the current well and is evaluating alternative well locations.
In Australia, Petratherm, Ltd. appears to be having similar problems, as a drilling effort for a well that was supposed to take 2-3 months is now expected to take 3-4 months. Petratherm experienced slow penetration rates for its 17.5" hole in the hard rock, but the company is now drilling a narrower (12.25"), deeper section of the well and is making better progress. See the press releases from AltaRock (PDF 29 KB) and Petrotherm (PDF 274 KB).
Meanwhile, Geodynamics has moved on to a new set of technical problems at its demonstration project at Cooper Basin in the Australian outback. In late April, there was a blowout at its Habanero 3 well, causing an uncontrolled release of steam and hot water at the wellhead. It took the company 28 days to get the well back under control with weighted mud, and the well was then capped with two cement plugs.
In late August, the company released the results of its investigation, which found that the fluid chemistry in the well caused hydrogen embrittlement in some of the high-strength steel used in the well, making it prone to cracking. The investigation blamed the embrittlement on dissolved CO2 and hydrogen sulphide in the reservoir fluid. Because of those findings, the company installed a cement plug in another well, Habanero 2, and planned to also secure Habanero 1. Despite the setback, the company still intends to generate geothermal power in the Cooper Basin, but its near-term plans for a 1 MW pilot plant are being reevaluated. See the Geodynamics announcements on the well blowout (PDF 28 KB), the well capping (PDF 167 KB), and the results of the investigation (PDF 134 KB).
USDA Awards $13 Million for Rural Clean Energy Projects
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on September 2 that it’s providing over $13 million in loans and grants for 233 renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in 38 states under the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP).
The REAP program is authorized under the 2008 Farm Bill to support clean energy projects at farms, ranches, and rural small businesses. The loan guarantees and grants can be used for renewable energy systems, energy efficiency improvements, feasibility studies, and energy audits. Projects range from replacement of aging, inefficient farm equipment to investments in renewable energy installations, including wind, solar, biomass, and hydropower projects.
For example, Milford Wind Energy, LLC, in Story City, Iowa, was selected to receive a $1.8 million guaranteed loan and a $500,000 grant to build a 900 kW wind turbine. When complete next year, the turbine is expected to produce nearly 3.3 million kWh of electricity each year, which will be sold to the local utility company. And Terrydale Farms, Inc. in Charleston, Illinois, will receive a $20,000 grant to replace a 25-year-old grain dryer. The replacement dryer is expected to cut energy consumption by nearly 37%, lowering the farm’s annual energy bill by more than $8,500. See the USDA press release, which includes a full list of recipients.
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EREE Network News is a weekly publication of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE).
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