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Overview
In the last 50 years, the global community has experienced rapidly growing energy use. The U.S. is the largest user of energy, with an increased dependence on foreign energy and raw materials. Energy supply markets are changing rapidly to support developing economies as well as the economies of developed nations.
The earth's reserves of petroleum are uncertain, of limited quantity, and are largely outside the territory, control, and influence of the U.S. This has led to direct economic effects and security threats in the U.S. Coal and nuclear power are the only technically proven, large-scale sources of future electricity supply that are viable alternatives to oil and natural gas.
Much of our national and global concern with environmental pollution is directly related to the methods of production and use of energy. Global warming caused by atmospheric CO2 increases from fossil fuel combustion is the greatest current environmental concern.
"Only one immediately available source for electrical energy does not cause global warming and that is nuclear energy." The U.S. can and should lead the world in the deployment of nuclear energy. Environmental protection, including better air quality, must be a major goal.
Energy issues should be considered in light of the inextricable linkage between energy independence, global economic competitiveness, and environmental quality. The overwhelming need to couple an effective policy with the balance of trade, domestic economy and employment, environmental protection, and national security must become part of our national policy. The U.S. must have a flexible and comprehensive National Energy Plan with policies necessary to provide long-term reliable, secure, and environmentally acceptable energy supplies at predictable and affordable costs.
To reduce our reliance on foreign sources of energy, all economically feasible domestic energy options and technologies should be explored along with a vigorous program of long-term national emphasis on energy conservation and efficiency. The NEP should also make enhanced support for energy research and development programs a national priority. We must assume the leadership role in the development of a world-centered energy policy. The federal government must assume a leadership role in the area of renewable energy development and serve as a catalyst to private sector initiatives and develop incentives that encourage the use of the most energy-efficient design products and construction methods for both public and private buildings.
The Problem Identified
Through most of its history, the U.S. enjoyed the world's most abundant domestic energy market with inexpensive energy and ample raw materials. This situation minimized our reliance on foreign markets and trade. However, an expanding economy, declining reserves, and the cost of domestic exploration and recovery in comparison to that experienced overseas has led to increased dependence on foreign energy and raw materials.
Naturally occurring liquid petroleum is the world's most used energy source. Oil through sea borne commerce is the largest single element in international trade.
Our limited oil sources are affecting every aspect of the U.S. economy and security. In addition, the emission of greenhouse gases is now generally accepted to be causing increases in global atmospheric temperatures leading to potentially severe environmental effects from current and increasing burning of fossil fuels.
Advocacy of NSPE
Systems Approach
A systems approach is required to link global economic competitiveness, environmental quality, energy independence, and national security in our NEP.
National Energy Plan
The U.S. must have a comprehensive and flexible NEP with policies necessary to provide reliable, secure, and environmentally acceptable energy supplies at predictable and affordable costs.
Certain fuels are best suited for specific end uses. Liquid fuels are needed for aircraft and some surface vehicle propulsion. Natural gas has become a major fuel for home and industrial heating. Coal and nuclear power are best suited to stationary power plant uses. The long-term NEP should consider how each fuel could best fulfill society's needs.
The NEP should address effective methods to increase domestic production and reduce oil imports. High demand for foreign oil creates a security risk for U.S. citizens, aggravates uncertainty in availability and price, and threatens the U.S. economy.
All economically feasible domestic energy technologies and options should be explored. A vigorous program of long-term national emphasis on energy conservation and efficiency is also needed. American engineers have effectively worked to promote and improve energy conservation through improved operating plans and the design of energy efficient systems, structures, and components since the early 1970s. The potential for further conservation and efficiency is expanding at a rapid pace.
Enhanced support for energy research and development programs should be a national priority in the NEP. Alternative technologies in fossil energy, including improved recovery of oil and gas, fluidized bed combustion development, fuel cell technology implementation, development of processes for the recovery and use of gas hydrates resources and coal bed methane resources, superconductive material use in electrical transmission and storage systems, fusion systems, solar and wind energy, and other renewable sources should be included. Further, R&D in energy conservation should be supported. Nuclear energy use should be urgently expanded. Because the U.S. uses a dominant percentage of total world energy, we must assume the leadership role in the development of a world-centered energy policy.
Energy planning should not constrain price competition or innovation but should promote long-term dependability for the energy supplies. The NEP should allow for government intervention in situations where market forces alone cannot achieve desired long-range goals. Driving forces in energy considerations, such as environmental quality concerns, the reliability of imported oil sources, and balance of payments issues, could necessitate some short-term government investment to obtain the long-term benefits that alternative energy sources offer.
Electric Power
As an energy form, electricity is inherently adaptable. It can be generated from many resources and can accommodate diverse user requirements. These characteristics have made electricity a critical commodity in the U.S. economy and an important factor in limiting our dependence on imported oil.
More than one-third of the total energy used in the U.S. goes to the generation of electricity. Demand for electricity has historically risen in tandem with the gross national product, and this trend is expected to continue. It is expected that $100 billion to $200 billion in new capital investment will be needed over the next 10 years to meet the nation's growing electricity needs.
A significant portion of our electric power is lost in transmission and distribution systems. Methods to apply superconductivity and other technology to reduce losses and permit storage for peak loads should be pursued. Massive recent power outages have led to a federal emphasis on the maintenance of distribution system reliability. Recent legislation has mandated this efficiency improvement.
Coal
Almost 90% of domestic coal used goes into generating electricity. It is our most abundant indigenous fossil fuel resource. Environmental concerns with coal use are well documented. Future increases in coal consumption will require addressing unresolved issues. These include further reducing emissions that form acidic compounds (acid rain) and ozone and urgent concern about the effects of increased buildup of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulates in the atmosphere.
A balance must be reached between real concerns over environmental protection and increased coal production and use. We recommend continued development of "clean coal" technologies, efficient combustion technologies, and reduction of barriers to investment in new, upgraded, environmentally cleaner, coal-use facilities to make coal more acceptable in the market.
Oil
Oil meets more than 60% of the nation's current energy needs with over 60% coming from imports. This lack of control over our supply has resulted in direct threats to the security of our citizens and economic effects directly related to the cost and availability of imported oil.
Exploration and development of resources in the coastal plain of the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge should be opened by an act of Congress. Recent technological developments have reduced the size of the affected footprint for exploration and production by over 90%. Past development on Alaska's North Slope has been achieved without significant detrimental ecological effects. Employment of current practices will have even less affect to the sensitive arctic environment. Exploration and development will ensure that a U.S. oil supply will be available when other oil supplies dwindle or are interrupted by political events. The North Slope pipeline already provides 25% of U.S. domestic production.
Natural Gas
Natural gas is a domestically abundant, cleaner burning fuel that currently accounts for about one-quarter of all U.S. residential and commercial energy consumption. American industry has existing heavy capital investments in equipment designed for natural gas. In many applications, natural gas can be substituted economically and easily for oil, thus reducing dependence on imports. Natural gas is also gaining favor as an environmentally preferred fuel for a variety of previous liquid petroleum applications. Economics and mechanical challenges still hinder these applications. Discoveries of massive resources of gas hydrates in the form of frozen natural gas and of coal bed methane trapped in Alaskan coal reserves have been made. Federal policy planners should encourage development of these resources as a significant U.S. response to the reduction of global carbon dioxide emissions. This can be achieved if the gas in the North Slope can be recovered and piped south along the existing pipeline right of way. Natural gas could make a larger contribution to U.S. energy security with technological advances generated by increased R&D. Further, research and development of potential domestic sources of gas supply, such as geopressurized zones and various tight rock formations, should be pursued.
Liquid Hydrogen
The U.S. has already made commitments to develop supplies and systems for the use of liquid hydrogen as an alternative fuel to gasoline. U.S. policy and industrial teaming should continue to aggressively promote the development of technology and use of liquid hydrogen. "Splitting water is the only nongreenhouse gas-emitting approach to manufacturing hydrogen. By using electricity, or by using heat directly from nuclear reactors to produce hydrogen, it may be possible to move from fossil fuels for transport energy to using clean hydrogen, thus virtually eliminating smog caused by autos, trucks, and trains."
Nuclear Power
Nuclear power and coal are the only large-scale, technically proven, currently viable alternatives to oil and natural gas for future electricity supply. "Nuclear energy is currently the source of about 20 percent of the electricity generated in the United States." The growing global acceptance of carbon dioxide releases, as a cause of global warming, should lead to increased U.S. policy emphasis on the construction of new nuclear power plants.
The realization of the potential contributions of nuclear power to the production of electrical energy in the U.S. depends on gaining public and political acceptance of the safe and economic operation of nuclear power plants and the reliable management of nuclear wastes. It is imperative that industry and government continue to stress excellence in the construction, reliability of operation, management, and regulation of nuclear power plants to strengthen the confidence of the American public. Private and public utilities must exhibit leadership to achieve these goals. Life extension for existing nuclear power plants should be encouraged as a means to maintain their contribution to carbon dioxide emissions reduction. We support the development of Generation IV improved light water reactors as means to enhance safety, reduce costs, and directly address the global temperature increase by increasing our percentage of nuclear generated electricity.
The development and operation of the world's first high-level nuclear waste repository should continue to be a high priority U.S. program.
Global Warming
America's engineers have achieved dramatic and unparalleled reductions of all forms of pollutant emissions from both large- and small-scale sources in the public and private sectors. Despite this enviable record, it is still imperative that continued emphasis be given to the systematic reduction of pollutant emissions throughout the world. The emission of greenhouse gases by humankind is generally accepted to be causing increases in global average temperature.
We encourage the use of nuclear power and alternative resource energy where feasible in lieu of burning fossil fuels. Where burning fossil fuels remains viable and necessary, we must minimize emissions of these gases by efficient cleanup and by burning fuels more cleanly. Energy conservation and increased efficiency of energy distribution systems (including motor vehicles) hold immediate promise in reducing fossil fuel burning and the release of gases contributing to the greenhouse effect.
Alternative and Renewable Energy Resources
All feasible alternative and renewable energy options, such as nuclear fusion, solar energy, liquid hydrogen, electricity from low-head dams, geothermal, fuel cells, wind power, synthetic fuels, and municipal waste, should be pursued. The state of the critical technologies essential to the development of these alternatives is more advanced than is recognized. The rate of technological progress and the forces of the energy market have already made some of these viable in some locations and will continue to determine the extent to which these sources can be developed. We endorse all strategies that help realize alternative or renewable energy potential, including continued R&D and active international collaboration.
The federal government must assume a leadership role for renewable energy development. It needs to serve as a catalyst to private sector initiatives.
The harnessing of the nation's water resources for the purposes of energy supply is another component for achieving the national goals of energy independence. Decisions regarding the use of water resources for electricity generation must be made in a systems context where energy, commercial, aesthetic, and ecological needs are also considered. Cost-benefit analyses should be part of every decision to add or delete hydropower facilities.
The nation should continue efforts to de-emphasize the use of naturally occurring hydrocarbons for automobile fuels. Initiatives aimed at development of an alternative fuels capability, especially for motor vehicle use, hold great promise and should be supported. These steps should be taken in recognition of both the finite supply of petroleum and the environmental effects of excess combustion of hydrocarbons. Incentives for partial conversion of the vehicle fleet to natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, electricity, liquid hydrogen, and alcohol fuels or vehicles with hybrid sources with immediate environmental pollution gains as an added benefit are encouraged.
Energy Efficiency
Energy use efficiency has increased because the high cost of energy has permitted deployment of efficiency-enhancing technology. Significant potential for improvement remains. Further economic gains in energy efficiency should continue through the eventual turnover of almost all less efficient capital stock (e.g., autos) with new, more energy-efficient products and devices.
Transportation Sector—The automobile industry has made great improvements in the fuel efficiency of the automobile. However, this improvement has been offset by a market shift toward larger vehicles driving more miles at faster speeds than before, thus increasing rather than decreasing the consumption of motor fuel.
The transportation sector offers the greatest opportunity for reduced dependence on foreign and domestic fossil fuels because it is the largest consumer of petroleum. A reduction in petroleum usage in the transportation sector has not only strategic benefits, but also environmental benefits. The use of electrically driven mass transit vehicles could significantly reduce emissions if combined with a move toward renewable and nuclear electric generation plants.
There are promising alternatives to liquid fueled vehicles that require a combination of scientific research and engineering development. Hybrid vehicles using both liquid fuel and electric power are already available and have the potential to significantly improve fuel efficiency.
Residential, Commercial, and Industrial Sectors—We urge Congress and the administration to work with the private sector to develop incentives that encourage the use of the most energy-efficient designs and construction methods and materials for both private and public buildings. Current trends, such as by the U.S. Green building Council, DOD, and federal agencies to require Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification in some facilities, are a start. Engineering professionals should be included in the design and planning processes to enhance these construction improvements. We recognize that energy-efficient design and construction methods may have an adverse affect on the indoor air quality of the building by reducing outside air ventilation. Engineering professionals and others must address this consequence when designing and constructing energy-efficient private and public buildings.
We encourage the review of ongoing national, state, and local building codes to ensure consistent maximum energy efficiency standards nationwide and in all sectors of the economy. In addition, the federal government should provide outreach and education activities pertaining to these energy codes.
We also support rating systems for consumer, industrial, and office products to enhance the public's knowledge when selecting energy-efficient items. Engineers should be included in the development and application of such rating systems.
Citations
[i] Nuclear Energy Can Avoid Global Warming
James Lovelock Paper, Nuclear Energy Institute "Insight" for July 2004.
[ii] U.S. Energy and World Energy Production and Consumption Statistics; USGS, Central Region Energy Resources Team; http://energy.usgs.gov/; 1998 Consumption – United States v. World; oil – 40%; natural gas 23%, coal – 23%
[iii] National Energy Strategy: Powerful Ideas for America. First Edition 1991/1992. U.S. GPO. Washington, D.C. p 74
[iv] NES, p. 28
[v] USE&WEP&C, Production – United States – 1998 – 26.7%
[vi] NES, p.25
[vii] U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Government Reform; testimony by Patrick Moore, chairman and Chief Scientist of Greenspirit Strategies Ltd., April 28, 2005.
