Geo09_Lecture4_Energy History PDF

Selection of Major Energy-Related Events (primarily in the US)  Last Time How does climate change? What is a greenhouse gas? Carbon cycling Sources of other greenhouse gases 2  Lecture Outline: Energy Policy/H...

Selection of Major Energy-Related Events (primarily in the US)  Last Time How does climate change? What is a greenhouse gas? Carbon cycling Sources of other greenhouse gases 2  Lecture Outline: Energy Policy/History Energy Policy – 1970s – reaction to oil embargo, formation of Department of Energy, strong energy policy – 1980s – reduction of price controls on fuel; – Late 1980s – Chernobyl; Fall of Berlin Wall; Exxon Valdez – Early 1990s - Gulf War; IPCC founded – 1990s – important environmental laws – 2000s – focus on energy independence, promotion of biofuels – Early 2010s – environmentalism, increased renewables Will not discuss these (will primarily be covered throughout future lectures): – Late 2010s - increased use of fossil fuels – Early 2020s – return to focus on renewable investment NOTE: US President’s are listed as a reference for you – does not imply they are responsible for all events during their administration Class 5 1930s - 40s: FDR builds many hydroelectric dams during the New Deal https://youtu.be/qKSo_BiG4jw 1950s: Eisenhower launches age of commercial nuclear energy (and also creates the national interstate system, leading to American car culture) 8/28/2024 4  1960s and 1970s Class 9/14/2021 14 5  1960: The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was formed Due to the amount of oil production they control, OPEC decisions have a large effect on the global oil market Example of a group that cooperates to reduce market competition Class 5 1973: Oil Embargo first major modern energy crisis Some OPEC nations stopped selling oil to certain counties due to their support of Israel in the Arab-Israeli War Oil prices tripled and major gasoline shortages occurred: Emergency Petroleum Allocation Act was a failure Increased demand for coal 8/28/2024 https://youtu.be/YMb_hbt1NLw 7 Class 5 Mid-1970s, laws enacted to develop new energy administrations and laws to promote oil production and development of strategic petroleum reserve 8/28/2024 8 Class 5 Carter administration 1977: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Created Responsible for regulating energy production and transmission 1977: Department of Energy Created The mission of the Energy Department is to ensure America’s security and prosperity by addressing its energy, environmental and nuclear challenges through 8/28/2024 transformative science and technology solutions. 9 Class 5 Carter administration 1979: Solar Panels Installed on the White House Removed during the Regan Administration 8/28/2024 10 Class 5 1979: Three-Mile Island Incident Most serious nuclear incident in the US Partial reactor meltdown, but only very, very small releases of radioactivity No long term health effects 8/28/2024 https://youtu.be/Ev6IJOlROto 11  1980s (and very end of 1970s) Class 9/14/2021 14 12 Class 5 Carter administration 1978-1980: Iranian Revolution 1980: Beginning of Iraq War In 1981, OPEC production was ¼ less than it was in 1978 (referred to as the 1979 oil crisis) Oil prices double. OPEC continues to limit production to increase prices through 80s 8/28/2024 1980: Energy Security Act 13 Class 5 Reagan administration 1981: US removes price controls on domestic oil industry - deregulation 8/28/2024 14 Class 5 Reagan administration 1986: Chernobyl Incident Reactor meltdown Radioactive particles carried over northern Europe 8/28/2024 https://youtu.be/0k3wnXBE5S0 15 Class 5 Reagan administration 1987: Yucca Mountain Chosen as Nuclear Waste Repository Project funding removed during Obama administration –strong state and regional opposition (Harry Reid, Senate Majority Leader from 2005-2015 represented Nevada) Project may have been more successful if local community had been allowed more involvement in planning 8/28/2024 16 Class 5 Reagan administration 1989: Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Spilled 10.8 million gallons of oil into the Prince William Sound (Alaska) – second largest spill in the US, killed 100s of thousands of seabird, billions of fish eggs Considered one of the worst environmental disasters in US history https://youtu.be/A7hfQ8mTVrU 8/28/2024 17  1990s (mostly discussed in next lecture) Class 9/14/2021 14 18 Class 5 Bush (senior) administration 1990: Clean Air Act Amendments Required changes to fossil fuels to make them pollute less, led to favoring of natural gas over coal 8/28/2024 19 Class 5 Oil wells burning in Kuwait 1990-1991: Gulf War Bush (senior) administration Dramatic increases in oil prices 8/28/2024 20  2000s Class 9/14/2021 14 21 Class 5 Bush (junior) administration 2000s: 9/11 and the Iraq War This, plus natural disasters, declining petroleum reserves, and concerns over peak oil led to increased prices Prices didn’t drop significantly until the Recession 8/28/2024 22 Class 5 2006: Sago Mine Disaster 12 people killed after explosion caused a collapse, only one trapped miner survived https://youtu.be/F9eZwhMkfyw 8/28/2024 23 Class 5 2008: Kingston Fossil Plant coal fly ash slurry spill Dike at a coal ash pond ruptured at a Tennessee Valley Authority Coal fired power plant; released 1.1 billion gallons of coal fly ash slurry. Largest industrial spill in US history. ~40 of the people who cleaned up the spill have since died, and 250+ illnesses. https://youtu.be/GumwRomPQhk 8/28/2024 24 Class 5 2010: Upper Big Branch Mine disaster 29 people killed (the four mentioned as missing in the video were killed); Primarily caused by circumventing safety regulations, particularly those enacted after the Sago mine disaster. CEO imprisoned for one year for conspiring to violate federal mine standards. https://youtu.be/X7UAKzna_DU 8/28/2024 25 Class 5 2010: Deepwater Horizon Explosion and fire on offshore drilling rig Massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico Shut down of deepwater drilling for 6 months Worst oil spill in US since 1910 https://youtu.be/82fydC5SMWQ 8/28/2024 26 Class 5 2011: Fukishima Daiichi (will discuss more in nuclear lecture) 2nd worst nuclear disaster, occurred in Japan Massive evacuation Tusnami triggered by earthquake, which flooded generators 1 death from cancer from radiation, >2000 deaths from evacuation (mostly elderly) https://youtu.be/e6acTQBmHNY https://youtu.be/MQR51FKQXhg 8/28/2024 27  Some highlights of presidential energy policies Nixon: policies primarily reaction to oil embargo Carter: investment in renewables, energy efficiency; formation of DOE Reagan: limited energy policy, focused on reducing price controls Bush (senior): promotion of natural gas and energy efficiency Clinton: environmental policies Bush (junior): heavy investment in ethanol Obama: investment in renewables, energy efficiency Trump: expansion of coal and natural gas, weakening environmental regulations Biden: return to invested in renewables and increasing environmental protections 8/28/2024 Class 5 28  Next time Concept Review Due: 2/8 Next Lecture: IPCC History 29  Reminders Concept Review due 9/13 at midnight Assignment 1 due 9/19 at midnight Readings on syllabus and brightspace 9/12: IPCC 8/28/2024 Class 5 30