Materials For Energy

The Science of Oil Drilling Goes Deep

The demand for crude oil will continue to increase in the near term. Half of the world's undiscovered oil is thought to lie offshore. Thus, in spite of the negative attention garnered by oil spills, such as the recent BP Deepwater Horizon spill, deepwater drilling will continue despite the risks. Even if exploratory drilling hits oil, in order to determine how much oil is present and the type of oil, new innovative scientific tools that regard an oil reservoir as a complex materials system are crucial, says Philip Ball in his Energy Sector Analysis article in the second issue of Energy Quarterly published in the December 2010 MRS Bulletin. New analytical techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging, x-ray and neutron scattering and ultrasound are proving to be essential for mapping the composition and shape of the host rock. This information is important to determine the type of extraction to be used.

An oil reservoir is more than a fluid-filled cavity; it is a highly complex material system. The hydrocarbon material may vary from natural gas to a virtually solid, tarry substance made from partly aromatic compounds. The composition could vary from one part of a reservoir to another. Ball details a new methodology for in situ characterization of the reservoir fluids.

It is interesting to note that marine ecosystems are constantly exposed to crude oil via natural processes. Bacteria and fungi have adapted to metabolize the energy-rich hydrocarbons, and effective remediation strategies in the past have included boosting the abundance of these hydrocarbon degraders by adding appropriate nutrients. This bioremediation process can be accelerated by the use of surfactants to emulsify the oil. Dispersants are also effective to reduce the impact of spills on land shores. Ball details these issues in his latest Energy Quarterly article.

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Gopal R. Rao, Ph.D.
Web Science Editor
Materials Research Society (MRS)

Welcome

Welcome to the Materials Research Society’s (MRS) “MATERIALS FOR ENERGY” blog. I am your host Russell R. Chianelli, MRS president in 1990 and career researcher in energy materials: batteries, catalysts, hydrogen storage and solar cells.

We all recognize the importance of energy in the coming years for global economic growth and security. We also recognize that energy production in any form has environmental consequences that must be considered. Materials research is key to the development and maintenance of reliable and safe energy sources which are affordable and environmentally acceptable.

It is the purpose of the “MATERIALS FOR ENERGY” blog to discuss the scientific issues surrounding all areas of materials for energy: basic research, scale-up and commercialization, deployment, environmental impact including raw materials acquisition and finally disposal technologies. In order to effectively discuss these issues we have invited a series of experts as co-hosts to assist in guiding the discussions and to present current articles and resources for discussion. We encourage all interested parties in engaging in the discussions and suggest the April 2008 issue of the MRS Bulletin – Harnessing Materials for Energy.

 

 

Welcome and Blog On!!    

 

Energy Related Videos from the 2008 MRS Fall Meeting

Two videos from the 2008 MRS Fall Meeting are now posted on the ScienceFriday.com Web site.

Video One—Susan Solomon on Climate Change
Susan Solomon, a scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, gives the keynote address at the meeting of the Materials Research Society. Solomon discusses the evidence of changes in the Earth's climate and the causes of those changes. Courtesy of MRS.

Video Two—MRS Forum: Nuclear Power in America
Ira Flatow moderates a panel at the meeting of the Materials Research Society on the impediments to a renaissance of nuclear power in the US. Claude Guet, deputy to the High Commissioner for Atomic Energy CEA (French Atomic Energy Commission), Chaim Braun, of the center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University, Thomas Cochran, of the National Resources Defense Council, and Rodney Ewing, geologist at the University of Michigan, discuss the role of materials science in nuclear power. Courtesy of MRS.

 

Also see:

Energy Forum at ICEM 2008, Sydney, Australia
International Conference on Electronic Materials IUMRS-ICEM 2008
Sydney, Australia, July 31, 2008
This Energy Forum was a follow-on to the Energy Forum held during the 2008 MRS Spring Meeting in San Francisco and publication of the MRS Bulletin special issue, “Harnessing Materials for Energy” (April 2008, Vol. 33, No. 4). Industry representatives and researchers from across the world participated in the series of presentations and a panel discussion. The event focused on the most important materials research challenges that need to be addressed to move toward secure, affordable, and environmentally sustainable energy to meet the world’s accelerating energy needs. Following the full energy chain including production, storage, distribution and use, the presentations gave a global view of the energy challenges ahead and promising materials research directions for meeting these challenges.

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Dr. Gopal Rao
Web Science Editor
Materials Research Society (MRS)

 

Synthetic trees and algae can counter climate change, say engineers

An article in the Times (UK) (August 27, 2009) discusses geo-engineering using artificial trees to collect CO2 from the atmosphere.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article6811264.ece

Excerpt:

Giant fly-swat shaped “synthetic trees” line the road into the office, where blooms of algae grow in tubes up the walls and the roof reflects heat back into the sky — all reducing the effects of global warming.

All this could be a familiar sight within the next two decades, under proposals devised by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (UK) to alter the world’s climate with new technology.

The institution is recommending a series of technical fixes to “buy time” to avert dangerous levels of climate change.

It says that the most promising solution is offered by artificial trees, devices that collect CO2 through their “leaves” and convert it to a form that can easily be collected and stored.Tim Fox, head of environment and climate change at the institution, said that the devices were thousands of times more effective at removing carbon from the atmosphere than real trees.

More ....

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Dr. Gopal Rao
Web Science Editor
Materials Research Society (MRS)

On-site energy generation leads to EPA recognition

(From Nobel Intent - Ars Technica)

Full Article

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published a list of what it considers some of the greenest organizations around. "Green" is an arbitrary metric but, for the purpose of this list and article, the greenest organizations are defined as those that use the most "on-site green power" in kilowatt-hours on an annual contract basis. While one can argue which power sources really are green, the list highlights biomass, biogas, hydroelectric, wind, and solar.

Eight of the top 20 organizations listed are civic municipalities, either US cities or counties. Geographically they range from San Diego, CA to Nassau County, NY. Of these eight municipalities, six are on the west coast (CA and OR), one in the Midwest and one on the East coast. 

The number one in terms of magnitude of on-site green energy production and use is a company, the Kimberly-Clark Corporation, which makes, among other things, Scott toilet tissues, Huggies diapers, and Kleenex tissues. Headquartered in Dallas, TX they use 192.7 million kWh of green energy derived from biomass each year.

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Dr. Gopal Rao
Web Science Editor
Materials Research Society (MRS)

Carbon capture and storage: Trouble in store

 

An article in the March 5 issue of the Economist questions the practicality of carbon capture and storage (CCS).

http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13226661

Some excerpts:

A recent American television advertisement features a series of trustworthy-looking individuals affirming their faith in the potential of "clean coal." ... The idea that clean coal, or to be more specific, a technology known as carbon capture and storage (CCS), will save the world from global warming has become something of an article of faith among policymakers too.

CCS features prominently in all the main blueprints for reducing greenhouse-gas emissions. The Stern Review, a celebrated report on the economics of climate change, considers it "essential." It provides one of the seven tranches of emissions cuts proposed by Robert Socolow of Princeton University. The International Energy Agency (IEA) reckons the world will need over 200 power plants equipped with CCS by 2030 to limit the rise in average global temperatures to about 3°C—a bigger increase than many scientists would like.

...Despite all this enthusiasm, however, there is not a single big power plant using CCS anywhere in the world. Utilities refuse to build any, since the technology is expensive and unproven. ... In short, the world's leaders are counting on a fix for climate change that is at best uncertain and at worst unworkable.

In a purely technical sense, CCS looks promising. There are several proven ways to isolate carbon dioxide from fossil fuels, using a variety of combustion techniques and an assortment of chemical “scrubbers” to react with the gas.

The problem with CCS is the cost. The chemical steps in the capture consume energy, as do the compression and transport of the carbon dioxide. That will use up a quarter or more of the output of a power station fitted with CCS, according to most estimates. So plants with CCS will need to be at least a third bigger than normal ones to generate the same net amount of power, and will also consume at least a third more fuel. In addition, there is the extra expense of building the capture plant and the injection pipelines. If the storage site is far from the power plant, yet more energy will be needed to move the carbon dioxide.

Dr. Gopal Rao
Web Science Editor
Editor, Materials360^®
Editor, Meeting Scene
Materials Research Society (MRS)

Building a Community Dialogue on the Global Energy Landscape and Materials Innovation

It has been more than a month since the preliminary release of the MRS Bulletin issue, Harnessing Materials for Energy. From anecdotal evidence, the issue has been well received, with positive comments, requests for bulk quantities, and healthy single copy sales. It has been and will continue to be distributed far and wide to scientists, policymakers, energy leaders, educators, and students in the U.S., Europe, Asia, Africa, and elsewhere.

But our goal is not to have it “liked.” Our goal is to have it used.

It is time to look beyond the cover, and to build a dialogue in the community. By placing together the full spectrum of energy technologies from source through transformation to use and efficiency (shown in the Preface, illustration of the energy landscape, and Introduction), it is possible to see challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. We can beyond worrying about the future to joining the many researchers, entrepreneurs, and corporations looking for and building robust solutions. What important challenges have emerged? What scientific approaches might speed progress? What can we learn from experiments around the world, such as sugarcane ethanol in Brazil, hydrogen in Iceland, nuclear power in France, coal liquefaction in South Africa, wind energy in Germany, electric cars in Israel, and solar in California? Will immediate implementation trump stronger developments of tomorrow? What is needed for widespread use of cellulosic ethanol, white LEDs for general lighting, nuclear breeder reactors, carbon sequestration, methane hydrates, organic solar cells, or plug-in hybrids? I ask the readers of this blog to give thoughtful input to the unanswered questions and unquestioned answers related to materials and energy. Start with a look at the introductory content in the MRS Bulletin issue, Harnessing Materials for Energy. Where should materials research go next?

Please add your comments here. In future posts, we will examine other articles in the issue. We also welcome suggestions for future blog coverage, which can be e-mailed to materialsforenergy@mrs.org.

Dr. Elizabeth L. Fleischer
Editor, MRS Bulletin
Materials Research Society

MRS Bulletin Special Issue "Harnessing Materials for Energy"

The Materials Research Society and the MRS Bulletin are pleased to announce the availability of the April special issue of the MRS Bulletin "Harnessing Materials for Energy" on the web.

The MRS Bulletin special expanded issue, “Harnessing Materials for Energy,” focuses on the most important materials research challenges that need to be addressed to move toward secure, affordable, and environmentally sustainable energy to meet the world’s accelerating energy needs. The issue follows the full energy chain including production, storage, distribution, use, and efficiency. The articles are designed to present an objective and global view of the energy challenges within each energy sector and the promising transformational materials research directions for meeting these challenges as far into the future as is scientifically feasible to consider (targeting 10-, 25-, and 50-year outlooks).

A related Energy Forum is slated for Monday, March 24, at the 2008 MRS Spring Meeting.

 

Dr. Gopal Rao
Web Science Editor
Materials Research Society (MRS)

Welcome to the Materials for Energy Blog!

This blog is brought to you by the Materials Research Society (MRS), an organization of materials researchers from academia, industry, and government that promotes communication for the advancement of interdisciplinary materials research to improve the quality of life.

The MRS Bulletin is one of the most widely recognized and highly respected publications in advanced materials research. Published monthly, it features technical theme topics that capture a snapshot of the state-of-the-art of material research. In addition, the Bulletin delivers timely commentary, news, trends and event listings to keep the materials community apprised of information important to their research and their profession.

This blog complements the MRS Bulletin special Energy issue, Harnessing Materials for Energy, to be published in April 2008, and will build on MRS’s growing programming on energy. The focus will be on building ongoing dialogue and community related to addressing the most important materials research challenges that need to be addressed to move toward secure, affordable, and environmentally sustainable energy to meet the world’s accelerating energy needs.

In the coming days and months, we will be posting news, links, reports and commentary relevant to the broad spectrum of issues covered by the articles in the MRS Bulletin special issue on Energy. We look forward to a healthy dialog and discussions by readers, and we encourage posting of comments and feedback.

 

 

Dr. Gopal Rao
Web Science Editor
Materials Research Society (MRS)