Achieving Energy and Environmental Security: A Challenge for the United States
Name : Achieving Energy and Environmental Security: A Challenge for the United States.
Category : Energy & Environment
Files Source: www.rsis.edu.sg
File Added : August 2, 2010
Size : 97 KB
Download : 326
This online presentation about background, energy security challenges for the U.S, energy – related environmental challenges, the U.S. and global climate change, achieving energy and environmental security, conclusions.
Content summary :
* Wood was by far the largest source of energy in the U.S. until the 1860s.
* Coal supplied most of the energy for the industrial revolution in the United States, as it had in Europe. It still supplies over 20% of the total U.S. energy consumption.
* Petroleum has been the largest source of energy in the U.S. since the 1950s.
* Energy Security requires meeting not only the overall energy demand, but also meeting the energy requirements of specific sectors.
* The transportation sector depends on Petroleum for 96% of its energy requirement. It will take many decades to substantially change the structure of this sector.
* During 2007, U.S. imported over 500 million tonnes of crude oil, and over 100 million tonnes of oil products. Such high reliance on imports leaves the country highly vulnerable to supply disruptions.
* Even though no region supplies more than about 20% of its imports, the oil supply chain is highly integrated, and supply disruptions in one region quickly result in shortages and price increases almost everywhere.
* Of the 132 nuclear power plants receiving full-power approval from 1957-2007, 28 have been shut down permanently. The number of operating units has declined by 8% since 1990.
* The political and social obstacles to increasing nuclear power are considerable. However, greater use of nuclear electricity is one of the principal options available at present.
* 75% of the energy for the residential and commercial sector is provided by natural gas. Additional imports of natural gas may have to come in the form of imported LNG at higher cost than gas piped from Canada or Mexico.
* U.S. is already importing about 3% of its natural gas consumption as LNG, mainly from Trinidad & Tobago, Egypt, Algeria, and Nigeria. The largest proven reserves of natural gas in the world are in Russia and Iran, but the U.S. is unlikely to import LNG from those countries……” Download for more information!!
