Special Thanks …

Utah State UniversityThe Italian Place

Dining ServicesCrumb Bros. Bread

Ethan Muhs

Energy Revolution !

Jeff MuhsExecutive Director of Energy

VenturesUtah State University/USTAR

Our energy challenges call for a revolution

Energy Imports

Oil Price Shocks

Food Price Shocks

Resource Depletion

Climate Change

Our energy challenges call for a revolution

$4 gas in 2008

36% increase in 2007

Air / water quality problems &

deforestation

70% increase in GHG emissions since 1970

U.S. Imports > 60% - often from unfriendly nations

Energy Imports

Oil Price Shocks

Food Price Shocks

Resource Depletion

Climate Change

Our energy challenges call for a revolution

$4 gas in 2008

36% increase in 2007

Air / water quality problems &

deforestation

70% increase in GHG emissions since 1970

U.S. Imports > 60% - often from unfriendly nationsEnergy

Imports

Oil Price Shocks

Food Price Shocks

Resource Depletion

Climate Change

“The supply of secure, clean, sustainable energy is arguably the

most important scientific and technical challenge facing humanity

in the 21st century.”

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (2006) 103, 15729

Energy revolution

can occur at many levels.

Challenges are daunting !But… most choose to work on the small stuff

Levels Where Change Can

Occur

Energy R&D Example Relative Risk of Change to Insiders

Systems Buildings

Sub-Systems Lighting Systems

Components Electric Lamps

Processes Light Emitting Diodes

Current Govt. Energy Initiatives

U.S. Solid-State Lighting Initiative

High

Low

Incrementalism , NOT revolution.

Levels Where Change Can

Occur

Energy R&D Examples Relative Risk of Change to Insiders

Systems Transportation Buildings Solar Energy

Sub-Systems Self-Propelled, Vehicles

Lighting Systems

Electricity Generation

Components Engines Electric Lamps

Solar cells

Processes Chemical Storage

Light Emitting Diodes

Photo-Electric Effect

Current Govt. Energy Initiatives

U.S. FreedomCar Initiative

U.S. Solid-State Lighting Initiative

U.S. Solar America Initiative

HighSocietal,

Socio-Technical, Political,

Organizational, Institutional,

Personal, Programmatic Risk

Low

Biggest risks to revolution are NOT technical

Risk-averse, “evolutionary” thinking

Addressing known needs and problems with new scientific knowledge, materials and processes.

Existing Need “evolutionary” ideasMore efficient light bulbs New light emitting diodesMore efficient, cheap solar cells New photoelectric

conversion devicesSelf-propelled cars and trucks requiring less or no oil

Plug-in electric vehicles and hydrogen-powered cars

More drought tolerant crops grown in less fertile soil

Genetic engineering of traditional crop feed stocks

We need REVOLUTION not evolution

Intuitive Lighting

R&D Challenge: Real-time scene interpretation, task identification, and

predictive lighting control

medium

Algae Biofuels

R&D Challenges: Methods to improve sunlight use, algae yield, and dewatering / drying

Great Salt Lake algae strains grow best in high pH and salinity environments.

Temperature, CO2, nutrient, and light controlled reactors

Answers often come from strange places

Adaptive Solar Energy

Systems

R&D Challenge: Optical “switchyards” that redirect sunlight based on real-time needs in

buildings

Wireless Hybrid Electric VehiclesIntegrates energy, vehicle, highway, communication infrastructures .

Addresses all 8 problems of current system: petroleum use, energy price shocks, carbon emissions, air pollution, congestion, fuel costs, labor, and accidents.

ECONOMIC IMPACT: Trillions in potential savings; enable GDP growth rivaling that derived from Interstate Highway System.

R&D Challenge: Wireless energy transfer from electric highways to

moving vehicles

Common traits of revolution• Outsider often a young novice

• Resisted by entrenched insiders usually old experts

• New thinking and “disruptive” innovations

• Old ideas made possible by new technology

Keys to success:• A good idea

• The 8 “P’s”: People, Purpose, Passion, Patience, Persistence, Partnerships, Politics, Perseverance

We need a new generation of revolutionaries with big ideas

• Look beyond today • envision what future energy systems might consist of • pursue opportunities for bringing entirely new core

capabilities to energy systems.

• Create new paradigms and R&D pathways

• Develop functioning, interdisciplinary teams

• Impact our energy future at a higher level

We need you!

Lynsey TalbotStudent Researcher

Utah State University

Natural Gas Drilling

Uintah Basin Evaporation Ponds

Uintah Basin

Lab Setup

Biodiesel

Kevin Shurtleff PhD, MBA

New Energy Entrepreneur Member, USTAR Technology

Outreach Team

Kevin Shurtleff PhD, MBA

New Energy Entrepreneur Associate Director, Eastern Utah,

USTAR Technology Outreach

Energy is Important to Utah

Utah is Important to Energy

Oil & Gas Fields

Source: Southwest Regional Partnership

**

Oil and Gas - Enhanced Oil Recovery

Source: Department of Energy

In-situ Vapor ExtractionMountain West Energy

Source: Mountain West Energy

Coal Resources

Source: Southwest Regional Partnership

**

Coal - Low cost electricity

Source: Deseret Generation and Transmission

Clean Coal - Gasification

Source: University of Utah Institute for Clean and Secure Energy

Clean Coal - Underground Gasification

Source: Partha Das Sharma

Deep Saline AquifersCO2 Sequestration

Source: Southwest Regional Partnership

**

Dr. BJ McPherson and Associates$88mm federal grant$30mm to be spent in UT

Source: Idaho National Laboratory

Oil Shale, Oil Sands, Uranium

Source: Utah Geological Survey

Oil ShaleOSEC - White River Mine - Uintah Basin, Utah

Source: OSEC

WindFirst Wind - Milford, Utah

Source: National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Wind Resource (50 m)

*

*

*

*

Source: First Wind

GeothermalRaser Technologies - Beaver, Utah

Source: National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Geothermal Resource

*

*

*

*

Source: Raser Technologies

Conventional Nuclear PowerBlue Castle - Green River, Utah

Advanced Nuclear PowerFusion Energy - USU - Dr. Farrell Edwards

Fuel Cells ?