US Energy Flow 2025, Sankey Diagram
Posted on February 12th, 2009 by powei.
The Council on Cempetitieveness has just called on the presidential candidates to come up with a national energy plan, believing that future economic growth and security of the United States depends on energy efficiency across the U.S. economy, sustainable energy solutions, and development of new technologies.
The new president might want to ask John Ziagos to advise him on energy issues. Ziagos is with the Energy & Environment Directorate at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories, and an expert for energy scenarios. For me as a Sankey aficionado he is simply the “man behind the Sankey diagrams at LLNL”.
LLNL has been publishing energy flow diagrams for the U.S. over the last few years. In his public presentations (link1 – 2.9 MB, link2 – 4.8 MB) Ziagos impressively shows that even when implementing fuel cell technology for all vehicles, switching completely from coal and natural gas to renewable energy sources to generate the nation’s electricity, and building 270 new nuclear power plants … even then it would not be possible to stabilize U.S. carbon emissions between now and 2050. “If we want to move toward a carbonless future, no single technology will do – everything counts.” Ziagos says.
I am reprodrucing two energy flow diagrams for the U.S. from John’s presentations below. The first is for 1976, the second a 2025 projection.
While overall energy produced will rise from 72 Quads in 1976 to an estimated 133 Quads p.a. in 2025 [Note: 1 Quad(rillion) equal to 10E15 BTU, or 1.055 × 10E18 joules (1.055 exajoules or EJ) in SI units.], the ratio of useful energy to rejected energy gets worse.
Category: Information 6 comments »
June 22nd, 2010 at 11:24 pm
[...] better representation is by means of a Sankey diagram. Such Sankey diagrams exist currently for the U.S., the U.K., Spain, and [...]
July 3rd, 2010 at 5:13 pm
where can I learn to design energy flow diagrams
February 3rd, 2011 at 6:25 am
I discovered your weblog website on google and test a few of one’s early posts. Continue to maintain up the extremely excellent operate. I just extra up your Rss feed to my Msn News Reader. Searching for ahead to reading a lot more from you later on!?
August 8th, 2011 at 4:56 pm
It’s hard to find knowledgeable people on this topic, but you sound like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks
December 6th, 2011 at 6:35 am
Amaze! Thank you! I constantly wished to produce in my internet site a thing like that. Can I take element of the publish to my blog?
January 27th, 2012 at 3:12 am
Nice post. I used to be checking constantly this blog and I am inspired! Extremely helpful info specifically the remaining part
I handle such info a lot. I was seeking this particular info for a long time. Thank you and best of luck.