Oil, Gas, and Energy Commons^™

A Gis Approach For Estimating Optimal Sites For Grid-Connected Photovoltaic (Pv) Cells In Nebraska, Tomotoshi Funabashi

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

In the context of rising energy concerns and increased spotlight on solar energy, this study examines and draws attention to the state of mid potential sunlight. The purpose of this study is to estimate the optimal sites for grid-connected photovoltaic cells in Nebraska, which is ranked 13th nationally in terms of insolation potential. Five factors – insolation potential, adjacency to roads, accessibility to grid, topography, and acreage – are examined with the use of Geographic Information System (GIS). Insolation potential was quantitatively analyzed by averaging, plotting, and interpolating the 20 years of datasets recoded at 28 weather stations of High …

Policy And Science Of Geothermal Heat Use At Mcmurdo Station, Antarctica, Joe Alvine

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

My thesis research project deals with the use of geothermal heat in Antarctica. Currently it is not allowed due to article 7 of the 1991 Protocol on Environmental Protection that placed a 50 moratorium on the exploitation of mineral resources. The US main base in Antarctica, McMurdo Station is currently powered by diesel generators that are inefficient, cause environmental damage, and is expensive to run. By exploring alternative energy options, McMurdo Station can reduce its dependence on non-renewable energy sources. By determining the geothermal potential of McMurdo Station, this project explores the possibilities and benefits that would occur with the …

The Economic Feasibility Of Solar Panels For The University Of Nebraska–Lincoln, Chris Schwarz

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Abstract

The world runs on the electricity provided by gas, oil, and coal. These sources, while cheap, have some major drawbacks associated with them; they are polluting when burned, extraction damages the environment, and the resource reservoirs are limited. With this understanding, the world is turning to renewable energy sources as a means to alleviate its growing energy requirements. But there are problems associated with renewable energy sources preventing them from becoming major sources of electricity generation. These problems are usually monetary in nature.

The cost effectiveness of photovoltaic panels for use by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as a means …

Cellulosic Ethanol: The Benefits, Obstacles, And Implications For Nebraska, Cassidee Lin Thompson

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Abstract Ethanol is a biofuel that has unique capabilities to mitigate global climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions while simultaneously supporting rural economies and decreasing the United States’ dependence on foreign oil. Currently, the state of Nebraska depends on corn ethanol, which may be unsustainable. Cellulosic ethanol is a promising alternative but it is not without its problems, including high production costs and potential environmental damage. This thesis is an attempt to understand the benefits, downfalls, and processes of corn-based and cellulosic ethanol and the potential implications to Nebraska. This research should shed some light on the current obstacles …

Gasoline: The Achilles' Heel Of U. S. Energy Security, Robert W. Weaver

United States Department of Energy: Publications

The United States must balance securing our energy future with protecting our environment from climate change. A holistic approach is required to solve this complex problem. We must reduce demand for petroleum, improve energy efficiency, and develop feasible alternative energy solutions to include emission capture technologies.

The United States remains the largest consumer of energy products in the world and is the second leading producer of green house gas (GHG) emissions. Our dependence on imported petroleum is undermining our control of our national security interests. Petroleum comprises 63% of the United States’ energy consumption, with the transportation sector accounting for …

Crop Yield Gaps: Their Importance, Magnitudes, And Causes, David B. Lobell, Kenneth G. Cassman, Christopher B. Field

Nebraska Center for Energy Sciences Research: Publications

Future trajectories of food prices, food security, and cropland expansion are closely linked to future average crop yields in the major agricultural regions of the world. Because the maximum possible yields achieved in farmers’ fields might level off or even decline in many regions over the next few decades, reducing the gap between average and potential yields is critical. In most major irrigated wheat, rice, and maize systems, yields appear to be at or near 80% of yield potential, with no evidence for yields having exceeded this threshold to date. A fundamental constraint in these systems appears to be uncertainty …

Response To Plevin: Implications For Life Cycle Emissions Regulations, Adam Liska, Kenneth G. Cassman

Nebraska Center for Energy Sciences Research: Publications

A robust dialogue concerning appropriate parameter values for life cycle assessment (LCA) models is necessary because regulation of life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from biofuel systems will determine market access and government subsidies for biofuel producers.1 Such a dialogue is also critical for creating more accurate LCA methods that will be accepted by scientists, industry, and the public. Plevin (2009) has identified multiple concerns with the life cycle emissions methodology employed in our previous analysis using the Biofuel Energy Systems Simulator (BESS) model (Liska et al. 2009), but only four alter our estimates substantially: (1) denaturant addition (+6.5 gCO …

Nebraska Wind Power: A Comparative Study Of Knowledge And Attitudes, Cameron Helgren

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Abstract The goal of this project is to assess the knowledge and attitudes of Nebraskans on the issue of wind power. The point of this research is to learn whether the presence of wind power has a positive effect on a person’s knowledge about and attitudes toward wind power and wind turbines. Using mail surveys, qualitative and quantitative data were collected from the towns of Pierce and Ainsworth Nebraska. The surveys aided in seeing patterns of knowledge about wind power and wind turbines and positive and negative attitudes and major concerns regarding wind power.

Applications And Potentials For Biogenic Methane Recovery Operations In Nebraska Agriculture, Industry, And Economic Development, David Micheal Dingman

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

ABSTRACT: This thesis report illustrates the applications and potentials of biogenic methane recovery in Nebraska’s agricultural and industrial sectors and as a means for increasing sustainable economic development in the state’s rural communities. As the nation moves toward a new green economy, biogenic methane recovery as a waste management strategy and renewable energy resource presents significant opportunities for Nebraska to be a national and world leader in agricultural and industrial innovation, advanced research and development of renewable energy technology, and generation of new product markets. Nebraska’s agricultural economy provides a distinct advantage to the state for supporting methane recovery operations …

Evaluation Of Biofuel Driven Irrigation Pumps And/Or Electric Generators For Use During Peak Electricity Demand, Milford Hanna

Nebraska Center for Energy Sciences Research: White Papers and Presentations

The goal of this research is to support the development of a biofuel power unit industry in Nebraska to increase the use of agricultural resources, crops and the resulting biofuels that are produced in the region. Two Nebraska companies developed commercially available technologies to utilize denatured ethanol and other biofuels in industrial power‐units. The successful validation and demonstration of these technologies will support adaptation in water pumping and electrical generation plant applications. It will also document exhaust emissions and compare operating cost with traditional engines and fuels. These technologies could reduce peak load electrical energy demand resulting from electrical powered …

Water, Energy And Agriculture Initiative

Nebraska Center for Energy Sciences Research: White Papers and Presentations

Rapid expansion of the biofuel industry provides exciting opportunities for economic growth and development in rural Nebraska. Realizing the full benefits of this opportunity and ensuring its long‐term viability depends on continued access to adequate supplies of water, electrical energy, and biofuel feedstock crops at reasonable cost. For example, about 70 percent of all corn and 50 percent of soybeans produced in Nebraska comes from irrigated land, and electrical energy for pumping irrigation water represents a major component of peak‐load energy demand in the state. Reducing this peak‐load electrical demand and consumption is essential for reducing the need for new …

Optimization Of Irrigation Efficiency Of Center‐Pivot Systems Using Spatial And Temporal Data Integration, Viacheslav Adamchuk

Nebraska Center for Energy Sciences Research: White Papers and Presentations

The efficiency of a center pivot irrigation system is greatly dependent on the ability to provide the water supply needed to meet the demands of the rowing crop. While limited water supplies may educe crop yield due to water stress, excessive irrigation may result in wasted resources and, if extreme, may also reduce yields. The optimized need for irrigation water changes temporally and spatially. Various methods have been deployed to focus on either level of variability. Thus, soil sensor telemetry and crop modeling frequently allow improved irrigation scheduling. On the other hand, dense‐resolution proximal soil sensing allows identifying spatial variability …

Improvements In Life Cycle Energy Efficiency And Greenhouse Gas Emissions Of Corn-Ethanol, Adam J. Liska, Haishun S. Yang, Virgil R. Bremer, Terry J. Klopfenstein, Daniel T. Walters, Galen Erickson, Kenneth G. Cassman

Nebraska Center for Energy Sciences Research: Publications

Abstract
Corn-ethanol production is expanding rapidly with the adoption of improved technologies to increase energy efficiency and profitability in crop production, ethanol conversion, and coproduct use. Life cycle assessment can evaluate the impact of these changes on environmental performance metrics. To this end, we analyzed the life cycles of corn-ethanol systems accounting for the majority of U.S. capacity to estimate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy efficiencies on the basis of updated values for crop management and yields, biorefinery operation, and coproduct utilization. Direct-effect GHG emissions were estimated to be equivalent to a 48% to 59% reduction compared to gasoline, …

Comparison Of The Fuel Needed To Transport Plastic Recyclables Verses Aluminum Recyclables From Yellowstone National Park, Melissa Dejonge

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Research has provided no definitive answers on whether PET plastic bottles or aluminum cans are a more environmentally sustainable choice as soda containers. This paper researches the fuel used in recycling each of these materials from Yellowstone National Park to processing locations. The data is used to determine which of these alternatives use less fuel in this process. It was found that plastics use more fuel when transported from Yellowstone National Park to the processing center. Aluminum uses less fuel per ton to transport from Yellowstone to the processing center. The conclusions from this research may have implications on which …

Benchmarking Corn Water Productivity In Nebraska Irrigated Cropping Systems, Kenneth Cassman

Nebraska Center for Energy Sciences Research: White Papers and Presentations

Improving corn water productivity is the key to meet the challenge of ever tightening water resources for irrigation and greater demands for food, feed and fuel. Corn grain yield per unit of water supply must therefore be increased dramatically in Nebraska and globally. In Nebraska, ≈80% of the irrigated land is for corn production. At present, there is a substantial exploitable gap between actual farm yields and attainable yields. This reflects, in part, inefficient use of water supply, and/or other non‐water related yield constraints. Boundary functions define the relationship of yield with water supply and are used to benchmark crop …

Improving The Efficiency Of Water And Energy Use In Nebraska’S Irrigation Soybean Production Systems, James Specht

Nebraska Center for Energy Sciences Research: White Papers and Presentations

The use of irrigation in Nebraska’s soybean production systems has steadily increased to the extent that irrigated soybean acreage in recent years has accounts for about 45% of State total soybean acreage. Technological advances in irrigation equipment can greatly improve on‐farm water application efficiencies (with respect to both energy and water). However, producer adoption of these advances is very slow because of the capital expenditures required for irrigation system upgrades. An alternative approach is greater producer adoption and use of irrigation water management strategies that ensure that water is scheduled and applied in a just‐in‐time fashion, which also optimizes water …

Energy Conservation Through Improved Irrigation Pumping Plant Performance, William Kranz

Nebraska Center for Energy Sciences Research: White Papers and Presentations

Nebraska has approximately 90,000 active irrigation wells that are powered by electric motors or gasoline, natural gas, propane or diesel fueled engines. Pumping plant performance data collected prior to 1990 indicated an average performance rating of 77 percent of the Nebraska Pumping Plant Performance Criteria (NPPPC). More recent tests confirm that pumping plant performance remains well below the Nebraska Criteria. Though significant improvement has been made in the brake horsepower output per unit of fuel for internal combustion engines, recent increases in fuel costs have more than doubled pumping costs during the past 3 years. Efficient irrigation pumping plants could …

An Affordable, Practical Eco-House, Dave Fitzpatrick

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

An eco-house or zero-energy house is not a new concept- houses with extremely low impact on their surroundings and good use of local resources have been around for centuries. This particular eco-house is designed to offer full modern services and comforts while consuming very low energy and few expensive building materials. Ideally, someone would be able to use this thesis as a blueprint for actual construction.

The Future Of Unl Energy Sciences

Nebraska Center for Energy Sciences Research: White Papers and Presentations

UNL has a large number of faculty conducting research on energy-related topics. However, strategic coordination needs improvement, and there are significant opportunities to leverage synergies across departments and colleges, centers, and institutes. In addition, there are critical gaps in expertise that need filling to achieve critical mass and national prominence in key areas.

This white paper seeks to identify a set of thematic areas that would help focus UNL faculty resources on emerging opportunities in the energy-related sciences and serve as a framework to achieve the following goals:

♦ Develop innovative research programs that enhance renewable energy resources and energy …

Identifying Potential Conflict Associated With Oil And Gas Exploration In Texas State Coastal Waters: A Multi-Criteria Spatial Analysis, Samuel Brody, Himanshu Grover, Sarah Bernhardt, Zhenghong Tang, Bianca Whitaker, Colin Spence

Community and Regional Planning Program: Faculty Scholarly and Creative Activity

Recent interest in expanding offshore oil production within waters of the United States has been met with opposition by groups concerned with recreational, environmental, and aesthetic values associated with the coastal zone. Although the proposition of new oil platforms off the coast has generated conflict over how coastal resources should be utilized, little research has been conducted on where these user conflicts might be most intense and which sites might be most suitable for locating oil production facilities in light of the multiple, and often times, competing interests. In this article, we develop a multiple-criteria spatial decision support tool that …