Grand Challenges in Advanced Fossil Fuel Technologies

摘要: INTRODUCTION Turn your ignition key and fuel ignites, pushing pistons, powering automobile, allowing you freedom mobility. Simple! We drive to work; we for vacations; just drive. Transportation is one of the many examples society’s dependence on fossil fuels. Today, burning fuels, including coal, oil, gas meets more than 85% world’s energy needs. Figure 1A shows distribution resources that meet global consumption. Although renewable sources accounted a record high 2.7% consumption in 2013, fossil-based continue dominate portfolio with natural representing 33, 30, 24% consumption, respectively (British Petroleum, 2013). Given our history current reliance, it appears fuels are here stay as long they remain available. Technological advances recovery transformation will be required order ensure usage these environmentally sustainable minimal impact environment quality life. Fossil limited Earth yet have been igniting them 24 h/day over century. As result, live world warming faster at any other time human due increase carbon dioxide (CO2) atmosphere. Science tells us there winners losers rapidly world; however, winners. Animal species face extinction. Ecosystems collapse. Coastal cities flood. Droughts floods, stronger storms, wild fires, disasters become abundant. And while Western wealthy resilient enough buffer against frequent climate extremes, poorest, well billion men, women, children, not. population expected from seven nine billion, conservation water, land, materials essential maintain Water crucial component production. The process extracting must optimized limit water minimizing CO2 harmful emissions. Building clean-burning power plants increased efficiency low requirements objectives need met if globe able withstand this forecasted increase. In particular, grand challenges require attention coming decades include: an way which extracted production, flexibility generation, reliance bioenergy.