Recently, Environment Institute member Professor Martin Kennedy presented a seminar as part of the University of Adelaide’s Research Tuesdays Seminar Series entitled The Carbon Key.
The Carbon Key outlined the relationship between carbon levels and the evolution and stability of complex life, and how understanding this relationship is allowing more accurate predictions of future change.
The video from the seminar can now be streamed on the University of Adelaide’s live stream website.
A new paper involving Environment Institute members Corey Bradshaw and Barry W. Brook has recently been published in the journal Energy.
The paper, titled Evaluating options for sustainable energy mixes in South Korea using scenario analysis, examines the possibilities for sustainable energy generation in South Korea.
ABSTRACT
To mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, coal-fired electricity infrastructure needs to be replaced by low-carbon electricity generation options. Here we examine a range of possible alternative scenarios for sustainable electricity generation in South Korea, considering both physical and economic limits of current technologies. The results show that South Korea cannot achieve a 100% renewable energy mix and requires at least 55 GW of backup capacity. Given that constraint, we modelled seven scenarios: (i) the present condition, (ii) the First National Electricity Plan configuration, (iii) renewable energy (including 5 GW photovoltaic) with fuel cells or (iv) natural gas backup, (v) maximum renewable energy (including 75 GW photovoltaic) with natural gas, (vi) maximum nuclear power, and (vii) nuclear power with natural gas. We then quantify levelised cost of electricity, energy security, greenhouse gas emissions, fresh water consumption, heated water discharge, land transformation, air pollutant emissions, radioactive waste disposal, solid waste disposal and safety issues for each modelled mix. Our analysis shows that the maximum nuclear power scenario yields the fewest overall negative impacts, and the maximum renewable energy scenario with fuel cells would have the highest negative impacts.
Visit ScienceDirect to find out more.
As part of the University of Adelaide’s Research Tuesdays Seminar Series, Environment Institute member Professor Martin Kennedy presents The Carbon Key, a seminar on the relationship between carbon levels and the evolution and stability of complex life.
About the Speaker
Professor Martin Kennedy is the Director of the University of Adelaide’s Sprigg Geobiology Centre. He is a former recipient of the prestigious Rubey Fellowship in Geochemistry at the University of California Los Angeles, and a past member of the US National Academy of Sciences Committee on the Importance of Deep Time Climate Research.
When: Tuesday 9 April 2013
Where: Horace Lamb Building, North Terrace Campus, the University of Adelaide
Time: 5:30pm – 6:30pm
Cost: free
To register visit the Research Tuesdays Registration page.
For more information visit The Carbon Key page.
The Water Research Centre and the Department for Environment, Water & Natural Resources (DEWNR) presents a “Four in 40” seminar on Monday 23 July at the Flinders Street Baptist Church Hall, titled “Managing carbon in catchments”.
Where: Flinders Street Baptist Church Hall, 65 Flinders Street
When: Monday 23 July
Time: 1:00pm-2:00pm
Please note: Although this is a free event, registration is essential by 19 July 2012.
Register for this event
Download the pdf brochure
Yesterday’s Energy Futures seminar on carbon management is now available – listen to the PODCAST
Presentations are also available as individual podcasts here.
The second seminar in the Energy Futures series “Carbon Management – Policy and Regulatory Frameworks” was held last night at the University of Adelaide. The three guest speakers were: Prof. Christopher Findlay (School of Economics, UofA), Dr Henry Ergas (Deloittes Economics) and Catherine Way (Renewables SA).
The seminar focussed on the economics of setting up policy or regulation that affects the development and adoption of new energy technology. In the debate on climate change many measures have been proposed from the emissions trading scheme to a tax and various regulatory measures and subsidies. Presenters examined how they might work, what their effects on emissions might be and how they influence technological change. Also discussed was how revenue raised from arrangements like the ETS might be applied to investment in new technology.
This seminar series is being hosted by the Centre for Energy Technology and the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences.
Click here to find out more about this seminar series.
The Environment Institute 