Physics of Sustainable Energy III: Using Energy Efficiently and Producing It Renewably

Sponsored by: The American Physical Society’s Forum on Physics and Society,
Topical Group on Energy Research and Applications & the American Association of Physics Teachers

Saturday/Sunday, March 8-9, 2014
University of California at Berkeley

This third workshop on Physics of Renewable Energy continues the tradition begun by two successful predecessors, held in 2008 and 2011. Once again, experts will give the technical background to understand current energy issues. The talks will be aimed at college professors and students wanting to teach or do research in this field.

Organizers: Rob Knapp, Evergreen State College; Dan Kammen, University of California at Berkeley; Barbara Levi, Physics Today. For information, see http://rael.berkeley.edu/apsenergy2014

Saturday, March 8

Welcome and Overview:
Daniel Kammen (UC Berkeley) and Rob Knapp (Evergreen State College)

Session A: Global and Regional Issues
Global Carbon Balance – Ken Caldeira, Carnegie Institution
Energy and the Global Poor – Daniel Kammen, UC Berkeley
Black Carbon – Sarah Doherty, University of Washington

Session B: Renewable Energy Sources
Progress in Photovoltaics – Jennifer Dionne, Stanford U.
Solar Power Life Cycle – TBA
Biofuels: status and prospects – Chris Somerville, Energy Biosciences Institute, UC Berkeley
Wind – John O. Dabiri, Caltech
Synergies of Energy and Information Technologies - TBA

Session C: Efficient and Transformed Uses Part I
Buildings – TBA
Energy Use in the Information Economy – Jonathan Koomey, Stanford
Industrial Ecology – Valerie Thomas, Georgia Tech
The Rebound Effect – TBA

Banquet Keynote Speaker
Amory Lovins, Rocky Mountain Institute

Sunday March 9

Session D: Sustainability and Nonrenewable Energy
ARPA-E – searching for breakthroughs – Arun Majumdar, Google, Inc.
Natural Gas: costs and benefits – TBA
Nuclear Power after Fukushima – Robert Budnitz, LBNL

Session E: Efficient and Transformed Uses Part II
The Science of Smart Grids – TBA
Micro-grid and Off-grid – TBA
Monitoring and Regulating Buildings in Japan – TBA
Batteries – George Crabtree, Argonne National Laboratory

Session F: From Lab to Market
Government Initiatives – TBA
Private Sector Initiatives – TBA

Session G: Non-Energy Climate Initiatives
Adapting to Climate Change – Ann Kinzig, Arizona State U.
Geoengineering – Alan Robock, Rutgers University

Final Comments

Monday-Tuesday, March 10 & 11
Optional field trip visits available: LBNL FlexLab, The Biosciences Institute, and local cleantech companies, including Enphase, Natel Energy, Sunpower, and more.

These contributions have not been peer-refereed. They represent solely the view(s) of the author(s) and not necessarily the view of APS.