Pula (CA), July 02, 2012 - 15:00
Sardegna Ricerche - Conference Room, Loc. Piscina Manna - Parco tecnologico Polaris - Building 2
Speaker
Prof. Noam Lior
Abstract
Recent estimates and forecasts of the conventional fossil fuel resources and their reserve/production ratio, nuclear power, and renewable energy potential, and energy uses are surveyed. A brief discussion of the status, sustainability (economic, environmental and social impact), and prospects of fossil, nuclear and renewable energy use, and of power generation is presented.
Beyond the general review, the seminar focuses on some of the many important areas that deserve more attention: (1) the recently emerging game-changing developments of postponement of “peak oil”, nuclear power future following the disaster in Japan, and effects of the recent global economy downturn of global sustainability, (2) the potential and impacts of electric cars (3) the often neglected energy status and promising potential of Africa.
Some ways to resolve the problem of the availability, cost, and sustainability of energy resources alongside the rapidly rising demand are discussed. The author’s view of the promising energy R&D areas, their potential, foreseen improvements and their time scale, and last year’s trends in government funding are presented.
Biography. Noam Lior. Fellow, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Associate Fellow American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.University of Pennsylvania Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics Philadelphia, PA 19104-6315
Web page: http://www.seas.upenn.edu/~lior/
Dr. Noam Lior (B.S., M.S., Technion, Israel Institute of Technology; Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley) is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics at the University of Pennsylvania, where he is also a member of the Graduate Group of International Studies, Lauder Institute of Management and International Studies (MA/MBA program), of the Institute for Environmental Science, and of the Initiative for Global Environmental Leadership (IGEL) at the Wharton Business School.
He has 44 years of experience in energy/power (renewable, fossil and nuclear), water desalination and sustainability research, education and consulting. His research and teaching have been recognized by a number of national and international awards. He served the International Solar Energy Society as Director of the American Section and Chairman, of the Engineering Division, and served as Chairman of the International Scientific Committee, International Centre for Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems (of which he is one of the founders), and is a member on many international conference scientific committees.
Among his awards are the ASME E.F. Obert award for the best papers in thermodynamics (twice).
His editorships include:
Editor-in-Chief, Advances in Water Desalination book series, John Wiley, 2006-, Board of Editors Member:
• Desalination, The International Journal of Desalting and Water Purification,
• Energy Conversion and Management Journal
• Thermal Science and Engineering journal (Japan),
• Desalination and Water Treatment – Science and Engineering, journal,Desalination Publications - International Science Services,
• Frontiers in Energy (formerly Frontiers of Energy and Power Engineering in China), Springer,
• The Energy Bulletin (International Sustainable Energy Development Centre, Russian Federation, under UNESCO's auspices),
• ASME Journal of Solar Energy Engineering, 1983-1989.
Editor-in Chief, Energy, The International Journal, 1998-2009.
He has more than 350 publications, and is a few times each year an invited keynote speaker at international conferences on sustainable energy and water desalination development.
Contacts
Ernesto Bonomi
e-mail: ernesto@crs4.it