Introduction

http://www.usc.edu/research/initiati...

The Energy Institute (EI) is committed to quality research to improve the way we currently extract, transform, and use fossil fuels and reducing global reliance on them. We are developing a cross-disciplinary research program that both advances the science of alternative fuels and energy conversions and addresses the economic, social, environment and policy issues associated with transitioning to a new energy/fuel paradigm. A number of problems have elevated the visibility and urgency of developing alternative fuels:

1. Recent escalation of energy prices, combined with forecasts of world demand and supply that suggest the peak of oil production will occur sometime before 2040 timeframe have led to significant concerns about the future of oil. Peak production will be associated with increasing price volatility, with potentially serious economic consequences.
2. US reliance on oil and natural gas imports continues to increase; of particular strategic concern is reliance on Middle East oil, which will continue to have the largest reserves of liquid oil for the foreseeable future.
3. Absent large and unlikely shifts to non-fossil based fuels and alternative energy supplies, continued increases in demand for fossil fuels will result in the use of oil from tar sands and shale, both of which carry larger per energy unit environmental damage than conventional reserves.
4. Scientific consensus on the nature and causes of climate change indicate that CO2 generated from combustion of carbon-based fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas) is a major factor. At current and projected rates of anthropogenic CO2 production, the concentration of atmospheric greenhouse gases will continue to rise, leading to greater radiative forcing and possible climatic changes.
5. Fossil fuels contribute to air pollution, including ozone, NOx, and small particulates. Recent research shows that small particulates have particularly serious human health effects, including increased morbidity and mortality from asthma, emphysema, cancer and other diseases.

Reducing reliance on petroleum-based fuels is an enormous and daunting task. It will require research on both short and long range alternatives that address all sectors of energy consumption.

USC has an extensive set of research activities touching all of these issues. Key areas of research include:

• Technology developments in renewable energy
• Energy efficiency applications in buildings and transportation
• Improved efficiency of combustion and oil recovery
• Climate change science, sequestration and policy
• Environmental impacts of energy on air, land and water
• Economic and security impacts of energy
• For more information on our research areas see our summary of key areas of research and capabilities in energy technology. Click here.

Vision

The EI will help to transform future fuel and energy choices and help create economically viable and environmentally sound communities worldwide. We will develop new paradigms of fuel conversions, carbon neutral energy storage and generation techniques, energy efficiency, alternative energy, and greenhouse gas mitigation.

Realizing our vision will require scientific research that is informed by context, such as: the costs of alternatives, risk, environmental impacts, social acceptance, and the political and institutional framework through which research products are developed, tested, demonstrated, and commercialized.

For more information on our research areas see our summary of key areas of research and capabilities in energy technology. Click here.

Mission

The Energy Institute's mission at USC is to become the premier center for cross-disciplinary research that generates both short and long-range fuel and energy solutions.

Our research will address both conventional and new fuels, will include all phases of the fuel production/consumption process, and will address the economic, environmental, and policy aspects of transition. Carbon-based fuels will continue to be a significant area of research as we look for ways to extract and use them more efficiently, including increasing energy efficiency, developing carbon-neutral energy generation and storage techniques. Another major focus will be renewable energy sources (e.g. solar, wind, biomass, etc.). These alternatives are more environmentally friendly, more amenable to distributed generation of electricity, and overall more consistent with long-term sustainability goals.

Strategies

Our approach will be to pursue parallel research themes:

Improving efficient recovery and utilization of conventional fuels. Any significant shift to alternative fuels will take years (or decades) to accomplish. In the interim, it is essential that conventional fuels be used more efficiently, and their environmental consequences mitigated. More efficient recovery and utilization will postpone the oil production peak, providing more time for transition.

Developing transitional fuels. Ultimately our goal is to move away from fossil fuel based energy sources. Fuels, such as methanol, dimethyl ether, synthetic gasoline or diesel, will be initially generated from sources such as coal, natural gas, natural gas hydrates, biomass, more efficiently. Increased efficiency reduces per energy unit cost and environmental damage. The goal is to develop these fuels to a point of energy density, cost, and environmental and other risk acceptance level that they can be successfully introduced into wider markets.

Developing and evaluating fuel and energy policies. Current pricing and regulatory structures play a significant role in promoting or discouraging alternative fuel development and energy/fuels related environmental impacts. Transitioning to alternative, "greener" fuels will require appropriate policies.

Developing next generation fuels. A fuel regime that is nearly carbon neutral requires basic research on energy storage and generation, carbon sequestration and recycling (e.g. CO2 recycling) utilizing alternative energy sources.

Developing transition pathways. The size and complexity of fuel generation, energy storage, distribution, and consumption systems makes changes to the system challenging and costly. Transition to new fuels requires exploration and development of niche (early adoption) markets, phasing of new infrastructure systems and possibly new models of production, distribution, and consumption.

USC's Strengths and Resources

USC is uniquely positioned to play a major role in developing next generation fuels and technologies for utilizing non-fossil based energy sources.

• In the area of fuels and energy, USC has particular strengths in natural gas to methanol conversion, fuel cells, photo and electrochemical conversions, combustion, source-based fuel processing, enhanced oil and gas recovery, and CO2 capture and conversion to methanol (CO2 recycling).
• Scientific research alone is not sufficient to develop technologies that can attract the support of government and eventually survive in a market-driven environment. USC has growing strengths in interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary research, particularly research that blends science and engineering with the social sciences, including economics, political science, public policy and urban planning. Transportation is a major interdisciplinary application area.
• With its focus on societal problems and its location in the center of the Los Angeles metropolitan area, USC has a particular strength in addressing future fuels and energy from an urban perspective, where energy demand, as well as risk (exposure) and vulnerability are most concentrated.
• USC has an established record of university/government/industry partnerships. Such partnerships are an essential part of introduction and adoption of new fuels and technologies.

The Energy Institute will leverage the considerable organizational resources at USC, including:

• Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute
• Geobiology Program
• Chemical Engineering, Petroleum Engineering and Material Science
• Aerospace/Mechanical Engineering
• METRANS Transportation Center
• Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Sustainable Cities Program
• Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies
• School of Policy, Planning and Development
• Center for Risk and Economic Analysis of Terrorism Events
• Keck School of Medicine
• Marshall School of Business

Actions and Plans

The initial activity in this area was the Provost’s Future Fuels and Energy Initiative. During 2007 the transition was made to a formal Energy Institute (EI) to further enhance the initial effort. From 2007 until mid 2008, Adam Rose was the EI's Acting Director.

The Provost appointed Mark Bernstein, who has extensive experience in interdisciplinary research, as Managing Director of the EI. An EI Steering Committee has been formed that represents Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute; Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies; Policy, Planning and Development; Economics; Political Science; as well as Aerospace/Mechanical, Chemical, Petroleum, Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Material Science. The Committee is chaired by the EI Managing Director and consists of Genevieve Giuliano (SPPD), Iraj Ershaghi (Petroleum Engineering), Donal Manahan (Wrigley Institute), Surya Prakash (LHI/Chemistry), and Jean-Pierre Bardet (Civil Engineering). The Steering Committee is responsible for helping to develop the EI vision/mission and a business plan for launching and building the EI.

Contact Information

Mark Bernstein
Managing Director
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA 90089
(213) 740-6998
mabernst@usc.edu

Future Fuels and Energy Initiative 2006-07 Research Grant Recipients:

Fokion Egolfopoulos, Dept. of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering.
"Combustion and Emission Characteristics of Biofuels."

Atul Konkar, Dept. of Materials Science, Viterbi School of Engineering.
"Functional Anti-Reflection Coated Nanocrystal-Enhanced Silicon-Based Photovoltaic Solar Cells."

Karen Pinkus, Dept. of French and Italian, College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.
"A Cultural Studies Approach to Alternative Fuels."

Mansour Rahimi, Epstein Dept. of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering.
"Building USC Research Capacity for Environmental Life-Cycle Assessment of Future Fuels and Energy Systems."

Mark Thompson, Dept. of Chemistry, College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.
"Carbon Nanotube-Based Collection Electrodes for Organic Solar Cells."

Carol Wise, School of International Relations, College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.
"Transitioning to a New Energy Fuel Paradigm: Developing, Adapting and Exporting Natural Gas from the Andean Region."

Energy Institute Planning Retreat

November 2, 2007

• Energy Institute Retreat Agenda

Future Fuels and Energy Planning Retreat

February 24-25, 2006