Bulletin of the American Physical Society
APS March Meeting 2017
Volume 62, Number 4
Monday–Friday, March 13–17, 2017; New Orleans, Louisiana
Session L18: Energy - Renewable and SustainableInvited
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Sponsoring Units: GERA Chair: Talat Rahman, University of Central Florida Room: 277 |
Wednesday, March 15, 2017 11:15AM - 11:51AM |
L18.00001: The Terawatt Challenge Invited Speaker: Nancy Haegel In response to concerns about accelerating climate change, the world is uniting to both envision and enable a global energy system that supports a sustainable environment and broad economic prosperity. Growth in the technology and the deployment of renewable energy has been dramatic. Evidence can be seen in the growth of photovoltaics (PV) and wind as contributors to worldwide electricity production over the last decade. PV and wind provided 1.2{\%} and 3.7{\%} of global electricity production in 2015, compared to 0.1{\%} and 1.3{\%} respectively in 2005 [1,2]. These numbers indicate both the rapid increase in the rate of deployment, as well as the remaining work to be done to extend this trend to transform a massive energy system and provide a significant fraction of the world's future energy demand with renewable energy. Based on recent trends, it is highly likely that global cumulative PV installation will reach terawatt scale in the next few decades. The challenges, as well as the resulting impact, vary greatly depending on whether we envision 1 TW (\textasciitilde 15{\%} of 2015 global electricity capacity), 3 TW (\textasciitilde 50{\%} of 2015 global electricity capacity) or 10 TW, a level that could drive electrification of transportation and industrial sectors and production of solar fuels. This presentation will draw upon the work of the 2016 GA-SERI (Global Alliance of Solar Energy Research Institutes) Terawatt Workshop to assess the feasibility and summarize the challenges for PV as a primary energy source. These challenges include the continuing demand for improved efficiency and reliability, the required magnitude of capital expenditure, the need for a sustainable industry (both financially and environmentally), as well as needs for grid modernization and consistent policies that support global climate goals. Physicists can play important roles in addressing this full range of challenges, from materials science to public policy, as well as in education of the public and its future leaders. [1] REN21, 2016, Renewables 2016 Global Status Report, Paris, REN21 Secretariat. [2] REN21, 2005, Renewables 2005 Global Status Report, Paris, REN21 Secretariat. [Preview Abstract] |
Wednesday, March 15, 2017 11:51AM - 12:27PM |
L18.00002: Revealing Energy Transfer Pathways in Emerging Two-Dimensional Materials with Laser Spectroscopy Invited Speaker: Alex Puretzky Atomically-thin two-dimensional (2D) layers exhibit unique new properties depending on their thickness and composition and are being explored as functional ``building blocks'' for a multitude of energy applications, including optoelectronics, hydrogen generation, batteries, fuel cells, and supercapacitors. The 2D layers can be grown or stacked artificially into heterostructures with infinite variability, depending on their exact atomic registry. However, understanding these assemblies and unraveling the energy transfer pathways in these materials require advanced synthesis, assembly, and characterization methods. Laser spectroscopy is one of the most important approaches to understand and characterize unique optical properties of these materials. In this talk I will give an overview of our recent studies on the optical characterization and energy transfer pathways of semiconducting 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) and their heterostructures, which are currently the subject of intense interest worldwide. Low-frequency Raman spectroscopy will be described to quickly and remotely understand their atomic-registry stacking patterns. Since TMD monolayers are basically entirely surface their optoelectronic properties are very sensitive to interactions with substrates and the environment, and also to defects. These interactions are revealed through laser spectroscopy and correlated with specific defects characterized by atomic-resolution electron microscopy. Finally, ultrafast pump-probe spectroscopy will be described to understand the generation and dynamics of excitons and trions in 2D layers, and to explore the transfer of charge between 2D layers and quantum dots, and the excitation of plasmons in order to form a brief overview of the many energy transfer pathways being explored utilizing these atomically-thin materials. [Preview Abstract] |
Wednesday, March 15, 2017 12:27PM - 1:03PM |
L18.00003: A Transforming Electricity System: Understanding the Interactions Between Clean Energy Technologies, Markets, and Policies Invited Speaker: David Mooney The U.S. electricity system is currently undergoing a dramatic transformation. State-level renewable portfolio standards, abundant natural gas at low prices, and rapidly falling prices for wind and solar technologies are among the factors that have ushered in this transformation. With objective, rigorous, technology-neutral analysis, NREL aims to increase the understanding of energy policies, markets, resources, technologies, and infrastructure and their connections with economic, environmental, and security priorities. The results of these analyses are meant to inform R{\&}D, policy, and investment decisions as energy-efficient and renewable energy technologies advance from concept to commercial application to market penetration. This talk will provide an overview of how NREL uses high-fidelity data, deep knowledge of energy technology cost and performance, and advanced models and tools to provide the information needed to ensure this transformation occurs economically, while maintaining system reliability. Examples will be explored and will include analysis of tax credit impacts on wind and solar deployment and power sector emissions, as well as analysis of power systems operations in the Eastern Interconnection under 30{\%} wind and solar penetration scenarios. [Preview Abstract] |
Wednesday, March 15, 2017 1:03PM - 1:39PM |
L18.00004: Two-dimensional materials for cost effective catalysts Invited Speaker: Duy Le Two dimensional (2D) materials are emerging with far-reaching potential for technical and industrial applications. Thanks to recent developments and improvement of production technologies, functionalization and scalable production of these cost-effective materials is becoming a reality, paving the way for their high volume applications. In this talk, after a brief review of current opportunities and challenges, I will discuss efforts at manipulating the chemical properties of two such materials for catalytic applications: single-layer molybdenum disulfide (MoS$_2$) and hexagonal boron nitride (\textit{h}-BN). I will show that the basal plane of single-layer MoS$_2$, which is inherently inert, can serve as a ground for alcohol synthesis from syngas (combination of CO and H$_2$) in the presence of vacancies. Its reactivity and selectivity can be further optimized by tuning the location of frontier orbitals via the geometry of the vacancy clusters, and interface with a transition metal support. On the other hand, defect-laden basal plane of \textit{h}-BN is found to be a metal-free catalyst for hydrogenation of olefins, which has great potential in variety of industrial applications. [Preview Abstract] |
Wednesday, March 15, 2017 1:39PM - 2:15PM |
L18.00005: Li battery development and commercialization. Invited Speaker: Steve Visco |
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