ERE
Energy, Resources and the Environment

Energy, Resources and the Environment

I’m a Geoscientist: Viktor Bruckman – ‘Above Ground’ Officer

It’s I’m a Geoscientist week! Or more exactly: weeks. From March 9 until March 20, the EGU supports I’m a Geoscientist to help students engage with scientists about real science. The Energy, Resources and Environment Division of the European Geosciences Union encompasses a broad range of different ERE-related topics, from surface to subsurface, spanning all aspects of geosciences. In order to demonstrate how broad the Division actually is, and what you can do as a geoscientist to be involved with energy, resources or the environment, we asked the members of the ERE committee to introduce themselves and explain how their day-to-day work relates back to ERE.

After a flight through the scientific world of mining, nuclear energy, CO2 storage and groundwater flow, today we will stay above ground, with our ‘Above Ground’ Officer Viktor Bruckman, who is working at the Austrian Academy of Sciences.

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Viktor BruckmanThe European Geosciences Union (EGU) Division on Energy, Resources and the Environment (ERE) deals with some of the most important aspects for sustaining humanity. The current demographic trend of a growing world population with increasing demands of energy and resources defines a challenging task in developing policies for a sustainable future. Such frameworks need to be implemented on a sound scientific basis and the ERE division provides a forum for discussing state-of-the-art projects and results at the annual general assemblies and beyond. At the ERE division, I am responsible for the aboveground section, which includes most of the renewable sources of energy (e.g. wind power, hydropower, solar power) and other resources, such as biomass.

My own background is forestry, with a strong specialization in the areas of carbon cycling and sequestration, as well as the production of biomass. I am working for the Commission for Interdisciplinary Ecological Studies at the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW) that taught me to approach problems in a holistic and interdisciplinary fashion. And these are the best lessons learned in order to serve the ERE business. Indeed, the provision of sustainable resources are a very interdisciplinary matter, specifically because it is based on interventions on land and consequently causes land use change (LUC), a term recently stressed a number of times, in particular with Climate Change.

This thought alone highlights the complexity of the topic as renewable resources are commonly seen as the potential successors of the fossil sources in order to move our society towards a development based on a solid bioeconomy. In-depth analysis, however, shows that renewables are not per se better than non-renewable sources and in some cases they are even worse. This is true even from an economical point of view, especially when internalizing all associated costs, including e.g. loss of biodiversity etc. Therefore, we need a very sound understanding on how the development of renewable sources of feedstocks and energy impacts the environment and its services, which are delivered at no financial costs to the humanity (so-called ecosystem services).

Over time, biochar particles are fully integrated into the soil system and act as a reservoir for nutrients and water as shown here by intensive occurrence of mycorrhizal hyphae (orange structures). This SEM illustration shows charcoal which was found in a spruce-dominated forest soil in the northern part of Austria and likely origins from the previously common silvicultural practice of slash burning. The age of the charcoal shown here is around 110 years, and it still shows no signs of decomposition, therefore impressively demonstrating its capabilities of securely sequestering carbon. Source: Bruckman, V.J. and Klinglmüller, M. (2014): Potentials to mitigate climate change using biochar – the Austrian perspective. IUFRO Occasional Papers (27) 1-19.

Over time, biochar particles are fully integrated into the soil system and act as a reservoir for nutrients and water as shown here by intensive occurrence of mycorrhizal hyphae (orange structures). This SEM illustration shows charcoal which was found in a spruce-dominated forest soil in the northern part of Austria and likely origins from the previously common silvicultural practice of slash burning. The age of the charcoal shown here is around 110 years, and it still shows no signs of decomposition, therefore impressively demonstrating its capabilities of securely sequestering carbon. Source: Bruckman, V.J. and Klinglmüller, M. (2014): Potentials to mitigate climate change using biochar – the Austrian perspective. IUFRO Occasional Papers (27) 1-19.

Experts agree that atmospheric CO2 emitted from anthropogenic sources plays a major role as a greenhouse gas (GHG). Biomass – and this is the point, where I would like to come back to my own research – has some interesting, but very region-specific potentials to reduce emissions or even sequester additional carbon from the atmosphere. An increased substitution of fossil with renewable resources that are produced under sustainable conditions may reduce large amounts of carbon emissions. My research team goes even further and proposed negative carbon emissions when using biomass as source for energy. This can be realized when combining biomass and CCS (carbon capture and storage), by producing biochar, for instance. Biochar is the solid, carbon-rich residue of biomass pyrolysis, the heating of biomass in an oxygen-low environment. The material is closely related to wood charcoal used for barbecue, just with a distinct different function. It is used as a soil amendment and, because of its unique porous structure and chemical composition it may enhances soil fertility while being very resistant against microbial decomposition. The positive effect may be realized as a consequence of increased nutrient- and water retention, improvement of soil structure and higher cation exchange capacities (CEC). Moreover it can serve as a habitat for soil microorganisms as well as soil fungi (mycorrhiza) that is known to support plant growth in a symbiotic relationship.

This example shows that the ERE division is indeed one of the most interdisciplinary divisions with a large number of connections within the EGU. This is also expressed by the large number of co-organized sessions with various other divisions. I personally enjoy working for ERE and thus add a small contribution of ERE’s success for the sake of science and ultimately a sustainable future.

I’m a Geoscientist: Michael Kühn – Deputy President

It’s I’m a Geoscientist week! Or more exactly: weeks. From March 9 until March 20, the EGU supports I’m a Geoscientist to help students engage with scientists about real science. The Energy, Resources and Environment Division of the European Geosciences Union encompasses a broad range of different ERE-related topics, from surface to subsurface, spanning all aspects of geosciences. In order to demonstrate how broad the Division actually is, and what you can do as a geoscientist to be involved with energy, resources or the environment, we asked the members of the ERE committee to introduce themselves and explain how their day-to-day work relates back to ERE.

Today our Deputy President Michael Kühn, currently working at GFZ, the German Research Centre for Geosciences in Potsdam, will explain how his work touches upon most of the topics involved with ERE!

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Michael KuhnThe ERE division of the EGU contributes finding answers to the questions of how to provide adequate and reliable supplies of affordable energy and other resources for humankind obtained in environmentally sustainable ways. Every year this is reflected in our programme for the General Assembly. We cover topics like wind and solar power, geothermal energy, biomass, geological CO2 storage and others. My own work fits nicely into this framework because as chemist and hydrogeologist I look for solutions in the controversial area of Energy, Resources and the Environment.

Prevention and remediation for groundwater protection is important. Therefore sustainable and responsible management of groundwater resources must be given utmost priority to avoid water crises and water conflicts. Here, the utilization of geo-resources in deep groundwater systems is of great importance, because it can always have an effect on the shallow groundwater systems. In many areas, salt and fresh water are separated by large-scale regionally occurring aquitards (formations with very low hydraulic conductivity), and the occurrence of fresh water is therefore often restricted to a thickness of a few 100 metres. The saltwater at greater depths does not participate in the surface-near water cycle, or only does so to a limited extent. Now, a new field of research is the evaluation of the influence of the utilization of geo-resources in deep groundwater systems (e.g. CO2 storage in saline aquifers) with regards to the hazard to fresh water resources in shallow areas. This will be a key aspect in the future for sustainable groundwater management.

Schematic diagram showing the different groundwater systems and potential for fluid flow in the subsurface.

Schematic diagram showing the different groundwater systems and potential for fluid flow in the subsurface.

In the centre of my studies are ore, crude oil, natural gas and coal deposits, as well as the utilization of geothermal energy, or the storage of gas, carbon dioxide and energy. I am convinced that successful subsurface management can only be done via interdisciplinary collaboration among geology, geochemistry, geophysics, geological engineering, mineralogy, geoinformatics, drilling engineering and hydrogeology.

The multidimensional anthropogenic exploitation of the subsurface has to find solutions to the issues of technical, resource-saving, and environment-friendly feasibility, also against the background of economic analysis. Particularly the exploitation of deposits and storage locations requires a detailed economic analysis. The costs incurred in this context vary strongly, depending on the available infrastructure and the structure of the subsurface. They usually cause the major share of the total costs for such projects. Costs related to storage operations or accompanying monitoring activities are site-specific. The object of planning-related profitability analyses, which take into consideration the prevailing location factors, consists in the determination of the feasibility and the cost-effectiveness of the projects, also in the context of conflicts how to use subsurface structures.

With my major working tool – numerical process simulation – I aim at contributing with computer-based assessment and prognosis to the protection of resources and the environment. In that way I try to provide a basis for technical and economic decision-making processes, including the sustainable exploitation of georesources and the protection of others (e.g. groundwater).

I’m a Geoscientist: Chris Juhlin – President

It’s I’m a Geoscientist week! Or more exactly: weeks. From March 9 until March 20, the EGU supports I’m a Geoscientist to help students engage with scientists about real science. The Energy, Resources and Environment Division of the European Geosciences Union encompasses a broad range of different ERE-related topics, from surface to subsurface, spanning all aspects of geosciences. In order to demonstrate how broad the Division actually is, and what you can do as a geoscientist to be involved with energy, resources or the environment, we asked the members of the ERE committee to introduce themselves and explain how their day-to-day work relates back to ERE.

We will kick off with our President Chris Juhlin, Professor in Geophysics at Uppsala University.

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Chris JuhlinPeople have mixed feelings concerning large meetings such as the EGU in Vienna or the AGU in San Francisco. It is true that it can be more difficult to get immersed in the science at large meetings compared to small focused meetings and it may also be more difficult to make new contacts with other researchers. However, large meetings offer a wide variety scientific topics and the opportunity for the participant to get acquainted with new fields of research. They are also able to attract leading speakers that can give presentations that leave a lasting impact. I had this experience listening to Jeffery Sachs at the AGU in December 2014. He emphasized many issues that are directly related to research within the ERE division. We need to find solutions that will make the planet sustainable and comfortable for 10 billion people in the near future. This will involve using all our ingenuity in reducing the carbon footprint and management of resources. Although the program is not yet set for the 2015 EGU, I am sure that there will be speakers there that will also inspire us to work for solutions dealing with Energy, Resources and the Environment!

My research related to ERE involves the fields of mining geophysics, carbon dioxide storage and storage of spent nuclear fuel. In addition, I have research interests in scientific drilling and larger scale crustal geophysics.

If the world’s population is to live at an European comfort level then we will need to find numerous new ore deposits. We should not expect that all these deposits should be found outside of Europe. In fact, both from a social standpoint and an economic one, it is in our interest to ensure that we find ore deposits in our own backyard and not rely on the rest of the world to supply us with metals. Currently Europe consumes about 20% of the world’s metals, but only produces about 4% of them. My research in mining geophysics is related to the development of geophysical methods for building of more accurate geological models of the subsurface. This increased accuracy allows ore to be found and extracted with less impact on the environment.

Diagram from the IEA, illustrating the energy consumption in Europe, per energy source.

Diagram from the IEA, illustrating the energy consumption in Europe, per energy source.

The world is still heavily dependent upon on fossil fuels for electricity production, heating and transport. In addition, many industrial processes generate large amounts of carbon dioxide that are released into the atmosphere, for example steel production. Although there is an accelerating trend to increased use of non-fossil fuels for electricity production, heating and transport we will most likely remain highly dependent on fossil fuels for the rest of the century. If Europe is to reach zero carbon emissions by 2050 then geological storage of carbon dioxide is necessary. My research involves development of seismic methods for monitoring the carbon dioxide in the sub-surface to ensure that it remains there after injection. I am also involved in initiating a pilot project for testing various aspects of carbon dioxide storage in Sweden.

Nuclear energy is a near-zero carbon emission technology that accounts for about 18% of the electricity generated within the OECD (see the Figure). It has many advantages over fossil fuel energy, but there are also challenges in using it as most recently evidenced by Fukushima in 2011. In addition, the spent fuel rods need to be stored safely for on the order of 100 000 years. My research involves using seismic methods to locate rock that has the potential to store the spent fuel safely. My own country, Sweden, along with Finland are furthest along in the world in building permanent storage facilities. These facilities will also require the use of geophysics to monitor the sites in the initial stages of storage.

Words on Wednesday: A multi-model analysis of change in potential yield of major crops in China under climate change

Words on Wednesday aims at promoting interesting/fun/exciting publications on topics related to Energy, Resources and the Environment. If you would like to be featured on WoW, please send us a link of the paper, or your own post, at ERE.Matters@gmail.com.

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Yin, Y., Tang, Q., and Liu, X.: A multi-model analysis of change in potential yield of major crops in China under climate change, Earth Syst. Dynam., 6, 45-59, doi:10.5194/esd-6-45-2015, 2015

Abstract:

Climate change may affect crop growth and yield, which consequently casts a shadow of doubt over China’s food self-sufficiency efforts. In this study, we used the projections derived from four global gridded crop models (GGCropMs) to assess the effects of future climate change on the yields of the major crops (i.e., maize, rice, soybean and wheat) in China. The GGCropMs were forced with the bias-corrected climate data from five global climate models (GCMs) under Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5, which were made available through the Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project (ISI-MIP). The results show that the potential yields of the crops would decrease in the 21st century without carbon dioxide (CO2) fertilization effect. With the CO2 effect, the potential yields of rice and soybean would increase, while the potential yields of maize and wheat would decrease. The uncertainty in yields resulting from the GGCropMs is larger than the uncertainty derived from GCMs in the greater part of China. Climate change may benefit rice and soybean yields in high-altitude and cold regions which are not in the current main agricultural area. However, the potential yields of maize, soybean and wheat may decrease in the major food production area. Development of new agronomic management strategies may be useful for coping with climate change in the areas with a high risk of yield reduction.

The MM of the relative change in the simulated yield of maize (a), rice (b), soybean (c) and wheat (d) with the CO2 effect at the end of the 21st century (2070–2099) compared with the simulated yield in the historical period (1981–2010).

The MM of the relative change in the simulated yield of maize (a), rice (b), soybean (c) and wheat (d) with the CO2 effect at the end of the 21st century (2070–2099) compared with the simulated yield in the historical period (1981–2010).