Energy Engineering Seminar - Fall 2022: Josh Taylor

Description

Energy Seminar Series, Fall 2022

(CHEME 5870, ECE 5870, BEE 5459, or MAE 5459)
Professors Lindsay Anderson, David Hammer, and Max Zhang
Thursdays, 12:25 - 1:15 pm, 165 Olin Hall

Abstract: This talk goes through two major developments in energy transitions and the associated social, economic, and environmental impacts. The phenomenal growth in shale gas production over the last decade has fundamentally reshaped the energy systems in the U.S. and geopolitics in the world. However, the environmental and climate impacts of shale gas development have led to distinctly different energy policies even in neighboring states. Large-scale solar is an emerging energy development in the Northeastern U.S. While it plays a critical role in achieving the ambitious grid decarbonization goals, the public acceptance of large-scale solar has been mixed. The speaker argues that a new kind of developmental process is necessary to accelerate renewable energy deployment while creating vibrant communities that host those projects.
 
Bio: Dr. Max Zhang is a professor at Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and currently serves as the Kathy Dwyer Marble and Curt Marble Faculty Director at the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability. Dr. Zhang’s research areas reside on the nexus of energy and environmental system engineering, driven by social impact, focusing on air pollution mitigation, renewable energy planning, and building systems. His research has led to major legislations
and regulations at city, county and state levels.

Are you interested in energy-related topics, such as how we will make our energy systems more sustainable, adapt them to a changing climate, whether fuel cells are nearing economic viability, how we might be producing electricity 50 years from now, and what some of the environmental consequences of energy use are, including the possibility of climate change?  Then consider spending one lunch hour per week during Fall 2022 listening to talks on these and other energy-related subjects at the Energy Seminar Series.  Seminar speakers will be Cornell faculty members from several departments as well as engineers and executives from industry and government.  Students from any department in Engineering or the Physical Sciences should find these talks understandable.

Students wishing to attend most or all of the weekly Energy Seminars are encouraged to register for ChemE 5870, ECE 5870, BEE 5459, or MAE 5459, 1 credit, S/U (or letter grade).  You will be asked to attend at least 9 (of 13) seminars and turn in 6 (of 13) brief summaries to receive a grade of S (or A).  The summaries should give your overall impression of the seminar content as well as of the speaker in a one-page prose essay.  Further information about the summaries and on requirements for a specific grade are given on the course Canvas website in the course information tab. 

For a complete list of seminar dates and speakers, please visit the Cornell Energy Systems Institute website.