Argonne Energy Slam

By Lenka Kollar

Last week Argonne National Laboratory held an Energy Slam featuring four Argonne researchers to debate non-fossil energy sources. If you missed the webcast, here's a great recap. Each presenter had 10 minutes to give the case for their energy source and then the audience voted by clapping for their favorite.

Nuclear -  J’Tia Taylor, nuclear engineer and Nonproliferation Technical Associate at Argonne (pictured above)

• The 1957 Disneyland episode Our Friend the Atom
  
• Reliable, efficient, near-zero emissions
  
• Lowest mortality rate of ANY electricity source
  
• Doesn't need back-up fossil plant (like wind and solar)
  
• Lowest carbon emitting and no greenhouse gases
  

Wind - Guenter Conzelmann, head of Argonne’s Wind Power Technologies and Analysis Program

• Zero fuel, no waste
  
• Doesn't run the risk of major nuclear accidents
  
• 23 fold increase in wind capacity over the last 15 years (globally)
  
• Wind is variable because of weather but we can manage it
  
• 70% of everything that goes into a wind turbine is made in the U.S.
  

Biofuels - Jennifer Dunn, head of Argonne’s Biofuel Life Cycle Analysis Team

• The other sources only work if we can electrify the transportation sector 
  
• Hard to beat the energy density of liquid fuels
  
• We can convert landfill waste to biofuel
  
• Not just corn ethanol, but also waste and energy crops, algae, oil crops, and soy
  
• Lots of interest for biofuels in aviation, both military and commercial
  

Solar - Seth Darling, nanoscientist who focuses on solar energy conversion

• All energy is actually solar energy (except man-made nuclear)
  
• Feasible to use about 2% of land in U.S. for solar
  
• Solar prices have been coming down drastically
  
• Can design solar panels into architecture
  
• Can design grid to handle variability and utilize energy storage
  
• Democratization of energy because you don't need a utility and can sell back to grid

All of the presenters made a great case for their energy source and of course the answer is an "all of the above" approach. However, Argonne used a tool to measure the decibel level of the audience applause and determined that Seth Darling and his solar presentation had the most support. Probably because he brought a prop (pictured above); a flexible solar panel on which he was charging his phone!

Watch the full video of the Argonne Energy Slam here.

Which energy source gets your vote?