Overview: Social Science Flashcards
CAA
Clean Air Act
ANWR
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
CAES
Compressed air energy storage
CAFE
corporate average fuel economy
CBDR
Common but differentiated responsibility
CCS
Carbon capture and storage
CEQ
The council on environmental equality
CERCLA
Comprehensive environmental response, compensation, and liability act; also known as Superfund
CFCs
Chlorofluorocarbons
CFLs
Compact fluorescent lights
CHP
Combined heat and power
CSP
Concentrating solar power
CWA
Clean water act
EES
Electrical energy storage
EIA
Energy information administration
EISA
Energy independence and security act of 2007
EPA
Environmental Protection Agency
EPAct
energy policy act of 1992
EPCA
Energy policy and conservation act of 1975
ESA
Endangered species act
EV
Electric value
EWG
Exempt wholesale generator
FPC
Federal power commission
GHGs
Greenhouse gases
IEA
International energy agency
IPCC
Intergovernmental panel on climate change
ITC
Investment tax credit
LEDs
Light emitting diodes
NEPA
National environmental policy act 1969
NPDES
National pollutant discharge elimination system
NRDC
National resource defense council
OECD
Organization for economic co-operation and development
OPEC
Organization of petroleum exporting companies
PHS
Pumped hydro storage
PTC
Production tax credit
PUC
Public utility commission
PUHCA
Public utility holding company act of 1935
PURPA
Public utility regulatory policies act of 1978
PV
Photovoltaic
QF
Qualifying facilities
RCRA
Resource conservation and recovery act of 1976
RFS
Renewable Fuel standard
RPS
Renewable portfolio standard
SDWA
Safe drinking water act
SMR
Small module reactor
SPR
Strategic petroleum reserve
UNFCC
United Nations framework convention on climate change
A four star admiral of the US Navy who directed the original development of the naval nuclear propulsion and is known as the “father of the Nuclear Navy’s”
Admiral Hyman G. Rickover
Describes pollutants caused or produced by human activity
Anthropogenic
Also known as the Yom Kippur War and the October War, this war was fought by the coalition of Arab states (led by Egypt and Syria) against Israel in October 1973
1973 Arab-Israeli War
The Arab-dominated organization of petroleum exporting countries (OPEC) announced an oil embargo on the United States and other nations that provide aid to Israel during the Yom Kippur War of October 1973 which prompted a disruption of the oil supply in the US and other nations dependent on foreign oil
Arab oil embargo of 1973
Vegetable oil or animal fat based diesel fuel that can be used alone or blended with petrodiesel
Biodiesel
Fuels that are produced from living organisms
Biofuels
A harder more resistant rock type that overlays a weaker, less resistant rock type; in the petroleum industry cap rock is any non-permeable formation that can trap oil, gas, and water
Cap rock
The process of capturing waste carbon dioxide from power plant, transporting it to a storage site and depositing it underground so that it will not enter the atmosphere
Carbon capture and storage (CCS)
American marine biologist and author known for calling attention to environmental problems she believed were caused by synthetic pesticides, DDT
Rachel Carson
A nuclear accident that took place at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine (at the time part of the USSR) on April 26 1986 due to the explosion and fire that released large quantities of radioactive particles into the atmosphere
Chernobyl Disaster
Organic compounds widely used as refrigerants, propellants, and solvents whose manufacture has been phased out by the Montreal Protocol (which entered into force in 1989) because they contribute to ozone depletion in the upper atmosphere
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
US federal law passed in 1963 designed to control national air pollution
Clean Air Act
US federal law passed in 1972 that governs water pollution by establishing the goal of eliminating the release of toxic substances into water and ensuring that surface waters meet standards necessary to support human sports and recreations
Clean Water Act (CWA)
The use of a heat engine to simultaneously generate electricity and use the waste heat; also known as combined heat and power (CHP)
Cogeneration
An assembly of heat engines that work in tandem for the same source of heat, such that the exhaust of one heat engine is used as the heat source for another, to produce steam and then electricity
Combined cycle
Fluorescent lamps designed to replace incandescent lamps because they use less electricity, last longer, and produce the same amount of visible light
Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs)
Enacted by congress on December 11, 1980 and designed to clean up sites contaminated with hazardous substances
Comprehensive environmental response compensation and liability act (CERCLA or Superfund)
A system that uses mirrors and lenses to concentrate a large area of sunlight onto a small area, this converts this light to heat which drives a heat engine and produces electricity
Concentrating solar power
First enacted by congress in 1975, CAFE regulations are meant to increase the average fuel economy of cars and light trucks sold in the United States
Corporate average fuel economy (CAFE)
An organochlorine insecticide used in World War II to combat malaria and typhus among civilians and troops; its negative environmental and human health impacts were explored in Rachel Carson’s silent spring
DDT
A program that facilitates changes in normal energy consumptions by end-use customers in response to changes in price of electricity, often through incentive payments, at times of high wholesale market prices, or when system reliability is jeopardized
Demand response
Programs that help shift electricity consumption away from hours of peak demand
Demand shifting
A cabinet-level department of the US federal government that develops policies related to energy and is responsible for the national nuclear weapons program, nuclear reactor production, energy conservation, energy related research, radioactive waste disposal, and domestic energy production
Department of Energy
An annual event celebrated on April 22nd that is intended to demonstrate support for environmental protection
Earth day
The name given to a photograph taken by the Apollo 8 crew in 1968, touted as the most influential environment photograph ever taken and used that the primary symbol for the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970
Earthrise
An American biologist and educator who authored the controversial book “The Population Bomb” which warned of negative consequences of population growth and its strain on limited resources
Paul Ehrlich
A system for effecting purchase, sale, and/or trade of power and energy
Electricity market
Passed by the 110th congress in 2007, EISAs purpose was to move the US toward greater energy independence and security by increasing the production of renewable fuels; increasing energy efficiency in products, buildings, and vehicles; improving the energy performance of the federal government; and promoting research for carbon capture and sequestration
Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA)
Passed in 1992 by the 102nd congress, this law set new goals, created mandates, and amended utility laws to increase clean energy usage and improve energy efficiency in the United States
Energy policy act of 1992 (EPAct)
An act that provided tax incentives and loan guarantees for renewable energy and coal and also exempted oil and gas producers from certain requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act
Energy Policy Act of 2005
An international standard for energy efficient consumer products
Energy Star
A nonprofit environmental advocacy group that works on environmental issues, including global warming, ecosystem restoration, oceans, and human health
Environmental Defense Fund
A US federal agency created in 1970 to protect human health and the environment by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by congress
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
A volatile, flammable alcohol often used as a motor fuel and fuel additive
Ethanol
Any naturally occurring carbon or hydrocarbon fuel, such as coal, petroleum, peat, and natural gas formed by the decomposition of prehistoric organisms
Fossil Fuel
The location of a nuclear accident caused by a tsunami in Japan on March 11, 2011; it is considered the largest nuclear disaster since Chernobyl
Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant
Thermal energy generated and stored within the earth and used for heating applications in the residential, industrial, and agricultural sectors
Geothermal energy
The practice of drilling non-vertical wells to increase the exposed section of the drill and allow more well heads to be grouped together, reducing surface area disturbance
Horizontal drilling
A technique in which a mixture of water, chemicals, and sand is injected at high pressure into a wellbore to create small fractures in rock which brings natural gas, petroleum, and brine water to the surface; this process is commonly used in wells for shale gas, tight gas, tight oil, and coal seam gas
Hydraulic fracturing
Organic compounds made entirely of carbon and hydrogen; the primary energy source for most nations
Hydrocarbons
A traditional less efficient electric light that produces light with a filament wire heated to a high temperature by an electric current
Incandescent lightbulb
An international scientific intergovernmental organization established in 1988 by the United Nations to provide comprehensive assessments of current scientific, technical, and socioeconomic information about the risk of climate change
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
An intergovernmental organization established in 1974 (in response to the 1973 oil crisis) to act as a policy advisor to its member states
International energy agency (IEA)
Events in 1978-79 that involved the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynasty that had been supported by the U.S. and the United Kingdom
Iranian Revolution
Semiconductor light sources used as indicator lamps in many devices for general lighting
Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs)
A measure of the total amount of visible light emitted by a source
Lumens
Transition from vertically integrated utilities setting rates for electricity to consumer choice on the basis of competitive prices and products; this process has been slowed or halted in several states, notably California, due to market failures and price gouging that costs consumers and states billions of dollars
Market deregulation
An international treaty that came into affect on January 1, 1982, and was designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of substances believed to be responsible for ozone depletion
Montreal Protocol
A legislative response by congress to the 1973 energy crisis; it includes the following statutes: The Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act, the Energy Tax Act, the National Energy Conservation Policy Act, the Power Plant and Industrial Fuel Use Act, and the Natural Gas Policy Act
National Energy Act of 1978
Passed into law in 1978, this act serves as the foundation of most current energy requirements and is the underlying authority for federal energy management goals and requirements
National Energy Conservation Policy Act
A 1970 US environmental law that established a national policy of protecting the environment and created the council of environment quality (CEQ)
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
A nonprofit international environmental advocacy group established to seek sustainable policies from federal, state, and local governments, as well as from industry and corporations
National Resource Defense Council (NRDC)
An intergovernmental organization formed in 1960 whose mission is to coordinate the policies of oil-producing countries and secure a steady income for the member states and a supply of oil for its consumers; its current member states include Algeria, Ecuador, Angola, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela
Organization of Petroleum Exporting Companies (OPEC)
In the energy sector, peak demand is a period in which electricity is expected to be provided for a sustained amount of time at a significantly higher than average supply level
Peak Demand
The point in time when the maximum rate of petroleum extraction is reached
Peak Oil
Allowing liquids or gas to flow through (to the extent to which air or water can flow through a rock or earth material)
Permeable
Chemical products derived from petroleum
Petrochemicals
A method of generating electricity by converting solar radiation (sunlight) into direct current electricity using semiconductors
Photovoltaics (PV)
A principle or course of action to guide decision making
Policy
Having small holes or spaces (in a rock or other material) that allow air or liquid to pass through
Porous
Governmental restrictions on the price that can be charged for goods and services in a market in order to maintain affordability, prevent price gouging, and slow inflation
Price Controls
A period between the 1890s and the 1920s in the US that was marked by a desire for political reform and a push for efficiency
Progressive Era
Passed as part of the National Energy Act, PURPA helped enable some domestic renewable energy use by forcing electric utilities to buy power from non traditional power producers
Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA)
An organization that maintains the infrastructure necessary to provide a public service, such as electricity that is regulated by a public utilities commission
Public Utilities
A governing body that regulates the rates and services of a public utility
Public Utility Commission (PUC)
PUHCA was passed to regulate electric utilities by either limiting their operations to a single state or by forcing divestiture so that each became a single integrated system limited to a single state. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 repealed PUHCA entirely
Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 (PUHCA)
Created under the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and strengthened by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, the RFS program requires transportation fuels sold in the US to contain minimum volume of renewable fuels
Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS)
A regulation that requires the increased production of energy from renewable energy sources
Renewable Portfolio Standard
Enacted in 1976 this is the principle US federal law that governs the disposal of solid and hazardous waste
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
A unit of energy commonly used in energy analysis. A unit of energy equal to 10^15 BTU, another commonly used form of energy. A single BTU is the amount of energy required to heat or cool one pound of water by a single degree Fahrenheit. So it is a significant amount of energy.
Quad
Passed in 1974, the SDWA is a federal law that required the environmental protection agency to set and enforce standards for drinking water quality for the public
Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)
A term coined in the 1950s to describe the seven oil companies that dominated the global petroleum industry from the mid-1940s to the 1970s
Seven Sisters
Natural gas that is trapped within shale formation (fine grained sedimentary rocks)
Shale gas
Written by Rachel Carson in 1962, this widely read book documented the detrimental effects of pesticides on the environment, particularly on birds
Silent Spring
SMRs are a new nuclear power plant design with an output of less than 300 MW; they are considered more efficient and secure than traditional power plants
Small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs)
A modernized electric grid that uses information and communications technology to gather and act on information in an automated fashion to improve efficiency, reliability, and security
Smart grid
Rocks from which hydrocarbons have been generated or are capable of being generated
Source Rock
A market in which commodities such as oil and natural gas are traded for immediate delivery; this is in contrast to future markets in which such commodities are traded for delivery sometime in the future
Spot market
An emergency oil supply maintained by the U.S. Department of Energy
Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR)
Also known as ‘Big Oil’, a term used to describe the worlds five or six largest publicly owned oil and gas companies; these include BP, Chevron Corporation, ExxonMobil Corporation, Royal Dutch Shell, Total SA, and ConocoPhillips Company
Supermajors
The site of a partial nuclear meltdown that occurred in one of the two reactors in Pennsylvania March 28, 1979, it is considered the worst accident in US nuclear power plant history
Three Mile Island
Hydrocarbon reservoirs that have low permeability and porosity that are therefore difficult to exploit; examples include tight gas, coalbed methane, shale gas, shale oil, and tar sands
Unconventional hydrocarbon resource
The conversion of wind kinetic energy into either mechanical energy or electricity
Wind power
A device that converts kinetic energy from the wind into mechanical energy to produce electricity
Wind turbine
