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This assigment is due by midnight, Thursday January 25

Your allowed to work on this assignment with 2 others (team size = 3), if you wish, on this assignment.

1. In the lecture pages its stated that the world's oil supply will essentially run out in the next 50 years. Find some information that would either support or refute that argument and make your judgement on which is most correct. In addition, critically discuss whether the extant data supports the idea that we are now at "Peak Oil" in terms of our ability to distribute oil resources over the planet.

2. Determine approximately how many gasoline powered vehicles there are in the United States (cars, trucks, commercial fleets, etc) and how many of them are on the nation's highways at a given time. Research available alternative fuels (e.g. biodiesel, ethanol, plugin electric vehicles) and critically discuss their potential ability to serve as a replacement fuel for all these vehicles.

3. Find some information on the worldwide production of Liquified Natural Gas. (LNG). How many LNG import facilities are there in the United States and where are they located? What are the United State's plans with regard to expanding these facilities and what is some of the opposition to that expansion? Also describe the current plan for a pipeline in Coos Bay and the opposition to that.

4. Recently, two new versions of solar power are starting to show real promise. These are: a) parabolic trough concentrators and b) solar sterling engines. Do some research on how these devices work and what current and future power plant projects will incorporate these new technologies.

5. A renewable portfolio standard (RPS) is a state policy that requires electricity providers to obtain a minimum percentage of their power from renewable energy resources by a certain date. Usually the RPS appears on the ballot as an initiative that requires approval from the voters. Recently an RPS narrowly passed in Washington state. Similarly, one recently passed in California. Do some research and report on the various components of that RPS, how the state plans to meet them, and whether or not the goals are realistic.