[Lecture] A Global Perspective on Energy Challenges and Mechanics
Dec. 25, 2018
Title: A Global Perspective on Energy Challenges and Mechanics
Time: 14:00-16:00, Dec. 25, 2018, Tuesday
Venue: Room 434, Mechanics Building, Peking University
Speaker: Henry Tan, University of Aberdeen
Abstract:
Based in Aberdeen, the “Energy Capital of Europe", from our recent research collaborations with the energy industries, and the experience chairing the 1st-9th International Symposium on Energy, this talk explores issues related to energy challenges and mechanics from a global perspective. The aim is to get a complete view of energy-related problems. The following topics are covered:
- Life on earth currently faces a threat on a genuinely global scale: climate change. In collaboration with the MILESECURE-2050, the multidimensional impact of the low-carbon European strategy on energy security up to 2050 will be discussed.
- Asset life extension-The majority of the North Sea, and global, offshore infrastructure has reached the end of its original design life. They are facing a common challenge on how to maintain production capability while preserving integrity.
- The DESERTEC idea was initially developed in Germany for power production at a large scale, making use of solar energy in the deserts of North Africa with the option to transport a significant fraction of power to Europe. The DESERTEC idea has been generalized to a concept that is applicable worldwide with three main pillars: 1) Deserts of the world are essential sources for intense and reliable solar radiation. 2) The oceans with their coastal areas are an essential source of intense and dependable wind power. 3) A large-scale high voltage direct current power grid distributes the power among the centres of generation and consumption.
- Fusion energy is among the most environmentally friendly sources of energy. The ITER Members-China, the European Union, India, Japan, Korea, Russia and the United States-are now engaged in a 35-year collaboration to build and operate the Tokamak. Recently the EAST reactor in Hefei has achieved a temperature exceeding 100 million degrees Celsius, setting a new record and bringing us closer to a new age in energy.
Speaker’s Bio: Henry Tan of the University of Aberdeen, a Tsinghua PhD, is an American British Chinese scientist with the academic background in engineering mechanics and physics. He is the Chairman of the 1st to 9th International Symposium on Energy, Chairman of the International Symposium on Quantum Technology, Chairman of the Reliability Excellence Summit, and Chairman of the Global Forum on Total Maintenance & Operational Excellence. Dr. Tan publishes in journals such as Physical Review Letters, Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, Safety Sciences. He delivered plenary/keynote lectures at numerous international conferences on topics related to energy, biomechanics and safety, and gave invited seminars at institutions such as Cambridge University, Department of Physics, and the Centre for Mathematical Sciences; Columbia University; Tsinghua and Peking Universities; and International Centre for Mechanical Sciences, Italy. Previously Dr. Tan was a Lecturer at the University of Manchester, a Research Scientist at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The PhD students he supervised include a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and a Fellow of the Nuclear Institute.
Edited by: Guo Xinyu
Source: College of Engineering
