Global Climate Change, Sequestration of Carbon Dioxide,
and Energy Policy for the Future

January 18, 2013
ME Lecture Hall
0900

Mr. Nalu Kaahaaina

Deputy Program Director for Energy & Environmental Security
Office of Strategic Outcomes
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Abstract

As the Deputy Program Director for Energy & Environmental Security, Mr. Kaahaaina is responsible for strategic planning and business development related to energy technologies. In this capacity he works with Principle Investigators to develop energy technologies that meet critical needs for both national security and industrial operations. The Energy Systems technology portfolio includes: Energy Conversion & Storage (advanced combustion, fuel cells, hydrogen storage), Low-Carbon & Renewable Resources (biofuels, geothermal, wind), and Energy-Economic Modeling (scenario analysis and energy flow charts). In addition to technology development, Mr. Kaahaaina also collaborates with LLNL staff on system-level evaluations of water infrastructure, energy-climate coupling, and integrated energy systems.

Prior to joining LLNL, Mr. Kaahaaina was the Deputy Director of the Advanced Energy Systems Laboratory (AESL) in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Stanford University. AESL activities focused on energy conversion technologies, particularly advanced combustion. Nalu also held a concurrent faculty appointment as a Lecturer in the Mechanical Engineering Department, where he taught Internal Combustion Engines and Advanced Thermal Systems.

Previously, Nalu was a Consultant for the Technology & Innovation group of Arthur D. Little Inc. (later acquired by TIAX, LLC) where he specialized in transportation technologies such as hybrid-electric vehicles, emission controls, and advanced powertrains. He generated both technical analysis and energy-economic evaluations for policy-makers and investors. His clients included public agencies, both California state and federal, as well as numerous private firms.

Mr. Kaahaaina has authored engine research published in SAE Transactions and the International Journal of Engine Research. He is a member of ASME and SAE, the latter of which he served as a technical reviewer for the Advanced Powerplant Committee between 2001 and 2004. Mr. Kaahaaina has also consulted for start-up companies and venture capital firms to evaluate the potential consequences and value of CleanTech investments.

Energy is embedded in virtually every facet of national security. While "energy" broadly offers numerous advantages to warfighters, each specific use requires its own technology chain. As a consequence, delivering the total energy portfolio needed to enable every defense application, demands a technical framework that cuts across individual technologies. This makes it possible to identify and prioritize the trade space of competing options.

This discussion will outline the options available for Defense Energy in terms of energy resources and the associated energy technologies needed to utilize those resources. The seminar will conclude with a basic framework to identify how specific technology improvements can advance real- world performance.

POC

Dr. Daniel A. Nussbaum
Naval Postgraduate School 
Principal, Energy Academic Group
Monterey CA 93943
Phone: 831-656-2387
Mobile: 831-324-3228
Email: dnussbaum@nps.edu