Nonrenewable Energy Resources Fossil Fuels & Nuclear

Coal Gas Oil High potential areas MEXICO UNITED STATES CANADA Pacific Ocean Atlantic Grand Banks Gulf of Alaska Valdez ALASKA Beaufort Sea Prudhoe Bay Arctic Prince William Sound Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Trans Alaska oil pipeline

Fossil Fuels * Combustion of a fossil fuel will always produce at least CO2 and H2O

Coal * the “dirtiest” fossil fuel * Contain impurities such as sulfur and mercury * When burned, SO2 and particulates (soot) are released causing air pollution and respiratory problems * SO2 combines with rain to produce H2SO4 (sulfuric acid) which is the primary component of acid deposition

* Coal power plants in the eastern U.S. get most of their coal from W.V., Pa, and Ky * This coal is very high in sulfur content  more problems with air pollution & acid deposition * Coal power plants use wet scrubbers to lessen SO2 emissions and Electrostatic precipitators to lower particulate emissions.

* NC gets most of its coal from W.V. & Ky Roxboro

Petroleum (crude oil) * Contain impurities such as sulfur, nitrogen & oxygen * Once crude oil has been drilled, pipelines take it to a refinery.

* At the refinery, fractional distillation separates the crude oil into usable components.

Natural gas * the “cleanest” fossil fuel * Mostly methane (CH4) * Contains the fewest impurities of all fossil fuels * Often found with oil * Hydraulic fracturing AKA fracking has become an increasingly more common way to access reserves

Nuclear * Used only for electricity * Uses neutrons to split uranium or plutonium atoms, usually U-235. * This begins a controlled fission chain reaction that heats water

Nuclear accidents * Three mile island - PA March 1979 * Partial meltdown of reactor #2 * Reactor #1 is still operational

* Chernobyl, Ukraine (formerly USSR) April 1986 * Complete meltdown of reactor #4

* Fukushima, Japan March 2011