Energy Sources

NONRENEWABLE RESOURCES A natural resource that cannot be re-made or re-grown before they are completely used.

Examples of non-renewable resources: Nuclear energy Coal Petroleum Natural gas

Nonrenewable energy resources removed from the earth’s crust include: oil, natural gas, coal, and uranium www.bio.miami.edu/beck/esc101/Chapter14&15.ppt 4

NUCLEAR ENERGY Uses uranium to create energy. Splits uranium atom Process is called nuclear fission. brainpop

Nuclear Energy Cons Pros No greenhouse gases or CO2 emissions Efficient at transforming energy into electricity Uranium reserves are abundant Refueled yearly Cons Higher capital costs due to safety, emergency, containment, radioactive waste, and storage systems Problem of long-term storage of radioactive waste Heated waste water from nuclear plants harms aquatic life (fish, plants)

Three Mile Island March 29, 1979, a reactor near Harrisburg, PA lost coolant water because of mechanical and human errors and suffered a partial meltdown 50,000 people evacuated & another 50,000 fled area Unknown amounts of radioactive materials released Partial cleanup & damages cost $1.2 billion Released radiation increased cancer rates. www.bio.miami.edu/beck/esc101/Chapter14&15.ppt 7

Chernobyl April 26, 1986, reactor explosion (Ukraine) flung radioactive debris into atmosphere Health ministry reported 3,576 deaths Green Peace estimates32,000 deaths; About 400,000 people were forced to leave their homes ~160,000 sq km (62,00 sq mi) contaminated > Half million people exposed to dangerous levels of radioactivity Cost of incident > $358 billion www.bio.miami.edu/beck/esc101/Chapter14&15.ppt 8

Effects of Chernobyl nuclear disaster 9

Fukushima disaster – Japan, March 2011 before Earthquake, followed by tsunami – subsequent loss of power to cool reactors, plus fire at plant

COAL, PETROLEUM, AND GAS Coal, petroleum, and natural gas are considered nonrenewable because they can not be replenished in a short period of time. These are called fossil fuels. They are made of hydrocarbons. • Oil and natural gas can provide three times as much energy as an equal mass of wood

HOW IS COAL MADE ???

Coal Energy Pros Cons Most abundant fossil fuel Currently inexpensive to extract Reliable and capable of generating large amounts of power Cons Emits major greenhouse gases/acid rain High environmental impact from mining and burning, although cleaner coal-burning technology is being developed Mining can be dangerous for miners

Natural gas A mixture of methane and other gases. Used to produce electricity, heat homes and water, Industry (heat for warmth and producing things), vehicles, cooking

Natural Gas Pros Cons Widely available Cleanest-burning fossil fuel Often used in combination with other fuels to decrease pollution in electricity generation Made safe by adding artificial odor so that people can easily smell the gas in case of a leak Cons Transportation costs are high Lack of infrastructure makes gas resources unavailable from some areas Burns cleanly, but still has emissions Pipelines impact ecosystems

Oil/Petroleum Deposits of crude oil often are trapped within the earth's crust and can be extracted by drilling a well Used in industry to power machinery and in transportation

Oil/Petroleum Things made from petroleum. click the image

HOW ARE OIL AND GAS MADE ???

Oil/Petroleum Pros Cons Efficient transportation fuel for the world Basis of many products, from prescription drugs to plastics Economical to produce Easy to transport Cons High CO2 emissions Found in limited areas Supply may be used before natural gas/coal resources Possible environmental impact from drilling/transporting

HMMMM.... If nonrenewable resources are resources that cannot be re-made at a scale comparable to its consumption, what are renewable resources?

RENEWABLE RESOURCES Renewable resources are natural resources that can be replenished in a short period of time. ● Solar ● Geothermal ● Wind ● Biomass ● Water

Why is energy from the sun renewable? SOLAR Energy from the sun. Why is energy from the sun renewable?

Solar Energy Pros Most abundant energy source Clean= nonpolluting Systems can last 15-20 years Cons High initial investment Dependent on sunny days Requires large physical space

Energy from Earth’s heat. Why is geothermal renewable?

Geothermal Energy Pro Minimal environmental impact Efficient Power plants have low emissions Low cost after the initial investment Cons Fields found in few areas around the world Expensive start-up costs Wells could eventually be depleted

Why is energy from the wind renewable?

Wind Energy Pros Cons No emissions Affordable Little disruption of ecosystems Relatively high energy output Cons Dependent upon wind speed Not attainable for all geographic locations High initial investment/ongoing maintenance costs Extensive land use Disrupt migrant bird patterns

BIOMASS Energy from burning organic or living matter. Examples include: Wood, leaves, food wastes, and manure. Why is this renewable?

Biomass Energy Cons Pros Abundant supply Fewer emissions than fossil fuel sources Can be used in diesel engines Auto engines easily convert to run on biomass fuel Cons Source must be near usage to cut transportation costs Emits some pollution as gas/liquid waste Increases emissions of nitrogen oxides, an air pollutant Uses some fossil fuels in conversion

WATER or HYDROELECTRIC Energy from the flow of water. Why is energy of flowing water renewable?

Hydroelectricity Pros No emissions Reliable Capable of generating large amounts of power Output can be regulated to meet demand Cons Environmental impacts by changing the environment in the dam area Hydroelectric dams are expensive to build Dams may be affected by drought

Energy Efficiency Energy efficiency – the amount of useful energy produced compared to the amount wasted as heat; built into the device or system, unavoidable waste Examples of levels of energy efficiency: human body: 20-25% incandescent lightbulb: 5% internal combustion engine: steam turbine: 45%

Energy Conservation Energy conservation – making an effort to reduce the amount of energy used… some waste can be avoided

What are the differences between nonrenewable and renewable resources? SUMMARY What are the differences between nonrenewable and renewable resources?