Energy Resources of Canada Pgs. 312 - 347

Energy Use Canadians are among the highest energy consumers in the world. (6th highest) Our high standard of living (cars, computers, appliances, etc.) contribute to our high energy use. Do we take our energy for granted?

Reasons We are a HUGE country and our population is spread out (dispersed). Our climate is cold in the winter and often hot in the summer. Our lifestyles.

Question?????? Is there a limit to Canada’s energy resources? What changes do you think could be made to make Canadians’ energy resources sustainable?

Energy Resources Is a power source that people can use to do work in order to meet their needs and wants. Energy resources fall into two main categories: (i) renewable (e.g., wave), and (ii) non-renewable (e.g., nuclear)

Canada We are MAJOR producers and consumers of energy resources. Our energy resources are unevenly distributed. They contribute to our wealth as a nation.

Sources of Energy

1. Coal Is a non-renewable FOSSIL FUEL. It was formed from the remains of ancient forests and swamps. As trees and other plants died, leaves and branches fell into the swamps. Unable to decay in the waters they accumulated to form thick layers of vegetable remains

These were buried over millions of years by sediments and the remains of other swamps. Pressure and chemical changes turned the sediments into sedimentary rocks and the vegetable remains into coal. Most comes from Alberta. Not popular as it once was.

Advantages: For many years it was cheap, readily available, and easy to transport Disadvantages: Highly polluting Reserves are getting more expensive to mine Non-renewable

2. Oil or Petroleum Oil was formed from the decomposed bodies of plankton buried in the muds of shallow seas. Over millions of years, these organic liquids were transformed by pressure and chemical reactions into small drops of petroleum. The oil mostly accumulated into petroleum traps

Advantages: Plentiful Relatively cheap source of energy Easy to transport Disadvantages: Pollution Becoming more expensive “addiction to oil” nonrenewable

3. Natural Gas Like oil, natural gas is formed from the remains of plankton that fell to the sea bottom and were covered by fine muds and silts. These remains were altered over millions of years into gasses. They accumulated into the same traps that contain the oil.

Natural gas was regarded as a useless by product for years, however since the 1950’s it has gained prominence.

Advantages: Cleaner burning than oil. Less pollution Many known reserves Disadvantages: Difficult to transport (pipelines or LNG) Still create pollution issues. Add to global warming nonrenewable

4. Hydroelectric Dams are constructed to raise water levels and create an artificial drop. The falling water turns turbines, which in turn drive the generators that convert the mechanical energy of moving water into electrical energy.

Advantages: Clean and safe Abundant in some areas Disadvantages: Lack of suitable rivers in many areas Expensive initial investment Disruption of wildlife habitats Destruction of forests and ecosystems

5. Nuclear The heat source is generated by splitting atoms of radioactive materials, such as uranium-235, in a process called nuclear fission.

Advantages: Originally considered to be low cost. And pollution free. Disadvantages: Complex safety and back-up systems needed to guard against break downs in the reactors have made the cost expensive Overall safety concerns

6. Others Wind Solar Geothermal