Nonrenewable energy ch17

Nonrenewable Energy  = comes from sources that will run out or will not be replenished in our lifetimes—or even in many, many lifetimes.  Carbon is the main element in fossil fuels and is released when burned.

What is a nonrenewable resource? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCg81A6kwg0

Fossil Fuels - Nonrenewable energy source formed from the remains of organisms that lived long ago.

Most of our energy comes from Fossil fuels! We use it for… Transportation Manufacturing Heating and cooling electricity

Electricity Convenient to use Can be transported quickly across great distances Difficult to store Has to use other energy sources to generate it.

How is electricity generated?

Energy use world wide

Energy use in the united states The United States uses more energy per person than any other country except Canada and the United Arab Emirates.

coal Inexpensive Needs little refining Most of the world’s fossil-fuel reserves are made up of coal Asia and north America are rich in coal deposits. Inexpensive Needs little refining

Coal and air pollution However, clean burning coal technology has dramatically reduced air pollution in places like the U.S. High grade coal create less air pollution Low grade coal creates more air pollution Sulfur in coal creates acid rain http://www.voanews.com/a/in-house-clean-coal-technology/3776635.html

Energy production

Natural Gas (aka- Methane) Natural gas consists mostly of methane and is drawn from gas wells or in conjunction with crude oil production. As delivered through the pipeline system, it also contains hydrocarbons such as ethane and propane as well as other gases such as nitrogen, helium, carbon dioxide, sulphur compounds, and water vapour. Is about 20% of the world’s NRE comes from natural gas. Produces fewer pollutants than other FF

Fracking Fracking is the process of drilling down into the earth before a high-pressure water mixture is directed at the rock to release the gas inside. Water, sand and chemicals are injected into the rock at high pressure which allows the gas to flow out to the head of the well.

Fracking video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAxsTJd7VCA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LBjSXWQRV8

Petroleum ( aka crude oil) 45% of the world’s commercial energy use

Oil spills

Nuclear power Fission Fusion Splitting a Uranium Nucleus by bombarding it with nuetrons Creates heat energy Use this to heat water as in traditional power plants Leaves behind radioactive waste Fusion Combine nuclei of smaller atoms to form a larger nucleus. Releases tremendous amounts of energy Potentially safer energy source than Fission because it creates less dangerous radioactive byproducts.

Radioactive waste Chernobyl in Ukraine 3mile island in Pennsylvania How do we store this? Dangerously radioactive for 1,000’s of years Must control the process so it does not get out of control Transmutation – ways to recycle radioactive elements.

Fossil fuels