Nonrenewable Energy Resources Mineral Resources - natural material in Earth’s crust useful for products Types 1) metallic resources (iron, copper) 2) nonmetallic resources (sand, salt) 3) energy resources (oil, coal) * All are nonrenewable at current rate of use*

Energy Resources Facts - 4 main sources: coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear - U.S. is largest energy user - coal use is dropping - nuclear power has leveled off - oil, natural gas use is increasing

Hydropower, geothermal, World’s Commercial Energy Use Nuclear power 6% Hydropower, geothermal, solar, wind 6% Natural Gas 22% RENEWABLE 16% Biomass 10% Coal 23% Oil 33% NONRENEWABLE 84% World’s Commercial Energy Use

United States’ Commercial Energy Use Nuclear power 8% Hydropower geothermal solar, wind 3% Natural Gas 24% RENEWABLE 6% Coal 23% Oil 39% NONRENEWABLE 94% Biomass 3% United States’ Commercial Energy Use

Electric resistance heating (coal-fired plant) 0.4 Space Heating Passive solar 5.8 Natural gas 4.9 Oil 4.5 Active solar 1.9 Coal gasification 1.5 Electric resistance heating (coal-fired plant) 0.4 Electric resistance heating (natural-gas-fired plant) 0.4 Net Energy Available energy minus energy required to find, extract, process, & transport Electric resistance heating (nuclear plant) 0.3

Originations of Nonrenewable Energy Sources Crude Oil - combustible liquid formed from dead microorganisms Natural Gas - gas formed above oil reservoirs containing a mixture of methane, propane, ethane, & butane Coal - combustible solid formed from plant remains Nuclear Power - energy given off from nuclei reactions (fission/fusion)

Electricity Produced by Coal

Electricity from Nuclear Power

Video Links: “How does Nuclear Power Work?”

Gases Refining Crude Oil Different products have different boiling points, so heat is used to distill them Gasoline Aviation fuel Heating oil Heated crude oil Diesel oil Naphtha Grease and wax Furnace Asphalt

Historical Cost of Oil 70 60 50 40 Oil price per barrel 30 20 10 1950 (1997 dollars) 10 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 Year

Trade-Offs Advantages Disadvantages Conventional Oil Advantages Disadvantages Ample supply for 42-93 years Low cost (with huge subsidies) High net energy yield Easily transported within and between countries Low land use Technology is well developed Efficient distribution system Need to find substitute within 50 years Artifically low price encourages waste and discourages search for alternatives Air pollution when burned Releases CO2 when burned Moderate water pollution

Conventional Natural Gas Trade-Offs Conventional Natural Gas Advantages Disadvantages Ample supplies (125 years) Nonrenewable resource High net energy yield Releases CO2 when burned Low cost (with huge subsidies) Methane (a greenhouse gas) can leak from pipelines Less air pollution than other fossil fuels Difficult to transfer from one country to another Lower CO2 emissions than other fossil fuels Shipped across ocean as highly explosive LNG Moderate environmental impact Sometimes burned off and wasted at wells because of low price Low land use Easily transported by pipeline Requires pipelines Good fuel for fuel cells

Trade-Offs Advantages Disadvantages Coal Advantages Disadvantages Ample supplies (225–900 years) Very high environmental impact Severe land disturbance, air pollution, and water pollution High net energy yield Low cost (with huge subsidies) High land use (including mining) Mining and combustion technology well-developed Severe threat to human health High CO2 emissions when burned Air pollution can be reduced with improved technology (but adds to cost) Releases radioactive particles and mercury into air

Trade-Offs Advantages Disadvantages Nuclear Energy Advantages Disadvantages Large fuel supply High cost (even with large subsidies) Low environmental impact (without accidents) Low net energy yield High environmental impact (with major accidents) Emits 1/6 as much CO2 as coal Moderate land disruption and water pollution (without accidents) Catastrophic accidents can happen (Chernobyl) No widely acceptable solution for long-term storage of radioactive wastes and decommissioning worn-out plants Moderate land use Low risk of accidents because of multiple safety systems (except in 35 poorly designed and run reactors in former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe) Subject to terrorist attacks Spreads knowledge and technology for building nuclear weapons

CO2 emitted per unit energy Coal-fired electricity 286% Synthetic oil and gas produced from coal 150% 100% Coal 92% Oil sand 86% Oil CO2 emitted per unit energy 58% Natural gas 17% Nuclear power