Renewable vs. Non-Renewable

Defined: Examples: Examples : Limited supply – may run out and will not be replaced in our lifetimes. May never run out, or it can be replenished in a human lifetime. Fossil Fuels Oil (Petroleum)Oil (Petroleum) CoalCoal Natural GasNatural GasNuclear SolarWind Water (hydroelectric) Geothermal Biomass / Ethanol Humans ;) Hydrogen Fuel Cells…

 In the United States, each person averages 10,000 watts of energy use continuously —24 hours per day, 365 days per year

Coal, natural gas, and nuclear power plants together account for about 90 percent of current U.S. electricity production. Make a pie-graph with this data: Coal: 49% Natural Gas: 20% Nuclear: 20% Hydroelectric: 7% Petroleum: 1.5% Other Renewables (remainder) It will look something similar to…

wood For the majority of the history of the United States, the predominant fuel source has been wood. OPEC = Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries

 The use of Coal as a fuel rose in the late 1800’s.  Coal is widely used around the world because: a. coal is plentiful b. resources are relatively easy to exploit c. coal is easily transported d. coal needs little refining e. Coal has a high energy density  The drop in the use of coal as a fuel in the 1940s was caused by a rise in the use of natural gas.  In 2000, natural gas provided about as much energy as coal.  However… the use of coal is continuing to rise world wide due to the increased use of coal in developing countries such as China and India.