NONRENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES

Changes in U.S. Energy Use

Fossil Fuels Natural, nonrenewable energy resource formed from remains of ancient organisms oil, coal, natural gas Most heavily used energy resource

Purposes of Fuel Transportation Manufacturing Heating and cooling buildings Generating electricity

Electric Power More convenient than fossil fuels Can be transported across great distances Difficult to store Other energy sources are needed to create it

Electric Generator Converts mechanical energy into electrical energy

Electric Generator

US Fossil Fuel Deposits

Coal Formation From swamp plants of Carboniferous period (ending 286 million years ago). Stages of coal forming over millions of years

Coal Formation

Oil and Natural Gas Formation

Coal Relatively inexpensive Little refining necessary Make up most fossil fuel reserves Rich deposits in Asia and N. America

Coal

Coal Mining Mountaintop Removal Mining – entire coal seam is extracted

Air Pollution Burning coal releases pollutants into atmosphere CO2, CO sulfur dioxides, nitrogen dioxides particulates heavy metals (Hg, As, Pb)

Air Pollution Clean-burning coal technology has reduced air pollution Coal washing – mixing crushed coal ore with water and allowing impurities to settle

Locating Oil Deposits Oil is located around major geologic features, which trap oil folds, faults, and salt domes

Locating Oil Deposits Geologists obtain data on oil deposits from Earth’s surface

Locating Oil Deposits Wells are drilled to determine amount of oil

Locating Oil Deposits If a large amount of oil is available it is extracted Oil is transported to a refinery converted into other products

Oil Deposits Oil reserves - oil deposits that are in commercial production Largest oil reserves: Middle East, US, Venezuela, and Siberia

Petroleum Complex molecules with many hydrogen and carbon compounds Called crude oil Used to create fuel, plastics, chemicals Accounts for 45% of world’s energy use

Environmental Impacts Petroleum fuel releases pollutants when burned Contributes to air pollution and global warming

Refining crude oil. Based on their boiling points, components are removed at various levels in distillation column.

Advantages and disadvantages of using oil as an energy resource

Environmental Impacts Oil spills tanker ships leaking cars

Natural Gas 20% of nonrenewable energy supply Cleaner burning than crude oil Can be used by electric power plants and in homes

Natural Gas Mixture of 50–90% methane (CH4), smaller amounts of ethane (C2H6), propane (C3H8), & butane (C4H10), and hydrogen sulfide (H2S); Typically transported by pipelines; Methane (CH4) is a greenhouse gas!

Advantages and disadvantages of using natural gas as an energy resource

Fossil Fuels and the Future Supply 90% of the energy used in developed countries Demand for energy - caused increase in cost of fossil fuels Countries looking for cheaper alternatives