Energy Resources of Our Planet Understanding the Renewable & Nonrenewable Energy Resources at Our Disposal & the Differences Between Them

The Fossil Fuels

Petroleum (Oil) A nonrenewable liquid fossil fuel found underground Oil rigs drill through many layers of Earth's crust to bring oil to the surface

Petroleum (Oil) Even though it's a fossil fuel, petroleum is still widely available and relatively affordable, and provides 35% of American energy usage In addition to gasoline, other fuels and motor oils, petroleum is used to make plastics, paints, medicines, and soaps, among so many other things

Petroleum (Oil) As much as we rely on petroleum for our products and transportation, it is a very dirty and harmful fossil fuel that has numerous negative impacts on the environment Oil Spills Air Pollution Plastic Waste

Coal A nonrenewable solid fossil fuel that looks like a shiny black rock and is found underground

Coal Despite being a fossil fuel, coal provides 21% of America's energy needs The coal reserves found in America alone are estimated to last at least 120 more years 92% of the coal mined in the U.S. is used to make electricity

Coal Burning coal produces emissions that pollute the air, land, and water One emission is CO2 , a greenhouse gas that can harm our planet

Natural Gas A nonrenewable gaseous fossil fuel found trapped in underground rocks Natural gas is actually a mixture of different gases , the main ingredient of which is methane Natural gas is also produced out of landfills (landfill gas is actually considered renewable since trash is always created)

Natural Gas Industries use natural gas to manufacture goods or as an ingredient in items like fertilizer, glue, or paint Because it is cheap and easy to obtain, most homes and commercial buildings use it for heating and cooking Natural gas can also be used to generate electricity and as fuel for transportation

Natural Gas Because it is a fossil fuel, burning natural gas produces greenhouse gases like coal and petroleum do Of the three fossil fuels, though, natural gas is cleaner to burn than coal and petroleum Transporting and working near natural gas pipelines could be dangerous

Uranium (Nuclear) Uranium is a nonrenewable element (and mineral) found in rocks and even ocean water Largest concentrations are found in Australia (30% of world's supply) It is processed and formed into small pellets the size of your fingertip Just one small uranium pellet produces as much energy as 150 gallons of oil The pellets are stacked to form fuel rods, and several fuel rods form an assembly

Uranium (Nuclear) Uranium atoms are split to generate energy through a process called nuclear fission The energy released from the nuclear fission process is captured in a power plant to produce electricity Fission Animation PWR Power Plant Self-Paced Animation

Uranium (Nuclear) No fuel is burned in a nuclear power plant, so there is no air pollution and no greenhouse gases produced Great amounts of water, however, are used for cooling the reactors; if the water taken from nearby lakes and rivers is returned at higher temperatures, the local ecology could be affected Nuclear power plants are actually very safe, but accidents and radiation leaks can occur, impacting the environment and all organisms nearby Radioactive waste produced by the power plants, if not contained properly, can damage an organism's cells, causing cancer and even death

Solar Earth gets all of its energy needs from the sun, a massive star in our solar system made mostly of hydrogen and helium gases The sun radiates (sends out) its solar energy every day, yet our planet only receives and uses a fraction of everything the sun radiates...most of it is lost to space Solar energy is renewable, and because the sun is available to us daily without fear of going away, solar energy is also considered indefinite (lasting forever)

Solar Nothing occurs on Earth without the sun's radiant energy! Specifically, though, solar energy can be used for heating water, heating spaces around us (homes and other buildings), and for generating electricity Solar Panel Animation

Solar Solar energy fortunately has very few negative impacts on the environment It's free and clean to use...the trouble still is in finding the best ways to collect as much radiant energy as we can in a way that is also cost effective (solar panels are still quite expensive) Generating electricity for a population would require many, many solar panels, and you might not find a field of solar panels very nice to look at! Solar panels don't work at nighttime, and they don't collect as much of the sun's light rays on cloudy days

Hydropower (Hydroelectric) Renewable energy that comes from the force of moving water You have to be near a water source to take advantage of this energy resource Hydropower plants are built where natural waterfalls are found, and dams are constructed across rivers to create artificial waterfalls if needed

Hydropower (Hydroelectric) Hydropower is used to generate 5- 10% of U.S. electricity, depending on annual rainfall Hydropower is the cheapest form of generating electricity, because once the dam is built water collection is free and passive Globally, hydropower accounts for about 17% of electricity production

Hydropower (Hydroelectric) Hydropower is clean energy and is free to use No fuel is burned, so no pollution is produced Dams are designed to control water flow, so water can be stored in a reservoir to be used when needed Building dams does disrupt the natural habitat, affecting wildlife and altering the natural flow of water Fish are affected by dams if they cannot swim upriver to lay their eggs, but modern dams are designed with fish ladders and other mechanisms to help fish swim back upriver Hydropower Video

Wind Air in motion caused by uneven heating across Earth’s surface by the sun Wind energy is renewable, because wind will always blow as long as the sun shines Wind energy is harvested with wind turbines, primarily in regions where the land is flat and there are no obstructions

Wind Wind power plants, also know as wind farms, include many wind turbines to collect the wind’s energy Wind energy is converted into electricity using the spinning turbines and a generator Wind energy makes up a very small percentage of our electricity production, because only certain regions have enough sustainable winds to rotate the large wind turbine blades Wind Turbine Animation

Wind Wind is a free and clean resource It is not widely available with the sustainable winds needed to turn the turbines Those wind turbines that have been installed can be hazardous to birds They can also be noisy and not attractive to look at

Biomass A renewable energy source that includes any organic matter Energy in biomass comes from the sun, beginning with plants that absorb sunlight and get their energy (sugar) from photosynthesis Biomass material can be harvested and taken directly from nature (plants and animal waste), and can include our own organic waste

Biomass For the longest time, wood was the most common form of biomass used for heating and cooking when burned We have learned over the past 200 years how the different forms of biomass can be used in manufacturing, transportation, to generate electricity, and again as a heating fuel Biomass Animation 1 Biomass Animation 2

Biomass Biomass does pollute the air when burned, but not as much as fossil fuels The pollutants are different as well; burning biomass doesn't contribute to acid rain like fossil fuels do Biomass does include wood and other plant material, which means we do cut down and expend energy harvesting trees Harvesting too many trees, not conserving them, and not responsibly planting new ones in their place can lead to the loss of trees and an environmental disaster

Geothermal Geo means “Earth”, and thermal means “heat”…geothermal energy refers to heat energy from within the earth Geothermal energy is renewable and indefinite because the earth’s core will constantly be producing heat energy

Geothermal Geothermal energy is used for heating and for generating electricity Pipes placed underground allow water to be pumped through a system that heats the water so we can benefit either from the heat directly or from the steam to generate electricity Geothermal Animation 1 Geothermal Animation 2

Geothermal Geothermal plants must be placed strategically over a sufficient heating source, and thus do not exist everywhere Geothermal energy is very clean and does little to no damage to the environment Nothing is burned, and no pollution is produced

Energy Conservation Energy conservation is saving and protecting our current supply of energy resources so they last as long as possible Using energy efficiently is important for conservation If something is energy efficient, that means you are getting the most energy you can by using the least amount of effort and resources