EnergyResourcesEnergyResources Michelle K Sam E Missy

CoalCoal Availability: 475 Billion Short Tons: Enough to meet needs for 200 years State of Technology: Recovered through surface and deep mining Economics: Weekly coal prices range between $10 and $60, depending on region Environmental and Health Impacts: Smoke, air pollution, acid rain, smog

OilOil Availability: 21 Billion barrels in the ground State of Technology: Provides for motors, factories…basically all modes of transportation, heat, and energy!! Economics: U.S. uses 21 million barrels a day. Cost of barrel today: $77 Environmental and Health Impacts: Global warming, atmospheric changes, depletion of O Zone

Solar Energy/Power Availability: Unlimited, with exception of night and clouds State of Technology: Solar power plants, panels, and towers Economics: Expensive to build, and several hundred dollars per unit of solar panel Environmental and Health Impacts: Materials used can be hazardous (silicon, arsenic, cadmium)

Hydroelectric Availability: As long as there is sufficient water flow State of Technology: Power plants, dams Economics: Eliminates cost of fuel Environmental and Health Impacts: Dam failures, disrupts aquatic ecosystems, population relocation

Gas HydratesGas Hydrates Availability: Found in sub-permafrost locations on land near polar locations, so as global warming increases, the availability of gas hydrates decreases State of Technology: Current commercialization efforts are constrained Economics: Technology used for harvesting gas hydrates is still being researched, therefore is expensive Environmental and Health Impacts: Ground subsidence, methane release, slope instability, water and sand production

TidalTidal Availability: Large amounts of coastal waters are being reserved on both coasts of North America by small companies in hopes that these sources will become profitable sources of energy State of Technology: Familiar and available technology-A matter of taking advantage of tides in coastal regions Economics: Not an attractive proposition to invest in the construction of, but once it is constructed, the cost of maintenance is low Environmental and Health Impacts: Water level changes, flooding, vegetation change, water quality changes, habitat alteration

Ocean Thermal Gradients Availability: Uses temp. difference that exists between deep and shallow waters to run a heat engine-greatest efficiency and power is produced with the largest temp. difference State of Technology: Largely under research and not readily available Economics: Estimates of power generation costs as low as $0.07 per kilowatt-hour Environmental and Health Impacts: Affects breeding, eating, and living habits of native wild life. Aesthetically unpleasing to humans near harvesting areas

Natural Gas State of Technology: Plants or fractioners purify raw natural gas from underground gas fields and wells Economics: Importing: $2.90 Exporting: $3.43 per thousand cubic feet Environmental and Health Impacts: CO2 emitted into atmosphere-global warming

Nuclear Fission State of Technology: Nuclear Plants Economics: Expensive to construct plants Environmental and Health Impacts: Radiation-cancer, mutation

WindWind Availability: Unlimited Resource State of Technology: Turbines Economics: 10 Kilowatt machine- $35,000- $50,000 Environmental and Health Impacts: Unattractive, affects wild life in surrounding area

Geothermal Availability: 10 gig worldwide Environmental and Health Impacts: CO2 causing global warming and acidic rain

Nuclear Fusion State of Technology: Not available for an estimated 20 more years Economics: Expensive! Environmental and Health Impacts: Radioactivity-Cancer, mutation

Solid WasteSolid Waste Availability: Whatever is in landfills State of Technology: Burned for fuel Environmental and Health Impacts: Radioactive wastes, medicines, bad trash

Biomass Availability: Provide about 3% of all energy consumed in the U.S. in 2002, supplied about 47% of all renewable energy consumed in the U.S. State of Technology: Not advanced, like direct combustion, but supplied almost 6x the energy of geothermal, solar, and wind energy sources combined in the U.S. Economics: If directly combusted, prices are low-If processed by gasification and pyrolysis, can be costly Environmental and Health Impacts: CO2 pollution, global warming

Homestar aka “Cash for Caulkers” American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) –Federal Jobs Bill for 2010 attempting to be passed by admin. and Congress creating a bill to emphasize projects and programs that create jobs for the unemployed. Many of these jobs are considered to be “green job,” by constructing residential retrofits, industrial and CHP efficiency grants, and commercial retrofits. These target energy savings of 20% in each home through incentives for specific energy efficiency improvements (attics, walls, crawlspaces). Proposal allows for unemployed to gain jobs in the construction field. 21% of U.S. carbon footprint accounts for home energy. Basic energy measures will be implemented like caulking, insulation, duct repair, and heating and cooling systems, which can all reduce household energy consumption by 10% to 40%. The passing of the bill would help limit carbon output, as well as save money for the average household.