Energy Use in the United States

population lives in the United States? What percentage of the World’s population lives in the United States? 5% 5%

How many passenger vehicles are there in the United States? ~211 million

What percentage of the world’s oil reserves does the U.S. have? 2%

What percentage of U.S. petroleum consumption is supplied by imports? 60%

If all production and imports stopped, how long would the United States petroleum stocks last? ~82 days

What percentage of the world’s supply of natural gas does the United States have? 3% What percentage of the world’s coal supply does the United States have? 27%

How long would the United States coal reserves last if we continued to use it at the same rate? ~242 years

Energy Resources Chapter 4

Resources Renewable – Can be replenished overly a fairly short period of time Nonrenewable take millions of years to form and accumulate

Fossil Fuels Any hydrocarbon that may be used as a source of energy. 90% of energy used in USA comes from fossil fuels !!!!!!

What is Coal? Made from decayed plant material from millions of years ago (usually in swamps) Transformed by weathering, erosion, and heat pressure Main resource power plants use to produce electricity

Fossil Fuels: Coal NONRENEWABLE Located underground Burned to make electricity U.S. has largest coal reserves in world Produces half the electricity in the U.S.

Coal Issues : Mining Destroys land surface

Coal Issues: Air Pollution Leads to acid rain

Petroleum (Oil) -NONRENEWABLE Formed from remains of tiny sea plants and animals – LIQUID Found underground Refined into different fuels which are burned to produce heat Majority used for transportation

Oil Trap A layer of impermeable rock causes the oil/gas to become trapped … we tap into these reserves

Petroleum Issues Burning can cause air pollution and carbon dioxide Drilling and transporting can damage land and water if leaks and spills

Important Petroleum Facts U.S. uses more petroleum than any other energy source We do not produce enough to meet our needs We import 2/3 of the petro that we use from foreign countries Middle East has the majority of the world’s reserves

Fossil Fuels: Natural Gas NONRENEWABLE

Natural Gas Found in underground rock formations Burn to produce heat Used in industry, homes/businesses, and power plants to produce products, heating, and electricity

Natural Gas Issues Clean burning fossil fuel Does produce some air pollution and carbon dioxide Interesting fact: an odorant that smells like rotten eggs is added to natural gas so leaks can be detected

Possible oil substitute? TAR SANDS OIL SHALE

Tar Sands Mixtures of clay and sand combined with water and varying amounts of bitumen, a heavy black viscous oil. Tar sands can be mined and processed to extract the oil-rich bitumen, which is then refined into oil.

Tar Sand Drawbacks Causes significant land disturbances Requires large amounts of water to process Large amounts of contaminated water and sediment accumulate in toxic disposal ponds Accounts for 15% of Canada’s oil production

Oil Shale Oil shale is a sedimentary rock containing petroleum-like solids ½ of worlds supply is in Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming Unprofitable to mine and not as efficient as crude oil

Mineral Resources Deposits of useful minerals that can be extracted Mineral reserves - deposits from which minerals can be extracted profitably Ore – useful metallic mineral that can be mined for a profit

Mineral Deposits Must be profitable to extract Large deposits known but unprofitable to extract them Deposits are associated with the Rock Cycle

Mineral Deposits Most important mineral deposits form through igneous processes and from hydrothermal solutions.

Igneous Processes Form most metallic mineral deposits by settling at the bottom of the magma chamber as it cools – Gold – Silver – Copper – Lead – Mercury – Platinum – nickel

Mineral Deposit: Hydrothermal Solutions

Hydrothermal Solutions Form from hot, metal-rich fluids that are left during the late stages of movement and cooling of magma – ex. Gold, silver, mercury

Secondary Mineral Deposition Placer Deposits – Eroded minerals are moved by water and settle on the inside, cracks and depressions of streams

Nonmetallic Resources Extracted and processed for either the nonmetallic elements they contain or for their physical and chemical properties – Examples: Fertilizers Limestone Sand, gravel, etc..

Extraction of Resources: Mining

What is mining? Mining is extracting ore or minerals from the ground An ore is a natural material with a high concentration of economically valuable minerals that can be mined for a profit

Types of Mines There are two main types of mines. 1)Surface Mining 2)Subsurface Mining

Surface Mining Mineral deposits are on or near the surface of the Earth and are removed. There are 3 types of surface mines: 1.Open-pit: removes large, near surface deposits of minerals such as gold and copper. Mined downward in layers 2.Quarries: stone, crushed rock, sand, gravel 3.Strip Mining: removing surface coal in strips up to 50 m wide x 1 Km long

Chimney Rock, Bridgewater, NJ

Rt 78 near Watchung Reservation

Bernardsville Quarry, NJ‎ Images from Google Maps

Subsurface Mining Minerals are located too deep for surface mining Shafts and passageways are dug into the ground to reach the ores.

Subsurface Mining

Reclamation Mining can destroy or disturb habitats Waste products can pollute water systems When a mine is no longer being used, the land should be returned to its original state or better = Reclamation Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 1975

Reclamation Mine Albert, Quebec, before and after reclamation. Government of Quebec

Why do we need mines?

Houses Cars Toothpaste Plumbing Wiring Planes Electronics Jewelry Glass If we can’t grow it, it has to be mined!

Alternative Energy Sources World’s population is increasing and our need for resources is increasing as well Most resources we use are nonrenewable so we need to develop alternative energy sources

Solar Energy Uses sun’s rays to supply heat or electricity – Fuel is free and non-polluting

Solar Power Advantages Renewable Clean Free Disadvantages Sun not out all the time (at night, clouds) Expensive

Nuclear Energy - Uranium Comes from radioactive materials that release energy through nuclear fission

Uranium - Nonrenewable Metallic element found in rocks Turned into pellets to use in nuclear power plants

Uranium 235 Advantages Little to no pollution Disadvantages Produces radioactive waste No storage site available for waste Potential for large scale disasters

Wind Energy Uses the wind to produce electricity

Wind Energy - Renewable Advantages Clean, no pollution Land can be used for other things at the same time Disadvantages Take up a lot of land Noisy Do not produce a lot of electricity Must be placed in windy areas (coast, etc…)

Hydroelectric Power Use the energy from falling water to create electricity

Hydropower - Renewable Advantages Clean Can be generated on demand Cheapest Disadvantages Few places where dams can be built Can flood and displace large amounts of land

Geothermal Energy Using underground hot water and steam to generate electricity

Geothermal - Renewable Advantages Clean Cheap Disadvantages Can only be used at specific places (ex. Plate boundaries)

Biomass - Renewable Uses organic material (wood, trash, animal waste, etc…) Burned to produce heat Oldest form of heat

Biomass - Renewable Advantages Renewable Cleaner than fossil fuels Disadvantages Burning can produce air pollution Produces odor

Tidal Power Using the tides (flow of water in and out to sea) to generate electricity

Tidal Power - Renewable Advantages Renewable Cleaner than fossil fuels Disadvantages Only usable near the coast