Energy Resources

What is energy? (Definition) Energy is the ability to do work. It makes things change and move.

Potential Energy Stored energy that has the ability but is not yet in use. The energy of position or of molecules that have not reacted. Forms include: –Chemical (in the bonds of atoms) –Nuclear (energy in a nucleus of an atom and is released when that atom is split) –Gravitational (energy at the top of something before it starts to fall)

Kinetic Energy Energy in motion. It is the movement of waves, atoms, electrons, objects, and substances. Includes: –Electrical –Radiant (light from sun) –Thermal (heat) –Motion (movement of objects) –Sound (energy that we hear)

What energy types are available to use for Americans to use to power homes, cars, and businesses? Uranium Wind Biomass Coal Geothermal Hydropower Natural gas Petroleum Propane Solar

Nuclear (Uranium) Most controversial energy resource One of the newest form of alternative energy resources. Scientists didn’t begin to harness it until mid 20 th century. Provides 20% of electricity in the U.S. today. Major concern is how to store the used nuclear waste. It takes 10 years for nuclear waste to lose 90% of it’s radioactivity.

Uranium must split its atom for the energy to be released. Once it is released, it gives off a large amount of heat for many years. Uranium is nonrenewable and Earth has a finite (limited) amount in its crust. The heat is used to boil water and produce steam. The steam turns a turbine which produces electricity.

Propane Fossil Fuel used to heat some homes, operate cooking grills. Nonrenewable Discovered in early 20 th century ¾ of all propane used is by industry. –Fueling for cutting torches. –Heaters for construction workers –Heat asphalt for highway construction –Used to run fork-lift trucks in factories.

Homes in Rural areas depend on propane the most and consume 25.7% of all propane. 40% of farms in America rely on propane to heat greenhouses and chicken coops, power tractors and dry crops.

Natural Gas Nonrenewable fossil fuel found in rocky layers. U.S.’s second largest energy supplier after petroleum. Top five natural gas producing states: #1 Texas, #2 Wyoming, #3 Louisiana, #4 Oklahoma, #5 Colorado. Industry consumes the most natural gas at 32.9%. Electricity uses 30.5% of natural gas, and homes use 20.5%.

Petroleum Is a nonrenewable fossil fuel. Often called crude oil. Must be drilled from deep below the Earth’s surface. Transportation consume 71.3% of all petroleum in the U.S. 1/3 of all oil comes from offshore oil rigs. Petroleum is also used in plastics, crayons, personal care items.

40% of oil is supplied by the U.S. and comes from (in order of greatest supplier) 1.Texas (TX) 2.Alaska (AK) 3.California (CA) 4.North Dakota (ND) 5.Oklahoma (OK) The remainder 60% comes from foreign countries: –Canada, Latin America, Middle East Major trade-off of petroleum: Carbon dioxide pollution from burning in our cars and trucks.

Biomass Any organic matter (something that was once alive). Historically this is the resource that has been around the longest. (Burning and cook food) The energy originates from the Sun. Until mid 1800’s wood provided 90% of all energy for Americans. –(Now replaced by ) Coal, natural gas, petroleum

U.S. Sources of Biomass Wood & Wood Waste 46.2% Biofuels 43.2% Garbage & Landfill 10.6% U.S. Biomass Consumption by Sector Industrial – 51.9% Transportation – 25.6% Residential – 9.8% Commercial – 2.5% Electricity – 10.2%

Geothermal Renewable resource Comes from the heat of the earth’s core. Used to heat homes and water sources. Geothermal does very little damage to the environment. It does not require transportation. Produce no pollution because it does not burn fuel to generate electricity.

Hydropower Renewable energy from the power of moving water. Depends on the gravitation potential energy of the dam to “turn a turbine”. Used originally as a water wheel. First hydropower power plant was built in 1882 in Appleton. Wisconsin. There are 84,000 dams in U.S. but only 2,220 have equipment to generate electricity.

Top 5 Hydropower producing states: 1.Washington 2.California 3.Oregon 4.New York 5.Montana Hydropower generates between 5-10% of the U.S. power (depending on rainfall for the year. Globally hydropower provides 17% of the world’s electricity. It is cheap energy to generate and creates no pollution. To build a dam is the expensive part of the process.

Solar Solar is renewable and comes directly from the sun. Produces zero pollution when collected. Cost’s $ to produce electricity. Once a panel is installed, the cost of electricity from the sun is FREE. The lifetime of solar panels (photovoltaic panels) on average ranges between years. Disadvantage - Solar energy is directly dependent on weather conditions

Top five country using solar power Germany Spain Japan United States Italy Price of solar panel per square foot –$1.94 in 2009 –$2.90 in 1990 Square feet need to power home on solar energy ONLY – 600 sq ft

1. California: 47 percent with 971 megawatts 2. New Jersey: 14 percent with 293 MW 3. Colorado: 5 percent with 108 MW 4. Arizona: 5 percent with 101 MW 5. Nevada: 5 percent with 97 MW 6. Florida: 4 percent with 73 MW 7. New York: 3 percent with 54 MW 8. Pennsylvania: 3 percent with 54 MW 9. New Mexico: 2 percent with 45 MW 10. North Carolina: 2 percent with 42 MW

Wind Air in motion (kinetic energy) Renewable energy Abundant in supply in the U.S. Windmills (in various sizes) can be put anywhere. Wind is inconsistent because not every location has constant wind. Cost is $ per kilowatt hour Wind farms generate times more energy than they consume. They are extremely energy efficient.

Top wind producing states 1. Texas, 2. Iowa, 3. California, 4. Minnesota, 5. Washington,