Nonrenewable Energy FOSSIL FUELS: OIL, NATURAL GAS & COAL

What resources do you think every American will need/use in their lifetime?

Energy from the Earth’s Crust

World Nuclear power 6% Hydropower, geothermal, solar, wind 6% Natural Gas 22% Biomass 10% Oil 33% Coal 23% United States Nuclear power 8% Hydropower geothermal solar, wind 3% Biomass 3% Natural Gas 24% Oil 39% Coal 23% Energy Sources: How does America compare to the World?

US Energy Usage by Type

OIL PROS & CONS yr. supply Low cost comparatively High energy EZ transport Low land use olow prices discourages research for alternatives oair pollution – CO 2

MEXICO UNITED STATES CANADA Pacific Ocean Atlantic Ocean Grand Banks Gulf of Alaska Valdez ALASKA Beaufort Sea Prudhoe Bay Arctic Ocean Coal Gas Oil High potential areas Prince William Sound Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Trans Alaska oil pipeline Fossil Fuels in the U.S

TEXAS LOUISIANA MISSISSIPPI ALABAMA GEORGIA FLORIDA GULF OF MEXICO Active drilling sites Offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico

World Oil Supplies The US has <3% of the World Oil

WORLD SUPPLIES OPEC – 11 countries have ~80% of oil OPEC – 11 countries have ~80% of oil – Saudi Arabia has the most USA uses ~ 30% of world supply USA uses ~ 30% of world supply – mostly imported

Natural Gas PROS & CONS Ample supply Low cost High energy Cleanest Fossil Fuel Low land use EZ transport CO 2 release Methane leaks Explosive Often wasted at wells

Supply Natural Gas reserves ~ 125 years world ~ 80 years US

Create a # for conserving Natural Gas

COAL Solid fossil fuel Solid fossil fuel – composed of carbon, sulfur, mercury & trace radioactive elements Differencing grades depend on pressure: Differencing grades depend on pressure: – Peat, lignite, bituminous, anthracite (BEST)

World Wide Coal Reserves The USA has a good supply

Supply of Coal….maybe 300 years?

Coal PROS & CONS Supply High energy Low cost SEVERE land disturbance air and water pollution Human health CO 2 when burned Radioactive & mercury particles into air

Nuclear Energy Fission Reactors – splitting atoms Uranium Potentially dangerous – 3 Mile Island – Chernobyl (worst disaster) Radioactive wastes Three closed loops

Nuclear Power Plant Sites

Nuclear Power PROS & CONS Large supply High energy Low enviro. impact Less CO 2 Moderate land disturbance High cost to build nuclear energy plants Accidents Wastes!!!

Underground Burial Storage Containers Fuel rod Primary canister Overpack container sealed Underground Buried and capped Ground Level Unloaded from train Lowered down shaft Personnel elevator Air shaft Nuclear waste shaft Fig p. 373

What about fusion? Fuses two small atoms Produces TREMENDOUS energy Powers our sun Clean energy Technologically difficult due to high temperatures required

Would you rather live next to a coal mine or a nuclear plant? Why?