1. Nonrenewable resources

2. Renewable/Nonrenewable Energy
Nonrenewable – the energy resource CANNOT be replaced as fast as it is used
Coal, Oil, Natural Gas, Nuclear
Renewable – the energy resource CAN be replaced at the same rate it is used
Solar, water, wind, geothermal, biomass

3. Earth’s Energy
Almost all of the energy available on Earth comes from the Sun
Heat from the Sun makes wind
Sunlight fuels plants
Sunlight and plants drive the water cycle

4. Compromises It requires energy to collect and use fuels
Connecting every house to a power plant takes a huge amount of time and money
Every fuel has its problems

5. Nonrenewables
Nonrenewable energy comes from fuel that CANNOT be replaced as fast as it is used
Coal (solid)
Oil (liquid)
Natural Gas (gas)
Nuclear Power
Carbon footprint

6. Fossil Fuels
Coal, oil, and natural gas are fossil fuels because they take millions of years and a lot of heat and pressure to form
Also known as hydrocarbons because they are made of mostly Hydrogen and Carbon

8. Fossil Fuels
Coal, oil, and natural gas are all made of the same thing: fossilized remains of dead organisms
Coal: solid fossil fuel (ancient forests)
Oil: liquid fossil fuel (marine organisms)
Natural Gas: gaseous fossil fuel (marine organisms)
Natural gas is usually found near oil deposits

9. Coal Ancient dead forests that have decomposed without oxygen
300 million years ago (Carboniferous)
Underwater or underground

11. Coal Largest source of electricity in the world
Huge amount of coal reserves around the world

14. Environmental Impact Burning coal releases sulfur gas
Sulfur gas mixes with water to make acid rain
Mining coal releases sulfur into water supply
Sulfur mixes with water to make sulfuric acid

17. Coal compromises
BAD
Coal mining is very bad for the environment around the mine
Burning coal releases many pollutants and causes health problems
GOOD
Coal mining is the major industry and employer for huge sections of the world
Coal is cheap and domestically available

19. Coal: Bottom line
Coal is terrible for the environment, but it is cheap and easy to get

20. Oil Oil is the largest source of energy currently used by humans
Made of marine (oceanic) organisms that decomposed without oxygen

23. Oil Many different products come from oil
Oils, waxes, plastics, gasoline, diesel, kerosene, asphalt
These are known as petroleum products

26. Environmental Impact
Finding oil and getting it to the surface requires a lot of drilling and exploration
Oil needs to be refined. This releases pollution and requires energy
Because it is a liquid, it can spill
BP oil spill: 210,000,000 gallons

30. Oil Bottom Line
Oil will continue to be used until the reserves that are left are too expensive to get to

31. Natural Gas
Natural gas is often found in or around deposits of oil and coal
After processing, it is almost pure methane

32. Natural Gas
Gas releases less pollution than coal or oil because it is a more pure hydrocarbon
Natural gas has a strong odor that is added to help with the detection of leaks
Methyl mercaptan; same as the stuff released from your body after you eat asparagus

33. Natural Gas Compromises
BAD
Natural gas is very hard to find and get out of the ground
Because it is an invisible, explosive, flammable gas, it is dangerous
GOOD
Gas is much better for the environment that other fossil fuels

34. Natural Gas Bottom Line
Natural gas, like oil, will be used until supplies of easily accessible gas are exhausted
Renewable sources of natural gas will be used much more in the future
Landfills and livestock produce large amounts of methane

35. Nuclear Power Nuclear power is NOT a fossil fuel
It is nonrenewable because there is only a limited supply of uranium
Uranium atoms are split apart
Releases huge amounts of energy; used to heat water (steam)

36. Nuclear Power Compromises
BAD
Nuclear power produces radioactive waste
The same processes can be used to make nuclear weapons
Nuclear meltdowns
GOOD
Releases NO pollution
Very reliable source of energy