Energy Sources Chapter 10

Energy Sources

Non-Renewable Energy - Energy sources used faster than can be replenished. Coal - Oil - Natural Gas Renewable Energy - Continuously present as a feature of the environment (solar energy), or is continually replenished. Some forms are referred to as perpetual energy.

All Energy Sources

2. What percent of fossil fuels are used?

Fossil fuels supply 90% of worlds commercial energy. Oil 40% Coal 24% Natural Gas 25%

3. What is the difference between Resources and Reserves

Resource - Naturally occurring substance of use to humans that can potentially be extracted using current technology. Reserve - Amount of a known deposit that can be economically extracted using current technology, under certain economic conditions. Reserve levels change as technology advances, new discoveries are made, and profit margins change.
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Resources and Reserves

4. How is coal formed?

Coal 300 mya plant material began collecting underwater, initiating decay, forming a spongy mass of organic material (peat). Due to geological changes, some of these swamps were covered by seas, and covered with sediment. Pressure and heat over time transformed peat into coal.
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Recoverable Coal Reserves

5. Types of extraction

Two main extraction methods: Surface Mining (Strip Mining) Removing overburden on top of a vein. Efficient but destructive. Underground Mining Minimizes surface disturbance, but costly and dangerous. Black Lung Disease
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Surface mining of coal

Strip mine Eco problem over burden Laws in 1990s now require ground replacement
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Surface-Mine Reclamation

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Deep mining tunneling for coal

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Problems with Coal

Bulky - causes some transport problems. Black Lung Disease: Mining creates dust pollution. Mining accidents: collapse of tunnels, malfunctioning machinery Ecosystem damage/reclamation efforts Burning releases pollutants (C and S). Millions of tons of material released into atmosphere annually. Acid Rain: Sulfur leads to acid mine drainage and acid deposition. Global warming: Increased carbon dioxide

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Coal Use Issues

Coal is most abundant fossil fuel. Primarily used for generating electricity. Three Categories: Lignite High moisture content - Least desirable. Bituminous Most abundant - Most widely used. Anthracite Highest energy content - Hard to 14 obtain.

7. Oil and Natural Gas

Accumulations of dead marine organisms on the ocean floor were covered by sediments. Muddy rock gradually formed rock (shale) containing dispersed oil. Sandstone formed on top of shale, thus oil pools began to form. Natural gas often forms on top of oil. Organic matter changed to lighter, more volatile hydrocarbons than those in oil.
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Crude Oil and Natural Gas Pool

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Oil rig & ocean drilling for oil

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Oil extraction

Primary Recovery oil rig drilling Only removes 1/3 of a deposit. Secondary Recovery Force water or gas into wells. As oil prices increase, more expensive and aggressive secondary recovery methods will need to be used.

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9. Uses of oil - Processing Crude Oil

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Oil products

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Oil Use Issues

Processing As it comes from the ground, oil is not in a form suitable for use, and must be refined. Multiple products can be produced from a single barrel of crude oil. Oil Spills Accidental spills only account for about 1/3 of oil pollution resulting from shipping. 60% comes from routine shipping operations.
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Advantages of oil use

More concentrated than coal, burns cleaner, and is easily transported through pipelines. Ideal for automobile use. Difficult to extract. Causes less environmental damage than coal mining.

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Natural Gas Use

Drilling requirements similar to oil. Hard to transport - flamed off at oil fields. As demand increases, new transportation methods will be developed and implemented. o Liquefaction at -126 F (1/600 volume of gas) Least environmentally damaging fossil fuel. Almost no air pollution. Use is increasing (45% from 1985-2003).
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Renewable Sources of Energy

Currently, alternative energy sources supply almost 10% of the worlds total energy. Suggested these sources could provide half of the worlds energy needs by 2050. Hydropower Wind Turbines Solar Cells Biomass Fuels Hydrogen Fuel
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Renewable Energy as a Share of Total Energy

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Hydroelectric Power

Hydroelectric power is created when flowing water is captured and turned into electricity. Damming a river and storing water in a reservoir is the most common method. Pumped Storage Plants - Use two reservoirs separated by a significant elevation difference.

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Hydroelectric Power

Currently supplies 15% of worlds electricity. China possesses 10% of worlds potential. Reservoir construction causes significant environmental and social damage. Loss of farmland. Community relocation. Reduction of nutrient-rich silt leading to loss of wetlands. Three Gorges Dam on Yangtze River
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Environmental Effects of Hydroelectric

Flooding of vast areas of land behind dams. Prevention of fish migrations. Trapping of silt. Stops flow of nutrients downstream. Fills in reservoir. Mercury Accumulation Decaying vegetation produces greenhouse gases.
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Tidal Power

Daily rise and fall of ocean levels relative to coastlines (tides) are a result of gravitational forces and the revolution of the earth. As water flows from a higher level to a lower level, it can be used to spin an electricity - generating turbine. Since tidal changes are greatest near the poles, and accentuated in narrow bays and estuaries, suitable sites are limited.
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Geothermal

In some areas, molten material is close enough to surface to heat underground water and form steam - drilled and captured. Only practical in limited areas. California produces 40% of worlds geothermal electricity. Can cause unpleasant odors and high mineral content leads to high maintenance. Corroded pipes and equipment.
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Geothermal Energy

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Wind As warm air becomes less dense and rises, cooler, denser, air flows in to take its place. U.S. Department of Energy has stated the Great Plains could supply 48 states with 75% of their electricity. Cost becoming very competitive with various fossil fuel sources. Currently 3-6 cents per kilowatt hour.

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Wind

Potential Problems Steady,dependable wind source is critical. Wide open areas are most desirable. Can be hazardous to birds. Produce noise and visual pollution. Vibrations can cause structural damage.

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Solar

Daily energy from the sun is six hundred times greater than energy produced each day by all other energy sources combined. Major problem as an energy source is its intermittent nature.

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Three Major Use Categories

Passive Heating - Suns energy is converted directly to heat and used at collection site. South-Facing Windows. Active Heating - Suns energy converted into heat, but transported elsewhere to be used. Domestic Water Heating Electrical Generation - Solar energy is transformed into electrical energy. Photovoltaic Science
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Photovoltaic Cells

Solid-state semiconductors that allow direct conversion of sunlight to electricity. Developed in 1954 by Bell Laboratories essentially as a novelty. Amount of PV power installed worldwide has increased from 100 megawatts in 1992 to 1,200 megawatts in 2002. Film technology has made it possible to build solar cells into roof tiles, skylights, and building facades.
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Photovoltaic Cells

Photovoltaics will be the most practical choice for generation of electricity in rural areas and less developed countries. In place of generators that require fuel and centralized power plants that require distribution lines.

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Biomass Conversion

Biomass is still the predominant form of energy used by people in less-developed countries. Account for 14% of world energy use. Three Distinct Sources: Municipal and Industrial Wastes Agricultural Crop Residue Energy Plantations
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Biomass Conversion

Releasing chemical energy stored in biomass. Burned directly for heat. Burned to produce electricity. Converted to alcohol or used to generate methane. Costs depends on type of technology used, size of the power plant, and the cost of biomass supply. Currently as low as 9 cents per kilowatt hour.
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Fuelwood

In less-developed countries, fuelwood has been major energy source for centuries. Fuelwood is primary energy source for nearly half worlds population. Due to intense population growth, an estimated 1.3 billion people cannot get enough feulwood, or are using it faster than rate of regeneration. Source of air pollution and fly ash.
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Solid Waste

Using municipal waste as a source of energy: Reduces landfill volume. Not economically profitable. Must be sorted. Requires large, sustainable volume. Produces air pollution. Chlorine-containing organic compounds.

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Hydrogen Economy

Hydrogen is abundant and generates heat and pure water when it reacts with air. Hydrogen Fuel Cells Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Self-Sustaining Low Operating Temperature No Pollution Successor to internal combustion engine.
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Simple Fuel Cell

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Energy Conservation

Conservation is not a way of generating electricity, but a way of reducing need for additional energy production/consumption and saving money for the consumer. Lighting and air conditioning account for 25% of U.S. electricity consumption. Widespread use of energy-efficient lighting could significantly reduce energy consumption.
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Energy Conservation

Energy-inefficient machines can be produced very cheaply. Long-term vs. short-term costs. Electrical utilities will lead energy conservation charge. Conservation is cheaper than building more power plants to meet increased demands.

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