Fossil Fuels- Non renewableNuclear- Non renewable

Renewable Resources-wind, solar, biomass

Energy

What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Fossil Fuels?

• Oil, natural gas, and coal are currently abundant and relatively inexpensive, but using them causes air and water pollution, degrades large areas of land, and releases greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.

Dependence on Oil

• Petroleum (crude oil)– Trapped underground or under ocean with natural gas– Fossil fuels

• Extraction– U.S. peak production-1970 (Hubbard’s Peak)

• Transportation• Refining• Petrochemicals

Asphalt

GasesLowest Boiling Point

Highest Boiling Point

Gasoline

Aviation fuel

Heating oil

Dieseloil

Heatedcrude oil

Furnace

Naphtha

Greaseand wax

Science: refining crude oil. Components of petroleum are removed at various levels, depending on their boiling points,in a giant distillation column. The most volatile components with the lowest boiling points are removed at the top of the column.

Oil refinery in U.S. state of Texas

How Long Will Crude Oil Supplies Last?

• Crude oil is the single largest source of commercial energy in world and U.S.

• Proven oil reserves– Can be extracted profitably at today’s

prices with today’s technology

– 80% depleted between 2050 and 2100

Major Oil-Supplying Nations

• Control of oil reserves

• OPEC

• Distribution of proven reserves

• How long will conventional oil last?

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Projected U.S.oil consumption

Arctic refuge oiloutput over 50 years

20002010 2020 2030 2040

The amount of crude oil that might be found in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, if developed and extracted over 50 years, is only a tiny fraction of projected U.S. oil consumption. In 2008, the DOE projected that developing this oil would take 10–20 years and lower gasoline prices at the pump by at most 6 cents per gallon.

United States Oil Production and Use

• U.S.– 93% of energy from fossil fuels

– 39% from crude oil

– Produces 9% of world’s crude oil

– Uses 25% of world production

– Has 2% of proven crude oil reserves

What Happened to Nuclear Power?

• Optimism of 1950s is gone

• Comparatively expensive source of power

• No new plants in U.S. since 1978

• Disposing of nuclear waste is difficult

• Three Mile Island (1979)

What Do We Do with Worn-Out Nuclear Power Plants?

• Decommissioning old nuclear power plants

• Dismantle power plant and store materials

• Install physical barriers

• Entomb entire plant

Renewable Energy

• Sustainability mostly depends on solar energy– Direct form: from the sun

• Indirect forms– Wind– Moving water– Biomass

• Geothermal

Photovoltaic (PV) or solar cells can provide electricity for a house or building using solar cell roof shingles, as shown in this house in Richmond Surrey, England. Solar-cell roof systems that look like a metal roof are also available. In addition, new thin-film solar cells can be applied to windows and outside walls.

Producing Electricity from Flowing Water

• Hydropower– Leading renewable energy source

– Much unused capacity

• Dams and reservoirs– Turbines generate electricity

– Eventually fill with silt

• Micro-hydro generators

Producing Electricity from Wind

• Indirect form of solar energy

• World’s second fastest-growing source of energy

• Vast potential– Land

– Offshore

With sufficient and consistent government incentives, wind power could supply more than 10% of the world’s electricity and 20% of the electricity used in the United States by 2030

Energy from Burning Biomass

• Biomass– Wood

– Agricultural waste

– Plantations

– Charcoal

– Animal manure

• Common in developing countries• Carbon dioxide increase in atmosphere

Converting Plant Matter to Liquid Biofuel

• Biofuels– Ethanol and biodiesel

– Crops can be grown in most countries

– No net increase in carbon dioxide emissions

– Available now

• Sustainability

Energy by Tapping the Earth’s Internal Heat

• Geothermal energy

• Geothermal heat pumps

• Hydrothermal reservoirs– Steam

– Hot water

• Deep geothermal energy

Transition to a More Sustainable Energy Future

• Gradual shift from centralized macropower to decentralized micropower

• Greatly improved energy efficiency

• Temporary use of natural gas

• Decrease environmental impact of fossil fuels