Energy Producing Regions

1. Energy Producing Regions

2. Coal was the first fossil fuel that was used in mass quantity. It was primarily used during the Industrial revolution to create steam. Coal, oil, and natural gas make up fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are the remains of plants and animals which transformed over millions of years. Fossil fuels are NON-RENEWABLE.

3. Energy Use Around the World The world’s population is using the earth’s resources at a very quick rate. Not all of the earth’s resources are renewable. Everything in society is affected by the cost and availability of energy. Countries that have abundant energy resources are usually very wealthy.

4. Non-renewable energy Non-renewable energy comes from sources that will run out or will not be replenished in our lifetimes—or even in many, many lifetimes.  Most non-renewable energy sources are fossil fuels: coal, petroleum, and natural gas. Carbon is the main element in fossil fuels. For this reason, the time period that fossil fuels formed (about 360-300 million years ago) is called the Carboniferous Period.  All fossil fuels formed in a similar way. Hundreds of millions of years ago, even before the dinosaurs, Earth had a different landscape. It was covered with wide, shallow seas and swampy forests. 

5. Non-renewable Energy Sources Fossil fuels Consists of coal, oil, natural gas 85% of all energy used all over the world comes from fossil fuels. These energy sources took millions of years to create.

6. Nuclear Energy • Technicians produce nuclear reactions such as, fission. • Fission produces heat. Heat is then used to produce steam. • Nuclear energy is clean. It allows areas that do not have geothermal activity to use steam power. • It produces radioactive waste. Which is hard to dispose of. Plants could have a meltdown (Chernobyl).

7. Renewable Energy Sources These sources of energy can be replenished (replaced or restocked) on a regular basis. They also have an impact on the environment. Ex: flooding for an electric dam

8. Wind Power • Wind turbines convert wind energy into electricity. • The turbines take up very little space and do not make much noise. • However, people do complain that they are an eyesore. • Only very windy areas can benefit from this source of energy, ex: Denmark.

9. Geothermal Energy • It comes from heat stored deep beneath the earth’s surface. • Geysers are a source of Geothermal energy. • Water produced from the steam can be re-injected into the earth to produce more steam. • These sites are not permanent (they will eventually run out).

10. Solar Power • Heat energy produced by the sun is absorbed and turned into electricity. • Sun tracking mirrors or solar cells (photovoltaic) absorb the sun's light. • An inverter (transformer) will convert the light/heat into electricity. • It requires large amounts of space to be beneficial. • Used on a small scale. Ex: provide electricity to one house or one sign.

11. Hydroelectricity • Water power produces electricity. • Rushing water turns a turbine which allows a generator to produce electricity. • There are major environmental damages during construction of dam. • Produces no greenhouse gases.

12. Ethanol • It is a clean burning fuel that is used as an alternative to gasoline. • It is an alcohol. • It can be extracted from sugar cane, corn etc. • As a consequence, the price and availability of corn and sugar cane has been affected.

13. Tidal Energy (tide mills) • It harnesses the power of waves. • Waves turn propellersthat are underwater. • The turbine then produces electricity. • Primarily used in Italy and Australia.

14. Biomass Energy • Biomass fuels come from living things: wood products, dried vegetation, crop residues, and aquatic plants. Wood is a biomass fuel. • It also includes waste materials, gases and alcohol fuels.

15. Hydrogen Fuel Cells • Fuel cells create an electrical reaction using different chemicals. • These chemicals produce an electrical reaction, which produces usable energy. • Fuel cells can operate continuously or until the reaction is broken. • Hydrogen fuel cells could run on water and oxygen.

16. Where is Energy Produced? • Many countries have the ability to produce energy, it is the type and quantity that varies. • Countries that produce a lot of energy have a surplus (leftover). • Countries that use more than they produce have a deficit (shortage). • Deficit countries buy energy from surplus countries.

17. The price of energy affects everything in society. • In recent years energy prices have been increasing. • The organization responsible for rising oil prices is OPEC, created in 1960 (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries)

18. Energy Demands Around the World • Western Europe, Asia, and North America use most of the world’s energy. • The United States alone uses 25% of all energy produced. • Countries that use less energy than they produce are autonomous (self-ruling, self-governing, independent, sovereign, free).

19. Energy Producing Region: Alberta

20. Alberta became a province of Canada in 1905. • It’s capital is Edmonton and it’s largest city is Calgary. • Today, Alberta is Canada’s wealthiest province. • This is due to it’s large oil sand, oil, and natural gas deposits. • Alberta’s reserves are the largest in the world.

21. Alberta has 65% of Canada’s oil and 80% of our natural gas (these reserves are depleting). • It has enough bituminous sand to sell to other countries for the next century. • Bituminous sand is sand that has been mixed with water and bitumen (heavy oil).

22. Where are the oil sands located? • There are three major oil sand deposits in Alberta. • Major oil companies have been given concessions* by the government to mine the oil sands. *land given to companies for a certain period of time).

23. Alberta First Nation to plan protection for important area in oil sands region EDMONTON – The Alberta government and a northern aboriginal band have agreed to develop a plan to protect a culturally important area in the heart of the oilsands region. But the agreement won’t affect the Fort McKay First Nation’s disagreement with the province’s overall land use plan for the area. The province has signed a letter of intent with Fort McKay First Nation to develop an access management plan for the Moose Lake area, about 50 kilometres north of the community of Fort McKay. Story continues below “Moose Lake is an important place for the people of my community,” Chief Jim Boucher said in a news release. “It is where many of us go to hunt, trap, fish, and pick berries safely and in peace.” The amount of land involved is to be determined during talks between the band, industry and government. Premier Jim Prentice, who also serves as aboriginal affairs minister, acknowledged that while the band has participated in oilsands development, industry has encroached on land important to them. “When Chief Boucher asked for our support to protect the small parcel of land near Moose Lake for his community, I didn’t hesitate to say yes,” he said in a statement. The province said in a press release that the agreement to work out the protection was made possible by the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan, which attempts to balance environmental concerns with energy development for the oil sands. However, Fort McKay is one of several bands involved in a legislative review of the plan. A spokeswoman for the band says Wednesday’s agreement doesn’t affect Fort McKay’s involvement in that review of the government’s land use plan.

24. Oil Sands Beneath the Forest • Most of the oil sands are located beneath forested areas. • Mines require large sections of forest to be cleared away. • Consequently, fragile ecosystems and natural water filters are destroyed.

25. Pipelines • It is an efficient method of transporting oil & natural gas. • They stretch all over Canada and into the U.S. • However, to pass a pipeline large regions of forests and farmland must be cleared. • Animal food sources are lost. • Trenches must be dug and ecosystems and native areas are destroyed.

26. Alberta: Energy Autonomy • Alberta is Canada’s leading fossil fuels producer. It only uses about 25% of all it produces. • Alberta exports over 75% of its oil and gas. • The biggest consumer of Alberta’s oil is the United States. • In recent years China has been buying increasingly larger amounts.

27. Advantages and Disadvantages of Selling Oil Sands http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJmMZnrdx9Q Advantages • Alberta government has paid off the province’s debt. • Has reduced income tax and abolished their sales tax. Disadvantages • Destruction of native land and forests • Contribution to global warming • Growing cities makes housing difficult to find.

28. Depletion of Fossil Fuels • Every year the demand for fossil fuels increases. • Many of the traditional reserves are becoming depleted (running out). • It is this depletion that has put Alberta in a very wealthy position.