Energy Resources

1. Energy Resources Electricity makes downtown Dallas sparkle at dusk.

2. Energy • Energy exists in several different forms: • Mechanical • Thermal • Chemical • Electrical • Light • Nuclear.

3. Energy Bubble Map Mechanical Heat (Thermal) Nuclear Light Energy The ability to do work or cause change Chemical Sound Electrical

4. Energy Resources can be divided into 2 categories: • Non-Renewable Resources • For example – coal, oil, gas, uranium or lignite • Once used these resources CANNOT be used again. • Renewable Resources • For example – wind, water or solar • These resources can be used over and over again.

5. Non-Renewable Resources: NUCLEAR What is it? • Uses uranium, naturally found in some rocks Advantages? • Not much waste and few CO2 emissions released, as well as, few other greenhouse gases Disadvantages? • High cost to build and close down power stations. • Waste is radioactive. Problem with getting rid of waste safely

6. Nuclear fission • Nuclear fission is the splitting of an atom’s nucleus into two smaller nuclei. • When the neutron hits the U-235 nucleus, the nucleus splits apart into two smaller nuclei and two or more neutrons. In a nuclear fission reaction, a neutron “bullet” strikes a U-235 nucleus. As a result, the nucleus splits into two smaller nuclei. More neutrons are released, along with a great deal of energy.

7. Fossil Fuels and Energy • Fossil fuels are the energy-rich substances formed from the remains of once-living organisms. • Coal • Oil • Natural Gas

8. Non-Renewable Resources: COAL What is it? • Formed underground from decaying plant material. Advantages? • Plenty left • Mining is getting more efficient Disadvantages? • Pollution: CO2 emissions (linked to global warming), SO2 (linked to acid rain) • Heavy & bulky to transport

9. Coal mining can be a dangerous job. New safety procedures and better equipment, including robots and drills that produce less coal dust, have made coal mining safer. Coal • Solid fossil fuel • Formed from plant remains • Provides 25 percent of the energy used in the United States • Major use is to fuel electric power plants • mined • Difficult to obtain • Most plentiful fossil fuel in the United States • Easy to transport • Produces a lot of air pollution

10. Non-Renewable Resources: OIL What is it? • Formed underground from decaying animal and plant material Advantages? • Quite easy to transport • Efficient in producing energy • Less pollution than coal Disadvantages? • Not much left • Pollution: air and danger of water pollution through spills

11. Oil • A thick, black, liquid fossil fuel. • Sometimes called Petroleum • More than one third of the energy produced in the world • Fuel for: cars, airplanes, trains, ships any many homes • producing and using petroleum does affect the environment • burning it contributes to air pollution. The United States consumes about one third of all the oil produced in the world. But only three percent of the world’s supply is located in this country. The difference mt be purchased from countries with large oil supplies.

12. Oil • Finding oil is difficult • Use sound waves to test an area for oil • Measure echoes • Measure time sound waves travel through solid rock or liquid oils. • about one out of every six wells drilled produces a usable amount of oil.

13. Refining Oil • A factory where crude oil is separated into fuels and other products by heating is called a refinery. • Products produced from oil. • Gasoline, heating oil • Petrochemicals • Plastics • Paints • Medicines • Cosmetics. Oil refineries can affect the environment. Chemicals produced in the refining process may escape into the air or water, causing pollution.

14. Non-Renewable Resources: NATURAL GAS What is it? • Formed underground from decaying animal and plant material Advantages? • Clean, least polluting of all non-renewables • Easy to transport Disadvantages? • Some air pollution • Danger of explosions

15. Natural Gas Natural gas actually has no odor. Gas companies add a chemical with a distinct smell to the gas before it is piped to homes and businesses so that any leaks will be noticed. • Fossil fuel • Less dense than oil • Advantages • produces large amounts of energy • lower levels of air pollutants • easy to transport • Disadvantage • gas leak can cause a violent explosion and fire.

16. Renewable Sources of Energy • Renewable resources are naturally • replaced in a short period of time. • Solar (sun) • Wind (wind farms) • Hydropower (energy from water) • Geothermal (heat from the ground) • Biomass (wood, garbage, plant waste) These resources help meet people’s energy needs.

17. Renewable Resources: (Can also be thought of as inexhaustible)SOLAR What is it? Energy from the sun How much left? Endless Advantages? No pollution, can be used in remote areas Disadvantages? Can be expensive, needs sunlight At night it doesn’t work

18. Solar House This solar house uses passive and active heating systems and solar cells to convert solar energy into heat and electricity

19. Renewable Resources: WIND What is it? It the movement of air from high to low pressure How much left? Endless Advantages? No pollution Disadvantages? Winds change all the time, not predictable

20. Sources of Renewable Energy • Wind • “wind farms” consist of many windmills • 1 percent of the world’s electricity • Portions of Texas have a high potential for utilizing wind energy. The Panhandle contains the state's greatest expanse with high quality winds. Well-exposed locations atop the caprock and hilltops experience particularly attractive wind speeds.

21. Renewable Resources: HYDROPOWERAlso known as Hydroelectric What is it? Movement of water drives a turbine How much left? Endless Advantages? No CO2 emissions, can control flooding and provide a good water supply to an area Disadvantages? Large areas maybe flooded. Visual and water pollution

22. Hydroelectric Power Plant Hydroelectric power is generated by changing energy from one form to another.

23. Renewable Resources: GEOTHERMAL What is it? Heat from the ground – often used to heat water Advantages? No CO2 emissions Disadvantages? Expensive and can only be used in certain parts of the world

24. Sources of Renewable Energy • Geothermal Energy • Magma heats underground water to the boiling point. The hot water and steam are valuable sources of geothermal energy. A geothermal power plant uses heat from Earth’s interior as an energy source. Cold water is piped deep into the ground, where it is heated by magma. The resulting steam can be used for heat or to generate electricity.

25. Renewable Resources: BIOMASS What is it? • fermented animal or plant waste • vegetation from sustainable sources Advantages? Good availability Disadvantages? Can be expensive to set up

26. Energy Conservation • Although fossil fuels may never be completely used up, they will eventually become scarcer and more expensive. • What can be done? • find new sources of energy • make the fuels that are available now last as long as possible Nonrenewable fossil fuels generate over two thirds of the nation’s electricity.