energy resources and consumption slides

how does fossil fuel combustion produce energy

burning them heats water to produce steam that turns a turbine that turns a generator to produce electricity

how does turning a generator produce electricity

spinning causes electrons to move in wire

describe the formation of coal

• mostly in sedimentary rock

• Heat, pressure and time turned the plant material into carbon-rich rock (coal)

define peat

partially decayed vegetation/organic matter

list the 3 types of coal

(least heat and carbon → most carbon)

(least moisture → most moisture)

lignite is mostly limited

bituminous, soft coal, extensively w sulfur

anthracite, hard coal, desirable bc low sulfur and high energy

define ore

naturally occurring solid from which a valuable mineral can be profitably extracted

define spoils/overburden

overlying material disturbed during mining in order to access ore within the mineral material below

define tailings

waste materials left after the target mineral is extracted from ore

3 types of surface mining

open pit

strip mining

mountaintop removal

6 impacts of coal extraction

• Disruption of land surface/habitats

• Erosion

• waste storage and leakage

• Acid mine drainage

• Atmospheric pollution

• Human Health - respiratory, contaminated drinking water

describe acid mine drainage

Pollution caused when sulfuric acid and dissolved lead, arsenic or cadmium wash out of mines into nearby waterways

3 impacts of coal combustion

• Releases co2

• Releases other pollutants into atmosphere like mercury and sulfur

• Can cause acid precipitation

describe fossil fuel formation of crude oil

• Sediment deposited over microscopic plants, algae and bacteria

• Found in between layers of sedimentary rock

• Heat pressure and time turned them into hydrocarbons (oil)

describe exploration of oil and natural gas

migrate upwards until they hit impermeable rock

structural traps

describe 2 things about the alberta tar sands

• Large deposits of heavy crude oil mixed with sand and clay

• boiled or mixed with steam to separate other contaminants, transported for processing.

2 methods of petroleum extraction

drilling

fracking

describe petroleum refining

• Numerous hydrocarbons present in crude oil (petroleum) are separated

  • Based on boiling point

2 impacts of oil drilling

• disrupt land and water ecosystems

• Leakage at site and transporting

2 impacts of oil fracturing

• lots of water

• Chemicals in fracking fluid

• Leaks and spills from bad equipment

• Methane leaks

3 impacts of oil combustion

• produces co2

• unburned hydrocarbons

• runoff

define oil spills

Leakage of petroleum onto the surface of a large body of water during extraction or transportation

2 major oil spills

• Deepwater Horizon: 210 million gallons

• Exxon Valdez: 11 million gallons

3 impacts of oil spills

• Can kill organisms through toxicity or suffocation, and by affecting buoyancy.

• Can prevent/inhibit photosynthesis of phytoplankton/algae - decreasing productivity

• Biomagnification

describe biological method of oil spill cleanup

using microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and yeast to break down oil over time.

describe mechanical method of oil spill cleanup

booms and skimmers or burning

boom contains oil, skimmers go across surface to remove oil

oil is burned

describe chemical method of oil spill cleanup

chemical dispersants designed to remove oil by breaking it down into smaller droplets

describe formation of oil gas

• Formed the same way as oil, but at temperatures higher than 100 °C

• Largest compound of natural gas is methane (CH₄)

• uneven distribution

describe natural gas

• Contains methane, propane and butane → most for heating, methane for electricity too

• emits less as a vehicle fuel

3 impacts of natural gas fracking

• Disturbance to land and habitat

• possible methane leakage

• water contamination

• pipeline leaks

3 impacts of natural gas combustion

• Produces negligible particulate amounte

• Lower production of hydrocarbon.

• emit less co2
  

advantages of nuclear fission

• Produces no high-level waste

• Fuel is hydrogen

problems with nuclear fission

• high temperatures for atoms to fuse

• confining plasma

define the nuclear process cycle

• processes pertaining to producing the fuel used in nuclear reactors from mining to disposing of radioactive (nuclear) wastes 

pros of nuclear energy

• Less immediate environmental impact compared to fossil fuels

• Carbon-free electricity

• maybe generate H-fuel

cons of nuclear energy

• Generates radioactive waste

• Thermal Pollution (water is not radioactive)

• Many steps require fossil fuels (mining and disposal)

• Expensive

2 safety issues of nuclear meltdowns

• Meltdown of fuel rods, low probability

• Public perception

• 3 Sites of major accidents:

  • Three Mile Island, PA

  • Chernobyl, Ukraine

  • Fukushima Daiichi, Japan

2 temporary nuclear waste solutions

• Under water storage

• Above ground concrete and steel casks

describe the proposed storage of yucca mountain

• Potentially hold 70k tons of high-level radioactive waste

• Tectonic issues have been identified

• License was abandoned as site in 2010

describe biomass

• Contains energy from sun via photosynthesizing plants

• Renewable when used no faster than it can be produced

• Can convert to biogas or liquids

advantages of biomass

• Reduces dependence on fossil fuels

• Often uses waste materials

• If trees are planted at same rate biomass is combusted, no net increase in atmospheric CO₂

disadvantages of biomass

• Requires land, water and fossil fuel energy

• Can lead to:

  • Deforestation

  • Desertification

  • Soil erosion

define passive solar energy

• absorption or blockage of sun’s heat

• no mechanical or electrical equipment

• solar ovens, window placement

define active solar energy

• use of mechanical/electrical equipment to capture sun’s heat

• solar water heaters, photovoltaic cells

describe photovoltaic cells

wafer or thin film semiconductor (usually silicon) that they emit low voltage electrical current when they absorb solar energy

requires sun exposure

advantages of PV cells

• No pollution and minimal maintenance

• Used on any scale

  • Lighted road signs

  • Entire building 

• More economical

disadvantages of PV cells

• Large Land footprint - high land use

• FF inputs for production

describe Concentrated Solar Thermal Electric Generation

• Heliostats (mirrors) reflect solar energy onto a water tower to produce steam

• Mainly found in deserts - land use/habitat destruction

• Organism loss - birds get fried (minimal)

describe hydropower

• Most efficient energy source (90%)

• Most widely used form of renewable energy

• traditionally for large dams, now suitable for low elevations

5 advantages of dams

energy

irrigation

navigation

flood control

commercial fishing

5 disadvantages of dams

downstream disruption

reservoir disruption

disease

displacement

no fish migration

describe geothermal energy

Enormous energy source from the heat of the earth

From Hydrothermal Reservoirs → radioactive decay of elements

describe ground source heat pumps

• Use difference in temperature between surface and subsurface

• Great for heating buildings/homes, not large scale

• Expensive installation

explain true geothermal heating

• Large scale heat transfer on municipal level

• Wells are much deeper to tap a heated water reservoir

• Water reservoir heat is almost double the boiling point

4 advantages of true geothermal energy

• renewable

• less co2 and hydrocarbons

• reliable and consistent

• less land footprint

4 disadvantages of true geothermal energy

• availability

• hydrogen sulfide

• upfront costs

• localized fish and wildlife populations

describe how hydrogen fuel cells work

• alternative to non-renewable fuel sources 

• combine the hydrogen and oxygen in the air to form water and release energy (electricity) in the process

• water is the product (emission) of a fuel cell 

5 advantages of hydrogen

• zero emissions 

• no co2 if hydrogen from h2

• Very efficient 

• simple fuel cells

• affordable lease programs with prepaid fuel 

4 disadvantages of hydrogen

• fuel cells based on a non-renewable and CO2 releasing energy source 

• production of hydrogen fuel requires fossil fuels, which impact global change

• gas storage would require much larger tanks

• technology is expensive

describe wind energy

• World’s fastest growing source of energy

• Wind results from sun warming the atmosphere

• New wind turbines harness wind efficiently

advantages and disadvantages of wind energy

• Few environmental problems, no emissions

• cost and public resistance

what is energy conservation

behavioral changes - turning off the thermostat

native landscaping

what is energy efficiency

upgrading tech to use less power for same task

energy efficient appliances, insulation, LED

describe large scale conservation

• Increasing fuel economy/efficiency

• Subsidizing electric vehicles, charging stations and hybrids

• Investing in public transportation

describe sustainable home designing

• double paned windows 

• Landscaping Design

• Proper insulation

• Green roofs

• Recycled building  materials

energy conservation of hybrids

• use both gas and electricity

• braking system charges battery

energy conservation of electric

• use no gasoline, run totally on electricity 

energy efficiency formula

useful output/total output * 100