ESS 002 MIDTERM 2

WEEK 8-10

types of energy sources

Renewable and non-renewable

types of RENEWABLE energy sources

Solar, wind, Hydropower, Geothermal

types of NON-RENEWABLE energy sources

fossil fuels, nuclear, biomass

84% of global energy from _____ source

fossil fuel

Energy demand to increase

___ in the next 30 yrs

50%

Sectors of consumption (~90%: generate electricity)

coal

Sectors of consumption (~75%: transportation & 25%: industry)

Petroleum

Sectors of consumption (~33%: each transportation/industry/electricity)

Natural gas

what countries consume 53% of world total primary energy

U.S., E.U., China

consume the most energy per capita

United States

fossil fuels

Coal, oil (petroleum), natural gas

Energy stored in hydrogen-carbon bonds

Anaerobic decomposition

occurs with little/no air

deep lakes, swamps, shallow seas

Land degradation

surface and underground mining, mountaintop removal

Air pollution contains:

sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides,

methane, carbon oxides

clean coal

capturing carbon emissions from burning coal & storing them in under-ground pockets of porous rock

90% of the world’s reserves controlled by how many countries

3 countries

Oil depletion predicted by geoscientist

Marion King Hubert in 1956

Extraction & pipelines

local and regional environmental impacts

15 countries how much percent of reserves

97% reserves

world’s largest producer of nuclear energy

US

Largest source of electricity in

France

18% of the world’s electricity derived from

renewable energy

Passive solar heating is considered to be

the least expensive way to heat homes

Active solar heating

Concentrate heat to warm up a liquid or a gas in a closed system

Photovoltaic effect

light converted directly to current

Dams are % efficient

90%

What is an environmental impact of dams?

it reduces biodiversity

It contributes to global warming

It causes poor water quality

oscillating water column

Waves —> compress air —> turn turbine

Common in ocean buoys

Cogeneration

produce electricity and heat with same energy source

Energy production from waste

Organic matter + anaerobic bacteria

Hybrid & Electric vehicles

Challenges

emissions if electricity from coal

energy storage (bulky batteries)

Biofuels: Ethanol mixed with gasoline

made from

grasses, fast-growing trees, algae

Bio fuel challenges

soil pollution, eutrophication, water use, fossil fuel, deforestation…

• agricultural impoverishment, higher food price

Hydrogen fuel cell

H + O2 —> H2O

Hydrogen fuel cell challenges

Emissions if electricity from coal

• Low energy production efficiency ~35%…

• Storage (large heavy tanks)

Traditional grid

large interconnected network

Smart grid

Use two-way meters, intelligent controls, telecommunications, distributed storage

rebound effect

Gains in efficiency result in increase consumption!

Natural Gas

Fossilized marine plankton formed through anaerobic decomposition; used approximately 33% each for transportation, industry, and electricity generation

Peak Oil

The point at which oil production reaches its maximum and begins to decline; concept predicted by geoscientist Marion King Hubbert in 1956, with discoveries typically occurring 30-40 years before production peaks.

Fracking (Hydraulic Fracturing):

method of extracting oil and natural gas from rock formations by injecting high-pressure fluid to create fractures.

Nuclear Energy

Energy produced from uranium through nuclear fission reactions that release energy as heat.

Nuclear Fission

The splitting of a larger atom into 2 or more smaller ones, releasing energy; the process used in current nuclear power plants.

Nuclear Fusion

The joining of 2 or more lighter atoms into a larger one, releasing energy; potentially the "energy of the future" but not yet commercially viable (projected ready ~2040).

Meltdown:

A nuclear accident that occurs when the reactor core becomes too hot, as happened at Three Mile Island (1979), Chernobyl (1986), and Fukushima (2011)

Solar Energy

Energy from the sun captured through various technologies; needs lots of sun and works best between the 35th parallels.

Passive Solar Heating

The least expensive way to heat homes, using building design to capture and store solar heat without active mechanical systems.

Active Solar Heating

systems that concentrate heat to warm up a liquid or gas in a closed system, using little water/gas and can produce electricity.

Photovoltaic Effect (PV)

The conversion of light directly to electrical current using solar panels.

Concentrated Solar Power (CSP)

Active solar heating systems including parabolic troughs, heliostats with central receivers, and dish concentrators that concentrate sunlight to produce electricity.

Wind Power

Energy from wind captured by turbines; friction with land slows wind over continents, making offshore and elevated locations more productive.

Geothermal Power

Energy from Earth's heat in the crust that produces steam to turn generators; located near areas of volcanism, crustal spreading, or hot spots at plate boundaries.

Hydroelectric Power

Energy from flowing water, primarily through dams; 90% efficient at converting water flow to electricity.

Tidal and Wave Energy

Forms of hydroelectric power using ocean movements; oscillating water columns compress air to turn turbines, commonly used in ocean buoys.

Biomass

Organic material used as fuel, classified as non-renewable in some contexts due to slow regeneration compared to consumption rates.

Cogeneration

The process of producing both electricity and heat from the same energy source, improving overall efficiency.

Landfill Biogas:

Methane (natural gas) produced from organic matter through anaerobic bacterial decomposition in landfills, sewage treatment plants, food waste, or animal feedlots.

Hybrid and Electric Vehicles

Vehicles using electricity for propulsion; challenges include emissions if electricity comes from coal and energy storage in bulky batteries.

Energy Efficiency

The ratio of useful energy output to total energy input; when converting energy to electricity, the amount of electrical energy is always less than the energy used in its generation due to thermodynamic losses.

What are the major categories of energy sources, and how do renewable and non-renewable sources differ

Renewable energy replaces itself quickly, while non-renewable energy takes millions of years to form and can run out.

How are fossil fuels formed, and what are the distinct characteristics and uses of coal, petroleum, and natural gas?

Fossil fuels form from dead plants and marine organisms buried without oxygen for millions of years; coal comes from land plants, oil and natural gas come from marine plankton, and they are mainly used for electricity, transportation, and industry.

What are the environmental impacts of fossil fuel extraction and use?

Fossil fuels cause land damage, air and water pollution, and environmental problems from mining, fracking, pipelines, and oil spills.

How is electricity generated from conventional energy sources, and why is energy always lost in the conversion process?

Electricity is generated by burning fossil fuels or using nuclear fission to heat water into steam, which spins a generator, but some energy is lost as heat during the process.

How does nuclear energy work, and what are its benefits and challenges compared to fossil fuels?

Nuclear energy uses fission to split atoms and release heat to produce electricity; it creates little air pollution but has challenges like radioactive waste and dangerous accidents.

What are the different types of solar energy technologies, and how do they capture and convert sunlight?

Solar energy captures sunlight through building design (passive), heating liquids or gases (active), or using photovoltaic panels to turn sunlight directly into electricity.

What are the characteristics, advantages, and limitations of different renewable energy sources?

Renewable energy sources (solar, wind, geothermal, and hydroelectric) naturally replenish but have limitations like high costs, location needs, and environmental impacts

What alternative fuels and technologies are being developed for transportation, and what challenges do they face?

Alternative transportation technologies include hybrid and electric cars, hydrogen fuel cells, and biofuels, but they face challenges like battery storage, low efficiency, pollution, and high costs.

How can waste be converted into energy resources, and what are examples of these technologies?

Waste can be turned into energy when bacteria break down organic matter without oxygen, producing methane (natural gas), while cogeneration produces both electricity and heat.

How can society manage nonrenewable energy resources to reduce environmental harm while meeting growing energy demands?

Society can reduce harm by using nonrenewable energy more efficiently, reducing pollution, and gradually switching to renewable energy sources to meet growing energy demands.

ecosystem services

the benefits people obtain from ecosystems

world economy ≈

$85 trillion

has a specific function, which is the job or role of that

organism in an ecosystem

every organism

Disrupting the health of ecosystems or driving species to extinction can

have unintended consequences

Indicator species (birds, amphibians, insects)

provide early warnings of damage to an ecosystem

Keystone species (Sea otters are a keystone species because they eat sea urchins, preventing them from destroying kelp forests.)

have a large effect on the types an

abundance of other species in an ecosystem

They are the most functionally important

Native species

species that live and thrive

in a particular ecosystem

Invasive (Non-native) Species:

Species deliberately or accidentally introduced outside their normal distribution that outcompete native species because they have no natural predators, competitors, parasites, or pathogens (e.g., kudzu, zebra mussels, lionfish, pythons).

Ecosystem Engineer

An organism that creates, significantly modifies, maintains, or destroys a habitat, such as elephants maintaining African savannas.

Flagship Species (Giant pandas are a flagship species because they are used to raise awareness and support for wildlife conservation.)

A species so charismatic that it generates public support for conservation efforts.

Umbrella Species

A species whose protection also protects other species sharing the same habitat.

HIPPO

An acronym for the five major threats to biodiversity:

Habitat destruction, Invasive species, Pollution, Population (human), and Overexploitation.

Habitat Destruction

The destruction, degradation, or fragmentation of natural areas (through deforestation, bottom trawling, urbanization, agriculture) that removes the resources species need to survive; the most serious threat to biodiversity.

The most serious threat to biodiversity

habitat loss

pollution

Humans have polluted & disturbed 50% of the

oceans & surface waters

Bioaccumulation (there are 3 effects)

increasing pollutant

concentrations along

the food chain

Human have taken over_______ of the

Earth’s land surface

60-80%

Typical pattern

extinctions

follow human settlement

Overexploitation

Excessive hunting, fishing, logging, or gathering of species at rates faster than natural replenishment.

Poaching

Illegally killing species for their valuable parts or for illegal trade; for every live animal captured and sold, about 50 others are killed or die in transit.

More species living in an ecosystem —>

more stable

Bush Meat:

Wild animals hunted in tropical and developing regions for human consumption.

Threatened (Vulnerable) Species:

Species that still have enough individuals to survive in the short term but whose numbers are declining (e.g., polar bears, giant pandas, sea turtles).

Endangered Species

Species with so few surviving individuals that they could soon become extinct (e.g., tigers, whales, orangutans).

Biodiversity Hotspot

A region of exceptionally high biodiversity under threat; the 34 hotspots cover only 2.3% of Earth's surface but hold more than 50% of plant species and 42% of terrestrial vertebrate species.

Habitat Conservation Plan

A strategy developed to manage land, water, and living resources in order to protect ecosystems and the species within them.

Land Trust

A nonprofit organization that protects land.

Conservation Easement

A permanent legal agreement in which the landowner keeps the land but gives up the right to develop it forever.

Mitigation

Reducing the damage caused by a project, following the sequence: avoid, minimize, repair, reduce over time, and compensate.

Ecological Restoration

The process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged, or destroyed; requires long-term commitment, constant monitoring, and adjustments.

Reconciliation Ecology:

Adapting human-dominated spaces so people and wildlife can live together, through green roofs, nesting platforms, bat roosts, healthy yards and parks, and migration corridors.