Unit 6 renewable and nonrenewable energy sources

Nonrenewable energy

Energy from sources that cannot be replenished in a human timescale. Examples include coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear energy

Renewable energy

Energy from sources that are replenished naturally and quickly. Some examples include solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal, and biomass.

Fossil fuels

Energy sources formed from ancient organic matter under heat and pressure. The types are coal, oil (petroleum), and natural gas. The problem it creats is that its a major source of CO2 emissions.

Coal

A solid fossil fuel used mainly for electricity generation. Impacts of coal include high CO2 output, air pollution, and habitat destruction from mining.

Oil (petroleum)

A liquid fossil fuel refined for transportation and heating. The risks of oil include oil spills, air pollution and drilling damage

Natural gas

A gaseous fossil fuel primarily made of methane. It is cleaner than coal/oil, but this method has methane leaks and fracking concerns.

Hydraulic Fracturing

Technique to extract natural gas from deep rock by injecting high pressure fluid. The environmental impact this poses is that it contaminates groundwater contamination and it causes earthquakes.

Nuclear Energy

Energy produced by splitting uranium atoms through a process known as fission. The pros of this method is that it has low CO2 emissions, but it has alot of radioactive waste and there can be fatal accidents that make the environment inhabitable fir a little while.

Biomass

Organic matter burned for energy (wood, crop waste, manure). Although this method can be renewable, it still contributes to deforesttion and air pollution.

Energy efficiency

Using less energy to perform the same task. An example is LED bulbs use less energy than incandescent ones.

Cogeneration

The simultaneous production of electricity and useful heat from the same energy source. It increases energy efficiency.

Wind Energy

Electricity generated by wind turbines. It has no greenhouse gas emissions, but it is intermittent and can affect birds/bats because of how loud it is.

Solar Energy

Capturing sunlight to generate electricity or heat. The different types include photovoltaic cells and solar thermal systems. It depends on sunlight availability though so it might not be as effective during winter.

Hydroelectric power

Electricity produced from flowing water, usually at dams. The pros of it is that its renewable and reliable, and the cons are that it disrupts aquatic ecosystems and fish migration.

Geothermal energy

Heat from Earth's interior used for electricity or heating. It is effective near tectonic plate boundaries.

Tidal energy

Electricity generated by the movement of ocean tides. It is renewable, but site specific and can harm marine life.

Energy conservation

Reducing overall energy use through behavior and technology. An example is turning off lights.

Peak demand

The time when energy use is at its highest. A solution includes use of backup energy sources or energy storage.

Passive solar design

Using building design to naturally collect and store solar energy (no mechanical systems). An example is south facing windows for winter sunlight.

Smart grid

An electricity network that uses digital tech to manage supply and demand efficiently. A benefit is that it increases reliability and reduces waste.