APES Unit 6 Pres 1 | Energy Consumption

Renewable energy sources

Can be replenished naturally, at or near rate of consumption and reused

Nonrenewable energy sources

Exist in fixed amounts on earth and can’t easily be replaced or regenerated
Ex: fossil fuels, nuclear

Depletable renewables

Can run out if overused
Ex: biomass (wood, charcoal, ethanol)

Nondepletable renewables

Do not run out if overused

Ex: solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal

What are fossil fuels

Fossilized remains of ancient biomass that take millions of years to form (coal, oil, natural gas)

Nuclear

Energy generated from uranium or other radioactive fuels

Key to renewable energy

Rate of Consumption:
Rate of use must be at or below rate of regeneration for renewables

- Fossil fuels will run out because they take far longer to regenerate than the rate we use them

Developed nations

Use more energy per capita
Use more energy in total because higher population

Developing nations

Still industrializing and population is still growing rapidly
Will also increase energy use per person as their economies industrialize and citizens get higher standards of living

Fossil fuels

Most used energy source
- Oil → gasoline = main fuel for vehicles
- Coal = main fuel for electricity generation
- Natural gas = secondary fuel for electricity generation and main fuel for heating

Hydroelectric energy

Second largest energy source
Dams used to create electricity
Water spins a turbine which generates electricity

Nuclear energy

Third largest energy source
Uranium fission releases heat to turn water into steam to turn a turbine to generate electricity

Development of nations and fossil fuel consumption

Development increases fossil fuel consumption
Economic development → wealth → higher per capita GDP → energy use

Subsistence fuels

Less developed nations depend on them more
Biomass that they can easily gather or purchase
Ex: wood, charcoal, dried animal manure
Can drive deforestation

Government regulation affect on energy source use

- Tax increases to discourage companies from building fossil fuel power plants
- Tax credits (rebates) to encourage companies building renewable energy power plants

Government cannot directly raise or lower prices of energy sources

Availability affect on energy source use

Fossil fuel use depends on discovered reserves and accessibility of these reserves

Price affect on energy source use

Fossil fuel prices fluctuate dramatically with discovery of new reserves or depletion of existing ones

- Fracking opens new natural gas reserves, increasing availability, decreasing price, increasing use