Studied by 1 person
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
