Non-Renewable Energy Resources

What is the main use of coal?

Generating electricity

Where is coal extracted from?

Underground

What are the main uses of oil?

Generating electricity, transportation, heating

Where is oil extracted from?

Underground

What are the main uses of natural gases?

Generating electricity and heating

Where are natural gases extracted from?

Underground

What are the advantages of coal, oil and natural gases (fossil fuels)?

Enough available to meet current energy demands, reliable - supply can be controlled to meet demand, cheap to extract and use

What are the disadvantages of using coal, oil, and natural gases (fossil fuels)?

Will eventually run out, releases CO2 when burned - one of the main causes of climate change, releases sulfur dioxide from coal and oil, which causes acid rain, and oil spills in the ocean kill marine life

What are the main uses of nuclear fission?

Generating electricity

What is the source of nuclear fission?

Mining naturally occurring elements, such as uranium and plutonium

What are the advantages of nuclear fission?

No polluting gases or greenhouse gases produced, enough availability to meet current demands, large amount of energy transferred from a very small mass of fuel, reliable

What are the disadvantages of nuclear fission?

Produces nuclear waste, which is: dangerous, difficult and expensive to dispose of, stored for centuries before it is safe to dispose of. Nucleus power plants are expensive to build and run, and decommission (shut down)

What does decommission mean?

To shut down