APES Energy Chapters

Renewable energy

resource that is restored faster than it is consumed

Examples of renewable energy

water(globally), wind, solar, geothermal, biomass

Nonrenewable energy

resource that is consumed faster than restored

Examples of nonrenewable energy

nuclear, fossil fuels

Fossil fuels

-Combustible deposits in earth's crust, composed of the remnants of prehistoric organisms that existed millions or years ago.

3 requirements for creation of fossil fuels

pressure, temperature, time`

Examples of fossil fuels

coal, natural gas, oil

3 requirements for producing electricity

rotation, conductor, magnetic field

Coal

-A black, combustible solid composed mainly of carbon, water, and trace elements found in Earth's crust; formed from ancient plants that lived millions of years ago.

Subsurface mining

-The extraction or mineral and energy resources from deep underground deposits

Strip mining

-A method of surface mining in which trenches are dug to scrape the coal from the ground and excess soil is deposited in a parallel spoil bank (another trench)

Peat

partially decayed plant matter found in bogs; low heat content (not good for burning)

Lignite

AKA "brown coal"; low heat content, limited supplies, low sulfur content

Bituminous

AKA "soft coal"; high heat content & abundant supplies, high sulfur content; most commonly burned type of coal

Anthracite

AKA "hard coal"; high heat content, low sulfur content makes it the most "desirable" but limited in supply

Natural gas

-A mixture of energy-rich gaseous hydrocarbons (primarily methane) that occurs often with oil deposits, in Earth's crust.

Hydraulic fracturing

the use of water and chemicals to release natural gas and oil trapped between soil layers

Oil

-A thick, yellow to black, flammable hydrocarbon mixture found in Earth's crust; formed from the remains of ancient microscopic aquatic organisms

Fractional distillation

separating chemical compounds by their boiling point by heating them to a temperature at which one or more fractions of the compound will vaporize

Peak oil

-Also known as "Hubbert's Peak", after the U.S. geologist who first developed the concept; it is the point at which global oil production has reached a maximum rate

Other uses of oil

- plastics

- cosmetics

-clothes

- electronics

- kitchen appliance

- detergens

- nonstick coating on pots and pans

- tires

Other "non-conventional" fossil fuels

Oil sands(tar sands), oil shale

Downside to alternative fossil fuels

fossil fuels will always be non renewable => will never solve our fossil fuel addiction

Environmental impacts of fossil fuels

1. Cause pollution:

2. Drive climate change

3. Acid drainage from coal(all) mining/acid mine runoff):

4. Infrastructure of oil drilling: ecosystems/biomes are destroyed when building pipelines and machines that support drilling

leakage of pipeline: point source pollution

Ways to conserve energy

1. strengthen the laws on fuel efficiency standards on automobiles

2. incentives for reducing energy consumption or switching to renewable resources

How can an individual reduce their own energy consumption?

- turn off light/TV/computer/heater/AC when leaving a room

- ride a bicycle to destination

- use public transportation(mass transit)

- use energy star complaint appliances

- use LED of fluorescent(CFL) lightbulbs

- unplug appliances when not in use

Nuclear energy

energy from the nucleus of an atom. inside the nucleus in protons(+) and neutrons(neutral)

Nuclear fission

-the splitting of an atomic nucleus into two smaller fragments, accompanied by the release of a large amount of energy

Nuclear fusion

-The joining of two lightweight atomic nuclei into a single, heavier nucleus, accompanied by the release of a large amount of energy

Three Mile Island

- 1979 in Pennsylvania

- worst nuclear power plant incident in the U.S

- caused by a combination of mechanical failure and human error

- fuel began to melt releasing radiation into the atmosphere

- one of the reactors was forced to shutdown permanently

- created a fear of nuclear energy

Chernobyl

- 1986 in the Ukraine (former Soviet Union)

- worst nuclear power plant incident in the world

- caused by a combination of poor reactor design, human - - error, and turned off safety systems

- the nuclear reactor melted down and exploded sending -- tons of radioactive particles into the atmosphere

Dilemmas of nuclear fission power

1. high cost

2. if mishandled can be dangerous

3. radioactive waste disposal

Biomass

-Plant material, including undigested fiber in animal waste, used as fuel

Examples of biomass

trash, ethanol(alcohol), methane(from landfills)

Traditional sources of biomass

1. wood from trees

2. charcoal

3. manure from livestock

Biopower

for producing electricity

Examples of biofuels

ethanol, biodiesel

Benefits of biomass

1. can be renewable

2. can be carbon neutral

- carbon input = carbon output

3. Sources of energy are from crops

- Examples: corn, switch grass

Drawbacks of biomass

1. Use of fertilizers which can runoff

- refer to earlier notes

2. Irrigation of crops causes soil to wash away(erosion)

- thus they can't farm anymore

3. Requires use of fossil fuels for farming machines

- produces pollution

Hydroelectricity

the generation of electricity using flowing water

The process of producing electricity by hydroelectricity

moving water from the river rotates a water turbine

Benefits of hydroelectricity

1. no air pollution

2. no greenhouse gases

3. can be renewable

4. store freshwater with reservoir

5. recreation

Drawbacks of hydroelectricity

1. expensive

2. the reservoir destroys ecosystems

3. the dam restricts river flow

Solar energy

energy from the Sun. the Earth receives enough sunlight each day to power human consumption for 25 years

Ways of capturing solar energy

passive solar energy collection, active solar energy collection

Passive solar heating

-A system of putting the sun's energy to use without requiring mechanical devices to distribute the collected heat

Active solar heating

-A system of putting the sun's energy to use in which a series of collectors absorb the solar energy, and pumps or fans distribute the collected heat

Photovoltaics

A method of converting sunlight to electricity using layers of materials that either readily give up or absorb electrons

Solar concentrating method

sunlight heats a moderator(water, sodium) then turns to a vapor and rotates a turbine/generator and thats generates electricity

Benefits of solar energy

- it is renewable

- does not produce any air pollution

- no greenhouse gas emissions

- very inexpensive

- no solid, radioactive waste production

- no water pollution

Drawbacks of solar energy

- inefficient

- requires much space which leads to habitat destruction

- location dependent

Wind

- convert the kinetic energy of the wing into electrical energy

- turbines range from 40 to 100 meters in height

- the taller the better to maximize turbulence

- turbines can be set up singly or in bunches called wind farms

Offshore wind farms

can produce much more electrical power because the wind is about 20% greater over water than land

Benefits to wind energy

- it is renewable

- no air pollution

- no water pollution

- no solid, radioactive waste

- no greenhouse gas emissions

- least expensive form of energy production

Drawbacks to wind energy

- can require much space

- not very efficient

- location dependent

- unreliable due to winds

- not in my backyard people(NIMBY)

Geothermal energy

producing energy using the heat inside the Earth, from magma just underneath the surface

Benefits to geothermal energy

- no air pollution

- can be renewable(depends on the injection temperature of water)

- produces no solid/radioactive waste

- cheap compared to fossil fuels

- no water pollution

Drawbacks to geothermal energy

- does produce small amounts of greenhouse gases from within the interior of the Earth

- not very efficient

- location dependent

Energy from hydrogen

energy for transportation

Energy Efficiency

-Using less energy to accomplish a task, as, for example with new technology

zero-net-energy buildings

-Buildings that produce as much or more energy than they use

Cogeneration

-The production of two useful forms of energy from the same fuel

Subsidy

-Government support (such as public financing or tax breaks) of business or institution to promote that group's activity

Electricity

-the flow of electrons in a wire, is a very versatile form of energy and can be generated from nearly any source

Generator

-A bundle of wires spins with a magnet to generate an electric current

Surface Mining

-The extraction of mineral and energy resources near the surface by first removing the soil, subsoil, and overlying rock strata (overburden)

Surface Mining Reclamation Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA)

-An act requiring coal companies to restore areas after mining and allows for inspections and prohibits mining on sensitive areas (National Parks, wildlife refuges, wild and scenic rivers, and sites on the national register of historic places

Acid mine Drainage

-Pollution caused when sulfuric acid and dissolved minerals such as lead, arsenic, and cadmium wash from coal and metal mines into nearby lakes and streams

Mountaintop Removal

-The removal or the entire summit of a mountain to reach a coal seam, is very environmentally destructive and can change the entire land distribution for an area

Carbon capture and storage (CCS)

-The removal of carbon from fossil-fuel combustion and storage of the carbon, usually underground

Major oil spills

-Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

-Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

Oil Pollution Act

-establishes liability for damages to natural resources from a catastrophic oil spill, including a trust fund to pay for cleanup of companies that cannot afford to pay (oil is taxed to provide money for the trust)

Synfuel

-A liquid or gaseous fuel synthesized from coal or other naturally occurring resources and used in place of oil or natural gas.

Bitumen

-a thick, asphalt like oil that is found in tar (oil) sands deep underground

Kerogen

-The mixture of hydrocarbons found in oil shales and crushed and heated to express the oil

Gas Hydrates

-( aka methane hydrates) are reserves of ice encrusted natural gas in deep porous rock

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC)

-A form of energy production that utilizes the temperature gradient of the oceans to produce electricity or heat and cool buildings

Tidal Energy

-A form of renewable energy that relies on the ebb and flow of the tides to generate electricity

Hydrothermal Reservoir

-trapped, heated groundwater under the impermeable crust of the earth that can be drilled to create geothermal energy

Nuclear Fuel Cycle

-The processes involved in producing the fuel used in nuclear reacts and disposing of radioactive (Nuclear) wastes

Enrichment

-The process by which uranium ore is refined after mining to increase the concentration of fissionable U-235

Nuclear Reactor

-A device that initiates and maintains an controlled nuclear fission chain reaction to produce energy for electricity

Yucca Mountain

-the only candidate for U.S. deep geologic storage of high-level nuclear waste

Entombment

-The permanent encasing of a decommissioned power plant in concrete until the radioactive material is safe, which is at least a thousand years (1000)

Decomission

-To dismantle a nuclear power plant after is closes

Reactor Core

-The place where fission occurs, holds the fuel assemblies

Fuel Assemblies

-Areas with 150 fuel rods, there are about 150-250 fuel assemblies per nuclear reactor

Fuel Rods

-closed tubes about 4m long containing uranium fuel pellets

Meltdown

-the melting of the metal surrounding the Uranium fuel and releasing radiation

Nuclear Waste Policy Act

-Required the first site of nuclear waste storage to be operational by 1998, but was postponed to 2012 and 2017