Fossil Fuels and Renewable Energy Overview

Downsides of mining and using coal

Air pollution, habitat destruction, miner health issues (black lung).

Most coal use in the U.S.

Electricity generation.

Three grades of coal

Lignite → Bituminous → Anthracite.

Electricity generation from coal

Coal is burned to heat water, creating steam that spins a turbine to generate electricity.

Reasons for coal mining decline in the U.S.

Cheaper natural gas; stricter environmental regulations.

Pollutant abundant in coal

Sulfur.

Coal gasification

Converts coal into cleaner synthetic gas (syngas), reducing pollutants.

Definition of reserves

Economically recoverable resources.

Market price effect on reserves

Higher prices make more reserves profitable to extract.

Fractional distillation

Separates oil into products based on boiling points.

Advantages of using oil for energy

High energy density, easy transport, ideal for vehicles.

Fracking

High-pressure fluids crack rock to release oil/gas.

Advantages of fracking

Increased supply.

Disadvantages of fracking

Water pollution, earthquakes.

Oil extraction from tar sands and shale

Mining and steam injection; very polluting and energy-intensive.

Petroleum cracking

Breaking large hydrocarbons into smaller fuels like gasoline.

Hubbert's Peak Oil theory

Oil production would peak and decline; extended due to fracking.

Impact of crude oil cost on reserves

Higher prices make more oil economically viable to extract.

Advantages of natural gas over coal

Burns cleaner, less CO₂, fewer pollutants.

Increase in natural gas yields

Fracking and better drilling technology.

Downsides of natural gas

Water contamination, methane leaks, minor earthquakes.

Natural gas as a bridge technology

It's cleaner than coal and oil; helps transition to renewables.

Natural gas pollution comparison

Natural gas produces less pollution.

EROI comparison of coal, oil, and natural gas

Natural gas > Oil > Coal.

Change in oil EROI over 30 years

Decreased because easy-to-access oil is gone.

Oil price impact on tar sands or shale harvesting

High prices make expensive extraction profitable.

Climate change impact from fossil fuels

Fossil fuels release CO₂, driving global warming.

Human health problems from fossil fuels

Respiratory diseases, cancer, heart issues.

Impact of fossil fuels on oceans and coastlines

Oil spills, ocean acidification.

Major habitat impacts from fossil fuel extraction

Deforestation, water pollution, soil erosion.

Fuel rods

Produce heat through fission.

Control rods

Absorb neutrons to regulate reaction.

Water in nuclear systems

Cools the system and transfers heat.

Events causing lack of new nuclear plant construction

Chernobyl, Three Mile Island, Fukushima.

Environmental pros of nuclear power

Low carbon emissions.

Environmental cons of nuclear power

Radioactive waste, uranium mining impacts.

Why isn't nuclear pollution-free?

Uranium mining and waste disposal cause environmental harm.

EROI

Measures energy efficiency; higher _____= better energy investment.

Change in EROI for oil and gas since 1970

Decreased due to harder extraction.

Strip mining

Removes surface layers.

Mountaintop removal

Blasts mountains.

Shaft mining

Tunnels underground.

Solid waste production in mines

Removal of large amounts of rock and soil.

Mining impact on natural environments

Destroys ecosystems, pollutes water, erodes soil.

Basics of Chernobyl

Worst disaster, massive radiation.

Basics of Three Mile Island

Partial meltdown, minor radiation release.

Basics of Fukushima

Meltdowns caused by earthquake and tsunami.

OPEC Oil Embargo

1970s oil shortage caused by Middle East political tensions.

Nuclear power projections vs. reality

Growth was expected but slowed after major accidents.

2022 US energy sources

About 20% renewables, the rest split mainly between oil, natural gas (rising), and coal (falling).

Photovoltaic (PV) energy

Converts sunlight directly into electricity.

Passive solar vs. active solar

Passive: building design uses sunlight. Active: mechanical systems (pumps, fans) to capture and store solar energy.

Waste-to-energy (WTE)

Burning waste to produce electricity.

E85 fuel

A fuel blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline.

Hydrogen fuel cell

Generates electricity from hydrogen gas.

Electricity generation methods

Hydroelectric: Water turns turbines. Solar: Panels convert sunlight. Wind: Wind turns turbines. Tidal: Moving tides spin turbines. Geothermal: Heat from Earth drives turbines. Wave: Ocean waves turn devices to generate power.

Local resources in renewable energy

Local conditions determine the best renewable options (e.g., windy = wind farms, sunny = solar panels).

Can we run out of renewable energy?

Yes. Example: Overusing biofuels can deplete cropland.

Electric cars vs. gasoline cars

Electric cars reduce tailpipe emissions but still have environmental impacts (battery mining, electricity source).

Disadvantages of blending gasoline with ethanol

Can raise food prices and lead to land-use changes.

Dealing with gaps in solar and wind energy

Energy storage (batteries, hydrogen) and grid management.

Biggest barrier to hydrogen car use

Lack of hydrogen refueling infrastructure.

Storing excess electricity from solar/wind for hydroelectric

Use electricity to pump water uphill for later release (pumped hydro storage).