6.1 Non_Renewable & 6.2 Global Energy Consumption (1)

6.1 Renewable vs. Nonrenewable Energy Sources

Learning Objectives

  • ENG-3.A: Identify differences between nonrenewable and renewable energy sources.

  • SUGGESTED SKILL 1.C: Explain environmental concepts, processes, or models in applied contexts.

Essential Knowledge

  • ENG-3.A.1: Nonrenewable energy sources are finite and cannot be easily replenished.

  • ENG-3.A.2: Renewable energy sources can be naturally replenished at or near their consumption rate.

Renewable vs. Nonrenewable

  • Renewable Energy Sources:

    • Can be replenished naturally and reused.

    • Depletable Renewables:

      • Can run out if overused (e.g., biomass like wood, charcoal, ethanol).

    • Nondepletable Renewables:

      • Do not run out with overuse (e.g., solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal).

  • Nonrenewable Energy Sources:

    • Exist in fixed amounts and are hard to replace or regenerate.

    • Fossil Fuels:

      • Include coal, oil, and natural gas, formed from ancient biomass.

    • Nuclear Energy:

      • Generated from uranium and radioactive fuels.

Key to Renewable Energy

  • Rate of Consumption:

    • Must be at or below regeneration rate for sustainability.

    • Fossil fuels are considered depleting due to long regeneration times compared to consumption rates.

6.2 Global Energy Consumption

Learning Objective

  • ENG-3.B: Describe trends in energy consumption.

  • SUGGESTED SKILL 6.C: Calculate numeric answers with appropriate units.

Essential Knowledge

  • ENG-3.B.1: Energy resources use varies by country development status.

  • ENG-3.B.2: Fossil fuels are the most widely used energy sources globally.

  • ENG-3.B.3: Increased development correlates with greater fossil fuel reliance.

  • ENG-3.B.4: Industrialization drives energy demand.

  • ENG-3.B.5: Availability, prices, and regulations shape energy source usage.

Developed vs. Developing Countries

  • Energy Use Disparities:

    • Developed countries consume more energy per capita and total (due to larger populations).

    • Developing countries are still industrializing with growing populations, expecting increased energy use.

    • Average U.S. resident consumes 5 times more energy than the global average.

Fossil Fuels: Most Used Energy Source

  • Global Trends:

    • Fossil fuels dominate as the primary fuel source.

    • Second is hydroelectric energy (dams generate electricity).

  • Specific Sources:

    • Oil: Main fuel in transportation (e.g., gasoline).

    • Coal: Primary fuel for electricity generation.

    • Natural Gas: Secondary source for electricity and primary for heating.

    • Nuclear Energy: Major source through uranium fission for electricity generation.

Development Increases Fossil Fuel Consumption

  • Subsistence Fuels in Developing Nations:

    • Residents use locally gathered fuels (e.g., wood, charcoal) that can promote deforestation.

  • Energy Transition with Development:

    • Increasing fossil fuel consumption with economic development.

    • Shift from oil for transportation to coal and natural gas for electricity production.

Availability and Price of Fossil Fuels

  • Accessibility:

    • Fossil fuel availability depends on discovered reserves and access.

  • Price Influence:

    • Prices fluctuate with new discoveries or depletion of reserves (e.g., fracking increases natural gas availability).

Government Regulation Impact

  • Governments can mandate energy source mixes (e.g., policies for renewable energy percentages).

  • Regulations shape energy market dynamics without directly controlling prices (e.g., incentives for renewables).

Practice Questions

FRQ 6.1

  • Question: Explain whether biomass is a renewable energy source.

  • Justification Required

FRQ 6.2

  • Question 1: Calculate the percent change in renewable energy investment from $11.4 billion to $46.5 billion (2005-2018).

  • Question 2: Calculate the percent change required to reach $7.8 trillion by 2050 from the 2018 investment of $46.5 billion.