NONRENEWABLE ENERGY Energy Resources and Fossil Fuels Chapter 17, Section One.

NONRENEWABLE ENERGYNONRENEWABLE ENERGY

Energy Resources and Fossil Energy Resources and Fossil FuelsFuels

Chapter 17, Section OneChapter 17, Section One

Fossil FuelsFossil Fuels

• The remains of ancient organisms The remains of ancient organisms that changed into coal, oil, and that changed into coal, oil, and natural gasnatural gas

• Available in limited supplyAvailable in limited supply• Negative environmental concerns: Negative environmental concerns:

greenhouse gases, ozone greenhouse gases, ozone depletion, increased CO2 levelsdepletion, increased CO2 levels

Fuels for different usesFuels for different uses

• Four main uses: transportation, Four main uses: transportation, manufacturing, heating and manufacturing, heating and cooling, generating electricitycooling, generating electricity

• Use determines the type of fuelUse determines the type of fuel• Different energy levels in different Different energy levels in different

types: coal vs. jet fueltypes: coal vs. jet fuel

Electricity: Power on demandElectricity: Power on demand

• Energy in fuel converted to Energy in fuel converted to electricity: easier to transportelectricity: easier to transport

• Two disadvantagesTwo disadvantages– Difficult to storeDifficult to store– Other energy sources have to be used Other energy sources have to be used

to generate itto generate it

Coal-Fired Power PlantCoal-Fired Power Plant

Energy UseEnergy Use• Everything you use requires some Everything you use requires some

energy to makeenergy to make• World patterns – Developed World patterns – Developed

countries use much more energy countries use much more energy the developing countriesthe developing countries

• US patterns – 3US patterns – 3rdrd highest in energy highest in energy usage per person, lower taxes lead usage per person, lower taxes lead to little conservationto little conservation– Industrial: 38%; Transportation: 27%; Industrial: 38%; Transportation: 27%;

Residential: 19%; Commercial: 16%Residential: 19%; Commercial: 16%

How fossil-fuel deposits formHow fossil-fuel deposits form• Coal formation – remains of plants that Coal formation – remains of plants that

lived in swampslived in swamps• Layers of sediment compressed the Layers of sediment compressed the

plant material and heat and pressure plant material and heat and pressure from Earth’s crust caused it to change to from Earth’s crust caused it to change to coalcoal

• Oil and Natural Gas – decay of tiny Oil and Natural Gas – decay of tiny marine organisms that built up on the marine organisms that built up on the bottom over millions of yearsbottom over millions of years

• Buried, heated, became energy-rich Buried, heated, became energy-rich carbon moleculescarbon molecules

Fossil-fuels in the United StatesFossil-fuels in the United States

CoalCoal• Most of the world’s energy reserves Most of the world’s energy reserves

are coalare coal• Relatively inexpensiveRelatively inexpensive• Needs little refining after miningNeeds little refining after mining• Over half of electricity produced in Over half of electricity produced in

US is from coal-fired plantsUS is from coal-fired plants• Different types of coalDifferent types of coal

– Bituminous burns hotter and cleaner Bituminous burns hotter and cleaner than lignitethan lignite

– Sulfur produced is a major air Sulfur produced is a major air pollution problem due to acid rainpollution problem due to acid rain

United States Electricity United States Electricity GenerationGeneration

Natural Gas10%

Hydroelectricity8%

Nuclear23%

Oil2%

Coal57%

PetroleumPetroleum• Crude oil – oil pumped from the Crude oil – oil pumped from the

groundground• Petroleum product – anything Petroleum product – anything

made from crude oil such as fuels, made from crude oil such as fuels, chemicals, and plasticschemicals, and plastics

• Hard to locate and extractHard to locate and extract• Natural gas – 20% of world’s Natural gas – 20% of world’s

nonrenewable energy, used to be nonrenewable energy, used to be burned as a waste product from oil burned as a waste product from oil wells, less pollution than oilwells, less pollution than oil

Fossil Fuels and the FutureFossil Fuels and the Future

• Today, 90 % of energy used in Today, 90 % of energy used in developed countries is from fossil fueldeveloped countries is from fossil fuel

• Reserves – deposits that can be Reserves – deposits that can be extracted profitably at current prices extracted profitably at current prices with current technologywith current technology

• No new reserves discovered in last No new reserves discovered in last decade, many are under deep-ocean decade, many are under deep-ocean floor and will be very expensive to floor and will be very expensive to extractextract