Warm-up 3-25-14

1. What is the difference between a renewable and a non renewable resources?

2. What is an example of a nonrenewable resource?

3. What is an example of a renewable resource?

Oil• Refined into many different energy products – gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, heating oil

• If consumption increases and no new sources are found, oil supplies may be exhausted in another 30 years or so

• Over 50 percent of the world's oil is found in the Middle East• Over 70 percent of oil fields are near tectonic plate boundaries

Oil

Pros

• Relatively inexpensive fuel source

• Same amount of oil creates more energy than coal

• Burns cleaner - 50 percent less sulfur dioxide than coal

Cons

• Pollution• Limited supplies

Natural Gas

• Natural gas is a mixture of gases– Mostly methane, some ethane, propane, and butane

• Estimate of natural gas reserves is about 100 million metric tons

• At current usage, this supply will last an estimated 100 years

• Propane and butane are removed from the natural gas and made into liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)

• Most is found in Eastern Europe and the Middle East

Natural GasPros

• Cleanest burning fossil fuel

• Easy and inexpensive to transport once pipelines are in place

Cons

• Pollution• Limited supplies

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Renewable Energy Sources• Solar photovoltaics• Solar thermal power• Passive solar air and water heating• Wind• Hydropower • Biomass• Ocean energy• Geothermal• Waste to Energy

Solar Power

• Advantages–Efficient–Cost-effective

• Hot water heating–Efficient–Pays off in 5-7 years– Sometimes less reliable– Not effective in all climates

Solar Power

• Photovoltaic Cells– Inefficient, Expensive –Require batteries to store energy–Variable quality of electricity– Manufacturing is energy intensive and creates chemical and solid

waste

Wind• Efficient• Noisy• Unsightly• Requires large amount of space for

large-scale applications

Geothermal

• Uses Earth’s internal heat to produce steam (which turns turbines to generate electricity)

• Efficient• Depends on regional geology

– Cost efficiency– Longevity

Tidal• Inefficient• Limited to few geographic locations• Low environmental impact

  

Hydroelectric Power

What is hydroelectric power• Running water moves turbines• Spinning of turbines produces electricity• Usually involves building a dam on a river to control water flow

Advantages of hydroelectric power

• Renewable• No carbon dioxide emissions• Non-polluting• Powered by rivers, which flow because

of gravity pulling water down hill

Disadvantages• Dams prevent fish and other river life from swimming

upstream to spawn• Dams trap sediment, creating erosion problems

downstream• Flooding behind dams displaces people and wildlife• Dams create an artificial lake in which stratifies

– warm, oxygen-rich water on top– cold, oxygen-poor water on bottom– Water released is either too warm or does not have enough oxygen for

downstream organisms

Exit Ticket

1. How can solar panel farms harm the environment?

2. Will we ever run out of oil reserves? If so, how soon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6neSdVOh_BM