Energy and Resources North and South America Focus

Energy and Energy and ResourcesResourcesNorth and South America FocusNorth and South America Focus

Energy ResourcesEnergy Resources

Non-renewable Energy SourcesNon-renewable Energy Sources

Renewable Energy SourcesRenewable Energy Sources

Energy ResourcesEnergy Resources

Non-renewable Energy SourceNon-renewable Energy Source Coal, Oil, Natural GasCoal, Oil, Natural Gas Nuclear Power/UraniumNuclear Power/Uranium

Renewable Energy SourcesRenewable Energy Sources HydroelectricHydroelectric SolarSolar WindWind Biomass FuelsBiomass Fuels

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Fossil FuelsFossil Fuels Coal - Coal - most polluting; L.D.C.smost polluting; L.D.C.s Oil - Oil - used extensively in all countries, with the developed used extensively in all countries, with the developed

world consuming the mostworld consuming the most

Natural Gas - Natural Gas - cleanest of the fossils fuels; developed cleanest of the fossils fuels; developed

countriescountries

Average American releases 5 tons of carbon per year into the atmosphere. Average Indian: 1/4 ton

•Natural gas supplies the US with 26% of its energy, 18% for the UK, 4% for India and 3% for Japan

•Oil supplies the US with 30% of its energy, 50% for the UK, 10% for Japan, 22% for India and 90% for Nigeria

•The former Soviet Union is the largest oil (nearly 12 million barrels per day) and gas producer (25,000 billion cubic feet per year)

Fossil Fuels: Fossil Fuels: Where is the Where is the oil?oil?

Fossil Fuels: Fossil Fuels: Where is the Where is the energy energy consumed?consumed?

Renewable: Geothermal Renewable: Geothermal

The Geyers, Santa Rosa, CAWorld’s Largest Geothermal Plant

Renewable: WindRenewable: Wind

Wind Turbines along San Gorgonio Pass, Interstate 10, Palm Springs, CA

• Works profitably in very windy locations.

• Large and unsightly.

• Requires lots of land.

• Works well in windy deserts where few people live. Texas has huge potential.

Renewable: SolarRenewable: Solar

• Passive Solar

• Active Solar - Photovoltaics

• Initially expensive

• Interconnectivity and grid issues

• Huge Untapped Potential

• Federal and State Government incentives come and go.

Non-renewable: Non-renewable: Nuclear Nuclear

Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant, Central Coast

• Uranium is a limited, non-renewable resource.

• Nuclear power is inherently dangerous.

• Targets for terrorism.

• Earthquake risks.

• Inevitable radioactive waste.

Hydroelectric Hydroelectric

Shasta Dam, Lake Shasta, Mt. Shasta

• Clean, renewable energy

• Little growth since nearly all rivers in the MDCs damned.

• Globally dams are still being constructed agressively.

• China currently building Three Gorges, the largest dam ever.