9b: Energy Sources

KEY CONCEPTS

1. What is a turbine and how does it work?

2. What are the 2 forms of energy?

3. What are examples, advantages and

disadvantages of fossil fuels?

4. What are examples, advantages and

disadvantages of alternative energy?

• Electricity is made through the use of spinning turbines.

• Explain: a wheel or rotor, is made to spin by a fast-moving flow of water, steam, gas, or air

• There are 2 forms of Energy Sources

1. Fossil Fuels

• Examples: COAL, OIL, or NATURAL GAS

2. Alternative Energy: Any fuel that is not a fossil fuel

• Examples:

•Energy Sources

Nuclear, Wind Power, Solar Power,

Hydroelectric (water), Biomass

•Where do we get our energy?

• Examples:

• Coal

• Petroleum

• Natural Gas

•Fossil FuelsForms of stored solar energy

Why? originally came from the sun, captured by

photosynthesis

•CoalWhat: Plant remains covered and compressed in swamp forest

millions of years ago.

How:

Pros

Cons

Mining, using explosives, digging out coal

• Abundant supply

• Currently inexpensive to extract

• Generates large amounts of energy

•Emits major greenhouse gases/acid rain

•High environmental impact from mining

and burning

•Mining = dangerous for miners & bad for

health

•Coal

•PetroleumWhat: Ocean plants and animals that were buried and

compressed under sediment millions of years ago.

How: Drilling into the earth & pumping out

Pros

Cons

• Efficient transportation fuel for the world

• Basis of many products, from prescription drugs

to plastics

• Economical to produce

• Easy to transport

• High CO2 emissions

• Found in limited areas

• Limited Supply (non-renewable)

• Possible environmental impact from

drilling/transporting

•Natural Gas

What: Made by ocean plants and animals that were buried under

sediment millions of years ago. Often times found with petroleum.

How: Drilling into the earth & pumping out

Pros

Cons

• Widely available

• Cleanest-burning fossil fuel

• Natural Gas < OIL < COAL

• Costs to transport are high

• Limited Supply (non-renewable)

• Pipelines disturb ecosystems

• LEAKS DESTROY ecosystems

• Still has emissions

•Petroleum & Natural Gas

Click here for

Fracking Video

• Examples:

• Nuclear

• Wind Power

• Solar Power

• Hydroelectric

• Biomass

•Alternative Energy SourcesAny energy source, both renewable and nonrenewable that is

not one of primary (fossil fuels) energy sources

Click on the Earth for National Geographic video on alternative energy sources

•NuclearWhat: Energy produced through nuclear fission of uranium-

235 in controlled nuclear reactors.

How:

Pros

Cons

• No greenhouse gases or CO2 emissions

• Efficient (saves Energy)

• Uranium reserves are abundant

• Only has to be restocked yearly (unlike coal)

• Higher costs due to safety, radioactive waste,

and storage systems

• Radioactive waste disposal – where to put it?

• Heated waste water harms aquatic life

• Potential nuclear catastrophe issue

Uranium is mined. Nuclear fission = splits atom & releases heat.

•Nuclear

•Wind PowerWhat: Energy generated from transforming wind’s kinetic energy

into electrical energy.

How: Wind Mills spin turbines → energy

Pros

Cons

• No emissions

• Affordable

• Little disruption of ecosystems

• Relatively high output

• How much energy depends on wind speed

• Not feasible for all geographic locations

• High initial investment/ongoing

maintenance costs

• Extensive land use

Click here for

Wind Turbine Video

(Department of Energy)

•Wind Power

•Solar PowerWhat: The collection of the sun’s energy.

How: Solar panel absorb sunlight and convert to energy

Pros

Cons

• Non-polluting

• Most abundant energy source

available

• Systems last 15-30 years

• High Costs at first

• Depends on sunny weather

• May need other type of energy

• Solar panels take up a lot of space

• Some solar panels are ugly

PS10

•Solar Power

•HydropowerWhat: Energy that comes from the force of moving water.

How:

Pros

Cons

• No emissions

• Generating large amounts of power

• Output can be regulated

flow of water from waterfalls and dams to produce electricity. WITH DAMS – water powers turbines

• Building Dams disturb & change the env.

• Expensive to build

• Dams may be affected by drought

•Hydropower

•GeothermalWhat: Using the power of the heat within the Earth.

How: from the heat stored in the Earth’s core

• Minimal environmental impact

• Efficient

• Very low emissions (low greenhouse gasses)

• Low cost after the initial investment

Pros

Cons

• Only can be used in few areas around

the world

• Expensive start-up costs

• Wells could eventually be depleted

•Geothermal

•BiomassWhat: Harnessing the energy within biological matter.

How: (combustion, decomposition, & fermentation)

• Abundant supply

• Fewer emissions than fossil fuel sources

• Can be used in diesel engines

• Auto engines easily convert to run on

biomass fuel

Pros

Cons

• Source must be near usage to cut

transportation costs

• Emits some pollution as gas/liquid

waste

• Increases emissions of nitrogen

oxides, an air pollutant

• Uses some fossil fuels in conversion

•BiomassFuels made from Biomass =

Biodiesel, Ethanol, and Methanol