Energy Literacy What does it mean to be a literate person? What comes to mind when I say “energy

literate person”? If someone is an “ energy literate citizen”

What knowledge does this person possess? What issues is this person familiar with? What energy choices does this person make?

Energy Literacy Do we have an energy literate society? What is the cost of energy illiteracy? What is the relationship between energy

literacy and energy practices (our personal choices and actions?

Energy Literacy “ Americans are, in general, the least

energy-conscious people on the planet. We are not only profoundly ignorant about what energy is, and the critical role it has played and continues to play in economics and politics, but most of us simply don’t care about energy.

Paul Roberts, The End of Oil

Fossil FuelsChapter 19

Energy Sources Videoclip (7 minutes)

YouTube - 300 Years of FOSSIL FUELS in 300 Seconds

I. Energy Consumption A. Per Capita Energy Consumption B. Energy Requirements for Food

Production 1. Developing Countries 2. Developed Countries

C. Energy Consumption in the US

II. Fossil Fuels A. Coal

1. Grades of coal 2. Most abundant 3. Recovery

a. Surface mining b. Subsurface mining

Mountaintop Removal

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyzwCKoLhDo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziuFW-7h1LM

Coal Power FacilityHow Does it Create Electricity

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeXG8K5_UvU

II. Fossil Fuels A. Coal

4. Safety Problems/Environmental Impact a. Underground mining is hazardous. b. Toxins prevent new colonization of plants. c. Acid mine drainage d. CO2 causes global warming e. SO2 and NOx contribute to acid deposition.

Black Lung Disease

Environmental Problems Coal Ash

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg_zttjzpL0

Is There Coal Ash Near Us?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJ_d28mAXYUhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nd3luqE3fw

Acid Deposition

Solutions Solutions

a. Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act b. Scrubbers c. Clean coal technologies

i. fluidized bed combustion ii. coal gasification and liquifaction

Solutions Scrubbers

Fluidized Bed Combustion

Solutions

Electrostatic Precipitators

Refining Oil Petroleum (crude oil) is a liquid composed of hundreds

of hydrocarbon compounds; during petroleum refining, the compounds are separated into different products such as gases, gasoline, heating oil, diesel oil, and asphalt

Oil can also be used to produce petrochemicals used in the production of fertilizers, plastics, paints, pesticides, medicines, and synthetic fibers

Oil 65% of the world’s known oil reserves are located in

the Persian Gulf (CLICK, CLICK) Oil production is expected to peak sometime during

the 21st century and will then enter a decline

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries includes:

Algeria, Angola, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela Hubbert curve

Petroleum

Hubbert curve- a graph that shows the point at which world oil production would reach a maximum and the point at which we would run out of oil.

The Hubbert Peak

Natural gas is separated into:

Liquefied petroleum gas – propane and butane; used as fuel for heating and cooking

Methane – used for heating, generating electricity, and in the organic chemistry industry

Availability – supplies ~ 62% of energy used

worldwide

Natural Gas Almost half of the world’s known natural gas

reserves are located in Russia and Iran Reserves are more plentiful than oil and

could continue to rise Because it is a gas, it costs 4x more to

transport through pipelines and is therefore often not

Oil and Natural Gas Recovery a. Geologic exploration b. Wells drilled c .”Fracking” - My Water's On Fire Tonight (The Fracking

Song) - YouTube

4. Environmental Impact a. CO2 = Global Warming b. NOX = Acid Deposition and Photochemical Smog c. Transportation = Risk of spill d. Offshore Oil Wells = Contamination e. Oil Exploration = Threats to ecosystems and Wildlife

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEeyDj_hRys From US News and Report http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EriEZY_wH0g Opinion

Solutions

Natural gas is cleaner burning and more plentiful than oil

Cogeneration – natural gas is used to produce both electricity and steam, providing electricity cleanly and efficiently

Cogeneration- using a fuel to generate electricity and to produce heat.

Example- If steam is used for industrial purposes or to heat buildings it is diverted to turn a turbine first.

This improves the efficiency to as high as 90%.

Cogeneration

Synfuels – derivatives of fossil fuels

Tar sands / Oil sands - underground sand deposits permeated with a thick, asphalt-like oil called bitumen; once obtained, bitumen must be refined like crude oil

Oil shales – rocks containing a mixture of hydrocarbons known as kerogen; rocks must be crushed and heated, then keragen must be refined

Synfuels Gas hydrates – reserves of ice-encrusted

natural gas located deep underground in porous rock

Coal liquefaction – process of producing a liquid fuel out of coal, that can be cleaned before burning

Coal gasification – production of methane gas from coal

III. Synfuels A. Tar Sands / Oil Sands B. Oil Shales C. Gas Hydrates D. Coal Liquefaction E. Coal Gasification

An Energy Strategy for the United States

Reasons for a comprehensive energy policy The supply of fossil fuels is limited The production, transport, and use of

fossil fuels pollutes the environment Our heavy dependence on foreign oil

makes us economically vulnerable

An Energy Strategy for the United States Secure fossil fuel energy supplies – domestically

produced fossil fuels (especially natural gas) are a temporary

strategy that will give us time to develop alternate energy strategies for the long term

Develop alternative energy sources –a long-term goal to shift to renewable forms of energy

Accomplish the first three objectives without further damaging the environment – use cost/benefit analysis when considering particular energy sources

Proposed objectives

Increase energy efficiency and conservation

Reduce government subsidies (support in the

form of monetary payments, public financing, tax benefits, and tax exemptions) keep energy prices artificially low; when prices reflect the true costs of energy, including the environmental costs incurred in its production, transport, and use, energy will be used more efficiently by individuals, corporations, and industries