Environmental Geography - CSUN

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Environmental Geography

Lecture 8Energy

Lecture 8: Energy Generation and Use

I. Energy on Our Planet

II. Global Energy Sources

III. Fossil Fuels

IV. Nuclear Power

North

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• Amount of solar radiation reaching the Earth’s surface is about 15,000 times greater than our current energy use.

• We use only tiny amounts of direct solar energy.

• For most of history, plants have provided most of our energy requirements in the form of food and fuel for heating and cooking


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III. Fossil Fuels

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III. Fossil Fuels

Why we depend on nonrenewable resources for fuel:

• Accessibility: We have been able to economically find, extract, and transport them in large quantities.

• Utility: Fossil fuels are easy to use.• High energy content: Fossil fuels provide large amounts of

chemical energy per unit mass.• Transportability: Fossil fuels can be transported relatively

easily and economically.• Conversion to different fuels or feedstock: Fossil fuels can be

converted from one form to another.

III. Fossil Fuels

Why we depend on nonrenewable resources for fuel:

• Accessibility: We have been able to economically find, extract, and transport them in large quantities.

• Utility: Fossil fuels are easy to use.• High energy content: Fossil fuels provide large amounts of

chemical energy per unit mass.• Transportability: Fossil fuels can be transported relatively

easily and economically.• Conversion to different fuels or feedstock: Fossil fuels can be

converted from one form to another.

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III. Fossil Fuels - Coal


Advantages of Coal:• Coal is the most abundant fossil fuel• Coal is cheap• Coal can be converted into synfuels

Disadvantages of Coal:

• Coal mining is dangerous and unhealthy work• Coal mining can cause land subsidence and acid

drainage• Surface or strip mining coal produces vast spoils (waste

materials) and damaged land• Burning coal produces more atmospheric pollution than

other fuels

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Mountain Top Removal in the Appalachians

III. Fossil Fuels – Crude Oil or Petroleum

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OPEC: Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries

32,2330,451Total

2,4502,340Venezuela

2,6002,500United Arab Emirates

10,5008,800Saudi Arabia

850810Qatar

2,2502,250Nigeria

1,7001,650Libya

2,6002,500Kuwait

1,481Iraq

3,7503,700Iran

860860Indonesia

500500Ecuador

1,7001,700Angola

1,4301,360Algeria

CapacityProduction (1/07) Country

OPEC Quotas and Production in thousands of barrels per day


OPEC: Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries

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Advantages of Crude Oil:• It has high energy and stores easily• Oil burns more cleanly than coal• Oils is versatile• Oil is easy to transport

Disadvantages of Crude Oil:• Pollution when oil is burned (major contributor to global

warming)• Oil spills cause major environmental damage• Being quickly depleted


Hubbard Peak Theory

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III. Fossil Fuels – Natural Gas

traceA, He, Ne, XeRare gases

0-5%H2S Hydrogen sulphide

0-5%N2 Nitrogen

0-0.2%O2 Oxygen

0-8%CO2 Carbon Dioxide

C4H10Butane

C3H8Propane

0-20%C2H6 Ethane

70-90%CH4 Methane

Typical Composition of Natural Gas


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Advantages of Natural Gas:• It burns cleanly• Highly efficient• Safe to transport

Disadvantages of Natural Gas:• Least abundant fossil fuel, resources likely to be

depleted in less than a century• Costly to store and transport

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IV. Nuclear Power

IV. Nuclear Power

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IV. Nuclear Power

IV. Nuclear Power

Advantages of Nuclear Power:• Air pollution is minimal• Less environmental impact from mining and transportation of nuclear fuels• Fission fuels may last indefinitely• Considered an alternative methods for generating electricity

Disadvantages of Nuclear Power:• Reactor safety (3 Mile Island, Cherynobyl)• Radioactive waste must be disposed• Nuclear power plants must eventually be

decommissioned• Nuclear weapons are a possible by product

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Environmental Geography - CSUN