Nonrenewable Energy Resources G Tyler Millers Living in
Nonrenewable Energy Resources G. Tyler Miller’s Living in the Environment 14 th Edition Chapter 17
Key Concepts Ø Available energy alternatives Ø Oil resources Ø Natural gas resources Ø Coal resources Ø Nuclear fission and fusion
Evaluating Energy Resources Ø Non-renewable energy Fossil Fuel – Coal, Oil Natural Gas, Nuclear power Ø Renewable energy Solar, Wind, Geothermal Ø Future availability Ø Net energy yield Ø Costs Ø Environmental effects Fig. 17 -3 b p. 352
Fuels need to make environmental sense as well as economic sense for a change to occur Shortage of wood prompted the use of coal Shortage of Sperm Whales (whale oil) prompted the use of petroleum to produce kerosene
Important Nonrenewable Energy Sources Where do we find fossil fuels? How did fossil fuels form?
North American Energy Resources The Age of Oil Fig. 17 -9 p. 357
Oil Ø Petroleum (crude oil) Ø Recovery Ø Refining basics Ø Petrochemicals Ø Transporting Fig. 17 -8 p. 356
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Controversy: Trade-offs Ø Would create jobs Ø Oil resources are uncertain Ø Uncertain environmental impacts Ø Drilling controversies Alaskan Oil
Oil Shale and Tar Sands and Synthetic Fuels Ø Oil shale Ø Tar sand Ø Bitumen The future for oil production?
Natural Gas Ø 50 -90% methane Ø Conventional gas Ø Unconventional gas Ø Methane hydrate Energy Future? Ø Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) Ø Liquefied natural gas (LNG) Ø Approximate 200 year supply HBO - Gasland
Coal: Trade-offs Mountaintop removal Pollution Electricity from Coal * CBS - “Clean Coal” Technology” Zaproot –”Clean Coal? ? ” Fig. 17 -21 p. 365
Nuclear Energy Ø Fission reactors Ø Uranium-235 Ø Potentially dangerous Three Mile Island (1979)* Chernobyl (1986) Ø Radioactive wastes üShort term storage (3050 years) – on-site üLong term storage(1000+ years) - NIMBY Nuclear Alternatives Ø New reactor designs* Ø Breeder nuclear fission reactors Ø Nuclear fusion*
Dealing with Nuclear Waste Ø High- and lowlevel wastes Ø Dumping into subduction zones Ø Conversion into harmless materials Closing the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Ø Ø Ø Terrorist threats Underground burial Disposal in space Burial in ice sheets Burial in ocean mud Fig. 17 -26 p. 370
Yucca Mountain Controversy * Ø Wastes stored and guarded in one place Ø Possible long-term groundwater contamination Ø Security and safety concerns during waste transport to the site Transporting radioactive wastes – Yucca Mountain
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