Renewable vs Nonrenewable Renewable Naturally replenished on a
Renewable vs Nonrenewable
§ Renewable § Naturally replenished on a human timescale § Nonrenewable § Also called a finite resource § Resource that does not renew itself at a sufficient rate for sustainable economic extraction in meaningful human time-frames vs
Nonrenewable Renewable § Solar § Natural Gas § Wind § Petroleum or Oil § Wood § Coal § Hydroelectric § Nuclear Fission § Ocean Tides § Geothermal § Biomass
§ Renewable § Primary source of all energy on Earth § Cleanest energy source § 0. 25% of total U. S. 2012 Energy Consumption § Electricity Production § Solar cell § Concentrated solar
§ Renewable § Widely distributed § Plentiful § Unpredictable § 1. 43% of total U. S. 2012 Energy Consumption § Electricity Production § Extracted from air flow using wind turbines or sails Gansu Wind Farm
§ Renewable § Major source of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere § “Poor man’s oil” § Worldwide, provides 50 -60% of the people with the barest energy necessities § 1. 98% of total U. S. 2012 Energy Consumption § Heat is used to warm… § 1. surrounding areas and/or § 2. water
§ Renewable § Energy derived from falling water § Used since ancient times § 2. 83% of total U. S. 2012 Energy Consumption § Electricity Production § Hydroelectric dams § Falling water turns giant turbines which drive the generators Three Gorges Dam
§ Renewable § Not yet widely used but future potential § High costs & limited availability of sites § 0. 001% of total U. S. 2012 Energy Consumption § Electricity Production § Tidal steam generators § Tidal barrage/lagoon § Tidal turbines
§ Renewable § Generated from thermal energy generated and stored in the Earth § Cost effective & reliable § Limited to areas near tectonic plate boundaries § U. S. is the largest producer of geothermal electricity § 0. 24% of total U. S. 2012 Energy Consumption § Electricity Production § Heat deep underground is used to warm water that turns into steam and turns turbines
§ Renewable § This is garbage! § As bacteria decomposes organic waste such as manure, food scraps, and pond sludge, methane is produced § Some cities produce electricity by burning garbage in especially designed power plants § Can be converted into biofuels – methane, ethanol, biodiesel § 4. 45% of total U. S. 2012 Energy Consumption
§ Nonrenewable § Fossil fuel formed when layers of buried organic matter are exposed to intense heat and pressure over thousands of years § Hydrocarbon gas mixture consisting primarily of methane § Found deep underground in rock formations § Must be processed before use § 27. 34% of total U. S. 2012 Energy Consumption § Primarily used to heat homes
§ Nonrenewable § Fossil fuel § Black, thick liquid pumped up from below Earth’s surface § Formed when large quantities of dead organisms, usually algae, are buried subjected to intense heat and pressure § Refining process separates the gasoline portion used in transportation § Products from the remaining portions include: synthetic rubber, detergents, fertilizers, and textiles § 36. 48% of total U. S. 2012 Energy Consumption
§ Nonrenewable § Most abundant fossil fuel § Combustible, black sedimentary rock § Primarily carbon § Burned for the production of electricity and/or heat § Burning coal produces sulfur dioxide (SO 2) – results in acid rain § Mined either underground or by strip mining § 18. 27% of total U. S. 2012 Energy Consumption
§ Nonrenewable § Discovered in the 1930’s § Splitting the nucleus of an uranium atom releases a tremendous amount of heat § Power companies use the heat to produce electricity § Creates radioactive waste § 8. 46% of total U. S. 2012 Energy Consumption
• Renewable • Naturally replenished on a human timescale • Nonrenewable • Resource that does not renew itself at a sufficient rate for sustainable economic extraction in meaningful human timeframes
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