Transcript Chapter 11 Energy Resources

Chapter 11
Energy Resources
Energy Addiction
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Canada is the 5th
largest energy
producer in the
world
98% of our total
energy production is
exported to the US
Canadians consume
as much as the entire
continent of Africa
Addiction to Oil
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Huge oil addiction!
Oil drilling is hazardous
Bad for the environment
Releases pollutants
Oil spills
Energy Consumption
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We depend on energy
What do we use energy
for?
Developed vs.
developing countries
Where is consumption
increasing the most?
Projected consumption
Nonrenewable and
Renewable
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Nonrenewable:
 Natural resources that are present in
limited supplies and depleted once used
Renewable:
 Resources that are replaced by natural
processes and can be used forever if
used sustainably
Canada’s Total Energy
Consumption
World Coal Production
Coal
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Most abundant fossil fuel
Found mostly in N. Hemisphere
Could last 200+ years
What do we use it for?
Use on the increase
Coal: Surface Mining
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Strip mining
 Dig trench to extract
mineral
 Dig parallel trench
 Cover old trench
with new
overburden
 Spoil bank
Coal: Subsurface Mining
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Minerals deep in ground
Less land disturbance
More expensive
More hazardous
Environmental Impacts Of Coal
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Abandoned mines
Acid mine drainage
 Dangerous materials
wash into streams,
lakes
Landslides
Environmental Impacts Of Coal
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Acid deposition
 Leads to forest decline
Mountaintop removal
 Valleys filled with
tailings and debris
CO2 released
Making Coal Cleaner
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Scrubbers
 Desulfurization systems
 Clean power plant exhaust
Fluidized-bed combustion
 Mix coal with limestone
 Produces less pollution
 Produces more heat
Oil and Natural Gas
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Supply approx. 55% of the energy
used in Canada
In 2007, Canada consumed 69.6% of
it’s yearly total energy production
Globally, they supply close to 61.5%
of the world’s energy
Oil
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Petroleum
 Crude oil
 Refined into different
products
 Used in petrochemicals
 Plastics
 Fertilizers
 Synthetic fibers
Transportation
TransCanada Pipeline
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Originally constructed in 1958
Alaska Pipeline Project will be difficult to
construct
Oil Reserves
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Unevenly distributed
Much in Middle East
Continental shelves
 Underwater areas
 Surround continents
 Gulf of Mexico
 Spills problematic
Canada has significant oil reserves
Global oil production will peak in 2050-2100
Environmental Impacts Of Oil
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CO2 released
Acid
deposition
Photochemical
smog
Spills
The BP Oil Spill
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April 20, 2010, well head
blow out explosion
occurred killing 11 workers
and injuring 17 others
Considered largest spill in
US history
Environmental disaster
Containment effort
struggles
The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill
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Alaskan coast, 1989
Largest in U.S.
10.9 million gallons
Many birds, otters died
Cleanup?
Oil Pollution Act passed
Earth’s Largest Oil Spill
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1991: Persian Gulf War
250 million gallons
Persian Gulf
Oil wells set on fire
2001: Kuwait begins remediation
Long recovery time
Natural Gas
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More plentiful than oil
Over half in Russia and Iran
Use is on the increase
Methane, ethane, propane, butane
Liquefied petroleum gas
 Propane and butane
 Heating, cooking
Cogeneration
 Make electricity and steam
Natural Gas
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Transportation
 Less pollution emitted
 U.S. ≈ 100,000 vehicles
Disadvantages
 Deposits located far from usage points
 Transporting is difficult
 Explosive
Nuclear Energy
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All atoms composed of protons, electrons,
neutrons
Nuclear energy
 Energy released by nuclear fission or
fusion
 Change the nuclei of atoms
Fission vs. Fusion
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Fission
 Splitting an atomic nucleus
 Releases lots of energy
 Used in nuclear power plants
Fusion
 Two small atoms combined
 Powers the sun
Nuclear Fission
Conventional Nuclear Fission
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Uranium ore
 Nonrenewable
resource
 Must first be refined:
enrichment
Made into pellets:
uranium dioxide
Conventional Nuclear Fission
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Pellets placed in fuel rods
Rods grouped into fuel assemblies
Fission in rods releases
heat
Heat transforms liquid
water to steam
Steam generates
electricity
Nuclear Power Plant
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Reactor core: where fission occurs
Steam generator: steam produced
Turbine: generates electricity
Condenser: cools steam back to liquid
Nuclear Power Plant
Canada’s Nuclear Energy
Production
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22 nuclear reactors in Canada
CANDU reactors
 Developed in Canada
 Most efficient of all
reactors
 Uses 15% less uranium
World’s largest exporter of
uranium
Nuclear Energy vs. Coal
Nuclear Energy & Foreign Oil
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Nuclear energy used for electricity
Most oil used for transportation
Technological advances could change this
 Electric heat pumps
 Electric vehicles
Is Nuclear Power Safe?
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Accidents can happen
Dangerous radiation released
Meltdown
 Metals encasing uranium fuel melt
 Radiation released
Chernobyl
World’s worst nuclear power
plant accident
 Soviet Union, 1986
 Nuclear reactor
exploded
 Large quantities of
radiation released
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Chernobyl
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170,000+ permanently moved from homes
Long-term effects still being felt
 Farmland and forests unusable
 Mothers cannot nurse
children
 High rates of certain
cancers, birth defects
Radioactive Wastes
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Low-level
 Solids, liquids, gases
 Give off small amounts of radiation
High-level
 Solids, liquids, gases
 Give off large amounts of radiation
 Fuel rods, assemblies
 Highly dangerous
Radioactive Waste
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Spent fuel
 Used fuel elements
 Very dangerous, extremely toxic
 Must be handled and stored properly
Yucca Mountain
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1982: Nuclear Waste Policy
Act
 Federal government
responsible for
radioactive wastes
 Must find safe location(s)
Yucca Mountain, Nevada
 Billions spent studying
geology
 Permanent, underground
storage
Yucca Mountain
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Transporting waste is a major concern
Nevada does not want the waste
Decision pending
Old Nuclear Power Plants
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Cannot simply be abandoned or
demolished
Three options
 Storage: guard it, dismantle later
 Entombment: encase in concrete
 Dismantle: immediate teardown and
permanent storage
Direct Solar Energy
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Energy directly from the sun
Tremendous amount
Always available
Must be collected
Active Solar Heating
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Collectors absorb solar energy
Pumps or fans distribute heat
Primarily for heating water
Passive Solar Heating
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No mechanical devices to distribute heat
New home design
Room temperature
is steady
Convection
Save on heating!
A Passive Solar Home
Photovoltaic (PV) Solar Cells
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Convert sunlight into
electricity
Thin wafers or films
No pollution
Minimal maintenance
Photovoltaic (PV) Solar Cells
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Can be used in remote areas
Good choice for developing countries: why?
School, home use
Photovoltaic (PV) Solar Cells
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Can look like conventional roofing
Prices are coming down
Future progress is critical
Solar Thermal Electric
Generation
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Backup system
needed
Very efficient
No pollution
produced
Must be costcompetitive
Solar Thermal Electric
Generation
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Sun’s energy concentrated by mirrors,
lenses
Heat a working fluid
Fluid is circulated to boil water
Steam generates electricity
Hydrogen As A Fuel Source
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Could be the fuel of the future
Where does the hydrogen come from?
Electrolysis
Must use renewable fuel source to obtain
the hydrogen!
Few pollutants produced when burned
Can be used for transportation
Electrical Generation Costs
Solar-Generated Hydrogen
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Use PV cells for electrolysis of water
Currently not very efficient
Still expensive
Would need new distribution system for
transportation
Future development is critical
Solar-Generated Hydrogen
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Fuel cells
 Electrochemical cell
 Like a battery
 Major carmakers working on it
Indirect Solar Energy
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Indirect use of sun’s energy
Biomass, wind power, hydroelectricity
Biomass Energy
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Wood, plants, animal
wastes
Potentially renewable:
why?
Burned to release
energy
Half of human
population relies on
Cooking, heating
Biogas
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Mixture of gases
Similar to natural gas
Animal wastes
Biogas digesters
 Decompose wastes
 Use gas for cooking, lighting
 Solid remains are fertilizer
Can also be used to power fuel cells
Biomass As A Liquid Fuel
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Methanol, ethanol
Gasohol: mix gasoline and ethanol
Biodiesel
 Plant or animal oils
 Becoming more popular
 Burns cleaner than regular diesel
Wind Energy
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Fastest growing
energy source
No waste, emissions
Electricity
Costs are declining
Denmark generates
21% of its electricity
Need steady winds
Prairie Provinces of
Canada
Wind Power Is On The Rise!
Wind Energy Problems
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Birds and bats killed by turbines
 Avoid migration routes
 Operate only at certain times
 Monitor the project
Visual pollution
 Maple Ridge, NY
 Innisfil, Ontario
Hydropower
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Flowing or falling
water spins turbines
Most efficient way to
produce electricity
19% world’s
electricity
In Canada reservoirs
and dams produce
60% of the countries
electricity
Hydropower Problems
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Damages ecosystem, species
Displaces people: Three Gorges Dam
High construction cost
Reduces downstream flow
Reservoirs eventually fill in
Danger of collapse
Degrades river
Increase in waterborne disease:
Schistosomiasis
James Bay Project
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Largest hydroelectric power development
in Canada
Project received significant opposition
Why?
Geothermal Energy
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Use energy from Earth’s interior
Big potential source
Electricity
 Hydrothermal reservoir: hot fluid
 Bring fluid to surface to generate
electricity
Geothermal Energy
Geothermal Energy
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Emits very few pollutants
Is it truly renewable?
Land may subside
Geothermal Heat Pumps
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Used for heating and cooling
Ground temperature relatively constant
Underground pipes carry water
Fluids circulate
Expensive to install
Use is on the increase: why?
Very efficient!
Tidal Energy
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Use power of the tides to generate
electricity
France, Russia, China, Canada
Very few ideal locations
May be damaging to ecosystems
Conservation & Efficiency
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Energy conservation
 Using less energy
 Reduce use, waste
 Carpooling
Energy efficiency
 Using less energy for a task
 More fuel-efficient cars
Both very important!
Energy Consumption Trends
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Use is on the increase
Greatest increase in developing countries:
why?
Energy-Efficient Technologies
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Appliances, automobiles, light bulbs,
furnaces, etc…
“Superinsulated” buildings
May cost more, but will save money!
Automobile Efficiency
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Fuel efficiency doubled between mid 1970s &
mid 1980s
Sales of compact and subcompact cars
increased
Sales of truck & SUVs dropped
Cogeneration
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Combined heat and power (CHP)
Recycling “waste” heat
Generate electricity, use steam before
cooling it back down
Electric Companies & Energy
Efficiency
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Make more money, generate less
electricity
Incentives for conservation
Help consumers save electricity
 Light bulbs, furnaces
Company doesn’t have to invest in new
power generation
Electric Companies & Energy
Efficiency
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Use cogeneration to save energy
Improve electricity grids
 Some energy lost in transmission
Plan for future use
Energy Conservation At Home
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Average household: $1500/year on
utilities
Use energy-efficient technologies
Better insulation, windows
Seal cracks
Replace inefficient appliances
Energy Conservation At Home
Eco Canada Career Focus
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Consider a career as
an Energy Auditor
Measure, record, and
evaluate the flow of
energy in homes,
buildings and plants
Look for ways
energy can be used
more efficiently
Case Study: Hydrogen Economy
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Hydrogen as an energy source
Environmentally cleaner source of energy
Potential solution to the world’s reliance on oil
Implementation across globe will not be easy
 Have to separate hydrogen from parent
compounds
 Store and transport the hydrogen
 Massive investment of money for pipelines,
plants, distribution networks, automobile
development and production
Case Study: Hydrogen Economy