Conservation of Energy Resources

• Energy Crises

• Dependence on Nonrenewable resources

• Implementing Sustainable Energy Use

Mining

Oil

Nuclear

Nonrenewable EnergyResources: Fossil Fuels

• Provide 85-90% of the energy demand of the industrialized world– coal, oil, natural

gas• developing

countries mainly use renewable– wood & dung– switching to non-

renewable resources

Coal Creation

• Coal in use today originated as plant matter that grew in hot, muggy regions 225 to 350 million years ago

• Over time, heat and pressure converted fallen

organic matter into peat, then coal

Coal

• Industrial Revolution in the 1800’s

• Coal mining began in USA in 1860

• Didn’t replace wood until late 1800’s, early 1900’s

• Burned by electric companies and in some homes and factories

Types of Coal

• Three major types– lignite (brown

coal) (lowest value)

– bituminous (soft coal)

– anthracite (hard coal) (highest value)• Vary in their

carbon content, heat value

Mining Coal

Underground Mining

Mining Impactsunderground mines

• Wastes are removed and dumped– acid mine

drainage: rainwater combines with iron pyrite creating sulfuric acid

– costly

Surface Mining: Contour Mining

Surface Mining: Strip Mining

Mining Impacts- surface mines

• Overburden (overlying soil and rock) must be removed and put somewhere– aesthetics– can affect streams

(sedimentation, turbidity, toxics)

– New executive rule to allow dumping in waterways - 2003

Reclamation• The rehabilitation of

land altered by mining (or any other human activity)

• 1977, The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act– companies must

restore land to its previous condition

– ONLY coal mining

New Methods

• Fluidized Bed Combustion: crushed and mixed with limestone.– Low levels

CO2

– Reduced NO – Reduced

SO2

New Methods

• Coal Gasification: slurry formed, heated and injected with Oxygen.  Cooled and burns like natural gas.– Less NO, SO2

produced– More CO2

New Methods

• Coal Liquefaction: treated like crude oil– Very costly– Released Phenol

• Carcinogen

– Same level of CO2 produced

Exxon-Valdez Oil Spill – 1989

10+ million gallons

Oil

• Relatively easy to transport long distances (by ship or pipeline)

• Burns cleaner than coal, but dirtier than natural gas

• Refined to produce gasoline

• In short supply• 30 - 45 years• But, oil

consumption has been increasing-– may only last

20 years total

Impacts of Oil

• Extraction of Oil

• Destroy habitat• Increase soil

erosion• Leaks or spills

– kills vegetation and wildlife

– seeps into groundwater

Oil Shale• Sedimentary rock formed

millions of years ago at the bottom of prehistoric lakes– within the rock is a solid

organic: kerogen– oily residue, = shale oil.– Refined to produce

gasoline– Enormous economic and

environmental costs to extract

– Major reserve in Colorado, Wyoming and

– Utah- the Green River Formation

• 30 years of energy?

Oil Shale

• Same problems as with mines– habitat destruction,

pollution etc

• Disposal of waste: spent shale (contaminated rock)- can contaminate water– Process expands the

rock by 12% so not all of it fits back in the mine

– Uses LOTS of water– Toxics, SO2, NO2

Nuclear Power

• Fission: Splitting of certain atoms when

they are hit by radiation, gives off

energy.

Nuclear Power:Benefits

• longer availability of raw materials than fossil fuels, produces much more energy

• less air pollution• reduces dependency on

foreign oil• releases less radiation

than a coal plant!• Risk of accident is VERY

low, much safer than mining Palisades Nuclear Power Plant

Covert, MI

Nuclear Power: Drawbacks

• catastrophic accidents,– releases radiation

• production costs– break even after 30

years (life span of facilities is also about 30 years)

• Doesn’t replace oil• thermal pollution• dealing with spent fuel

– have to bury it somewhere like hazardous waste

– Nevada/ Yucca Mountain a repository for waste

Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Disposal

• Receive by 2010

RR transport

AccidentsChernobyl

• Released radiation for about 2 weeks

• 31 people were killed immediately, 237 were hospitalized with burns

• People were evacuated, never to return home

• 60 square miles were so badly contaminated that it will lie fallow for many decades (prime ag land)

• Total costs amount to $10 billion• Causing livestock loss in

neighboring countries• 20 countries were dusted with

radiation• Cancer increased dramatically

Case Study: ANWR

•Created with passage of Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act

-passed 1980 signed by Pres. Carter-19.5 M acres = National Refuge

- 8 M acres designated Wilderness

- 1002 Area (1.5 M acres)

Case Study: ANWR

Case Study: ANWR

Case Study: ANWR

Case Study: ANWR•1002 Area = coastal plain closed to oil

& gas exploration unless authorized by Congress & signedby President

•1995 – Congress passed budget legislationto allow drilling, Pres. Clinton veto

•Summer 2000 – House of Rep. voted todrill in ANWR

•April 2002 – Senate rejected oil drilling provisions

•Conference committee must resolvedifferences between House & Senatebills

•President Bush will sign bill to drill in ANWR

Case Study: ANWR

Case Study: ANWR

• North Slope oil facilities have physical “footprint” on 10,000 acres • North Slope industrial complex (roads, pipelines, satellite wells) extends over 800 square miles (100 miles wide)

Case Study: ANWR

Case Study: ANWR

Case Study: ANWR

•1,400 miles of seismic lines surveyed in 1002 Area, 1984-1985

•1985 exploratory well drilled on KIC lands; well plugged; results confidential

Case Study: ANWR

Case Study: ANWR

Case Study: ANWR

Case Study: ANWR

Case Study: ANWR

Case Study: ANWR

Case Study: ANWR

* 5% reduction in calf survival = pop. decline

Case Study: ANWR

* 40% dens in 1002 Area

Case Study: ANWR

Case Study: ANWREconomically-recoverable oil (at $24 per barrel)

• 95% chance of 1.9 billion barrels of oil (BBO)• 50% chance of 5.3 BBO• 5% chance of 9.4 BBO

• If drill today, oil will be available for use in 10 years

• Current oil consumption in USA = 19 million barrels of oil per day = 7 BBO per year

• If 50% chance of 5.3 BBO in ANWR = 9 month supply• Raising automobile fuel efficiency standards from 27.5 mpg

to 35 mpg by 2013 would save 1 BBO per year by 2020