ENERGY RESOURCES

Energy is the capacity to work. We use energy at various levels in different forms. Two types of energy resources i.e. renewable energy resources and non renewable energy resources.

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Renewable resources & Non-renewable resources

Natural resources can be categorized as follows:• Renewable resources are ones that can be replenished or reproduced

easily. Some of them, like sunlight, air, wind, etc., are continuously available and their quantity is not affected by human consumption. Many renewable resources can be depleted by human use, but may also be replenished, thus maintaining a flow. Some of these, like agricultural crops, take a short time for renewal; others, like water, take a comparatively longer time, while still others, like forests, take even longer.

• Non-renewable resources are formed over very long geological periods. Minerals and fossil fuels are included in this category. Since their rate of formation is extremely slow, they cannot be replenished once they get depleted. Of these, the metallic minerals can be re-used by recycling them. But coal and petroleum cannot be recycled.

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GROWING ENERGY NEEDS

• Industrialisation• Urbanisation• Population growth

Fossil FuelsFossil fuels take millions of years to form. They are the product of the fossilized remains of dead plants and animals that have been exposed to the heat and pressure deep within the earth’s crust. There are many types of fossil fuels, such as petroleum (gasoline), natural gas, and coal. It is estimated that 86 percent of the world’s energy comes directly from burning fossil fuels.Fossil fuels are a major contributor to air pollution because when they are burned they release many dangerous gases such as nitrogen dioxide, methane, and carbon dioxide.

Coal• Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock formed

from fossilized plants. • Coal consists of amorphous carbon with various organic and some

inorganic compounds and is normally occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds.

• Coal is another highly toxic element that is bad for the environment, and currently is the largest source of energy for power plants, referred to as coal fired power plants.

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Natural Gas

• Natural gas is another combustible mixture of hydrocarbon gases that occurs with petroleum deposits consisting primarily of the gas methane.

• It is found with other fossil fuels and in coal beds. It is created by the decay of methanogenic organisms in marshes, bogs, and landfills.

• Lower temperatures are likely to produce more petroleum, and higher temperatures are likely to produce more natural gas.

Oil

•Crude oil is a naturally occurring highly toxic combustible liquid primarily made up of hydrocarbons. •Oil is the result of the partial decaying of living organisms occurring in the rock strata of certain geological formations.

WindThe wind blows naturally – it is not caused by human activity, and it cannot be used up.The power of the wind drives sailboats. It has been used to power windmills that grind grain. Windmills can also use the circular movement of the blades to turn a turbine. This is increasingly used as a means of generating electricity.Wind power does not make greenhouse gas emissions. It does not directly cause pollution. However, critics of wind power say a large number of windmills could cause problems for animals, especially migratory birds. Some people think the windmills are unattractive.

Wind Energy

• Wind power is growing at a rate of 30% a year and is harmless to the environment.

• Three minor problems with wind energy however, wind is not available in sufficient quantities in all locations all of the time, the current turbine technology tends to be loud, and birds can sometimes fly into the propellers and get killed.

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Geothermal energyGeothermal energy is power extracted from heat stored

under the earth’s crust. This power source is generally cost effective, usually

reliable, mostly sustainable, pollution free and environment friendly.

Large area is required, drilling operation is noisy, H2S, CO2, NH3 are produced and expensive transportation.

OCEAN THERMAL ENERGY CONVERSION (OTEC)

Hydropower

•Hydroelectric dams use hydro-power to produce electricity. •Hydro-power is created from the force of moving water turning large turbines to create electricity. •Modern age large scale hydroelectric dams however impact the environment through loss of natural habitat, changes to the downstream riverbed, the disruption of fish spawning, and even the loss of fish and other species.

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Tidal Hydro-power

• This is a form of hydro-power where the rising tide fills a damned reservoir, then as the tide lowers, the water is released through a turbine that produces electricity, similar to that of a hydroelectric dam.

Nuclear Power

Nuclear power is produced by the controlled splitting of atoms, which is called nuclear fission.

• In many cases nuclear power plants use nuclear fission chain reactions to heat water, using the resulting steam to produce electricity.

• Uranium -235, is one of the few elements easily fissioned. • Some would think of this as renewable, but it is not, and it is also

dangerous, as the radioactive materials used and the resulting radioactive waste are extremely hazardous to both humans and the environment.

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Solar energy

• Solar energy has been used by humans since the beginning of mankind.• Three types of solar energy: passive solar energy,

active solar energy, and solar energy created by converting solar radiation into electricity using photovoltaic cells. • Solar energy using photovoltaic or solar cells is

currently the fastest growing power generating technology in the world.

SOLAR ENERGY

• Solar energy is radiant light and heat from the sun harnessed using a range of ever-evolving technologies such as solar thermal energy, solar heating, artificial photo synthesis etc.

• It is an important source of renewable energy. Solar energy is becoming increasingly popular as the world takes notice of the burgeoning carbon emission problems that come with burning fossil fuels.

ADVANTAGES OF SOLAR ENERGY• The sun is constant. It will always be there and is therefore a

reliable, utterly renewable source of energy.• Solar energy does not emit any green house gases.• Solar energy is produced by conducting the sun’s radiation – a

process void of any smoke, gas or other chemical byproduct.• Solar energy doesn’t require expensive and ongoing raw

materials like oil or coal and beyond initial installation and maintenance it is free.

• Solar energy offers decentralization in most locations that is self-reliant and need no transportation.

ADVANTAGES OF SOLAR....• As solar energy doesn’t rely on constantly mining raw

materials, it doesn’t result in the destruction of forests and ecosystems that occurs with many fossil fuel operations.

• As solar energy doesn’t rely on the burning of harmful fuels to generate electricity,solar power is non-polluting. It doesn’t contribute to global warming or greenhouse gas emissions.

• Solar energy is renowned for its versatility, and can be used to power anything from a tiny torch to a satellite in space, without the need for wires, cords or power sources.

• Solar technology is improving and reducing in cost all the time, whereas fossil fuel prices are only steadily increasing.

DISADVANTAGES OF SOLAR ENERGY

• The biggest disadvantage of solar energy is that its not constant and doesn’t work at night. It also decreases over winter months when there are less sunlight hours and sun radiation is less intense.

• Solar energy production is inefficient as current widespread solar panel efficiency is at around 22% only. It means a fairly vast amount of surface area is required to produce adequate electricity, as solar panels are currently converting a maximum of 34% of the available sunlight.

• Solar electricity storage technology has not reached its potential as solar drip feed batteries available are currently costly and bulky.

• The methods by which we harness solar power are constantly being improved and, although efficiency and cost are not ideal right now, the future looks like it might be bright, sunny and solar powered.

Hydrogen energy

• Hydrogen is the simplest element. An atom of hydrogen consists of only one proton and one electron. It is also the most plentiful element in the universe, but doesnot really exists as a separate form of matter. Instead it is usually combined with other elements. Production of hydrogen is possible by thermal dissociation, photolysis or electrolysis of water. To separate hydrogen gas from its companion substances takes a lot of work but it produces a powerful, nearly clean source of enrgy. As hydrogen burns in air , it combines with oxygen to form water and a large amount of energy (150 kilojoules per gms ) is released. Due to its high, rather the highest calorific value, hydrogen can serve as an excellent fuel.

Advantages of hydrogen energy• As hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe it is

readily available.• Hydrogen energy when burned, leaves almost no harmful

byproducts. In fact, when used in NASAs spaceships the burned hydrogen gas leaves behind clean drinking water for the astronauts.

• Hydrogen is also non-toxic and environment friendly fuel sources.• Hydrogen energy is very powerful and efficient . infact it is three

times as powerful as gasoline and similar fossil fuels, meaning it takes less of it to accomplish more.

• Unlike other conventional source of energy it is renewable and can be produced again. All we need is fossil fuels to break the water molecules.

DISADVANTAGES

• Hydrogen energy is expensive and time consuming to produce.

• Hydrogen energy is hard to move around as compared to other fuels.

• Existing infrastructure doesnot support the use of it and needs advanced structure for its functioning.

• Hydrogen being a powerful source of fuel , is highly inflammable and potential risks are associated with it.

• Though hydrogen energy is renewable but depends on fossil fuels to produce hydrogen fuel.

USE OF ALTERNATE ENERGY RESOURCES

• Biomass energy 1. Energy plantation2. Petro crops3. Agricultural waste biomass

• Biogas • Gasohol