Energy Producing Regions

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Energy Producing Regions
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• Coal was the first fossil fuel that was used in
  mass quantity.
• It was primarily used during the Industrial
  revolution to create steam.
• Coal, oil, and natural gas make up fossil fuels.
• Fossil fuels are the remains of plants and
  animals which transformed over millions of years.
• Fossil fuels are NON-RENEWABLE.

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Energy Use Around the World

• The worlds population is using the earths
  resources at a very quick rate.
• However, not all of the earths resources are
  renewable.
• Everything in society is affected by the cost and
  availability of energy.
• Countries that have abundant energy resources are
  usually very wealthy.

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Non-renewable Energy Sources

• Fossil fuels
• Consists of coal, oil, natural gas
• These energy sources took millions of years to
  create.
• 85 of all energy used all over the world comes
  from fossil fuels.
• The fossil fuel industry affects every other
  industry all over the world.

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Nuclear Energy

• In this process technicians produce nuclear
  reactions such as, fission.
• Fission produces heat. This heat is then used in
  the production of steam.
• Nuclear energy is clean and allows areas that do
  not have geothermal activity to use steam power.
• Produces radioactive waste. Which is hard to
  dispose of. Plants could have a meltdown
  (Chernobyl).

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Renewable Energy Sources

• As the name suggests these sources of energy can
  be replenished on a regular basis.
• It is important to understand that these energy
  sources have an impact on the environment as
  well.
• Ex flooding for an electric dam

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Wind Power

• Wind turbines convert wind energy into
  electricity.
• The turbines take up very little space and do not
  make much noise.
• However, people do complain that they are an
  eyesore.
• Only very windy areas can benefit from this
  source of energy, ex Denmark.

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Geothermal Energy

• Geothermal energy comes from heat stored deep
  beneath the earths surface.
• Geysers are a source of Geothermal energy.
• Water produced from the steam can be re-injected
  into the earth to produce more steam.
• Geothermal sites are not permanent. The energy
  at a particular site will eventually run out.

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Solar Power

• Heat energy produced by the sun is absorbed and
  turned into electricity.
• Sun tracking mirrors or solar cells
  (photovoltaic) absorb the sun's light.
• An inverter (transformer) will convert the
  light/heat into electricity.
• Solar energy requires large amounts of space to
  be beneficial.
• People could use this technology on a small
  scale. Ex provide electricity to one house or
  one sign.

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Hydroelectricity

• This is electricity produced by hydro power
  (water).
• Water pressure created by dam or incline will
  turn a turbine which will allow a generator to
  produce electricity.
• Hydro power produces no greenhouse gases.
• Major environmental damages when dams are created.

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Ethanol Fuel

• Ethanol is a clean burning fuel that is used as
  an alternative to gasoline.
• Ethanol is an alcohol and it is the type of
  alcohol that people who are 18 YEARS OLD(only)
  drink.
• Ethanol can be extracted from many sources. The
  most common are sugar cane and corn.

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Tidal Energy

• Tidal energy harnesses the power of waves.
• Waves turn propellers (called tide mills) that
  are underwater, which turn a turbine.
• The turbine then produces electricity.
• Primarily used in Italy and Australia, there are
  markets in other countries, Canada is one of
  them.

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Biomass

• Biomass is living or recently dead biological
  material.
• Biomass could be plant material, animal
  byproduts and waste, wood, etc.
• Biomass is burned for energy.
• Although burning does contribute to high
  pollution levels, it is all natural so it is less
  dangerous then fossil fuels.

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Hydrogen Fuel Cells

• Fuel cells create an electrical reaction using
  different chemicals.
• These chemicals produce and electrical reaction,
  which produces usable energy.
• Fuel cells can operate continuously or until the
  reaction is broken.
• Hydrogen fuel cells could run on water and
  oxygen.
• Still in the experimental stages.

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Where is Energy Produced?

• Many countries have the ability to produce
  energy, it is the type and quantity that varies.
• Countries that produce much energy are said to
  have a surplus.
• Countries that use more then they produce have a
  deficit.
• Deficit countries depend on surplus countries in
  order to meet their needs

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• The price of energy affects everything in
  society.
• Countries that rely on energy import and export
  understand this.
• In recent years energy prices have been
  increasing.
• The organization responsible for rising oil
  prices is OPEC, created in 1960 (Organization of
  Petroleum Exporting Countries)

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Energy Demands Around the World

• Western Europe, Asia, and North America use most
  of the worlds energy.
• Specifically, the USA uses 25 of all energy
  produced.
• Countries that use more energy than they produce
  have a low autonomy.
• Autonomy is a comparison of energy produced to
  energy used.

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Energy Producing Region Alberta
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• Alberta became a province of Canada in 1905.
• Its capital is Edmonton and its largest city is
  Calgary.
• In recent years Alberta has become Canadas
  wealthiest province.
• This is due to its large oil sand, oil, and
  natural gas deposits.
• Albertas reserves are the largest in the world.

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• Alberta has 65 of Canadas oil and 80 of our
  natural gas.
• Unfortunately, these reserves are depleting.
• However, Alberta has enough Bituminous Sand to
  meet world oil needs for the next century (100
  years)
• Bituminous Sand is sand that has been mixed with
  water and bitumen (heavy oil)

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Where are the oil sands located?

• There are three major oil sand deposits in
  Alberta.
• Major only companies have been given concessions
  by the government to mine the oil sands.
• Concessions are grants of land given to companies
  for a certain period of time.

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Oil Sands Beneath the Forest

• Most of the oil sands are located beneath
  forested areas.
• Mines require large sections of forest to be
  cleared away.
• This causes the destruction of homes for plants,
  animals, and aboriginal communities.
• It destroys fragile ecosystems and natural water
  filters.

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Pipelines

• Pipelines offer an efficient method of
  transporting oil and natural gas.
• Pipelines stretch all over Canada an into the
  United States.
• However, to pass a pipeline large tracts of
  forests and farmland must be cleared.
• Animal food sources are lost.
• Trenches must be dug and ecosystems and native
  areas are destroyed.

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Alberta Energy Autonomy

• Alberta is Canadas leading fossil fuels
  producer. It only uses about 25 of all it
  produces.
• Alberta exports over 75 of its oil and gas.
• The biggest consumer of Albertas oil is the US.
• In recent years China has been buying
  increasingly larger amounts.

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Advantages and Disadvantages of Selling Oil Sands

• Advantages
• Alberta government has paid off the provinces
  debt.
• Has reduced income tax and abolished their sales
  tax.
• Disadvantages
• Growing cities makes housing difficult to find
• Destruction of native land and forrests
• Contribution to global warming

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Depletion of Fossil Fuels

• Every year the demand for fossil fuels increases.
• Many of the conventional (traditional) reserves
  are becoming depleted (running out).
• It is this depletion that has put Alberta in a
  very wealthy position.
• This also means that areas must find new energy
  sources.

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Oil Sands Consequences

• 1) Global Warming
• When Fossil fuels are burnt they emit greenhouse
  gasses.
• These gasses surround the planet and they absorb
  the suns energy. This raises the earths
  temperature.
• It is this layer of gas that is increasing the
  rate of global warming.

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• 2) Concerned populations
• People living close to refineries, pipelines, and
  mines have the threat of environment damage.
• Furthermore, there are major health concerns for
  these people.
• Citizens are demanding increased safety measures
  from these companies.

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• 3) Aboriginal peoples
• Native lands that were traditional hunting,
  trapping, and burial grounds are being destroyed.
• These communities are putting pressure on
  governments to retrieve their lands.
• They also would like a share of the profits made
  and employment in developing these resources.

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• 4) Rivers loosing water
• Oil sands require large amounts of water to be
  developed.
• Water is used to clean equipment and dilute
  chemicals from the oil extraction process.
• This waste water is held in holding ponds.
• Many residents fear that this very polluted water
  will end up in their wells.

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• 5) Air Pollution
• The transformation of bitumen into crude oil
  emits toxic gases.
• These gases turn water and soil acidic and they
  increase the risk of drought and forest fires.
• The extraction of bitumen releases double the
  amount of greenhouse gases than conventional oil
  wells.
• In recent years Canada has committed to reducing
  its gas emissions

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• 6) Destruction of forests and wetlands
• Large areas of forests and wetlands have been
  destroyed.
• Plants and animals have lost their habitats.
• Today companies have to reforest the areas they
  destroy.
• However, wetlands cannot be restored after they
  have been destroyed.

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• 7) Growing cities
• As the popularity of oil sand mining grows more
  people are moving to Alberta.
• This means that cities and towns will grow.
• More jobs will be created to meet the service
  needs of a growing population.
• With more jobs created more labour is needed.

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• 8) Depletion and overuse
• With increased energy demands around the world
  there is always the threat of over mining.
• Alberta may not be able to mine as much oil as
  needed.
• This may be due to government and international
  laws, recession, public protest, etc.
• Alberta must monitor its resources carefully.

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• 9) Need for Renewable Energy
• As more oil is mined governments and energy
  companies must find new sources of energy.
• International obligations (Kyoto) force
  governments to reduce their greenhouse gases.
• Therefore, as more oil is mined, there is an
  increase in renewable energy research.