Renewable v. Nonrenewable Resources

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Renewable v. Nonrenewable Resources

• SC.912.L.17.11

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ENERGY

• Where does our Energy come from?

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Where does our energy come from for?

• Electric light
• Mobile phones
• Power for your mp3
• TV
• Hot Water

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• Energy for these things come from Energy
  Resources, that are converted into energy that we
  can easily use.
• Electricity is the main form of energy that we
  use and can power or charge what we need energy
  for.

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To generate electricity

1. You need an energy source, e.g. coal
2. This is burnt to produce heat or steam
3. The heat or steam then drives a turbine
4. The turbine then can drive a generator
5. The generator then produces electricity
6. The electricity is then transported in cables to
   where it is needed

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Energy Resources can be divided into 2 categories

• Non-Renewable Resources
• For example coal, oil, gas, uranium or lignite
• Once used these resources CANNOT be used again
• 2. Renewable Resources
• For example wind, water or solar
• These resources can be used over and over again

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Non-Renewable Resources COAL

• What is it?
• Formed underground from decaying plant material
• How much left in the world?
• About 200 years
• Advantages?
• Plenty left
• Mining is getting more efficient
• Disadvantages?
• Pollution CO2 emissions (linked to global
  warming), SO2 (linked to acid rain)
• Heavy bulky to transport

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Non-Renewable Resources OIL

• What is it?
• Formed underground from decaying animal and
  plant material
• How much left in the world?
• About 40 years!
• Advantages?
• Quite easy to transport
• Efficient in producing energy
• Less pollution than coal
• Disadvantages?
• Not much left
• Pollution air and danger of water pollution
  through spills

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Non-Renewable Resources NATURAL GAS

• What is it?
• Formed underground from decaying animal and plant
  material
• How much left in the world?
• About 60 years
• Advantages?
• Clean, least polluting of all non-renewables
• Easy to transport
• Disadvantages?
• Some air pollution
• Danger of explosions

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Non-Renewable Resources NUCLEAR

• What is it?
• Uses uranium, naturally found in some rocks
• How much left in the world?
• Not known
• Advantages?
• Not much waste and few CO2 emissions released, as
  well as, few other greenhouse gases
• Disadvantages?
• High cost to build and close down power stations.
• Waste is radioactive. Problem with getting rid of
  waste safely

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Non-Renewable Resources LIGNITE

• What is it?
• Formed underground from decaying plant material
• How much left in the world?
• In Northern Ireland, it is thought at least 30
  years
• (SOURCE www.geographyinaction.co.uk/Issues/Lign
  ite)
• Advantages?
• For Northern Ireland a local resource, good for
  generating electricity
• Disadvantages?
• Air pollution, scarring of landscape through
  open-cast mining
• High moisture content

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Renewable Resources WIND

• What is it? It the movement of air from high to
  low pressure
• How much left? Endless
• Advantages? No pollution
• Disadvantages? Winds change all the
• time, not predictable

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Renewable Resources SOLAR

• What is it? Energy from the sun
• How much left? Endless
• Advantages? No pollution, can be used in remote
  areas
• Disadvantages? Can be expensive, needs sunlight
• At night it doesnt work

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Renewable Resources BIO-ENERGY

• What is it? Biomass and Biogas
• fermented animal or plant waste
• vegetation from sustainable sources
• How much left? Endless
• Advantages? Good availability
• Disadvantages? Can be expensive to set up

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Renewable Resources HYDRO

• What is it? Movement of water drives a turbine
• How much left? Endless
• Advantages? No CO2 emissions, can control
  flooding and provide a good water supply to an
  area
• Disadvantages? Large areas maybe flooded. Visual
  and water pollution

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Renewable Resources GEOTHERMAL

• What is it? Heat from the ground often used to
  heat water
• How much left? A lot
• Advantages? No CO2 emissions
• Disadvantages? Expensive and can only be used in
  certain parts of the world

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Renewable Resources WATER TIDAL

• What is it? Movement of sea drives turbines
• How much left? Endless
• Advantages? Can produce a lot of electricity, no
  CO2 emissions
• Disadvantages? Not many suitable sites