Environmental Sciences

22HS107 ( I/II Sem) – 1 credit

Module 3- Energy 2 Hours

Energy: Types of energy: Conventional sources of energy, fossil

fuel, Coal, Solar, wind; Non-conventional Sources of Energy,
Biofuels - biomass, biogas.
Energy Resources
• A natural resource that can be converted by humans into other
forms of energy in order to do useful work
• Natural resource- any natural substance, organism, or energy
form, living things use
― The sun is our most important energy resource
• Energy has always been closely linked to man’s economic growth
and development
• Resources are characterized as renewable or nonrenewable;
• a renewable resource can replenish itself at the rate it is used,
while a nonrenewable resource has a limited supply. Renewable
resources include timber, wind, and solar while nonrenewable
resources include coal and natural gas. 2
 Types of Energy
There are three main types of energy; those classified as
a) Non-renewable -Coal, oil, gas and uranium
b) Renewable - Biomass, hydro, solar, wind and geothermal
energy
c) Nuclear energy

• Conventional
• Fossil fuel
• Coal
• Solar
• wind
• Non conventional
• Biofuels
• Biomass
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• Biogas
Non renewable energy
• Energy resources that cannot be replaced after they are used or can
be replaced only over thousands or millions of years.
• The fuel is placed in a well contained area and set on fire. The heat
generated turns water to steam, which moves through pipes, to turn
the blades of a turbine. This coupled with electromagnetism, is used
as energy resource.
Example- Fossil fuels
• These consist of the mineral based hydrocarbon fuels coal, oil
and natural gas, that were formed from ancient prehistoric
forests

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Non renewable energy
• When these fuels are burnt, they produce waste products that are
released into the atmosphere as gases such as carbon dioxide, oxides of
sulphur, nitrogen, and carbon monoxide, all causes of air pollution.

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Fossil Fuels
1. Coal is obtained either by mining deep
beneath the Earth’s surface or by strip
mining.
– Strip mining- a process in which rock and
soil are stripped from the Earth’s surface to
expose the underlying materials to be
mined.

2. Petroleum and natural gas are removed Strip mining

from the Earth by drilling wells into rock

that contain these resources.
– Oil wells exist on land and in the ocean. 6
Fossil Fuels

• Energy resources that formed from the buried remains of

plants and animals that lived in swamps millions of years ago

– Coal, petroleum, and natural gas

• Originally received their energy from the sun

• The United States’ primary source of electrical energy is

generated by burning fossil fuels

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Solid Fossil Fuels- Coal

• A solid fossil fuel formed underground from buried,

decomposed plant material

• For almost 200 years, coal was the primary energy source
fuelling the industrial revolution in the 19th century

• Among the commercial energy sources used in India, coal is a

predominant source accounting for 55% of energy consumption
estimated in 2001, followed by oil (31%), natural gas (8%),
hydrocarbons (5%) and nuclear (1%)
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Solid Fossil Fuels- Coal

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Solid Fossil Fuels- Coal

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Solid Fossil Fuels- Coal
Coal – the remains of wetland plants that have been compressed over
millions of years

Different types –
1. Peat – about 50% carbon. The rest is water and contaminants.
2. Lignite (brown coal) – about 70% carbon.

3. Bituminous (soft coal) – about 85% carbon.

4. Anthracite (hard coal) – greatly than 90% carbon. This is the

cleanest burning and least abundant.

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Liquid Fossil Fuels- Petroleum

• Can be called crude oil

• An oily mixture of flammable organic compounds from which

liquid fossil fuels and other products, such as asphalt, are
separated
– Gasoline, plastics, and petrochemicals (which are used to
make synthetic fibers, such as rayon) are some of the
products
– Formed from the remains of organisms that were in
shallow prehistoric lakes and seas
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 Liquid Fossil Fuels- Petroleum
How are liquid fossil fuel formed?

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 Liquid Fossil Fuels- Petroleum
How is oil formed?

In developing countries, the fossil fuels are fossilized wood, charcoal, and peat
In developed countries, the fossil fuels are mainly coal, natural gas, and oil
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Gaseous Fossil Fuels- Natural Gas

• Used the most to heat in businesses and at homes as well as

generating electricity;

• Stoves, ovens, and in vehicles as an alternative to gasoline

• Cleanest burning fossil fuel

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Problems With Fossil Fuels

We use them for energy because they provide a large amount of thermal
energy per unit of mass

1. Acid precipitation from the burning of coal

2. Burning petroleum produces smog
3. Obtaining Coal: – Strip mining causes environmental damage
4. Coal mines can be hazardous for men and women working in them
5. Pollute water supplies, and cause the overlying Earth to collapse
6. Obtaining petroleum: – Oil spills can kill hundreds of thousands of
animals and wildlife as well as damage the fishing industry

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Problems With Fossil Fuels

We use them for energy because they provide a large amount of thermal
energy per unit of mass

1. Acid precipitation from the burning of coal

2. Burning petroleum produces smog
3. Obtaining Coal: – Strip mining causes environmental damage
4. Coal mines can be hazardous for men and women working in them
5. Pollute water supplies, and cause the overlying Earth to collapse
6. Obtaining petroleum: – Oil spills can kill hundreds of thousands of
animals and wildlife as well as damage the fishing industry

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Disadvantages of Fossil Fuels

1. Environmental Hazards: Since carbon dioxide, gas released when fossil fuels are
burnt, is responsible for global warming.
2. Rising Prices: Middle-east countries have huge reserves of oil and natural gas
and many other countries are dependent on them for constant supply of these
fuels.
3. Acid Rain: Sulphur dioxide is one of the pollutant that is released when fossil
fuels are burnt and is a main cause of acid rain. Acid rain pollutes soil, water and
air including crop loss and disfiguring the buildings
4. Effect on Human Health: Pollution can cause serious environmental hazards. It
significantly affect quality of life.
5. Impact on Aquatic Life by Oil Spill: Transportation of Fossil via truck, train, ship
or airplane. The leaks in oil tankers or ship getting drowned deep under the sea
poses serious impact on aquatic life.
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Renewable Resources
• A natural resource that can be used and replaced over a relatively short
time

https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/people-with-renewable-energy-resources-illustration_3460385.htm 19
Renewable Resources

Geothermal energy– Harness heat from the Earth

– Ground water that seeps into hot spots near the surface of the Earth can
form geysers. (Natural vents in which steam and water escape)
• Ex: Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park
• The steam is used in power plants to generate electricity

Hydroelectric energy – Electricity produced by falling water

– Recycled through the water cycle
• Ex: dams

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 Renewable Resources (cont’d)

Solar energy
– Energy from the sun
– 2 common ways (indirectly or directly):
Sunlight can be changed into electricity by the use of solar
cells.
Ex: solar calculator, solar panels (large panels
made up of many solar cells wired together)
1. Solar collectors- dark-colored boxes with glass or
plastic tops used to directly heat
2. Solar mirrors- mirrors that use sunlight to produce
electricity for large-scale solar power

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SOLAR POWER
 SOLAR POWER-RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCE
• This about the use of sun’s energy. Three types of technologies can
currently harness sunlight energy:

• Photo voltaic cell using photoreceptive cell to generate electricity from

sunlight

• Solar-thermal- uses solar panels to recover the heat from the solar
radiation.

• Solar -air heating- mainly used to heat incoming fresh air for ventilating
a house.
 WIND ENERGY

Wind energy
– The energy in wind
– Uses wind turbines to convert kinetic energy into electrical energy by rotating a
generator
 WIND POWER
• Wind power is the use of air flow through wind turbines to mechanically power generators for
electricity. Wind power, as an alternative to burning fossil fuels, is plentiful, renewable, widely
distributed, clean, produces no greenhouse gas emissions during operation, and uses little land. The
net effects on the environment are far less problematic than those of nonrenewable power sources.

• Wind farms consist of many individual wind turbines which are connected to the electric power
transmission network. Onshore wind is an inexpensive source of electricity, competitive with or in
many places cheaper than coal or gas plants.

• offshore farms have less visual impact, but construction and maintenance costs are considerably
higher. Small onshore wind farms can feed some energy into the grid or provide electricity to isolated
off-grid locations.

• The first windmill used for the production of electricity was built in Scotland in July 1887 by Prof
James Blyth of Anderson's College, Glasgow
 ADVANTAGES OF WIND POWER
• Wind energy is a green energy source and does not cause pollution.
• The potential of wind power is enormous – 20 times more than what the entire
human population needs.
• Wind power is renewable and there is no way we can run out of it (since wind
energy originates from the sun).
• Wind turbines are incredible space-efficient. The largest of them generate enough
electricity to power 600 U.S. homes.
• Wind power only accounts for about 2.5% of total worldwide electricity production,
but is growing at a promising rate of 25% per year (2010).
• Prices have decreased over 80% since 1980 and are expected to keep decreasing.
• The operational costs associated with wind power are low.
• Good domestic potential: Residential wind turbines yields energy savings and
protects homeowners from power outages.
Advantages of Renewable Resources

Reduces the amount of fossil fuels that must be used

1. Solar: – Almost limitless source of energy – Does not produce
pollution
2. Water: – Renewable – Does not produce air pollution – Dams
produce no hazardous wastes.
3. Wind: – Relatively inexpensive to generate – Does not produce air
pollution
4. Geothermal – Almost limitless source of energy – Power plants
require little land
5. Biomass – Renewable

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Disadvantages of Alternative Resources

1. Solar: – Expensive to use for large-scale energy production – Only

practical in sunny areas
2. Water: – Dams disrupt a river’s ecosystem. – Available only in areas
that have rivers
3. Wind: – Only practical in windy areas (require strong, steady breezes
to be effective), so there are limited locations for wind farms
4. Geothermal – Only practical in locations near hot spots (Hot spots
are volcanic regions with a hotter mantle than most places.) – Waste
water can damage soil
5. Biomass – Requires large areas of farmland – Produces smoke

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Renewable Resources (cont’d)

Biomass – Organic matter that contains stored energy or energy

produced by heat within the Earth’s crust
Ex: plants, wood, and waste
– Non-industrialized countries rely heavily on biomass for energy.
– Gasohol- Plant material that is changed into liquid fuel
Ex: Plants containing sugar or starch can be made into alcohol.
The alcohol is burned as a fuel or mixed with gasoline to form
the gasohol.

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Biomass
Renewable Resources (cont’d)
Biomass – Biofuel

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Renewable Resources (cont’d)

Biomass – Biofuel

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https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42398-020-00119-9
Biogas
The Benefits of Biogas
Stored biogas can provide a clean, renewable, and reliable source of baseload power
in place of coal or natural gas.
Conserving Natural Resources

• Whether the natural resources we use

are renewable or nonrenewable, we
should be careful on how we use them!
• Only use them when necessary!
• Recycle! The process by which used or
discarded materials are treated for
reuse.

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https://stock.adobe.com/images/
Nuclear Energy

• An alternative source of energy that comes from the use of nuclear

reactions
• A nuclear power plant generates thermal energy that boils water to
produce steam.
o Fossil fuel and nuclear power plants use steam to turn a turbine,
which rotates a generator that converts kinetic energy into electrical
energy.
o Nuclear power plants provide alternative sources of energy without
the problems that come with fossil fuels, but produce dangerous,
radioactive wastes.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_flow_(ecology)
Nuclear Energy

• Nuclear power can be obtained from nuclear fission, nuclear

decay and nuclear fusion reactions.
• Nuclear fission- a process when the nucleus of a uranium atom is
split into two smaller nuclei, releasing nuclear energy
• Nuclear fusion- the joining of nuclei of small atoms to form larger
atoms
–Produces few dangerous wastes, but very high temperatures
are required for the reaction to take place

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 Nuclear Fission

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https://atomicpsa.wordpress.com/what-is-nuclear-fission-and-fusion/
 Nuclear Fission

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https://atomicpsa.wordpress.com/what-is-nuclear-fission-and-fusion/
Nuclear Fusion

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https://makeagif.com/gif/nuclear-fusion-animation-mcQMHk
 Nuclear Fusion

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https://atomicpsa.wordpress.com/what-is-nuclear-fission-and-fusion/
Nuclear Energy

• As of March 2018, twenty two nuclear reactors are operational in

7 nuclear power plants that generate nearly 20 percent of the
nation’s electricity, all without carbon emissions because reactors
use uranium, not fossil fuels.

• These plants are always: well-operated to avoid interruptions and

built to withstand extreme weather, supporting the grid 24/7.

• All that power and potential from a tiny atom.

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How do nuclear reactors work?

Three steps that reactors use to make clean electricity:

Step 1: Split Atoms to Create Heat

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https://www.nei.org/news/2019/how-reactor-actually-works
How do nuclear reactors work?

Step 2: Use the Heat to Make Steam

Step 3: Use the Steam to Turn a Turbine

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https://www.nei.org/news/2019/how-reactor-actually-works
Benefits of Nuclear Energy

1. Nuclear fights climate change-provides large amounts of 24/7

carbon-free electricity now, which is irreplaceable in protecting
the environment
2. Nuclear protects our air-No trace elements like Nitrogen oxide,
sulfur dioxide, particulate matter and mercury
3. Nuclear boosts international development- Nuclear energy helps
developing nations meet sustainable development goals.
4. Nuclear powers electric vehicles- Electrified transportation
promises to reduce carbon emissions.

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Hazards of Nuclear Energy

1. The radio active waste produced in nuclear power plants remains

highly toxic for centuries. There are currently no safe ways to either
store this waste or dispose it permanently.

2. Accidents arising from nuclear plants can have widespread effects,

e.g. the Chernobyl disster in 1986 caused huge radioactive fallout
on life across Europe.

3. Fission bomb. (an atom bomb is a nuclear explosive baaed on

energy released during fission chain reaction of uranium or
plutonium by fast neutrons).
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 Nuclear Power in India

https://energypost.eu/17408-2/ 53
 Nuclear Power in India-4th Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant

https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2019/dec/21/equipment-for-4th-kudankulam-nuclear-power-plant-unit-shipped-2079007.html 54