ENV 107

Introduction to Environmental Science

Mohammad Sujauddin, PhD
ESM, NSU

&Renewable Resources
Non-Renewable
Energy
Energy exists freely in nature. Our universe is made from energy and it is fundamental to the
existence of everything!

It exists as light, heat, sound, mass, moving objects, gravity, fuel, chemicals, and electricity.
We use many of these different types of energy to enhance our lives every day.

Some of them exist infinitely (never run out, called Renewable)

The rest have finite amounts (they took millions of years to form, and will run out one day,
called Non-renewable).

About three-quarters of the world’s commercial energy comes from nonrenewable fossil
fuels, and the rest comes from nonrenewable nuclear fuel and renewable sources.
non renewable
FOSSIL FUELS
NUCLEAR

renewable
SOLAR ENERGY
WIND
HYDROPOWER
BIOMASS
GEOTHERMAL

ENERGY
RESOURCES
 NON-RENEWABLE
ENERGY
Non-renewable energy is energy produced by burning fossil
fuels such as coal.

They are non-renewable because there are finite resources

of fossil fuels on the planet.

If they are continually used, one day they will run out.

Non-renewable energy is energy from fossil fuels (coal,

crude oil, natural gas) and uranium.
 FOSSIL
Fuel
Fossil fuels are mainly made up of Carbon.

It is believed that fossil fuels were formed over 300 million years ago, when the earth was a lot different in its
landscape.

It had swampy forests and very shallow seas. This time is referred to as 'Carboniferous Period'

Coal, Oil and Gas are called "fossil fuels” because they are natural combustible substances formed originally
from dead plants and animals.
FOSSIL FUEL
Fossil fuels are usually found in one location as their formation is from a similar process. Let us take a look at the
diagram below to see how fossil fuels are formed:
FOSSIL FUEL

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 FOSSIL
Fuel
formation

1. Millions of years ago, dead sea organisms, plants and animals settled on the ocean floor and in the porous rocks.
These organic matter had stored energy in them as they used the sun's energy to prepare foods (proteins) for
themselves (photosynthesis).

2. With time, sand, sediments and impermeable rock settled on the organic matter, trapping its' energy within
the porous rocks. That formed pockets of coal, oil and natural gas.

3. Earth movements and rock shifts creates spaces that force to collect these energy types into well-defined areas.
With the help of technology, engineers are able to drill down into the sea bed to tap the stored energy, which we
commonly know as crude oil.
 Petroleum Natural Gas Coal
or Oil

Power 130 billion 158 billion cubic 950 billion

WORLD reserves tonnes meters tonnes
FUEL
RESOURCES Total used in 11.4 billion 12.8 billion 185 billion
2012 tonnes cubic metres tonnes

From the above table, the present world's estimated oil reserves may be used up in the next 100 years.
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black
sedimentary rock composed mostly of carbon and
hydrocarbons.

Coal is the plants, that grew in swampy areas about

300 million years ago, died to form layers of
decaying material.

Heat, pressure and the action of bacteria changed

the decaying plants into coal.
TYPES
OF
COAL
PETR LEUM

Petroleum or Crude oil (a non-renewable resource) is usually found in underground areas called reservoirs.

It is liquid in nature and yellowish black in color.

They are composed mainly of hydrocarbons and organic compounds.

Crude oil can exists either deep down in the earth's surface or deep below the ocean beds. Oil drills mounted in the
oceans are known as offshore dills

Saudi Arabia, USA, Russia, China and Iran are among the top crude oil producers in the world, and USA is the
world's biggest consumer of crude oil, followed by China.
 PETR LEUM

Petroleum was formed from small

sea animals that lived millions of
years ago. After they died, heat,
pressure, and the action of
bacteria changed the remains into
oil. The oil formed was then
trapped as small drops inside the
pores of rocks.
 Natural Gas

Natural Gas is colorless, shapeless, and odorless in its pure form. Unlike other fossil
fuels, natural gas is clean burning and emits lower levels of potentially harmful
byproducts into the air.

While natural gas is formed primarily of methane, it can also include ethane,
propane, butane and pentane.

It is one of the gases that are formed by the same formation of fossil fuels.
Natural gas supplies about 23.8 percent of the world's energy.
Gas is extracted by drilling wells deep into the ground, through many layers or rock
to reach the gas deposits.
ADVANTAGE
Unlike many renewable sources of energy, fossil fuels are relatively less expensive to
produce. This is probably why it is in higher demand as it tend to cost less.

DISADVANTAGE
Fossil fuels are made up mainly of carbon. When they are burned (used) they produce a lot of carbon
compounds (carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases) that hurt the environment in many ways. Air, water
and land pollution are all consequences of using fossil fuels.

FOSSIL
Fuel
 ADVANTAGE

CONVENTIONAL
OIL

DISADVANTAGE
 ADVANTAGE

CONVENTIONAL
NATURAL GAS
DISADVANTAGE
 ADVANTAGE

COAL

DISADVANTAGE
 NUCLEAR
ENERGY

Nuclear power is generated using Uranium, which is a metal mined in various parts of the world.

Nuclear power produces around 11% of the world's energy needs, and produces huge amounts of energy from
small amounts of fuel with less pollution.

The nuclear power fuel cycle has a low environmental impact and a very low accident risk, but its use has been
limited because of: high costs, a low net energy yield, long-lived radioactive wastes, vulnerability to sabotage, and the
potential for spreading nuclear weapons.
 ADVANTAGE

NUCLEAR
ENERGY

DISADVANTAGE
 NUCLEAR
ENERGY

Produces very dangerous waste in the form of radio-active waste, even though the amount of waste
is small (about 3% of the plants waste). These are usually disposed of very deep underground where
geological conditions are stable and far from human or environmental exposure.

In 2011, a tsunami struck Japan and caused problems with its nuclear power plant in Fukushima. After
that tsunami, there has been a couple of leakages of highly radioactive water from the plants storage
tanks into its environment. Radioactive materials are very dangerous to humans and the environment.

There are laws that check that countries with unclear plants comply with safety rules and also do not
misuse their plants for developing nuclear weapons.
 NUCLEAR
ENERGY

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ist=PLllVwaZQkS2qK4Z6xBVDRak8an1-kqsgm
Effects of
NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCES

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) which causes acid rain and harms plants and animals. Acidic water can drain from mines, polluting natural
ecosystems

Nitrogen oxides (NOx), which contribute to smog

Particulate matter (PM) which contributes to asthma and chronic bronchitis in humans

Carbon monoxide(CO), Lead and various air toxins which may be emitted when some types of petroleum are burned, all of which
come with significant human health hazards

Exploring and drilling for these products disturbs natural habitats on land and in the sea

Many humans die in the process of mining every year around the world
Effects of
NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCES

Mercury is released when coal is burned – linked to neurological and developmental problems in humans

Mountaintop removal coal mining involves blowing the tops off of entire mountains to get at the coal deposits

Fly ash and bottom ash are two byproducts produced when burning coal, adding to air pollution

Mining uranium and building nuclear power plants require large amounts of energy, leading some to question whether
the energy inputs are worth the energy outputs.

The radioactive nuclear waste created in nuclear power plants remains dangerous to human and environmental health
for thousands of years

These power plants can experience major failures resulting in catastrophic meltdowns like Chernobyl
When can energy be called 'Renewable'?

When its source cannot run out (like the sun) or can easily be replaced
(like wood, as we can plant trees to use for energy)

When their sources are carbon neutral. This means they do not produce Carbon compounds
(such as other greenhouse gases)

When they do not pollute the environment (air, land or water)

Benefits of Shifting to
RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES
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YNY&index=28&list=PLllVwaZQkS2qK4Z6xBVDRak8an1-kqsgm

More decentralized, less vulnerable

Renewable energy is handicapped by
Improve national security
Unbalanced, intermittent subsidies
Reduce air pollution Inaccurate pricing

Create jobs

Save money
Solar Energy for
HIGH-TEMPERATURE HEAT
and ELECTRICITY

Solar thermal systems

Used to heat water or other fluids, and can also power solar cooling systems.

Solar thermal plant

Solar cookers
Use free heat from the sun to warm domestic hot water or cooking

Photovoltaic (solar) cells

A device converting solar radiation into electricity
 Photovoltaic (PV) or solar cells can provide electricity for a house or building using solar cell roof shingles, as shown in this house in
Richmond Surrey, England. Solar-cell roof systems that look like a metal roof are also available. In addition, new thin-film solar cells can
be applied to windows and outside walls.

Photovoltaic (PV)
SOLAR CELLS
 ADVANTAGE

SOLAR
CELLS

DISADVANTAGE
HYDRO
POWER
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mly-
ylHrDv4&list=PLllVwaZQkS2qK4Z6xBVDRak8an1-
kqsgm&index=26

We have used running water as an energy source for thousands of years, mainly to grind corn.

The first use of water to generate electricity was in 1882 on the Fox river, in the USA, which produced
enough power to light two paper mills and a house.

Nowadays there are many hydro-electric power stations, providing around 20% of the world's
electricity.
 ADVANTAGE

HYDRO
POWER

DISADVANTAGE
 PRODUCING
ELECTRICITY
from
WIND

Indirect form of solar energy

VAST Land Offshore
World’s second fastest-growing source of energy POTENTIAL
 ELECTRIC
Generator
GEARBOX
 ADVANTAGE

WIND
POWER

DISADVANTAGE
 The center of the Earth is around 6000 degrees Celsius - hot enough to melt rock.
Even a few kilometers down, the temperature can be over 250 degree Celsius.

In general, the temperature rises one degree Celsius for every 36 meters you go
down.

Geothermal energy has been used for thousands of years in some countries for
cooking and heating.

Hot rocks underground heat water to produce steam

We drill holes down to the hot region, steam comes up, is purified and used to
drive turbines, which drive electric generators

GEOTHERMAL
Earth heat
 GEOTHERMAL
Earth heat

We drill holes down to the hot region, steam comes

up, is purified and used to drive turbines, which
drive electric generators.
 ADVANTAGE

GEOTHERMAL
ENERGY

DISADVANTAGE
ENERGY CONSUMPTION

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ist=PLllVwaZQkS2qK4Z6xBVDRak8an1-kqsgm
Why Saving Energy is Important?

saves you money.

enhances quality of life.

ENERGY
EFFICIENCY improves the economy.
improves national security.

good for the environment.

 Saving Energy

1. Energy conservation
This is the practice that results in
less energy being used
2. Energy Efficiency
This is the use of manufacturing techniques
and technology to produce things that
use less energy for the same result

3. Recycling
This involves the use of waste or
old materials to make new ones
REDUCING
ENERGY WASTE
Why Are We Still Wasting So Much Energy?

Inadequate building codes

Inadequate appliance standards

Energy costs relatively little

Lack of information about saving energy

Lack of government support
and economic incentives
 Kaw.presentations

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