energy. canada is the largest per capita user of energy because: –we live in a northern climate...
TRANSCRIPT
Energy
Energy
• Canada is the largest per capita user of energy because:– We live in a northern climate – heat– Small population with a large land mass –
transportation needs– Advanced industrial economy– Energy is cheap = waste
1. Conventional Energy Sources
• Water
• Coal
• Oil
• Natural gas
2. Alternative Energy Sources
• Solar
• Wind
• Biomass
Energy can be divided between Renewable & Non Renewable Energy
Conventional Energy:
Renewable Resources
Conventional Energy
• Energy that is commonly used as sources of:
• Heat
• Light
• Power
What is Renewable Energy?
Definition - An energy supply that can REPRODUCE itself fairly quickly (can make more within our lifetime)
•Example: wood– It grows relatively quickly (especially bamboo)
and is used for heat, light and power
1. Hydroelectric Power
• Power that is created by falling water.
• Example: Niagara Falls
• About 60% of all of Canada’s electricity comes from hydroelectric power.
Two Benefits of Hydroelectric Power are…
• 1. It is cheap because no fuel is needed
• 2. no burning fuel means no air pollution
Two Problems with Hydroelectric power are…
• 1. it is very expensive to build and repair
• 2. often must be built far from
energy customers
NON RENEWABLE SOURCES OF ENERGY
Conventional Energy
Conventional Energy: Non-Renewable Sources of Energy
Definition – Energy that CANNOT reproduce itself (once i
t’s gone, it’s gone forever!)
Examples•Nuclear•Fossil fuels: •Thermal Electric:
1. Nuclear Power Plant
• Inside a nuclear power plant, atomic particles (neutrons) are fired at uranium atoms.
• As the uranium atoms shatter apart, they release heat energy and radioactivity.
• The heat energy is then converted to electricity inside the power plant.
Nuclear Power Plant
• This process uses up the uranium which is a non-renewable resource
• Nuclear reactors produce about 15% of Canada’s electricity
Two Benefits of Nuclear Power Plants are…
• 1. They are cheap to run – especially in Canada because we have a lot of uranium
• 2. Nothing is burned, so there is no air pollution
Two Problems with Nuclear Power Plants are…
• 1. They are very expensive to build and maintain
• 2. If the reactor fails, radioactivity can kill plant workers and members of the public
2. What are Fossil Fuels?
• Fossil fuels contain the stored CARBON of things that were once ALIVE
• Examples are: coal, oil and natural gas
What are Fossil Fuels…
• About 25% of Canada’s electricity comes from burning non-renewable fossil fuels
• They power almost all our modes of transportation
• They heat and cool most of our homes, businesses and industries (and schools!)
Benefits of Fossil Fuels
• Easily Available
• Produces a large amount of Energy
Problems with Fossil Fuels
• Environmental Damage causing climate change
• Rising gas prices • Human Health is being
affected by the decrease of the ozone layer
• Need huge amount of reserves due to human dependency
3. Thermal Electric Power
• Energy created by heat and/or steam
• This is the cheapest form of the conventional energy systems
How does it work??
• Coal is burned in furnaces to provide enough heat to boil water and create steam.
• The steam spins turbines that produce electricity
One Benefit of Thermal Electric Power is…
• It is the least expensive type of conventional energy
One Problem of Thermal Electric Power is…
• Carbon from burned fossil fuels harms the atmosphere causing…– Air pollution– Climate change– Acid rain