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ERS315 > Energy (Part II) > Flashcards

Energy (Part II) Flashcards

1
Q

What are the difference in EROI distribution of different energy sources?

A

In general, conventional energy sources such as oil, coal, and natural gas tend to have higher EROI values compared to renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, and biofuels.

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2
Q

What will be the EROI of fossil fuels in the coming decades?

A

The Energy Return on Investment (EROI) of fossil fuels in the coming decades is expected to decline due to several factors, including the depletion of high-quality and easily accessible resources, the need to extract resources from more remote and difficult-to-reach locations, and the increasing costs of production.

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3
Q

What is Shale Oil?

A

Oil extracted from shale through hydrofacking

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4
Q

What is Oil Shale?

A

Clay-rich limestone, containing Kerogen (solid waxy hydrocarbon) which heated, yield oil. It is much more intensive and is extracted vie surface mining.

1 ton = 10-150 oil gallons
1 barrel (43 gallons) = 3-4 water barrels

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5
Q

Why does Oil Shale have a low EROI?

A
  1. It is very energy Intensive as it goes through the process of:
    - mining
    - crushing
    - hauling
    - heating
    - chemical treatment
    - waste disposal
  2. Converting Kerogen to gasoline requires 370C of heat along with hydrogen & solvents
  3. It requires coal power plants which increases CO2 emissions
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6
Q

What are 3 types of Natural Gasses?

A
  1. Associated Gas:
    - Flared or captured
    - Sulfur, carbon & methane emissions
  2. Sour Gas:
    - Sulfur and Hydrogen Sulfide emissions
    - 1/3 of Alberta’s Natural Gas
  3. Coalbed Methane:
    - Explosive if combined with air
    - Abandoned coal mines still emit methane
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7
Q

What infrastructure is required for fracking coalbed methane?

A
  1. Disruptive wells
  2. Roads
  3. Pipelines
  4. Saltwater disposal (ponds, desalination, injected waste)
  5. Methane capture
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8
Q

What is Ice-trapped methane (methane hydrates)?

A
  • Methane from organic eating bacteria
  • Trapped in “ice cages”
  • Extractable from deep marine sediments or permafrost
  • Climate warming can release methane
  • Methane is >25x more potent than CO2
  • Residence time is much shorter
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9
Q

What are is Methanol?

A
  • Made of coal or natural gas
  • Blended liquid fuel
  • Combustion emissions produce little NO and O3 but high CO2
  • High in Octane
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10
Q

What are 2 biofuels?

A
  1. Ethanol
    - Mostly corn & organic waste
    - Competitively cheap
    - Lower CO2 emissions at high-% blends
    - Energy intensive (may come from fossil fuels)
  2. Biodiesel
    - Animal fasts / plant oils / algae
    - Blended with diesel
    - Algae produce methane & ethanol
    - Collecting algae from eutrophication
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11
Q

What is a non-renewable carbon-free energy source?

A

Nuclear Fission
- Energy is collected when Uranium-235 absorbs a neutron, splitting into lighter elements and causing a chain reaction
- Benefits: Cheap energy & low CO2 emissions
- Major concerns: Contamination, waste disposal, maintenance, mismanagement, can’t be turned on/off easily

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12
Q

What are the Geological requirement for a nuclear power plant?

A

Must be built in areas not subject to natural disaster such as:
1. Landslides
2. Tsunamis
3. Volcano
4. Flooding
5. Subsidence
6. Faults

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13
Q

Why does Hydroelectricity have a high EROI?

A
  1. Uses existing movement of water
  2. Reliable & cost effective
  3. Can be turn on/off with demand
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14
Q

What is the Geothermal process?

A

The geothermal process involves tapping into this heat and converting it into usable energy for electricity generation and heating. This involves:

  1. Drilling - Wells are drilled into hot rocks or into hot water reservoirs in geothermal fields.
  2. Fluid extraction - Hot water or steam is brought to the surface through the geothermal wells and is collected in a gathering system
  3. electricity generation - In a geothermal power plant, the hot water or steam is used to spin a turbine, which drives a generator to produce electricity.
  4. Cooling and reinjection - After the heat has been extracted, the cooled fluid is injected back into the Earth through reinjection wells.
  5. Transmission - The electricity generated by the geothermal power plant is transmitted to the grid and distributed to homes and businesses.
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15
Q

What are the benefits and limitations of Geothermal energy?

A

Benefits:
- 1/10 of coal-plant CO2 emissions
- 1/6 of natural gas-plant CO2, S & SO2 emissions
- Wastewater is reinjected

Problems (ground water removal):
- Toxic elements in ground water (Arsenic, boron, selenium, gold, silver, copper)
- Subsidence & earthquakes

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16
Q

What are the different Solar Energy methods?

A
  1. Solar Thermal Power Towers - collects heat via fluid (water, steam, molten salts) that turn a turbine
  2. Solar Thermal Parabolic Troughs - Absorber tube collects heat via fluid ( water, steam, molten salts) that is piped to a turbine
  3. Dish/engine concentrator (stirring cycle heat engine) - A collector collects heat via gas that feeds into pistons where heat exchange mechanically moves a crank. It is efficient, but takes time to ‘rev’ up and down (rare).
  4. PV (Photovoltaic) Cells - pulses solar energy via a semi-conductor. Production requires toxic waste materials such as copper, indium, gallium arsenide, selenide, cadmium sulfide, or silicon
17
Q

What are the limitations of Solar Energy?

A
  1. Space
  2. Costs
  3. Clouds reduce solar capture
18
Q

What are the environmental costs of Solar Energy?

A
  1. Disrupts wildlife
  2. Mining for toxic metals (PV Cells)
  3. Natural gas needs to be used on cloudy days
19
Q

Is Wind Power the energy “success story”?

A

Wind power has indeed become a significant success story in the renewable energy sector over the past few decades. The growth of wind power has been driven by declining costs, technological advancements, and supportive government policies.

20
Q

What drives wind power generation?

A

The amount of wind energy that can be captured by a wind turbine depends on several factors, including the wind speed, the rotor diameter, the height of the turbine tower, and the efficiency of the turbine’s blades.

21
Q

What are the environmental & geological costs?

A
  1. GHG emission from producing steel & other material
  2. GHG emission from construction
  3. Land use & erosion
  4. Noise & visual pollution
  5. May harm wildlife such as bats & birds
22
Q

What are the benefits and limitation of Wave Energy?

A

Benefits: Energy potential
- provides energy 24/7
- Waves are strongest in the winter

Limitations: Scaling up
- permitting
- Wave oscillations
- Fouling
- Corrosive seawater
- Infrastructure

23
Q

How ancient is Tidal Energy?

A

First tidal mill was excavated in Norther Ireland 619 C.E

24
Q

What are some advantages to Tidal Energy?

A
  1. Predictable
  2. Smaller rotor blades than wind
  3. Less visual pollution
25
Q

What are some disadvantages to Tidal Energy?

A
  1. Barrage type can stop fish transit
  2. Disruption to coastal and benthic wildlife

ERS315 (7 decks)

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