energy sources Flashcards
what is a renewable energy source?
a source which can be replenished at a comparable to the rate of consumption
what is a non-renewable energy source?
a source which takes millions of years to form and cannot be regenerated in a short period of time
examples of renewable energy sources
solar hydroelectric wind biomass ethanol geothermal
examples of non-renewable energy sources
petroleum propane natural gas coal geothermal
how are fossil fuels formed?
from animals/plants that lived millions of years ago when heat and pressure turned decayed matter into crude oil
what is coal?
fossilised remains of ancient trees
what is oil/ gas?
remains of ancient sea creatures
pros of petroleum
- transportation fuel for world: easy to transport
- economical to produce
cons of petroleum
- high CO2 emissions
- environmental impacts from drilling
pros of propane (LPG)
- non toxic
- economical
cons of propane
- highly flammable
- varied costs with different seasons
pros of natural gas
- burns more cleanly than coal or oil
- made safe by adding artificial odour so people can smell leak
cons of natural gas
- high transportation costs
- pipelines affect ecosystems
pros of coal
- abundant supply
- reliable for power
cons of coal
- emits greenhouse gases/ acid rain
- environmental impact
pros of nuclear energy (fission)
- no greenhouse gases or CO2
- refueled yearly
cons of nuclear energy
- high capital costs (radioactivity, waste/storage systems etc.)
- waste water destroys aquatic life
pros of solar energy
- non polluting
- abundant
cons of solar energy
- dependent on weather
- high initial investment
prons of hydroelectric energy
- no emissions
- reliable
cons of hydroelectric energy
- expensive
- uses large amount of fossil fuels
pros of wind power
- no emissions
- affordable
cons of wind power
- dependent on wind speed
- spoil landscapes
pros of biomass
- abundant
- used in diesel engines
cons of biomass
- emits pollution
- source must be near to usage otherwise high transportation costs
pros of ethanol
- easily manufactured
- fewer emissions than fossil fuels
cons of ethanol
- costs more than gasoline to produce
- requires engine conversion to be used as fuel
- source must be near to usage otherwise high transportation costs
pros of hydrogen
- abundant
- water vapour emissions only
cons of hydrogen
- more expensive to produce than fossil fuels
- uses large amount of fossil fuel in extraction process
pros of geothermal energy
- produces 1/6 of CO2 emissions of power plant
cons of geothermal energy
- wells could be depleted
- few geothermal fields
