Energy resources
Hydropower disadvantages
1. A dam disrupts the natural flow of water and affects the ecosystem 2. Building a dam is limited to suitable sites (mountainous areas) 3. Over time, dams work less well as the reservoir fills up with sand and mud. This reduces the capacity of the reservoir to store water 4. As water is required to operate a dam, the energy output will be affected by a drought 5. Much of the land upstream behind the dam will be flooded and people would have to be relocated
Wind power disadvantages
1. Energy supply from wind turbines varies because wind does not blow constantly all the time 2. Wind turbines may cause noise pollution. The noise level of wind turbines can reach the sound of a car travelling at 100 km per hour 3. Wind turbines may affect wildlife. For example, birds may be killed by wildlife 4. Some people may find the massive spinning blades of wind turbines unsightly and think they spoil the natural scenery (unasthetically appealing)
National level
1. Governments can turn to alternative energy resources 2. Practice energy conservation through laws and pricing 3. Give incentives to those who conserve energy or invest in energy-saving technologies 4. Carry out public education to increase awareness E.g. green living lifestyle Water and waste management Energy management
Hydropower advantages
1. Hydropower does not pollute the environment 2. The cost of maintaining and operating a dam is relatively low 3. The water contained in reservoirs by dams can be used for other purposes especially during dry seasons
Nuclear energy disadvantages
1. Nuclear waste can remain radioactive for years and there are difficulty in reprocessing and storing nuclear waste. Leakages of radioactive waste from nuclear plants may pose a threat to the environment 2. Building nuclear power plants can be costly and each plant may take as long as 20 years to build. The cost of shutting down old power stations is also extremely high 3. Nuclear energy is not renewable. The uranium deposits on earth can only last for a limited time
Nuclear energy advantages
1. One nuclear plant can generate a million times more electrical energy than hydropower or wind power 2. Fewer raw materials are needed compared to a coal-fired station. In addition, uranium also costs less than fossil fuels 3. Electricity generated from nuclear energy is cheaper than electricity generated from fossil fuels
Advantages of IRENA
1. Pressure from member countries may lead to a country adopting efficiency plans 2. Exchange of ideas and sharing of resources
Individual level
1. Switch off energy/electrical appliances when not in use 2. Drying clothes on hanging racks instead of using electrical dryers 3. Timing shower time Disadvantages: very much based and independent on individual's willingness
Solar power disadvanatges
1. The cost of producing and storing solar energy is high. Installing solar panels can cost thousands of dollars 2. Energy supply from solar panels varies with interminnent cloud cover 3. Ways must be found to store this energy efficiently for use when there is no or little sunlight
Solar power advantages
1. The sun's energy is available for all to use. No single country controls its supply 2. energy From the sun is abundant 3. Producing solar power does not emit greenhouse gases
Disadvantages of IRENA
1. They may Have to fly over to another meet-up point and use energy intensive resources thus defeating the purpose 2. Hard to decide on agreements as there are different perceptions
wind power adavantages
1. Wind power is clean and renewable 2. Land below wind turbines can still be used for other activities such as farming 3. Wind turbines come in different sizes and can therefore be used by households, small businesses or industries
Reason for EC: uneven distribution of resources
Although there are many types of resources available in the earth system, they are not all accessible to us. The geological and geographical distribution of fossil fuels are highly uneven. Geographically, it is estimated that teh middle East has more than 60% of the world oil reserves and 40% of teh gas reserves. The US has the largest deposit of coal (28.6%) followed by Russia (18.5%) and china (13.5%)
Energy crisis
An energy crisis happens when the supply of energy cannot meet the demand. It will result in an increase of energy cost and people will find it even harder to gain access to energy supply
example
Compared with fossil fuel technologies, which are typically mechanized and capital intensive, the renewable energy industry is more labour-intensive. Renewable energy already supports thousands of jobs in the United States. In 2011, the solar industry employed approximately 100,000 people on a part-time or full-time basis, including jobs in solar installation, manufacturing, and sales; the hydroelectric power industry employed approximately 250,000 people in 2009; and in 2010 the geothermal industry employed 5,200 people.
Energy conservation (reduce energy. Consumption)
Energy conservation refers to reducing energy consumption.we can choose a lifestyle that helps to save energy. We can use oubkic transport instead of cars. This reduces the number if vehicles on teh road and the energy needed to power these vehicles. Companies also consume a large amount of energy.yhe commerce and services, and industrial sectors account for more than three quarter of Singapore 's total electricity consumption. In 2013, Singapore introduced the energy conservation act to encourage companies to reduce their energy consumption. Companies who consume more than the equivalent of 15 gigawatt-hours of energy annually are required to appoint an energy manager. The energy manager's role are to to monitor the company's energy usage. These companies are expected to reduce their energy consumption by at least ten to fifteen per cent
Solar powr0er
Energy from sun converted into electricity. One common method of generating solar power is to install solar panels on rooftop of buildings or houses. These panels consists of dark-coloured, heat-absorbing semi conductor plates stored in glass-covered boxes. In countries with abundant sunlight like Australia, more households use solar panels. Some households use both solar power and oil-generated electricity as it is difficult to store solar power. Thus, oil-generated electricity is used when there is no or little sunlight such as at night or winter time. For example, solar power is increasimgly being used in the united states of america. about 1.2 million buildings in the united states of america have solar heating systems. Seven systems use solar power to heat water. One of the world's largest solar power plants is in california.
Alternative resources
Energy resources to hat are alternative to fossil fuels e.g. nuclear power
Example
Generating electricity from renewable energy rather than fossil fuels offers significant public health benefits. The air and water pollution emitted by coal and natural gas plants is linked to breathing problems, neurological damage, heart attacks, and cancer. Replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy has been found to reduce premature mortality and lost workdays, and it reduces overall healthcare costs. The aggregate national economic impact associated with these health impacts of fossil fuels is between $361.7 and $886.5 billion. On the other hand, wind, solar, and hydroelectric systems generate electricity with no associated air pollution emissions
example
Harnessing power from large rivers provides a steady supply of power to meet the needs of the country. The Itaipu Hydroelectric Dam on the Brazil-Paraguay border produces the most HEP of 14 000 mw from a single dam in the world. Completed by 2003, the dam was able to produce electricity at a constant rate because the Parana River which feeds the Itaipu Dam has low seasonal variation in flow.
Hydropower
Hydropower uses the energy of fast running water to produce electricity. A dam is built to control the flow of water by holding back the water in a reservoir and releasing the water as and when energy is needed. This produces an even flow of water throughout the year.
International level: united nations (IRENA)
IRENA: international renewable resource agency The global Atlas for renewable energy is an initiative coordinated by IRENA, aimed at closing the gap between nations having access to the necessary data sets, expertise and financial support to evaluate their national renewable energy potential, and those countries lacking such elements. As of January 2015, 67 countries and more than 50 institutes and partners were contributing to the initiative.
Reason for increased industrial growth: affluence
In emerging markets such as china and India, more people become more affluent in these countries and they will increase more goods and services which leads to rising consumption. They may also use more energy intensive goods such as washing machine or air conditioning. For example, when China's income increased from US$280 in 1980 to US$3000 IN 2010, oil consumption increased from 3 million barrel of oil equivalents per day to 8.5 million barrels of oil equivalents per day during the same period
Reason for increased energy consumption: industrial growth
Industrial growth occurs when a sector of teh economy experiences higher than average growth rate. As a country develops, it shifts from the primary to the secondary and tertiary sector. As more industries are developed, more energy is needed to power these industries. For example, in 2010, china overtook US in oil consumption, consuming 2252 million tons of oil as compared to US which only consumed 2170 millions tons of oil equivalents
disadvantages of alternative energy resources - Large initial setup cost and/or high cost of maintenance (mainly for renewable energy)
Initial investments are quite high in case of building renewable energy plants. These plants require upfront investments to build, have high maintenance expenses and require careful planning and implementation.
Advantages of alternative energy resources Environmental and Health Benefits (more for renewable energy resources)
It is clean and results in little to no greenhouse and net carbon emissions. It will not deplete our natural resources and have minimal, if any, negative impacts on the environment, with no waste products of carbon dioxide and other more toxic waste with different sources of energy. The environmental benefit of renewable energy is that it can dramatically scale back on the amount of toxic air pollution released into the atmosphere by other methods. It enables us to protect the environment from toxic pollution, which in turn keeps people healthier.
Wind power
More recentky, wind power is used to produce electrivity through wind. A group of wind turbines generating electricity in one location is known as a wind farm. A large wind farm can consist hundreds of wind turbines
Nuclear energy (alternative energy)
Nuclear energy is reduced by the splitting or fission of uranium atoms. They break apart easily because they have many neutrons. When the nucleus of a uranium atom is split apart in a nuclear reactor, a large amount of heat energy is produced. The heat produced is then used to generate electricity
Advantages of alternative energy resources - Economic benefits
Renewable energy is also cheaper and more economically sound in the long run than other sources of generated energy. Renewable energy amenities require a less amount of maintenance, which reduces the costs. Switching to renewable energy sources also means that the future of our energy is returned back to the people: to communities, families, farmers, and individuals. It is estimated that as a result of renewable energy manufacturing, hundreds of thousands of stable jobs will be created. Thousands of jobs have already been created in numerous European countries like the United Kingdom and Germany, who have adopted measures to manufacture renewable energy.
Non-renewable resources
Resources that are limited in quantity e.g. coal,oil,natural gas
Renewable resources
Resources that can be used without being depleted e.g. solar energy, wind energy, hydropower, geothermal
example
The Three Gorges Dam cost China US$28 billion to build. Completed in 2006, it is able to generate 84.7 billion kilowatts a year, enough to supply China with 10% of its electricity.
Impact of rising energy costs: increased cost of living
The cost of living refers to the price of goods and services that need to be paid in order to maintain a certain standard of living. When energy costs rise, food prices are affected. Energy is needed to power machinery and transport seeds and fertilizers and transport farm produce. A rise in energy costs will thus increasing the cost of producing food and lead to higher food prices. For example, in 2011, studies by the Asian development bank shows that if food prices increase by 10%, 64.4 million Asians will be pushed into poverty.i increased energy costs also leads to higher prices for basic necessities such as shelter and clothing. Thus, we may not be able to maintain our current standard of living
Reason for EC: overconsumption of non-renewable resources
The main sources of energy come from fossil fuels, and the dominant fossil fuels used by today industrialized and developing countries are oil, coal and natural gas. Among these fossil fuels, oil is the most consumed for energy conversion,followed by coal then natural gas
Peak oil
The point in time when the rate of petroleum extraction is reached and after which the rate of production enters terminal decline
Impact of rising energy costs: unrest and riots
This may occur when people protests against planned blackouts known as load shedding. Load shedding results when people are demanding for more electricity than an electricity company can supply so these companies have to best distribute the electricity so that the burden of the shortage van be spread across the areas. Shop owners may also find it difficult to operate their businesses and prolonged periods of load shedding can lead to publish. Outburst of anger and riots. For example, 16 hours of load shedding was reported in various areas in Lahore and Faisalabad in Pakistan, sparking protests in areas where people burnt car tires to protest against load shedding
Advantages of alternative energy resources Renewable energy - continual source of energy that is available in the long run, as compared to fossil fuels that are finite in supply. (not for nuclear energy)
This means it has infinity of sustainability and will never run out. It is able to provide an immediate and continual source of energy to an area. There is very little conversion that needs to be done to take electricity from a solar or wind generator and use it. Sun is going to shine for another billion years. That means solar energy is renewable and sustainable. Moving water and strong winds will continue to supply constant source of energy.
Impact of rising energy costs: frequent interruption to energy supply
Unplanned power failure can occur when power supply networks cannot accommodate to the high power usage. Appliances that require electricity such as lights and computers may not function in homes and offices.transportation may also be affected. For example, in 2003,a rush-hour power cut had caused major disruption on the rail and tube services in London, England , causing much inconvenience for the passengers.
Efficient use of energy (reduce energy consumption)
Using more energy-efficient products or appliances help to prevent energy from being wasted. Energy efficiency refers to the ability to use less energy to provide the same level of energy service. Energy labels on household items tells us how energy-efficient they are. More ticks indicate a higher level of efficiency. In 2010, Singapore launched the energy efficient national partnership programme. This is a voluntary partnership programme for companies that want to be more energy-efficient. Some features of the programme include pro IDing companies with energy-efficiency-related resources and awarding those with energy-efficiency-related practices
