Dania, Shana, Brian, & Mark

Spring ‘05

Alternative Energy

Coal: The Ignoble Fuel

Types of Coal: Based on carbon content

Brown Coal aka Lignite

Hard Coal aka Black Coal

The Composition of Coal

Main Elements:Carbon HydrogenOxygenNitrogenSulfur

Coal Formation:

Plant material decomposes Peat is covered with mud and sand Pressure Changes Peat to Coal

Coal Extraction

Two Types of Mines:Surface MinesDeep Mines

Facts about coal:

United States-Coal fills 23% of our energy demand -Coal represents more than 80 percent of America’s known recoverable fossil fuel reserves. -The United States has 500 billion tons of coal accessible through current production methods.

Worldwide-Mined in 100 different countries on every continent except Antarctica

-Coal is the most abundant fossil fuel

US Coal Production:

Coal Uses

Major Uses:

1)Electric Power2)Industry3)Manufacturing of steel

The Down Side:

Environmental Issues

-Coal is the least desirable fossil fuel.

-Negative pollution effects on water & air erosion, & acid rain

In the US, federal laws enforce proper mine usage and restoration. Also, several acts including the Clean Air and Water Acts control the effects of coals negative externalities.

Social Issues

-Boomtowns -Job Dangers

Future Outlook:

-At current rates, coal resources will last over a thousand years

-Advances in coal mining technology will only add distance to that horizon-Increasing coal usage can lessen oil consumption

Natural Gas

History:

-residential-commercial- industrial

Uses:

-1000 B.C. gas springs -natural fires

-colorless, shapeless, & odorless

in pure form

-combustible & when burned

released energy

-clean burning & emits lower

levels of potentially harmful

byproducts

-combustible mixture of

hydrocarbon gases

Natural Gas:

Basic Compositions of Natural Gas:

Methane CH4 ~70-90%Ethane C2H6 ~0-20%Propane C3H8 ~0-20%Butane C4H10 ~0-20%

Formation & Extraction:

-Found in reservoirs underneath the earth- natural gas is commonly associated with oil deposits-Formed from the remains of plants, animals & microorganisms -Production (extraction) companies search for evidence reservoirs with use of sophisticated technology- wells are then drilled

Advanced 3-D Seismic Imaging& 4-D Seismic Imaging

Total energy consumed in US: 2000source: EIA outlook

Uses of natural gas---->

Pollutant Natural Gas Oil CoalCarbon Dioxide 117,000 164,000 208,000Carbon Monoxide 40 33 208Nitrogen Oxides 92 448 457Sulfur Dioxide 1 1,122 2,591Particulates 7 84 2,744Mercury 0.000 0.007 0.016

Fossil Fuel Emission Levels

(Pounds per Billion Btu of Energy Input)

Source: EIA - Natural Gas Issues and Trends 1998

-cost efficient

-domestically abundant

-secure source of energy

-relatively

environmentally

friendly

Overview of natural gas:

OIL

Oil: A familiar & popular fossil fuel

3 phases of production:-primary- secondary-tertiary

Crude oil loop----->

Products:

Oil extracting/producing nations:

-Saudi Arabia-United States-Russia [FSU]-Iran-Venezuela-Iraq

Oil & the damages:

Environmental: -emissions of greenhouse gasses-acid rain-addition of toxins-over consumption-unfriendly production-spills

Impacts cont.

Solutions:

-social & political-dependencies-economical/industrial

-careful consumption & reduction-more efficient use of oil & oil products-cleaner & more environmentally responsive production methods

Future of oil & fossil fuels:

FOSSIL FUELSFOSSIL FUELS.