types of energy
There are various ways to produce electricity, the most common way is to produce electricity through nonrenewable energy sources such as: coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear power. Coal, oil, and natural gas are the main fossil fuels used to produce electricity. Coal is the most abundant of the three, but has a harsher effect on the environment due to mining and a high amount of carbon dioxide emissions. Only a small percentage of oil is used to generate electricity seeing as oil is most commonly used for transportation and home heating purposes, drilling for oil is dangerous because if it spills it can lead to ecological degradation. Natural gas is also very abundant and the most "friendly" to the environment, it is clean burning and has a high net energy yield, however it can release methane into the troposphere if a leak occurs within a pipeline that transport natural gas. Nuclear power plants are generally clean burning, but they are costly and the potential of a nuclear meltdown makes it a gamble. Nuclear energy also produces high radioactive waste products that if not disposed of correctly can leak into the environment and cause cancer or a severe change in genetic coding.
The production of electricity through renewable energy sources such as: solar power, wind power, hydroelectric, geothermal energy, bio power, and heat pumps is more sustainable and efficient than using nonrenewable sources. These energy sources produce less to no green house gases, have . Their main environmental concern is that they (particularly wind turbines) ruin the aesthetics of natural environments.
The production of electricity through renewable energy sources such as: solar power, wind power, hydroelectric, geothermal energy, bio power, and heat pumps is more sustainable and efficient than using nonrenewable sources. These energy sources produce less to no green house gases, have . Their main environmental concern is that they (particularly wind turbines) ruin the aesthetics of natural environments.
Nonrenewable energy sources
COalCoal is the most abundant of the fossil fuels and comes in the forms of lignite, subbituminous bituminous, and anthracite. Anthracite is the most valuable of these forms and lignite is the least valuable and least useful due to its low carbon content. Coal is most abundant in the United States and Russia where it is being mined by the millions of short tons to be used in power plants and factories. Coal releases high amounts of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mercury and much more. China is largest coal consumer, accounting for 49% of the world's coal consumption.
natural GAsNatural Gas in a flammable gas composed of methane and hydrocarbons, it is the most environmentally friendly of all nonrenewable energy sources and has a high energy yield. It burns cleanly when compared to coal and oil and produces less carbon dioxide. However, due to its low density, natural gas is difficult to transport. Natural gas is commonly used as energy sources for heating, cooking, and electricity generation. It can also be used to fuel vehicles.
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OilOil is the most sought after fossil fuel. The United States consumed the most oil, consuming more than it can produce. At the rate that the oil is being consumed, its natural reserves will soon be depleted, it is estimated that this will happen around 2039. Crude oil or petroleum is composed mainly out of hydrocarbons and organic materials and metals. It is formed through the heating and compression of organic materials over long periods of time. It can be extracted from drilling or from oil sands. The top oil producing countries are Saudi Arabia, Russia, the United Stated , Iran, and China. The highest consumers are the United States, China, Japan and Germany.
Nuclear powerNuclear power is the most volatile of all energy sources. If not handled properly it can result in a nuclear meltdown as evidenced by the Chernobyl Accident. Nuclear power can be generated from Nuclear Fission, hitting one nucleus of an atom with another, or Nuclear Fusion, combining two nuclei to form a new atom. Nuclear energy releases low amounts of carbon dioxide, but also produces radioactive material that is expensive to store properly. Nuclear energy receives the most government subsidies, making it cheap for consumers if they don't take into consideration that their tax dollars are paying for it.
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Renewable energy sources
Hydrogen fuelHydrogen fuel is a "zero emission fuel when burned with oxygen", it is generated in electrochemical cells or combustion in internal engines. Hydrogen gas has a low net energy yield because it must be produced first which requires more energy than is gained. Hydrogen fuel cells convert hydrogen into electricity by using oxidation to produce hydrogen ions and electrons that are then sent through the electrolyte and simultaneously, ions are drawn from the anode to the cathode producing an electrical current.
Solar power Solar energy is the use of light and heat from the sun to generate power and electricity. Due to the suns constant appearance in everyday life, it is inexhaustible.There are two categories for solar energy: passive solar and active solar. Passive solar is placing a building towards the sun and using objects disperse lights. Active solar is collecting solar energy and converting it into electricity through photovoltaics or concentrated solar power.
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Wind powerWind power is the fastest growing source of electricity production in the world. One turbine can power over 500 homes. Wind power also does not cause air pollution, and is sustainable. One disadvantage is that they must be located in areas with strong winds which are areas that are generally uninhabited, so to get energy from a wind farm to a city transmission lines must be built to take advantage of the energy that is being produced. By properly siting wind farms, the death of migratory birds has decreased.
Geothermal energyGeothermal Energy is thermal energy generated and stored in the Earth. Thermal energy is the energy that determines the temperature of matter. The geothermal energy of the Earth's crust comes from the original formation of the planet (20%) and from radioactive decay of materials (80%).
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