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Non-renewable energy resources Type of fuel

Where it is from

Advantages

Disadvantages

Coal (fossil fuel)

Formed from fossilised plants and consisting of carbon with various organic and some inorganic compounds. Mined from seams of coal, found sandwiched between layers of rock in the earth. Burnt to provide heat or electricity. A carbon-based liquid formed from fossilised animals. Lakes of oil are sandwiched between seams of rock in the earth. Pipes are sunk down to the reservoirs to pump the oil out. Widely used in industry and transport. Methane and some other gases trapped between seams of rock under the earth's surface. Pipes are sunk into the ground to release the gas. Often used in houses for heating and cooking.

Ready-made fuel. It is relatively cheap to mine and to convert into energy. Coal supplies will last longer than oil or gas.

When burned coal gives off atmospheric pollutants, including greenhouse gases.

Oil (fossil fuel)

Oil is a ready-made fuel. Relatively cheap to extract and to convert into energy.

When burned, it gives off atmospheric pollutants, including greenhouse gases. Only a limited supply.

Natural gas (fossil fuel)

Gas is a ready-made fuel. It is a relatively cheap form of energy. It's a slightly cleaner fuel than coal and oil.

When burned, it gives off atmospheric pollutants, including greenhouse gases. Only limited supply of gas.


Nuclear

Radioactive minerals such as uranium are mined. Electricity is generated from the energy that is released when the atoms of these minerals are split (by nuclear fission) in nuclear reactors.

A small amount of radioactive material produces a lot of energy. Raw materials are relatively cheap and can last quite a long time. It doesn't give off atmospheric pollutants.

Nuclear reactors are expensive to run. Nuclear waste is highly toxic, and needs to be safely stored for hundreds or thousands of years (storage is extremely expensive). Leakage of nuclear materials can have a devastating impact on people and the environment. The worst nuclear reactor accident was at Chernobyl, Ukraine in 1986.


Biomass

Biomass energy is generated from decaying plant or animal waste. It can also be an organic material which is burned to provide energy, eg heat, or electricity. An example of biomass energy is oilseed rape (yellow flowers you see in the UK in summer), which produces oil. After treatment with chemicals it can be used as a fuel in diesel engines.

It is a cheap and readily available source of energy. If the crops are replaced, biomass can be a long-term, sustainable energy source.

When burned, it gives off atmospheric pollutants, including greenhouse gases. If crops are not replanted, biomass is a non-renewable resource.


Wood Obtained from felling trees, burned to generate heat and light.

A cheap and readily available source of energy. If the trees are replaced, wood burning can be a longterm, sustainable energy source.

When burned it gives off atmospheric pollutants, including greenhouse gases. If trees are not replanted wood is a nonrenewable resource.

Renewable energy Advantages Disadvantages are renewable solar -- panels are expensive. Governments are not all willing never run out of sources of to buy home generated renewable energy electricity. Not all climates are solar energy - the sun will suitable for solar panels. always be there, and in abundance - the amount of wind -- turbines are expensive. Wind doesn't blow all the time, solar energy intercepted by the so they have to be part of a Earth every minute is greater larger plan. than the amount of energy the world uses in fossil fuels each waves -- different technologies year. are being tried around the world. Scientists are still waiting for the wind energy - the wind will killer product. always exist - The energy in the winds that blow across the tides -- barrages (dams) across United States each year could river mouths are expensive to produce more than 16 billion build and disrupt shipping. GJ of electricity - more than Smaller turbines are cheaper one and one-half times the and easier to install. electricity consumed in the rivers -- Dams are expensive to United States in 2000 build and disrupt the environment. They have also tidal energy - the moon which provides the forces that causes caused earthquakes. Smaller the tides will always be there turbines are cheaper and easier to install. hydroelectric energy - unless there is a drastic change in rain geothermal -- Difficult to drill two patterns, it will always be there or three kilometers down into the earth. non-renewable resources such as fossil fuels are finite - our biofuel -- Often uses crop lands resources of them will run out and crops (like corn) to produce eventually. the bio-alcohol. This means that more land has to be cleared to environmentally friendly grow crops, or there is not because do not emit carbon enough food, or that food dioxide (the biggest contributor becomes more expensive. to global warming) into the atmosphere.

Non-renewable energy Advantages Disadvantages it's easy and cheap to use no they are non-renewable and fast better way to store transfer and depleting; use energy than gasoline for they leave behind harmful bypowering motor vehicles Its products upon combustion, quick to pump fossil fuel into a thereby causing a lot of pollution car Its stable in the tank and mining of such fuels leads to a gas tank hold quite a bit, and irreversible damage to the a gasoline powered car is adjoining environment; cheap to manufacture. eventually run out. Coal is a ready-made fuel It Prices for fossil fuels are rising, is relatively cheap to mine and especially if the real cost of their to convert into energy Coal carbon is included. supplies will last longer than oil Burning fossil fuels produces or gas carbon dioxide, a major cause Oil is a ready-made fuel of global warming. eelatively cheap to mine and to convert into energy relatively cheap form of energy. Natural Gas is a ready-made fuel -It's a slightly cleaner fuel than coal or oil, emitting less carbon dioxide. Nuclear has a small amount of radioactive material produces a lot of energy raw materials are relatively cheap and can last quite a long time - doesn't give off atmospheric pollutants. Biomass is a cheap and readily available source of energy If the crops are replaced, biomass can be a long-term, sustainable energy source. Wood is a cheap and readily available source of energy If the trees are replaced, wood burning can be a long-term, sustainable energy source.

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