Chaapter-1-Fossil Fuels and Alternate Source of Energy

AN Renewable Energy Physics@CityCollege
Chapter 1
Fossil Fuels and Alternate sources of Energy
1. Non-renewable sources of Energy

Electricity can be generated from fossil fuels and nuclear power. These energy resources are
non-renewable. All energy resources have advantages and disadvantages.
1.1. Fossil Fuels:

Fossil fuels include coal, oil and natural gas. These were formed from the remains of
living organisms millions of years ago and these release heat energy when these are burned.
These are non-renewable. These have chemical energy stored within them.
 Advantages:
 At the moment, fossil fuels are relatively cheap and easy to obtain.
 Much of our infrastructure is designed to run using fossil fuels.
 Disadvantages:
 Fossil fuels are non-renewable energy resources. Their supply is limited and they
will eventually run out whereas fuels such as wood can be renewed endlessly.
 Coal and oil release sulfur dioxide gas when they burn, which causes breathing
problems for living creatures and contributes to acid rain.
 Fossil fuels release carbon dioxide when they burn, which adds to the greenhouse
effect and increases global warming. Of the three fossil fuels, for a given amount
of energy released, coal produces the most carbon dioxide and natural gas
produces the least.
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1.2. Nuclear Power:

The main nuclear fuels are uranium and plutonium. Nuclear power can be obtained
from nuclear fission, nuclear decay and nuclear fusion reactions. In a nuclear power station,
nuclear fuel undergoes a controlled chain reaction in the reactor to produce heat - nuclear energy
is converted to heat energy:i) Heat is used to change water into steam in the boiler. ii) The steam
drives the turbine -heat to kinetic energy. iii) This drives the generator to produce electricity -
kinetic to electrical energy.
 Advantages
 Unlike fossil fuels, nuclear fuels do not produce carbon dioxide or sulfur dioxide.
 1 kg of nuclear fuel produces millions of times more energy than 1 kg of coal.
 Disadvantages
 Like fossil fuels, nuclear fuels are non-renewable energy resources.
 Although modern reactor designs are extremely safe, if there is an accident, large
amounts of radioactive material could be released into the environment.
 Nuclear waste remains radioactive and is hazardous to health for thousands of
years, so it must be stored safely.
1.3. Comparison of Resources: Power stations

Power stations fuelled by fossil fuels or nuclear fuels are reliable sources of energy, meaning
they can provide power whenever it is needed. However, their start-up times vary according to
the type of fuel used.
This list shows the type of fuel in order of start-up time:
• gas-fired station (shortest start-up time)
• oil-fired station
• coal-fired station
• nuclear power station (longest start-up time)
Nuclear power stations and coal-fired power stations usually provide 'base load' electricity - they
are run all the time because they take the longest time to start up. Oil-fired and gas-fired power
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stations are often used to provide extra electricity at peak times, because they take the least time
to start up.
The fuel for nuclear power stations is relatively cheap, but the power stations themselves are
expensive to build. It is also very expensive to dismantle old nuclear power stations and to store
their radioactive waste, which is a dangerous health hazard.
2. Renewable Energy
Renewable energy is the energy which is derived from a limitless source. Renewable
energies are sources of clean, inexhaustible and increasingly competitive energy. They differ
from fossil fuels principally in their diversity, abundance and potential for use anywhere on the
planet, but above all in that they produce neither greenhouse gases – which cause climate change
– nor polluting emissions.
2.1. Need of Renewable Energy
 The most significant feature of renewable energy is its plentiful supply. It is infinite.
 Renewable energy sources will never disappear. Never. Other energy sources are final
and one day will be spent.
 Renewable energy sources are hygienic sources of energy that have a much lesser
negative environmental impact than conventional fossil energy technologies.
 reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, reduction of fossil fuel imports
 As the existing reserves of fossil fuels are steadily decreasing, it is unquestionable that
their prices will continue to grow
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2.2. Types of Renewable Energy
Renewable energies include:
 Wind energy: the energy obtained from the wind
 Solar energy: the energy obtained from the sun. The main technologies here are solar
photovoltaic (using the light from the sun) and solar thermal (using the sun’s heat)
 Hydraulic or hydroelectric energy: energy obtained from rivers and other freshwater
currents
 Biomass and biogas: energy extracted from organic material
 Geothermal energy: heat energy from inside the Earth
 Tidal energy: energy obtained from the tides
 Wave energy: energy obtained from ocean waves
 Bioethanol: organic fuel suitable for vehicles and obtained from fermentation of
vegetation
 Biodiesel: organic fuel for vehicles, among other applications, obtained from vegetable
oils
2.3. Advantages of using Renewable energy

i) One major advantage with the use of renewable energy is that as it is renewable it is
therefore sustainable and so will never run out.
ii) Renewable energy facilities generally require less maintenance than traditional
generators. Their fuel being derived from natural and available resources reduces the
costs of operation.
iii) Even more importantly, renewable energy produces little or no waste products such
as carbon dioxide or other chemical pollutants, so has minimal impact on the
environment.
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iv) Renewable energy projects can also bring economic benefits to many regional areas,
as most projects are located away from large urban centers and suburbs of the capital
cities. These economic benefits may be from the increased use of local services as
well as tourism.
2.4. Disadvantages of using Renewable Energy:

i) One disadvantage with renewable energy is that it is difficult to generate the
quantities of electricity that are as large as those produced by traditional fossil fuel
generators. This may mean that we need to reduce the amount of energy we use or
simply build more energy facilities. It also indicates that the best solution to our
energy problems may be to have a balance of many different power sources.
ii) Another disadvantage of renewable energy sources is the reliability of supply.
Renewable energy often relies on the weather for its source of power. Hydro
generators need rain to fill dams to supply flowing water. Wind turbines need wind to
turn the blades, and solar collectors need clear skies and sunshine to collect heat and
make electricity. When these resources are unavailable so is the capacity to make
energy from them. This can be unpredictable and inconsistent. The current cost of
renewable energy technology is also far in excess of traditional fossil fuel generation.
This is because it is a new technology and as such has extremely large capital cost.

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AN Renewable Energy Physics@CityCollege

Fossil Fuels and Alternate sources of Energy

1. Non-renewable sources of Energy

1.1. Fossil Fuels:

1.2. Nuclear Power:

1.3. Comparison of Resources: Power stations

2.1. Need of Renewable Energy

 reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, reduction of fossil fuel imports

2.2. Types of Renewable Energy

Renewable energies include:

 Wind energy: the energy obtained from the wind

 Biomass and biogas: energy extracted from organic material

 Geothermal energy: heat energy from inside the Earth

 Tidal energy: energy obtained from the tides

 Wave energy: energy obtained from ocean waves

2.3. Advantages of using Renewable energy

2.4. Disadvantages of using Renewable Energy:

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