Energy Utilization On Environment
Energy Utilization On Environment
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nuclear, ionization, elastic, gravitational, intrinsic, thermal thick and gooey liquid consisting of hundreds of
and heat [2]. Mechanical energy is used to move or lift combustible hydrocarbons along with small amounts of
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matter, thermal or heat energy is when energy flows from a sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen impurities. The crude oil is
hot to a colder body or environment, chemical energy is
Umar and Abubakar,
Effects of Energy Utilization on the Environment,
Discovery, 2014, 25(90), 93-99, www.discovery.org.in
http://www.discovery.org.in/d.htm © 2014 Discovery Publication. All Rights Reserved
Discovery, Volume 25, Number 90, November 5, 2014
dispersed in pores and cracks in underground rock pressure. Coal is composed primarily of carbon along with
formations somewhat like water saturating a sponge. In variable quantities of other elements, chiefly hydrogen,
the process of drilling and transporting the oil around the sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen. .Coal is an abundant energy
World, some oil spills on land and on aquatic resource that is burned mostly to produce electricity and
environment, thereby causing land, air and water steel. Coal is a solid fossil fuel that was formed in several
pollutions [5]. Geologists opine that known and projected stages as the buried remains of land plants that lived 300-
global reserves of oil, coal and natural gas are expected to 400 million years ago were subjected to intense heat and
be 80% depleted within 40 years to the point that it would pressure over many millions of years. Coal is mostly carbon
be uneconomical to continue exploration of these natural but contains small amounts of sulfur, which are released into
resources [6]. the atmosphere as sulfur dioxide when the coal burns.
Burning coal also releases trace amounts of toxic mercury
A serious problem associated with the use of and radioactive materials. Coal is burned to generate 62% of
conventional crude oil or any carbon-containing fossil fuel is the world's electricity (52% in the United States) and to
that it releases CO2 into the atmosphere thereby promoting make three-fourths of its steel.
climate change from global warming. Currently, burning oil
mostly as gasoline and diesel fuel for transportation accounts Coal is the world's most abundant fossil fuel. According
for 43% of global CO2 emission. Climate change to the U.S. Geological Survey, identified and unidentified
undermines power and energy production by increasingly supplies of coal could last for 125 - 214 years, depending on
depleting renewable and non-renewable sources, creating our rate of usage. The United States has one-fourth of the
resources scarcity and damage to infrastructure. It also world's proven coal reserves, Russia has 16%, and China has
undermines environmental dimensions by increasing sea- 12%. In 2004, slightly more than half of global coal
level rise, extreme weather events and land degradation and consumption was split almost evenly between China and the
pollution. In reducing climate induced threats on power United States [8].
sector, efforts should be geared towards ensuring that the
energy sector withstand the changes to climate that are China has enough proven coal reserves to last 300 years at
already underway by optimizing energy mix, developing low its current rate of consumption. According to the U.S.
carbon and renewable energy, formulating relevant laws and Geological Survey, identified U.S. coal reserves should also
regulations as well as promoting technology advancement last about 300 years at the current consumption rate, and
and economic engineering [7]. unidentified U.S. coal resources could extend those supplies
for perhaps another 100 years).
2). Natural Gas: Natural Gas is a mixture of 50-90% by
volume of methane (CH4), the simplest hydrocarbon and 4). Nuclear Energy: In conventional nuclear reactor,
smaller amounts of heavier gaseous hydrocarbons (higher isotopes of uranium and plutonium undergo controlled
alkanes) such as ethane (C2H6), propane (C3H8) and butane nuclear fission. The resulting heat produces steam that in
(C4H10) as well as even smaller amounts of carbon dioxide, turn spins turbines to generate electricity. To evaluate the
nitrogen and highly toxic hydrogen sulfide (H2S). It is a advantages and disadvantages of nuclear power, we must
fossil fuel formed when layers of buried plants, gases, and know how a conventional nuclear power plant work and its
animals are exposed to intense heat and pressure over accompanying nuclear fuel cycle work [1].
thousands of years [2]. The energy that the plants originally
Radioactive Decay: Natural radioactive decay is a nuclear
obtained from the sun is stored in the form of chemical
change in which unstable isotopes spontaneously emit fast
bonds in natural gas. Natural gas is an energy source often
moving chunk of matter ( alpha or beta particles), or high-
used for heating, cooking, and electricity generation. It is
energy radiation ( gamma-ray), or both at a fixed rate. The
also used as fuel for vehicles and as a chemical feedstock in
unstable isotopes are called radioactive isotopes or
the manufacture of plastics and other commercially
radioisotopes. Radioactive decay of these isotopes into other
important organic chemicals.
isotopes continues until it produces a stable isotope that is
3). Coal: Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black not radioactive. The rate of decay of radioisotope can be
sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or expressed in terms of half life: the time needed for one half
94
veins called coal beds or coal seams [2]. The harder forms, life of the nuclei in a given quantity of a radioisotope to
such as anthracite rock can be regarded as metamorphic rock decay and emit their radiation to form a different isotope.
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because of later exposure to elevated temperature and As a rule ( rule of thumb) such decay takes about 10 half
Umar and Abubakar,
Effects of Energy Utilization on the Environment,
Discovery, 2014, 25(90), 93-99, www.discovery.org.in
http://www.discovery.org.in/d.htm © 2014 Discovery Publication. All Rights Reserved
Discovery, Volume 25, Number 90, November 5, 2014
life, iodine 131 for example has a half life of 8 days (i.e. 80 quantities of intensely radioactive materials that must be
days). Plutonium 239 which is produced in nuclear reactor kept out of the environment for many thousands of years. In
and used as the explosive in some nuclear weapons has a evaluating the safety and economic feasibility of nuclear
half life of 24,000 years ( i.e. 240,000 years) - about four power, energy experts and economists caution us to look at
times longer than human beings (Homo sapiens sapiens) the entire nuclear fuel cycle, not just the nuclear plant itself.
have existed. It can cause lung cancer when its particles are
inhaled even in minute amounts [9]. B. RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES
Nuclear fusion is a nuclear change in which two isotopes Water flowing in rivers and streams can be trapped in
of light elements, such as hydrogen, are forced together at reservoirs behind dams and released as needed to spin
extremely high temperatures until they fuse to form a turbines and produce electricity. Solar energy evaporates
heavier nucleus. A tremendous amount of energy is released water and deposits it as water and snow in other areas
in this process. In fact, fusion of hydrogen nuclei to form through the water circle. Water flowing from higher to lower
helium nuclei is the source of energy in the sun and other elevations in rivers and streams can be controlled by dams
stars. and reservoirs and used to produce electricity. This indirect
form of renewable energy is called hydropower, in 2003,
Light-water reactors (LWRs) produce 85% of the world's hydropower supplied about one-fifth of the world
nuclear-generated electricity (100% in the United States). electricity[11].
Unlike other energy resources, nuclear energy produces
highly radioactive materials that must be stored safely for We can also produce electricity from water flows by
10,000-240,000 years until their radioactivity falls to safe tapping into the energy from tides and waves. Most analysts
95
levels. In addition, once a nuclear reactor comes to the end expect these sources to make little contribution to world
of its useful life (after 40-60 years), it cannot be shut down electricity production because of high costs and lack of
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and abandoned like a coal-burning plant. It contains large enough areas with the conditions.
Umar and Abubakar,
Effects of Energy Utilization on the Environment,
Discovery, 2014, 25(90), 93-99, www.discovery.org.in
http://www.discovery.org.in/d.htm © 2014 Discovery Publication. All Rights Reserved
Discovery, Volume 25, Number 90, November 5, 2014
3). Wind Energy: The greater heating of the earth at the depending on the season and the heating requirements.
equator than at the poles and the earth's rotation set of flows Geothermal exchange is said to be the most energy-efficient,
of air called wind. This indirect form of solar energy can be cost-effective, and environmentally clean way to cool or heat
captured by wind turbines and converted into electricity. a building [15].
Since 1990, wind power has been the world's fastest-
growing source of energy with it use increasing almost 6). Hydrogen: When oil is gone or when the remaining oil
sevenfold between 1995 and 2004. Europe is leading the costs too much to use, how will we fuel our vehicles,
way into the age of wind energy. Still much of the world industries, and buildings? Many energy experts says the fuel
potentials for wind power remains untapped. of the future is hydrogen gas. when hydrogen gas burns in
air or in fuel cell, it combines with oxygen gas in the air to
4). Solid Biomass Energy: Plant materials and animal produce non-polluting water vapour .Widespread use of
wastes can be burned to provide heat or electricity or hydrogen as a fuels would eliminate most of our current air
converted into gaseous or liquid bio-fuels. Biomass consists pollution problems and greatly reduce the threats from
of plant materials (such as wood and agricultural waste) and global warming because it does not emit CO2 as long as the
animal wastes that can be burned directly as a solid fuel or hydrogen is not produced from fossil fuel or other carbon
converted into gaseous or liquid biofuels. Biomass is the containing compounds. Three problems arise in turning the
first-ever fuel used by humankind and is also the fuel which vision of widespread use of hydrogen as a fuel into reality.
was the mainstay of the global fuel economy till the middle First, hydrogen is chemically locked up in water and in
of the 18th century when fossil fuels took over because they organic compounds such as methane and gasoline. Second, it
were not only more abundant and denser in their energy takes energy and money to produce hydrogen from water
content, but also generated less pollution when burnt and organic compounds. In other words, hydrogen is not a
compared to biomass [12]. In recent years, there is a source of energy-it is a fuel produced by using energy.
resurgence of interest in biomass energy because biomass is Third, fuel cells are the best way to use hydrogen to produce
perceived as a carbon-neutral source of energy unlike net electricity, but current versions are expensive.
carbon-emitting fossil fuels of which copious use has led to
global warming and ocean acidification. Biomass is an
indirect form of solar energy because it consists of
III. ENERGY UTILIZATION IN NIGERIA
combustible organic compounds produced by
photosynthesis. Burning wood and animal manure for Energy is the mainstay of Nigeria's economic growth and
heating and cooking supplies 11% of the world's energy and development. It plays a significant role in the nation's
30% of the energy used in developing countries. international diplomacy, and serves as a tradable commodity
Almost 70% of the people living in developing countries for earning the national income, which is used to support
government development programs [6]. It also serves as an
heat their homes and cook their food by burning wood or
input into the production of goods and services in the
charcoal. However, 2.7 billion people in these countries
nation's industry, transport, agriculture, health, and
cannot find, or are too poor to buy, enough fuel wood to
meet their needs. Bacteria and various chemical processes education sectors, as well as an instrument for politics,
security, and diplomacy [16].
can convert some forms of biomass into gaseous and liquid
bio fuels. Example is biogas (a mixture of 60% methane and Nigeria is richly blessed with primary energy resources
40% CO2), liquid ethanol, and liquid methanol[13, 14]. [6]. The country is endowed with the world's tenth largest
5). Geothermal Energy: Geothermal energy consists of reserves of crude oil estimated to be about 36 billion barrels
(about 4.896 billion tonnes of oil equivalent (toe)) in 2006.
heat stored in soil, underground rocks, and fluids in the
The country has also been described as more of a natural gas
earth's mantle . We can tap into this stored energy to heat
island than oil with an estimated endowment in 2006 put at
and cool buildings and to produce electricity. Geothermal
about 166 trillion standard cubic feet (5,210 billion cubic
heat pumps can exploit the difference between underground
and surface temperature in most places and use a system of meters). This includes associated and non-associated
reserves, placing Nigeria among the top ten countries with
pipes and ducts to heat or cool building. A related way to
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heat or cool a building is geothermal exchange or the largest gas reserves in the world. Other significant
geoexchange . Buried pipes filled with a fluid move heat in primary energy resource endowment in Nigeria include tar
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or out of the ground or from nearby bodies of water, sands - approximately 31 billion barrels oil equivalent (4.216
Umar and Abubakar,
Effects of Energy Utilization on the Environment,
Discovery, 2014, 25(90), 93-99, www.discovery.org.in
http://www.discovery.org.in/d.htm © 2014 Discovery Publication. All Rights Reserved
Discovery, Volume 25, Number 90, November 5, 2014
billion toe), coal and lignite - estimated to be 2.7 billion b). Promote energy-efficient products and appropriate
tonnes (1.882 billion toe), large hydropower potentials of practices at the side of the end users and energy generation.
approximately 10,000 MW, small hydropower potentials, c). Create awareness on renewable energy and energy
efficiency.
provisionally estimated to be734 MW. Nigeria's coal
reserves are large and estimated at 2 billion tonnes of which
d). Establish an agency to promote the use of energy-
650 million tonnes are proven reserves. About 95% of
efficient products and ensure the appropriate practices.
Nigeria's coal production has been consumed locally, mainly
for railway transportation, electricity production, and e). Develop and imbibe energy efficiency technologies.
industrial heating in cement production. Apart from the
export potential of the Nigerian gas, local demand f). Carry out a resource survey and assessment to determine
opportunities are power generation, cement industry, and the total renewable energy potential in the country as well as
iron and steel plants. The largest single consumer of natural identify the local conditions and local priorities in various
gas in Nigeria is the Power Holding Company of Nigeria ecological zones.
PHCN), and it accounts for about 70% which is used to
operate electricity-generating gas plants in the country. g). Establish a testing and standards laboratory for
renewable energy technologies similar to that in South
Africa.
Presently, energy utilization in Nigeria is highly
inefficient [4]. Apart from the direct loss due to energy
wasted, using energy inefficiently has three major h). Take advantage of global partnerships, such as the
implications in Nigeria: Residential Energy Efficiency Project initiative of UK, to
assist the country in a creative integration of renewable
energy systems.
a). The investment in some energy supply infrastructure is
far in excess of what the energy demand is.
i). Establish a renewable energy funding/financing agency
such as India's Indian Renewable Energy Agency.
b). The environmental problems associated with energy
utilization are more aggravated due to large energy
consumption; j). Develop appropriate drivers for the implementation
of energy efficiency policies.
c). Excessive energy consumption adds to the costs of goods
produced especially in energy intensive industries like k). Clean energy facilities should be embraced in the
cement, steel works and refineries. Increased energy different sectors of the Nigerian economy.
efficiency would provide Nigeria with significant economic,
environmental, and security benefits. To make further A sustainable energy system may be regarded as a cost-
progress toward a sustainable energy future, Government efficient, reliable, and environment-friendly energy system
policies should encourage investments in energy efficiency that effectively utilizes local resources and networks. It is
and fuel flexibility in key economic investments in efficient not slow and inert like a conventional energy system, but it
technologies and practices, the energy efficiency program is flexible in terms of new techno-economic and political
would help market forces continually improve the efficiency solutions. A partial list of potential clean energy
of our homes, our transportation systems, our offices, and opportunities in Nigeria is presented [4]:
our factories.
Renewable energy and energy efficiency are two i). More efficient passive and full usage of solar
components that should go together to achieve sustainable technologies in the residential, commercial, and industrial
development in Nigeria. The need to conserve the present sectors.
energy generated in the country using energy-efficient
products and the appropriate practices is essential for ii). Biogas from wastes as a source of cooking fuel in
sustainable development. The following recommendations homes.
have been suggested for the country to follow [4]:
iii). Use of energy-efficient lighting.
a). Develop policies on energy efficiency and integrate them
into the current energy policies. A comprehensive and
iv). Implementation of renewable biomass as a fuel in
coherent energy policy is essential in guiding the citizens
97
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