What is energy?
Background Presentation Two
Dr Geoff Wood LAWPP13|Autumn 2016
Geoff Wood – Module Convenor
Any problems: see me
Office Hours:
Mondays 3-4 pm
(B10(a) Pathfoot)
Email: [email protected]
The main sources of electricity generation
Fossil Fuels
Nuclear Power
Renewables
Fossil Fuels
Coal, Oil, Gas (including Shale Gas (gas held in shale rock)
Formed from the fossilised remains of prehistoric plants and animals
Take millions of years to form (from dead material to an energy
source we can use)
Non-renewable
Not every country has coal, oil or gas reserves (deposits where
fossil fuels can be found and exploited)
Below-surface energy sources (under the ground or sea-bed)
Can be exploited via surface mining and underground mining (coal)
or by drilling deep underground (oil, gas)
Nuclear Power
Uranium
Natural deposits underground
Extracted by drilling (mostly)
Not every country has uranium reserves (deposits where uranium
can be found and exploited)
Renewable Energy
A lot of different technologies and fuel sources
Wind power (onshore and offshore), marine renewables (wave and
tidal power), tidal lagoons, tidal barrage, solar photovoltaic (PV),
geothermal, hydro power (reservoir dam and run-of-river), biomass
(biomass conversion, anaerobic digestion, landfill gas, sewage gas
– many types of fuel sources – timber, energy crops, straw, etc)
Renewable (the resource never runs out, but not strictly true for
biomass and hydro power – depends on how the resource is
managed, i.e. if you use all your biomass fuel stock you will have to
wait until more grows and droughts will affect hydro power output)
All countries have at least some reserves/resources (very wide
geographical distribution) of different types of renewables
Renewable Energy
A lot of different technologies and fuel sources
Wind power (onshore and offshore), marine renewables (wave and
tidal power), tidal lagoons, tidal barrage, solar photovoltaic (PV),
geothermal, hydro power (reservoir dam and run-of-river), biomass
(biomass conversion, anaerobic digestion, landfill gas, sewage gas
– many types of fuel sources – timber, energy crops, straw, etc)
Renewable (the resource never runs out, but not strictly true for
biomass and hydro power – depends on how the resource is
managed, i.e. if you use all your biomass fuel stock you will have to
wait until more grows and droughts will affect hydro power output)
All countries have at least some reserves/resources (very wide
geographical distribution) of different types of renewables
Key differences between the various
energy sources
Fossil Fuels
Coal Natural Gas Oil
Electricity generation Heat, electricity and Dominant fuel source
transport for transport (versatile)
Easy/cheap to build/run Gas-fired power Substantial reserves
(flexible) stations most easy/cheap globally (but more
to build/run (flexible) limited geographically)
Environmental/ Health Environmental/ Health Environmental/Health
problems problems problems
In 2005 global coal 5.3 billion tonnes of CO₂ 10.2bn tCO₂ (2005) and
production released (>11bn tCO₂ by 2030) (>17.6bn tCO₂ by 2030)
10.6billion tonnes of CO₂
(8.4bn tCO₂ by 2030)
Infinite Renewables
Wind Wave & Tidal Solar
Non-polluting and CO₂ Non-polluting and CO₂ Non-polluting and CO₂
free (except construction) free (except construction) free (except construction)
Energy source is free and Energy source is free and Energy source is free and
reserves more widespread reserves more widespread reserves more widespread
geographically geographically geographically
Intermittent generation Intermittent generation Intermittent generation
(only when wind blows) (but more predictable) (only when sun shines)
Non-flexible Non-flexible
Non-flexible
Requires back-up (typically Requires back-up (typically
Requires back-up (typically
fossil-fuel based) fossil-fuel based)
fossil-fuel based)
Finite Renewables & Other Sources
Nuclear Shale Gas Biomass
Electricity generation Significant reserves Classed as renewable
(heat?) (estimated) but is it?
Very expensive and long 50% CO₂ content of coal Is it sustainable (e.g.
time to construct (methane leakage?) rainforest deforestation)
Non-flexible (can’t just Flexible (like natural gas) Still emits GHG
turn off!)
Expensive to build/run
Environmental/health Same environmental/ power plant and flexible
problems (waste) but low- health problems of gas but
carbon energy source also problems of fracking! Can be used to
(except construction/ electricity/ heat/transport
decommissioning)
