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Energy Crisis & Energy Resource - Coggle Diagram
Energy Crisis & Energy Resource
THE BIG PICTURE
The History
the world is hungry for energy
world energy use has increased exponentially over the past 165 years
80% of all energy derived from fossil fuels
majority from non-renewable sources, renewables emerging too slowly
Energy Crisis
Bottleneck in energy supply
happens when there are constraints in energy supply to meet the high demands
lack of mature technology/alternatives that can replace ff, therefore high reliance on ff alone
low supply but increasing demands
heavily dependent on fossil fuels (domestic / industrial consumption), therefore depletion is very fast
current fossil fuel reservoir is estimated to last us for another 30 to 50 years
The Way We Live
our livelihood is too dependent on energy, mostly in the form of electricity
food, transport, work , learning, cleaning, sports, sleep and healthcare
FOSSIL FUELS
Introduction:
includes: coal, natural gas, crude oil, petroleum
unlikely to last us more than 50 years, but highly depends on the rate at which they are burned/used
we can control our consumption for reservation
non-renewable = not replaced as they're used
Production and Consumption
rate of production is way below rate of consumption, therefore will be exhausted / depleted
(as ff takes forever to be produced)
continuously being formed, but the process is extremely slow compared to rate of use
the aging of organisms & their resulting fossil fuel takes millions of years (sometimes even exceeding 650 million years), but the reservoir can be used up in hundreds of years
80% of the world's consumption occurs in developed countries
replace manual work with machinery, hence consumes more
burning produces a range of pollutants, leading to climate change/ pollution
World fossil fuel energy consumption %
1960 - 94.1%
Peak or 3rd agricultural revolution
everything changes into machinery
1971 - 84.5%
Oil Crisis
Middle East countries selective of oil exportation
don't export to developed countries, political conflicts
1990 - 79%
lowest consumption
Gulf War, halted production
increased price of fossil fuel
2015 - 80.8%
consumption % low because of the emergence of alternative energy resources, but usage still continues to increase
Impact of Fossil Fuel Consumption on Climate Change
trend of CO2 concentration follows the tons of fossil fuel burned
caused fluctuations in global temperatures as the changes in temperature disturbed atmospheric circulation pathways and how wind distributes heat across Earth's surface
therefore cases turbulence, leading to storm damages
one disaster leads to another
RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES
Introduction
not depleted when used or can be replenished faster than it's being consumed
are resources provided by nature & can be continuously used
e.g. sunlight, wind, rain, tides geothermal heat
renewable resources are meaningless if not sustainable as can be detrimental to the environment and livelihood of the ecosystem
renewable doesn't equal sustainable:
sustainable = production > consumption
Sustainability
= consumption of energy that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs
using resources mindfully so we don't jeopardize future generations
energy needs to be renewable in order to be sustainable
Renewable vs. Non-renewable Energy Resources
renewables are slowing replacing non-renewables but is still extremely slow
cleaner energy = less pollution + less CO2 emissions
is renewable energy always more environmentally friendly?
ALTERNATIVES TO FOSSIL FUEL
Solar Energy
PROS
energy production is clean, renewable and sustainable
diverse applications - industrial, domestic, individual devices
low maintenance
CONS
conversion rate from photon to electricity is inefficient
only 22% of sunlight is converted into electricity - need large numbers of installations
expensive manufacturing and system installation cost, not economical for industrial scale
panels, cabling to user, storage, panel longevity, energy generation vs fossil fuels
weather dependent
manufacture and transport contribute to air pollution
requires huge space -> deforestation -> land cover change -> changed ecosystems
the amount of solar radiation striking the earth over a 3 day period is equivalent to the energy stored in all fossil energy sources (that is if 100% of it is captured)
Wind Power
PROS
can generate 70 - 100 kilowatt
clean, renewable sustainable production
space efficient
lower installation cost (compared to solar)
advantages to rural areas (flexible installation)
CONS
threats to birds and bats (confuse blades with clouds)
moving blades cast shadows - visual disturbance
costly maintenance
subjected to weather damages: hurricanes, storms
disrupt ecosystems and landscapes:
are enormous and location dependent, can't be near residential area
Hydro Energy
PROS
most used / mature
accounted for 6.7% of word electricity production
Flexible and reliable
constantly moving water
large/ small scale application
difference places - long as there's moving water
Multi-use
flood-control, reliable water supply, recreational purposes, electricity generation
low maintenance cost
clean, renewable, sustainable production
CONS
high construction cost
negatively affects biodiversity
Wastage of resources
3 Gorges Dam
submerge biodiversity-rich ecosystems underwater
80% of the land experiencing erosion
depositing 40million tons of sediment into the Yangtse river annually
polluting to rebuild residential areas for relocated victims
review effects of damming
Tidal/Wave Energy
PRO
very accessible
71% of Earth is ocean, waves and tides that are always in motion thanks to the Sun
don't emit any harmful gases
clean, renewable, sustainable
CONS
technology is immature
not diverse or flexible to be used widely
facilities susceptible to harsh waves and tidal impacts, especially during bad weather (extreme temperatures, being thrown around in storms)
disturb coastal ecosystems
Geothermal Energy
PROS
not weather dependent
works all year round
CONS
restricted to sites with geothermal reservoirs/ geologically active sites
geothermal reservoirs = reservoirs with hot water that exist @ varying temps / depths below the Earth's surface
SUMMARY
fossil fuel depleting fast, caused damages to the environment but alternatives are not mature enough to match up with the efficiency of ff therefore cannot be replaced
price is also very expensive as we do not have the advance technology to "normalise" the use of renewables
developing & 3rd world countries are struggling to keep up with this conversion to renewables
all renewables have pros and cons
energy crisis continues