TU130: Integrated Science and Technology

Assignment 3 - Topic: How can we solve energy

problem?

Student name: Nattha Chantasarn (BEC)

Student number: 5006643471

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this report is to provide information about

variety forms of energy, energy problems and the solution of
those problems.

We use energy to do work. Energy lights our cities. Energy

powers our vehicles, trains, planes and rockets. Energy warms
our homes, cooks our food, plays our music, and gives us
pictures on television. Energy powers machinery in factories
and tractors on a farm. Energy from the sun gives us light
during the day. It dries our clothes when they're hanging
outside on a clothes line. It helps plants grow. Energy stored in
plants is eaten by animals, giving them energy. And predator
animals eat their prey, which gives the predator animal energy.

Everything we do is connected to energy in one form or

another. Energy is defined as: "the ability to do work."
Energy can be found in a number of different forms. It can be
chemical energy, electrical energy, heat (thermal energy), light
(radiant energy), mechanical energy, and nuclear energy.

To consider the energy problems, we should understand

types of energy, forms of energy and where are they come from
first.

TYPES OF ENERGY
 There are two types of energy -- stored (potential) energy
and working (kinetic) energy. But there are many forms of
energy such as nuclear energy, electrical energy, mechanical
energy, wind energy, solar energy and fossil fuels.

The energy sources have been split into three categories:

fossil fuels, renewable sources, and nuclear sources. The fossil
fuels covered here are coal, petroleum, and natural gas. The
renewable energy sources are solar, wind, hydroelectric,
biomass, and geothermal power. The nuclear-powered sources
are fission and fusion.

Fossil Fuels

There are three major forms of fossil fuels: coal, oil and
natural gas.

The theory behind fossil fuels is actually quite simple.

Burning coal, natural gas, and petroleum releases energy
stored in the fuel as heat. The energy contained by the fuels is
derived from the energy of the sun.

The heat that is recovered upon combustion of the fuel

can be used by us in several ways. Industrial processes that
require extremely high temperatures may burn a great deal of
very pure coal known as "coke" and use the energy released to
directly heat a system. Some people make use of clean burning
natural gas to heat their homes. Combustion of fossil fuels can
also be used to generate electricity; the fuel is burned to heat
water, and the steam from the boiling water spins turbines that
power a generator, thereby manufacturing electricity.

Coal

Coal is a hard, black colored rock-like substance. The

nature of coal is such that the higher the carbon content, the
more cleanly and brilliantly the coal burns. It is made up of
carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and varying amounts of
sulphur. There are three main types of coal - anthracite,
bituminous and lignite.

Anthracite coal is the hardest and has more carbon, which

gives it higher energy content. Lignite is the softest and is low
in carbon but high in hydrogen and oxygen content.ส
Bituminous is in between. Today, the precursor to coal - peat -
is still found in many countries and is also used as an energy
source.

Oil or Petroleum

Petroleum, or "crude oil," is a liquid fuel that is present in

various locations throughout the world. It has many uses, from
the generation of electricity to the manufacture of medicines,
plastics, and other commercial items.

Oil and natural gas are found underground between folds

of rock and in areas of rock that are porous and contain the oils
within the rock itself. The folds of rock were formed as the earth
shifts and moves. It's similar to how a small, throw carpet will
bunch up in places on the floor.

A new development is the offshore rig, a construction that

allows for the retrieval of petroleum buried deep within the
ocean.

Natural Gas

Natural gas is almost always found in deposits of

petroleum. When the petroleum is drilled, natural gas is also
recovered.
 Natural gas is a combustible mixture of hydrocarbon
gases. While natural gas is formed primarily of methane, it can
also include ethane, propane, butane and pentane.

Natural Gas is one of the principle sources of energy for

many of our day-to-day needs and activities. It is a vital
component of the world's supply of energy. It is one of the
cleanest, safest, and most useful of all energy sources.

Fossil fuels are relatively easy to use to generate energy

because they only require a simple direct combustion.
However, a problem with fossil fuels is their environmental
impact. Not only does their excavation from the ground
significantly alter the environment, but their combustion leads
to a great deal of air pollution.

Effects on the Environment

The consumption of coal, oil and natural gases has some

terrible effects on the environment. Gradually the world’s
temperature is heating up due to the greenhouse effect that
causes ‘Global Warming’. With the burning of fossil fuels, the
carbon dioxide emissions add to the greenhouse effect, along
with exhaust fumes from vehicles, the spraying of aerosol cans,
Infra-red radiation from phones, computers etc. and many other
reasons. A potential danger of global warming is the melting of
the so-called "polar ice caps" at the north and south poles. This
occurrence would cause the ocean level to rise and perhaps
flood many coastal cities.

Effects on Humans

As humans are using fossil fuels faster than the earth is

producing them, it would mean that, in the not so distant
future, people would be running the risk of fossil fuels
becoming very scarce.

Solving Energy Problems, Saving Fossil Fuels

 Fossil fuels take millions of years to make. We are using up
the fuels that were made more than 300 million years ago
before the time of the dinosaurs. Once they are gone they are
gone.

So, it's best to not waste fossil fuels. They are not
renewable; they can't really be made again. We can save fossil
fuels by conserving energy.

The world’s power would need to come from alternative

sources such as renewable energy i.e. wind power, solar power
or hydroelectricity, as people are so reliant on electricity.

The reduction of fossil fuel wastage and the greenhouse

effect can be helped in many ways. The reduction of fossil fuel
consumption can be helped by energy conservation and by the
use of alternative energy sources. The planting of more trees
and less deforestation could help to consume the excess carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere that adds to the greenhouse effect.

Fossil fuels are non-renewable, that is, they draw on finite

resources that will eventually dwindle, becoming too expensive
or too environmentally damaging to retrieve. In contrast,
renewable energy resources-such as wind and solar energy-are
constantly replenished and will never run out.

Renewable Energy

Most renewable energy comes either directly or indirectly

from the sun. Sunlight, or solar energy, can be used directly for
heating and lighting homes and other buildings, for generating
electricity, and for hot water heating, solar cooling, and a
variety of commercial and industrial uses.

The sun's heat also drives the winds, whose energy, is

captured with wind turbines. Then, the winds and the sun's
heat cause water to evaporate. When this water vapor turns
into rain or snow and flows downhill into rivers or streams, its
energy can be captured using hydroelectric power.

Along with the rain and snow, sunlight causes plants to

grow. The organic matter that makes up those plants is known
as biomass. Biomass can be used to produce electricity,
transportation fuels, or chemicals. The use of biomass for any
of these purposes is called bioenergy.

Hydrogen also can be found in many organic compounds,

as well as water. It's the most abundant element on the Earth.
But it doesn't occur naturally as a gas. It's always combined
with other elements, such as with oxygen to make water. Once
separated from another element, hydrogen can be burned as a
fuel or converted into electricity.

Not all renewable energy resources come from the sun.

Geothermal energy taps the Earth's internal heat for a variety
of uses, including electric power production, and the heating
and cooling of buildings. And the energy of the ocean's tides
comes from the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun upon
the Earth.

In fact, ocean energy comes from a number of sources. In

addition to tidal energy, there's the energy of the ocean's
waves, which are driven by both the tides and the winds. The
sun also warms the surface of the ocean more than the ocean
depths, creating a temperature difference that can be used as
an energy source. All these forms of ocean energy can be used
to produce electricity.

Problems with Solar Power

Solar power is actually one of the cleanest methods of

energy production known. Because solar panels simply convert
the energy of the sun into energy mankind can use, there are
no harmful byproducts or threats to the environment.
 One major concern is the cost of solar power. Solar panels
(accumulators) are not cheap; and because they are
constructed from fragile materials (semiconductors, glass, etc.),
they must constantly be maintained and often replaced.

Further, since each photovoltaic panel has only about 40%

efficiency, single solar panels are not sufficient power
producers. However, this problem has been offset by the
gathering together of many large panels acting in accord to
produce energy. Although this setup takes up much more
space, it does generate much more power.

Problems with Hydroelectric Power

Although hydroelectric power is admittedly one of the

cleanest and most environmentally-friendly sources of energy,
it too has the capability to alter or damage its surroundings.
Among the main problems that have been demonstrated by
hydroelectric power is significant change in water quality.
Because of the nature of hydroelectric systems, the water often
takes on a higher temperature, loses oxygen content,
experiences siltation, and gains in phosphorus and nitrogen
content.

Another major problem is the obstruction of the river for

aquatic life. Salmon, which migrate upstream to spawn every
year, are especially impacted by hydroelectric dams.
Fortunately, this problem has been dealt with by the production
of "fish ladders". These structures provide a pathway for fish to
navigate past the hydroelectric dam construction.

Problems with Wind Power

One of the main problems with wind power is the space

that is used up by the so-called "wind farms." In some cases,
the space taken up can seriously alter the environment.

The good news is that although wind farms require a great

deal of square mileage, there is quite a bit of space between
the actual wind machines. This space can be used for
agricultural purposes.
 Another problem with wind power is that relatively
speaking, it does not generate very much energy for the price.
Perhaps this setback is made up for in friendliness to the
environment.