Alternative sources of energy

Lesson Objective
By the end of this lesson I will be able to offer an explanation for the need to use alternative sources of energy
Target 1 met?

What is an alternative source of energy?
An energy source that can be used instead of fossil fuels
It is usually a renewable source of energy that could be used should fossil fuels run out

Why is there a need for alternative sources of energy?
The graph that you completed last time shows just how much we rely on fossil fuels
90 per cent of the worlds energy supply’s come from fossil fuels
Fossil fuels are convenient and relatively cheap – a litre of petrol in 1998 would have been 20p if there was no tax added!

How much longer can we depend on fossil fuels?
Because they are fossil fuels they DO have a life expectancy
“Oil has 40 – 50 years left”
In 1960 they said this too! – what has happened is that we have found new reserves of oil and new technology has made the oil we use last longer

Burning fossil fuels has increased atmospheric pollution.
Vehicle exhausts contribute to acid rain more so than power stations burning coal.
The carbon stored in fossil fuels is released as carbon dioxide when they are burnt – this leads to the green house effect and global warming
Don’t get this confused with the hole in the ozone layer – this was caused by CFC’s

The Green House Effect

Coal has the longest life expectancy
Environmentalists dislike the burning of this fossil fuel the most as it gives off the most CO2
Unless cheap alternatives to burning coal are found there is likely to be an increase in its use – especially from Asia which has a lot!

So what are the alternative energy sources to fossil fuels?
Once upon a time – nuclear power was seen as the answer. Huge amounts of power could be produced from a small amount of uranium
However, it was not well known that it produced radioactive waste
The waste is dangerous to health and life for hundreds of years
There is no secure place for storage.
Public confidence has also been shattered by the explosion at Chernobyl in 1986

Other hopes?
Now that nuclear power is considered too risky hopes lie with things like sun, water, wind, waves and tides.

Advantages of using natural sources of energy
They are inexhaustible – they will always be available – they are renewable
They are clean and will not damage the Earth
There are several types – so one or more of them is present in each country
Most natural sources can be used on a small scale and serve local needs therefore cutting costs of transmitting the energy

Review
Explain why fossil fuels are:
(a) cheap
(b) in limited supply
(c) dirty