1. Nonrenewable Energy Resources
G. Tyler Miller’s
Living in the Environment
14th Edition
Chapter 17

2. Key Concepts Available energy alternatives Oil resources
Natural gas resources
Coal resources
Nuclear fission and fusion

3. Evaluating Energy Resources
Renewable energy
Non-renewable energy
Future availability
Net energy yield
Costs
Environmental effects
Fig. 17-3b p. 352

4. Important Nonrenewable Energy Sources
Fig p. 351

5. North American Energy Resources
Fig p. 357

6. Oil Petroleum (crude oil) Recovery Petrochemicals Refining
Transporting
Fig p. 356

7. Conventional Oil: Advantages
Relatively low cost
High net energy yield
Efficient distribution system
Refer to Fig p. 360

8. Conventional Oil: Disadvantages
Running out
Low prices encourage waste
Air pollution and Greenhouse gases
Water pollution
Refer to Fig p. 360

9. Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Controversy: Trade-offs
Would create jobs
Oil resources are uncertain
Uncertain environmental impacts
Drilling controversies
Refer to Fig p. 360

10. Oil Shale and Tar Sands Oil shale Tar sand Bitumen Kerogen
Fig p. 362

11. Natural Gas 50-90% methane Conventional gas Unconventional gas
Methane hydrate
Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)
Liquefied natural gas (LNG)
Approximate 200 year supply
Fig p. 363

12. Coal Stages of coal formation Primarily strip-mined
Used mostly for generating electricity
Enough coal for about 1000 years
High environmental impact
Coal gasification and liquefaction

13. Coal Formation and Types
Fig p. 364

14. Coal: Trade-offs
Fig p. 365

15. Synthetic Fuels: Trade-offs
Fig p. 365

16. Nuclear Energy Fission reactors Uranium-235 Potentially dangerous
Radioactive wastes
Refer to Introductory Essay p. 350
Fig p. 367

17. Locations of U.S. Nuclear Power Plants
Fig p. 369

18. The Nuclear Fuel Cycle
Fig p. 368

19. Conventional Nuclear Power: Trade-offs
Fig p. 370

20. Serious Nuclear Accidents
Three Mile Island (1979)
Chernobyl (1986): p. 350

21. Dealing with Nuclear Waste
High- and low-level wastes
Terrorist threats
Underground burial
Disposal in space
Burial in ice sheets
Dumping into subduction zones
Burial in ocean mud
Conversion into harmless materials

22. Yucca Mountain Controversy
Wastes stored and guarded in one place
Possible long-term groundwater contamination
Security and safety concerns during waste transport to the site
Refer to Fig p. 374

23. Permanent Underground Disposal of Nuclear Wastes
Storage Containers
Fuel rod
Primary canister
Ground Level
Overpack
container
sealed
Unloaded from train
Personnel
elevator
Air shaft
Nuclear waste
shaft
Underground
Buried and capped
Lowered down shaft
Fig p. 373

24. Nuclear Alternatives New reactor designs
Breeder nuclear fission reactors
Nuclear fusion