enewable Energy Resources

Fossil Fuels
& Nuclear
 Arctic
Ocean
Prudhoe Bay
Beaufort
Coal
Sea
ALASKA Gas
Trans Alaska Arctic National
oil pipeline Wildlife Refuge
Prince Oil
William Sound
High potential
Valdez areas
Gulf of
Alaska

CANADA

Pacific
Grand
Ocean UNITED STATES Banks

Atlantic
Ocean

MEXICO
ossil Fuels
mbustion of a fossil fuel will always produce at least CO 2 and
 Coal

* the dirtiest fossil fuel

* Contain impurities
such as
sulfur and mercury
* When burned, SO2 and particulates (soot) are released
causing air
pollution and respiratory problems
* SO2 combines with rain to produce H2SO4 (sulfuric
acid) which is
the primary component of acid deposition
 * Coal power plants in
the eastern U.S. get
most of their coal from
W.V., Pa, and Ky

* This coal is very

high in sulfur content
more problems with
air pollution & acid
* Coal power plants use wet
deposition
scrubbers to lessen SO2
emissions and Electrostatic
precipitators to lower
 * NC gets most of its coal from
W.V. & Ky
Roxboro
Petroleum (crude oil)

* Contain impurities
such as sulfur,
nitrogen & oxygen

* Once crude
oil has been
drilled,
pipelines take it
to a refinery.
* At the refinery,
fractional distillation
separates the crude oil
into usable components.
 Natural gas

the cleanest fossil fuel

* Mostly methane (CH4)

* Contains the fewest

impurities of all fossil
fuels
* Often found with oil

* Hydraulic fracturing AKA fracking has

become an increasingly more common way
to access reserves
 Nuclear

* Used only for electricity

* Uses neutrons to split

uranium or plutonium atoms,
usually U-235.
* This begins a controlled
fission chain reaction that
heats water
Nuclear accidents

* Three mile island - PA

March 1979
* Partial meltdown
of reactor #2

* Reactor #1 is still
operational
Chernobyl, Ukraine (formerly USSR)
April 1986
* Complete meltdown of reactor
#4
* Fukushima, Japan
March 2011