Other Sources of Energy…Renewable Energy Sources

Renewable Energy Source

Is generally define as energy that comes from resources which are continually replenished on a human timescale such as sunlight, wind, and geothermal.

Renewable Energy Source

Renewable energy resource development will result in new jobs for people and less oil to buy from foreign countries.

Continued research has made renewable energy more affordable today than 25 years ago. The cost of wind energy for instance has declined from 40 cents per kilowatt-hour to less than 5 cents.

Renewable Energy Source

Unlike fossil fuels, which dirties the atmosphere, renewable energy has less impact on the environment. Its production may have some drawbacks but they are less compared to that of fossil fuels.

Hydro-Electric Energy

Produced by the force of falling water. Globally, supplies nearly 1/5 of the world’s energy each year.

Generates more electricity worldwide than solar, wind, biomass, and all other renewables combined.

BiomassUsually thought of as garbage. How Biomass works is very simple. Using biomass can help reduce global warming compared to fossil fuel-powered plant.

Now, new ways of using biomass are still being discovered.

GeothermalComes from the heat stored in the Earth’s core.

These natural reservoirs can be found in places where magma has risen near the Earth’s surface.

In some capacity, 20 countries around the world use geothermal energy.

Technology is being developed to expand the use of geothermal energy.

Wind Energy Is the process by which the wind is used to generate mechanical power or electricity.

Wind power has a relatively high output, but only a fraction of its potential is currently used.

Wind energy is growing fast (perhaps 30% per year), but is still at low levels (less than 0.1% of world energy production).

Solar Energy It includes photovoltaic cells (PV) to produce electricity directly from sunlight, which is the faster growing component, and solar collectors to produce heat.

Photovoltaic energy is growing fast (perhaps 30% per year), but is still at low levels (less than 0.01% of world energy production).

It cannot grow to 100% since there are some days (and also many nights) without sunlight.

EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK

From the start of 2007 through the end of 2012, total U.S. private sector employment increased by more than one million jobs, about 1%. Over the same period, the oil and natural gas

industry increased by more than 162,000 jobs, a 40% increase.

Demand for oil and gas workers will depend on the demand for the products and services of the two industries in particular:

Oil and Gas drilling and extractionSupport for mining activities

Oil and gas industry activity also directly supports output and employment in other domestic sectors.

However, new production technologies are expected to dampen overall demand for oil and gas workers.

Thanks!!!

Drilling Involves any employment related to the spudding and drilling of wells.

Accounted for more than 90,000 jobs by the end of 2012, an increase of 6,600 jobs since 2007.

Extraction Includes establishments primarily engaged in operating, developing, and producing oil and natural gas fields, including exploration and all production work up to the point of shipment from the producing property.

Employment in the extraction category numbered more than 193,000 jobs by the end of 2012 - 53,000 more jobs than in 2007.

Support Involves performing supporting activities for oil and natural gas operations, including exploration, excavation, well surveying, casing work, and well construction.

Is the largest oil and gas industry category, and employed more than 286,000 people by the end of 2012, up more than 102,000 jobs from 2007.