Unit 7- Canada's Energy Resources

We are energy addicts!We are among the biggest users of energy per person in the entire world

How do we use energy?Warming and cooling our homesCooking, bathing, cleaning, entertainmentTransportation, communication,

manufacturing…even when we sleep!(think of as many ways as possible we use

energy; class discussion)

How much energy do we use?We use the equivalent amount of energy as

can be produced by 10000 KG of oil, per person, per year!

One of the reasons we are among the greatest energy consumers in the world is for heating our homes and running our industries

As our standard of living increases, so does our use of energy

Each time we use more energy, we are having a greater impact on the world in which we live

What are our sources of Energy?Canada is blessed with many more resources

than we need!We have abundant sources of Oil, Natural

Gas , Coal, and Hydro power, along with Nuclear Energy sources

We have so much energy, much of our wealth comes from selling our energy resources to other countries

We are the envy of much of the world for our abundant energy supplies

Coal EnergyWe have an abundance of coal..it is still used

to power our largest energy plantsCoal is burned in these plants to produce

electricityCoke – a substance made from coal – is used

in the smelting of steelMuch of this resource is shipped to Asia

because of its ability to produce large amounts of energy per tonne

Types of Coal miningOpen pit mining – coal is simply dug off the

surface of the earthStrip mining – this removes coal that is in the

ground in horizontal layersUnderground mining – shafts and tunnels are

used to gain access to coal deep underground(see diagram, pg. 315)

Problems with coalCoal is becoming less popular because of the

pollution it createsCoal releases much more carbon than either

oil or gasThis huge amount of additional carbon

increases the amount of greenhouse gasses in the air

Coal also contributes to acid rain and smog

Oil EnergyOil is found throughout the lower layers of

the earth's crustOil is in every aspect of our lives…from

making the products we use to powering the machinery that grows the food we eat

Almost all industry would stop without oil!Oil is like coal – it is non-renewable – once it

is all gone, we cannot make more

Natural Gas EnergyNatural gas is found just under a non-porous

rock called caprock.It is usually found above oil and is extracted

first – used in some home heating, some power plants and some cars

It is transported by pipeline because it is unstable and highly explosive

It is fairly inexpensive, produces less greenhouse gas than coal or oil, and produces less carbon dioxide

Hydroelectric EnergyHydroelectric energy powers most of our

homes and many of our industriesLarge rivers are dammed and water is run

through a turbine, producing electricityCanada has more hydroelectric power than

any country in the worldAlthough it does not produce greenhouse

gasses, it floods large areas of land, destroying habitat for animals and plant life

Nuclear EnergyWe thought we had solved our problems

solved with this type of energyIt produces no smog, no greenhouse gasses

or any other type or air pollutionThe fuel used to make this energy is called

uranium…which is cheap and abundantBut, construction costs are very high; plants

become obsolete and are expensive to dismantle

Fuel rods heat water to turn it into steam to power the turbines

Nuclear Energy (continued)These fuel rods contain radioactive radium,

and must be stored in water on site when they are depleted – these rods are potentially very dangerous if exposed to the air

Any accident could have disastrous results for all life on earth if these roads are exposed in any way

There have been so many safety measures put in place that now this energy is very expensive to produce

Canadian Energy resources and the worldWe sell much of our excess energy to the

United StatesThis is very profitable for us, but they are our

biggest customer - if they stop or slow their buying, our energy sector suffers, which hurts our economy

Energy is big in the politics of the countryMany provinces have excess energy, many

have noneSome provinces are not anxious to share

their energy wealth with others

Why temperatures are risingWe can all agree the Earth ‘s temperature is

risingThe huge debate comes down to what you

believe is the causeGlobal warming refers to the gradual

increase of the earths temperature as a whole Many believe the burning of fossil fuels is

causing global warming Others believe it is the result of natural

processes

Climate ChangeClimate change includes the warming of the earth, but

also includes cooling in some parts of the world and changes in precipitation amounts and wind intensity

The entire Earth is a Carbon-Oxygen CycleThis is simply the movement of carbon and oxygen

throughout the earths’ systemsSimply put…some organisms use the carbon dioxide

we breath out, while we used the oxygen produced by plants as we breath in

As we remove the oxygen producing plant life, we increase the carbon dioxide on the earth and decrease the amount of oxygen available to us

Effects of interrupting the cycleOur human activities, such as burning

forests, coal, oil and natural gas adds more carbon dioxide to different parts of the system; this adds more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere than plants and oceans can remove

This leads to an increase in the Greenhouse Effect

This is the process or effect where these extra gases in the atmosphere absorb heat and spread it around the earth

The gases involved are Carbon Dioxide (55%), Methane (15%), Nitrous Oxides (6%), and CFC’s (24%)

Wind Power & other sourcesWe have had wind power for centuries – using it

to power pumps to pump water, or as power for sails to move shipping.

The big issue with wind power is storing excess power , and what to do when winds are lower

In addition, wind power is expensive to set up at the beginning

We also have Geothermal power – which is heat from under the Earth

We also have Biogas power, Ethanol Power, Hydrogen fuel cells and Tidal power

Making a DifferenceWhat can governments do to reduce the

output of greenhouse gases?What can we do as individuals? As a school?

As a province?(discussion here of how we can reduce

greenhouse gases)

Greenhouse EffectThese gases and the atmosphere are like a thick

quilt on a bed, spreading heat throughout the earthWe need the greenhouse effect to

survive….surprising right? The greenhouse effect keeps us warm and sustains

life…but by adding more and more gases, we are making the earth too warm, as these gases trap more and more heat

What causes these gases?…we do! Almost every activity we do increases the amount of greenhouse gas

Consequences of Global WarmingWhy should you care? We live in a cold climate,

bring on the heat …right?Not so fast….any change like this over a short

period of time disrupts natural and human systemsEffects of Global Warming:Sea ice melts faster, removing habitats for many

animals such as polar bears, seals, other animals and some fish

Northern permafrost disappears, damaging human structures and releasing more greenhouse gases, increasing the greenhouse effect

Global Warming (Continued)In our region, we can expect more storms,

both in frequency and severityWe can expect increased precipitation, and

mosquitoes and black flies will exist in increasing numbers, possibly leading to more diseases, such as West Nile virus

Sea levels will also rise, causing more coastal erosion and disruptions of coastal structures such as wharves and shipping termin

Alternative EnergySolar powerAll of our energy ultimately comes from the sun,

but we do not harness its true power for our energy needs

We have used Passive Solar power for thousands of years - heat from the sun comes in through our windows as an example.

We need to use Active Solar Power -this is the use of solar panels to heat water that runs through tubes on the roof of a building

There are also Photovoltaic cells – these convert sunlight directly into electricity.