Energy:  Sources and Impacts

Withgott and Brennan: Ch. 13 (nonrenewable fuels), Ch. 14 (renewable fuels; omit sections on geothermal and ocean energy)

Objectives: Students should be able to

1. describe how fossil fuels are formed and harvested
2. discuss the uses and limitations of each of the fuel sources (nonrenewable and renewable)
3. discuss the future of each of the fuel sources
4. describe the environmental and societal impacts of each of the fuel sources
5. discuss pros and cons of each of the energy sources
6. describe the issues involved with the central cases:  Alaska's North Slope and Iceland's energy supply direction

ENERGY

NONRENEWABLE FUELS (oil, natural gas, coal, nuclear)

• Central case:  Oil or Wilderness on Alaska's North Slope

• How are fossil fuels formed and harvested?  What are their future?

• How are nonrenewable fuels used?

• Environmental and societal impacts

• Pros and cons of using these energy sources

RENEWABLE FUELS (biomass, hydroelectric, solar, wind, hydrogen)

• Central case:  Iceland's Move toward a Hydrogen Economy

• How is each of these energy sources used and what are the limitations?

• What are the current and future "supplies" like for each of these sources?

• Environmental and societal impacts

• Pros and cons of using these energy sources