General Outcome D1 - Students will explain the need for balancing the growth in global energy develop while maintaining a viable biosphere.

Students will:
30–D1.1k compare the energy consumption of contemporary society with that of traditional cultures and precontact Aboriginal societies, and investigate and analyze the exponential growth of global energy consumption in recent history
30–D1.2k compare Canada’s per-capita energy consumption with developed and developing countries and identify factors that affect consumption; e.g., economy, lifestyle, level of technology, geography, climate
30–D1.3k apply the concept of sustainable development to increasing the efficient use of energy; e.g., efficient use of energy in the home, in industry and in transportation
30–D1.4k explain the need to develop technologies that use renewable and nonrenewable energy sources to meet the increasing global demand
30–D1.5k describe the environmental impact of developing and using various energy sources; i.e., conventional oil, oil sands, solar power, wind power, biomass, hydroelectricity, coal burning power, nuclear power, geothermal
30–D1.6k describe how the Aboriginal perspective of an interconnected environment demonstrates the need to balance resource extraction with environmental impact.

2.1 Describing Sustainability

Evaluating Energy Technologies for Sustainability

The overall sustainability of an energy source is determined by examining its

• ecological sustainability
• societal sustainability
• economic sustainability

Ecological sustainability

• Does not harm the environment by taking anything faster than it can reproduce.
• Does not leave or emit anything faster than the environment can safely absorb.

Societal sustainability

• Protects the local citizens health and jobs.
• Supported by the citizens in the area

Economic sustainability

• Employs and pays local citizens.
• Contributes to the local GDP.
• Provides useable economic energy.

Generating Power

Earth’s Heat—Geothermal Energy

• Water is pumped deep underground where the earth heats the water and hot water comes back up. The hot water powers a generator for electricity.
• Think Jasper hot springs.
• Iceland is famous for its geothermal energy.

Tidal Energy

• Oceans are large enough bodies of water that they experience large tidal movement.
• Generators placed in the water can be powered by tidal flow.
• Oceans a salty, corrosive and forceful which makes them a tough place to put machinery.
• Many coastal countries are looking at tidal or river based power systems. There are a lot of engineering hurdles as the ocean’s water movement can produce huge forces during storms, hurricanes, cyclones, etc… that then to rip underwater power plants apart on a regular basis. However, the ocean’s water movement contains ridiculously huge amounts of energy if we can harness it safely.

2.2 The Many Forms of Solar Energy

Passive Solar Energy

• he south side of a building gets direct sun. By placing lots of windows on the south side of a building, lots of sunlight and energy can come in during the winter. An overhang can shade the windows during the summer.
• These features must be designed when building the structure.

Active Solar Energy Technologies

• Solar panels can produce electricity (photovoltaic) or heat water.
• These can be built into an existing structure.

Earth Energy Systems

• These use shallow pipes for heating in the winter and cooling in the summer.
• They can also use bodies of water (lakes, ponds).
• This is the surface (shallow) geothermal systems mentioned earlier.
• Lots of places boast about net zero houses but many of them aren’t in very cold locations. However, with a little effort it is possible to build net zero houses even in Edmonton.
• Building codes are slowly changing making more of these features mandatory.

Hydroelectric Power

• Hydroelectric dams can produce huge amounts of energy, but they often flood a large area and affect river water levels.
• The great part is they provide lots of clean energy for decades.

Wind Energy

• Wind turbines work well in the prairies in southern Alberta. The mountains and passes funnel the wind and cause consistent wind patterns around Pincher Creek.
• Very large turbines are also being used in oceans in coastal areas.

Biomass

• This is burning organic material (wood, leaves, frying oil).
• Due to concerns about CO2 this is losing popularity.
• There is a biomass power plant North of Whitecourt near the pulp mill.

Landfill Natural Gas

• As organic materials decay in a landfill they release methane. It can be collected and used for power generation.
• This is using decomposing buried trash to generate electrical power, or natural gas to heat homes.

Hydrogen—Fuel of the Future?

• Hydrogen gas is a good fuel because it can be made from water, it works in internal combustion engines.
• The west coast of Canada, USA and Mexico have installed hydrogen fuelling stations.
  2 H₂O (l) → 2 H₂ (g) + O₂ (g)
• The big question is where do you get the energy to break apart the water to form hydrogen?
• A hydrogen cars manufacturer has proposed a solar panel electrolysis system that uses solar energy to break apart water to form hydrogen gas in a tank outside your home. Once you get home you simply refuel your vehicle and you are running your car on water and sunlight.

Chapter 2 Summary

Chapter 2 Review Questions

Unit D Conclusion

Unit D Review Questions