ENERGY SOURCES AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate change refers to longterm shift in global temperature
and weather patterns, primarily caused by human activities
such as energy sources, manufacturing goods, cutting down
forests etc.
Source of energy is a big factor which influences climate
change. As demand for energy aroud the world continues to
grow and soar higher, the source of the energy plays a critical
role in either worsening or combating climate change.
Main source of energy imcludes:
Fossil fuels
Renewable energy source
Nuclear Power
FOSSIL FUELS
Fossil fuel is a primary energy resource that plays a critical role
in our daily activities, including transportation, manufacturing,
electricity production, cooling and heating systems, and many
other uses . Fossil fuels are formed by natural processes, such
as anaerobic decomposition of dead organisms, and the
energy contained originates in ancient photosynthesis . These
fuels formed from the fossilized remains of dead plants are
formed by exposure to heat and pressure in the Earth׳s crust
over millions of years, and the age of the organisms and hence
the resulting fuels is many times older than 650 million years .
Fossil fuels contain high percentages of carbon and include
coal, oil, and natural gas. Some other used derivatives can be
listed as kerosene and propane.
Fossil fuels are formed via natural processes continually;
however, they are generally considered as nonrenewable
resources because they take millions of years to form, and the
known reserves are being depleted much faster than the new
ones being made available. And world energy consumption is
growing.
As it is seen clearly, fossil fuels are closely linked to our lives;
therefore, it is important to figure out their impacts on the
surrounding environment. The burning of fossil fuels produces
around 21.3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year
and natural processes can only absorb part of this release, and
it is estimated that only about half of this amount can be
absorbed by natural processes. Hence, there is a surplus of
10.65 billion tonnes of CO2, which is released to the
atmosphere every year.
It is now a common knowledge that CO2 is a greenhouse gas,
which increases the atmospheric radiative forcing due to
its global warming potential and therefore contributes to global
warming. There is a global trend toward the generation of
more renewable energy to help reduce global greenhouse gas
emissions including the emissions from fossil fuels. Also, the
linkage between energy and water has become clearer
recently. The extraction and processing of fossil fuels require a
large amount of water input, which frequently impacts the
water quality negatively. Aside from cimate impacts, fossil
fuels also cause environmental destruction through air
pollution, oil spills, and mining destruction.
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
Renewable energy, usable energy derived from replenishable
sources such as the Sun (solar energy), wind (wind
power), rivers (hydroelectric power), hot springs (geothermal
energy), tides (tidal power), and biomass (biofuels).
At the beginning of the 21st century, about 80 percent of the
world’s energy supply was derived from fossil fuels such
as coal, petroleum, and natural gas. Fossil fuels are finite
resources; most estimates suggest that the proven reserves of
oil are large enough to meet global demand at least until the
middle of the 21st century. Fossil fuel combustion has a
number of negative environmental consequences.
In contrats, renewable energy sources like solar, wind,
hydroelectric, geothermal, and biomass produce little to no
greenhouse gas emissions. Solar panels and wind turbines
convert natural forces into electricity without poluting the air.
Hydroelectric power uses the flow of water to generate
electricity, while goethermal taps into Earth’s heat.
Renewable Energy has many advantages: It is sustainable,
reduces dependency on imported fuels, and significantly
lowers environmental impact. However, it comes with high
initial cost, weather dependence, and the need for energy
storage solutions. Despite these issues, the rapid development
in technology is making renewables more efficient and
affordable.
NUCLEAR ENEGY
Nuclear energy is the energy in the nucleus, or core, of
an atom. Nuclear energy can be used to create electricity, but
it must first be released from the atom. In the process
of nuclear fission, atoms are split to release that energy.
A nuclear reactor, or power plant, is a series of machines that
can control nuclear fission to produce electricity.
The fuel that nuclear reactors use to produce nuclear
fission is pellets of the element uranium. In a nuclear
reactor, atoms of uranium are forced to break apart. As they
split, the atoms release tiny particles called fission products.
Fission products cause other uranium atoms to split, starting
a chain reaction. The energy released from this chain
reaction creates heat.
The heat created by nuclear fission warms the
reactor's cooling agent. A cooling agent is usually water, but
some nuclear reactors use liquid metal or molten salt.
The cooling agent, heated by nuclear fission, produces steam.
The steam turns turbines, or wheels turned by a
flowing current. The turbines drive generators, or engines that
create electricity.
Nuclear energy produces electricity that can be used to power
homes, schools, businesses, and hospitals.Nuclear power
plants produce renewable, clean energy. They do
not pollute the air or release greenhouse gases. They can be
built in urban or rural areas, and do not radically alter the
environment around them.
The steam powering the turbines and generators is
ultimately recycled. It is cooled down in a separate structure
called a cooling tower. The steam turns back into water and
can be used again to produce more electricity. Excess steam is
simply recycled into the atmosphere, where it does little harm
as clean water vapor.
However, the byproduct of nuclear
energy is radioactive material. Radioactive material is a
collection of unstable atomic nuclei. These nuclei lose their
energy and can affect many materials around them, including
organisms and the environment. Radioactive material can be
extremely toxic, causing burns and increasing the risk
for cancers, blood diseases, and bone decay.
Radioactive waste is what is left over from the operation of
a nuclear reactor. Radioactive waste is mostly protective
clothing worn by workers, tools, and any other material that
have been in contact
with radioactive dust. Radioactive waste is long-lasting.
Materials like clothes and tools can stay radioactive for
thousands of years. The government regulates how these
materials are disposed of so they don't contaminate anything
else.
Compiled By
ABULSALAM MUBARAK OMOBOLAJI 230571074
BABALOLA AYOMIDE 230571076
AIYENUMURO MARVELOUS OLABODE 230571108
AROMIRE HAWWAU EMILOJU
