Energy Resources Advantages / Disadvantages
Rewrite this information in a T chart on a separate paper.
Study your chart for use in your debate, your energy plan, and the energy resource
test.
NATURAL GAS - Fossil Fuel
Advantages
• Burns clean compared to oil (less polluting)
• 70% less carbon dioxide compared to other fossil fuels
• inexpensive compared to coal
Disadvantages
• nonrenewable source
• finite resource trapped in the earth (we will run out)
WATER POWER
Advantages
• Expands irrigation
• Easier
• It is cheaper
Disadvantages
• Disrupts ecosystems/environment
• Can kill fish
• Dam building is very costly
• People have to relocate
PETROLEUM / OIL - Fossil Fuel
Advantages
• Oil is one of the most abundant energy resources
• Easy to transport and use
• Oil has high heating value
• Relatively inexpensive
Disadvantages
• Oil burning leads to carbon emissions / pollutes the air
• Finite resources (will run out) / nonrenewable
• Oil drilling endangers the environment and ecosystesm
• Oil transportation (by ship) can lead to spills, causing environmental damage
• The world consumes more than 65 billion barrels of petroleum each day.
• Fossil fuels such as oil take billions of years to form.
NUCLEAR POWER
Advantages
• Clean power with no air pollution
• Low cost power for today’s consumption
• Creates a high amount of energy using a small amount of uranium
Disadvantages
• Potential of high risk disaster from explosions (Chernobyl)
• Waste produced is radioactive - nowhere to put it
• Nonrenewable
WIND POWER
Advantages
• Continuous sources of energy/ renewable
• Clean source of energy / no emissions into the atmosphere
• Economical
Disadvantages
• For most locations there is not always wind
• Can be noisy
• Uses a lot of land
COAL - Fossil Fuel
Advantages
• One of the most abundant energy sources
• Inexpensive compared to other energy sources
• Reduces dependence on foreign oil
Disadvantages
• Source of pollution: emits waste into the air
• Coal mining destroys the landscape
• Physical transport is difficult
• Not renewable in this millennium
SOLAR
Advantages
• Infinite amount - renewable
• Does not produce pollution
Disadvantages
• Can be expensive
• Needs to be in sunny areas