
Man and Energy • Pongthep Suwanwaree, Ph.D. • School of Biology • Institute of Science • Suranaree University of Technology • 18 January 2005
What is the meaning of Energy? • Potential Energy • Kinetic Energy
Energy evolution 1 Late 1700s
Energy evolution 2 1960s Late 1800s 1940s Industrial Revolution
Types of Energy • Nonrenewable • Renewable
1. Crude oil (Petroleum) Proven world oil reserves (billions of barrels) in 1997
Oil drilling 1 Cook Inlet of Southern Alaska
Oil drilling 2 Sahara Desert of Algeria
Advantages of using conventional oil as an energy resource • Ample supply for 42-93 years • Low cost (with huge subsidies) • High net energy yield • Easily transported within and between countries • Low land use
Disadvantages of using conventional oil as an energy resource • Need to find substitute within 50 years • Artificially low price encourages waste and discourages search for alternatives • Air pollution when burned • Releases CO2 when burned • Moderate water pollution
Advantages of using conventional natural gas as an energy resourse • Ample supplies (125 years) • High net energy yield • Low cost (with huge subsidies) • Less air pollution than other fossil fuels • Lower CO2 emissions than other fossil fuels • Moderate environmental impact
Advantages of using conventional natural gas as an energy resource • Easily transported by pipeline • Low land use • Good fuel for fuel cells and gas turbines
Disadvantages of using conventional natural gas as an energy resource • Releases CO2 when burned • Methane (a greenhouse gas) can leak from pipelines • Shipped across ocean as highly explosive LNG • Sometimes burned off and wasted at wells because of low price
3. Coal World coal reserves (billions of tons) in 1997 (antracite+bituminous)