17.3. Energy Resources http://www.ck12.org
MEDIA
Click image to the left for use the URL below.
URL: http://www.ck12.org/flx/render/embeddedobject/131611KQED: Geothermal Heats Up
Solar and wind power may get the headlines when it comes to renewable energy. But another type of clean power
is heating up in the hills just north of Sonoma wine country. Geothermal power uses heat from deep inside
the Earth to generate electricity. The Geysers, the world’s largest power-producing geothermal field, has been
providing electricity for roughly 850,000 Northern California households, and is set to expand even further. For
more information on geothermal energy, see http://science.kqed.org/quest/video/geothermal-heats-up/.
MEDIA
Click image to the left for use the URL below.
URL: http://www.ck12.org/flx/render/embeddedobject/116511Energy Use and Conservation
Figure17.22 shows the mix of energy resources used worldwide in 2006. Fossil fuels still provide most of the
world’s energy, with oil being the single most commonly used energy resource. Natural gas is used less than the
other two fossil fuels, but even natural gas is used more than all renewable energy resources combined. Wind, solar,
and geothermal energy contribute the least to global energy use, despite the fact that they are virtually limitless in
supply and nonpolluting.
Energy Use by Nation
People in the richer nations of the world use far more energy, especially energy from fossil fuels, than people in
the poorer nations do.Figure17.23 compares the amounts of oil used by the top ten oil-consuming nations. The
U.S. uses more oil than several other top-ten countries combined. If you also consider the population size in these
countries, the differences are even more stunning. The average person in the U.S. uses a whopping 23 barrels of oil
a year! In comparison, the average person in India or China uses just 1 or 2 barrels a year. Because richer nations
use more fossil fuels, they also cause more air pollution and global warming than poorer nations do.
Conserving Energy
We can reduce our use of energy resources and the pollution they cause by conserving energy.Conservationmeans
saving resources by using them more efficiently or not using them at all. Figure17.24 shows several ways that
people can conserve energy in their daily lives. You can find more energy-saving tips at the URL below. What do
you do to save energy? What else could you do?
http://www.partselect.ca/resources/Home-Energy-Saving-Tips.aspx