ENERGY

Where does our energy

come from?
Where does the energy
come from for…?
OR…?
OR…?
OR…?
 ENERGY for the these
things come from –
Energy Resources that are
converted into electricity
 Energy Resources can be
divided into 2 categories:
1. Non-Renewable Resources, e.g. coal or oil
Once used these resources cannot be
used again
2. Renewable Resources, e.g. wind or solar
These resources can be used over and
over again
Non-Renewable Resource,
e.g. COAL
• Coal is formed from dead vegetation that
has been buried in mud for millions of years
• First forming PEAT
• Then the PEAT turns into COAL over time
as more water and air are squeezed out,
due to the weight of more earth building up
on top of it.
 Non-Renewable Resource,
e.g. Oil
• Oil is formed from the remains of plankton
(small plants and animals) that live in the
sea millions of years ago
• Oil is formed when the dead plankton are
covered by mud on the sea floor and slowly
change into oil
• This change happens due to the actions of
heat and microbes
 Non-Renewable Resource,
e.g. Gas
• Natural gas is found underground,
often in the same places as oil
• A mixture of gases make up ‘natural
gas’
• It is mainly made up of methane gas
 Non-Renewable Resource

Have you heard of LIGNITE?

Lignite is sometimes called, ‘Brown Coal’

Basically, lignite formation is half-way
between peat and coal
 Non-Renewable Resource, e.g.
Lignite
Using LIGNITE is a controversial issue in
Northern Ireland:

Should Northern Ireland use its resource of

Lignite, found underground in the Ballymoney
and Lough Neagh areas?
Why is mining Lignite controversial?

• Getting it out of the ground would be by open-cast

mining, which involves changing the landscape
• Mining lignite would cause visual and noise
pollution, as well as, disruption to the local
ecosystem
• To burn lignite in order to generate electricity
would involve building a power station and would
contribute to air pollution
• Pollutants released could affect people’s health
• Impact for the people who live, farm and have
businesses on the land that would be mined
 Why is the term,
FOSSIL FUELS
used for coal, lignite, oil and
gas?
 Renewable Resource,
e.g. Wind
• Wind is freely available
• Turbines are needed to harness this
resource
• Hill-top/exposed areas are good
 Renewable Resource,
e.g. Solar
• There is more sun available in south-facing
locations
• Light and heat from the sun can be used
 Renewable Resource,
e.g. Biomass & Biogas
• Animal and plant waste can be used to
produce energy
• Biogas is gas given off when material
decays
• Wood from sustainable
sources can be used
 Renewable Resource,
e.g. Hydro
• The energy from moving water
in rivers - can have its energy
harnessed
 Renewable Resource,
e.g. Wave & Tidal

• The energy from moving

water at sea – waves and
tidal movement – can be
used
 Where does our energy
come from?
• It comes from different energy
resources
• Some of the resources are known as
non-renewable, e.g. coal
• Others are known as renewable, e.g.
wind