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sources for the foreseeable future, a variety of resources will be

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needed to meet the world’s growing demand. All energy sources

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solar have benefits, as well as challenges to produce, deliver, and use on

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energy4me.org

RENEWABLE energy NONRENEWABLE energy

Renewable energy is derived from resources like the sun Nonrenewable resources are energy sources like petroleum, natural
and the wind that can easily be replenished. gas, coal and nuclear energy that take millions of years to form.
They cannot be recreated over a short period of time.

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ur to at m
ye re d o
SOLAR ENERGY

ce f ed e.
PETROLEUM

be rio

s or o
ta m ve
pe

ke . T r
• Nonpolluting

m he a s
PROS

• Efficient transportation fuel for the world

PROS
ill y c ho
• Most abundant energy source available • Basis of many products, from prescription drugs to plastics

io a rt
ns nn
• Systems last 15–30 years • Economical to produce

of ot
• Easy to transport
• High initial investment
CONS

• Dependent on sunny weather • High C02 emissions

CONS
• Supplemental energy may be needed in low sunlight areas • Found in limited areas
• Requires large physical space for PV cell panels • Supply may be exhausted before natural gas/coal resources
• Limited availability of polysilicon for panels • Possible environmental impact from drilling/transporting

WIND POWER NATURAL GAS

• Widely available

PROS
• No emissions
PROS

• Affordable • Cleanest burning fossil fuel

• Little disruption of ecosystems • Often used in combination with other fuels to decrease
• Relatively high output pollution in electricity generation

• Output is proportional to wind speed • Transportation costs are high

CONS
CONS

• Not feasible for all geographic locations • Lack of infrastructure makes gas resources unavailable
•H igh initial investment/ongoing maintenance costs from some areas
• Extensive land use • Burns cleanly, but still has emissions
• Pipelines impact ecosystems

HYDROPOWER COAL
• No emissions
PROS

• Abundant supply
PROS

• Reliable
• Capable of generating large amounts of power • Currently inexpensive to extract
• Output can be regulated to meet demand • Reliable and capable of generating large amounts of power

•E nvironmental impacts by changing the • Emits major greenhouse gases/acid rain
CONS

CONS

environment in the dam area • High environmental impact from mining and burning,
• Hydroelectric dams are expensive to build although cleaner coal-burning technology is being
• Dams may be affected by drought developed
• Potential for floods • Mining can be dangerous for miners

BIOMASS URANIUM
• Abundant supply • No greenhouse gases or C02 emissions
PROS
PROS

• Fewer emissions than fossil fuel sources • Efficient at transforming energy into electricity
• Can be used in diesel engines • Uranium reserves are abundant
•A uto engines easily convert to run on biomass fuel • Refueled yearly (unlike coal plants that need trainloads of
coal every day)
•S  ource must be near usage to cut transportation costs
CONS

• Emits some pollution as gas/liquid waste • Higher capital costs due to safety, emergency, containment,
CONS

• I ncreases nitrogen oxides, an air pollutant emissions radioactive waste, and storage systems
• Uses some fossil fuels in conversion • Problem of long-term storage of radioactive waste
• Heated waste water from nuclear plants harms aquatic life
• Potential nuclear proliferation issue

GEOTHERMAL ENERGY There is global debate if geothermal energy is renewable or nonrenewable.

•M inimal environmental impact • Geothermal fields found in few areas around the world
PROS

CONS

• Power plants have low emissions • Wells could eventually be depleted

• Low cost after initial investment
Energy Sources Renewable or Nonrenewable?
Color these renewable and nonrenewable energy sources. Draw a circle around the renewable energy sources and a square
PRIMARY STUDENTS INTERMEDIATE STUDENTS
around the nonrenewable energy sources.

RENEWABLE ENERGY NONRENEWABLE

ENERGY

Coal

Oil/Petroleum Solar

Natural Gas

Wind Power Nuclear

Biomass

Hydroelectric Geothermal
Power

Hydrogen

The Great Energy Hunt

Energy4me offers factual education
Choose an energy source and create a report answering these questions. SECONDARY STUDENTS
resources on all energy sources.

Oil/Petroleum Solar Energy Nuclear Energy Coal

Our energy professionals connect science
Natural Gas Wind Power Hydroelectric Power to energy in students’ daily lives
Biomass Geothermal Energy Hydrogen
• Classroom presentations
• Science fair judging
• Student mentoring
1) Describe the energy source. (What is it? How does it work?)

2) Is the energy source considered renewable or nonrenewable?

Teachers also benefit from Energy4me programs.
3) What is the history of the energy source?
• Professional development workshops at select
4) Where is the energy source found?
SPE conferences
5) How is the energy source recovered?
• Free downloadable classroom activities
6) How is the energy source stored once it is recovered?
• “Oil and Natural Gas” educational book with
7) How is the energy source used today?
ready-to-go lesson plans
8) Is the energy source “efficient?” (production costs compared to energy production)

9) What are the capital costs or setup costs involved in using the energy source?

10) Are there ongoing operating costs involved when using the energy source?

11) What are the advantages of the energy source?

12) What are the disadvantages of the energy source? (finding, extracting, manufacturing, using)
Presented by
13) What is the economic impact of the energy source?
Society of Petroleum Engineers
14) What is the environmental impact of the energy source?
222 Palisades Creek Dr.
15) Is there a high cost to the consumer in using the energy source?
Richardson, TX 75080 USA
16) Are there any other interesting facts about the energy source? EnergyEd@energy4me.org
17) What is the future of the energy source?

18) What were the sources of your information?