Summary sheet 1: Coal, crude oil, natural gas and coal seam gas

Coal Crude oil Natural gas & Coal seam gas

Origin and • Combined effects of pressure, temp, moisture and bacterial • Formed from decaying marine • Natural gas is mainly composed of methane,
composition decay on primitive animals and plants over millions of plant/animal material over time CH4 and small amounts of ethane/propane
years. • ‘unprocessed oil’ which is a black, (converted into LPG) , H20, H2 S, N , CO2
• CSG is natural gas adsorbed onto coal surface
• Chemical energy in coal can be considered as trapped solar sticky substance
deep in the earth and composed mostly of
energy. • mixture of hydrocarbon molecules- methane, CH4 and some water
• Composed primarily of carbon: mainly alkanes
C (50-98%), H (3-13%), O , N, S and moisture C1 to C70 (, liquefied petroleum gas or
Black coal : C (90%) LPG- short chain hydrocarbons ,
Brown coal: C (70%), presence of moisture (30-70%) reduces petrodiesel- long-chain hydrocarbons )
efficiency of fuel.
Extraction • Surface (open-cut) and /or deep surface(underground) mining • Drilling to extract oil followed by fractional • Drilling causes the natural gas to flow to
distillation (separates oil into fractions) and surface
cracking (reduces length of hydrocarbon • Fracking is used to fracture the coal deposit in
chain) order to release the trapped methane gas

Energy content • Black coal: ~32,000 kJ kg-1 (or 32 kJ g-1) • Petrol (octane): 47, 800 kJ kg-1 (47.8 kJ g-1) • Methane gas:
and use (contains the least water and highest % C and is a better fuel than 2 C8H18 (l) + 25 O2(g) → 16CO2(g) 55,600 kJ kg-1 (55.6 kJg-1)
brown or peat) + 18H2O(l) • Combustion reaction:
• Brown coal: 30,000 kJ kg-1 and Coke: 32,000 kJ kg-1 • Energy efficiency of petrol engine is 25% CH4(g) + 2O2(g) → CO2(g) + 2H2O(g)
• Predominately used as energy source in the production of • LPG (propane): • Electricity production by a gas-fired plant is
electricity via combustion reaction: 50,500 kJ kg-1 ( 50.5 kJ g-1) over 40 % efficient
C(s) + O2(g) → CO2(g) C3H8 (g) + 5O2(g) → 3CO2(g) + 4H2O(l) • Heating, cooking and production of low
• Coal-fired power station is 30-40% efficient at converting chemical • Transport fuels, heating and polymer molecular weight alkanes
energy into electricity (50% lost as heat in steam) industry • higher energy content than coal
• high energy content • highest energy content

Environmental impacts
• Pollution, emission of greenhouse gases (CO2) contribute to
enhanced greenhouse effect.
• Sulfur and nitrogen react with O2 to form SO2 and NO2 (contribute
to acid rain)
• Extraction (open- cut or underground mines) disturbs ecosystems
• Needs to be transported over large distances
• emission of greenhouse gases (CO2)
contribute to enhanced greenhouse effect.
• SO2 pollution,
• Extraction disturbs ecosystems
• Explosion or spill can be significant
• , needs to be transported over large
distances
• emission of greenhouse gases (CO2) contribute
to enhanced greenhouse effect.
• Extraction disturbs ecosystems
• Can be explosive at certain temperatures
• Needs to be transported over large distances
• Non-renewable
Summary sheet 2: Renewable fuel types
Biogas/Methane
Origin • Formed from the rotting of animal waste or organic
material under anaerobic (without oxygen) conditions
with help from bacteria
• Mainly a gaseous mixture of methane and carbon
dioxide
• A digester is used to produce the biogas. It is a large
tank filled with bacteria that ‘digest’ the molecules in
waste.
Uses • For generating electricity in farms and homes and
heating
• Combustion reaction:
CH4(g) + 2O2(g) → CO2(g) + 2H2O(g)
E.g. Werribee Sewage Plant
Energy content • 10,000- 15,000 kJ kg-1 (10-15 kJ g-1)
(lower energy content than (Lower energy content compared to natural gas because the
methane content is lower-at 60%)
fossil fuels)
Environmental impacts • Supply of waste raw materials limited
• Better to collect methane in biogas and combust it to
make carbon dioxide than release it directly into
atmosphere as methane is a more effective greenhouse
gas.
Bioethanol
• Starches and sugars from plant material such as sugar
cane, grain crops (barley and wheat) are converted to
ethanol
• Fermentation reaction (anaerobic process) involving
enzymes from yeast:
enzymes
C6H12O6 (aq) → 2CH3CH2OH(aq) + 2CO2(g)
glucose ethanol
• Transport fuel (as a petrol blend E10) but causes
greater engine wear than petrol
• 29, 700 kJ kg-1 (29.7 kJg-1)
• Requires use of farmland otherwise used for food
production (increase in food prices)
• Intensive farming can lead to land degradation and
erosion
• High water usage to maintain crops
Biodiesel
• Mixture of organic compounds called alkyl
esters
• Produced by chemical reaction called
‘transesterification’ between vegetable oils
(e.g. canola, soya bean, sunflower) or animal
fats with an alcohol such as methanol
• Transport fuel for large vehicles
• 41, 000 kJ kg-1 (41 kJ g-1)
• Requires use of farmland otherwise used
for food production (increase in food prices)
• Intensive farming can lead to land
degradation and erosion
• High water usage to maintain crops
Summary sheet 3: Fossil fuels vs Biofuels
FOSSIL FUELS
Energy content • Higher energy content than biofuels
Renewability • Non- renewable-form over millions of years
(Despite Australia’s large reserves of coal and
natural gas, likelihood of new reserves cannot be
considered)
Environmental impacts • Air pollution
• Contribute large amounts of greenhouse gas
emissions such as CO2 , SO2 (and NO/NO2)
• Land degradation and erosion due to extensive
drilling
BIOFUELS
• Lower energy content than fossil fuels
• Renewable- can be formed over a short period
of time
• Leave a smaller ‘carbon footprint’
(CO2 is absorbed during the growth of the crops
used in their production but not entirely carbon
neutral)
• Land degradation caused by clearing of
bushland and forests for farmland to grow
crops (which impacts on farmland for food )
• High water usage to grow crops