Drawbacks of Energy Sources Used in Alberta

What are the drawbacks to the energy sources used in power plants?


C11.4 aerial view of pit mining project in Alberta’s oilsands near Fort McMurray
It is equally important to consider the drawbacks when evaluating energy sources for use in Alberta power plants. Wise energy use must involve consideration of environmental impacts.

Energy Source
Drawbacks
Coal
  • It contributes to the enhanced greenhouse effect and releases CO2(g) when combusted.
  • It is non-renewable, so it is not sustainable and supplies will be depleted.
  • It contributes to environmental effects such as acid deposition and thermal pollution.
Natural Gas
  • It contributes to the enhanced greenhouse effect and releases CO2(g) when combusted, though less than coal.
  • It is non-renewable, so it is not sustainable and supplies will be depleted.
  • It contributes to environmental effects such as acid deposition and thermal pollution.
Biomass
  • It is quite an expensive process due to the cost of gathering and transporting the biomass to the power plants.
  • The land area needed for biomass power plants is very large.
Biogas
  • When combusted, some of the products are corrosive to metal machine components.
  • Since it is combusted, it still adds to the greenhouse effect and thermal pollution.
  • It is expensive when used on a large industrial scale.
Waste Heat Recovery
  • It is quite an expensive process and equipment is large.
  • Waste heat is often not very warm, so a large amount is needed to make it an effective energy source
Hydroelectricity
  • It cannot produce the quantities of energy that fossil fuels can.
  • It is dependent upon the weather for its source of power (precipitation).
  • It can only be used where there is a large amount of water to be harnessed.
Wind
  • The best wind sites are often located in remote locations, far from where electricity is needed.
  • It can only be used in areas of high wind.
  • Turbines cause noise and visual pollution.
  • Poorly-placed wind turbines can be dangerous to birds and bats.

  Digging Deeper

©Wikimedia Commons
C11.5 hoary bat

Wind turbines in Alberta have affected certain bat species. The fall migration paths of hoary and silver-haired bats have led to high fatality rates. Fatalities vary from site to site, but increased fatality have been associated with taller wind turbines.

Both species are currently listed as “sensitive” as of 2005 – they make up more than 80% of all the bats killed by wind turbines in North America.



  Read This

Please read pages 221 to 223, and 225 to 227 in your Science 10 textbook. Make sure you take notes on your readings to study from later. You should focus on the different energy sources used in power generation, with a specific focus on drawbacks and the province of Alberta. Remember, if you have any questions, or do not understand something, ask your teacher!

  Practice Questions

Complete the following practice questions to check your understanding of the concept you just learned. Make sure you write complete answers to the practice questions in your notes. After you have checked your answers, make corrections to your responses (where necessary) to study from.

  1. Why must a balance between the pros and cons be considered when evaluating an energy source for power generation? Explain.

    Your answer should be a variation of the following. Each energy source has strong positives and drawbacks. When evaluating an energy source for power generation, not just one or two positive factors can be considered while ignoring strong negative factors. We need to find a balance between our energy demands and saving the environment for future generations.