Geography 1500F/G Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Solar Water Heating, Liquid Fuel, Small Hydro
14 Nov 2016
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1500f: lecture 14: november 2nd: energy systems part 2: energy and society. Finish our quick tour of energy sources, their advantages and drawbacks. Discuss energy justice as a framework for thinking about fairness in energy decisions. Most hydro power linked to large dams. Challenges: reservoir displaces people, changes ecology and livelihoods, releases emissions (methane from decomposing underwater vegetation) Small hydro, run of river projects also available. Easy to adjust amount of power produced. Challenges: high ghg emissions; many countries and provinces phasing it out. Siting controversies: community resistance to projects. Solar water heating: substitutes for electricity or gas. Small solar panels can provide decentralized energy. Challenge: intermittent, only practical in some places. Producing solar panels = toxic chemicals involved in creation. Mobile engines not very flexible in terms of fuel sources. Some electric cars, trams, trains but trucks, marine shipping and aircraft not renewable. Crude oil is refined into many gasoline, diesel, kerosene, more.
