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 Electricity and the |
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Power ScorecardTM
sponsored by: Environmental Defense The Izaak Walton League Natural Resources Defense Council The NW Energy Coalition Pace University Energy and Climate Center The Union of Concerned Scientists Also endorsed by: American Rivers |
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| Electricity from: | |
| Oil | |
Oil is the largest source of energy in the United States, providing close to 40 percent of all of the nation's entire power needs. Though most oil is used for transportation or home heating purposes, a small percentage is still used as a fuel for electricity generating plants.
Oil sits in deep underground reservoirs. Like other fossil fuels, this liquid is the end-product of millions of years of decomposition of organic materials. Since the ultimate amount of oil is finite -- and cannot be replenished once it is extracted and burned - it cannot be considered a renewable resource. Once extracted, oil can be refined into a number of fuel products -- gasoline, kerosene, liquefied petroleum gas (such as propane), distillates (diesel and jet fuels) and "residuals" that include industrial and electricity fuels.
Three technologies are
used to convert oil into electricity:
Burning oil to generate electricity produces significant air pollution
in the forms of nitrogen oxides, and, depending on the sulfur content
of the oil, sulfur dioxide and particulates. Carbon dioxide and methane
(as well as other greenhouse gases), heavy metals such as mercury, and
volatile organic compounds (which contribute to ground-level ozone) all
can come out of the smoke stack of an oil-burning power plant.
The operation of oil-fired power plants also impacts water, land use
and solid waste disposal. Similar to the operations of other conventional
steam technologies, oil-fired conventional steam plants require large
amounts of water for steam and cooling, and can negatively impact local
water resources and aquatic habitats. Sludges and oil residues that are
not consumed during combustion became a sold waste burden and contain
toxic and hazardous wastes.
Drilling also produces a long list of air pollutants, toxic and hazardous
materials, and emissions of hydrogen sulfide, a highly flammable and toxic
gas. All of these emissions can impact the health and safety of workers
and wildlife. Loss of huge stretches of wildlife habitat also occur during
drilling. Refineries, too, spew pollution into the air, water and land
(in the form of hazardous wastes). Oil transportation accidents can result
in catastrophic damage killing thousands of fish, birds, other wildlife,
plants and soil.
What are the environmental impacts?
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©2000
Pace University, White Plains, New York Design ©2000 Baseline Institute, Lafayette, Colorado |
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