Download Carbon dioxide production from burning fossil fuels

Carbon, Climate, & Energy Resources
Unit 4
Carbon Dioxide Production from
Burning Fossil Fuels
Pamela J. W. Gore, unit author
What happens when fossil fuels
(like natural gas) burn?
Carbon dioxide is produced
CH4 (methane gas) + 2O2 (gas) 
CO2(gas) + 2H2O(liquid) + Energy (joules)
Burning fossil fuels is one of the largest sources
of CO2, a greenhouse gas associated with global
warming and climate change.
U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions (2012)
Nitrous oxide,
Fluorinated
6%
gases, CFCs,
3%
Methane,
9%
Carbon
dioxide,
82%
Total Emissions in 2012 = 6,526 Million Metric Tons of CO2 equivalent
U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions
(by Economic Sector)
Agriculture
10%
Commercial
and
Residential
10%
Electricity
generation
32%
Industry
20%
Transportation
28%
Greenhouse gases are associated with global warming
and climate change.
Sources of Carbon Dioxide
• The major sources of CO2 emissions are electricity
generation and transportation.
• Coal is the major fossil fuel used to generate electricity
in the United States. The major use of coal is
electricity generation.
• There are about 560 coal-fired power plants in the
United States.
• Worldwide about 50,000 power plants produce CO2.
• Burning coal and hydrocarbons are the largest sources
of CO2 emissions.
Byproducts of Coal Burning
Carbon and other elements combine with oxygen and
are moved from the geosphere to the atmosphere.
• Carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas, causes global
warming).
• Sulfur dioxide (causes acid rain).
• Nitrogen oxide (causes smog).
• Carbon monoxide (poisonous gas, contributes to
global warming).
• Small particles of toxic heavy metals.
Fossil fuel
Which fossil
fuels have the
highest CO2
emissions?
Lignite
Sub-bituminous coal
Bituminous coal
Anthracite coal
Diesel fuel and
heating oil
Gasoline
Propane
Natural gas
(methane)
Weight of CO2 (pounds)
emitted per million BTU
of energy
215.4 lb
214.3 lb
205.7 lb
228.6 lb
161.3
157.2
139.0
117.0
Fossil fuel
Which fossil
fuels have the
lowest CO2
emissions?
Lignite
Sub-bituminous coal
Bituminous coal
Anthracite coal
Diesel fuel and
heating oil
Gasoline
Propane
Natural gas
(methane)
Weight of CO2 (pounds)
emitted per million BTU
of energy
215.4 lb
214.3 lb
205.7 lb
228.6 lb
161.3
157.2
139.0
117.0
U.S. Energy Use and CO2 Emissions
Burning petroleum products (gasoline, etc.) is
the largest contributor to CO2 emissions
Energy Use and Carbon Dioxide
Emissions in the United States
Fossil fuel
Energy used (%)
Carbon dioxide
emissions (%)
Petroleum
Natural Gas
Coal
35%
28%
18%
42%
27%
32%
• Which fossil fuel produces the highest percentage
of CO2 emissions?
• Which fossil fuel produces the lowest percentage
of CO2 emissions?
The use of coal has decreased in the
United States since 2008 – Why?
• New environmental regulations make it more costly
to operate some coal plants.
• Some electric power producers have switched to
more competitively priced natural gas.
• Slow growth in electricity demand.
• Increased use of renewable energy technologies.
Why don’t we use more natural gas for
electricity generation, since it has lower
CO2 emissions?
• In the past, the cost of natural gas was higher
than coal.
• In recent years the price of natural gas has
dropped.
• As a result, there has been a surge in natural gas
production from U.S. shale deposits by fracking.
Sources of U.S. electricity generation
What are some alternatives to fossil fuels?
Review Questions
1. What is the primary greenhouse gas emitted in
the United States through human activities?
2. What are the major sources of CO2 emitted in the
United States, by economic sector ?
3. What are the major byproducts of the burning of
coal?
4. Which fossil fuel has the highest CO2 emissions?
5. Which fossil fuel has the lowest CO2
emissions?
Review Questions
5. Which fossil fuels are the major sources of
electricity generation?
6. Why has coal use declined in recent years?
7. Which fossil fuel is the largest contributor to
CO2 emissions?
8. What could we do to reduce CO2 emissions?