Energy Sources Report: Predictions and Uses, ENGT5114, 2020

This report provides a detailed analysis of various energy sources, including coal, natural gas, crude oil, nuclear energy, hydraulic power, solar energy, and wind energy. It begins with a table presenting energy source predictions for 2018 and 2020, derived from the document Ion (1975), which are also illustrated in a pie chart. The report then defines inexhaustible energy sources and discusses the predicted differences in energy consumption between 2018 and 2020, explaining the reasons behind these shifts, such as the increase in hydraulic power demand due to population growth and the rising adoption of nuclear and solar energy. The report further explores the uses of oil, coal, nuclear energy, natural gas, solar energy, and wind, detailing their applications in various sectors like industry, transportation, and residential use. It also includes the advantages of using each energy source. Finally, the report estimates how fuel consumption might evolve in 2020, considering factors like population growth, economic changes, and technological advancements, and discusses the expected changes in the consumption of renewable and non-renewable energy sources. The report is based on the assignment brief for the Sustainable Energy module and includes the relevant data and information provided in the student solution.

SOURCES OF ENERGY 1
ENERGY SOURCES
By Name
Course
Instructor
Institution
Location
Date

SOURCES OF ENERGY 2
Abstract
The world population is growing at an alarming rate thus being transformed to a global village. There is
need to have increase to energy sources to satisfy the socio-economic and human welfare which is
growing. There is therefore need to embark on the use of renewable sources of energy which
unfortunately is becoming scarce due to advancement in technology. No-renewable energy is therefore
the only option since it is affordable and readily available. The aim of this research is to predict the
growth in both renewable and renewable energy, their use and their sustainability.
TASK1
A table showing the prediction of energy sources
Energy Sources Year
2018 ( in MWH) 2020 (MHW)
Coal 4100 4800
Natural gas 3000 2700
Crude oil 3100 2900
Nuclear Energy 4000 6000
Hydraulic Power 1000 1600
The data given in the table can be perfectly presented in the pie chart to illustrate the ion´s prediction of
energy for both the year 2018 and the year 2020 as below;

SOURCES OF ENERGY 3
Coal
27%
Natural Gas
20%Crude Oil
20%
Nuclear Energy
26%
Hydrualic Power
7%
Ion´s prediction in 2018
Coal Natural Gas Crude Oil Nuclear Energy Hydrualic Power

SOURCES OF ENERGY 4
27%
15%
16%
33%
9%
Ion´s Preduction in 2020
Coal Natural gas Crude oil Nuclear Energy Hydraulic Power
The information used to come up with the table and the pie chart showing energy prediction in the year
2020 and the year 2018 was derived from the document called Ion (1975).
Task 2
Inexhaustible sources of energy refer to the types of energy sources that cannot be depleted. They are of
endless supply hence most reliable (Balasubramanian, 2016). Inexhaustible energy includes the
following: wind, geothermal energy, air, and solar energy.
Energy prediction difference for 2018 and 2020 and the reasons
There is an increase of 2% in the energy prediction in hydraulic power, the prediction increased from 7%
in the year 2018 to 9% in 2020. The difference is brought about by the fact that there is an increase in
population thus the demand for hydraulic power increase too.

SOURCES OF ENERGY 5
Nuclear energy recorded an increase of 7% thus from 26% in the year 2018 to 33%in the year 2020. The
difference in prediction can be equated to the fact that people realized that nuclear energy is one of the
safest forms of energy without pollution. Improvement in technology also made most industries lean
towards nuclear power thus a steady increase in the prediction (Felix A. Farret, 2012).
Solar energy is one of the renewable sources of energy that is gaining recognition daily. This, therefore,
means that as people get accustomed to the uses of solar most especially in industries and at home both
the prediction and growth increase rapidly (Johansson, 2010). Solar energy is environment-friendly and is
cost-effective which makes people lean towards its consumption thus increase in prediction from 2018 to
the year 2020.
Task 3
Uses of oil
Oil is a very important part of the day to day life; it is the largest energy source used worldwide hence a
primary fuel source. Oil has numerous uses in either crude or refined form. Refined oil is mainly used for
cooking thus adding flavor in food. Oil is used in refined form for cooking because refining makes less
poisonous and easily dissolved when exposed to heat (Michaelides, 2017).
Crude oil has the following uses: Used to fuel cars this is normally in the form of gasoline which helps in
the easy movement and fuelling of vehicles. Crude oil is also used in the clothing industry in that it helps
in the making of clothes inflammable and colorful through the production of nylon, polyester, rayon, and
other artificial furs. It is also helpful in furniture making since the couch cushions are made of petroleum-
based polyurethane foam. Crude oil is also used in making of plastic which is a commodity that is
widespread in the world. Plastic is made of a petroleum product called a polymer. Crude oil is important
in the food industry since it helps in the making of fertilizer that is used in the planting of the food that is

SOURCES OF ENERGY 6
used for both human and animal consumption. Insulation that is found in most homes is also a byproduct
of petroleum (Maczulak, 2010). Crude oil is also used in the making of kitchen items such as
refrigerators, pots, and pans that are no-stick and most stoves operate using natural gas. Oil is also used in
lighting whereby it is put in lamps for the generation of light in the home and even industries.
Advantages of using oil include:
 Oil poses energy with high density
 Most industries use oil as a form of energy
 Oil is easily available
 Oil is a constant source of power
Uses of coal
Coal is a common substance useful both at home and in industries. Coal is one of the cheapest and
important energy sources (King, 2017). The following are the uses of coal:
Electricity generation: generally, coal is used in the generation of thermal power which helps in the
production of electricity. When powdered coal is burnt at high temperatures, water is changed into steam.
The steam produced is then used to turn turbines at a speed of a high rate in a robust magnetic field which
eventually leads to the generation of electricity (Riva, 2015).
Used in industries: most industries make use of coal for certain products manufacturing. The industries
that use coal in manufacturing include cement industries, paper industries, aluminum industries, and
pharm and chemical industries. Coal provides many raw materials, for instance, coal tar, sulfate of
ammonia benzoyl to chemical industries. Most industries use coal as a source of power (Archive, 2016).

SOURCES OF ENERGY 7
Used in the production of steel: coal is indirectly used in the steel industry in making steel. It is usually
baked in the blast furnace to produce coal coke. Coal coke I then used by the manufacturers to melt iron
mineral into iron and then make steel. Ammonia gas is usually recovered from a coke oven and is used to
make ammonia salts, nitric acid, and fertilizers (Anthony, 2013).
Domestic use: coal is used for fuel and as a source of heat in underdeveloped and in developing countries.
Special product: coal is an important component in the production of professional products like carbon
fiber, silicon metals, and activated carbons.
Gasification and liquefaction: coal may be changed into synthetic gas, a mixture of hydrogen and carbon
monoxide. These gases can be further changed into various products such as methanol, urea, and pure
hydrogen among others.
Many products in the market have got coal as a by-product of their formation. These products include;
soaps, aspirin, plastics and even dyes (Patrick T. Moseley, 2014).
Coal has vast uses because of the following reasons:
 Coal is affordable
 Coal produces high energy upon burning
 Coal is abundant thus can be easily found
 Coal is easy to burn
 Coal is easy to burn
Uses of Nuclear energy
Nuclear energy has numerous uses. The most recognized one is electricity production. Nuclear energy is
very important in daily life and its need is getting bigger as days go by. Here are some of the applications
of nuclear energy:

SOURCES OF ENERGY 8
Industry: isotopes and radiations use in modern industries is of significance for the development and
progress processes, of measuring, quality control and automation. Most technology industries incorporate
the use of radioisotopes and radiations in different forms:
 Tracers: these are radioactive substances used in industries to establish the course of the
radioactive process so as to get important information concerning in regards to industrial
equipment life expansion.
 X-rays of internal structure: this is a non-destructive way that makes it possible to find out the
quality of metals in welding which is done by the use of neurons or gamma (Geoffrey M. Horn,
2010).
Mining: nuclear energy is used in mining to determine appropriate conditions to house fuels and
minerals (Maczulak, 2010).
Food and Agriculture: it helps improve food quality lengthening the storage period of food in the store.
Medicine: medical processes such as radiology, mammography, radiopharmaceuticals and radiotherapy
which are essential in cancer treatment use nuclear energy.
Advantages of using nuclear energy include:
 It is low in pollution
 Nuclear energy is sustainable
 Its density is high
 Its cost is relatively low
Uses of natural gas
Natural gas is used as a source of heat and as a raw material. The following uses of natural gas:

SOURCES OF ENERGY 9
Electric power: natural gas is useful in electric power generation. Electricity is usually generated in
turbines by the use of fuel combustion exhaust gases (Thomas B. Johansson, 2014).
Industrial use: natural gas is used as power and a source of heat in industries and as a raw material in
making of chemicals, fertilizer, and hydrogen.
Residential sector: natural gas is used in cooking, drying of clothes and in heating water in people’s
homes.
Transportation sector: natural gas is used as fuel to move compressors that move the gas via pipelines in
the form of compressed gas.
Commercial sector: most businesses make use of natural to heat water and building, for provision of
outdoor lighting, for cooling and refrigeration and as a form of fuel.
The reasons as to why one should use natural energy are:
 Natural gas is convenient since it never runs out.
 Natural gas is versatile since it has many domestic uses apart from heating one’s home
 Natural gas is reliable
 Natural gas is safe
 Natural gas is environment-friendly hence does not pollute the environment
Uses of solar energy
Solar energy has a number of uses. They include:
 Solar energy is used in electricity generation. This is realized by the use of heat engines or solar
cells
 Sunrays are used in the drying of clothes

SOURCES OF ENERGY 10
 Plants use solar energy for the photosynthesis process
 Seawater uses solar energy to take away salt
 Solar energy is used in cooking, heating water, and building
 Solar panels which generate energy from sun rays are helpful in lighting and as a source of
electric power
 Solar energy is used in the heating of houses
The reasons as to why solar energy is used include the following:
 It is renewable
 Has diverse applications
 It is affordable
 It reduces electricity bills
 It is environment-friendly
Uses of wind
 The wind is used in the generation of power through wind turbines which are installed to get the
power of wind and in turn convert it to energy (Viswanathan, 2016).
 The wind is used in sports such as the flying of kites
 The wind is used in the winnowing of grains to remove dirt
 The wind is also used to pump underground in particular pumps
The reasons as to why wind energy should be used include the following:
 The wind is a clean source of energy hence does not pollute the environment
 Wind power is cost-effective
 Wind power is sustainable
 Wind turbines can be built anywhere

SOURCES OF ENERGY 11
 Wind energy creates job opportunities for the jobless
Task 4
An estimate of how fuel could be used in 2020
In 2020 the assumption is that hydraulic energy will be consumed more due to the fact that there
will be an increase in population thus more demand for energy consumption (Sah, 2011).
Economic changes will also make people shift to hydraulic energy because of its affordability
hence the need to save.
It is assumed that the demand for nuclear energy will grow drastically in 2020 due to the fact that
most people and industries are shifting toward improved technology. Households are slowly
embracing the changing time thus nuclear energy is slowly gaining prominence in the market.
Medical facilities are in the entire need of nuclear energy since most radiology machines use
nuclear energy, especially in cancer patients. It is therefore in order to assume that there will be
growth in nuclear energy in 2020 because of high demand.
The production of renewable energy, for instance, solar energy is expected to be either constant
or to reduce, this is because despite solar energy is readily available it is expensive. The
economic times are getting harder by the day and renewable energy requires the use of
technology in harnessing. It is unfortunate that the technology is getting expensive by the day
thus the assumption that renewed energy consumption is expected to reduce come 2020 (Tasneem
Abbasi, 2011)
Energy Sources in 2020 In MWH

SOURCES OF ENERGY 12
Coal 4000
Natural gas 3000
Crude oil 5000
Nuclear Energy 7000
Hydraulic Power 2000
Conclusion
In conclusion it is evident that the renewable sources of energy are reducing due to increase of
population and the high cost of technology. Nonrenewable sources of energy on the hand are
gaining prominence due to the low cost and affordability. There is need to explore nonrenewable
sources of energy since it is environment friendly.

SOURCES OF ENERGY 13
References
Anthony, L. J., 2013. Information Sources in Energy Technology: Butterworths Guides to Information
Sources. Holland: Elsevier Science.
Archive, C., 2016. Natural Sources of Energy. Chicago: CUP Archive.
Balasubramanian, V., 2016. Energy Sources: Fundamentals of Chemical Conversion Processes and
Applications. Chicago: Newnes.
Felix A. Farret, M. G. S., 2012. Integration of Alternative Sources of Energy. Mexico: John Wiley &
Sons.
Geoffrey M. Horn, D. V., 2010. Coal, Oil, and Natural Gas. Tokyo: Infobase Publishing, 2010.
Johansson, T. B., 2010. Renewable Energy: Sources for Fuels and Electricity. new york Island Press.
King, G. C., 2017. Physics of Energy Sources. Japan: John Wiley & Sons.
Maczulak, A. E., 2010. Renewable Energy: Sources and Methods. Chicago: Infobase Publishing.
Maczulak, A. E., 2010. Renewable Energy: Sources and Methods. Mexico: Infobase Publishing.
Michaelides, E. E. S., 2017. Alternative Energy Sources. Japan: Springer Science & Business Media.

SOURCES OF ENERGY 14
Patrick T. Moseley, J. G., 2014. Electrochemical Energy Storage for Renewable Sources and Grid
Balancing. Chicago: Newnes.
Riva, G., 2015. Utilization of Renewable Energy Sources and Energy-saving Technologies by Small-scale
Milk Plants and Collection Centres. Canada: Food & Agriculture Org.
Sah, S. L., 2011. Renewable and Novel Energy Sources. England: M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd.
Tasneem Abbasi, S. A. A., 2011. Renewable Energy Sources: Their Impact on Global Warming and
Pollution. Mexico: PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd.
Thomas B. Johansson, H. K. A. K. N. R. L. B. R. H. W., 2014. Renewable Energy: Sources for Fuels and
Electricity. Chicago: Island Press.
Viswanathan, B., 2016. Energy Sources: Fundamentals of Chemical Conversion Processes and
Applications. England: Newnes.