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GEOGRAPHY: FORM TWO: Topic 8 - POWER

ENERGY AND RESOURCES

 Msomi Bora Diterbitkan April 03, 2018

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TOPIC 8
POWER ENERGY AND RESOURCES

The Meaning of Power and Energy

Energy is the capacity for doing work. You

must have energy to accomplish work.
Power is the rate of doing work or the rate of
using energy. Therefore, you need energy to
produce power. Without energy there is no
power that can be produced.

Energy and power are related but totally

different concepts. A tank of petrol contains
a certain amount of energy. We can combust
this petrol in a certain time period, that is, we
convert the energy of the petrol into
mechanical energy, perhaps to power a car.

The power is the energy produced per unit of

time. The combustion process can be fast or
slow. In the case of faster combustion, more
power is produced. Obviously, the tank will
be empty sooner in the case of high power
production than in the case of low power
production.

If power is energy per time unit, then energy

is power multiplied by time period. For
Instance, if an ox delivers a certain amount
of power, then after a certain time period it
will have delivered a certain amount of
energy, i.e. the power times the time period.

Tanzanian President John Magufuli, Egyptian Electricity

Minister Mohamed Shaker and several senior Tanzanian officials
laid the cornerstone for the hydroelectric Stiegler’s Gorge dam
project on July 27, 2019.

The Major Sources of Power and Energy

Energy sources can be sub-divided into two

broad categories. These are renewable and
non-renewable energy sources.

1. Renewable sources are those that do not

get finished or used up since they are
naturally replenished. These include
sunlight, water, geothermal steam, wind and
biomass.

2. Non-renewable sources are those that

can get finished or used up through use, that
is, they cannot be replaced once used up.
They include coal, petroleum, natural gas,
groundwater aquifers, and nuclear energy
sources such as uranium and plutonium.

Solar Energy

The Origin of Different Types of Energy and

Power Sources

Some of these energy and power sources are

discussed in details below:
1. Coal: Coal is a fossil fuel that forms when dead
plant matter is converted into peat, which in turn is
converted into lignite, then sub-bituminous coal,
after that bituminous coal, and lastly anthracite. This
involves biological and geological processes that
take place over a long period of time. Coal is black
or brown in colour.

2. Sunlight: The sun is a source of sunlight and all

forms of energy on earth. Sunlight can be
harnessed to generate electricity (solar power). This
is achieved by using solar panels which absorbs the
solar energy, converts it into electrical energy and
stores it for later or immediate use.

3. Waves and tides: Waves are generated by wind

passing over the surface of the sea, ocean or lake.
As long as the waves propagate slower than the
wind speed (just above the waves), there is an
energy transfer from the wind to the waves

4. Wind: Wind is air in motion from low to high

pressure region. Wind possesses energy which can
be converted by appropriate devices, into
mechanical energy, which in turn can be used to
generate electricity or do any useful work.

5. Water: Water in motion, such as waterfall or

cataract, can be harnessed to generate
hydroelectricity. First, the kinetic energy in running
water is converted into mechanical and then
electrical power.

6. Biomass: The term “biomass” refers to organic

matter that has stored energy through the process
of photosynthesis. This can be transferred through
the food chain to the animal’s bodies and their
wastes, all of which can be converted into energy for
everyday human use through processes such as
combustion.

7. Petroleum (crude oil): Petroleum is a fossil fuel

formed from fossilised remains of plants and
animals. When refined, it produces various
petroleum fractions, which are put to various uses of
energy generation. It can be used to power cars and
many machines, and burned to produce heat and
light or generate electricity.

8. Natural gas: Natural gas occurs alongside

petroleum. The gas can be burned to generate light
and heat and harnessed to generate electricity. For
example, the natural gas from SongoSongo Island
in Kilwa is expected to be piped to Dar es Salaam
where it will be used to generate electricity and
supplied to homes as liquefied gas to be used for
heating and lighting.

8. Uranium: This is a radioactive element which

produces tremendous amounts of energy upon
disintegration (fission) or combination (fusion) of the
nuclei of its atoms. This energy (nuclear energy) can
be used and is being used by many countries in the
world to generate electricity.

Wave Power

Methods of Acquiring / Extracting Power and

Energy

The following are different energy and power

resources and the methods used to extract energy
and power from these resources:

1. Coal: Coal is a combustive black or brownish-

black sedimentary rock, usually occurring in rock
strata in layers or veins called beds or coal seams.
Coal is considered as a non-renewable resource
because it cannot be replenished on a human
timeframe. The activities involved in generating
electricity from coal include mining, transport to
power plants, and burning the coal in power plants.
At the power plant, coal is commonly burned in a
boiler to produce steam. The resulting steam is run
through a turbine to generate electricity.

2. Petroleum: Petroleum is a naturally occurring

liquid found in rock deep in the ground. This liquid
consists of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of
various molecular weights, plus other organic
compounds. The energy from petroleum products is
tapped mainly by burning. The burning produces
heat energy that is used for heating, lighting or
doing some mechanical work (such as powering
machinery, vehicles, etc). Fuel is burned in a
furnace or boiler for generation of heat that is used
in an engine for generation of power. Petroleum
products can also be burned to generate electricity.

3. Natural gas: Natural gas is fossil fuel formed

when layers of buried plants, gases and animals are
exposed to intense heat and pressure over
thousands of years. Natural gas is mined from
deposits deep underground and brought to the
surface. Before the gas can be used as a fuel, it
must be processed to remove impurities, including
water, to meet the standard of a marketable natural
gas. Energy from the natural gas is extracted
through burning of the gas. This burning produces
heat energy which is used for heating, cooking and
electricity generation. The gas is also used as fuel
for vehicles and as a raw material in the
manufacture of plastics and other commercially
important organic chemicals.

4. Water: The potential energy of dammed or

flowing water can be converted into storable
electrical energy. Harnessing the flowing water to
power machines and mechanical processes is one
of the oldest methods of power generation that is
used until today. The energy in water may be tapped
naturally or artificially. Naturally, flowing water at
waterfalls runs through turbines, which generate
electricity. River water may also be used to run
milling machines. Artificially, water may be lifted to
higher points such as tanks or dams where it drops
in mass, turning the turbines to generate electricity.

5. Biomass: Biomass is biological material derived

from living things, or recently living organisms. It
mostly refers to plants or plant-based materials. As
an energy source, biomass can either be used
directly via combustion to produce heat or indirectly
after converting it to various forms of biofuel. The
biofuel can then be burned to release heat energy
that is used to power machines or for heating
purposes. Wood is burned directly to produce heat
and/or light. Wood remains the best biomass energy
source to date. Examples of wood include forest
residues (such as braches, dead trees and stumps),
yard clippings, wood chips, and even municipal solid
wastes. Biomass also includes plant or animal
matter that can be converted into fibres, or other
industrial chemicals, including biofuels. For
example, gasohol is a biofuel derived from a mixture
of alcohol (from sugar cane) and petrol. This is used
as a fuel to run cars and machines. Rotten garbage
and agricultural and human waste under controlled
conditions can release biogas that can be used for
heating, cooking and lighting.

6. Uranium: Uranium is a radioactive element. The

energy from uranium is extracted through nuclear
fission or fusion. Nuclear fission involves splitting of
an atom while nuclear fusion involves combining two
light atoms. The most commercially exploited
process is nuclear fission, when the atoms and
nuclei of this radioactive element split in nuclear
reactors. The process releases a large amount of
energy in the form of heat. The heat released is
used to boil water into steam, which is, in turn used
to turn turbines to generate electricity.

7. Solar energy: Solar energy refers to energy from

the sun. This energy can be tapped and used for
different purposes. Solar energy is tapped by
devices called solar panels. The energy is absorbed
by the panels and converted into electrical energy
that can be used immediately or stored for later use.
The trapped energy can be used to light homes and
power gadgets such as phones and calculators. The
heat from the sun can also be tapped directly like
when it is used to dry crops or clothes.

8. Geothermal steam: The geothermal power from

geothermal steam is extracted by directing it to run
machines that produce electricity. Its heat can also
be tapped by placing the material to be heated over
the hot steam.

9. Wind energy: The kinetic energy of wind is

harnessed by turning windmills, which generate
electricity. Each of the several wind mills is supplied
with a cable which is used to supply electricity to the
main cable which then directs electricity to homes,
industries etc. The electricity generated can be used
for cooking, lighting and running machines. Wind
energy may also be tapped by putting up sails to
propel water vessels such as dhows.

Hydroelecric Power

The Use and Importance of these types of Power

Resources

Power and energy resources are important in two

ways. First, it is through the energy and power they
produce and secondly, due to their own economic
value.

1. The power and energy resources used in

industrial development activities.

2. It used to run agricultural machinery such as

tractors and harvesters such as petroleum.
3. Petroleum used by machines in agriculture
increases agricultural production
4. Environmental conservation: The use of solar,
wind, biogas and energy helps to conserve the
environment

5. Improvement of Transportation sector because of

the use of motor vehicles, ships, aircrafts, etc, all of
which are powered by petroleum products.

6. Used in Mining: Most forms and kinds of

machinery that are used in mineral prospection,
extraction, and processing use power and energy
generated from fossil fuel. Therefore, the fuel
energy helps in the development of the mining
industry.

7. Social services and amenities: Most social

services and amenities are facilitated by energy and
power. For example, sports, games, schools,
healthcare, and homes depend on power and
energy in different ways.

The Economic and Social Importance Energy

and Power Sources

1. Source of employment
2. Source of foreign exchange

3. Source of government revenue

4. Improvement of transport and communication
infrastructure

5. Promotion of trade and other industries

Geothermal Power

The Problems Facing the Process of Power and

Energy Harnessing

Power and energy production endeavour is faced by

a number of problems which include the following:

1. Changing climatic conditions: Drought leads to

rainfall scarcity and hence a drop in the volume of
water in rivers. This problem affects the production
of hydroelectric power and is one of the factors
leading to low energy production in most parts of the
world, especially in the least developed countries.

2. Lack of capital: Energy and power production

needs heavy investments in infrastructure,
manpower and technology. All these investments
require a great deal of capital.

3. Lack of diverse energy sources in respective

countries: Most counties have very few energy
resources from which to extract power and energy.
Worse still, some do not have a single energy
resource, so they have to import the resources or
power. For instance, uranium and geothermal steam
are not found in many countries. Such countries
extract power from only a few available resources
such as water, wind or solar energy.
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infrastructures and the skilled personnel needed to
perform that function. Most of the power and energy
exploitation technology used in developing countries
is very old and less efficient and productive. There
are also very few people with the necessary skills
for setting up and operating equipment as well as
conducting research on power and energy
production methods, facilities and technologies.

5. High prices: High prices for energy resources

hinder energy and power output in most countries
that have to import these resources from other
countries. Oil is used for energy production. We
have recently seen escalating oil prices worldwide.
This leads to low purchase and hence low energy
and power production. Also the equipment needed
for production of energy and power is very
expensive and can thus not be afforded by many
poor countries. As a result, they resort to inefficient
and less productive obsolete technology which
cannot produce sufficient power and energy to meet
the ever-increasing demand for energy and power.

6. Environment pollution: Energy and power

exploitation is sometimes accompanied with the
emission of harmful gases that pollute the
environment. Coal burning, for example, releases
tremendous quantities of carbon dioxide gas into the
atmosphere. As such, many countries are either
phasing out such energy generation technologies or
spending a lot of capital to clean the coal so as to
prevent environmental pollution. The power and
energy production sector is, therefore, in great
pressure to adopt technologies that minimize or
cause no environmental pollution.

7. Siltation: Accumulation of silt in dams used for

generation of hydroelectric power reduces the
volume of water in dams, hence resulting to low
power generation. On the other hand, removal of the
silt from dams adds to the cost of energy and power
production and these costs are pushed on to
consumers of energy and power.

8. Scramble for resources: River water is also used

for irrigation of crops, domestic and industrial uses,
fishing or preservation of flora or fauna. For
example, river Nile is used for irrigation in Ethiopia
(Gezira Irrigation Scheme) and, at the same time,
required for production of hydroelectric power at
Aswan High Dam, in Egypt. If too much water is
used for irrigation, little will be available for
hydropower generation. This competition on the
same resource can lead to international conflicts
and even wars. Another example is coal which is
used for domestic heating as well as for generation
of electricity. This can curtail the generation of
power and energy from coal if too much
of it is used for domestic heating. In Tanzania,
peculiar species of toads are found at Kihanzi power
generation station in Kihanzi River. Use of water for
generation of hydroelectricity affects the lives of
these organisms. This has caused a big concern
from environmentalists and wildlife conservation
groups.

Wind Energy

Ways of Addressing Power and Energy

Harnessing

1. The silt accumulating in dams should be dredged

regularly in order to keep the volume of water
constant. This will maintain the capacity of energy
and power generation.

2. Any form of environmental pollution likely to

cause global warming and reduction in amount of
rainfall should be avoided. People should not cut
down trees indiscriminately as this can lead to
drought and hence reduction in volumes of rivers
needed for generation of hydroelectricity.

3. Countries should diversify their energy generation

sources in order to escape the effects caused by
such problems as escalating oil prices and climate
change.

4. Developing countries should phase out the old

energy and power generation technologies and
instead adopt the new ones so as to cope with
technological advancements to ensure that their
energy generation is efficient and highly productive.

5. Research should be carried out often in order to

improve energy and power production, as well as
come up with new production methods. Research
will also help in finding power and energy production
methods that cause less or no environmental