Energy Resources: Earth Science
Energy Resources: Earth Science
Energy Resources: Earth Science
EARTH SCIENCE
QUARTER 1 – MODULE 5
Energy Resources
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What I Need to Know
Coal accounted for about half of electricity generated in the Philippines. It is the
main source of energy in Luzon and Mindanao. On the other hand, more than half of
Visayas’ power requirements is supplied via renewable energy.
In line with President Duterte’s AmBisyon Natin 2040 policy, the Government
has set out its long-term energy objectives with the adoption of the Philippine Energy
Plan for the years 2017 to 2040. The policy blueprint aims to ensure security of supply
and increase access to energy through greater development of its indigenous resources.
To reduce its heavy reliance on fossil fuel imports, the Government has set an
ambitious target of increasing installed renewable energy capacity to at least 20 GW by
2040.
In this module we will find out the different energy resources in the Philippines
along with the question: “How important is energy to the advancement of society and
how do we ensure self-sufficiency for the current and future generations?”
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What I Know
Direction: Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on a separate sheet
of paper.
1. Which of the following is a non-renewable energy resource?
A. hydroelectric C. solar
B. methane D. wind
2. The amount of oil that may become available for use is called .
A. reserves C. resources
B. reservoirs D. traps
3. This refers to the stored energy in water behind a dam falls and changes from
mechanical energy to electrical energy.
A. fossil fuel C. hydroelectric
B. geothermal D. nuclear
4. Which is an advantage of installing of solar panels?
A. high cost to install C. number of cloudy days
B. reduced air pollution D. non-renewable energy resources
5. Oil, natural gas, nuclear, coal—what do these items have in common?
A. They are examples of renewable energy resources.
B. They are examples of non renewable energy resources.
C. They are examples of inexhaustible energy resources.
D. They are examples of energy resources that do not cause pollution.
6. Trapped heat inside the earth is known as:
A. biomass C. hydroelectric energy
B. geothermal energy D. solar energy
7. Which list contains common biomass energy sources?
A. rock and soil
B. wind and water
C. fuel, heat, and light
D. trees, grain, grass, garbage, animal waste
8. Which of the following is/ are renewable resources?
A. tides C. geothermal heat
B. wind D. all of the above
9. Which of the following is/are true about biomass and biofuels?
A. They consume large amounts of water
B. Both emit large amount of air pollution when burned
C. Their contribution in reduction in CO2 emissions is limited
D. all of the above
10. Which of the following is the main source of energy?
A. moon C. sun
B. plants D. wind
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Lesson
Energy Resources
1
What’s In
Coal-fired power plants are one of the leading contributors to climate change,
which is now threatening the survival of all living things on the planet. The Philippines
has very little fossil fuel resources, but is blessed with abundant renewable energy
sources, including solar, wind, biomass, ocean, small hydro and geothermal. The
Philippines is gearing towards the advancement of policies in the development
renewable sources of energy.
The San Roque Dam is a 200-meter-tall, 1.2 kilometer long embankment dam
on the Agno River. It is the largest dam in the Philippines and sixteenth largest in the
world. It spans the municipalities of San Manuel and San Nicolas, Pangasinan. It
harnesses the power of the Agno River. The Agno River is 221 kilometers long. It has
an installed capacity of 411 MW producing approximately 1,000 GWh/year. It is one of
the most modern hydroelectric generation facilities in the world! It helps improve the
lives of thousands of Filipinos thru flood control, irrigation, electrical power and
improved water quality.
https://ebonph.wordpress.com/2011/08/31/a-remarkable-visit-to-the-san-roque-dam/
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What’s New
4. 5. 6.
7. 8. 9.
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What is It
ENERGY RESOURCES
Renewable resources are energy resources that do not have an upper limit on
the total quantity to be used. Such resources are renewable on a regular basis and the
renewable rate is rapid enough to consider availability over indefinite time. Examples
of which include solar, wind, hydroelectric, biomass, and geothermal. On the other
hand, nonrenewable resources are energy resources that do not renew itself at a
sufficient rate for sustainable economic extraction in meaningful human timeframes.
These resources can't be replaced by natural means at a pace that meets its
consumption.Such resources will run out or will not be replenished in our lifetimes.
Examples include coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear energy.
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Fossil Fuels are derived from organic matter which has been trapped between
layers of sediments within the Earth for millions of years. Organic matter, typically
plants, have decomposed and compressed over time, leaving what are known as fossil
fuel deposits. These deposits, and the materials produced from them, tend to be highly
combustible, making them a potent energy source. They're difficult to obtain because
they're typically retrieved through drilling or mining. However, many consider fossil
fuels to be worth the effort for the sheer amount of energy they produce.
Coal is the last of the major fossil fuels. Created by compressed organic matter,
it is solid like rock and is obtained via mining. Coal is most typically used in home
heating and the running of power plants.
Crude oil is a nonrenewable resource that builds up in liquid form between the
layers of the Earth's crust. It's retrieved by drilling into the ground and ocean floor,
and pumping the liquid out. The liquid is then refined and used to create many
different products.
Natural gas gathers below the Earth's crust and, like crude oil, must be drilled
for and pumped out. Methane and ethane are the most common types of gasses
obtained through this process. These gases are most commonly used in home heating
as well as gas ovens, stoves, and grills.
Nuclear Energy
Uranium is the fuel used in nuclear power plants. It is a naturally occurring
element found within the Earth's core. Most uranium deposits occur in small
quantities which miners gather, refine, and purify. Once gathered, the uranium is
brought together and compounded into rods. The rods are then submerged into tanks
of water. Nuclear energy originates from the splitting of uranium atoms – a process
called fission. This generates heat to produce steam, which is used by a turbine
generator to generate electricity.
Nuclear power also has a lot fewer greenhouse emissions. It has been
determined that the amount of greenhouse gases have decreased by almost half
because of the prevalence in the utilization of nuclear power. Nuclear power produces
very inexpensive electricity. The cost of the uranium, which is utilized as a fuel in this
process, is low. As solar and wind energy are dependent upon weather conditions,
nuclear power plant has no such constraints and can run without disruption in any
climatic condition. Nuclear energy have high density as compared to fossil fuels. The
amount of fuel required by nuclear power plant is comparatively less than what is
required by other power plants as energy released by nuclear fission is approximately
ten million times greater than the amount of energy released by fossil fuel atom.
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Bataan Nuclear Power Plant https://news.mb.com.ph/2016/11/05/lawmakers-want-president-to-rethink-rejection-of-
bnpp/
The radioactive waste produced by nuclear power plant can pose serious
health effects on the lives of people as well as the environment.Just like other sources
of fuel, uranium is also finite and exists in few of the countries.
Nuclear energy in Asia however, has been contentious to say the least. Among
the biggest safety concerns when it comes to nuclear power plants are accidents.
While the Nuclear Energy Institute highlights that nuclear energy does not produce
any greenhouse gasses and is the largest clean-air energy source, the reality is that a
nuclear accident can cause irreversible long-term environmental damage as seen in
Fukushima and Chernobyl. The amount of damage that a potential nuclear accident
could cause heavily outweighs the benefits of nuclear energy. It is not known at this
point whether the Bataan plant will be activated. The Philippines government might
have a difficult task of convincing its people that a nuclear plant is needed in the
country. Historically, the Philippines has always had a strong anti-nuclear sentiment.
There were large demonstrations and public protests when the Bataan power plant
was under construction in the 70s and 80s. We could see a resurgence of that if plans
to reopen the power plant go ahead.
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RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES
Hydroelectric Power
Geothermal Power
Geothermal energy comes from the heat beneath the Earth’s surface. The
geothermal energy industry in the Philippines is quite a huge one. In fact it is the
largest producer of geothermal power in all of Asia-Pacific. The country ranks second
in the world in terms of geothermal energy production. Geothermal energy accounts
for a major share in the electricity generating technology for Philippines. There are two
methods of extracting geothermal energy used in the Philippines: the flash steam and
the binary cycle. Geothermal energy extracted through flash steaming extracts water
with a temperature greater than 182 °C using steam pipes. The steam is used to
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power turbines that generate energy, while the remaining water is released back into
the ground. The binary process extracts water at a lower temperature than flash
steaming. The extracted water is then used to boil a working liquid with a lower
boiling point that will power the turbine. The water is also released back into the
ground.
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Wind Energy
Like water, moving air also generates energy through wind turbines that
supply kinetic energy through mechanical power. The turbines then power a
generator to produce energy.
Biomass Energy
Biomass energy is similar to fossil fuel in that it is combusted in order to boil
water to produce steam that will drive a generator. Being an agricultural country,
the Philippines is rich in natural resources like bagasse, rice husks, and coconut
husks are used instead of fossil fuel. Biomass energy has been used in various forms
long before people really spoke about energy efficiency and renewable energy
sources.Availability of biomass fuels has always been a major reason for their use . As
a lot of biomass fuels – such as wood and plant life – can be regrown, it is a truly
renewable source. Biomass energy is also amongst the most versatile alternatives
available. It can be converted into many different fuel sources, each of which has
varied applications. Biomass can be processed to create biodiesel for vehicles, but it
can also be used to farm methane gas and a range of other biofuels.
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https://www.xcelenergy.com/staticfiles/xe/images/ElecGen762_steam.gif Biomass Power plant retrieved at
https://media.philstar.com/images/articles/bus5-
biomass-powerplant_2018-07-07_20-25-29.jpg
While the advantages of biomass are numerous, it is not a perfect energy source.
While biomass is a carbon neutral fuel source, it is not completely clean. Burning
wood and other plant life does create other emissions in addition to carbon. These can
pollute the local environment, even if the effects are not as drastic as they may be from
fossil fuels. While the cost of extracting biomass fuels is lower than most types of fossil
fuels, they still generally exceed those of many other forms of renewable energy. In
some cases, biomass projects are considered not to be worth the price of completion,
especially when solar, water and wind alternatives are available. While biomass fuels
are natural, they are also not as efficient as processed fossil fuels, like petroleum and
gasoline. In fact, biodiesel and comparable biofuels are often combined with small
amounts of fossil fuels to make them more effective.
Biomass power plants in the Philippines are located in Isabela, Nueva Ecija,
Rizal, Laguna, Isabela, and Metro Manila.
Solar Energy
Solar energy works by capturing the sun’s energy and turning it into electricity.
When photons hit a solar cell, they knock electrons loose from their atoms. If
conductors are attached to the positive and negative sides of a cell, it forms an
electrical circuit. When electrons flow through such a circuit, they generate electricity.
Multiple cells make up a solar panel, and multiple panels (modules) can be wired
together to form a solar array. The more panels deployed, the more energy generated.
The first and foremost advantage of solar energy is that it does not emit any
green house gases. Solar energy is produced by conducting the sun’s radiation – a
process void of any smoke, gas, or other chemical by-product. Another advantage of
using solar energy is that beyond initial installation and maintenance, solar energy is
free. However, the biggest disadvantage of solar energy is that it’s not constant and it
is weather dependent. To produce solar electricity there must be sunlight. Beyond
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daily fluctuations, solar production decreases when there are less sunlight hours and
sun radiation is less intense. Solar energy has to be used right away, or it can be
stored in large batteries. These batteries, used in off-the-grid solar systems, can be
charged during the day so that the energy is used at night. This is a good solution for
using solar energy all day long but it is also quite expensive.
Tidal Energy
Tidal energy is a renewable energy powered by the natural rise and fall of ocean
tides and currents. Some of these technologies include turbines and paddles.Tidal
power or tidal energy is harnessed by converting energy from tides into useful forms of
power, mainly electricity using various methods. Although not yet widely used, tidal
energy has the potential for future electricity generation. Tides are more predictable
than the wind and the sun.
Tidal power is non-polluting, reliable and predictable.Tidal barrages, undersea
tidal turbines – like wind turbines but driven by the sea – and a variety of machines
harnessing undersea currents are under development. Unlike wind and waves, tidal
currents are entirely predictable.
http://holodiagrams2.hotel-du-commerce-auriol.fr/diagram/block-diagram-of-tidal-power
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What’s More
Materials:
2-liter plastic soda Sewing thread (16 inches)
bottle Ruler Small objects to lift (an eraser)
Marker Sink
Craft knife Duct Tape
Scissors Large Funnel
2 corks Paper clips
1 wooden barbeque skewer
Procedure:
1. Using your marker and ruler, measure and mark a few dots 6 cm up from the
bottom of the bottle. Connect your dots and have an adult help you cut off the bottom
using the craft knife.
2. Measure an 8cm section from the cut part of the bottle. Cut out this section so that
you have a cylindrical section of plastic.
8 cm
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3. Cut four 2 cm-wide strips from the 8cm section with your scissors. Cut these strips
in half so you are left with eight curved strips that measure 4 cm by 2 cm.
4. Draw 8 evenly spaced lines lengthwise on the cork, and make slits along each line
with your hobby knife. Making sure that the plastic pieces all curve in the same
direction, slide each 4 cm by 2 cm plastic piece into its own slit.
5. Unfold two paperclips and flex one end of each to create a small loop. These
paperclips will act as supports for the water wheel’s axle.
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6. Affix your supports on opposite sides of your plastic funnel using your duct tape.
7. Cut the skewer in half and poke each half into one side of the wheel cork. Guide
each end through a loop on your paper clip support. Make sure your paper clip’s loops
are loose enough to allow the wheel to turn freely.
8. Insert one of the skewers into the other cork and tie thread tightly around it. Tie the
loose end of the thread to a weight or other small household object.
9. Place your completed water wheel under a gentle stream of water in your sink.
Slowly run water over the wheel so that the plastic pieces on the cork catch the falling
water and turn it into mechanical energy.
Guide Questions:
1. Why do you think it’s important that the strips all curve in the same direction?
3. What are the ways you can do to make your model generate more power?
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What I Have Learned
1. Fossil Fuel
2. Nuclear Energy
3. Hydroelectric
Energy
4. Geothermal
Energy
5. Wind Energy
6. Biomass Energy
7. Solar Energy
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What I Can Do
Work effort -The work was -The work was -Work is done Work is done
done well done with good with fair effort with little effort
effort
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Assessment
Multiple Choice. Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on a
separate sheet of paper.
1. Which of the following sources of energy is NOT a type of fossil fuel?
A. coal C. natural gas
B. geothermal D. petroleum
2. Which of the following sources of energy is renewable?
A. coal C. hydroelectric
B. crude oil D. petroleum
3. What is the major component of natural gas?
A. butane C. methane
B. ethane D. propane
4. What type of fossil fuel is formed from the remains of marine organisms?
A. coal C. hydroelectric
B. geothermal D. petroleum
5. Which of the following energy comes from the heat within the earth?
A. geothermal C. nuclear
B. hydroelectric D. solar
6. Which of the following power plants uses water to generate electricity?
A. Agus 1 C. Calaca Thermal Plant
B. Bataan plant D. Tiwi plant
7. Which of the following is a non-renewable source of energy?
A. geothermal C. nuclear
B. hydrothermal D. solar
8. What is the main source of energy?
A. electricity C. sun
B. plants D. wind
9. Stored energy in water behind a dam falls and changes into mechanical energy
that turns a turbine that turns coils in a generator that produces electrical
energy. What is this?
A. fossil fuel power plant
B. geothermal power plant
C. hydroelectric power plant
D. nuclear power plant
10. Which is an advantage of installing solar panels?
A. high cost to install
B. number of cloudy days
C. use of nonrenewable resources
D. reduced amount of air pollution
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Additional
Activities
Research Time!
Make a case study about the Morong Bataan Nuclear Power Plant and give your
thoughts to answer the following questions.
1. Given the emerging energy crisis in the country, are you in favor of the
reopening of the Nuclear Power Plant? Why or why not?
2. What is the story behind the proposed Bataan nuclear power plant? How was it
conceptualized? Why it was closed?
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Answer Key
What I Know
1. B
2. C 3. C 5. B 7. D 9. D
4. B 6. B 8. C 10. C
2. Gravity pulls water down toward the earth, and the weight of the water
exerts torque (a rotational force) on the water wheel. This torque provides enough
energy to turn the skewer, allowing you to raise items attached to the other cork.
3. As more water pressure is needed to lift the heavier objects, thus increasing the flow
of water generate more poer.
Assessment
1. B
2. C 3. C 5. A 7. C 9. C
4. D 6. A 8. C 10. D
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Additional Activities
1. Answers may vary
2. Answers may vary
3. Answers may vary
References
Bayo-ang, Roly.B., Maria Lourdes G. Coronacion, Annamae T. Jorda, and Anna
Jamille Restubog. Earth and Life Science for Senior High School. Quezon City,
Metro Manila: Educational Resources Corporation., 2016.
Miller, G.Tyler, et al. (2014). Earth Science. Philippine Edition. Ortigas Avenue, Pasig
City. Cengage Learning Asia Pte Ltd (Philippine Branch)
https://www.education.com/science-fair/article/water-produce-energy/
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