Environmental problems of energy. Global environmental problems, environmental safety and environmental efficiency of energy. What causes the existence of environmental problems in the electric power industry

Energy is the most important industry, without which people cannot imagine their activities in modern conditions. The constant development of the electric power industry leads to an increase in the number of power plants that have a direct impact on the environment.

There is no reason to believe that the rate of electricity consumption will change significantly in the near future. Therefore, it is very important to find answers to a number of related questions:

What impact do the most common types of current energy have and will the ratio of these types in the total energy balance change in the future?
Is it possible to reduce the negative impact of modern methods of energy production and consumption?
What are the maximum possibilities for producing energy from alternative sources that are absolutely environmentally friendly and inexhaustible?

Result of TPP action

Each individual has a different impact. Mostly, negative energy generated from the operation of thermal power plants. During their operation, the atmosphere is polluted with small ash elements, since the majority of thermal power plants use crushed coal as fuel.

In order to combat emissions of harmful particles, mass production of filters with an efficiency of 95-99% has been organized. However, this does not help to fully solve the problem, since in many thermal stations operating on coal, the filters are in poor condition, as a result of which their efficiency is reduced to 80%.

They also have an impact on the environment, although just a few decades ago it was believed that hydroelectric power plants were not capable of having a negative impact. Over time, it became clear that significant harm was caused during the construction and subsequent operation of hydroelectric power stations.

The construction of any hydroelectric power station involves the creation of an artificial reservoir, a significant part of which is occupied by shallow water. Water in shallow waters is highly heated by the sun and, combined with the presence of nutrients, creates conditions for the growth of algae and other eutrophication processes. For this reason, there is a need for water purification, during which a large flooding area is often formed. In this way, the territory of the banks is processed and their gradual collapse, and flooding contributes to swamping of areas located in close proximity to hydroelectric power station reservoirs.

Impact of nuclear power plants

They produce a large amount of heat emissions into water sources, which significantly increases the dynamics of thermal pollution of water bodies. The current problem is multifaceted and very difficult.

Today, the key source of harmful radiation is fuel. To ensure life safety, it is necessary to sufficiently isolate fuel.

To solve this problem, first of all, the fuel is distributed into special briquettes, thanks to the material of which a significant proportion of the fission products of radioactive substances is retained.

In addition, the briquettes are located in fuel compartments made from zirconium alloy. If radioactive substances leak, they enter the cooling reactor, which can endure high pressure. As an additional measure to ensure safety for human life, nuclear power plants are located at a certain distance from residential areas.

Possible solutions to energy problems

Undoubtedly, in the near future the energy sector will develop systematically and will remain dominant. There is a high probability of an increase in the share of coal and other fuels in energy production.

Negative influence of energy does life activity need to be reduced? and for this purpose several methods have already been developed to solve the problem. All methods are based on modernization of technologies for fuel preparation and hazardous waste extraction. In particular, to reduce the impact of negative energy, it is proposed:

Use advanced cleaning equipment. Currently, most thermal power plants capture solid emissions by installing filters. At the same time, the most harmful pollutants are captured in small quantities.
Reduce the release of sulfur compounds into the air by pre-desulphurizing the most commonly used fuels. Chemical or physical methods will make it possible to extract more than half of the sulfur from fuel resources before they are burned.
The real promise of reducing the negative impact of energy and reducing emissions lies in simple savings. This can be achieved through the use of new technologies based on the operation of automated computer equipment.
It is possible to save energy at home by improving the insulation characteristics of houses. Achieving high energy savings will be possible by replacing electric lamps with an efficiency of no more than 5% with fluorescent ones.
It is possible to significantly increase fuel efficiency and reduce the negative effect of energy through the use of fuel resources instead of thermal power plants at thermal power plants. In such a situation, the objects for generating electricity are closer to the places where it is used and the losses that occur when sent over a long distance are reduced. Together with electricity, heat captured by cooling agents is actively used at thermal power plants.

The use of the above methods will, to a certain extent, reduce the consequences of the negative impact of energy. The constant development of the energy field requires an integrated approach to solving the problem and the introduction of new technologies.

A characteristic feature of our time is the intensive development of production using the latest technologies to transform the consumption of resources using new equipment, which allows for an increase in productivity. This contributes to increased human impact on the natural environment. And if earlier humanity experienced local and regional environmental crises, which could lead to the death of any civilization, but did not impede the further progress of the human race as a whole, then the current environmental situation is fraught with a global environmental problem. Because modern man is destroying the mechanisms of the overall functioning of the Earth's ecosystem.

There is a figurative expression that we live in an era of three “Es”: economics, energy, ecology. Ecology as a science and way of thinking is attracting more and more attention from humanity.

Energy problems

Energy is a branch of production that is developing at an unprecedentedly rapid pace. If the population doubles in 40-50 years under the conditions of the modern demographic explosion, then in energy production and consumption this happens every 12-15 years. With such a ratio between the growth rates of population and energy, the energy availability increases exponentially not only in total terms, but also on a per capita basis.

A specific feature of electricity is that it cannot be accumulated for later use, so consumption corresponds to electricity production both in time and in quantity (taking into account losses).

There is no reason to expect that the rates of energy production and consumption will change significantly in the near future (some of their slowdown in industrialized countries is compensated by the increase in the energy availability of third world countries), so it is important to get answers to the following questions:

what impact do the main types of modern (thermal, water, nuclear) energy have on the biosphere and its individual elements, and how will the ratio of these types in the energy balance change in the near and long term;
is it possible to reduce the negative impact on the environment of modern (traditional) methods of obtaining and using energy;
what are the possibilities of energy production using alternative (non-traditional) resources, such as solar energy, wind energy, thermal waters and other sources that are inexhaustible and environmentally friendly.

Currently, energy needs are met mainly through three types of energy resources:

organic fuel (gas, coal, fuel oil, coke, firewood, etc.)
atomic nucleus

Water energy and atomic energy are used by man after converting it into electrical energy. At the same time, a significant amount of energy contained in organic fuel is used in the form of heat, and only part of it is converted into electricity. However, in both cases, the release of energy from organic fuel is associated with its combustion, and therefore with the release of combustion products into the environment.

Environmental problems of thermal energy

Currently, about 90% of energy is produced in the Russian Federation by burning fuel (including coal, firewood and other biological resources). The share of thermal sources is reduced to 80-85% in electricity production. At the same time, in industrialized countries, oil and petroleum products are used mainly to meet transport needs. For example, in the USA, according to some data, oil accounted for 44% of the country's overall energy balance, and only 3% of electricity production. Coal is characterized by the opposite pattern: at 22% of the total energy balance, it is the main source of electricity (52%). In China, the share of coal in the production of electricity is close to 75%, while in Russia the predominant source of electricity is natural gas (about 40%), and the share of coal accounts for only 18% of the energy received, the share of oil does not exceed 10%.

On a global scale, hydro resources provide about 5-6% of electricity, nuclear energy provides 17-18% of electricity. Moreover, in a number of countries it is predominant in the energy balance.

Fuel combustion is not only the main source of energy, but also the most important supplier of pollutants to the environment. Thermal power plants are most “responsible” for the increasing greenhouse effect and acid precipitation. They, together with transport, supply the atmosphere with the main share of technogenic carbon (mainly in the form of CO 2), sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and dust. There is evidence that thermal power plants pollute the environment with radioactive substances 2-4 times more than nuclear power plants of the same power.

At the same time, the impact of energy on the environment and its inhabitants largely depends on the type of energy carriers (fuel) used. The cleanest fuel is natural gas, followed by oil (fuel oil), coal, brown coal, shale, and peat.

Emissions from thermal power plants are a significant source of such a strong carcinogen as benzopyrene. Its effect is associated with an increase in cancer. Emissions from coal-fired thermal power plants also contain oxides of silicon and aluminum. These abrasive materials can destroy lung tissue and cause diseases such as silicosis.

A serious problem near thermal power plants is the storage of ash and slag. This requires large areas that have not been used for a long time, and are also hotspots for the accumulation of heavy metals and increased radioactivity.

Thermal power plants are a significant source of heated water, which is used here as a cooling agent. These waters often end up in rivers and other bodies of water, causing thermal pollution and the accompanying natural chain reactions.

Environmental problems of hydropower

One of the most important impacts of hydropower is associated with the alienation of significant areas of fertile land for reservoirs. In Russia, where no more than 20% of electrical energy is produced through the use of hydro resources, at least 6 million hectares of land were flooded during the construction of hydroelectric power stations. In their place, natural ecosystems have been destroyed. Significant areas of land near reservoirs experience flooding as a result of rising groundwater levels. These lands, as a rule, become wetlands. The destruction of lands and their inherent ecosystems also occurs as a result of their destruction by water during the formation of the coastline. Such processes usually continue for decades and result in water pollution and siltation of reservoirs. Therefore, the construction of reservoirs is associated with a sharp disruption of the hydrological regime of rivers, their characteristic ecosystems and the species composition of aquatic organisms.

Deterioration of water quality in reservoirs occurs for various reasons. The amount of organic substances in them sharply increases, both due to ecosystems that have sunk under water (wood, other plant remains, etc.), and due to their accumulation as a result of slow water exchange.

Ultimately, river systems blocked by reservoirs turn from transit to transit-accumulative. In addition to biological substances, heavy metals, radioactive elements and many toxic chemicals with a long lifespan accumulate here. Accumulation products make it problematic to use the territories occupied by reservoirs after their liquidation. Despite the relative cheapness of energy obtained from hydro resources, their share in the energy balance is gradually decreasing. This is due both to the depletion of the cheapest resources and to the large territorial capacity of lowland reservoirs.

Reservoirs have a significant impact on atmospheric processes. For example, in arid areas, evaporation from the surface of reservoirs exceeds evaporation from an equal land surface by tens of times. Increased evaporation is associated with a decrease in air temperature and an increase in foggy phenomena. The difference in the thermal balances of reservoirs and the adjacent land determines the formation of local winds such as breezes. These phenomena contribute to weather changes.

The environmental costs of hydraulic construction are noticeably lower in mountainous areas, where reservoirs are usually small in area. However, in earthquake-prone mountainous areas, reservoirs can provoke earthquakes. The likelihood of landslides and the likelihood of disasters as a result of possible destruction of dams increases.

Environmental problems of nuclear energy

Until recently, nuclear energy was considered the most promising. This is due to both relatively large reserves of nuclear fuel and low environmental impact. The advantages also include the possibility of constructing nuclear power plants without being tied to resource deposits, since their transportation does not require significant costs due to small volumes. It is enough to note that 0.5 kg of nuclear fuel produces the same amount of energy as burning 1000 tons of coal.

Until the mid-80s, humanity saw nuclear energy as one of the ways out of the energy impasse. In just 20 years (from the mid-60s to the mid-80s), the global share of energy produced by nuclear power plants increased from practically zero to 15-17%. No other type of energy has had such growth rates. Until recently, the main environmental problems of nuclear power plants were associated with the disposal of spent fuel, as well as with the liquidation of nuclear power plants themselves after the end of their permissible operating lives.

During normal operation of a nuclear power plant, emissions of radioactive elements into the environment are extremely insignificant. On average, they are 2-4 times less than from thermal power plants of the same power. There are currently more than 500 nuclear reactors operating in the world. About 100 reactors are under construction.

A 1000 MW nuclear reactor releases about 60 tons of radioactive waste per year of operation. Some of them are processed, but the bulk requires burial. The burial technology is quite complex and expensive. Spent fuel is usually transferred to cooling pools, where radioactivity and heat generation are significantly reduced over several years. Burial is usually carried out at depths of at least 500-600 pits. The latter are located at such a distance from each other that the possibility of atomic reactions is excluded.

The inevitable result of nuclear power plant operation is thermal pollution. Per unit of energy received here it is 2-2.5 times greater than at thermal power plants, where much more heat is released into the atmosphere. The consequence of large heat losses at nuclear power plants is their lower efficiency compared to thermal power plants.

In general, the following impacts of nuclear power plants on the environment can be mentioned:

destruction of ecosystems and their elements (soils, soils, aquifers, etc.) in places of ore mining (especially with the open method);
seizure of land for the construction of nuclear power plants themselves. Particularly large areas are alienated for the construction of structures for supplying, draining and cooling heated water. A 1000 MW power plant requires a cooling pond with an area of about 800-900 hectares. Ponds can be replaced by giant cooling towers with a diameter at the base of 100-120 meters and a height equal to a 40-story building;
withdrawal of significant volumes of water from various sources and discharge of heated water. If these waters enter rivers and other sources, they experience a loss of oxygen, the likelihood of flowering increases, and the phenomena of heat stress in aquatic organisms increase;
Radioactive contamination of the atmosphere, water and soil cannot be ruled out during the extraction and transportation of raw materials, as well as during the operation of nuclear power plants, waste storage and processing, and their disposal.

Ways to solve problems

There is no doubt that in the near future thermal energy will remain dominant in the energy balance. There is a high probability of an increase in the share of coal and other types of less clean fuel in energy production. In this regard, we will consider some ways and methods of their use that can significantly reduce the negative impact on the environment. These methods are based mainly on improving technologies for fuel preparation and hazardous waste collection. Among them are the following:

Use and improvement of cleaning devices. Currently, many thermal power plants mainly capture solid emissions using various types of filters. The most aggressive pollutant, sulfur dioxide, is not captured at many thermal power plants or is captured in limited quantities. At the same time, there are thermal power plants (USA, Japan) that perform almost complete removal of this pollutant, as well as nitrogen oxides and other harmful pollutants. For this, special settings are used. The most widespread capture of sulfur and nitrogen oxides is carried out by passing flue gases through an ammonia solution. The end products of this process are ammonium nitrate, used as a mineral fertilizer.
Reducing the release of sulfur compounds into the atmosphere through preliminary desulfurization of coal and other types of fuel (oil, gas, oil shale) by chemical or physical methods. These methods make it possible to extract from 50 to 70% of sulfur from fuel before it is burned.
No less significant are the opportunities to save energy in everyday life and at work by improving the insulating properties of buildings. It is extremely wasteful to use electrical energy to generate heat. It is important to keep in mind that the production of electrical energy at thermal power plants is associated with the loss of approximately 60-65% of thermal energy, and at nuclear power plants - at least 70% of energy. Energy is also lost when it is transmitted through wires over a distance. Therefore, direct combustion of fuel to produce heat, especially gas, is much more rational than converting it into electricity and then back into heat.
The efficiency of fuel also increases noticeably when it is used instead of thermal power plants at thermal power plants. In the latter case, the objects of energy production are closer to the places of its consumption and thereby the losses associated with transmission over a distance are reduced. Along with electricity, thermal power plants use heat, which is captured by cooling agents. At the same time, the likelihood of thermal pollution of the aquatic environment is noticeably reduced. The most economical way to obtain energy is in small installations such as thermal power plants directly in buildings. In this case, losses of thermal and electrical energy are reduced to a minimum.

In conclusion, we can conclude: humanity is not in danger of a deadlock situation either in terms of the depletion of energy resources or in terms of environmental problems generated by energy. There are real opportunities for the transition to alternative energy sources (inexhaustible and environmentally friendly).

Institute of Transport and Communications

civil defense

Topic: Environmental problems of energy

Type: Abstract

Completed by: Sitnikov Maxim

group 3301 BN

Date of submission for verification: ______ ___

Return date for revision:______ ___

Pass/fail

Teacher: L.N. Zagrebina

Introduction

There is a figurative expression that we live in an era of three “Es”: economics, energy, ecology. At the same time, ecology as a science and way of thinking is attracting more and more attention of humanity.

Ecology is considered as a science and academic discipline that is designed to study the relationships between organisms and the environment in all their diversity. In this case, the environment is understood not only as the world of inanimate nature, but also as the impact of some organisms or their communities on other organisms and communities. Ecology is sometimes associated only with the study of habitat or environment. The latter is fundamentally correct with the significant amendment that the environment cannot be considered in isolation from organisms, just like organisms outside their habitat. These are components of a single functional whole, which is emphasized by the above definition of ecology as the science of the relationship between organisms and the environment.

It is important to emphasize this two-way connection due to the fact that this fundamental position is often underestimated: ecology is reduced only to the influence of the environment on organisms. The fallacy of such positions is obvious, since it was organisms that formed the modern environment. They also have a primary role in neutralizing those impacts on the environment that have occurred and are occurring for various reasons.

Conceptual foundations of the discipline. Since its inception, “Ecology” has been developing within the framework of biology for almost an entire century - until the 60-70s of the last century. Man, as a rule, was not considered in these systems - it was believed that his relationships with the environment are subject not to biological, but to social laws and are the object of social and philosophical sciences.

Currently, the term “ecology” has undergone significant transformation. It has become more human-oriented due to its extremely large-scale and specific influence on the environment.

The above allows us to supplement the definition of “ecology” and name the tasks that it is called upon to solve at the present time. Modern ecology can be considered as a science that studies the relationships of organisms, including humans, with the environment, determining the scale and permissible limits of the impact of human society on the environment, the possibilities of reducing these impacts or their complete neutralization. In strategic terms, this is the science of the survival of humanity and the way out of the environmental crisis, which has acquired (or is acquiring) global proportions - within the entire planet Earth.

It is becoming increasingly clear that man knows very little about the environment in which he lives, especially about the mechanisms that shape and maintain the environment. Discovering these mechanisms (patterns) is one of the most important tasks of modern ecology.

The content of the term “ecology” thus acquired a socio-political and philosophical aspect. It began to penetrate almost all branches of knowledge, the humanization of natural and technical sciences is associated with it, and it is actively being introduced into the humanities. Ecology is considered not only as an independent discipline, but as a worldview designed to permeate all sciences, technological processes and spheres of human activity.

It is therefore recognized that environmental training should proceed in at least two directions through the study of special integral courses and through the greening of all scientific, industrial and pedagogical activities.

Along with environmental education, significant attention is paid to environmental education, which is associated with respect for nature, cultural heritage, and social benefits. Without serious general environmental education, solving this problem is also very problematic.

Meanwhile, having become fashionable in its own way, ecology did not avoid the vulgarization of understanding and content. In a number of cases, ecology becomes a bargaining chip in achieving certain political goals and position in society.

Issues related to industries, types and results of human activity are often elevated to the category of environmental ones, simply if the fashionable word “ecology” is added to them. This is how awkward expressions appear, including in the press, such as “good and bad ecology”, “clean and dirty ecology”, “spoiled ecology”, etc. This is equivalent to assigning the same epithets to mathematics, physics, history, pedagogy, etc. P.

Despite the noted ambiguities and costs in understanding the scope, content and use of the term “ecology,” the fact of its extreme relevance at the present time remains undoubted.

In a generalized form, ecology studies the most general patterns of relationships between organisms and their communities with the environment in natural conditions.

Social ecology examines the relationships in the “society-nature” system, the specific role of man in systems of various ranks, the difference between this role and other living beings, ways to optimize the relationship between man and the environment, and the theoretical foundations of rational environmental management.

Energy problems

what impact do the main types of modern (thermal, water, nuclear) energy have on the biosphere and its individual elements and how will the ratio of these types in the energy balance change in the near and distant future;

is it possible to reduce the negative impact on the environment of modern (traditional) methods of obtaining and using energy;

what are the possibilities of energy production using alternative (non-traditional) resources, such as solar energy, wind energy, thermal waters and other sources that are inexhaustible and environmentally friendly.

Currently, energy needs are met mainly by three types of energy resources: organic fuel, water and the atomic core. Water energy and atomic energy are used by man after converting it into electrical energy. At the same time, a significant amount of energy contained in organic fuel is used in the form of heat and only part of it is converted into electricity. However, in both cases, the release of energy from organic fuel is associated with its combustion, and therefore with the release of combustion products into the environment.

Environmental problems of thermal energy

About 90% of energy is currently produced by burning fuel (including coal, firewood and other bioresources). The share of thermal sources is reduced to 80-85% in electricity production. At the same time, in industrialized countries, oil and petroleum products are used mainly to meet transport needs. For example, in the USA (data for 1995), oil accounted for 44% of the country's overall energy balance, and only 3% of electricity production. Coal is characterized by the opposite pattern: at 22% of the total energy balance, it is the main source of electricity (52%). In China, the share of coal in the production of electricity is close to 75%, while in Russia the predominant source of electricity is natural gas (about 40%), and the share of coal accounts for only 18% of the energy received, the share of oil does not exceed 10%.

On a global scale, hydro resources provide about 5-6% of electricity, nuclear energy provides 17-18% of electricity. Moreover, in a number of countries it is predominant in the energy balance (France - 74%, Belgium -61%, Sweden - 45%).

Fuel combustion is not only the main source of energy, but also the most important supplier of pollutants to the environment. Thermal power plants are most “responsible” for the increasing greenhouse effect and acid precipitation. They, together with transport, supply the atmosphere with the main share of technogenic carbon (mainly in the form of CO2), about 50% of sulfur dioxide, 35% of nitrogen oxides and about 35% of dust. There is evidence that thermal power plants pollute the environment with radioactive substances 2-4 times more than nuclear power plants of the same power.

Emissions from thermal power plants contain a significant amount of metals and their compounds. When converted to lethal doses, annual emissions from thermal power plants with a capacity of 1 million kW contain over 100 million doses of aluminum and its compounds, 400 million doses of iron, and 1.5 million doses of magnesium. The lethal effect of these pollutants does not occur only because they enter the body in small quantities. This, however, does not exclude their negative impact through water, soil and other parts of ecosystems.

Although currently a significant share of electricity is produced from relatively clean fuels (gas, oil), there is a natural tendency for their share to decrease. According to available forecasts, these energy carriers will lose their leading importance in the first quarter of the 21st century.

The possibility of a significant increase in the global energy balance of coal use cannot be ruled out. According to available calculations, coal reserves are such that they can meet the world's energy needs for 200-300 years. Possible coal production, taking into account explored and forecast reserves, is estimated at more than 7 trillion tons. Therefore, it is natural to expect an increase in the share of coal or its processed products (for example, gas) in energy production, and, consequently, in environmental pollution. Coals contain from 0.2 to tens of percent sulfur, mainly in the form of pyrite, sulfate, ferrous iron and gypsum. Available methods for capturing sulfur during fuel combustion are not always used due to their complexity and high cost. Therefore, a significant amount of it enters and, apparently, will enter the environment in the near future. Serious environmental problems are associated with solid waste from thermal power plants - ash and slag. Although the bulk of ash is captured by various filters, about 250 million tons of fine aerosols are released into the atmosphere annually in the form of emissions from thermal power plants. The latter are capable of significantly changing the balance of solar radiation at the earth's surface. They are also condensation nuclei for water vapor and the formation of precipitation; and, when they enter the respiratory system of humans and other organisms, they cause various respiratory diseases.

A serious problem near thermal power plants is the storage of ash and donkeys. This requires large areas that have not been used for a long time, and are also hotspots for the accumulation of heavy metals and increased radioactivity.

There is evidence that if all of today's energy was based on coal, then CO emissions would amount to 20 billion tons per year (now they are close to 6 billion tons/year). This is the limit beyond which climate changes are predicted to cause catastrophic consequences for the biosphere.

Thermal power plants are a significant source of heated water, which is used here as a cooling agent. These waters often end up in rivers and other bodies of water, causing their thermal pollution and the accompanying natural chain reactions (algae proliferation, loss of oxygen, death of aquatic organisms, transformation of typically aquatic ecosystems into swamps, etc.).

Environmental problems of hydropower

One of the most important impacts of hydropower is associated with the alienation of significant areas of fertile (floodplain) land for reservoirs. In Russia, where no more than 20% of electrical energy is produced through the use of hydro resources, at least 6 million hectares of land were flooded during the construction of hydroelectric power stations. In their place, natural ecosystems have been destroyed. Significant areas of land near reservoirs experience flooding as a result of rising groundwater levels. These lands, as a rule, become wetlands. In flat conditions, flooded lands can account for 10% or more of the flooded ones. The destruction of lands and their inherent ecosystems also occurs as a result of their destruction by water (abrasion) during the formation of the coastline. Abrasion processes usually continue for decades and result in the processing of large masses of soil, water pollution, and siltation of reservoirs. Thus, the construction of reservoirs is associated with a sharp disruption of the hydrological regime of rivers, their characteristic ecosystems and the species composition of aquatic organisms.

Deterioration of water quality in reservoirs occurs for various reasons. The amount of organic substances in them sharply increases both due to ecosystems that have sunk under water (wood, other plant remains, soil humus, etc.), and due to their accumulation as a result of slow water exchange. These are a kind of settling tanks and accumulators of substances coming from watersheds.

In reservoirs, the heating of water sharply increases, which intensifies the loss of oxygen and other processes caused by thermal pollution. The latter, together with the accumulation of nutrients, creates conditions for the overgrowing of water bodies and the intensive development of algae, including poisonous blue-green algae (cyanium). For these reasons, as well as due to the slow renewal of water, their ability to self-purify is sharply reduced. The deterioration of water quality leads to the death of many of its inhabitants. The incidence of disease in the fish stock is increasing, especially helminth damage. The taste qualities of the inhabitants of the aquatic environment decrease. The migration routes of fish are being disrupted, feeding grounds, spawning grounds, etc. are being destroyed.

Ultimately, river systems blocked by reservoirs turn from transit to transit-accumulative. In addition to nutrients, heavy metals, radioactive elements and many toxic chemicals with a long lifespan accumulate here. Accumulation products make it problematic to use the territories occupied by reservoirs after their liquidation. There is evidence that as a result of siltation, lowland reservoirs lose their value as energy facilities 50-100 years after their construction. For example, it is estimated that the great Aswan Dam, built on the Nile in the 60s, will be half silted up by 2025. Despite the relative cheapness of energy obtained from hydro resources, their share in the energy balance is gradually decreasing. This is due both to the depletion of the cheapest resources and to the large territorial capacity of lowland reservoirs. It is believed that in the future, global energy production from hydroelectric power plants will not exceed 5% of the total.

Reservoirs have a significant impact on atmospheric processes. For example, in arid (arid) areas, evaporation from the surface of reservoirs exceeds evaporation from an equal land surface by tens of times. Increased evaporation is associated with a decrease in air temperature and an increase in foggy phenomena. The difference in the thermal balances of reservoirs and the adjacent land determines the formation of local winds such as breezes. These, as well as other phenomena, result in a change in ecosystems (not always positive) and a change in weather. In some cases, in the area of reservoirs it is necessary to change the direction of agriculture. For example, in the southern parts of the world, some heat-loving crops (melons) do not have time to ripen, the incidence of plant diseases increases, and the quality of products deteriorates.

Environmental problems of nuclear energy

Until recently, nuclear energy was considered the most promising. This is due both to relatively large reserves of nuclear fuel and to its gentle impact on the environment. The advantages also include the possibility of constructing nuclear power plants without being tied to resource deposits, since their transportation does not require significant costs due to small volumes. It is enough to note that 0.5 kg of nuclear fuel produces the same amount of energy as burning 1000 tons of coal.

Until the mid-80s, humanity saw nuclear energy as one of the ways out of the energy impasse. In just 20 years (from the mid-60s to the mid-80s), the global share of energy produced by nuclear power plants increased from almost zero to 15-17%, and in a number of countries it became prevalent. No other type of energy has had such growth rates. Until recently, the main environmental problems of nuclear power plants were associated with the disposal of spent fuel, as well as with the liquidation of nuclear power plants themselves after the end of their permissible operating lives. There is evidence that the cost of such liquidation work ranges from 1/6 to 1/3 of the cost of the nuclear power plants themselves.

Some parameters of the impact of nuclear power plants and thermal power plants on the environment are presented in the table:

Comparison of nuclear power plants and thermal power plants in terms of fuel consumption and impact on the environment. The power of power plants is 1000 MW, operating throughout the year; (B. Nebel, 1993)

Factors affecting the environment

3.5 million tons of coal

1.5 t uranium

or 1000 tons of uranium ore

carbon dioxide

sulfur dioxide

and other connections

radioactive

By May 1986 The 400 power units that operated in the world and provided more than 17% of electricity increased the natural background radioactivity by no more than 0.02%. Before the Chernobyl disaster, not only in the world, but also in Russia, no industry had a lower level of occupational injuries than nuclear power plants. 30 years before the tragedy, 17 people died in accidents, and then for non-radiation reasons. After 1986, the main environmental danger of nuclear power plants began to be associated with the possibility of accidents. Although their likelihood at modern nuclear power plants is small, it cannot be ruled out. The largest accident of this kind is what happened at the fourth unit of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

According to various sources, the total release of fission products contained in the reactor ranged from 3.5% (63 kg) to 28% (50 tons). For comparison, we note that the bomb dropped on Hiroshima yielded only 740 g of radioactive material.

As a result of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, an area within a radius of more than 2 thousand km, covering more than 20 countries, was exposed to radioactive contamination. Within the former USSR, 11 regions, home to 17 million people, were affected. The total area of contaminated territories exceeds 8 million hectares, or 80,000 km2. As a result of the accident, 31 people died and more than 200 people received a dose of radiation that led to radiation sickness. 115 thousand people were evacuated from the most dangerous (30-kilometer) zone immediately after the accident. The number of victims and the number of evacuated residents is increasing, the contamination zone is expanding as a result of the movement of radioactive substances by wind, fires, transport, etc. The consequences of the accident will affect the lives of several more generations.

After the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, some countries decided to completely ban the construction of nuclear power plants. These include Sweden, Italy, Brazil, Mexico. Sweden, in addition, announced its intention to dismantle all existing reactors (there are 12 of them), although they provided about 45% of the country's total electricity. The pace of development of this type of energy in other countries has sharply slowed down. Measures have been taken to strengthen protection against accidents at existing, under construction and planned nuclear power plants. At the same time, humanity realizes that it is impossible to do without nuclear energy at the present stage of development. The construction and commissioning of new nuclear power plants is gradually increasing. There are currently more than 500 nuclear reactors operating in the world. About 100 reactors are under construction.

During nuclear reactions, only 0.5-1.5% of nuclear fuel burns out. A 1000 MW nuclear reactor releases about 60 tons of radioactive waste per year of operation. Some of them are processed, but the bulk requires burial. The burial technology is quite complex and expensive. Spent fuel is usually transferred to cooling pools, where radioactivity and heat generation are significantly reduced over several years. Burial is usually carried out at depths of at least 500-600 pits. The latter are located at such a distance from each other that the possibility of atomic reactions is excluded.

The inevitable result of nuclear power plant operation is thermal pollution. Per unit of energy received here it is 2-2.5 times greater than at thermal power plants, where much more heat is released into the atmosphere. The production of 1 million kW of electricity at a thermal power plant produces 1.5 km3 of heated water; at a nuclear power plant of the same power, the volume of heated water reaches 3-3.5 km3.

The consequence of large heat losses at nuclear power plants is their lower efficiency compared to thermal power plants. At the latter it is 35%, and at nuclear power plants it is only 30-31%.

In general, the following impacts of nuclear power plants on the environment can be mentioned:

destruction of ecosystems and their elements (soils, soils, aquifers, etc.) in places of ore mining (especially with the open method);

seizure of land for the construction of nuclear power plants themselves. Particularly large areas are alienated for the construction of structures for supplying, draining and cooling heated water. A 1000 MW power plant requires a cooling pond with an area of about 800-900 hectares. Ponds can be replaced by giant cooling towers with a diameter at the base of 100-120 m and a height equal to a 40-story building;

withdrawal of significant volumes of water from various sources and discharge of heated water. If these waters enter rivers and other sources, they experience a loss of oxygen, the likelihood of flowering increases, and the phenomena of heat stress in aquatic organisms increase;

Radioactive contamination of the atmosphere, water and soil cannot be ruled out during the extraction and transportation of raw materials, as well as during the operation of nuclear power plants, waste storage and processing, and their disposal.

Some ways to solve the problems of modern energy

There is no doubt that in the near future, thermal energy will remain predominant in the energy balance of the world and individual countries. There is a high probability of an increase in the share of coal and other types of less clean fuel in energy production. In this regard, we will consider some ways and methods of their use that can significantly reduce the negative impact on the environment. These methods are based mainly on improving technologies for fuel preparation and hazardous waste collection. Among them are the following:

1. Use and improvement of cleaning devices. Currently, many thermal power plants mainly capture solid emissions using various types of filters. The most aggressive pollutant, sulfur dioxide, is not captured at many thermal power plants or is captured in limited quantities. At the same time, there are thermal power plants (USA, Japan) that perform almost complete removal of this pollutant, as well as nitrogen oxides and other harmful pollutants. For this purpose, special desulfurization (to capture sulfur dioxide and trioxide) and denitrification (to capture nitrogen oxides) installations are used. The most widespread capture of sulfur and nitrogen oxides is carried out by passing flue gases through an ammonia solution. The end products of this process are ammonium nitrate, used as a mineral fertilizer, or a solution of sodium sulfite (raw material for the chemical industry). Such installations capture up to 96% of sulfur oxides and more than 80% of nitrogen oxides. There are other methods of purification from these gases.

2. Reducing the entry of sulfur compounds into the atmosphere through preliminary desulfurization (desulfurization) of coal and other types of fuel (oil, gas, oil shale) by chemical or physical methods. These methods make it possible to extract from 50 to 70% of sulfur from fuel before it is burned.

3. Great and real opportunities for reducing or stabilizing the flow of pollution into the environment are associated with energy savings. Such opportunities are especially great due to the reduction in energy intensity of the resulting products. For example, in the USA, on average, 2 times less energy was consumed per unit of product produced than in the former USSR. In Japan, such consumption was three times less. Energy savings by reducing the metal consumption of products, improving their quality and increasing the life expectancy of products are no less real. Energy saving through the transition to high-tech technologies associated with the use of computers and other low-current devices is promising.

4. No less significant are the opportunities to save energy in everyday life and at work by improving the insulating properties of buildings. Real energy savings come from replacing incandescent lamps with an efficiency of about 5% with fluorescent lamps, the efficiency of which is several times higher.

It is extremely wasteful to use electrical energy to generate heat. It is important to keep in mind that the production of electrical energy at thermal power plants is associated with the loss of approximately 60-65% of thermal energy, and at nuclear power plants - at least 70% of energy. Energy is also lost when it is transmitted through wires over a distance. Therefore, direct combustion of fuel to produce heat, especially gas, is much more rational than converting it into electricity and then back into heat.

5. The efficiency of fuel also increases noticeably when it is used instead of thermal power plants at thermal power plants. In the latter case, the objects of energy production are closer to the places of its consumption and thereby the losses associated with transmission over a distance are reduced. Along with electricity, thermal power plants use heat, which is captured by cooling agents. At the same time, the likelihood of thermal pollution of the aquatic environment is noticeably reduced. The most economical way to obtain energy is in small installations such as thermal power plants (iogenation) directly in buildings. In this case, losses of thermal and electrical energy are reduced to a minimum. Such methods are increasingly being used in some countries.

Alternative energy sources

The main modern sources of energy (especially fossil fuels) can be considered as a means of solving energy problems in the near future. This is due to their depletion and inevitable pollution of the environment. In this regard, it is important to become familiar with the possibilities of using new energy sources that would replace existing ones. Such sources include energy from the sun, wind, water, thermonuclear fusion and other sources.

The sun as a source of thermal energy

It is a virtually inexhaustible source of energy. It can be used directly (through capture by technical devices) or indirectly through the products of photosynthesis, the water cycle, the movement of air masses and other processes that are determined by solar phenomena.

Using solar heat is the simplest and cheapest way to solve certain energy problems. It is estimated that in the United States, about 25% of the energy produced in the country is consumed for space heating and hot water supply. In northern countries, including Latvia, this share is noticeably higher. Meanwhile, a significant portion of the heat required for these purposes can be obtained by capturing the energy of solar rays. These possibilities become more significant the more direct solar radiation reaches the earth's surface.

The most common method is to capture solar energy through various types of collectors. In its simplest form, it is a dark-colored surface for trapping heat and a device for accumulating and retaining it. Both blocks can represent a single whole. The collectors are placed in a transparent chamber, which operates on the principle of a greenhouse. There are also devices to reduce energy dissipation (good insulation) and its removal, for example, by air or water currents.

Passive type heating systems are even simpler. The circulation of coolants here is carried out as a result of convection currents: heated air or water rises upward, and their place is taken by cooler coolants. An example of such a system would be a room with large windows facing the sun and good insulating properties of materials that can retain heat for a long time. To reduce overheating during the day and heat loss at night, curtains, blinds, visors and other protective devices are used. In this case, the problem of the most rational use of solar energy is solved through the correct design of buildings. Some increase in construction costs is offset by the effect of using cheap and perfectly clean energy.

The targeted use of solar energy is not yet great, but the production of various types of solar collectors is intensively increasing. There are now thousands of similar systems in operation in the United States, although they currently provide only 0.5% of the hot water supply.

Very simple devices are sometimes used in greenhouses or other structures. For greater heat accumulation in sunny times of the day, material with a large surface and good heat capacity is placed in such rooms. These can be stones, coarse sand, water, gravel, metal, etc. During the day they accumulate heat, and at night they gradually release it. Such devices are widely used in greenhouses.

The sun as a source of electrical energy

Conversion of solar energy into electrical energy is possible through the use of photocells, in which solar energy is induced into electric current without any additional devices. Although the efficiency of such devices is low, they have the advantage of slow wear due to the absence of any moving parts. The main difficulties in using photocells are associated with their high cost and the occupation of large areas for placement. The problem can be solved to some extent by replacing metal photoconverters with elastic synthetic ones, using the roofs and walls of houses to house batteries, taking the converters into outer space, etc.

In cases where a small amount of energy is required, the use of photovoltaic cells is already economically feasible. Examples of such uses include calculators, telephones, televisions, air conditioners, lighthouses, buoys, small irrigation systems, etc.

In countries with a large amount of solar radiation, there are projects for the complete electrification of certain sectors of the economy, for example agriculture, using solar energy. The energy obtained in this way, especially taking into account its high environmental friendliness, is more cost-effective than energy obtained by traditional methods.

Solar stations are also captivating with the ability to quickly commission and increase their power during operation by simply connecting additional solar collector batteries. A solar power station has been built in California, the power of which is sufficient to provide electricity to 2,400 homes.

The second way to convert solar energy into electrical energy involves converting water into steam, which drives turbogenerators. In these cases, energy storage towers with a large number of lenses that concentrate the sun's rays, as well as special solar ponds, are most often used. The essence of the latter is that they consist of two layers of water: the lower one with a high concentration of salts and the upper one, represented by clear fresh water. The role of the energy-storing material is played by the saline solution. Heated water is used to heat or turn into steam liquids that boil at low temperatures.

In some cases, solar energy is also promising for producing hydrogen from water, which is called the “fuel of the future.” The decomposition of water and the release of hydrogen is carried out in the process of passing an electric current between the electrodes, obtained in gel installations. The disadvantages of such installations are still associated with low efficiency (the energy contained in hydrogen is only 20% higher than that spent on water electrolysis) and the high flammability of hydrogen, as well as its diffusion through storage tanks.

Harnessing solar energy through photosynthesis and biomass

Less than 1% of the solar energy flow is concentrated annually in biomass. However, this energy significantly exceeds that which a person receives from various sources at the present time and will receive in the future.

The simplest way to use photosynthetic energy is through direct combustion of biomass. In some countries that have not embarked on the path of industrial development, this method is the main one. More justified, however, is the processing of biomass into other types of fuel, for example into biogas or ethyl alcohol. The first is the result of anaerobic (without oxygen), and the second aerobic (in an oxygen environment) fermentation.

There is evidence that a dairy farm of 2 thousand heads is capable of providing not only the farm itself with biogas through the use of waste, but also generating significant income from the sale of the energy generated. Large energy resources are also concentrated in sewer sludge, garbage and other organic waste.

Alcohol obtained from bioresources is increasingly used in internal combustion engines. Thus, since the 70s, Brazil has switched a significant part of its vehicles to alcohol fuel or to a mixture of alcohol and gasoline - gasoline alcohol. There is experience in using alcohol as an energy carrier in the USA and other countries.

To obtain alcohol, various organic raw materials are used. In Brazil it is mainly sugar cane, in the USA it is corn. In other countries - various grain crops, potatoes, wood pulp. Limiting factors for the use of alcohol as an energy carrier are the lack of land for obtaining organic matter and environmental pollution during the production of alcohol (combustion of fossil fuels), as well as significant high cost (it is approximately 2 times more expensive than gasoline).

For Russia, where a large amount of wood, especially deciduous species (birch, aspen), is practically not used (not cut down or left in cutting areas), it is very promising to obtain alcohol from this biomass using technologies based on hydrolysis. Large reserves for obtaining alcohol fuel are also available from waste from sawmills and wood processing enterprises.

Recently, the terms “energy crops” and “energy forest” have appeared in the literature. They are understood as phytocenoses grown to process their biomass into gas or liquid fuel. “Energy forests” are usually designated as lands on which fast-growing tree species (poplars, eucalyptus, etc.) are grown and harvested using intensive technologies in a short period of time (5-10 years).

In general, biofuels can be considered as a significant factor in solving energy problems, if not now, then in the future. The main advantage of this resource is its constant and rapid renewal, and with proper use, inexhaustibility.

Wind as a source of energy

Wind, like moving water, are the most ancient sources of energy. For several centuries, these sources were used as mechanical ones in mills, sawmills, in water supply systems to places of consumption, etc. They were also used to generate electrical energy, although the share of wind in this regard remained extremely insignificant.

Interest in using wind to generate electricity has intensified in recent years. To date, wind turbines of various capacities, including giant ones, have been tested. It was concluded that in areas with intense air movement, wind turbines can well provide energy to local needs. The use of wind turbines for servicing individual objects (residential buildings, non-energy-intensive industries, etc.) is justified. At the same time, it has become obvious that giant wind turbines are not yet justified due to the high cost of structures, strong vibrations, noise, and rapid failure. Complexes of small wind turbines combined into one system are more economical.

In the USA, a wind power station was built by combining a large number of small wind turbines with a capacity of about 1,500 MW (about 1.5 nuclear power plants). Work is being carried out widely on the use of wind energy in Canada, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Germany and other countries. In addition to the inexhaustibility of the resource and the high environmental friendliness of production, the advantages of wind turbines include the low cost of the energy produced by them. It is 2-3 times lower here than at thermal power plants and nuclear power plants.

Opportunities for using unconventional hydro resources

Hydro resources continue to be an important potential source of energy, provided that more environmentally friendly methods of obtaining it than modern ones are used. For example, the energy resources of medium and small rivers (length from 10 to 200 km) are extremely underutilized. In the past, it was small and medium-sized rivers that were the most important source of energy. Small dams on rivers do not so much disrupt as they optimize the hydrological regime of rivers and adjacent territories. They can be considered as an example of ecologically determined environmental management, gentle intervention in natural processes. Reservoirs created on small rivers usually did not extend beyond the riverbeds. Such reservoirs dampen fluctuations in water in rivers and stabilize groundwater levels under adjacent floodplain lands. This has a beneficial effect on the productivity and sustainability of both aquatic and floodplain ecosystems.

There are calculations that on small and medium-sized rivers it is possible to obtain no less energy than it is obtained from modern large hydroelectric power plants. Currently, there are turbines that make it possible to obtain energy using the natural flow of rivers, without building dams. Such turbines are easily installed on rivers and, if necessary, moved to other places. Although the cost of the energy produced at such installations is noticeably higher than at large hydroelectric power plants, thermal power plants or nuclear power plants, its high environmental friendliness makes it expedient to obtain it.

Energy resources of sea, ocean and thermal waters

The water masses of the seas and oceans have large energy resources. These include the energy of ebbs and flows, sea currents, and temperature gradients at various depths. Currently, this energy is used in extremely small quantities due to the high cost of production. This, however, does not mean that its share in the energy balance will not increase in the future.

There are currently two or three tidal power plants operating in the world. However, apart from the high cost of energy, power plants of this type cannot be considered highly environmentally friendly. During their construction, dams block bays, which dramatically changes environmental factors and living conditions of organisms.

In ocean waters, temperature differences at different depths can be used to generate energy. In warm currents, for example in the Gulf Stream, they reach 20°C. The principle is based on the use of liquids that boil and condense at small temperature differences. Warm water in the surface layers is used to convert liquid into steam, which rotates the turbine, while cold deep water is used to condense steam into liquid. Difficulties are associated with the bulkiness of the structures and their high cost. Installations of this type are still at the testing stage.

The possibilities of using geothermal resources are incomparably more realistic. In this case, the heat source is heated water contained in the bowels of the earth. In some areas, such waters flow to the surface in the form of geysers. Geothermal energy can be used both in the form of heat and to generate electricity.

Experiments are also being conducted on the use of heat contained in the solid structures of the earth's crust. This heat is extracted from the depths by pumping water, which is then used in the same way as other thermal waters.

Already at present, individual cities or enterprises are provided with energy from geothermal waters. This, in particular, applies to the capital of Iceland - Reykjavik. In the early 80s, the world produced about 5,000 MW of electricity from geothermal power plants (about 5 nuclear power plants). Among the countries of the former USSR, significant geothermal water resources are available only in Russia in Kamchatka, but they are still used in small quantities. In the former USSR, only about 20 MW of electricity was produced from this type of resource.

Fusion energy

Modern nuclear energy is based on the splitting of atomic nuclei into two lighter ones with the release of energy proportional to the loss of mass. The source of energy and decay products are radioactive elements. The main environmental problems of nuclear energy are associated with them.

Even more energy is released in the process of nuclear fusion, in which two nuclei merge into one heavier one, but also with a loss of mass and the release of energy. The starting elements for synthesis are hydrogen, the final element is helium. Both elements do not have a negative impact on the environment and are practically inexhaustible.

The result of nuclear fusion is the energy of the sun. This process has been modeled by humans in the explosions of hydrogen bombs. The task is to make nuclear fusion controllable and to use its energy purposefully. The main difficulty is that nuclear fusion is possible at very high pressures and temperatures of about 100 million °C. There are no materials from which reactors can be made to carry out ultra-high-temperature (thermonuclear) reactions. Any material melts and evaporates.

Scientists have taken the path of searching for the possibility of carrying out reactions in an environment incapable of evaporation. To achieve this, two approaches are currently being tested. One of them is based on the retention of hydrogen in a strong magnetic field. An installation of this type is called TOKAMAK (Toroidal Chamber with a Magnetic Field). Such a camera was developed at the Russian Institute named after. Kurchatova. The second way involves the use of laser beams, which ensure that the desired temperature is obtained, and hydrogen is supplied to the places of concentration of which.

Despite some positive results in the implementation of controlled nuclear fusion, opinions are expressed that in the near future it is unlikely to be used to solve energy and environmental problems. This is due to the unresolved nature of many issues and the need for enormous costs for further experimental, and even more so industrial developments.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we can conclude that the current level of knowledge, as well as existing and under development technologies, provide grounds for optimistic forecasts: humanity is not in danger of a deadlock situation either in relation to the depletion of energy resources or in terms of environmental problems generated by energy. There are real opportunities for the transition to alternative energy sources (inexhaustible and environmentally friendly). From these positions, modern methods of energy production can be considered as a kind of transitional. The question is how long this transition period is and what options are available to shorten it.

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Introduction
1. Energy problems
2. Environmental problems of thermal energy
3. Environmental problems of hydropower
4. Environmental problems of nuclear energy
5. Ways to solve the problems of modern energy
Conclusion
List of used literature

Introduction

The anthropogenic period is revolutionary in the history of the Earth. Humanity manifests itself as the greatest geological force in terms of the scale of its activities on our planet. And if we remember the short duration of man’s existence in comparison with the life of the planet, then the significance of his activities will appear even clearer.

Man's technical ability to change the natural environment has rapidly increased, reaching its highest point in the era of the scientific and technological revolution. Now he is able to carry out projects for transforming the natural environment that he did not even dare to dream about until relatively recently. The growth of human power leads to an increase in the consequences of his activities that are negative for nature and, ultimately, dangerous for human existence, the significance of which is only now beginning to be realized.

The formation and development of human society was accompanied by local and regional environmental crises of anthropogenic origin. We can say that humanity’s steps forward along the path of scientific and technological progress were incessantly accompanied by negative aspects, the sharp aggravation of which led to environmental crises.

A characteristic feature of our time is the intensification and globalization of human impact on the natural environment, which is accompanied by an unprecedented intensification and globalization of the negative consequences of this impact. And if earlier humanity experienced local and regional environmental crises, which could lead to the death of any civilization, but did not impede the further progress of the human race as a whole, then the current environmental situation is fraught with global ecological collapse. Because modern man is destroying the mechanisms of the integral functioning of the biosphere on a planetary scale. There are more and more crisis points, both in the problematic and in the spatial sense, and they turn out to be closely interconnected. It is this circumstance that allows us to talk about the presence of a global environmental crisis and the threat of environmental catastrophe.

Currently, the term “ecology” has undergone significant transformation. It has become more human-oriented due to its extremely large-scale and specific influence on the environment.

1. Energy problems

Energy is a sector of production that is developing at an unprecedentedly rapid pace. If the population doubles in 40-50 years under the conditions of the modern demographic explosion, then in energy production and consumption this happens every 12-15 years. With such a ratio between the growth rates of population and energy, the energy availability increases exponentially not only in total terms, but also on a per capita basis.

what impact do the main types of modern (thermal, water, nuclear) energy have on the biosphere and its individual elements, and how will the ratio of these types in the energy balance change in the near and long term;
is it possible to reduce the negative impact on the environment of modern (traditional) methods of obtaining and using energy;
what are the possibilities of energy production using alternative (non-traditional) resources, such as solar energy, wind energy, thermal waters and other sources that are inexhaustible and environmentally friendly.

Currently, energy needs are met mainly through three types of energy resources:

1) organic fuel,

3) atomic nucleus.

2. Environmental problems of thermal energy

About 90% of energy is currently produced by burning fuel (including coal, firewood and other bioresources). The share of thermal sources is reduced to 80-85% in electricity production. At the same time, in industrialized countries, oil and petroleum products are used mainly to meet transport needs. For example, in the USA (data for 1995), oil accounted for 44% of the country’s overall energy balance, and only 3% of electricity production. Coal is characterized by the opposite pattern: at 22% of the total energy balance, it is the main source of electricity (52%). In China, the share of coal in the production of electricity is close to 75%, while in Russia the predominant source of electricity is natural gas (about 40%), and the share of coal accounts for only 18% of the energy received, the share of oil does not exceed 10%.

Fuel combustion is not only the main source of energy, but also the most important supplier of pollutants to the environment. Thermal power plants are most “responsible” for the increasing greenhouse effect and acid precipitation. They, together with transport, supply the atmosphere with the main share of technogenic carbon (mainly in the form of CO2), about 50% of sulfur dioxide, 35% of nitrogen oxides and about 35% of dust. There is evidence that thermal power plants pollute the environment with radioactive substances 2-4 times more than nuclear power plants of the same power.

3. Environmental problems of hydropower

4. Environmental problems of nuclear energy

Until recently, nuclear energy was considered the most promising. This is due both to relatively large reserves of nuclear fuel and to its gentle impact on the environment. The advantages also include the possibility of constructing nuclear power plants without being tied to resource deposits, since their transportation does not require significant costs due to small volumes. It is enough to note that 0.5 kg of nuclear fuel allows you to obtain the same amount of energy as burning 1000 tons of coal.

Until the mid-80s, humanity saw nuclear energy as one of the ways out of the energy impasse. In just 20 years (from the mid-60s to the mid-80s), the global share of energy produced by nuclear power plants increased from almost zero to 15-17%, and in a number of countries it became prevalent. No other type of energy has had such growth rates. Until recently, the main environmental problems of nuclear power plants were associated with the disposal of spent fuel, as well as with the liquidation of nuclear power plants themselves after the end of their permissible operating lives. There is evidence that the cost of such liquidation work ranges from 1/6 to 1/3 of the cost of the nuclear power plants themselves.

Some parameters of the impact of nuclear power plants and thermal power plants on the environment are presented in the table.

Table 4.1

Comparison of nuclear power plants and thermal power plants in terms of fuel consumption and impact on the environment.

The power of power plants is 1000 MW, operating throughout the year.

By May 1986 The 400 power units that operated in the world and provided more than 17% of electricity increased the natural background radioactivity by no more than 0.02%. Before the Chernobyl disaster, not only in the world, but also in Russia, no industry had a lower level of occupational injuries than nuclear power plants. 30 years before the tragedy, 17 people died in accidents, and then for non-radiation reasons. After 1986, the main environmental hazard of nuclear power plants began to be associated with the possibility of accidents. Although their likelihood at modern nuclear power plants is small, it cannot be ruled out. The largest accident of this kind is what happened at the fourth unit of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

The inevitable result of nuclear power plant operation is thermal pollution. Per unit of energy received here it is 2-2.5 times greater than at thermal power plants, where much more heat is released into the atmosphere. The production of 1 million kW of electricity at a thermal power plant produces 1.5 km3 of heated water; at a nuclear power plant of the same power, the volume of heated water reaches 3-3.5 km3.

The consequence of large heat losses at nuclear power plants is their lower efficiency compared to thermal power plants. At the latter it is 35%, and at nuclear power plants it is only 30-31%.

In general, the following impacts of nuclear power plants on the environment can be mentioned:

destruction of ecosystems and their elements (soils, soils, aquifers, etc.) in places of ore mining (especially with the open method);
seizure of land for the construction of nuclear power plants themselves. Particularly large areas are alienated for the construction of structures for supplying, draining and cooling heated water. A 1000 MW power plant requires a cooling pond with an area of about 800-900 hectares. Ponds can be replaced by giant cooling towers with a diameter at the base of 100-120 and a height equal to a 40-story building;
withdrawal of significant volumes of water from various sources and discharge of heated water. If these waters enter rivers and other sources, they experience a loss of oxygen, the likelihood of flowering increases, and the phenomena of heat stress in aquatic organisms increase;
Radioactive contamination of the atmosphere, water and soil cannot be ruled out during the extraction and transportation of raw materials, as well as during the operation of nuclear power plants, waste storage and processing, and their disposal.

5. Ways to solve the problems of modern energy

It is extremely wasteful to use electrical energy to generate heat. It is important to keep in mind that obtaining electrical energy at thermal power plants is associated with a loss of approximately 60-65% of thermal energy, and at nuclear power plants - at least 70% of energy. Energy is also lost when it is transmitted through wires over a distance. Therefore, direct combustion of fuel to produce heat, especially gas, is much more rational than converting it into electricity and then back into heat.

There are also various alternative sources of energy. The main modern sources of energy (especially fossil fuels) can be considered as a means of solving energy problems in the near future. This is due to their depletion and inevitable pollution of the environment. In this regard, it is important to become familiar with the possibilities of using new energy sources that would replace existing ones. Such sources include the energy of the sun, wind, water, thermonuclear fusion and other sources that can be used as follows:

the sun as a source of thermal energy
the sun as a source of electrical energy
harnessing solar energy through photosynthesis and biomass
wind as a source of energy
possibilities of using unconventional hydro resources
energy resources of sea, ocean and thermal waters
thermonuclear energy.

Conclusion

Let us consider in the table various alternative energy sources, their status, environmental friendliness, development prospects for solving energy problems that affect the environment.

Energy source	Condition and environmental friendliness	Prospects for use
coal	hard
	chemical pollution of the atmosphere conventionally taken as 1	potential reserves 10125 billion tons, promising for at least 100 years
oil	liquid
	chemical pollution of the atmosphere 0.6 conventional units	potential reserve 270-290 billion tons, promising for at least 30 years
gas	gaseous
	chemical pollution of the atmosphere 0.2 conventional units	potential reserve 270 billion tons, promising for 30-50 years
slates	hard
	significant amount of waste and emissions that are difficult to eliminate	reserves more than 38,400 billion tons, unpromising due to pollution
peat	hard
	high ash content and environmental violations at mining sites	reserves are significant: 150 billion tons, unpromising due to high ash content and environmental violations at production sites
hydropower	liquid
	disturbance of ecological balance	reserves 890 million tons of oil equivalent
geothermal	liquid
energy	chemical pollution	inexhaustible, promising
solar energy		practically inexhaustible, promising
tidal energy	liquid
	thermal pollution	practically inexhaustible
atomic decay energy	hard	reserves are physically inexhaustible, environmentally hazardous

There are real opportunities for the transition to alternative energy sources (inexhaustible and environmentally friendly). From these positions, modern methods of energy production can be considered as a kind of transitional. The question is how long this transition period is and what possibilities are available to shorten it.

List of used literature

Attali J. On the threshold of a new millennium: Trans. from English - M.: International relations, 1993.
Brodsky A.K. Short course in general ecology: Textbook. — 3rd ed. – M., 1999.
Gorelov A.A. Ecology: Textbook. allowance. - M.: Center, 1998.
Erofeev B.V. Environmental law: Textbook for universities. - M.: Jurisprudence, 1999.
Erofeev B.V. Environmental law of Russia: Textbook. - M.: Yurist, 1996.
Lavrov S.B. Global problems of our time: part 1. - St. Petersburg, 1993.
Lavrov S.B. Global problems of our time: part 2. - St. Petersburg, 1995.

Institute of Transport and Communications

civil defense

Topic: Environmental problems of energy

Type: Abstract

Completed by: Sitnikov Maxim

group 3301 BN

Date of submission for verification: ______ ___

Return date for revision:______ ___

Pass/fail

Teacher: L.N. Zagrebina

Riga-2004
Introduction

Currently, the term “ecology” has undergone significant transformation. It has become more human-oriented due to its extremely large-scale and specific influence on the environment.

Despite the noted ambiguities and costs in understanding the scope, content and use of the term “ecology,” the fact of its extreme relevance at the present time remains undoubted.

In a generalized form, ecology studies the most general patterns of relationships between organisms and their communities with the environment in natural conditions.

Energy problems

· what impact do the main types of modern (thermal, water, nuclear) energy have on the biosphere and its individual elements and how will the ratio of these types in the energy balance change in the short and long term;

· Is it possible to reduce the negative impact on the environment of modern (traditional) methods of obtaining and using energy;

· what are the possibilities of energy production using alternative (non-traditional) resources, such as solar energy, wind energy, thermal waters and other sources that are inexhaustible and environmentally friendly.

Environmental problems of thermal energy

Fuel combustion is not only the main source of energy, but also the most important supplier of pollutants to the environment. Thermal power plants are most “responsible” for the increasing greenhouse effect and acid precipitation. They, together with transport, supply the atmosphere with the main share of technogenic carbon (mainly in the form of CO2), about 50% of sulfur dioxide, 35% of nitrogen oxides and about 35% of dust. There is evidence that thermal power plants pollute the environment with radioactive substances 2-4 times more than nuclear power plants of the same power.

Environmental problems of hydropower

Environmental problems of nuclear energy

Until the mid-80s, humanity saw nuclear energy as one of the ways out of the energy impasse. In just 20 years (from the mid-60s to the mid-80s), the global share of energy produced by nuclear power plants increased from almost zero to 15-17%, and in a number of countries it became prevalent. No other type of energy has had such growth rates. Until recently, the main environmental problems of nuclear power plants were associated with the disposal of spent fuel, as well as with the liquidation of nuclear power plants themselves after the end of their permissible operating lives. There is evidence that the cost of such liquidation work ranges from 1/6 to 1/3 of the cost of the nuclear power plants themselves.

Some parameters of the impact of nuclear power plants and thermal power plants on the environment are presented in the table:

The inevitable result of nuclear power plant operation is thermal pollution. Per unit of energy received here it is 2-2.5 times greater than at thermal power plants, where much more heat is released into the atmosphere. The production of 1 million kW of electricity at a thermal power plant produces 1.5 km3 of heated water; at a nuclear power plant of the same power, the volume of heated water reaches 3-3.5 km3.

The consequence of large heat losses at nuclear power plants is their lower efficiency compared to thermal power plants. At the latter it is 35%, and at nuclear power plants it is only 30-31%.

In general, the following impacts of nuclear power plants on the environment can be mentioned:

· destruction of ecosystems and their elements (soils, soils, aquifers, etc.) in places of ore mining (especially with the open method);

· seizure of land for the construction of nuclear power plants themselves. Particularly large areas are alienated for the construction of structures for supplying, draining and cooling heated water. A 1000 MW power plant requires a cooling pond with an area of about 800-900 hectares. Ponds can be replaced by giant cooling towers with a diameter at the base of 100-120 m and a height equal to a 40-story building;

· withdrawal of significant volumes of water from various sources and discharge of heated water. If these waters enter rivers and other sources, they experience a loss of oxygen, the likelihood of flowering increases, and the phenomena of heat stress in aquatic organisms increase;

· radioactive contamination of the atmosphere, water and soil cannot be ruled out during the extraction and transportation of raw materials, as well as during the operation of nuclear power plants, waste storage and processing, and their disposal.