Week 6

There have been a few changes added to this blog. As viewers can see, there is a fancy animated slideshow on the front page. This slideshow will express the amazing activities that this group has been doing! Please look forward to that! Additionally, a "Terms to Know" and "Full Survey" have been added to the tabs section above. Another addition is the link to the online survey can be found on the side bar for easier access.

In addition to the changes to the blog, research on the sources of electricity in Pennsylvania was found:
 

Energy we are using

According to the researched, the tables below show the fuel source used to generate electric power in USA and Pennsylvania. From the data we gathered we build a table listed below (Note that the data is from 2005 and is the latest data that is available):

Fuel Sources for Electric Power Generation in Pennsylvania in 2005

Energy source	summer capacity(Megawatts)	Percentage
Coal	18659	42%
Hydroelectric	748	2%
Natural Gas	9400	21%
Nuclear	9195	20%
Other Biomass	344	1%
Other Gases	110	0%
Petroleum	4604	10%
Pumped Storage	1505	3%
Wind	223	0%
Wood and Wood Derived Fuels	108	0%

Fuel Sources for Electric Power Generation in the United States in 2005

ENERGY SOURCE	SUMMER CAPACITY (Megawatts)	Percentage
Coal	313380	32%
Geothermal	2285	0%
Hydroelectric	77541	8%
Natural Gas	383061	39%
Nuclear	99988	10%
Other	887	0%
Other Biomass	3609	0%
Other Gases	2063	0%
Petroleum	58548	6%
Pumped Storage	21347	2%
Solar Thermal and Photovoltaic	411	0%
Wind	8706	1%
Wood and Wood Derived Fuels	6193	1%

Fuel Sources for Electric Power Generation in the United States in 2010

ENERGY SOURCE	SUMMER CAPACITY (Megawatts)	Percentage
Coal	18481	41%
Hydroelectric	747	2%
Natural Gas	9415	21%
Nuclear	9540	21%
Other Biomass	424	1%
Other Gases	100	0%
Petroleum	4534	10%
Pumped Storage	1521	3%
Solar Thermal and Photovoltaic	9	0%
Wind	696	2%
Wood and Wood Derived Fuels	108	0%

Comparing the data in 2005 with the data in 2010 it has been found that that the use of non –renewable resources like coal, petroleum and gas has declined significantly. Simultaneously, there has been an increase of usage in nuclear power and renewable resources, contributing to the reduction of the general population’s carbon footprint.

From the database and our calculations, we have discovered a relationship between the amount of electricity we use and the emission of the carbon dioxide caused by the electricity generation in Pennsylvania. The summer capacity of Pennsylvania was 45575 megawatts. About 40.5% came from coal, 20.9% came from nuclear power, 20.7% came from natural gas, 9.9% came from petroleum, rest about 10% came from other energy source such as solar, wind or hydroelectric.

From the data from EngineeringToolBox.com, burning 1 kg of coal will release 7.5 kWh of energy, and in the meantime, it will also release 2.3 kg of CO2. 1 kg of petroleum (diesel) will release 11.8 kWh of energy and 3.2 kg of CO2. 1 kg of natural gas will release 12 kWh of energy and 2.8 kg of CO2. After computing the amount of energy as well as the amount of CO2, we’ve found that: for coal, producing 1 kWh of energy will release 0.37 kg of CO2; for petroleum (diesel), producing 1 kWh of energy will release 0.24 kg of CO2.