Geography 417
California for Educators

Lesson Nine

California’s Primary Industries

• Primary industries, which include agriculture, are those industries dedicated to extracting resources from the earth. Mining, forestry, oil drilling, fishing and farming are all primary industries.

Energy

• Petroleum (2000)

• In-State 49.5%

• Alaska 24.8%

• Foreign 25.7%

• Electricity (1999)

• In-State 82%

• Imports 18%

• Natural Gas (1999)

• In-State 16%

• Canada 28%

• Rockies 10%

• Southwest 46%

Electricity Sources (fig)

Oil Rig (fig)

Map of CA Energy Production

Energy Use

• 1/4 energy used by 1/15 pop.

• Car - icon of CA

• Mass transit the exception

• The 1970-80s: reduced gas supplies/higher prices only resulted in more fuel efficient cars

• Mass transit has only limited success

– LA light rail/subway

– SF BART

– San Diego - Trolleys

Energy Consumption and Supply

• Only Texas outranks CA in energy usage

• CA leads all states in transportation related energy use

• 1994 statistics:

– Transportation 50%

– Industrial 28%

– Residential 13%

– Commercial 9%

Changing Energy Sources (fig)

Natural Gas Imports (fig)

Coal

• CA is not a coal state

• Gets it from nearby western states - cheap

• Has monumental economic, environmental and social problems

Hydropower

• Currently 22% - down to 10% in 20 years

• Due to:

1. Doubling of electricity consumption in next 15 years

2. Almost fully developed hydropower potential

• Hoover Dam

Hydroelectric -24% (fig)

Geothermal

• CA is sole major national producer

• Potential for future development

• Geysers facility - N CA Sonoma Co.

– Largest geothermal power plant in nation

Geothermal

• Every 100 m below ground, T of rock inc. 3 deg C.

• Hot water can reach T of 300 deg F or 148 deg C.

• Geyser or hot spring - When hot water comes up through a crack

• San Bernardino, hot water used to heat buildings during winter.

Geothermal (<5%) (fig)

Geothermal (fig)

Nuclear Power

• Very controversial

• Problems

– disposal of waste

– location - earthquakes

– meltdown

• 1983 - 4.8% electricity

• 1989 - 22.2% electricity

Nuclear (16%) (fig)

Solar Energy

• 1909 - solar collectors used to heat water

• Natural gas use increased and solar decreased

• Need areas with lots of sunlight and room

• CA is one of 4 states with undeveloped land signficant solar potential

Solar Potential (fig)

Mojave Desert

• Highly curved mirrors focus sunlight on a pipe

• Gets so hot that it can boil water into steam.

• Steam can then be used to turn a turbine to make electricity.

• Huge rows of solar mirrors power make electricity for 350,000 homes.

Solar Collector Mirror (fig)

Wind Power

• Only 1% of electricity but big potential for increase

• CA generates 85% of worlds wind produced electricity

• 3 principal wind farm sites

– Altamont

– San Gorgonio

– Tehachapi

• These 3 places make enough electricity to supply a city the size of San Francisco

Wind (1%) (fig)

Wind Farm (fig)

Ocean Energy

• The world's ocean may eventually provide energy

• Right now experimental

• How can we get energy from the ocean?

– waves

– high and low tides

– temperature differences in the water

Wave Energy

• Kinetic energy (movement) exists in the moving waves of the ocean.

• Example, the wave rises into chamber, forces air

• Moving air spins a turbine which can turn a generator.

California’s Energy Crisis

• Deregulation of energy production in 1999 forces utilities to sell generation plants and makes them subject to market for wholesale power

• Prices utilities could charge for power capped (not deregulated) until 2002

• Wholesale power costs soar during “shortages”

• Many shortages caused by plants being taken off line for “maintenance”

• 2001 Rolling blackouts

• 2001 State allows customer bills to double and triple

• State bail-out transfers billions to utilities and their stockholders

California’s Energy Companies (fig)