Grade Level: Middle School | Duration: 50 minutes

This interactive session introduces middle school students to the fundamentals of energy history, nonrenewable resources, and electric vehicles. Students explore how humans have powered the world from fire to fossil fuels, examine Alabama’s unique energy landscape, and investigate the environmental impacts and solutions for our energy future. The session concludes with a hands-on energy audit activity where students use wattmeters and infrared cameras to identify “energy vampires” and energy leaks in their classroom.

Learning Objectives

Students will understand the history of human energy use from biomass through the Industrial Revolution to today’s diverse energy mix. They will identify Alabama’s primary energy sources and their locations throughout the state, explain the formation and types of fossil fuels, analyze the environmental impacts of nonrenewable energy at every stage of extraction and consumption, evaluate nuclear energy’s pros and cons, and explore how electric vehicles represent a key solution for reducing transportation emissions.

Key Topics Covered

History of Energy & Alabama’s Energy Mix

• Evolution from sun and fire as earliest energy sources through biomass, coal, oil, gas, and modern renewables
• The Industrial Revolution’s transformation of energy consumption patterns
• Alabama’s current energy mix: Natural Gas 38%, Nuclear 32%, Coal 19%, Hydroelectric 9%, Biomass 2%
• Alabama ranks 6th in U.S. electricity production and exports one-third of energy produced to neighboring states
• Interactive map exploration of coal mines, hydroelectric dams, natural gas plants, nuclear facilities, and solar installations across Alabama

Exploring Fossil Fuels

• Formation process: organic material covered by sediment, compressed with heat and pressure over millions of years
• Coal grades: Lignite, Subbituminous, Bituminous (most common in Alabama), and Anthracite
• Mining dangers: 1 in 5 miners develop black lung disease from silica inhalation
• Natural gas as “cleaner” fossil fuel—releases half the CO2 of coal but composed of methane (28x more potent greenhouse gas)
• Landfill gas capture as renewable natural gas option
• Crude oil refining into petroleum products—primarily used for transportation (67.2%) and industrial purposes (26.9%)

Environmental Impacts Across the Lifecycle

• Extraction: Habitat destruction, decreased biodiversity, erosion from mining and drilling operations
• Production/Transportation: Thousands of annual oil spills pose risks to marine life and human health
• Combustion/Consumption: Greenhouse gas emissions trap atmospheric heat, driving climate change
• Atmospheric warming consequences: sea level rise, extreme weather events, stronger hurricanes
• Air pollution effects: ocean acidification, acid rain, health hazards from unclean air

Nuclear Energy: The Other Nonrenewable

• Uranium-235 undergoes nuclear fission when neutrons split atoms, releasing heat energy
• Brown’s Ferry plant in North Alabama is the nation’s second-largest nuclear facility
• Pros: Zero emissions, high-paying jobs, supports national security
• Cons: Public fear from disasters (Chernobyl, Fukushima), expensive waste disposal, high construction costs
• Often confused with renewable energy due to zero-emission profile

Electrifying Our World: Electric Vehicles

• Transportation sector produces the largest share of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions
• 94.4% of Alabama households have at least one vehicle, making EVs a practical emission-reduction strategy
• Only 1% of current U.S. vehicles are electric, but sales increased 67% from 2022 despite supply chain issues
• Globally, 40 million EVs currently on the road; Tesla led with first highway-legal EV in 2008
• Battery mining debate: Lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese extraction poses environmental and humanitarian concerns
• 95% of EV battery materials can be recycled indefinitely, though only 5% currently are
• Nationwide IRA benefits: 550,000 new jobs, $300 billion in wages, $600 billion in capital investments
• Alabama economic opportunities: Hyundai Mobis in Montgomery, FirstSolar in Lawrence County, Mercedes-Benz battery plant in Bibb County

Solutions for a Sustainable Future

There is no perfect energy solution, but the future electric grid should prioritize minimizing emissions, focusing on sustainability and resiliency, selecting affordable consumer options, and electrifying everything from transportation to appliances. A diverse mix of clean energy sources provides the most sustainable and resilient approach. As renewable sources become the cheapest options for utilities to build, transitioning away from fossil fuel extraction becomes both environmentally and economically sensible. The focus on electrification—starting with vehicles and appliances—reduces fossil fuel demand while positioning society for a cleaner energy grid.

Interactive Activity: Energy Audit

Materials Required:

• Wattmeters (one per group)
• Infrared thermometers or IR cameras
• Fully charged batteries for all equipment

Activity Instructions:

• Students use wattmeters to identify “energy vampires”—appliances drawing power even when turned off
• IR cameras detect energy leaks where conditioned air escapes through windows and doors
• Teams document findings and calculate potential energy savings
• Class discussion connects personal energy conservation to broader climate solutions

Alabama-Specific Context

The session emphasizes Alabama’s unique position as both a major energy producer and a state with significant clean energy potential. Students explore how Birmingham earned its “Iron City” nickname from abundant bituminous coal, examine the state’s 26 active coal mines (90% of production exported through Mobile), and discover that Alabama ranks 13th nationally for solar potential despite current barriers. The presentation addresses energy burden issues—particularly relevant as Alabamians have the fifth-highest per-capita energy use in the nation—while highlighting emerging opportunities in Alabama’s growing clean energy sector.