POWERING OUR FUTURE

Why We Need It We need fuel to power our homes, drive our cars, and cook our food The past decades have seen an exponential rise in fuel prices and their demand These factors have caused scientist and researchers to explore new methods of fueling our society

Wind Energy How it works Wind blows across the landscape and rotates the blades of a wind turbine this rotation powers a generator which sends electricity to homes, and offices

Solar Energy How it works Sunlight is absorbed on photovoltaic panels The light is converted to an electric current The current must pass through a battery or inverter before it is ready for use

Hydroelectric Energy How it works Dams are built into rivers and create large storage reservoirs Potential energy is transferred to kinetic energy as water flows through the penstock due to the effects of gravity The flowing water rotates a turbine which then powers a generator

Nuclear Energy How it works Controlled nuclear reactions are used to heat water and create steam The steam is used to rotate a turbine and power an electric generator

Biomass How it works Organic materials: plant/animal matter, wood, crops, waste are collected They can be burned as solids or converted to liquids and methane gas Liquids are used as ethanol or biodiesel Methane is used in heating, cooking, and producing electricity

Geothermal Energy How it works Holes are drilled into the earth’s surface Steam is extracted and used to power generators

Tidal Energy How it works Turbines are installed along the coast The water’s current spins the turbine The rotation powers generators that produce electricity

Coal How it works Coal is mined and removed from the earth Transported to power plants Where it is burned to produce steam This steam powers a generator which produces electricity

Oil How it works Crude oil is removed from reserves Transported to refineries Then distributed as fuel

Works Cited http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/wuhy.html http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/aer/pecss_diagram.html http://greenpoweroregon.com/green-power/wind-power.aspx http://www.easy-green-living.org/solar-energy-diagram.htm http://staff.fcps.net/sgill/content%20pages/energy_resources/nuclear_power.htm www.tidalstream.co.uk http://www.tva.gov/power/coalart.htm http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=biomass_home-basics http://www1.eere.energy.gov/geothermal/maps.html