Renewable Energy Resources aka Alternative

Solar Passive Solar Active Solar Solar Power Plants * fastest growing source of renewable energy * includes Passive Solar Active Solar Solar Power Plants

Suitability of Solar Usage

Passive Solar captures sunlight directly with a structure and converts it to low-temperature heat for space heating

advantages disadvantages * eliminate/reduce fossil fuel use advantage of living in a deciduous biome * eliminate/reduce fossil fuel use * No CO2 emissions * save money on heating disadvantages * high initial cost * latitude

Active Solar typically uses photovoltaic cells to absorb solar energy and gain a mechanical advantage can be used to….. * heat water * heat living space * generate electricity

Photovoltaic Cells aka PV Cells aka Solar Cells

Solar Power Plants solar farm (uses PV cells) use solar energy to generate large amounts of electricity Moyock, NC When complete, will be the largest east of the Mississippi Concentrated Solar Power (CSP)

Solar Power Tower huge arrays of computer controlled mirrors that track the sun and focus sunlight on a central heat collection tower

only 3 in the United States Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project, Nevada Ivanpah Solar Power Facility, California

Linear Concentrating System (parabolic trough) sunlight is collected and focused on oil or water filled pipes that run through the middle of curved solar collectors

Wind * Second to solar in industry growth * Generator converts mechanical energy to electricity behind the turbine

advantages disadvantages * No air pollution * High efficiency * Quick construction disadvantages * Visual pollution * Requires steady winds * May impact migratory birds

In the rangelands of the Great Plains, ranchers may make money by leasing land to power companies and still use the land for grazing or growing crops. West Texas wind farm

offshore wind potential

Denmark, with a pioneering wind-power program, is above 40 percent renewable power on its electric grid. It wants to be off fossil fuels by 2050. 

nonconventional turbine styles bladeless prototype

Wind and Solar farm in China. Wind and Solar capacities are growing faster in China than anywhere else in the world.

Hydropower A hydroelectric dam is built across a large river to create a reservoir upstream from the dam. * Water is released through the dam to spin turbines to generate electricity.

advantages disadvantages * No air pollution * Low maintenance * Controls downstream flooding disadvantages * High initial cost * Blocks fish migration * Traps sediment that would replenish shorelines downstream * Floods upstream habitats

Hoover Dam & Lake Mead Colorado River, USA

Aswan High Dam Nile River, Egypt

* Largest hydroelectric power plant in the world Three Gorges Dam Yangtze River, China * Largest hydroelectric power plant in the world

Tidal Power Uses water movement from high tides and low tides to turn turbines and generate electricity * Major limitation – effectiveness based on large tidal range (difference between low and high tide) or shape of sea floor in the area

Geothermal Uses heat, steam or hot water from underground reservoirs * Used to heat/cool space or to generate electricity

Geothermal Heat Pump/HVAC Uses the temperatures below the surface of the earth to heat or cool a structure. * Can be used anywhere because although temps above ground fluctuate during the seasons, the temperature below the surface remains consistent between 50˚F - 60˚F year round.

Generate electricity steam turns the turbine which powers the generator to make electricity thermal energy  mechanical energy  electrical energy

advantages disadvantages * No air pollution * Reliable * Limited locations * Possible land subsidence

The largest geothermal field in the world is known as The Geysers The largest geothermal field in the world is known as The Geysers. It is north of San Francisco, Ca and is home to 22 geothermal power plants.

Biomass * Any organic matter that can be used as an energy source. * It may be burned directly as a solid fuel or converted into a gas or liquid fuel

using biomass for transportation fuel….. * Corn, sugarcane and switchgrass are the most common sources for ethanol. Brazil is the largest producer of sugarcane for ethanol Switchgrass field in Illinois

aka Waste to Energy (WTE) using biomass for electricity….. Includes… * Biogas (methane) from landfills aka Waste to Energy (WTE) * Burning garbage * Burning wood chips/pellets

using biomass for heating & cooking….. * In many developing countries this accounts for over 90% of their energy use in homes * Includes fuelwood, animal dung and agricultural waste * Cause of deforestation in many of these countries * Major source of indoor air pollution

advantages disadvantages * Inexpensive * Renewable if land is well managed * Decreased fossil fuel use disadvantages * Uses a large amount of land * Loss of a carbon sink/deforestation * Increased soil erosion