1. CH 13: Achieving Energy Sustainability

2. Renewable Energy
“The use of solar energy has not been opened up because the oil industry does not own the sun.”
- Ralph Nader

3. What are Renewable Resources?
Renewable energy can be rapidly regenerated, and some can never be depleted, no matter how much of them we use.
Ex) Biomass
Renewable/non depletable = refer together as renewable.

4. Nondepletable
Energy sources that cannot be depleted no matter how much we use them
The amount available tomorrow does not depend on how much we use today
EX) Solar, wind, geothermal, hydoelectric, etc.
EX) No matter how much wind energy we capture there will always be more

5. Potential Energy
Renewable as long as humans do not use it faster than it can be replenished
EX) Biomass

6. Renewable Energy
The greatest renewable source of electricity production currently in use is hydroelectricity.

7. How Can We Use Less Energy?
Energy conservation- finding ways to use less energy. For example, lowering your thermostat during the winter or driving fewer miles.
Energy efficiency - getting the same result from using a smaller amount of energy.

8. The Benefits of Using Less Energy
Many energy companies have an extra backup source of energy available to meet the peak demand, the greatest quantity of energy used at any one time.
Important to REDUCE peak demand hours
Variable price structure- utility customers can pay less to use energy when demand is lowest and more during peak demand.
Example: Use the Clothes dryer before 10 am and after 7 pm in the summer.

9. Sustainable Design
Improving the efficiency of the buildings we live and work in.

10. Passive Solar Energy
Using passive solar energy can lower your electricity bill without the need for pumps or other mechanical devices.
Building the house with windows along a south- facing wall which allows the Sun’s rays to warm the house during the winter, yet let indirect light in to save on lighting costs in the summer.

11. Sustainable Design
Building houses close to where people work means reduced reliance on fossil fuels for transportation
Use materials that have high thermal inertia
Ability of a material to retain heat or cold
Building a house into the side of a hill or roofing a building with soil and plants= provide insulation and reduce need for heating and cooling
Use of recycled building materials is another method of energy conservation
EX) Earthships in New Mexico

12. Sustainable Design Techniques
Passive Solar design
Radiant Heating
Solar Panels
Skylights
Uses 30% less energy than the federal code requirement
Natural Light fills 90% of office & public areas
Window, louvers & skylights open as needed to allow for air circulation
Recycled denim jeans insulated the walls
Rooftop garden insulate the roof
Water collected from the roof recharges the groundwater
Efficient radiant heating system carries warm water through tubes in concrete floor.

13. Biomass is Energy from the Sun
The Sun is the ultimate source of almost all types of energy
Most Common form of Renewable energy
Wood, Charcoal and Manure- used to heat homes throughout the world.
Ethanol and Biodiesel (biofuels)- used as substitutes for gasoline and diesel fuel.

14. Modern Carbon vs. Fossil Carbon
Many people are confused how burning biomass such as wood is better than burning coal.
The carbon found in biomass was in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, taken in by the tree, and by burning it we put it back into the atmosphere
Burning coal is carbon that has been buried for millions of years and was out of circulation until we began to use it. This results in a rapid increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

15. Biomass
Wood, Charcoal and Manure - used to heat homes throughout the world.
Ethanol and Biodiesel (biofuels) - used as substitutes for gasoline and diesel fuel.

16. Hydropower
Hydroelectric power plants use running water to spin a turbine and generate electricity.
Hydroelectricity is very economical, with costs per kilowatt-hour similar to coal.
No pollution is produced.

17. The Kinetic Energy of Water
Hydroelectricity - electricity generated by the kinetic energy of moving water. This is the second most common form of renewable energy in the world.

18. The Kinetic Energy of Water
Run-of-the-river systems - water is held behind a dam and runs through a channel before returning to the river.
Water impoundment - water is stored behind a dam and the gates of the dam are opened and closed controlling the flow of water.
Tidal systems - the movement of water is driven by the gravitational pull of the Moon.

19. Tidal Power
Hydro Power

20. An issue with dams is that they produce a constant, steady stream of electricity that cannot be easily adjusted to meet demand.
Some dams have pumped storage, where water will be sent and stored during low-demand times, then returned back through the dam’s turbines when demand is higher.
Kinzua Dam and Seneca pumped storage generating station, Mead, PA

21. Wind Energy
Similar to hydroelectricity, except that moving air provides the force to spin the generator.
Wind turbines are able to orient themselves to face the oncoming wind.
As the air passes through, the blades rotate.
These are attached to a shaft, which connects to the turbine.

22. Wind farms are large numbers of wind turbines clustered together.
A single wind turbine can generate 1-7 megawatts of energy per year, not enough for a large population.
Wind farms are large numbers of wind turbines clustered together.
The Gansu Wind Farm in China produces 6 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity per year!

23. Wind power is comparable in cost to coal.
Possible negative impacts of wind turbines include:
Disruption of bird and bat migration pathways.
Noise.
Disruption of scenery.

24. Geothermal Energy
Like nuclear and coal, works by boiling water to steam.
Naturally-occurring heat from the Earth is used in place of fuel.
At a geothermal plant, two wells are drilled.
One injects cold water towards the underground heat.
The second directs steam to the turbine.

25. Geothermal Energy

26. Solar Energy
An enormous amount of energy (over 1,000 watts per square meter) hits the Earth every day.
This energy is very diffuse, spread out across the entire surface area of the planet.
Two separate technologies have been developed to convert solar energy into electricity.

27. Parabolic solar collection involves using curved reflective surfaces that collect light and focus it onto a concentrated point.
The heat is absorbed and used to boil water into steam, which spins a turbine.

28. Photovoltaic cells capture solar energy and convert it directly to electrical current.
Solar electricity tends to be times the cost of electricity from coal or other renewable sources.
Not available on overcast days or at night.

29. Iceland Uses the more per capita energy than other nation
Most of that energy = local and renewable
Very expensive to import to Iceland
Abundant fresh water= Hydroelectricity
Geysers and hot springs= Geothermal energy
Generate enough electricity for almost every on the country
Trying to develop hydrogen energy to power cars
First filling station hydrogen-fueled cars

30. Hydrogen Fuel Cells
Fuel cell - a device that operates like a common battery where electricity is generated by a reaction between two chemicals.
What are some advantages and disadvantages of a Hydrogen fuel cell car?

31. Biofuels
A fuel derived directly from organic, or living matter. Used as an alternative to gasoline or other fossil fuels.
The Navy Goes Green - Daily Show Segment

33. Before Lord of the Rings…

34. Geography of Nonrenewable Resources
Electricity generation by solar, wind, hydrokinetic, or geothermal plants is restricted by the natural geography of the United States.

35. The Great Plains have the highest average wind speeds and the greatest potential for wind power.

36. Areas with significant elevation differences and river courses are ideal for hydroelectricity generation.

37. The western states are the most favorable for geothermal energy production.

38. The deserts of the southwest are ideal for solar electricity generation.

40. PBS NOVA - Making Stuff Cleaner

42. Unit 5 Concept Mapping
Spend 20 minutes creating a concept map for Unit 5: Energy Resources and Consumption on a separate sheet of paper.
You must create a multi colored (4+ colors), in depth map.
The topics include:
Non Renewable Resources
Methods of Electricity Production
Energy Efficiency
Energy Sustainability
Renewable Resources - Methods of Electricity Production
Energy Conservation

43. Example Concept Map