1. Renewable Energy
Chapter 16

2. Energy Waste Need to improve 4 Major Energy Wasters
Energy Conservation
Energy Efficiency
4 Major Energy Wasters
Incandescent light bulbs
Motor vehicles
Nuclear power plants
Coal fired power plants

4. Improving Net Energy Electricity from Nuclear Power Plant
Uranium processing and transportation (57%)
Uranium mining (95%)
Power plant (31%)
Transmission of electricity (85%)
Resistance heating (100%)
Uranium 100%
95%
54%
17%
14%
Waste heat
Passive Solar
Window transmission (90%)
Sunlight 100%
90%
Waste heat

5. Ways to Save Energy: Industry
Cogeneration
Combine heating & power
Use steam for electricity then to heat building
75-90% efficiency
Recycling materials
Steel: recycling uses 75% less energy
Switch from incandescent to compact fluorescent or LED bulbs
Compact fluorescents: ¼ energy
LED: 1/7 energy
Update electrical grids

6. Ways to Save Energy: Transportation
Stricter Corporate Average Fuel Standards
2008: raised to 35 mpg by 2016
Increase fuel efficient car market
Show consumer “hidden” gas prices
Subsides & tax breaks
Tax break on fuel efficient cars

7. Ways to Save Energy: Cars
Superefficient and ultralight cars
Gasoline-electric hybrid car
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle
Energy-efficient diesel car
Electric vehicle with a fuel cell

8. Ways to Save Energy: Buildings
Insulate and plug leaks
Use energy-efficient windows
Stop other heating and cooling losses
Heat houses more efficiently
Use energy-efficient appliances
Use energy-efficient lighting

9. Ways to Save Energy: Future Buildings
Green architecture
Living or green roofs
Straw bale house

10. Renewable Energy
Using resources that can be rapidly reproduced in the environment for energy
Types
Solar
Water
Wind
Biomass
Geothermal
Hydrogen

11. Passive Solar Heating System

12. Passive Solar Heating System

13. Active Solar Heating System

15. Solar Thermal Systems Large fields of solar collecting systems
Great for sunny places
Deserts
Mojave is the largest
Unfeasible for widespread use
High cost
Low net yields

16. Photovoltaic Cells Converts solar power to electricity
Increasing efficiency
Top users:
Japan
China
Germany
Great for developing countries
Minimal infrastructure need
The warranty conditions for PV panels typically guarantee that panels can still produce at least 80% of their initial rated peak output after 20 (or sometimes 25) years. So manufactures expect that their panels last at least 20 years, and that the efficiency decreases by no more than 1% per year.

17. Photovoltaic Cells
Metal conductor with silicon backing to exchange electrons to generate electricity

18. Photovoltaic Cells
Major issue…
Cost

20. Hydropower World’s leading renewable resource
20% of the world’s electricity
Norway (99%)
New Zealand (75%)
Canada (59%)
China (21%)
United States (6%)

21. Hydropower Large scale systems in danger Silt build up
Methane emissions
Decomposition

23. Wind Indirect solar energy source
Use to turn turbines to generate electricity
2nd fastest growing source of energy
2009 leaders:
China
United States
Germany
Wind Potential
Could produce 40x world’s
current electrical use
 The Alta Wind Energy Center in California is the largest wind farm in the United States with a capacity of 1320 MW of power.
The top five states according to percentage of generation by wind in 2015 were:[2]
Iowa (31.3%)
South Dakota (25.5%)
Kansas (23.9%)
Oklahoma (18.4%)
North Dakota (17.7%

24. Wind Denmark Most energy efficient country
20% of electricity from wind

26. Farmers receive $3,000-$10,000 per year

27. Biomass Energy
Plant material or animal wastes that can be burned as solid fuel or converted into liquid or gas biofuels

28. Solid Biomass Wood and other wood products
10% of heating and cooking (worldwide)
35% less developed
95% poorest
Wood is only renewable if harvested at a slower rate than it is replenished

30. Biofuels Types Big producers Biodiesel (vegetable oil)
Ethanol (ethyl alcohol from plants/plant waste)
Big producers
United States (ethanol)
Brazil (ethanol)
European Union
(biodiesel)
China (ethanol)

31. Biofuels Major Advantages: Biofuel crops can be grown almost anywhere
If replenished at the same rate as they are used, no net increase in CO2 emissions
Also if no deforestation occurs to grow crops
Biofuels fit into current transport systems

32. Biofuels Most cars – up to 10 % ethanol
2001 or newer – up to 15% ethanol
15% plus ethanol – fuel flex vehicles

33. Biofuel
Chevrolet Impala LS and LT 3.5 Class: Midsize Car Base price range: $20,830 - $21,440 Engine: 211-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 EPA mpg city/highway (gasoline): 21/31 EPA mpg city/highway (E85 ethanol): 16/23

35. Geothermal Energy Stored heat in: Soil Underground rock
Fluids in Earth’s mantle

36. Geothermal Heat Pumps Ground constant temperature year round
Heat & cool by exploiting temperature difference
Ground constant temperature year round
3-6 meters
50-60⁰F

37. Hydrothermal Reservoirs
Drilling wells to extract dry steam, wet steam, or hot water from deep underground reservoirs
Uses
Heating
Aquaculture
Electricity
United States largest producer
California
Nevada
Utah
Hawaii
 A geothermal resource assessment shows that nine western states together have the potential to provide over 20 percent of national electricity need

39. Hydrogen 2H2 + O2  2 H2O + energy
Eliminates most air pollution & global warming threats

40. Hydrogen Energy Problems
Hardly any hydrogen gas in atmosphere
Takes energy & money to produce gas
Expensive
Fuel cells
CO2 levels dependent on method of hydrogen production
Use electricity to decompose water