1. Some Basic Concepts of Energy
Prepared for FYF 101J - Alternative Energy
Kenneth M. Klemow, Ph.D.
Wilkes University

2. Overview of topics Basic energy concepts
Historic phases of energy production and supply
Terminology pertaining to energy

3. Basic energy concepts

4. What is energy? Ability to do work
Physicists distinguish between kinetic and potential energy
Energy comes in different forms
Radiation
Mechanical energy
Chemical energy
Atomic energy
Electromagnetic energy
Electrical energy
Heat energy

5. How do we measure energy?
Force: Newton (N = kg x m / s²)
Energy: Joule (J = N x m)
Power: Watt (J / s)

6. Is a Joule a lot or a little?
The energy released when an apple falls one meter to the ground.
The energy released as heat by a person at rest, every hundredth of a second.
# one hundredth of the energy a person can receive by drinking a drop of beer.

7. Some conversion factors
1 calorie = J
1 BTU = 1054 J
1 kilowatt hour = 3.60 x 106 J
1 barrel oil equivalent = x 109 J
1 ton wood equivalent = 9.83 x 109 J
1 ton coal equivalent = x 109 J
1 ton oil equivalent = x 109 J
1 quad (PBtu) = x 1018 J
1 horsepower = W

8. Laws of Thermodyamics
First law: Energy cannot be created nor destroyed, can only be converted (conservation of energy)
Second law: No energy conversion is perfect; always get some loss as heat.

9. Energy and power Power = energy / time Energy = power x time
1 watt - 1 Joule / second
Energy = power x time

10. Why is living matter a source of energy?
CO2
H2O
C6H12O6
Carbon reduction
Carbon oxidation
Energy

11. Energy needs Biblical times Move people and their possessions
Agriculture and food processing
Build cities
Produce clothing
Simple chemical transformations (e.g. metallurgy)
Heating

12. Where did this energy come from?
Animate sources
Humans
Animals
Low head hydropower
Biomass (woody tissue)

13. Energy needs Industrial revolution times
Mechanized food production / consumption
Centralized heating
Transportation
Lighting
Textile manufacturing
More complex chemical processes (e.g., glass manufacturing)
mhslibrary.org/

14. Where did this energy come from?
Animate sources (mainly animals)
Low head hydropower
Biomass (woody tissue)
Coal
Petroleum
Low capacity wind
mhslibrary.org/

15. Why we need energy Modern
Transportation (personal vehicles, commercial vehicles, aviation)
Automated production of goods
Transport of goods
Centralized heating and air conditioning
Lighting
Highly complex chemical processes
content.answers.com

16. Where does this energy come from?
Coal
Petroleum
Natural gas
Nuclear fission
High and low head hydropower
Biomass (woody and herbaceous tissue)
Animate sources (mainly animals)
Low capacity and industrial wind
Geothermal
Solar collection
content.answers.com

17. Terminology pertaining to modern energy
Renewable vs nonrenewable
Traditional vs new energy
Commercialized vs non-commercialized
Centralized vs distributed generation
On-grid vs off-grid

18. Stages of energy flow from http://www. fao. org/docrep/u2246e/u2246e02
Primary energy is the energy as it is available in the natural environment, i.e. the primary source of energy.
Secondary energy is the energy ready for transport or transmission.
Final energy is the energy which the consumer buys or receives.
Useful energy is the energy which is an input in an end-use application.

19. Stages of energy flow from http://www. fao. org/docrep/u2246e/u2246e02
technology
examples
Primary
coal, wood, hydro, dung, oil
Conversion
power plant, kiln, refinery, digester
Secondary
refined oil, electricity, biogas
Transport/
transmission
trucks, pipes, wires
Final
diesel oil, charcoal, electricity, biogas
motors, heaters, stoves
Useful
shaft power, heat