1. Which Energy Source is most sustainable in Ontario?
Group 17
Dominik Brejta, Nina Chen, Prabhpreet Hundal,
Jasmine Mah, Nanak Rai, Tejpal Sahota, Karan Seth

2. Possible types of Energy Sources
Solar Energy
Wind Energy
Hydro Energy
Coal
Natural Gas
Nuclear Energy

3. Solar Energy
Solar energy: electromagnetic radiation released by thermonuclear reactions in core of sun
A renewable resource
Uses photovoltaic cells, which are used to make solar panels

4. Advantages of using Solar Energy
remote expenses of Canada offer opportunities for developing and using many cost-effective solar technologies
Continous supply of solar energy is free
solar energy can be used to power small areas
sun delivers solar energy to all parts of Canada
use of this energy minimizes need for expensive & inefficient transmission and delivery systems
free - it needs no fuel and produces no waste or pollution

5. Solar Energy – Advantages continued
In countries that receive an abundance of sunlight, solar power can be used as an alternative to electricity if it is costly to deliver in a remote area
Handy for low-power uses such as solar powered garden lights and battery chargers, or for helping your home energy bills
RENEWABLE
Solar water heating can reduce energy expenses because water heating usually costs over $400 a year

6. Disadvantages of using Solar Energy
photovoltaic cells used in some areas of Canada to power radio transmitters and navigational aids, but it is too expensive for widespread use
today’s PV cells only convert about 10-20% of the energy into electrical energy
active systems require several years of operation to recover initial cost of operation in fuel savings
Does not work at night

7. Solar Energy – Disadvantages contd.
very expensive to build solar power stations
solar cells cost a great deal compared to the amount of electricity they'll produce in their lifetime
can be unreliable unless you're in a very sunny climate
amount of energy received based on:
time of day
season of year
latitude of area

8. Solar Energy in Ontario
active solar systems capture energy by mechanical means (ex. rooftop collectors)
accounts for only a tiny fraction of Canada's energy use
some studies indicate that it could meet as much as 5% of the Canada's energy needs by the year 2025

9. How it works
main applications of solar-energy technology in Canada: space heating, domestic hot water, and for drying crops and lumber
solar cells: used to convert light directly into electricity

10. Solar Water Heating
heat from the sun is used to heat water in glass panels on roof
water is pumped through pipes in panel
pipes painted black to absorb a larger amount of heat
water pumped through pipe at bottom so that convection helps flow of hot water out of the top
reduces electricity costs used to heat up water

11. Solar Furnace
uses huge array of mirrors to concentrate sun’s energy into small space and produce high temperatures

12. How it works continued
Energy that radiates from the sun comes from a process called nuclear fusion
sun made of mostly hydrogen and helium atoms
nuclei of hydrogen atoms in sun’s core combine to form helium
this generate energy
they combine due to the sun’s extremely high pressure and temperature
4 hydrogen nuclei combine to become 1 helium atom
But, helium atom contains less mass than the 4 hydrogen atoms that fused together

13. How it works continued
Some matter is lost during nuclear fission – lost matter is emitted into space as radiant energy
Solar energy travels to the earth at a speed of miles per seconds (a.k.a. speed of light)
Only small portion of energy emitted by sun into space hits earth (one part in two billion)
15% of sun’s energy = reflected back into space
30% - used to evaporate water, which produces rainfall
Solar energy = absorbed by plants, land, and oceans

14. Impact on Environment & Economy
No air and water pollution
Free and widely available energy source
Manufacturing the PV cells consumes silicon and produces some waste
Solar thermal farms can harm desert ecosystems

15. Sustainability
Looking at the above research, it is evident that as long as the solar energy harvesting fields are managed properly, it is a possibility of using solar energy to power cities.
However, it should be mentioned that, most likely, it should not be used to power smaller places because of the factor that affect the amount of sunlight available
The solar cells cost a lot of money, but over time, they will be worth their cost