Ch.21 — New Renewable Energy Alternatives – Flashcards

bioenergy hydropower

the energy from combustion of biomass

the energy from running water

1. generate electricity 2. heat air or water 3. fuel vehicles

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the design installation maintenance and management required to develop technologies and rebuild our society's infrastructure

in this approach, buildings are designed to maximize the absorption of sunlight in winter and to keep the interior cool in the summer

makes use of devices to focus, move, or store solar energy

utilities are using the principle behind solar cookers to generate electricity

- they convert sunlight to electrical energy - occurs when light reaches the PV cell and strikes one of a pair of plates made primarily of silicon

it is the photovoltaic materials compressed into ultra thin sheets

the value of the power the consumer provides is subtracted from the consumer's monthly utility bill

turbines are often erected in groups called wind farms

- the amount of carbon pollution that all US wind turbines prevent from entering the atmosphere is equal to the emissions from nearly 10 million cars - maintenance costs are low - it creates many job opportunities

- wind is an intermittent resource, we have no control over when it will occur - it varies from place to place

people don't want wind turbines in their residential area

is thermal energy that arises from beneath earth's surface

emissions relative to fossil fuel combustion

iceland northern california yellowstone national park

they make use of the nearly constant temperatures below the earth's surface

it harnesses the motion of ocean waves and coverts it into electricity

it is accomplished by building dams across the outlets of tidal basins

the oceans sun warmed surface is warmer than its deep water and is based on this gradient in temperature

warm surface water is piped into a facility to evaporate chemicals such as ammonia that boil at low temperature

warm surface water is evaporated in a vacuum, and its steam turns turbines and then is condensed by cold water

electricity is input to split hydrogen atoms from oxygen atoms of water molecules (trying to use hydrogen as energy so trying to get oxygen out)

nuclear power

wind and solar power

The sun releases energy through nuclear fusion whereas our current nuclear power technology releases energy through nuclear fission. [Solar energy is produced when hydrogen is converted to helium through fusion.]

active solar power [The moving liquid in the flat plate collectors make them an active solar technology.]

photovoltaic cells [Photovoltaic cells catch light energy and convert it directly into electrical energy.]

buildings designed and building materials chosen to maximize their direct absorption of sunlight [Passive solar design techniques include installing low, south-facing windows to maximize sunlight capture in the winter while minimizing sun getting in during the summer.]

Wind energy is the result of the sun producing wind. [The sun heats air currents at different places in different ways causing the wind.]

beneath Earth's surface [The radioactive decay of elements and high pressures in Earth's interior generate heat that rises to the surface.]

geothermal [The use of geothermal generation produces some carbon dioxide, sulfur oxides, and nitrogen oxide emissions, but not as much as burning biomass or coal.]

geothermal [Geothermal energy comes from the heat in the core and mantle of the earth. Disintegrating radioisotopes and the gravitational effects on Earth's core generate heat.]

The cost of generating energy is much too high for OTEC to make economic sense.

split water into hydrogen and oxygen [Through this means, electricity generated by energy source can be made into hydrogen.]